Page 27 - Sonoma County Gazette July 2017

Roseland Road Repairs Return
August 2, 2017 at 2 pm the “Roseland Annexation” by the city of Santa Rosa will be the topic of a public hearing at the Sonoma County Local Agency Formation Committee. The meeting will be held in the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Chambers at 575 Administration Drive, in Room 100 A, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. This is a Wednesday. If you want to speak up be there. In next month’s column there will be more news you can use for concerns regarding annexation.
With the nice dry, hot weather nally back, many various construction projects are now underway again in Roseland. Starting with road work the
city of Santa Rosa has begun to limit tra c on Stony Pt. Rd. in a manner
which could leave unsuspecting drivers stuck in tra c on hot days so be
very wary. The city has warned, “Beginning June 19, motorists and residents will experience additional tra c control during work hours and will also
be required for some activities. Motorists should expect tra c delays in this vicinity.” Stony Point Rd. paving activity may disrupt driving patterns for Roseland drivers along the Stony Point widening and reconstruction project
in west Roseland. According to the city, “Short-term shifts will be required for some activities and, for longer periods, the southbound lane(s) on Stony Point Road will be closed and tra c will be moved to the northbound lanes with one lane open in each direction. Alternative routes along Hwy 12 and Hwy 101 are strongly advised.” This will last for months so be forewarned.
Misti Harris is your new contact with the Sheriff ’s Of ce
On Tuesday June 13, 2017 the Santa Rosa City Council also went forward
on the “Roseland Street Overlay” project and approved, “Spending in the amount of $2,373,476.40 to the lowest responsible bidder, Ghilotti Construction Company, Inc. of Santa Rosa, CA.” This will be to repair many Roseland streets in need of immediate repair, including Sunset Ave. in the city right behind Roseland School. By an unusual circumstance the Roseland School District is also involved in a project there to place a “pre-school” on site right at Sunset Ave. Construction there is taking out a number of the trees planted in the past on the north side of Sunset Ave. on school property to place a new driveway into the property for the school. This will lead to the modular buildings the school will be placing at the site. Because of this, the school may give the city
an “easement” for the rebuild of the sidewalk in a manner better for American with Disabilities Act access and community use.
Greetings! My name is Misti Harris, and I’m your Community Engagement Liaison with the Sonoma County Sheri ’s Office. This is a new civilian position charged with cultivating relationships and increasing community outreach and education. Simply put, it’s the bridge between the Sheri ’s O ce and the community. This position stemmed from the Community and Local Law Enforcement (CALLE) task force recommendations.
At the Wednesday June 21, 2017 meeting of the Roseland School Board they discussed the new plans for the Roseland Accelerated Middle School to be built at Roseland Creek Elementary School on Burbank Ave. Currently the RAMS, as it is called, is located in modular buildings at Sheppard Elementary School on West Ave. Discussions by the school board now are focusing on
The Sheri ’s O ce serves the whole community
– all half million people who live in Sonoma
County. Our mission is protecting public safety.
We ful ll this responsibility by providing law
enforcement, jail, and coroner services to our
community. This is no small task! The vast majority of our interactions are uneventful and, therefore, go unnoticed. However, there are times when our duty is exceedingly di cult and highly emotional for everyone involved.
not putting the brand new school building on the small amount of green
space at the school. An idea in consideration is to build the new school to the south of the existing elementary school. Tra c considerations and whether an environmental impact report will be needed are topics of discussion in the local community especially along Burbank Ave. Though the road is considered a Scenic Road by Santa Rosa, the school district does not have to abide by rules.
The Sheri ’s O ce is always looking for better ways to connect with our community and provide more opportunities for participation. We have a responsibility to provide as much information as possible so you can be informed with facts, not speculations. Every healthy relationship is built
on trust, communication, and respect. We’ve earned the support of many community groups formed by neighborhood, lifestyle, interest, or ethnicity.
Sonoma County Community Development Commission has been working with some local community members to begin the process of community engagement for the recently formed Roseland Brown elds Advisory Committee. This group of people will help the county o cials in
the interactions between local property owners and regulating agencies for redevelopment of long underutilized pieces of property in Roseland. But the committee has hardly any Roseland residents at this time. It has been stated by county o cials they will “outreach” to more people.
Community outreach and engagement are a high priority for the Sheri ’s O ce. You may have seen us at community events like festivals and education fairs. We’re starting with policy-level education, providing facts while acknowledging the emotional nature of topics like immigration. You’ll see
an increased social media presence as we build on our Facebook success and connect with wider demographics. Expect to see more Spanish-language outreach online and in person. You’ll also notice us spending time with more community leaders as we continue to build partnerships.
Perhaps the county will put up an additional link to a Roseland Brown elds Project webpage on the Sonoma County Community Development Commission website? This is an over one year old project at the CDC which needs better public engagement to actually achieve some of the goals the local government o cials told the US Environmental Protection Agency were to be pursued in order to win $392,000.00.
The Sheri ’s O ce members are part of our community, both in serving you professionally and as residents of Sonoma County. We serve as non-pro t board members and volunteers and coaches. As your neighbors, we’re invested in the well-being of our county.
Authentic community engagement has never been much of an element to the actions of the ve di erent local government agencies mentioned here. Because new 5th District County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins has stated she wants more accountability, community engagement, and transparency in local government this may be the time for change? Roseland Review and the Sonoma County Gazette have o ered to hold a Roseland “Dinner and Dance” for local residents to have some fun. We are trying for August depending on availability of the band and the Roseland Community Center. More news you can use to follow next month.
Our collective success depends on everyone’s desire and ability to come together. The community leaders I’ve met so far have inherently understood the need for community engagement and welcomed me with open minds. This leaves me grateful and hopeful that we can forge even stronger relationships and cooperatively tackle di cult issues when they arise.
Feel free to contact me at sheri -outreach@sonoma-county.org if you’d like to connect. Follow us on Facebook (Sonoma Sheri ) and Instagram (sonomasheri ) to stay in touch and informed.
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