Blight…wow. I wish our council would come up with creative solutions to issues that affect our neighborhoods. Like mutual aid/community organizing. Maybe we need an org with volunteers that creates some kind of application process for folks that need help getting things taken care of in their yards…People are working hard taking care of families and kids and going to jobs…life is intense, maybe some folks can’t afford it. Maybe they are ill or disabled. Maybe they don’t feel cared for and then choose to hermit and don’t realize what things are like our front…and maybe they are just hoarders. But can’t we have some sort of creativity when it comes to solving some of this without being punitive? Being more inclusive to begin with is what our community and world needs more of. I am happy to see two members were so opposed to this.
I also would really love to understand the process and policy when it comes to who becomes mayor. I do not live in city limits but spend much time in the city. I don’t vote for them. Yet it seems that over and over we have witnessed some leadership that is less than popular. Can someone explain how or why a mayor is chosen from the most disagreed with member of council? I am purely just curious so I can understand how it works. Thank you. I also appreciate these members of council, even when I disagree with them. They are doing a lot of work that I know we don’t all see.
It rotates each year. In the past when they tried to vote the meetings became acrimonious and feelings were hurt. The position is largely ceremonial and has no powers greater than any other council member. Conflict is good. It can help to ensure all sides of an issue are discussed and a range of ideas are considered. Having so many with a common view on many issues does limit discussion and harms the citizens. Even in quiet Sebastopol, politics is not pretty to watch.
Thank you for that clear explanation. I agree we need to hear all voices to have the best dialogue and the best outcomes for all, or at least for most. I just always wondered how the heck or why it was done this way. Makes sense. Thank you.
Once again, almost better than being there. If only, like the UN, I could have Laura as a live feed translating the procedure and personality nuances while I watch a meeting live.
Pothole walk would be an idea. Can the city council walk the entire 10 miles of residential streets that are in poor (5 miles) and very poor (5 miles with no useful life left)? Look forward to annual investments of the Sales tax increase that was supposed to be for roads being used to patch problems until Santa Clause shows up with a grant. The estimated cost of repairs after 20+years of no maintenance is $19MM. Would be a big and generous grant to give reward Sebastopol's negligence with what Councilmember Hinton would call "free money".
Thanks for reporting on our poor streets. I'm pretty disappointed that the top of fircrest ave is not included as a street that needs repair. It has huge potholes! Is there some kind of measurement that the pothole must reach before it can be repaired? Maybe we could use a pothole walk with the city council members.
Thanks again, Sebastopol Times for telling important news.
I moved to Sebastopol in 2008 to grow an involved garden. Your reporter interviewed me.
I’ve lived in many places in the world, but thought if the growing conditions are good enough for Luther Burbank, they’re good enough for me.
That said, I’m disappointed in what passes for “civic pride”. I volunteered years ago to help care for the garden by the library. My hope was to show how one place could be groomed, the idea might catch on. I gave up after two years. (The tags on the fruit trees are from me.)
It seems the visual blight reflects a poverty of sorts, mental or physical. For example, the pear trees by Pacific Market were infested with mistletoe for ages. One died and was eventually removed. The last is beyond rescuing. It seems no one cares…
I wonder at the values of local citizens, and what that says to rich tourists we hope to attract for TOT revenues….
Blight…wow. I wish our council would come up with creative solutions to issues that affect our neighborhoods. Like mutual aid/community organizing. Maybe we need an org with volunteers that creates some kind of application process for folks that need help getting things taken care of in their yards…People are working hard taking care of families and kids and going to jobs…life is intense, maybe some folks can’t afford it. Maybe they are ill or disabled. Maybe they don’t feel cared for and then choose to hermit and don’t realize what things are like our front…and maybe they are just hoarders. But can’t we have some sort of creativity when it comes to solving some of this without being punitive? Being more inclusive to begin with is what our community and world needs more of. I am happy to see two members were so opposed to this.
I also would really love to understand the process and policy when it comes to who becomes mayor. I do not live in city limits but spend much time in the city. I don’t vote for them. Yet it seems that over and over we have witnessed some leadership that is less than popular. Can someone explain how or why a mayor is chosen from the most disagreed with member of council? I am purely just curious so I can understand how it works. Thank you. I also appreciate these members of council, even when I disagree with them. They are doing a lot of work that I know we don’t all see.
It rotates each year. In the past when they tried to vote the meetings became acrimonious and feelings were hurt. The position is largely ceremonial and has no powers greater than any other council member. Conflict is good. It can help to ensure all sides of an issue are discussed and a range of ideas are considered. Having so many with a common view on many issues does limit discussion and harms the citizens. Even in quiet Sebastopol, politics is not pretty to watch.
Thank you for that clear explanation. I agree we need to hear all voices to have the best dialogue and the best outcomes for all, or at least for most. I just always wondered how the heck or why it was done this way. Makes sense. Thank you.
Once again, almost better than being there. If only, like the UN, I could have Laura as a live feed translating the procedure and personality nuances while I watch a meeting live.
Pothole walk would be an idea. Can the city council walk the entire 10 miles of residential streets that are in poor (5 miles) and very poor (5 miles with no useful life left)? Look forward to annual investments of the Sales tax increase that was supposed to be for roads being used to patch problems until Santa Clause shows up with a grant. The estimated cost of repairs after 20+years of no maintenance is $19MM. Would be a big and generous grant to give reward Sebastopol's negligence with what Councilmember Hinton would call "free money".
Thanks for reporting on our poor streets. I'm pretty disappointed that the top of fircrest ave is not included as a street that needs repair. It has huge potholes! Is there some kind of measurement that the pothole must reach before it can be repaired? Maybe we could use a pothole walk with the city council members.
Thanks again, Sebastopol Times for telling important news.
I moved to Sebastopol in 2008 to grow an involved garden. Your reporter interviewed me.
I’ve lived in many places in the world, but thought if the growing conditions are good enough for Luther Burbank, they’re good enough for me.
That said, I’m disappointed in what passes for “civic pride”. I volunteered years ago to help care for the garden by the library. My hope was to show how one place could be groomed, the idea might catch on. I gave up after two years. (The tags on the fruit trees are from me.)
It seems the visual blight reflects a poverty of sorts, mental or physical. For example, the pear trees by Pacific Market were infested with mistletoe for ages. One died and was eventually removed. The last is beyond rescuing. It seems no one cares…
I wonder at the values of local citizens, and what that says to rich tourists we hope to attract for TOT revenues….