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Happy Holidays, y’all. It has been QUITE a year.
First and foremost, I want you to know that I’m thinking of you. I mean it: I hope you’re okay. Actually I hope you’re more than okay... I hope you are warm, and fed, and well, and thriving. I hope you are spending the holidays with those you love, people who support you and cherish you and bring you joy.
Holidays can be a tough time of year for many folks: for people who have recently lost loved ones, for people struggling to make ends meet, for people facing mental health or personal challenges. And this year, the holidays are especially hard for community members with Jewish, Palestinian, Ukrainian, and Congolese heritage who are watching intense conflict and displacement unfurl around the world.
I want to acknowledge the horror of the October 7th Hamas attack against Israel. On that Jewish holy day of Simchat Torah, Hamas launched a shocking terrorist attack and mercilessly, systematically murdered men, women, and children. As part of the attack, Hamas inflicted unimaginable sexual violence and cruelty on women.
I also want to acknowledge the horror of a war that has killed thousands of Palestinian children, and left millions of Palestinians trapped in terror without access to water, food, and medical care. The Palestinian people have nowhere to go, nowhere to turn, scant access to aid or relief, and still the bombs fall.
As we approach the darkest day of the year, it’s not enough to pray for peace. Our collective humanity can’t allow the senseless slaughter of civilians to continue. Those in power on both sides of this conflict must find a path to a sustainable ceasefire, and return of hostages. Terrorists must be held to account and innocent civilians cannot keep paying the price for terrorist actions.
Unfortunately, global conflicts have inflamed local prejudices. Even before October 7, we were struggling with a marked increase of anti-Semitism in Sonoma County. At Board of Supervisors meetings, racist zoom bombers were targeting our Jewish and Black communities with hate speech. It’s sobering that this conflict has inflamed both anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim acts across the country. I believe that it’s possible — and imperative — to stand up for both Palestinian and Jewish members of our community. I believe we all must stand up for the rights of children to live in our world without being killed by acts of terrorism or war.
As though these international conflicts weren’t enough, here in the U.S., women’s rights are rolling back. LGBTQIA2S rights are rolling back. Too many of the gains we fought for, and the freedoms I grew up with, are being taken away.
But this isn’t a newsletter about everything that’s going wrong in the world. Although there certainly is a lot of that — and it needs to be acknowledged — this is actually a newsletter about what is going right in our community.
Before I jump into the good news, I want you to take a moment to let you know that I love my job because of you. I am so damn lucky to work in a part of the world where residents care deeply about our fellow human beings. Are there haters out there? Sure. Are there jerks? Of course. But on a daily basis, I see West County residents of all political predilections and cultural backgrounds coming together to create common good. I will never cease to be amazed by the love, the dedication, and the volunteerism in West County. Thank you for being part of it.
Ok, enough sappy stuff. Now let’s take a moment to reflect on some of the successes of 2023, and to spread some good news for a change!
Local Coastal Plan
One notable triumph is the long-awaited approval of the Local Coastal Plan by the Board of Supervisors. This comprehensive plan will ensure the protection of our precious coastal natural resources for future generations to enjoy and steward. The development of the LCP was a years-long process involving many late nights, and (on my end) a collection of highlighters dulled from marking up the 1000+ page policy! Ultimately we passed the most protective LCP that Sonoma County has ever seen. Thank you to our amazing coastal advocates for their diligence and partnership. The County-approved LCP should go before the California Coastal Commission for final approval in early 2024.
Public Infrastructure
During budget hearings, I successfully secured $4 million in infrastructure funding to address the pressing needs of our communities. This funding has already made a tangible impact with the first allocation being used to support Graton’s Community Service District’s purchase of a community gathering space in Graton. This space will serve as a hub for residents, fostering a stronger sense of community and connection. Graton isn’t the only community with an interest in enhanced public spaces; our office met with community leaders representing all District 5 communities to discuss community interests and priorities and we’re eager to allocate infrastructure funding to address infrastructure needs all across the district.
