Editorial

The City Council’s informal decision on Dec. 16 to adopt a five-district, selected mayor format for city government in the redistricting process drew immediate reactions from several community members, who felt the decision was made unnecessarily quickly and short-circuited public discussion of the options. Here are a few of their comments:

"At Corazón Healdsburg," writes Marcy Floes, "we are deeply concerned about the implications of the recent election and the potential for mass deportations. This is not an abstract issue. It’s deeply personal and acutely affects our neighbors, coworkers, classmates and friends right here in Sonoma County."

As Healdsburg’s Chief of Police, I am proud to lead a department dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of every member of our community, regardless of their immigration status or national origin. I write today to reaffirm the policies and values that guide our approach to immigration enforcement...

Healdsburg’s Russian River Railroad Bridge is the sole remaining example of a steel Subdivided Warren Truss bridge on the former line of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. Built in 1901, the bridge has three spans supported by four concrete piers, a steel deck and superstructure on both sides of a single track. What does SMART plan to do with it?

Sonoma County residents are accustomed to the risks that wildfires pose. Earlier this year, we experienced a wildfire that forced residents into the all-too-familiar position of standing by for a potential evacuation order. This is why it is so imperative that proposed development projects anticipate strained evacuation routes before bringing more congestion to our roads. The Koi Nation’s proposal to construct the Shiloh Resort and Casino ignores this responsibility.

The City Council must address this issue with a “formula retail ordinance” that expands the boundaries of the retail area and codifies “formula business.” The 2030 General Plan protects businesses directly facing the Plaza, but not those around the Plaza, which explains why Faherty can slip into Ooh la Luxe’s space.

"With Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump locked in a statistical tie as we head toward the national election, the truth is clear: Every vote counts. And this year, it’s not just about choosing a candidate; it’s about choosing democracy itself." - Weekly Staff

"I am an affordable housing advocate, but Measure O and its aftermath are riddled with issues. I see it as a huge, uncertain affordability experiment, not a plan..." So writes a long-time Healdsburg resident about the city's plan to create an exclusion zone from the Growth Management Ordinance...

"The work of Healdsburg’s city staff is inherently apolitical, but staying above the fray can be a challenge during a contentious election season like the one we are all enduring. I’ve worked through a lot of elections, but the tone of this one—both locally and nationally—has at times been discouraging..." So writes Healdsburg City Manager Jeff Kay in this opinion column...

"We voted on Prop. 12 in 2018 to ban factory farming of the kind promoted by the Yes on Measure J people from outside the county, which was a statewide initiative. It went into full implementation on January 1, 2024. It has barely had the opportunity to go full swing and here we are targeting only Sonoma County. Why?" So asks one reader in our Letter to the Editor column, found online only this week...