This letter was sent to the members of the Healdsburg City Council on Oct. 19, 2026
I’m sure you share the surprise and chagrin of many of our neighbors that SMART has reopened the discussion of the location of the station. I reviewed their materials and it appears that they are engaging in whatever political machinations are necessary to back into a justification for the Vine Street station.
There is a very real question of credibility here to the City Council. On 2/20/2024, the CC issued a clear directive to move forward with the Hudson Street station. Earlier this year, you put out an RFP (Request for Proposals) anticipating changes related to SMART. In that RFP, it is clear that the expectation was for the train station to be at Hudson. On April 6 of this year, you resolved to support Measure B. The residents in Healdsburg who voted for Measure B (with your endorsement) voted for a Hudson Depot. At no point did SMART push back. In fact, if you listen to the meetings of 2/24, SMART expressed a great deal of desire for cooperation and deference to what we wanted.
Now SMART seems to be determined to reverse your decision, the historical decisions of our town and go against the preferences of most of our residents. They are acting in bad faith. They have framed you as powerless over the determination as to the location of the station and all the changes it will bring to our town.
I don’t think you are powerless. First, SMART has taken extraordinary measures to justify overriding us. They have essentially taken an adversarial position—despite repeatedly assuring us that they wanted the community to make the decision. Second, although they may enforce their ROW (Right of Way) for any legal purpose, there is no requirement for us to voluntarily cooperate with them.
I urge you to engage the City Attorney or outside council or whatever it takes and take control over this situation. It seems as though there are many avenues for us to delay and impede them. Analyze the contracts. Require the maximum number of reports. Be completely inflexible about parking and trees, and put every possible constraint on them if they refuse to cooperate with us.
They are using their legal and political power to override us. We must use ours to stop them.
Monique Verrier,
Healdsburg
