Page 30 - Sonoma County Gazette March 2018.indd

“The best way to promote and protect opportunity is through collaboration, consensus building, and pragmatic problem solving.”...Thos. E. Perez
March is the beginning of Spring - though we had quite a preview of it in February, with temperatures reaching the low 80’s before we slid back into winter. As I write this, what looks like a small hot air balloon outside my
door is actually my safely disguised pomegranate tree under a big blue tarp, hiding from several nights of predicted hard-freeze temperatures. The red and gold plum trees which have been putting on a show with their snowy white and pale pink blossoms seem to have hung on, though we have covered some of them as well. It’s unnerving when the plants and animals around us seem to be fooled by the weather into flowering out a little earlier than they should. But the beautiful plum trees lining over a mile of the 128 to Calistoga are just coming to their peak – it’s a perfect time to take that drive from Geyserville.
Sonoma County Restaurant Week
As you may have heard, Cloverdale City Manager Paul Cayler is retiring March 31st. Unlike some long-time CMs, Paul is not simply an o cial up on the podium at city council meetings and regularly quoted in the media. He’s also one of the community-minded volunteers helping clean up the Plaza after a Friday Night Live concert. He’s the customer-focused professional stopping by your business to nd out what the City can do better. He’s the active member of, and participant in, a range of community service organizations. He’s the Emergency Operations Center leader who stayed up all night during the res. In short, he is whoever is needed, doing whatever is needed, to get the job done.
It’s a splendidly long week of restaurant sampling, starting Friday March 2nd and running through Sunday, March 11th. The entire event features hundreds of restaurants throughout Sonoma County, with lunches offered at $10 or $15 for two courses, while three-course dinners including appetizer and dessert are available for $19, $29, and $39, depending on the restaurant. You can find out about more participating restaurants throughout the county by going to the Sonoma County Restaurant Week website at https://www.sonomacounty.com/ restaurant-week.
We recently chatted with Paul about his retirement plans as well as his 30-year public service career, the rst 25 years of which were in Redding, the County of Mendocino, and then Willits. Not surprisingly, being Paul, he focused far more on others than on himself—especially on Cloverdale’s employees, residents, and businesses.
Describing himself as a “regular guy” whose leadership style is based on participation, involvement, and communication and whose motto is: “Hard on the problem, not on the people.” Paul is an e ective and reliably available liaison between city departments, city council members, and the public, the person who consistently keeps the city council fully informed as soon as possible so they can answer the community’s questions accurately, whether involving complex facts, emergencies, or the occasional rumor.
This year in Geyserville, there are two Restaurant week options. Catelli’s is participating, making this a great opportunity to try this Geyserville classic if you haven’t done so already. For the Restaurant Week specials, the lunch option is $15, dinner is $39, and Catelli’s is offering several options for each meal
and each course. I’d recommend the chicken sauté sec for dinner, one of my usual favorites. Catelli’s is in the heart of the Geyserville “downtown” district, located at 21047 Geyserville Avenue. Reservations recommended. 707-857-3471.
During his very rst week here, Paul asked a group of leading business owners what city hall could do to better meet their needs. As its “cheerleader”, that conversation has blossomed over the years into an increasingly successful collaboration between local business and city hall.
You can also enjoy Sonoma County Restaurant Week at the Geyserville Grille, where guests can enjoy soup or salad with their steak sandwich as
the lunchtime option and their rich, traditional pot roast is the dinner time offering. If available, I’d opt for the amazing tortilla soup as the starter – even if you don’t normally like tortilla soup. It’s that good. At the Grille, the restaurant week menu for lunch is $15 per person, with dinner for $29. The Grille is near the iconic Red Barn just off the Canyon Road exit, at 21712 Geyserville Avenue.
When Paul arrived on the scene, we were feeling the full impact of the Great Recession and the withdrawal of redevelopment funds. Like many cities, Cloverdale’s general fund (essential for public safety!) was in a downward spiral. Paul worked with the city council and our whole community to get
the utility user tax (Measure O) reinstated in 2014 as a “shot in the arm both scally and emotionally” with the result that sta at the Police Department was replenished, other key positions were lled, including Finance Manager, and the general fund was restored to good health.
Have a Red Carpet Evening...
The glamor of the Oscars comes to Geyserville with a benefit for the Alexander Valley Film Society at Trione Vineyards and Winery. The event opens at 4pm, in time to settle in before the red carpet interviews begin at the Oscars. During the televised show, guests will enjoy a formal dinner from Chef Tom Gallery and Peloton Catering. Our Senator Mike McGuire will preside over an auction for additional opportunities to support our local film society, which puts on the amazing Alexander Valley Film Festival each year. Dress your best - suggested attire is Black Tie. Tickets are $200 per person and tables of 10 are $2000. More information is available at the AVFS website, www. avfilmsociety.org.
Once again, the Odd Fellows Hall in downtown Geyserville will be hosting their annual Jiggs and Maggie Annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner on Saturday, March 17th - known by many as St. Patrick’s Day. The delicious dinner will be accompanied by live music and will be featuring a silent auction to raise funds for local education here in Geyserville. It runs from 5pm to 8pm and tickets are $25 for adults and just $10 for kids 13 and under. Buy your tickets at Geyserville Coffee Company, the North County Properties office, and Diavola. Online, go to geyservilleoddfellows.brownpapertickets.com.
“Awesome!” is how Paul sums up the way Cloverdale came together to actively address the drought. So it was! Embracing community-wide co- operation, the city instituted a timely Stage One Water Conservation program and Cloverdalians promptly pulled out lawns, stopped washing beloved cars, and changed other personal water usage with the result that we achieved the county’s highest percentage of water conservation. While largely ignored by the press, Cloverdale understood and is proud of what we accomplished together.
With the hiring of a full-time city engineer, Paul’s team also developed a water plan, established new water sources, and made other improvements so we can reliably meet our water demands. (Of course, we Cloverdalians know we need to recognize the lack of rain this past year and remain water wise!)
...But Don’t Forget A Bit of the Green
And what is Paul going to do in the rst six months of retirement? He and Eleanor, his marvelous wife, major supporter and encourager, having adult children and realizing, especially after the res, that “stu is just stu ”, are downsizing. Moving to Chico they‘ll be closer to family where Paul is going to work on family relationships, regain his life/work balance, and continue his health wellness plan that includes exercise* and eating right. Finally, he’s going to nd a mission-driven purpose and continue to give to his community.
For all of these events, if you are visiting from far away, consider staying overnight. The Geyserville Lodging Association website offers information, specials, and availability listings for all of the overnight options in Geyserville. Check out checking in at http://geyservillelodgingassociation.com/.
Thank you, Paul. Enjoy your retirement! Your legacy of innovation, overcoming challenges, and team-based achievement has strengthened us in so many ways. We wish you the very best.
*It comes as no surprise to those who have seen him accomplish so much these past 5 years that Paul has already reached one of his retirement goals: On 2/17 he broke the 10 minute/mile average over 3.3 miles!
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Barrel Tasting Weekends
Once again, Geyserville wineries are participating in the Barrel Tasting Weekends of March 2-4 and March 9-11th. Tickets are available at www. wineroad.com. One extra event is a Winemaker Breakfast and Q & A, held at Pedroncelli Winery on Saturday, March 3rd. Tickets are $25 plus tax and fees.
Have something special in Geyserville you’d like to share? Let me know about it at the email above!