The City Council is the governing body of the City. The Council sets the policy for the City and adopts an annual budget. The positions of City Manager, City Attorney and City Clerk are appointed by the Council.
The five Council members are elected at-large by the voters of Healdsburg for overlapping four-year terms. Each year the Mayor is elected by a majority vote of the City Council. The two Councilmembers whose offices will end in 2010 and be on the November 2nd ballot are Jim Wood and Eric Siedrich. The remaining three Councilmembers are Tom Chambers, Gary Plass and Lisa Wittke Schaffner. On August 2nd the Healdsburg City Council appointed Lisa Wittke Schaffner to fill Mike McGuire's position on the City Council until voters in November can choose a successor to finish his term after his successful bid in June for the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.
On November 2nd, there will be six candidates seeking three open seats on the Healdsburg City Council. There will be two four-year terms and one two-year term to fill. Incumbent Mayor Jim Wood, Susan Jones and Rosie Fabian are in the race for the four-year terms and Shaun McCaffery, Stephen R. Rabb, and Loretta Peterson Strong are vying to succeed Lisa Wittke Schaffner in filling the remaining two-year term.
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Susan Jones
10
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Shaun McCaffery
10
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Jim Wood
7
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Stephen R. Babb
10
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How important is job creation and retention on your priority list if elected to office?
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Susan Jones
10
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Shaun McCaffery
10
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Jim Wood
9
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Stephen R. Babb
10
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Should job creation and economic development be one of the top priorities for Sonoma County City Councils and Board of Supervisors in 2010 – 2011?
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Susan Jones
10
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Shaun McCaffery
10
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Jim Wood
10
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Stephen R. Babb
10
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Are you committed to diversifying and strengthening your jurisdiction’s economy?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you believe that your jurisdiction is doing enough to attract businesses that provide jobs?
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Susan Jones
no
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Shaun McCaffery
no
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Jim Wood
no
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Stephen R. Babb
no
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Do you support attracting new business and expanding existing businesses in your jurisdiction?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you support the coordination of and participation in an economic development effort that promotes Sonoma County on a regional basis?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Should local government offer incentives, financial or otherwise, to attract new business to our area?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Should your jurisdiction provide funding to local Convention & Visitor Bureaus to promote tourism?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you view using the Redevelopment Agency as a tool to be utilized for economic sustainability in your jurisdiction?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you support the expansion of the Sonoma County Airport to allow more commercial air service?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you support allocating funds for deferred maintenance and infrastructure improvements including roads, airports, telecommunications, water, sewer and power?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you support reducing development and impact fees to spur job creation?
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Susan Jones
no
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you believe that there are too many local regulations preventing or discouraging businesses from starting up or expanding in our area?
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Susan Jones
no
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Will you consider job creation as a top priority in your decision making?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Will you put your jurisdiction’s jobs and the economy ahead of political agendas and special interests?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you support the deferral of local government impact fees on a construction project until that project is completed?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
no
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you support a Living Wage Ordinance that would mandate what private businesses contracting with your jurisdiction would have to pay their employees?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
no
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Do you support local production and distribution of construction materials (i.e. sand, gravel, asphalt, lumber, etc.)?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Should local government set a policy requiring open and fair competition in bidding on all public works projects?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Would you support efforts to position the North Bay to maintain a leadership role or become a leader in key job-producing industries?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you believe that it is important for your jurisdiction to provide flexible land use policies?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you believe that a cost-benefit analysis should be a required step in the process of formulating new regulations and reviewing existing regulations?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
no
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Will you support land-use and zoning regulations that deter excessive regulatory control?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
no
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you support having local regulations that are no more stringent than federal or state requirements?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
no
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Stephen R. Babb
no
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Do you support fast tracking new projects that will create new jobs?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Will you support a streamlined licensing and permitting process if it doesn’t sacrifice environmental protection?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Will you support setting aside money to adequately fund the liability for current and future public employee pensions and medical benefits?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you believe that salaries and benefits for public employees should align with the private sector?
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Susan Jones
no
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you believe that privatizing or outsourcing government services should be considered?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Do you support consolidation of government services as a means of providing more efficient government?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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Will you vote to cut your jurisdiction’s expenditures before raising fees or taxes?
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Susan Jones
yes
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Shaun McCaffery
yes
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Jim Wood
yes
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Stephen R. Babb
yes
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What ideas do you have for creating new jobs?
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Shaun McCaffery
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Jim Wood
I have promoted the concept of a Local Economic Analysis to gather and analyze demographics, employment trends, retail sales leakage, services such as the senior center, local medical services and the school district. Understanding our employment base, retail sectors, industrial and commercial market conditions, housing supply, affordable housing levels, resident income levels, city infrastructure, etc., will allow us to better position our city to reduce barriers and attract businesses to our community that will provide sustainable, high quality jobs while we respect and protect our environment and natural resources. |
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Stephen R. Babb
I believe Economic Development and promoting job creation is one of the most crucial responsibilities for local government, especially in this time of recession. The Healdsburg city council has done a great job of supporting economic development over the years, but I think that we may need a refresh of our programs and a new focus on supporting our current business base. I strongly support the concept of deferring impact fees on local construction projects to stimulate development and want to explore more partnerships like the ones we have with our auto dealers and our hospitality industry. These programs have had great success in promoting increased sales and visits, and I think there are opportunities to expand this to other industries. |
I would like to make incentives to attract more alternative energy companies to the North Bay. I would like to expand on solar companies and attract wind, co-generation and tidal energy companies. Also industries in green building materials, recycled materials and other industries that can improve efficiency and reduce waste. This has many benefits including job creation, helping improve our environment and making the North Bay a showcase of green building and green energy for the rest of the world. We already have the lead in some or these areas - I want to ensure that our region remains at the cutting edge.