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Good evening. This is Community Antenna Television for Cinema County Community Antenna Television For the citizens of Sonoma County. Opinions expressed on this programming are not necessarily those of your local cable company. Now stay tuned for Sonoma County in the eighties, with Rich McGlinchey coming up next

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and now the Sonoma County Public Information Office presents Cinema County in the eighties with your host, Rich McGlinchy. How do I get everyone? Welcome to a very special edition of Sit Over County in the eighties. Now, if you're with us each week, you know that each

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week we interview different county government officials, people related to county government officials. We do this to learn a little bit more about the county we live in at what we do to serve our 325,000 taxpayers residents. Now, in the past couple of weeks, as you know,

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we've been talking with members of the Board of Supervisors, and now we come to the pinnacle. We're gonna talk to Cinema County's own first lady, and by that I mean Helen Rudy, the chair of the 1985 Board of Supervisors. But she has also, as you may

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know, the first woman ever elected to the Board of Supervisors in Sonoma County. And she wasn't just elected once she was re elected and re elected. And who knows, maybe reelected and reelected more. Apparently, she's done very, very well. Nice to take the time. Nice to

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see a rich. Indeed, when I really wanted to say with congratulations on attaining the almost impossible and that is 1/3 term on the county Board of Supervisors, and I think I could add to that the respect of your board compatriots who expressed their confidence in you

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by electing a chair of the board for 1985. Congratulations. Both. Thank you very much. All right, Coming. Let's get right into some good question in here as you enter your night here on the board. What he used to use our most pressing problems Countywide. And then,

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if you would, secondarily, what do you see as our greatest possibilities for accomplishment in the remainder of the eighties? Well, rich, of course, nothing stays the same. Doesn't time changes everything as we go on? I think the thing that is most pressing before the county and

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the remaining years of the eighties and as we move forward is the, uh the pressure of the human services that will be upon US Health and human services. As you know, over the past few years, um, those US needs have been cared for primarily by the

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state, and the state still is responsible for funding the human services needs of our people, such as 90% funding for the mental health department and, ah, certain amount of funding for public hills and, of course, the funding of the human of the social services and social

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welfare programs which we administer in the county. However, in the last few years you have seen the state shift much of that to the county. For instance, the closure of the wards of our state mental health hospitals with feeling that pay people who have mental health

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needs are better served in their local community, and many of those people have come home to us. However, the funding has not adequately matched the needs that are sent back to the county. Yet we're faced with serving and helping people with human and health needs. I

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think that the most difficult, one of the most difficult tasks, a local board, such as the Board of Supervisors, who can see and talk to touch and feel people in need will be the fact that we're not going to have enough funding for those needs. Witness

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the crowding at our mental health institution, Oak Crest. The that needs that go on, uh, funded even there between Children's needs, adult adolescent needs and adult needs witnessed the some of the housing needs because people cannot afford the housing. The sleeping under the bridge is the

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number of people that we that our fit at the mess you thea mission rescue place. These will continue to increase. Um, while the funding is not able to catch up with that, for instance, the child abuse program, which everyone is so deeply distressed about at the

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present time. Ah, the county has already put in about $350,000 of its own into a program that we consider a state program through the Child Protective Services. As such again, when the pressure is on us and it's not adequately relieved by state funding, the county does

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occasionally step in and add more to it because we feel that if it is not cared for there it will come back to us in some other form at a higher level in which we will have to fund it. That is, that is a real need.

