Letter of the Day: ‘Feeling Left Out, Literally’

Editor, Index-Tribune: On Jan.|

Editor, Index-Tribune:

On Jan. 28 I attended what was supposed to be a public hearing concerning a proposed large development just north of the bike path between First and Second streets east. I arrived before the start of the meeting to find that the auditorium was full and the overflow area was packed with people who had come to hear and speak about this issue. 

Imagine, then, my distress and annoyance when we discovered that the audio was not working on the monitors so we could not hear anything that was being said. When people brought this to the attention of the people running the meeting they were essentially told “tough luck.” No one in charge made any effort to assure that the attendees could be a part of this supposedly public meeting. 

This behavior of the Planning Commission and City Council deprived us all of our democratic right to participate in the process of a public hearing. 

Because this is an important issue to a lot of people in Sonoma, I believe it is incumbent upon the City Council and Planning Commission to hold this hearing again, with sound and video working correctly for those who cannot get inside the auditorium. Otherwise, the council will appear to be extremely prejudiced in favor of the development at the expense of the public’s right to know and participate.

Proper procedure and transparency in government are required in order to allow the full participation of the public. 

Nicole Katano

Sonoma

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