5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

[podfish]

- he wrote
"imagine a world with leaders not politicians".

yeah, it's cute. But it's kinda why the politics are screwed up. Imagining a heroic pure-of-heart savior doesn't help. We're the polity and in many ways earn what we get. What has any of us done that would create the conditions for such a paragon to appear? There is violent disagreement about goals, vastly different views of reality and quick readiness to demonize opponents. We compare 'politicians', especially those who arn't 'ours', to your imaginary friend you propose and justify yet more cynicism and less cooperation

[beshiva]

hey, he has youth on his side- though that's fading quickly..lol..you remember those idealistic days of activism when we thought we had to see change, and we had to see it NOW? And, we were gonna make it happen!
i wouldn't tell him different, like "wait till you become jaded like me". i know that change only comes with a whole lot of pain
and suffering and fighting (literally) and sometimes it comes non-violently but i can't think of Any movement that didn't have both to succeed.

yeah, it's cute. But it's kinda why the politics are screwed up. ...

[Richard Nichols]

So Barry, are you going to let this lame excuse for dialogue continue?????

I didn't know parrots could type.

[Richard Nichols]

We expect the tactics to get more and more nasty. After all, Lynda's run is being orchestrated by repubs and dinos.

Again, it never ceases to amaze me how Hopkins supporters are rude and call names (no need to call me 'twisted') but tar everyone else as 'negative'. Really first rate republican tactics- not surprising given that Hopkins' Campaign Consultant Rob Muelrath is a republican.

As far as the commission- no one knows WHAT it will be since it is hypothetical and we are all surmising here.

[photolite]

One has to look no further than 3 years ago, when, Regional Parks endeavored to sneak through an ambitious plan to turn a string of West County communities between Bohemian Hwy. and the coast into a Yosmiteesque redwoodstyled Disneyland with the Occidental YMCA as its central "Adventure Day Lodge" and shuttle buses running from there up Coleman Valley Rd. and over to the coast, down Joy Rd and Willow Creek Rd. Other routes would head north and south to Freestone, Bodega, Monte Rio and others, threatening these bucolic communities with an inundation of unwanted traffic and degradation. A group of local citizens, unaffiliated with any of your stated districts, took it upon themselves to research and expose this travesty with a "town Hall" info meeting that drew 400 people to Salmon Creek School. The outrage of the communities was so great that the project was dropped.
That is an example of how such elected bodies may effectively function.

There are something like 41 districts already in the fifth district. Fire districts, school districts, water districts etc. These are all places people can gather and be heard. To create still more elected districts does not make sense. Noreen will make sure these people are heard by visiting their communities and hearing from them directly.

[mouse]

Actually, if this is accurate, then it seems like a great example how a group of local concerned citizens can affect change, without an official citizens committee or sanctioned affiliation:

"A group of local citizens, unaffiliated with any of your stated districts, took it upon themselves to research and expose this travesty with a "town Hall" info meeting that drew 400 people to Salmon Creek School. The outrage of the communities was so great that the project was dropped."

Am I missing something? Those 400 people weren't elected, were they?

One has to look no further than 3 years ago, ....

[mouse]

Barry receives a request from Noreen's camp "to moderate the tone of his (Tom Lynch) posts on this thread". ...

Hey, how do we know photolite isn't a "paid operative"? Also, does anyone know where I should submit my "paid operative" invoice for wacco posting? Thanks so much.

[jbox]

This just in!!

Vesta Copestakes, editor of the "Sonoma County Gazette" has endorsed Lynda Hopkins for 5th district Supervisor.

[beshiva]

Vesta Copestakes, editor of the "Sonoma County Gazette" has endorsed Lynda Hopkins for 5th district Supervisor.

that was quite expected. after all Vesta absolutely LOVES Efren-right or wrong
i wouldn't expect anything less of her.
how Efren goes so goes Vesta

[rossmen]

Noreen has not promised this that i am aware of. Instead she has talked about themed town halls as the way to hear directly from citizens. The agenda would be fixed. Effen has been busy and careful about district, noticed, and independant citizen group meetings. Less busy and more careful after his personal legal problems, and more likely to growl.

