Sonoma County 3rd District Supervisor Tim Smith

anyone. Sonoma County, the chosen spot of all the earth as far as nature is concerned, According to the famed plant wizard Luther Burbank Diverse County, with 1,010,000 acres of land on 1574 miles of scenic roadways, Cinema

County is rightfully famed for its agriculture. Did a culture, industry and recreation, as well as for the amazingly successful ethnic and economic mixture of its more than 340,000 residents on for the forward looking philosophy of its local governing bodies. Now we invite you to take a

closer look at Sonoma County in the eighties with your host, Rich McGlinchy. Yes, everyone. I'm especially glad you could join us for this edition of some accounting deities because we're going to introduce you at least television wise. Teoh, one of our newest government representative Tim Smith,

the supervisor for the third District. Nice to have you here. Thank you very much. Rich, charming, erudite, interesting man. Regardless of what something before we actually talk Talking to Tim question and answer wise about local government, I want to call your attention to the artwork in

the studio. This is by Joe Hoffman, who's been a professional artist and illustrator for the last 50 years and since 1970 he specialized in horse sport art. The sculptor you see is Arctic Freeze, the second to stud in Maryland, Pennsylvania, that horses sired many field hunters

and Eastern hunt clubs. Then we see exterminator Old Bones. This horse won the 1918 Kentucky Derby. It raced 100 times and 1 50 of them. It raised the distances from five furlongs to two and 1/4 miles on outstanding Animal. Our next animal is, sir, but and

those of you who follow horse racing will probably remember, said Barton, as the very first Triple Crown winner of America. Now Hoffman is best known, probably for his signed and numbered fine art prints of Race of the Century, which you probably already about Gala Barracks column

a few years ago and which have been available to the public now. Okay, so much for ah are wonderful, aren't working. We sincerely thank Joe hockey Tim. It is not just heading back. Thank ever visited in this capacity. And 10 you and I have been acquainted

for a while, but I'm sure the orders would probably like to hear a little bit more background about Where do you come from? Him? Where were you educated? What'd you do before you entered the third district race? Well, I was born and raised in Marin County.

In fact, in Sandra Fell. I think I was one of the few babies born in the old Sandra Fell hospital, which has now been converted to some other use. But I went to public schools in Marin County. Um, graduated from Terra Linda High School, 1968 e.

I went to college ring for about a year, and then I was caught up in this skirmish in Southeast Asia for a couple of years and took me overseas twice, in fact, and came back and went to Cinema State, where I enrolled in school and graduated

with a bachelor of arts degrees in political science. I was working in the grocery business and was married and raising a young family and moved to Sonoma County. In fact, in 1973 where as I continue my education, continue toe work and one thing led to another,

and I began to work in political campaigns and worked on Congressman Bosco's first campaign in 1976 which a lot of people have forgotten about. I certainly haven't and we learned a lot. One thing led to the next, and his Doug was unsuccessful in his first attempt

to run for public office. We tried again in 1978 and this time successfully, and he was elected the Legislature when I went to work for him and have spent the last 10 years working is his district administrative assistant in both the Legislature and three terms in

the Congress. And then I made a decision that having my kids in Sonoma County and just absolutely loving this area and living public service, I felt it was time for me to kind of stay out of the Sacramento in Washington. Seen come back to my roots

in Sonoma County and the Board of Supervisors certainly lends one that opportunity to do what you like. If you enjoy the public and like local government, and to stay right here. And fortunately I was successful. Well, one of things I've noted and watching you for the

first few months. Aziz, the third district supervisor, is your background in Sacramento, and Washington seems to stand doing pretty good stead because I've heard you offer thoughts that come from there that you have experienced heard back there that we're somewhat new to some of the other

members aboard. It is good to have that background that experience. Well, it really is. For me, it is. I think it's very important to given, especially the reduction in county funding and available. Resource is it's very important to understand both those legislative processes. I think it

gives you a little more insight. You can kind of read the tea leaves in advance and know what's coming your way. More importantly, what isn't coming your way from Sacramento and from Washington? And I think it's put me in good shape, toe have a pretty good

