Candidates for Change on RR Chamber Board
My name is Marcy Cooper. I am writing to ask for your support. I am part of a progressive group of business owners who are running for seats on the board of directors of the Russian River Chamber of Commerce in Guerneville.
I am very appreciative of the progress made in the last couple of years at the Chamber – things like the remodeled office/visitor welcome center; the hiring of Kimberly Lambert as Chamber Executive Director and what seems like vastly improved online presence organized for all Chamber members. With that said there are still some glaring deficiencies, which must be addressed to make the Chamber more effective:
The first and most important change – the priorities of the Chamber must be guided by business owners. This means we must lessen the influence of “social service” agencies on the board.
I was shocked to learn directly from the Sheriff that Chamber leaders had gone behind the scenes and pressured the Sheriff a few years ago to transfer the Deputy patrolling downtown to another beat – leaving no law enforcement in downtown – and starting a horrible time of vagrants & derelict drunks, drug addicts and the severely mentally ill – congregating and sprawling out on our sidewalks.
During my almost 20 years as a homeowner, a parent with a child in Guerneville School, and having a non profit that serves veterans, I have seen this our downtown escalate in the wrong direction in the last 8 years– our tourist and business customers must step over puking drunks sprawled across the sidewalk – to enter a bar or restaurant or shop on Main Street. Disgraceful. And stupid.
If we business owners continue to allow this in our central shopping district we are enabling people-not helping them; we are giving them a hand out, not a hand up.
The unsheltered encampments are ruining the health of our river-my daughter has had to see men and women defecating and urinating on the river bank and in the river-she is only 12!
In my opinion this was caused by members of the Chamber board with conflicts of interest, not disclosed and contrary to the interests of the business community. This is just one of several similar issues facing the community, and we need the Chamber active on the right side of the issue. We need change.
Here is a list of business owners who understand the need for change. I hope that you will perhaps consider casting your votes for any these candidates:
1 Mark Emmett, Emmett Landscaping
2 Mario Torrigino, Murphy’s Circle Cottages
3 Chuck Ramsey, Small Business Lending Consulting
4 Jordan Lebovich, Russian River Vacation Homes
5 Marcy Cooper, Veterans Village, Inc.
6 Cameron Mills, Dawn Ranch Lodge
7 Larry Boerger, Timberline Restaurant
8 Nance Jones, Molly Consulting
9 Shirley J. Hall, Esanjay Farm
10 Greg Barnes, Betty Spaghetti
11 Raina Zidek, Russian River Veterinary Clinic
12 Christina Pappan, Trio Restaurant
13 Lynette McLean, Highlands Resort
14 Jeff Bridges, R3
Thank you for your consideration.
Re: Candidates for Change on RR Chamber Board
Re: Candidates for Change on RR Chamber Board
I surely would not vote for you, were I a Gville voter. Why is it these days that everything gets blamed on "the homeless"? I think that stance is having a negative effect on business in west county. I have recently spoken with several business owners in Gville and their business is DOWN considerably, even after the 'homeless bulldozing' which has happened there. Who will be your next scapegoats; Latins , gays, blacks? Shame on you for being part of the problem and not part of the solution in your lily white town.
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Posted in reply to the post by Codyboy1:
My name is Marcy Cooper. I am writing to ask for your support. ...
The unsheltered encampments are ruining the health of our river-my daughter has had to see men and women defecating and urinating on the river bank and in the river-she is only 12!
...
Re: Candidates for Change on RR Chamber Board
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Posted in reply to the post by Dorothy Friberg:
I surely would not vote for you, were I a Gville voter. Why is it these days that everything gets blamed on "the homeless"? I think that stance is having a negative effect on business in west county. I have recently spoken with several business owners in Gville and their business is DOWN considerably, even after the 'homeless bulldozing' which has happened there. Who will be your next scapegoats; Latins , gays, blacks? Shame on you for being part of the problem and not part of the solution in your lily white town.
Dorothy, you know not of what you speak.
We do have a real homeless problem. 300 homeless have set up encampments along the River and in the woods. The ones along the River use it as a dump and a toilet. Hundreds of tons of garbage have been hauled out of the River banks by volunteers. This year at least 7 homeless related fires have been put out by our fire departments in the woods. We have been lucky the right combination of circumstances have not been present that would result in a catastrophic fire. Add to that the blight downtown Guerneville businesses and residents face every single day.
Scapegoating the homeless? I don't think so. If you can't get your facts straight then at least mind your own business and let us mind ours.
Re: Candidates for Change on RR Chamber Board
I would want to teach her compassion for her fellow human beings and be asking why there are few public facilities for them to use.
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Posted in reply to the post by Dorothy Friberg:
I surely would not vote for you, were I a Gville voter. Why is it these days that everything gets blamed on "the homeless"? ...
Re: Candidates for Change on RR Chamber Board
it's so unbelievable to me the lack of compassion for those of us who just aren't ever going to get a piece of that lovely pie or realize any american dream because while it's all going down like the titanic there are always going to be individuals like you playing the blame game and can't articulate what the real problems are which create homelessness and a whole other host of problems we can't seem to get our heads out of our asses to solve! dare we throw anyone a lifejacket they'll expect a boat next, right..
don't know how many of you heard the most recent SR City Council mtg. this week where kind hearted people came to, once again, ask the City to actually do something simple, like provide toilets to people. and, if you want facts, you should know something about how often someone needs to use a bathroom and how much waste that produces and where the hell do you think it's going to wind up if there are NO toilets for people to use?
the larger debate about the circumstances which have created the societal issues so many don't want to begin to sit down and solve, is Capitalism and Greed what it's created- i mean, as long as (I) have mine, the hell with the rest of you. we don't want to deal with the homeless, or the mentally ill, or race issues, or police brutality, or (pick something) because we simply are unwilling to break out of our rigid thinking...we want it all to just "go away".
well, wake up smell YOUR coffee, because your lucky, take a swig, and then roll up your sleeves, call your neighbors, sit down start talking and figure the damn problems out...and stop whining because that's all i keep hearing from the Haves.
and if you think 300 homeless people are a lot, well, if we keep doing what we're doing, and not providing shelters, toilets, basic needs for people, then 300 is going to be a small number in the future.
as you know, and most are aware, that many individuals, and many families live paycheck to paycheck- this is FACT! and, many people are now finding themselves Homeless through no fault of their own...now where do they go? then mental health issues start to go into play, maybe drug or alcohol addiction starts. maybe, for some of these people it's temporary, but for many it's becoming a way of life-to be on the losing end.
so, try to have some compassion and I, personally, am not of the Christian persuasion, but if You are- "there but for the grace of God"...right
Re: Candidates for Change on RR Chamber Board
Well said!
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Posted in reply to the post by beshiva:
it's so unbelievable to me the lack of compassion for those of us who just aren't ever going to get a piece of that lovely pie ...
Re: Candidates for Change on RR Chamber Board
Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by beshiva:
it's so unbelievable to me the lack of compassion for those of us who just aren't ever going to get a piece of that lovely pie or realize any american dream...
Well said, so true. But, is appealing to the Chamber of Commerce helpful? Nationally, they are one of the most Republican, reactionary, pro-property owner organizations.
Robert
