City to lease plaza parking lot
At its Dec. 6 meeting, city council voted to pay $3,000 a month to lease the Casa Grande parking from the State Department of Parks and Recreation.
In Feb. 2004, council authorized the city manager to enter into a lease with the state for the use of the parking lot, which is located behind the barracks. Surprisingly, that draft for the lease was not returned to the city until earlier this year.
The lot has approximately 125 free public parking spaces. A dialogue about how to recover the city’s cost to lease it involved possibly charging merchants or employees to park there.
Councilwoman Joanne Sanders said, “All businesses have parking costs. We don’t require plaza businesses to create parking solutions. We are subsidizing businesses in this way.”
The city started saving $2,000 a month in 2002 and now has $62,000 set aside to pay the parking-lot lease.
Council views pool plan
Bill Hammett, president of the CommonBond Foundation and publisher of the Sonoma Valley Sun, gave the Sonoma City Council a presentation on Dec. 6 of a proposed community swim center featuring a 50-meter pool, splash pool for children, diving and slide area, as well as upgraded tennis and volleyball courts.
Architect Philip Banta explained that green building was factored into the plans with energy-efficient strategies such as angled roofs for solar panels, pipes underneath tennis courts to preheat water, and sunshade canopies so users would have a place to get out of the heat.
Councilwoman Joanne Sanders said, “I would not consider the project unless those types of features were part of the plan.”
Toni Costa, a 40-year resident said, “I see a lot being done for the tourists, but I haven’t see a lot done for the community. If we can build a $700,000 duck pond we can build a community pool.”
Discussions then focused on the ability of the swim center to be financially solvent.
Councilman Steve Barbose said the city of Windsor had a very similar swim center in progress that had a budget of $20 million. Hammett pointed out that Sonoma was well-positioned in that no property had to be purchased (the center will be located at the Sonoma Valley High School), no parking lot had to be built, and the private project can be delivered at lower cost than a government project.
250 kids expected at Infineon party
Nearly 250 children ages 1 through 16 are planning to attend the second annual Race to the Holidays Christmas party for children in need at Infineon Raceway, which will take place Saturday.
Festivities include face-painting, holiday caroling, refreshments and even a visit from Santa Claus and his elves. The highlight will be Santa handing out a Christmas present for each child.
The raceway has received more than 250 donated toys. The party is limited strictly to those who are pre-registered.
Wilson resigns from Boys and Girls Club
After six years serving as executive director of the Boys & Girls Club Valley of the Moon, Catherine Wilson is resigning. During Wilson’s tenure, the club experienced remarkable growth, said a statement from the club, including expansion to a second site in the Springs Village Unit, the addition of the Intel Computer Clubhouse, and expanded programs to elementary campuses to provide after school homework program for high-need youth. Wilson was also instrumental in developing a partnership with the Mexican Consulate to help create the Club’s Spanish literacy program, Plaza Comunitaria.
“My heart and soul will always be with the Boys & Girls Club,” said Wilson, in a statement. “I hope the people of Sonoma continue to support the club, especially as the club gets ready to grow in 2007.”