understanding of how this whole system should ostensibly work together. Exactly. Kim, you've been in office a few months now. Have the first few months held any big surprises for you, I think relatively not having started. In fact, I worked as supervisors assistant 1977 for about a

year and had a good feel for how local government really operated in the demands placed on individual board members. I think the one thing that caught me off guard A little bit has been how much we meet. There are in an inordinate amount of meetings relative

to transportation, wastewater, hazardous waste, criminal justice, the jail, you name it. And it's very difficulty to find the time to take the offense on many of these issues because you're the recipient of so much information. And so much of your time is spent gathering that information

in public meetings and what have you and I think I underestimated the amount of time that would be committed to sitting and listening rather than doing well. I certainly understand what you're talking about, Tim, because when you stop to think of it, the border supervisors of

dealing with law enforcement they're dealing with health and social services. They're dealing with the traffic problems. You're dealing with a new jail, social services, public health, mental health. You people really have to meet a great deal to take care of all this. Well, you should feel

like a jack of all trades at times, that's for sure. I think the what? What has happened to with the as, you know, the county of Sonoma, like 58 of the other 57. The other counties in California is a general law county on ostensibly charge the

responsibility. Excuse me of carrying out state mandated programs. The real rub comes when you've got the responsibility for the programs to implement, and you don't necessarily have the revenue with which to deal with them. And I think it z even overburdened when you consider that Washington

i. E. The federal government has withdrawn from some of its traditional responsibilities in the way of providing revenue for highway trust fund, for example, approved freeways and that kind of thing. So it really has been, ah, really learning experience in that regard that you really do

have all these fish in a barrel not so sure that you get the spirit to pluck amount. So it's been a pretty demanding process. Kim. What committee assignment did you receive this year? Well, as you might have recalled, I was a bit critical about the development

of the county jail, and I guess my colleagues saw fit Teoh hand me the responsibility to finally see that project through to completion. So I've been given the dubious distinction of being the liaison for the criminal justice agencies, which actually enjoy, have learned a great deal

in that I serve as the boards representative the Association of Bay Area Governments serve on the Transportation Planning Council. I'm that boards member to the one on one Action quarter committee, which is between Marin and Sonoma County's. I've got all kinds of different assignments. In fact,

just yesterday, I in fact, I guess next week I'll be given the responsibility to serve on the hazardous Waste Planning Agency, which ought to be interesting to through a bag. So those are just a few. And believe me, there are others, but it keeps you happen

well, Tim, the current Board of Supervisors is a In my opinion, it's a pretty interesting blend of political positions and personalities. Now, do you think that this never a composition? I guess you call it of the board, adds or detracts from its drink. So I believe

that it adds, and I think that one thing that I've got, I had the advantage of knowing each board member personally prior to being elected, so there wasn't a whole lot of getting to know one another because we already knew each other. But there are there's

everybody has a very good sense of humor. I believe they're all very committed to improving the situation. The county everybody understands basically the same path or trying to follow. There are some differences of opinion about how to get there, but I think through that interaction, the

changing of the different opinions and so forth that it helps you get all the information out and, I think put you in a better situation to make good sounds, decisions on behalf of the people. So I think it's been a real asset. One thing this board

I know, um appears to be is a group that can disagree without being disagreeable, which is really remarkable off of a good politician. I think a person who could compromise, who can explain their side and hear the other side, even though you just definitely disagree with

it. But keep it on a a pleasant level. I mean, this group does is it seems to me well, I think it's critical that when you look at a situation where two attorneys go into court, they go in. They battle one for the fence, one for

the prosecution and then they'll go out and have lunch afterwards. I think it's important that you realize that you're gonna be here weekend and week out and that you've gotta keep a good working relationship and it doesn't do you any good. Should you be on the

short end of a vote or whatever to take your marbles and go home because the people's business will not be conducted with that kind of attitude. And I think all board members understand that. You know, one of the things Tim's It seems to be very much

at everybody's mind. Is the re evaluation the updating of the general plan Now? Maybe you could give us a kind of a quick overview of how the dental plan is progressing well. As you know, Rich. The Atlantic Commission fact almost three years ago began the process

of a citizen involvement to try to update our county general plan, which was adopted in 1978. I believe that it's the most important single document that the county has, that it is a, um, expression of what the community feels they want in their future. It gives

us very good guidelines to how to pursue transportation wastewater issues that kind of thing. It's a basic format on I think that we have come an awful long way. I have a real Johnny come lately to the planning process, have only having taken office in January.

