Opinion
As of Jan. 20, 2009, I am the former District 1 planning commissioner. On this exciting and spectacular day of the inauguration of new president, Barack Obama, my term has come to an end — not that there is any connection between these two events.
I would like to thank former Supervisor Ed Robey for giving me the opportunity to serve. It has been a challenging, rewarding, educational and thoroughly enjoyable experience. While serving as planning commissioner, I have had the opportunity to explore some very special places throughout the county, and to meet the most incredible people, and to be involved in our local government.
As many of you know, the Lake County Planning Commission is charged with the responsibility of making land use decisions that affect the future growth and development of Lake County. Those decisions should be based on reasonable and logical growth patterns that take into account the health, safety, and welfare of the people and the environment. Those decisions should also be consistent with our newly adopted General Plan, the Lake County Zoning Ordinance, the California Environmental Quality Act and numerous other local, state and federal agency regulations. Additionally, those decisions should represent the desire of the people of Lake County both today and for future generations.
At a recent Board of Supervisors meeting during which former Supervisor Ed Robey was honored for his many years of public service, District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington stated, “We did not inherit this land from our grandparents, we are borrowing it from our grandchildren.” Mr. Ed Robey, Supervisor Farrington and I trust that Supervisor Jim Comstock and his newly appointed planning commissioner are among many who endeavor to uphold this philosophy. However, protecting and preserving our land is also the responsibility of the people in each of our communities.
I encourage everyone to be involved in the future of Lake County. The Lake County Planning Commission is a public hearing, the supervisors can be contacted by phone, email, fax or at their weekly meetings. Individuals need to be heard not just the voices of special interest groups or developers. The elected and appointed decision makers can make better decisions if they hear a wider range of perspectives — it is similar to the sound of a symphony orchestra verses that of teenagers playing the drums and an electric guitar in the garage; not that I have anything against youth and their interest in music.
Finally, I would like to thank all of those who supported my appointment as the District 1 planning commissioner. It has been a pleasure to serve the people of Lake County and the District 1 community.
Monica Rosenthal, former District 1 planning commissioner, lives near Middletown.
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- Written by: Monica Rosenthal
As a person who shares his progressive orientation, his political party and his optimism I thank my fellow Americans for making this happen. To those who don’t agree with his politics or his call to shared sacrifice I cannot help but think you are impressed with his intelligence and grace.
The nation and world are challenged as we have not seen in more than a half century. An economy in recession because we thought wealth was our birthright and not something worked for. A financial system in ruins because we trusted greedy men to do the right thing when no one was looking. The Earth in peril because we pretended it was infinite when a picture from space clearly shows how limited it really is. Our relations with the world strained by our reliance on the technology of war rather than the art of diplomacy.
Yes, our new president has his work cut out for him. So if you see me and millions of others of your fellow citizens a little emotional as we watch and listen to the new president please forgive us.
We invite you, we implore you, to take a moment to reflect in what this country stands for. That the justice and equality we seek and promotion of the general welfare we long for are not the talking points of a politician but the bedrock on which this nation is built.
The United States of America has turned a corner and Barack Hussein Obama is our president.
Evan Willig lives in Cobb.
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- Written by: Evan Willig
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