Sebastopol has a Council-Manager form of government, with five Council members elected at-large. City Council meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month at the Sebastopol Youth Annex 425 Morris Street. All meetings begin at 6:00 pm.
Three seats are up for election on the November 2nd ballot. They are currently held by Mayor Sarah Gurney, Larry Robinson and Linda Kelley.
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Patrick Slayter
8
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Colleen Fernald
10
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How important is job creation and retention on your priority list if elected to office?
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Patrick Slayter
10
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
9
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Colleen Fernald
10
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Are you committed to diversifying and strengthening your jurisdiction’s economy?
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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
yes
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Do you believe that your jurisdiction is doing enough to attract businesses that provide jobs?
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Patrick Slayter
no
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Colleen Fernald
no
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Do you support attracting new business and expanding existing businesses in your jurisdiction?
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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
yes
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Should local government offer incentives, financial or otherwise, to attract new business to our area?
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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
yes
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Should your jurisdiction provide funding to local Convention & Visitor Bureaus to promote tourism?
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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
no
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
no
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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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
yes
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Do you support reducing development and impact fees to spur job creation?
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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
no
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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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Patrick Slayter
no
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Colleen Fernald
no
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Will you consider job creation as a top priority in your decision making?
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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
yes
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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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
yes
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Will you support land-use and zoning regulations that deter excessive regulatory control?
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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
no
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Do you support having local regulations that are no more stringent than federal or state requirements?
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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
no
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Do you support fast tracking new projects that will create new jobs?
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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
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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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
yes
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Do you believe that privatizing or outsourcing government services should be considered?
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Patrick Slayter
no
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Colleen Fernald
yes
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Do you support consolidation of government services as a means of providing more efficient government?
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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
yes
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Will you vote to cut your jurisdiction’s expenditures before raising fees or taxes?
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Patrick Slayter
yes
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Colleen Fernald
no
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What ideas do you have for creating new jobs?
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Patrick Slayter
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Colleen Fernald
Before answering this; I must address that yes or no answers don’t work for most of these questions; so many of my answers require further explanation. The City of Sebastopol has done well in keeping a balanced budget. The public understands cutting services would come at a big price. Sebastopol has long been on the cutting edge of sustainability and entrepreneurship. To facilitate the growth of our Green economy, I wish to promote public/private partnerships to assist individuals and businesses with the tools needed to develop, and bring to market, solutions to enhance our lives. Clean energy generation is another robust sector we can enhance through these partnerships. Engaging our high school age children in this endeavor would give them interesting ways to utilize their math, science, etc. skills, while learning the basics of business development. To enhance our economy and our well being, I'm interested in exploring how our community can create a single payer wellness program. This model could support Palm Drive Hospital remaining solvent; keep wellness health care workers employed, and more of our citizens thriving, and thus able to generate more income. Additional wellness revenue generation could be supported through research programs and wellness centers. |
Existing local businesses of all sizes need support and strengthening, which leads to growth and the creation of new jobs. When impediments to business growth are removed or streamlined, business owners are able to allocate capitol to growth opportunities, rather than obtaining excessive or duplicate regulatory approvals. Currently I am involved with the creation of the Sebastopol Business Incubator which will foster and assist new businesses in our area. The National Business Incubation Association estimates that in 2005 alone, North American incubators assisted more than 27,000 start-up companies that provided full-time employment for more than 100,000 workers and generated annual revenue of more than $17 billion. Additionally, business incubators reduce the risk of small business failures. Historically, NBIA member incubators have reported that 87 percent of all firms that have graduated from their incubators are still in business. Green, sustainable technologies are an area of extreme growth; Sonoma County is perfectly positioned to take advantage of this expanding field. Mentoring and fostering new businesses in green technology will add jobs in the manufacturing, management and service segments, as well as assisting in the creation of a sustainable regional economy.