I wish the two candidates would lay out their vision and policy for constituent access and public meeting attendance. I have not heard great things about noreens history on this, though regulars in progressive democrat circles seem to talk to her regularly and both women are showing up to campaign.

There are something like 41 districts already in the fifth district. Fire districts, school districts, water districts etc. These are all places people can gather and be heard. To create still more elected districts does not make sense. Noreen will make sure these people are heard by visiting their communities and hearing from them directly.

[Roberta Llewellyn]

Actually, Lynda has made a point publicly to give out her cell phone currently and does respond personally to email.

Noreen has not promised this that i am aware of. Instead she has talked about themed town halls as the way to hear directly from citizens. The agenda would be fixed. Effen has been busy and careful about district, noticed, and independant citizen group meetings. Less busy and more careful after his personal legal problems, and more likely to growl.

I wish the two candidates would lay out their vision and policy for constituent access and public meeting attendance. I have not heard great things about noreens history on this, though regulars in progressive democrat circles seem to talk to her regularly and both women are showing up to campaign.

[photolite]

I just wish I was getting paid. Should anyone be interested, they can contact me here and we'll arrange a meeting.

Hey, how do we know photolite isn't a "paid operative"?...

[scamperwillow]

What a surprise...not.....

This just in!!

Vesta Copestakes, editor of the "Sonoma County Gazette" has endorsed Lynda Hopkins for 5th district Supervisor.

[rossmen]

You do twist words lisa. The groups lynda proposes are modeled after the river redevelopment board which was elected with a lively democratic process. So your surmises are nasty claws shredding the truth drawing us all back to your ubiquitous talking point, that lynda hopkins has been bought and paid for by the evil empire of gravelwinestate.

Whereas a perfectly polite question about new info you share like my last post in response to you, you ignore : ( please, up your game, your contribution to wacco could be much more valuable.

Again, it never ceases to amaze me how Hopkins supporters are rude and call names (no need to call me 'twisted') ...

[pbrinton]

Barry receives a request from Noreen's camp "to moderate the tone of his (Tom Lynch[I]) posts on this thread"....

I was the person who made this request to Barry, and I am in nobody's camp. I have listened to and met both candidates, and have followed their campaigns both in the primary and since. I have also tried to educate myself about the prominent issues. As a result of this process I have formed the strong opinion that Noreen Evans is much the better candidate, which I have stated in this forum giving my reasons. Other than asking questions in the process of my research I have had no contact with Noreen's campaign, and nobody requested that I write what I did. I reserve the right to change my mind should I discover new information that warrants my doing so.

Patrick Brinton

[beshiva]

oh goody---can i call her at 3am
i'm busy till then

Actually, Lynda has made a point publicly to give out her cell phone currently and does respond personally to email.

[Roberta Llewellyn]

What beshiva makes you think it would be alright to call someone at 3:00AM? Anyone, not just Lynda - would likely consider this over-the-top and possible harassment? It is curious to me how much displaced resentment, anger, and possibly, I feel, rage, is being expressed in this thread? Oh yeah, of course, you are just kidding about making a call in the middle of the night, right?.

I am truly disheartened by the tone of the thread here and no question about it the lack of respect is frightening in it's own particular way. I 'm so glad that Vesta has given Lynda Hopkins her endorsement because she has looked at both candidates with measured appreciation over a period of time for what it takes to perform in the position of supervisor for Sonoma County.

oh goody---can i call her at 3am
i'm busy till then

[beshiva]

i respectfully disagree with your comments. it WAS a tongue and cheek- sorry you took it so personal.
And, personally, i don't think anyone on this thread has shown anything even close to rage. So, i'm just not reading what you are i guess.
of course, i wouldn't call Lynda at 3am-hellloooo
in fact, i'm never going to call Lynda

