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Geyserville holds annual town meeting
Avtar Sandhu becomes newest Planning member
By Ryan Rudnansky
Staff Writer
Geyserville had its Annual Town Meeting on May 26, reviewing the year and looking ahead to the future.
Part of this future will include a new member of the Geyserville Planning Committee, Avtar Sandhu. Sandhu was voted onto the committee during the town meeting, as well as incumbents Ted Elliott, Malcolm Ross, and David Luebkeman.
A resident of Geyserville for 31 years, Sandhu served on the committee from 2002-2005. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a Master’s degree in structural engineering.
During the town meeting, a wide range of topics were discussed. Speakers included: Fire Captain Joe Stewart of the Geyserville Fire Protection District, Geyserville Unified School District Superintendent Joe Carnation, Harry Bosworth of Geyserville Water Works, 4th District Supervisor Paul Kelley, and Rich Sweeting, assistant sheriff of the Sonoma County Sheriff Department’s law enforcement division.
Stewart opened up the meeting declaring he was happy to announce Geyserville Fire formed a new rescue squad and will now staff the station with a fire fighter 24/7. This all was a result of proceeds from the fire department’s annual Pancake Breakfast, Dinner Dance, and donations from community members.
Stewart mentioned the station was still actively seeking volunteers.
Sweeting followed Stewart by giving a review of the North Zone, a 472-square-mile area that includes the unincorporated areas such as Geyserville that surround Healdsburg, Cloverdale, and Windsor.
Sweeting said the North Zone only accounted for 6 percent of burglaries and 5 percent of violent crime in Sonoma County this year, despite including a population roughly the size of Santa Rosa.
“The North Zone is statistically our safest zone,” he said.
“We live in a very safe environment,” he added. “Part of that is the Sheriff’s Department takes a real personal interest.”
Every call that dispatchers take in the zone is prioritized, with Priority One calls being the most serious.
“Priority One calls have dropped probably about half in the last year,” Sweeting said.
Sweeting also said illegal growing of marijuana plants tends to be an issue during the summer and praised the department’s narcotics team for its focus in tackling the problem.
Carnation began his speech by saying “this has been a year of many good things and some not-so-good things.”
For one, he said, the February 2008 bond passed by voters under Measure A has allowed the district to modernize both Geyserville Elementary School and Geyserville High School extensively.
Also, Geyserville Education Park High School scored better in API results than many high schools in the area, including in Cloverdale, Healdsburg, and Windsor. The school was ranked 8 out of 10 compared to state-wide API scores.
Carnation also acknowledged the high school girl’s softball team making it to the regional playoffs for the first time in many years.
On the other side of things, GUSD had to make $428,000 in cuts this year, which has led to the equivalent of four full-time teachers being lost. Also, the district has been forced to eliminate a reading program at the high school, as well as cutting $122,000 in classroom supplies.
But Carnation was hopeful, noting the support from the community has been overwhelming.
“You have a special place here,” he said, addressing the small crowd. “I hope you know that.”
Bosworth followed Carnation, mentioning the biggest problem for Water Works this year was the drought. But Bosworth was optimistic, noting Geyserville used less water in the last two months than in the same months last year.
“I think everybody is getting the word,” he said.
Kelley finished up the meeting.
Kelley said the county, which has a $400 million General Fund budget, would lose $22 million next year.
He also noted house prices have dropped dramatically in the county. A home that was worth $650,000 in 2002 is worth about $200,000-$250,000 this year, Kelley said.
In June, Kelley said he expects 5 percent of the county budget to be cut, which will also include the laying off of some county administrative employees.
Moving on to transportation, Kelley asked those present at the meeting to try to drive slower on Highway 101, noting many people disregard the 55 mile per hour signs posted in the midst of construction.
Kelley also encouraged residents to fly Horizon Air, an international commercial airline new to Sonoma County Airport. Kelley said 120,000 people flew Horizon Air out of the airport last year.
“It’s a very convenient way to get out of the county,” he said.
Kelley also acknowledged a couple of big accomplishments for the county this year, such as the Geyserville Park and Ride Lot and the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program (SCEIP).
