Article: Sebastopol's Shadow Government Falls with Council's New Progressive Majority

[Peacetown Jonathan]

Robert Jacob said it best at his Election night party: we citizens who have been repeatedly maligned in the local press, and by local reactionaries, as a "vocal minority," have emerged as a clear progressive majority in our city. With John Eder's final count victory, a 4 to 1 "Green" City Council majority signals the dawn of a new day in Sebastopol's politics. What is this likely to mean for our community?

First, it means that 57% of Sebsatopol citizens voted for an end to what I have, here on WaccoBB.net, termed a "shadow government" that has worked behind the scenes, and "under the radar," to create a "business-friendly" developer environment in Sebastopol. During the past few years, I have questioned WHOSE business that our senior city staff, namely former City manager Jack Griffin, and current City Planning Director Kenyon Webster, aided by soon-to-be former Council Member Kathleen Shaffer, were working for.

The Council Election brought this question into clear focus, and brought voters one of the clearest choices I have ever seen in a local election. It was not the local, downtown businesses, or the home businesses, or the small businesses whose livelihoods depend upon easy access and the appeal of our unique downtown. It was instead the business of the fewer than half of one percent of us who own large parcels of commercial real estate, along with the large realtors and developers who work with these properties, that our shadow government acted on behalf of. That's why the only PAC money that came into this election came from a Realtor PAC--and went to candidates Austin and Shaffer.

In my opinion, it was to benefit the same small, influential real estate interests that Planning Director Kenyon Webster oversaw a negative impact report and traffic finding which few in our community believed. He did this so that the Council would not be able to even consider traffic to oppose a project that would bring 2,000 additional car trips a day to the most congested, dangerous traffic choke-point in our city. When Mr, Kenyon issued a "finding" that the Council had to vote for an irregular overturning of our Design Review Board's 4 to 1 vote to deny the CVS-Chase Development, he extended his well-paid "advisory" role into a political arena that has never been part of his job description.

Mr. Webster, like Ms. Shaffer and Mr. Griffin, apparently believed that the business of our local economy is reliant upon the very wealthiest among, us, and the largest corporations in our nation. As did candidate and former Council Member Kathy Austin, whose Commentary in Sonoma West warned that denying the CVS/Chase appeal would give our city a "bad reputation" as a place to do business.

Candidates Robert Jacob and John Eder spoke out clearly and effectively against the hugely unpopular CVC/Chase Project coming to the crossroads of our downtown. They supported the Planning Commission and Design Review Board’s blocking of the project because its suburban style design does NOT comply with Sebastopol’s General Plan, calling for a pedestrian-friendly, small town.

Our city's new progressive majority means a City Council that will stand against this and future CVS style projects when they do not conform with our local regulations.

It means a City Council that is likely to finally commit money to implement bike lanes in Sebastopol, despite likely resistance from a Planning Director who last week stated that bike lanes are too expensive for our city. Sebastopol is the ONLY city in Sonoma County without a bike lane. New leadership and vision is likely to change this--soon!

The new City Council is also likely to implement regulation of commercial (not necessarily private) use of leaf blowers, at parking lots at senior centers and supermarkets and multiunit rental developments. Noise pollution from leaf blowers impacts everyone, and the toxic air they create adds to respiratory illnesses—and global warming. Despite saying she works for seniors, Council Member Kathleen Shaffer had led the opposition to regulating leaf blowers around senior homes, saying it was “not the role of government” and would be “bad for business.”

The vocal majority will now find ourselves well-represented with two outstanding new Council members added to the courageous, progressive energy that Sarah Gurney and Michael Kyes have already demonstrated.

A new day for our extraordinary, sustainable community is dawning.

A sunny, green day for us all.

Jonathan Greenberg is founder and CEO of Progressive Source Communications and TV1.com. An author and investigative journalist, his work has appeared in the New York Times, The New Republic, GQ, New York Magazine, Forbes and Money. Jonathan resides in Sebastopol.