Time to think about earthquake safety

Due to the recent reports of earthquake activity in the Western region of the United States, now is a good time to review earthquake safety.

The U.S. Geolological Survey publishes a booklet called "Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country: Your Handbook for the San Francisco Bay Region,” which is now posted on this page of the City’s website http://www.sonomacity.org/default.aspx?PageId=440

The image posted here is page 26 of the booklet, "Protect Yourself During Earthquake Shaking." If you read nothing else, please read this page for the safety of yourself and your loved ones during an earthquake.

Sonoma Overlook Trailhead improvements welcomed

Today, Jackie Steuer of the Sonoma Overlook Trail Task Force (with hat, to the right) addressed the crowd of volunteers, project participants and onlookers at an event to celebrate the new trailhead improvements, which were completed entirely through volunteer labor and donations.

New on-line Suggestion Box

The City of Sonoma now has an on-line "Suggestion Box" for community members and website visitors to submit input and ideas. We welcome suggestions or comments you would like us to consider for service improvement or issues you wish to have addressed. You may submit suggestions anonymously if you so choose; however, you must provide an email or a phone number if you wish follow-up contact from the City. I will read all suggestions and, if a return e-mail address is provided, my staff and I will follow up with a response.

You can access the suggestion box from our home page at http://www.sonomacity.org/.

Sonoma Overlook Trail event this Saturday!

Join in at the Sonoma Overlook Trail this Saturday the 26th at 10:30 a.m. for a dedication of the new trail improvements.

See this blog post for more detail:
http://www.sonomamanager.com/2008/03/sonoma-overlook-trail-event.html

City Council actions from April 16th meeting

At its regular meeting of April 16th, the City Council took the following actions:

• Appointed Charles “Chip” Roberson to the Countywide Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee
  
• Appointed Gary Edwards to the Planning Commission
  
• Adopted the revised 2005 Urban Water Management Plan
  
• Approved the 2007/2008 Water Conservation Program
  
• Non Profit Funding Process – Discussed and directed the City Manager to set up a date, form an ad-hoc committee of Mayor Sanders and Mayor Pro Tem Brown, to tackle this difficult decision-making process; that the group comprise of city and county staff, non profit members, volunteers, interested parties, and people who have watched the process.
  
• Bond Property – Allow the Sonoma Ecology Center access for a volunteer contractor to review and report back as to the nature and extent of problems found to exist at the Bond House, the range of cost to remedy such; and direct staff to provide a report explaining the legal parameters of the City being able to sell the house.
  
• Discussion of City Manager Authority for City Purchasing and Contracts - The Council held discussion, took no action and maintained the City Manager’s purchasing authority set at $25,000.
  
• Approved in concept a New Community Development Area Rehabilitation Loan Program to Fund Energy Efficiency Upgrades and Solar/photovoltaic installations on Commercial Properties in the Redevelopment Area – Directed staff to give priority to those providing matching funds, and a preference in forgiving the loan amounts in such cases where matching funds are provided.

An Inconvenient Ride came to town

See photo with the welcoming crew yesterday – the riders are next to Mayor Sanders, the three young people to the right of her, Sydney Fuller (age 10), Ally Starina (age 15) and Tim Vincent (age 17). I want to give great thanks to Debra Rogers of our staff who coordinated numerous details behind the scenes to make this happen!

For more info: http://www.inconvenientride.com/

Here is part of a message from Melissa and Alexandra Carlson, Co-Presidents, Sonoma Valley High School Earth Club:

We had so much fun today meeting these awesome kids from Seattle, Washington (Sealth High School and Gateway Elementary School) and sharing our mutual goals to help bring awareness to important environmental concerns and issues we youth really care about. Greeting the Inconvenient Ride students at City Hall were the Earth Club team of Melissa Carlson, Alexandra Carlson, Lee Jasperse, Lauren Schorr, Terry Main, Andy Metzler, Rachel Fichmen, Amelia and Ellen Everidge, City Manager Linda Kelly, City of Sonoma Mayor Joanne Sanders, City Councilmen Cohen and Barbose, Debra Rogers, Sonoma Valley Unified School District Superintendent Young, and Sonoma Valley High School Principal Philpot, Earth Club Teacher Advisor Kuprian, Sonoma Ecology Executive Director Richard Dale, Dr. Lisa Micheli, Patty Moore (SEC and Moore Recycling), Environmental Commissioner Laurie as well as parents both of Earth Club and Inconvenient Ride youth and Mr. & Mrs. Beale, grandparents of Ali from Sealth High School, and our local photographer from the Sonoma Sun.