But I look forward to the vote, which I think will have on the 23rd of March if I correct in my dates and that we should approve it on that date. So if they set a timeline and followed, it and I think have been over backwards

trying to incorporate as much public input as possible. Some people love the plan, Some people hate it and there's a big wide group in the middle that thinks it's a pretty good document. General family finally created a 10 or 12 15 maybe years ago and put

into effect, and it's worked quite well. Many people have commented on the fact that the land use designation here is forward thinking, and it would appear that the Planning Commission now is carry going in that same run, including altering that to the company accommodate the last

10 years or so. It seems to me it's gonna be a very forward looking document. I agree, and I think it's very important in this particular time when you hear a lot of discussion about regional planning that the county have a good, solid expression on how

we're going to accommodate new people in here. But, moreover, how we're gonna protect the economic integrity of agricultural lands. I, for one, think that is so critical to maintain those AG lands for number of reasons one for the county's economy to, as it is, the ultimate

best defense against urban sprawl, which I don't think anybody wants. And I think that we've done a lot in that planning document to accommodate that. And without it, I would worry that People Association of Bay Area governments, regional planning agencies would take would usurp the authority

from local governments to make her own land use decisions. And that really concerns me. Yeah, we should be making those decisions were gonna pause for just a moment. Ladies, gentlemen, in just one moment, Tim Smith have come back. We'll talk more about Sonoma County and Tim's

experiences district supervisor. First, these important messages you get, you can bring a friend on the world will say for the life you say UNICEF these cars while climbing secure figure. Eight knot harness Motivation is the key to fighting illiteracy. Taking pictures in low light always use

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Contact your local, maybe recruiter. Remember, it's your Navy. Welcome back to so much Johnny in the eighties on this program. We're talking to our newest county official, Third District supervisor Tim Smith been in office a few months doing a good job. Thank you, Tim. Highway 101

Congestion is a serious problem. And you mentioned earlier that you're working on that committee. Uh, what is underway to remedy this or is the whole host of things, But I think beginning that probably most interest to local people is that we're trying to fashion together. Now

it's the local sales tax initiative which would help collect local monies to begin some actual construction work on Highway 101 Many people ask a wise at the state of California taking care of that problem, given it's a state highway. Well, the problem is that the state

budget is about $4 billion short to meet the needs for the next five years and transportation improvement program. And I think it's critical that we take you kind of look at the the what's happening at the state and local or state and federal level about cost

sharing and these kinds of things. The days were gone where the federal government, the state government will come in and give you a grant or give you a pot of money to go make these improvements without any local money as a match. So I think that

we're doing the planning for the 101 action quarter committee between Rent and Sonoma counties. We have a Sonoma County transportation Committee, which is grappling with this problem now, in addition to the Sonoma County Planning or Transportation Planning Council, which deals mostly with transit. But I think

that the one on one corridor is clearly that the single most important route in Cinema County and interestingly enough, not just so much as a mechanism to accommodate commute traffic, commute traffic to Marin in San Francisco, as it is a very critical artery for moving people

north and south within our own county. I think clearly that you can't hope to pave highways is the ultimate solution of a transportation problem. But clearly it's an immediate need. And in the future we need to do a much better job of planning for inadequate jobs,

housing balance, which will hopefully obviate the need for doing a whole lot of more road construction. But that's in the future, a lot to be done, but a lot is being done. Yes, so, uh, Tim, the board uses advisory boards and commissions to help gather information