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One of the problems they had me go on at the other end of some of that problem is the whole criminal justice program. Here is a program that is almost entirely funded, except for a few a state funded project grants or sort entirely funded from from

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local funds, the General Fund of the county. And it has grown completely out of proportion with the funding that we have to support it. As a matter of fact, we talk about the criminal justice program. We're talking about the courts, the probation department, the jail and

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the sheriff's responsibilities. We know in the last two years, we've seen a great change in what has happened there. The communities have become more adamant about get tough, shall we say with the criminals. So our jails have been We've seen the drunk driver law taken, Take

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hold. Um, we've all seen determine its sentencing. Come in. On the other hand, as our jails, Phil and people are watching the care and the rights of prisoners. And there are rights. We have found that in many instances we must upgrade certain things to meet the

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constitutional rights of our prisoners. So we are sort of on a small collision course there. Actually, our criminal justice needs have gone up by 10% with $30 million into that program. If that 10% keeps increasing, Prop 13 only increases by 2%. And Prop four, which limits

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our spending crap 13 allows revenue to come in. It's down to about 2% so it proper for limits are spending. That's 5% how what happens to a program that is funded from the county, and it is increasing at a 10% level a year. What about something

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that was tie in with this and talking about years ahead? What about the county's growth and the resultant need for services? Yes, the Condi is growing, as you know, we're now up to 320 some 1000 people. And, uh, remember 1950 we were 125,019. 75 were 250,000

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road. We're now 323,000 and it to the year 2000. We hope we plan on 430,000. The growth just recently has come down a little bit, but as people come in, they will demand services. And some of those services can Onley be taken care of by government.

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Whether it's the state or the local government, for instance, roads, um the compaction of the population in the congestion on roads is impacted by the number of people are coming. We must try to meet those needs. Fortunately, we're well prepared for my favorite word garbage. Although

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Mr Head likes to call it solid waste disposal management A soak way are really We have planned in our master plan safely into 1995. We have a lot of water. We're going to have water up Norm Springs Dam. On the other hand, uh, the sewage disposal

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is perhaps not in as good a position as are solid waste, which is garbage solid disposal. And so that will will have to find a place to put the sewage with the increased water supply. What do we do with it? Can't put it in the river,

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Can't put it in the ocean we have to find some way of disposing it and that the increase in population will impact our sewage problem as such and of course, along with people come there needs. Now, as people become more and more and Sonoma counties, people

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touch one another. Those sociological needs that come with crowding will require more attention from the county. What we will need is to find a place for people to live. And if we increase our density in the urban areas, they will then perhaps have to look at

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for more park and recreation areas, so the people will have outlets on that. But that kind of a growth is almost geometric rather than just more numbers. More dollars, more numbers, more dollars each. Each edition of crowding brings its own problems with it that need to

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be addressed. Health needs, human services, needs recreation needs. You have a background in health and education that I know. Of course, you have many talents, but you were a nurse. He also 10 years on several the Board of Education. Yes, before becoming a supervisor here. Now,

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in your ninth year, that's supervisor. There are two groups of people that our County and probably I guess every county needs to help because they seem to require help. These are Children and the elderly. What are we doing in Sonoma County to benefit those to specific

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groups that seem to rely on us most? Well, that's true. And they're so close to us, and we are in touch with them that it makes the need and the feeling of need greater with the board supervisors on the hand. Other hand, most of the funding

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that really should take care of Children and the elderly and their needs. Again. I'll come from the state and the federal government, as is the whole area agency or AH, aging program. The whole educational program the Child Protective Services needs. The Adult Protective Services needs thes

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air, all social services programs again, primarily funded from the state. Now our revenue sharing program, which we direct. We take a large portion of that money to put to social needs to respond to human services, and their needs is again a federal program that federal program

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is cutting back, and and there we will feel the pressure of that program and um and will help to resolve it uh, the problem is that our money that comes from property taxes primarily and in the local area is not really meant to take care of

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those social needs. However, we are putting extra money into the Children's services. And, of course, we have a very good area agency on aging here, and they, I think, are spending their money on the aging very judiciously and very wisely. What about the future economic development

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of the county? Two things there. Do we need it? And how should it come about? Right. Well, the economic development of the county. Um well, I think continue as people come in, they bring needs that are responded to by the industry in the private sector. They

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create needs that we must respond. Teoh. Um, one I I believe the growth. And I would like to see the growth in Sonoma County continue at a a steady level so that as people come, we will find jobs for them. That and as they come, we

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can respond to their needs. I think it's always difficult for a county when you have a great thrust of something new that brings in many people. And then the thrust is sort of taken care of. The people stay and there's nowhere for them to go to

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work. I find a good balance of an economic situation for a county is where you have some large industry that is taking care of many people who come here to live to work, but also a solid industry of local businesses. They are really very stable people.