And, to finish up my comments....i do believe Vesta wouldn't EVER give an endorsement to anyone Efren did not approve of! What it takes to perform in the position of Supervisor certainly is Not any sort of behavior Efren has exhibited over his tenure. he's outrageous and more so if he had even a little bit of respect for the community he was supposed to be representing, and even more to the point...If he had any self-respect, he would have apologized and stepped down! Instead, arrogantly, he dug his heels in deeper and accomplished very little. Actually, Trust is important for people, at least it is for me. And Efren sabotaged that Trust. Politicians often do.

i'm sorry Lynda Hopkins glommed onto Efren - it did not serve her well.

Hope i'm not sounding angry- Just Very Very Clear.

What i'm disheartened about is that we have to constantly do this ridiculous dance on this thread, instead of just allowing one another to express our real heartfelt thoughts about these candidates and their qualifications.

i don't give a hoot what people think something sounds like- and i don't get frightened that someone's tone might be a bit abrasive. i think a hearty debate is NOT threatening, unless, someone is being "Threatening" and i have not heard that whatsoever on this thread.
just my opinion.
ps. in a couple of days i am moving- so i'll not be commenting on Wacco for a long time, if ever.
good luck everyone, it has been a blast!

...I am truly disheartened by the tone of the thread here ...

[scamperwillow]

Oh No! I hope you can vote before you go! =:D

...ps. in a couple of days i am moving- so i'll not be commenting on Wacco for a long time, if ever.

[photolite]

The fact that you appear to be unfamiliar with this illustrates a concern I have about Noreen. She likely also would be unfamiliar with it as I suspect most Sebastopol residents are as well, yet it had every community west of there in a state of high agitation for most of a year. Both the PD and the Gazette provided broad coverage of this controversy.

These communities, with small populations, really require representation by someone able to perceive the impacts of certain actions that are not readily apparent to someone who doesn't actually live there. Lynda Hopkins does understand these things and can serve as a hedge against the tyranny of the majority who may be unable to see when there is more than meets the eye.

Actually, if this is accurate, ...

[mouse]

The fact that you appear to be unfamiliar with this illustrates a concern I have about Noreen. ...

That's just a ridiculous and massive stretch there.

You provide a meandering description of an event three years ago, without any citation, I ask for details and this somehow reflects poorly on a candidate? Thanks, you're providing great insight into the mind of your candidate's supporters.

A capacity for supremely twisted logic has to be in place if you're a 5th district voter (who doesn't own a winery or a quarry or expect to profit from big development somehow) in favor of allowing the 4th district's interests to buy the 5th district's supervisor vote.

[Lisa Maldonado]

Wow . Thats quite a bit of organic compost. No wonder you and Tom and Lynda are such buddies. Speaking of bullSH&^% an independent expenditure has just been filed for Lynda Hopkins and Against Noreen Evans- Erick Koenigshafer is the treasurer of the committee.

Now we will see some serious negative campaigning. I imagine that the wineries and gravel miners are pissed that folks in the district have caught on to Lynda's #fauxfolksy #astroturf campaign and are starting to look behind the #greenwashing.

In case anyone wants to see who is paying for the slick mailers you are going to start getting soon attacking Noreen. Here is a list compiled of all the big business donors from Syar gravel mining to Quaker Hill developers who are funding Lynda's Campaign. A lot of us are probably surprised to see Bodean Asphalt and Syar gravel mining are so interested in compost toilets, tiny houses and organic veggies....#followthemoney

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3cpy0yvqfl...Date.xlsx?dl=0

The fact that you appear to be unfamiliar with this illustrates a concern I have about Noreen. She likely also would be unfamiliar with it as I suspect most Sebastopol residents are as well, ....

[Richard Nichols]

Wow, that is an impressive list. Are you sure Lisa, that that is for Lynda and not some unknown republican stealth candidate.

