By Chris Gralapp, Editor, BV Voice

February 6 was Candidates Night at the Bennett Valley Grange, in anticipation of the March 5 election (which will already have happened by the time you read this!)

Jon Mathieu and Rebecca Hermosillo, both Sonoma County natives, appeared in our candidates’ forum for District 1 Supervisor.

It was a great turnout, with ~80+ Bennett Valley residents in attendance.

Audience questions were solicited, and read by BVCA president Moira Jacobs. Candidates were allotted 2 minutes each to answer.

The tone was collegial and respectful, and in true political fashion, the candidates often diverted to their own topics without necessarily answering all the questions.

Top of mind for many BV residents is the question of large-scale cannabis operations. Mathieu expressed opposition to cannabis getting a foothold in BV, while Hermosillo agrees we need guardrails in place to protect the population—in her words, “…no one should have to smell or be subjected to the noxious fumes in their own homes and yards”.

North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park—when asked about the NSMRP overnight camping and campfire issue, the candidates gave varied and oblique responses. Mathieu felt that many regional parks are severely understaffed, and oversight and safety cannot be fully implemented.  He suggested more controlled burns to help with fire suppression. Hermosillo counseled caution moving forward with the plan for fires, without many specifics. Gray areas seemed to abound, and neither took a firm stand.

Other topics of interest to the BV community were agriculture, redistricting, fire prevention, and fire-associated insurance issues. Also, the homeless situation, Sonoma Developmental Center issues, and the Specific Area Plans that are in place in the county, including Bennett Valley.

The bright spot from BVCA’s point of view is that the candidates (including the ultimate winner for District 1, Rebecca Hermosillo) saw and understood that Bennett Valley has a strong community, and we will continue to have a strong voice in issues that affect us.

Bennett Valley Grange and Bennett Valley Community Association are proud to host events important to our community.