September 16, 2008 Town Hall Meeting

Reprinted courtesy of West County Gazette, November 2008

by Richard Naegle, FPA President
Ninety people met on September 16 to hear a report from our outgoing County Supervisor, Mike Reilly, and a forum of the two candidates for his seat — Rue Furch and Efren Carillo.

Mike was asked to update us on current issues affecting Forestville:

1. He expressed profound disappointment that a majority of the Board of Supervisors had just voted to increase the limits on private funding for supervisor candidates — especially in the middle of the current campaign.
2. There will be limited money for County road repairs, especially in terms outlying roads. We will need to be vocal about our needs and concerns with the Board of Supervisors.
3. The new General Plan includes a bike path and pedestrian walkway town Mirabel Road to Steelhead Beach. (This will be the completion of the Rodota Trail in Forestville.)
4. The Sunset Beach Project is moving ahead with a new parking lot. Mike hopes it will open soon.
5. Mike does not think that the Santa Rosa proposal for a wastewater dump at Steelhead Beach will happen. The regional water quality board is firmly against the plan.
6. Regarding the $100,000 which has accumulated in the Forestville Lighting District fund, the County Department of Transportation and Public Works has responsibility for such lighting district funds. (The FPA will be looking into possible local uses for that money.)

We thank Mike Reilly for his many years of dedicated service to West County. But, since he is a resident of Forestville, we hope to see more of him now.

The forum of Efren Carillo and Rue Furch was lively. First, all the issues and questions which the audience hoped the candidates would address were written on a large board. The candidates then were asked to respond to each — with follow-up questions from the audience. Both candidates made it clear that the current financial crisis in the County (and the U.S. in general) would require belt-tightening and sacrifice.

As I write this report, the ballots are still being counted, and we do not know which one has been elected to represent us. Whoever it is, we will all need to actively support that person in advocating for the needs of West County.