The new Geyserville Planning Committee will be: Elliott, Ross, Luebkeman, Sandhu, Brian Crebs, Joe Domenichelli, and Joe Pelanconi.
Part of this future will include a new member of the Geyserville Planning Committee, Avtar Sandhu. Sandhu was voted onto the committee during the town meeting, as well as incumbents Ted Elliott, Malcolm Ross, and David Luebkeman.
A resident of Geyserville for 31 years, Sandhu served on the committee from 2002-2005. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a Master’s degree in structural engineering.
During the town meeting, a wide range of topics were discussed. Speakers included: Fire Captain Joe Stewart of the Geyserville Fire Protection District, Geyserville Unified School District Superintendent Joe Carnation, Harry Bosworth of Geyserville Water Works, 4th District Supervisor Paul Kelley, and Rich Sweeting, assistant sheriff of the Sonoma County Sheriff Department’s law enforcement division.
Stewart opened up the meeting declaring he was happy to announce Geyserville Fire formed a new rescue squad and will now staff the station with a fire fighter 24/7. This all was a result of proceeds from the fire department’s annual Pancake Breakfast, Dinner Dance, and donations from community members.
Stewart mentioned the station was still actively seeking volunteers.
Sweeting followed Stewart by giving a review of the North Zone, a 472-square-mile area that includes the unincorporated areas such as Geyserville that surround Healdsburg, Cloverdale, and Windsor.
Sweeting said the North Zone only accounted for 6 percent of burglaries and 5 percent of violent crime in Sonoma County this year, despite including a population roughly the size of Santa Rosa.
“The North Zone is statistically our safest zone,” he said.
“We live in a very safe environment,” he added. “Part of that is the Sheriff’s Department takes a real personal interest.”
Every call that dispatchers take in the zone is prioritized, with Priority One calls being the most serious.
“Priority One calls have dropped probably about half in the last year,” Sweeting said.
Sweeting also said illegal growing of marijuana plants tends to be an issue during the summer and praised the department’s narcotics team for its focus in tackling the problem.
Carnation began his speech by saying “this has been a year of many good things and some not-so-good things.”
For one, he said, the February 2008 bond passed by voters under Measure A has allowed the district to modernize both Geyserville Elementary School and Geyserville High School extensively.
Also, Geyserville Education Park High School scored better in API results than many high schools in the area, including in Cloverdale, Healdsburg, and Windsor. The school was ranked 8 out of 10 compared to state-wide API scores.
Carnation also acknowledged the high school girl’s softball team making it to the regional playoffs for the first time in many years.
On the other side of things, GUSD had to make $428,000 in cuts this year, which has led to the equivalent of four full-time teachers being lost. Also, the district has been forced to eliminate a reading program at the high school, as well as cutting $122,000 in classroom supplies.
But Carnation was hopeful, noting the support from the community has been overwhelming.
“You have a special place here,” he said, addressing the small crowd. “I hope you know that.”
Bosworth followed Carnation, mentioning the biggest problem for Water Works this year was the drought. But Bosworth was optimistic, noting Geyserville used less water in the last two months than in the same months last year.
“I think everybody is getting the word,” he said.
Kelley finished up the meeting.
Kelley said the county, which has a $400 million General Fund budget, would lose $22 million next year.
He also noted house prices have dropped dramatically in the county. A home that was worth $650,000 in 2002 is worth about $200,000-$250,000 this year, Kelley said.
In June, Kelley said he expects 5 percent of the county budget to be cut, which will also include the laying off of some county administrative employees.
Moving on to transportation, Kelley asked those present at the meeting to try to drive slower on Highway 101, noting many people disregard the 55 mile per hour signs posted in the midst of construction.
Kelley also encouraged residents to fly Horizon Air, an international commercial airline new to Sonoma County Airport. Kelley said 120,000 people flew Horizon Air out of the airport last year.
“It’s a very convenient way to get out of the county,” he said.
Kelley also acknowledged a couple of big accomplishments for the county this year, such as the Geyserville Park and Ride Lot and the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program (SCEIP).
The new Geyserville Planning Committee will be: Elliott, Ross, Luebkeman, Sandhu, Brian Crebs, Joe Domenichelli, and Joe Pelanconi.
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