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Forestville is unincorporated, with no city government; we do what’s needed and take care of ourselves and our neighbors. There’s willingness of locals to identify community needs, get involved, and help out and it’s amazing what goes on behind the scenes.
OPINION:
Palm Drive Detachment
By Dan Northern
Are you tired of paying of paying Palm
feel that you are not served by the Palm Drive Health Care District (PDHCD) because
you are a member of Kaiser or utilize the new Sutter Hospital at River and Hwy 101?
For example, our local firefighters put up decorations on the annual Holiday Tree and on downtown telephone poles, as well as help with the annual children’s Easter egg hunt, and help clean/maintain the local cemetery; all seven firefighters at the Forestville Fire Department are graduates of our local El Molino High School. Earl Stephens assists in setting up the Holiday Tree every year. Hal Woods and Russian River Utilities install festive flags downtown throughout the year. Over a hundred local donors contributed towards the purchase of the new Downtown Park, Dan Northern coordinates its maintenance and mowing, Heather Robertson donated a doggie refuse station, Robert O’Connor put it up, Shannon Wesley regularly changes
Drive taxes? Are you concerned that the hospital’s extensive debt, two bankruptcies and a history of
huge annual financial losses will lead to even more taxes or yet another bankruptcy? Do you
the garbage bag. Not to mention the dedicated and tireless members of the Boards of the Youth Park, Chamber of Commerce, and Forestville Planning Association. Volunteers staff the Food Pantry at the United Methodist Church. M a n y p a r e n t s a n d f r i e n d s o f c h i l d r e n h e l p o u t a t t h e l o c a l s c h o o l s . T h e n t h e r e ’s the Hollydale Club, the Teen Clinic, the Scout packs, 4H, and on and on.
The Taxpayers Against Unfair Taxes (TAUT), the Russian
River Corridor Detachment Group and other concerned citizens are circulating a petition
Holiday Tree Lighting
One Forestville tradition that annually celebrates our community is the Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony – Sunday, 11/29 (the Sunday after thanksgiving), 4 pm-dusk in the Downtown Park. Bring your favorite cookies to share. Santa Claus arriving by fire truck, singing by school choirs, caroling, hot cider, cookies, the Bookmobile, hanging out with neighbors, meeting new friends, and lighting our tree as the darkest night approaches – what could be more wonderful? Thanks to the Chamber of Commerce and the many volunteers who make this event possible.
Saturday, November 14th from 9am to 2pm at the Forestville United Methodist Church at 6550 Covey Road, Forestville. Always a delightful event, all items are priced to sell, including homemade pies, fudge and jams! Pies are also available by the slice with coffee. YUM!.
Taut Campaign
Since the petition drive started a month ago, we have obtained nearly half
of the signatures required to detach the three communities from the District and put a stop to the excessive taxation, lack of community outreach and the inability to out vote the Sebastopol area residents.
Annual Craft Faire...
At the ballot box we do not have the votes to elect the PDHCD District Board Members of our choice, oppose new taxes or stop the creation of more debt to pay for a failing system. The reason that the tax to voter ratio is so imbalanced is there are over 3000 properties in the three communities that are being taxed by the PDHCD whose owners do not vote in the District (vacation properties). In addition River Corridor residents account for only 15% of the users of the PDHCD and are therefore significantly underserved by the District. (statistics taken before the new Sutter Hospital opened)
Taxpayers Against Unfair Taxes (TAUT) is promoting a petition to allow local voters to choose whether or not to detach from the Palm Drive Health Care District due to the changed landscape for the provision of health care services in the Russian River Corridor. For more info go to sonomacountygazette.com--at the top of the page, under “Search Articles,” enter “taut campaign.”
The PDHCD is in its second bankruptcy in 10 years. While the current bankruptcy debt appears to be $8,000,000 the District is still repaying both the previous bankruptcy and $45,000,000 in losses that it incurred over the last 15 years. The 15 year losses are being financed through the sale of bonds secured by our property taxes and certificates of participation secured by a lease of the hospital to the buyer of the certificates. The District’s current bond debt, if carried to full term it will be $38,000,000, with a re-payment of principal and interest of over $2,000,000 annually.
If you would like to sign the petition, go to Sequoia Properties, across from the Downtown Park.
Help for Middletown
The PDHCD has been “re-invented” and will now be operated by the Sonoma West Medical Center (SWMC), a local non-profit. SWMC, is relying on the expansion of it’s services to all “Sonoma County residents and residents of the greater Bay Area” as well as millions in pledged philanthropy just to succeed. According to its auditors, Moss-Adams, “The hospital and emergency room
Matt Dunkle, Principal of El Molino High School, spoke to the Principal of Middletown High School, and found that about a third of Middletown High School’s staff, and many of the students’ families have lost everything to the fire.
Many student athletes also lost everything – several of the football players took their gear home with them after their Friday game only to have it destroyed by fire. When Mr. Dunkle asked Bill what we could do to help,
he requested help with replacing a wide variety of athletic gear (shoes, shin guards, shoulder pads, etc.) that was lost.
are financial drains on its operation. With a decrease in volume and payment rates, combined with increasing costs to retain staff and increased competition, the PDHCD’s challenges become too many and too great to overcome”. The auditor’s comments are evidenced by emergency room and acute care patient day declines which are down nearly 50% just since 2012.
The El Molino Boosters have stepped up to help with contributions. If you are interested in contributing, you can do so online at www.gofundme. com/MiddletownMustangs or send donations to (make a note that it is for Middletown Mustangs): El Molino Boosters, 7050 Covey Rd, Forestville, CA 95436.
Detachment is the only lifeboat on the sinking USS Palm Drive. If you are a registered voter in one of these three communities and would like to assure that the PDHCD never incurs further debt or raises taxes on your shoulders, please sign the petition that we are circulating. Petitions are available for signing at Sequoia Properties on Hwy 116 in Forestville and Zephyr Real Estate - Russian River near the Plaza in Guerneville. You may also see members of our groups out in the River Community gathering signatures at your local
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! There is much to be thankful for.
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post offices or civic events. If you are uncertain about the petition, would like to help, walk your neighborhood, or need more information stop by one of our locations and pickup an information sheet or call 707-887-7595.
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The detachment process is not an attempt to close the hospital. It is simply the only way the communities of Forestville, Monte Rio and Guerneville can regain control over future taxes and debt incurred by the PDHCD. The facts are clear, the communities of Guerneville, Forestville and Monte Rio pay 46% of the taxes collected by the PDHCD but represent only 28% of the voters in the District.