Letters to the Editor for May 1, 2009
Easter Breakfast Thank Yous
Dear Editors and Community,
The Kenwood Community Club had yet another successful Easter Breakfast this year. Well over 200 breakfasts were served, making it one of the best turnouts in recent years. The mimosas and the new addition of “pomosas” courtesy of Nana Mae Organics, Kenwood Vineyards, and Korbel Winery were a hit! It was a beautiful morning, which inspired a healthy showing of all ages, all of them with healthy appetites. Incidentally, those who came early enjoyed extra breakfast meats and jumbo-sized pancakes (methinks our new pancake chef got a bit carried away!) The Depot was beautifully decorated with flowers donated by the KCC Easter Breakfast Committee. We simply could not have done it without the Abate/Johnson clan (Lynn, Corey, Anthony and Rosemary) who took over the kitchen, food service counter, and mimosa bar with serious moxie. Dave and Sue Crockett took their traditional posts, graciously flipping the flapjacks as fast as they could to keep up with the line, which was out the door for most of the morning. Also on hand and working their magic were Joy Bohlke and Laurie Whiteside overseeing our very busy kitchen, Morry Straus (The Egg-man!), Kendra Kolling filling in diligently on ticket sales, Liz Parsons on coffee (lots and lots of coffee!), Cathleen Swanson wielding whimsical face-paintings for the munchkins, and Patti Geib working the room and raffling off donations.
Our sponsors this year were Absolutely Wild Flower Artist, Clover Stornetta, Dee Sand, Doce Lunas, Doppler Affected Productions, Glen Ellen Village Market, Hello Beautiful, Jafra by Lynn, Kaiwie Fastwolf, Kathryn Moller, Kenwood Farmhouse, Kenwood Village Market, Kenwood Vineyards, Kenwood Winery, Korbel Winery, Kunde Family Estate Winery, Mona and Bill Ostrander and their flock, Nana Mae’s Organics, Oakmont Barbershop, Oakmont Village Market, Olive and Vine, Playa Azul, Raymond & Co. Cheesemongers, Seedlings, Swedes Feeds, Vita Bella, Wildwood Farms and Nursery, and Wine Country Chocolates. Thank you!
As the new Program Directors of the KCC, Joy and I would also like to extend a special thank you to the kids who helped with decorations and the filling and hiding of eggs! We would have been utterly lost without Laurie Whiteside. We would not have had pancakes at all without Chris Mondloch who not only made the necessary repairs to the wondrous pancake contraption, but helped us move the 200+ lb. beast to its destination at the Depot. Kendra Kolling, our new Membership Director, inspired us at every turn with her enthusiasm and sense of humor. Kudos to Liz Parsons, KCC Prez, who has been doing this stuff for a kazillion years and still manages to keep it fresh and fun for everyone. Many thanks also to those who stayed afterwards to clean up.
We would also like to acknowledge the KCC Board and Manager. They have been so supportive of us. We feel privileged to be working with this organization which diligently continues to keep the Kenwood Depot alive and kicking in our lovely little hamlet. Last and certainly not least, we must thank our KCC members, who have shared and revelled in a tradition of community spirit and involvement that makes Kenwood a truly unique place in this crazy world of ours.
Joy Bohlke and Guy Slater
Kenwood
VOTMA position on vacation rentals
Dear Editors,
Over the past several months in the Kenwood Press and in public hearings around the county a great deal of discussion has taken place concerning transient rentals and how, when operated by irresponsible owners, their use can adversely impact neighbors. The Valley of the Moon Alliance would like to clarify our position on the topic of transient rentals. Transient rentals are short-term rentals from 1 to 30 days.
When this issue came to our attention VOTMA spoke with a number of owners and neighbors, and reviewed a study on transient rentals presented to the Napa City Council that analyzed various ways to deal with the transient vacation rentals by individual homeowners. Different approaches were utilized by cities and countries with mixed results. Cities like St. Helena, Calistoga, Sonoma, Solvang, Carmel and the county of Napa allow no transient rentals in Residential Districts. Some resort type cities/counties like South Lake Tahoe and the County of Santa Cruz, however, do allow residential rentals. Basically Sonoma County has had a position of not specifically allowing transient rentals, but has let them continue to develop and increase in number each year.