Recognizing the importance of well-maintained infrastructure to the daily lives of our residents, we also undertook a comprehensive road repair initiative. As you may already know, District 5 has a lot of ground to cover, literally. 41% of all the County’s roads are in District 5, and this year we passed the centennial mark on new pavement. Since I first took the oath of office, through strategic planning and effective allocation of resources, we have successfully repaved more than 100 miles of D5 roads! This endeavor not only addresses immediate safety concerns but also contributes to the long-term sustainability of our transportation network. When a section of the road washed away in early 2023, Sonoma County’s Public Infrastructure Department (SoCoPi) crews installed 90 feet of temporary Bailey Bridge on Salmon Creek Road in Bodega, reopening the road in one week! They also installed permanent repairs, new walls, and slope stabilization at four sites damaged in the 2023 winter storms at Fort Ross Rd, Montgomery Road, Bohemian Highway, and Cazadero Highway. Notably, SoCoPi also installed their first in-house designed and constructed temporary traffic signal on Main Street in Monte Rio to help residents safely navigate over Dutch Bill Creek. The enhanced quality of our roads promotes smoother commutes, ensures the safety of our residents, and reflects our commitment to creating a well-functioning and resilient community. Road maintenance is the type of work that will never be complete, so if you experience a roads issue in your area, the most effective way to see it addressed is by submitting a service request here.
Moscow Road
It took $7M and a lot of bureaucracy-busting, but we are thrilled to announce this Friday that we will cut the ribbon and allow through-traffic on Moscow Road. We have delivered on our promise to repair all three storm-damaged sites this year, ensuring that this road will be open as a critical evacuation route. We are also working proactively with neighbors on potential traffic calming strategies as the road reopens.
Free Public WiFi
To address critical connectivity needs during climate emergencies and to bridge the digital divide, District 5 worked with Equitable Access California to support the installation of free downtown Wi-Fi. In June of 2023, Cazadero, Bodega, Bodega Bay installations were completed, and an expansion was made to the existing installation in Guerneville. In September of 2023, installations were made in Monte Rio, Forestville and Jenner. Additionally, all sites will receive Starlink, solar panels and battery backup early next year enabling connectivity even when there's no power, cell coverage or ground based network. It’s great to have free WiFi in our small town downtowns; we are grateful for Equitable Access California’s work and hope to continue to partner and collaborate with them in future years.
Sea otters
This year, we also hosted a summit to discuss the potential reintroduction of sea otters along our coastline. The gathering brought together experts, scientists, conservationists, fishermen, and community members to explore the ecological benefits and possible challenges associated with reintroduction. While the decision is ultimately in the hands of U.S. Fish & Wildlife, the summit highlighted our commitment to biodiversity conservation and set the stage for informed decision-making that will shape the future health and vitality of our coastal ecosystem.
Protecting land for public good
Speaking of precious local ecosystems, I worked with Save the Redwoods League to conserve 394 acres of Russian River Redwoods. Russian River Redwoods is a parcel of land previously known as “Silver Estates,” which was slated to be logged this past spring. Save the Redwoods League’s fast action and purchase of the property saved the awe-inspiring Clar Tree, a 2,000-year-old giant and a symbol of resilience in Sonoma County. As one of the tallest and oldest redwoods in the region, the Clar Tree stands as a charismatic colossus, now protected for generations to come. For years, we have worked with neighbors of this property who were concerned about the drastic logging proposal just outside of Guerneville. I’m grateful for the community’s advocacy, and thrilled that this gorgeous property — with beautiful forest that stretches to the banks of the Russian River — will be protected forever!
I am also excited to have played a key role in the acquisition of Chanslor Ranch, the coastal ranch locally famous for some of the most beautiful (and breezy) horseback rides around. This gorgeous property will soon become Sonoma County’s newest coastal Regional Park. We hope to celebrate an official opening in January or February. Stay tuned for the date in a future newsletter!
These successes were made possible with community engagement and advocacy Community engagement is a key priority for our office and inclusivity for all community members is critical. In order to assure that diverse voices are heard, we now provide interpretation services at all District 5 public meetings, ensuring that language is no barrier to participation.
Through focused engagement efforts, we are working toward fostering a more inclusive dialogue that supports the rich diversity of our community. Ensure your voice is heard by attending a Municipal Advisory Council meeting or reach out to your local MAC representative (learn more here) Do you live in an area that isn’t represented by a MAC? Email the District 5 staff at district5@sonoma-county.org.
Wishing you the happiest of holidays. Please let us know if you need anything.
Lynda
PS: If you know of anyone struggling, the 24/7 suicide prevention hotline number is (855) 587-6373. Sonoma County’s Crisis Stabilization Unit phone number is (707) 576-8181.
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