These first three to arrive from Inconvenient Ride were students Ali, Tim and Sydney. It was great. Actually, it was inspiring to say the least. They talked with us about their journey from Washington, D.C., through Oklahoma rains/winds through Alexandria, Virginia and then through the 109 degree temperature of Death Valley and the most recent impressiveness of the city of San Jose earlier today. They also shared how good it felt to have so many people they meet interested in the environment and global warming and that truly are doing things on a daily basis to change it in their communities.

Soon after our group picture, their whole group arrived, we visited shortly and then left City Hall and took a historical ride down Broadway Street to our prestigious High School, wow! We were so proud to be riding with this group.

There was a special crispness to the air as we (twenty plus riders) rode our bikes onto campus and we proudly showed our guests our campus recycling program and bright new blue bins. As we then rode to the creek, the emerald green shade of the oak and bay trees lining Nathanson Creek gave us the perfect setting for our ceremony and celebration. Mundo Murguia and Sandi Funke of Sonoma Ecology Center were there to greet us with a symbolic live oak tree seedling and their heartfelt mission to educate youth and the community about local ecology, conservation and nature. After warm introductions, Mundo led us to the freshly dug hole he prepared (that was the really hardest part) and then guided the Inconvenient Ride kids and us Earth Club kids as we planted a native live oak tree seedling on the Nathanson Creek Preserve, right at the edge of the preserve, by the bridge. SO VERY AWESOME! With gusto and inspiration the group cheered for the Inconvenient Ride and for the SVHS Earth Club before we all feasted on a slow food sampling donated by local green businesses here in Sonoma that included Vella's Cheese, Sonoma Garden Park, Basque vegan brownies by the Carlson Family. Yummy indeed it was. A simple setting under an umbrella of trees, a long white table with egg-white tablecloth and baskets full of goodies with fresh flowers from Sandi Funke's yard gently scattered about each basket. It was so very nice.

As long shadows crossed the field, we Earth Club Co-Presidents led the group on a special hike along the Nathanson Creek Preserve.

We personally both really want to thank Linda Kelly, Barbara Young, Micaela Philpot and Debra Rogers for empowering our Earth Club to co-host with them this special environmental awareness and celebration! We also want to thank the Sonoma Ecology Director and Managers, the City Council Members, CSEC, and local environmentalists who came out to be a part too.

As we hugged and said our goodbyes, the Inconvenient Ride people agreed that this experience in Sonoma, with our Earth Club and you all, has been the most unique yet on their journey!

Blue Wing Inn meeting

The Sonoma League for Historic Preservation is hosting a meeting on May 28th to discuss the preservation of the Blue Wing Inn, and invites your participation. Click on the image to view the flyer.

The Hospital District wants to hear from you

The following is a message from
Shelley Arrowsmith, Coalition Messenger:

"Got any ideas?

The Board of the Hospital District wants to hear them and dialogue with you about Measure F failing to get 67% of the vote in the special election held April 8th.

Dr. Dick Kirk, President of the Board of Directors of the Sonoma Valley Hospital District, has called a special meeting of the Board to discuss ideas for next steps and is looking for community input. While no decisions will be made, it will be important to have a discussion and dialogue among interested parties who, perhaps, weren't involved in the Measure F campaign.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 16 at 5 PM at the Sonoma FireHouse Training Room on First Street West, across from Round Table Pizza.

Please come and give your ideas, tell us why you voted YES or why you voted NO. And prepare to share those brilliant ideas you might be talking about with family and friends!"

Kids' Earth Day Event April 20th

Click to read about a Kids' Earth Day event happening on Sunday, April 20th from Noon-4 at Maxwell Farms Regional Park.