...Here is a list compiled of all the big business donors from Syar gravel mining to Quaker Hill developers who are funding Lynda's Campaign. A lot of us are probably surprised to see Bodean Asphalt and Syar gravel mining are so interested in compost toilets, tiny houses and organic veggies....#followthemoney

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3cpy0yvqfl...Date.xlsx?dl=0

[rossmen]

It's so sad when people who self describe as progressive trash the other candidate for proposing that locals have more opportunity to democratically participate in community concerns. If noreen named lynda's proposal first, and lynda had the same dismissive response, costs money and to much already! I am sure many noreen supporters would parrot outrage at this antidemocratic response!veness.

It really happened. And the responsiveness of the county parks director was key in push back against the county marketing of west county as a tourist mecca.

[Lisa Maldonado]

That was no surprise- Vesta had donated 100 bucks to Lynda Hopkins a couple of months ago- while she was still pretending to be 'neutral' . You can see her donation listed with all the other business owners, Gravel Miners and Efren Carrillo backers in the spreadsheet I just posted .

This just in!!

Vesta Copestakes, editor of the "Sonoma County Gazette" has endorsed Lynda Hopkins for 5th district Supervisor.

[Lisa Maldonado]

Nope. That list is straight from Lynda Hopkins own Campaign Finance Forms. I just put in order so you can see the cumulative effect of so much wine and gravel money and real estate money in one place. Looks like she has raised over 100k in the last month from big business so you can expect to see some slick and glossy anti- Noreen evans mailers in your box (or in the Press Democrat- that way the Chamber of Commerce makes money on both sides of their investments!)

Wow, that is an impressive list. Are you sure Lisa, that that is for Lynda and not some unknown republican stealth candidate.

[natural home]

I am a newbie to this wacco thread,

I don't hear rage..but people that are anxious and trying to be awake..I watched post of video last night of debates,and have seen Noreen at a local Q and A.. Noreen comes with so much to offer, we should be in gratitude that she is willing to keep fighting for our home and not caving into getting funding from the "big guys"
I believe Lynda's heart is in the right place..but being an organic farmer does not mean you are ready to tackle the developers,winery's,event centers and realtor and other pro-development politicians. It's too bad she isn't helping Noreen, should could use someone with her knowledge of farming. Why is there a battle raging..could it be the vested interest groups see that with Noreen business will not be as usual? Ie regulated water, and solutions to affordable housing?

[photolite]

You seem to overlook the fact that Noreen is completely beholden to the Public Employee Unions, and they are a very big guy on this block.

.. Noreen comes with so much to offer, we should be in gratitude that she is willing to keep fighting for our home and not caving into getting funding from the "big guys"...

[mouse]

photolite, cite your sources. Don't just claim a lie based on a rumor, from that time you were in Sacramento, and put it in ALL CAPS, and expect anyone to take you seriously, or for a person with any cognitive ability (then again that does explain so much).

I think you may have just substantiated the rumor I heard that, while in Sacramento, NOREEN TOOK SOME HEFTY CAMPAIGN SUPPORT FROM MONSANTO!!!...

[photolite]

The description I provided was as concise as I could manage, given the broad scope of what was proposed. I assume a certain familiarity with recent west county issues and events (in my book, 3 years is not that long ago) from someone who argues so passionately about the direction of our future, so I didn't believe I needed to cite my remarks. But here you go:

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/csp/me...id=555&fid=181

It strikes me as relevant that our next Supervisor understand the unique complexities of life on the coast and in the hills. The promoters of the West County Gateway Project lacked that sensibility. My inference was that if you, who I assume are a 5th district resident, had no clue about that very big local brouhaha, then it seems likely that Noreen, who hasn't even lived her for years until very recently, also wouldn't have a clue about it, not because there is anything wrong her. She just hasn't been around here enough to understand. Unfortunate things can happen by people with the very best intentions.
None of this strikes me as a massive stretch.

That's just a ridiculous and massive stretch there.

You provide a meandering description of an event three years ago, without any citation,...