Noreen Evans: 99% Sure

[Thomas Morabito]

Bohemian 8/24/2016- Letter to editor

Sonoma County has a golden opportunity to take back its board of supervisors from the political cronies who have been using their bought-and-paid-for supervisors to carve up the bounty of the county and serve it up to their friends.

The good ol' boys have hand-picked Lynda Hopkins to replace their fallen golden boy Efren Carrillo. There's no mystery here. A board majority of Rabbitt, Gore and Hopkins will continue to represent big corporate wine and the rest of the 1 percent.

Enter Noreen. Noreen Evans, Shirlee Zane and Susan Gorin could become a majority that tempers decisions with compassion and a greater care for our environment. At least there would be a chance to kick the cronies to the curb.

Lynda Hopkins has no experience. She is funded and manipulated by the 1%.

Noreen Evans will hit the ground running with a 20-year, scandal-free record of public service for the 99%. Opportunity is knocking. Let's not blow this.
Vote for Noreen Evans to occupy the 5th District seat.

—Thomas Morabito

[O.W.]

The race in the 5th reminds me of the old adage, "the road to hell was paved with good intentions". Would you rather have a total novice with zero experience or someone with a track record? I don't understand why Hopkins did not run for a city council position or something before jumping in at the top. We now have over 26 lawyers on staff at the county to CYA the decision making processes. Another concern of mine is exactly what Rue Furch (long time county planner and community organizer) mentioned in her letter of endorsement for Evans published in the Sonoma Times. When people are new to government they rely on non-elected staff for the decision making process.

Remember Dutra asphalt plant next to a park with bird sanctuary and children play? How about the vote to okay Ratna Ling's 5 years of industrial printing on one lane roads that the entire community opposed? How about the Roblar Road Quarry where the preserved forever conservation easement would have been approved? What about the ill fated Preservation Ranch on the coast that wanted to clear cut the forests for vineyards and the 1%'ers to have boutique weekend homes? These were all votes or supported by the staff of Efren who are now the staff of Hopkins. Here is Rue's letter:

On the 5th

Rue Furch
August 2016

We are urged to think globally and act locally. National politics are enthralling, butlocal county and city governance is what most affects our daily lives.

The race for Supervisor for the Fifth District is critical this year. There are tough decisions to be made about our water resources; about vineyards – and wetlands; about coastal protection – and access to the coast; affordable housing, economic development, civil rights, county fire services, the development of Roseland, aging infrastructure, resource protection and many other issues that will affect our lives for generations to come.

We need a Supervisor experienced not only in addressing a wide variety of complex issues, but someone who can work well with colleagues on the Board, with staff, and with us.

I’ve watched and interacted with Sonoma County’s Board of Supervisors for decades, through a spectrum of styles and goals. Each Board has its own character, its own set of priorities and processes. Our current Board of Supervisors is relatively new to governance. Three of the five had never before held public office.

As a result, they’ve unintentionally developed practices that separate them, rather than encouraging collaboration and developing expertise. Since they are relatively new, they naturally rely on staff for guidance. We elect supervisors to represent our interests, but the interests that helped get them elected can heavily influence inexperienced
supervisors.

Thinking globally, acting locally, I look at a candidate’s past actions and/or votes cast. I want to see a history of dedication, determination, and shared values. Raised voices, good intentions, fervent promises are not a sure indicator of commitment or the ability to achieve change.

“Experience” is a much-abused word these days, but given the nature of our world and our local pressures, I have to think it counts. We do not have months or years for our representatives to come up to speed on the full range of issues we face. Thinking locally, only Noreen Evans has a proven track record of leadership, commitment and strong values. We already know where she stands and that she can get things done. I urge you to vote for Noreen Evans for Fifth District Supervisor

[gbryan]

I would really love to see Noreen Evans win the seat. I'm concerned that her signage is woefully behind LT's. Seems to me that is a serious deficiency that needs to be corrected. GR

[Shepherd]

I am seeing many more creative, diverse home-made signs for Noreen in and around Sebastopol. They are a striking contrast to the other candidates' one-size-fits all signs. The best correction would be for those of you who favor Noreen to make your own signs and put them up at your places and at the homes of others who support Noreen.


I would really love to see Noreen Evans win the seat. I'm concerned that her signage is woefully behind LT's. Seems to me that is a serious deficiency that needs to be corrected. GR

[Ken Sund]

I am seeing many more creative, diverse home-made signs for Noreen in and around Sebastopol. They are a striking contrast to the other candidates' one-size-fits all signs. The best correction would be for those of you who favor Noreen to make your own signs and put them up at your places and at the homes of others who support Noreen.

Thanks for putting up your own signs or for calling us putting up signs for Noreen. We will deliver install and remove the sign (if you can't) after she wins. Call Ken at 481-4608.

Today's PD letter by Thomas Morabito, "For The 99 percent" was yet another letter right on target. But we need to get out from behind our I-phones and computer screens and hit the streets with this. Hold signs at major street corners with your friends. Show our neighbors that we need to stand up to the big corporate interests which want to keep dominating our board of supervisors and the future of our Sonoma County.
Show you gratitude to Noreen fighting this important fight by joining us out there.
Ken Sund- volunteer for Noreen Evans.

[scamperwillow]

Not only do they rely on staff, they also rely on "supporters". Take a look at who those are.....


... When people are new to government they rely on non-elected staff for the decision making process.