and to make recommendations back to the board. What do you feel about this volunteer participation in local critical? I think that you hope I don't think there's one board member that would sit up here and tell you that they have a collar on every available piece

of information. And I have found very quickly that you're only as good as the information you have. And I'm really appreciative of the people that do that. Do take the time and times probably most valuable commodity anybody has and dedicated to helping the board develop information,

make suggestions. And I think it's been a very, very important role for a long time, and I don't see that it's gonna go away in the future. I think we need it. Uh, the Third District, what you are the supervisor for concludes the city's time rose

up. Now it hasn't always been the most harmonious relations. Ah, good communication. However, between the cities that rose of the city county, see desert should call it, and the county is undoubtedly extremely important. What have you done or do you intend to do to facilitate the

best possible relationship between those two entities. Well, it's a very, very good question, and it's one that is probably been the single largest impediment to making some real positive progress. And some of the things we've been discussing with wastewater transportation and things of that, like the

difficulty even stems in a another way, just the county when you look at five distinct supervisorial districts traditionally, the road budget, for example, would come in, and you've miles will serve a knife and a fork with each board member. And they would kind of slice that

up and take care of road problems within the five supervisorial districts. But it may not be the best way to manage overall transportation policy. And when you raise the question of, uh, Santa Rosa's relationship to Sonoma County, there is an inherent conflict. Each time an annexation

takes place in the part of the city, the county would lose some tax base, and we still maintain the responsibility to maintain human services and other types of services that are not provided by the city. So there's an inherent conflict in that what I hope to

do and I have been working very hard at it, I've been in communication with members of both the Rohnert Park in Santa Rosa City councils. Both city managers truck in recognition that no longer can we afford the kind of turf battles that we've had in the

past, and I'm getting the sense that each city is recognizing that as well, because what's happening is we're in a situation where we could very easily throw out the baby with the bathwater in a territorial dispute. He and regardless of someone resides in the city of

Santa Rosa Runner Park or in the unincorporated area. People need to be served. And as faras jurisdictional boundaries getting in that getting in the way of that, I think it's a mistake. Roads traverse both county lands and city plans. They don't they simply don't stop. So

I think we're way beyond the time that we can afford that kind of of bickering that may have may have taken place in the past, and rather than reflect on the past to find the complaints, I'm looking forward to the future because I think that we've

got to get moving on it. I think both cities and the county are ready for it. You know, I was thinking one thing. You are the supervisor for the two. Well, not maybe not quite two largest. Maybe peddling his little logic part Santa Rosa Road Park

and they actually close together. Do you foresee them actually running together eventually, or would you think we'll be able to keep some kind of, ah little farm area border up? Well, I think people in Sonoma County made it very clear that they believe very strongly in

community separators on. And I think the what the difference is is defining what that community separator should bay. And when you're talking in terms of the public interest, that's something you have to review from time to time to see what is realistic. I believe that it's

some form. There will be a separator maintained between the two cities. You probably get a lot of people calling your office alive, and that's putting it very mildly. Okay, if somebody in your district, though, has something they either want to ask you about or something they

want you to know about an issue what is your huge a procedure? What do you do? You invite them into your talk to Mother. What do you usually just well, I believe firmly that a public officials probably foremost responsibility is to be accessible. And it's a

difficult thing to do because you often find yourself in a position of trying to be two places at once, and that could be a very, very hard thing to do. However, I'm I work a lot, um, out in the community a lot. I try to be

accessible through my office as much as possible. Have a staff assistant named Lynn Morton who was very responsive to people on, well, you know, take care of phone calls and those kinds of things. But generally, if somebody calls to talk to me, they're going to get

a response from me. That number for interested peoples 5 to 7 to 241 as well as they can write. If some people have would rather put their questions and writing and having to respond in writing, I'd be happy to do that. And that address is 5

