WENDY’S RESPONSE

On September 11, Wendy Roberts responded to Johnson and Wildman:

Good Morning, Richard.

Several copies of your attached message and at least a dozen of Joe Wildman’s marvelous diatribe have been forwarded me by 5th District friends
who are appalled by the depths to which the Hamburg campaign has sunk.

Since you asked for any additional information about Wendy Roberts, I’ll take that as an invitation to reply.

I appreciate your kind comments about my credentials and abilities and am amused by those that characterize me as the “candidate of the ruling class.” Perhaps you did not access my list of endorsements, or perhaps you only recognized some of the more prominent names. In any case, in addition to the “Recall Hamburg” contingent (who would support my cat if she were running in my place), I am also supported by a full spectrum of very old timers, Mendocino neighbors, local painters, plumbers and general contractors, cattlemen, foresters and farmers, current and retired educators, our Mendocino County Sheriff and other members of law enforcement, writers and artists, environmentalists, non-profit directors, small business owners, fellow Master Gardeners and etc.

What these people have in common is a sincere desire to have a supervisor who respects BOTH the environment and the economy and who will do her homework, show up, stay awake and have the courage to vote on the facts and her conscience, even when it is not politically expedient to do so. They want a supervisor who will listen to them, be fiscally responsible and get things done. They are desperately concerned about our loss of jobs and generally fragile economy. They also want a supervisor who will work fairly and constructively to sort out the legal, financial and social issues surrounding Marijuana. They understand that it’s going to take character, creativity and perseverence to get our county out of a very deep hole.
What they don’t want and don’t deserve is a supervisor who requires them to gulp and “get over” their serious concerns and growing reservations in order to vote.

I appreciate your directing interested individuals to my website at http://www.wendyforsupervisor.com
I’d encourage anyone to review all possible information before drawing conclusions and voting in this election.
I would not dignify abusive List Serv messages as “information.”
I would like to clarify and correct a few points.

1. We purchased our home in Mendocino more than 20 years ago and I’ve been active on various non-profit boards and as a volunteer ever since. I also consulted with the public schools in Laytonville, Point Arena, Mendocino and Anderson Valley for nearly a decade. While I can’t claim to be a north coast old timer, I do come from pioneer stock not so far away in the hills east of Ashland, Oregon. Hence, I share a common birth right with local residents of The State of Jefferson.

2. Having been a popular target of Mendocino NIMBYism and Cronyism since 1988, I have, indeed, spoken out on behalf of a few individuals who have suffered a similar fate. No one cares any more passionately than I do about protecting our coast and the historic district in the Town of Mendocino. I simply believe that we should do so by following the established laws fairly and equitably, treating all people with respect and setting aside personal agendas. That has been my own track record as a member of the Mendocino Historical Review Board and it will be my approach as a county supervisor.

In the case of the Albion Headlands, these principles were sadly abused. The owner of the property spent years and hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop a plan that had the support of the Planning Department and Planning Commission. During that time, she experienced personal attacks and trespass and vandalism on the property. She sought to build 4, very carefully sited houses on 80 acres, reserving more than half of the land for wetlands and viewshed protection. She had accepted responsibility for cleaning up an old toxic spill and was amenable to providing trail access along the perimeter of the property. On at least two occasions, the property had been looked at for public acquisition and was rejected in favor of nearby land that was more suitable for public use. One of these sites was the Big River Watershed. My message to the supervisors supporting this project was not intended for or shared with anybody but those addressed. It was not about anything but this project. To characterize it as evidence that I would support runaway development or that I would act in any particular way on any other project is politically motivated nonsense.

3. Regarding my political affiliation: With the exception of a brief period in the 1970s, I have been a registered Democrat. I hold liberal values and a strong sense of fiscal responsibility.
I reject extremist politics of all sorts as divisive and counter productive and welcome the support I’ve received from those with widely divergent views. We can only move forward by working together.

4. My choice of political consultant was on the recommendation of Sheriff Tom Allman, who has recently endorsed my campaign. I also spoke with other consultants who had previous commitments to other candidates. Herb Williams is a highly respected member of his community and I’ve found Delphi Consulting to be professional, helpful and free of partisan bias, as is appropriate in this non-partisan race. The staff member with whom I have worked most closely was born and raised in Ukiah!

I persist in my belief that our county can have both a healthy environment and an economy that will allow working families to live here. This is not going to happen if we continue to elect leaders who thrive on dissent and substitue ideology for constructive problem solving.

Wendy Roberts