In Sonoma County it appears transient rentals may be very appropriate in some areas and not in others. For example, in areas that were historically developed for resort type use such as Bodega and along the Russian River, vacation rentals seem to be very appropriate. In other areas when this same type of use arises in increasing numbers in areas which are primarily agricultural and rural residential single family homes, greater restrictions may be required. From our research it appears the vast majority of problems occur in large houses that are used for event facilities or party houses. These problem properties are typically not managed by professional property managers and/or do not have responsible owners on site or even in county.
VOTMA urges the Supervisors to take the burden of code and law enforcement off of the shoulders of the neighbors. Vacation rentals should have a property manager or resident owner available 24/7 to handle complaints from neighbors, police and code enforcement officials, and scofflaw, irresponsible owners should be required to pay significant fines and repeat offenders should face the risk of losing all rental privileges. We again also ask and encourage the Supervisors to develop a noise ordinance for the county, which will give law enforcement the ability to effectively and quickly deal with abusive renters.
VOTMA fully supports the majority of B&Bs and transient rentals that are managed in a responsible and professional manner and with consideration for their neighbors. They naturally provide a foundation for local tourism and valuable TOT [transient occupancy tax] funds while maintaining the rural character of our valley.
And also, we applaud Supervisor Brown for her continued effort in getting the County decision makers to address transient rental issues and develop some method to control, monitor, and where appropriate bar repeat offenders from the transient rental business.
Del Rydman
President, Valley of the Moon Alliance Board of Directors
Positive cumulative impacts
Dear Editors,
All too often we focus on the negative. This is a bad habit.
Let’s change it.
It occurred to me last night as I looked over our beloved Valley of the Moon how wonderful charity events, special events, weddings, parties, receptions, lectures, plays, winery tours, organic garden tours, openings, merchant events, (among others) enrich my days and nights with excitement, inspiration, and tons of stuff to do and learn about.
When weddings take place at Beltane Ranch across the valley from our home, the music is loud and it comes across the road and I listen to it on my porch. I love it. I hear people – real people – laughing and singing and I envision them dancing. The loud music stops around 10 p.m. Then I hear the laughter and joy lower until there is silence once again.
I enjoy peace and quiet about 340 days and nights a year. I welcome more days and nights filled with music, voices, laughter and then back to whispers to fill the Valley of the Moon. Not less.
I cherish them all. They support a way of life that must be protected for generations to come.
The cumulative impacts are positive – not negative.
Justine Ashton
Glen Ellen
Another letter from Max Kindly
[This letter was sent to Alice Horowitz and Andie Altman, co-chairs of this year’s Lights, Camera, Auction!]
April 29, 1968
Dear Madames Alice and Andie:
So I got yous letter of April 12, 2009. All circumstances considered it appears I owe the bald guy with the A’s cap an apology. If as your “principal” he is required to spend much time around you two, no wonder he seemed goofy. You and the A’s frame keep talking about 2009 and “the 1960s era”, while I am working and living in the 60s. Either you guys are nuts, or the new dark green 1968 Mustang “Bullitt” I just bought is 40 years old; in which case I am going to drop kick that salesman into the next county.
As for your little Math quiz about what happens when money is cut from Education budgets, of course the answer is “don’t mess with money for schools.” When California elected a movie star Governor who co-starred with a chimpanzee and bragged about how he was going to cut, cut, and cut some more, what did people expect they would get, peanut brittle? It don’t take a whiz kid to know when politicians decide to shortchange kids, normal peoples have to suck it up and help fill the till.
Now let’s talk about Lights, Camera, Auction! Whether it’s ’68 or ’09, it definitely sounds like a fun time for the right cause. The gentlemen for whom I work were delighted to hear the Rat Pack will not be there. We are also pleased your casino will not include actual gambling. Otherwise, a couple of guys we know in Tahoe would have been real unhappy ‘bout the competition. Your idea of raising money for the kids by asking people to sponsor tables is a winner, but I gotta ask: Black Jack and Craps we know, but what the hay is Texas Hold’em? Is this something the president thought up? It’s bad enough we got to watch him pull his dog’s ears and show everybody his gall bladder scar; is he now messin with poker?
Of everything you have planned for Lights, Camera, Auction! the fact Wes Wilson agreed to be there and do an original poster is really impressionable. Even “tough guys” love Wes’ work although I’m hardly psychedelic. Now my final questions: what’s a “website” (are you two spiders?) and what’s with www.KenwoodEducationFoundation.org?
Don’t forget to write.
Fondly,
Max Kindly
Las Vegas
P.S. I’m returning the money you wanted to bet on the date of Sinatra’s demise. In my line of work it ain’t healthy, if you get my drift, to be making wagers like that.
