Letters (July 7, 2021)

• Planner Input
• We Got The Dollars, But Determination?
• Dangerous Planter Boxes
• Give The Money To Firefighters
• Graffiti Hate Crimes
• No Surprise
• True Education

PLANNER INPUT

Editor,

If the proponents of the proposed cannabis referendums are to be believed, enacting the new ordinance will result in untold environmental devastation. In truth, the dysfunctional system of little to no regulation is the cause of actual environmental damage.

The new ordinance actually provides greater protections to the environment and is a huge step to reducing the environmental impact of cannabis cultivation in our county. The County has spent countless hours hearing from the broad spectrum of stakeholders and has crafted an ordinance that creates a path forward for compliance, while enacting strict environmental protections and water use regulation. In addition, enacting the new ordinance will create a clear distinction between those in compliance and those flaunting oversight, enabling effective enforcement against bad actors.

Should either of the referendums qualify, we’ll be stuck with the current dysfunctional system for months, and should they pass, for years. It is time for us to begin to repair our broken cannabis system and allow the process of thoughtful representative democracy to move ahead.

I urge voters to decline signing either referendum.

Clifford Paulin

Mendocino County 1st District Planning Commissioner

Potter Valley

WE GOT THE DOLLARS, BUT DETERMINATION?

Editor: 

No one can predict when the drought will end. It’s a cyclical event. For now, we can mitigate effects by trying to reduce our water usage by 20%. Cloud seeding is expensive, with no guarantee it works. Large-scale desalinization is still questionable because of its energy consumption and the challenge of concentrate disposal.

Just two years ago we experienced severe rainstorms, causing catastrophic flooding on the Russian River. We were not prepared then as we probably aren’t now to capture rainfall for future droughts. Why not?

Do we need more dams and reservoirs? In the past 30 years, 100 small dams have been removed around the state. Water is being diverted away from Central Valley farmers. No water, no food. Do we care more for the delta smelt or for people? Can salmon and dams coexist? Environmentalists have plenty of opinions on this topic.

While we conserve water during the drought, perhaps we should prepare for the next flood. We could build another dam and reservoir, despite controversy. Residents and business could install rain harvesting systems. Municipalities could construct rain catchment basins. Companies could design rain gardens on their rooftops. All it takes is determination and dollars.

Jennifer Delany

Santa Rosa

DANGEROUS PLANTER BOXES

To the Editor:

I write today with serious concerns about the planter boxes that have been installed on State Street. For people living with vision impairment they present a serious hazard. Being below the level of the sidewalk creates a fall risk. And the tiny black fences are nearly impossible for someone with vision loss to see.

Their design is a clear violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

I’ve sat back and hoped what’s being done would meet the needs of our community. I am greatly disappointed. Obvious, and serious mistakes have been made that will take a significant amount of money to correct.

I hope the City realizes this before anyone gets hurt.

Maybe, just maybe, when redesigning State Street it was a bad idea to only actively engage with less than 100 of our communities 20,000+ citizens. Putting a survey online does not count as active engagement. And maybe it was a bad idea to use streets in San Francisco, Palo Alto, and other non-rural cities as models.

I urge the City of Ukiah to bring in an expert in ADA compliance to review and redesign what has been built. The planter boxes are not the only serious problem. ADA compliance is vital to the well-being of everyone in our community.

William French

Ukiah

GIVE THE MONEY TO FIREFIGHTERS

To the Editor:

It seems to me from the report I read in the Ukiah Daily Journal recently that a very important part of expenditures of the Fire Disaster Relief Funds has been overlooked and yet another bureaucracy is being created.

There are at least 14 fire departments in the county that used their equipment and manpower to respond to and work long, hard hours fighting the fires that created the disaster in 2017. How about refunding them a large portion of that Disaster Relief money to help off-set the cost of maintenance of their equipment and overtime pay? Did you request input from these Chiefs? Did they make requests and you simply said “Thank you” then shelved those vital requests?

If there was a water agency and it was moved to the oversight of the Department of Transportation take the money that was transferred with that program back from the DOT to recreate your water agency.

We all know from examples of the past that when and if the state grants more money it is very unlikely it will be used to replace these funds. My other issue is taking tax money for use to come up with yet more “administrative overhead that won’t actually get us more water” as stated by Supervisor Williams. Will that cause you to ask for another tax increase? Will you seek out people who have expert or extensive knowledge of water issues to sit on your agency?

If readers, as the tax paying public, agree that this is not the smartest expenditure of the relief money, make it known to your Supervisor.

Yes, water is important but if my house is being threatened by a fire, more important are the valiant firefighters who will come to fight the fire and their well maintained vehciles.

Cathy Haas

Ukiah

GRAFFITI HATE CRIMES

To the Editor:

RE: Hate Crimes in Ukiah, Property Desecration via Swastikas

Dear Ukiah Police Department:

It has come to our attention that multiple and intolerable acts of HATE have occurred on city property. On June 23, 2021, swastikas in red marker ink were found on the newly installed mosaic artwork of Elizabeth Raybee in Ukiah’s Alex Thomas Plaza. The specific piece defaced is known as, “Dia de Los Muertos” celebrating the immigration and rituals of our Latinx community. This art project was sponsored by the Arts Council of Mendocino County, the City of Ukiah and North Coast Opportunities’, “Emergency Preparedness Project.” Additionally, swastikas were found on Lauren Sinott’s artwork in progress on the side of Ukiah’s Convention Center.

These acts of defilement are Hate Crimes. As leaders of our Jewish Community we will not sit quietly and let this go by. We expect that the City of Ukiah Police Department will investigate, find, and hold accountable those responsible for these crimes.

Are there surveillance cameras protecting this area to help identify the perpetrators? Please do contact us with your plan for follow through.

Nancy Horowitz Bertsch

Ukiah

NO SURPRISE

Editor,

Cities large and small are reporting increases in crime and gun violence. There is growing concern among businesses and residents leading to increased firearms purchases to protect themselves.

Why is this happening, you might ask? Well, when elected officials vote to defund their police departments; when the national media highlights every mistake a police officer makes; when social justice organizations vilify the entire law enforcement profession for the mistakes of a few; when police departments struggle to recruit or retain competent personnel; when progressive district attorneys fail to charge violent criminals who use firearms or are gang members with legislatively approved prison enhancements; when thefts of under $950 are minor crimes not worthy of prosecution; when previously sentenced violent criminals are released prematurely to reduce the prison population; and when states adopt a no-bail system regardless of the number of arrests that occur following release, then the end result should be no surprise.

Crime, major and minor, will plague residents in these communities, and they will arm themselves when they believe the principal duty of their government — to keep them safe — has failed them.

Sal Rosano

Santa Rosa

TRUE EDUCATION

Editor,

Not sure what “woke” means.
Or “Critical Race Theory.”
But here’s what I think.

Americans need
A complete understanding
Of their own history.

When two schools of thought
Exist as to that history
Teachers should say so.

Jim Luther

Mendocino