75 administration Drive in Santa Rosa, and I think it is very important I enjoy hearing from people. I bet the fact that more they communicate with me, the better supervisor. I'm gonna be in representing them current. Contact me, Tim. I remember back in the days of

the GoDaddy's and develops, um, the men who grew chose to run for office, were elected and enjoyed it very much, spent a tremendous number of Valerie back in those days. We counted 70 hours a week that they were involved, and actually during the job, a supervisor

and that days was very pay was low. Pay still is not. You're not going to give me a rich man, but it is a little more adequate now. It takes that much time to be a county supervisor. Doesn't it? Does. This is not a job for

someone who believes in the 40 hour work week. You're just not gonna be able to do it. In fact, I find that what Aiken generate more correspondents. It's hard to do in the confines of the office. Interestingly enough, I'm better off taking that stuff home and

getting down and on the kitchen table in responding to correspondence. Because there are so many interruption that's hard to get, the time to concentrate and give a meaningful response, but not to mention the public meetings, the request for speeches or whatever, but it's easily a 70.

80 are weak job. I can't think of one week. Of course, I've only been there for, I guess, better part of nine weeks now that I've had one week that's gone without a numerous night meetings and that kind of thing, Uh, you have three Children of

your own. I know. And and I think that I wanted to remind you to be watching in the weeks ahead on our program because we're gonna have five youngsters from five years Nova County high schools and some of the things they want to and ask them

at the time we talk to them is what they think of local government. That would be interesting when I had better get into the schools, the prime and real fast, before way talk to them about that, were very interested in doing what these young people think

about our political process and and what they think of it, what they think they would like to do to see it all to, you know, I think that's a great idea. In fact, it's one of the things that I did a lot of when I was

working in the Legislature and in Congress as a candidate. I haven't had a chance so much as an incumbent supervisor, but I have spoken to a lot of classes and a lot of young people. I think it's so important to give young people an idea that

government is not a bad thing to pursue. One of the things the problems we have is that in this modern day you find kids. They're directed very early on to go straight into the private sector, not even consider government in their future and as a consequence,

some of the best and the brightest. We're not getting into government service, and I think that's ah kind of an ominous thing for the future. These kids are going to be steering government in the future, and I hope that they would take the time and through

internship programs and all kinds of different opportunities, they have to come in, see great government work firsthand and hopefully get him excited about it because I happen to think that you know that it's probably the most important that in teaching it's interesting that struggles we have

attracting these types of kids into that kind of service. You know, it's long back in the Kennedy days that ask not what your country can do for you. But ask what you can do for your country has faded and you saw the Peace Corps and a

lot of government attracted a lot of young people. And then it kind of came back to the Reagan years. Are you better off than you were four years ago? And it's a real stark contrast and, uh, no judgment made on either comment. But I think it's

indicative that we've gotta work to aggressively pursue, pursue, to get young people interested, excited and committed to participating in government. Well, I've often said, you know, we formulated we didn't but our forefathers formulated a system of government a couple 100 years ago that has stood the

test of time, and it certainly was one of the most forward looking documents ever conceived. We all have taken advantage of it by living in this country and enjoying what freedoms are available to. So I often wonder if we put back enough That's not asked, not

what the country gave. What can you do for I wonder, since early, if we put back enough I think points well taken, and I'm interested in hearing our youngsters in the weeks ahead. It should be very, you know, it's an interesting thing, because I remember when

I was 18 years old, I wasn't so much thinking about my future as I was thinking of ways to stay out of the jungle in Vietnam. It's Ah because young people now have the advantage of a relatively peaceful international situation. We're not being called upon to

supply troops to point A and point B, and that became a pretty overwhelming thing to a teenager. Basically, that had to think about their future. And I really thought about mine later on where I think kids have an opportunity now to really plot their future. Kim.

Well, thanks, Rich. I enjoyed it, But you're coming back to you, gentlemen. We've been talking to Tim Smith, the third district supervisor, talking about local government, his experiences in the first few months of office and some of the things he looked forward to a hit. My

name is which McGlinchey program instagram account. I'll be back with you next week with Remember, camping, family or related agencies or interesting young people, like until that time. Good night. Good luck. Good health. So