Agenda packet for April 16th posted

The City Council agenda packet for the meeting of Wednesday, April 16th at 6:00 p.m. has now been posted on the following page:
http://www.sonomacity.org/default.aspx?PageId=50

New Public Works Director for the City

** Press Release **

Today, City Manager Linda Kelly announced the appointment of Milenka Bates as Public Works Director for the City of Sonoma. Ms. Bates has served as Acting Public Works Director since the retirement of former Public Works Director Al Bandur in December 2007. She served the City in several capacities prior to that time, including Acting Assistant Public Works Director, Program Manager, and Administrative Assistant.

“Milenka immediately impressed me as a highly capable individual who has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to the success of our Public Works organization,” stated City Manager Kelly. “She has been filling more than one role for quite some time, becoming our resident water expert, and has implemented innovative and progressive, inclusionary approaches in how she manages her department.”

The Public Works Department is responsible for City water operations, including all mandated quality testing of City-owned wells and storage tanks, as well as street repair and maintenance, parks and landscape maintenance, cemetery maintenance, and consists of 22 staff members in these various areas.

In her five years with the City of Sonoma, Ms. Bates has developed mandated stormwater regulatory compliance guidelines and practices, participated in water connection rate studies and plans, prepared water quality reports, implemented the Adopt a Bike Path Program and the Graffiti Abatement Task Force. Her background includes many years of private sector management experience in transportation and logistics, sales, and human resources, with companies including Weyerhaeuser and Harwood Lumber Products. She is currently completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration through City University of Seattle. Her professional training includes disaster preparedness for water emergencies, stormwater pollution prevention, construction site inspection, project management, and grant writing.

"It has been and is an honor to work for the City and especially with the Public Works crew, they are all talented and dedicated employees. I am excited and look forward to the many opportunities before us,” Milenka stated.

City Manager Kelly added, “Milenka’s appointment is the result of the rich internal talent base we have within our City organization. I look forward to working with Milenka for many years to come.”

An Inconvenient Ride comes to Sonoma!

Click to read the press release regarding Project Earth Care's "Inconvenient Ride" coming to Sonoma on Thursday, April 17th at 4 p.m.!

Agenda items for April 16th

The City Council's April 16th meeting agenda will include:

• A public hearing on our Urban Water Management Plan
• Presentation of a Water Conservation Agreement with Sonoma County Water Agency
• Discussion of the Bond Property House (requested by Council Member Barbose)
• Discussion of the Non-profit funding process (requested by Mayor Sanders and Mayor Pro Tem Brown)
• Discussion of City Manager authority for City purchasing and contracts (requested by Council Member Cohen)
• Conceptual approval of a new Community Development Agency rehabilitation loan program to fund energy efficiency upgrades and solar/photovoltaic installations on commercial properties in the redevelopment area

National Crime Victims' Rights Week

Click on the image to view information about a candlelight vigil at the Plaza on Monday, April 14th at 6 p.m., honoring victims' rights.

Council actions from April 2nd meeting

At the April 2nd Council meeting, the City Council took the following actions:

• Honored longtime community volunteer Irving J. "Irv" Mills with a proclamation.
• Presented a proclamation declaring April 2008 as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
• Received a report on the City's disaster preparedness program and authorized staff to move forward with implementing a formalized disaster preparedness program.
• Reviewed a draft request for proposals to solicit consultant bids for an update of the City's Housing Element, which is required every five years, with an estimated cost of $100,000. Council approved the draft with revisions to include separating the core consultant duties of bringing the Housing Element technically up to date from optional items in the request for proposals.

Joint Council-CSEC Meeting

On Wednesday, April 9th, the City Council will hold a joint meeting with the Community Services and Environment Commission (CSEC) at 6:30 p.m. The agenda and packet can be accessed here:
http://www.sonomacity.org/default.aspx?PageId=50.

Home Foreclosure Assistance Workshop

In response to the mortgage crisis, Assembly Member Jared Huffman will be hosting a Home Foreclosure Assistance Workshop:

Saturday, April 12th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Rancho Cotate High School Multi-Use Room
5450 Snyder Lane
Rohnert Park

Individual counseling will be available and participants are asked to bring their mortgage paperwork. For more information, please contact the Assemblymember's district office at (415) 479-4920.