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They live here, they work here, they pay their taxes here and they're not apt to be moved As sometimes corporate bodies move their clientele there in their employees. So and I believe so, no. Makani fits that pattern. We have some very fine large industries, but we

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have many homegrown industries, and now I'm talking about the county as a whole. This is within the cities and within the county as faras. The county is concerned. One of the situations we must look at is to continue to support our agricultural industry, which is primarily

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in the unincorporated area, as you know, and that is, Ah, wine and dairy and fruit and certain amount of gardening that that we need to support. We do well with that in the unincorporated areas as you know Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Bennett Valley, our valley's

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air rich with soil. And they should do that now when it comes to the other kind of industry that will be coming into Sonoma County that needs primarily water, sewer, fire protection, police protection and adequate transportation, parking lots and things like that. You know, it is

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my policy to work for the general plan as we have it, which sets goals that those things should be. Where the services are. They should be near sewers or within a sore district. They should be within a water district. They should be where the city police

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can take care of them. And I believe we should inspire people to come to the urban areas for that kind of industry. I think we're doing a fairly good job. I believe our cities are are moving in that direction, and they're taking care of the needs

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of that kind of industry. I think so, too. And I think you've been various for middle and bring helping bring that about. We're gonna pause right here for a moment and not our station. Bring the audience a public service message, after which Helen Rudy chair of

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the 1985 Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, and I will return. We'll talk more about this county we live in. Did you know you don't have to drink toe, have alcoholism problem Just living with someone else who's drinking, alters their personality or who's drinking. Causes quarrel or

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embarrassment or fear and anxiety could mean you are walking the cliff edge of emotional and physical illness yourself. Orender Center invites you to learn more about the dynamics of alcoholism in the family and your involvement in the disease. Even when you yourself don't drink family and

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friends. Lectures are free. They're given every Wednesday night at Theoren Dissenter on Bennett Valley Road in Santa Rosa from 6 15 to 7 30 in the evening. For more information, please call the Horrendous Center at 5 to 84141 Yeah, welcome back to a very special edition

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of Sonoma County in the eighties on this particular edition of our program, we're talking to Helen Rudy Jr of the 1985 Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and now in her third term county supervisor. The third term syndrome did not apply. She would return to office substantially.

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Helen, Uh, what can we do about the abominable slow man? And a two point, of course. But I'm talking about someone trying to drive from here to San Francisco or from San Francisco here. The highway 10 1/4 You know, you've been working on. Yes. I thought

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you were going to say, from Rohnert Park to Santa Rosa. Sanders, Did you think we would ever see the time when the traffic between Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa would come to a halt? Either morning. Your evening. We thought that belonged to the Bay Area. Didn't

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wait. And here it is. It is with us, of course. Yes. Uh, Rich, I do serve on the 10 1/4 action committee. And that is San Francisco, Marin County and Sonoma County. And we're looking at the quarter from San Francisco to Healdsburg, but primarily Santa Rosa.

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Um, we've been studying that for the past year, and recommendations have been made to relieve the problem. According to each county, the recommendation for Sonoma County is to add three lanes, of course to the to the 101 highway there and which would include it would include

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improving are often on ramps are exit areas. These have been built, many of them to a rural standard. Some of them are not like the Rumor Park Expressway. Over across is one of the better ones. But some of the smaller ones Hearn, Avenue, Corby and so

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on are not up to the kind of standard that might take a 36 lane highway. As such, however, that is the recommendation for Sonoma County and and in some of those areas, As you prepare for an offer on ramp, it almost gives a four lane on

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each side, which will also help and relieve that area. Now there is a recommendation that we look at the railway right of way, not for any present fast rail system. But I think many people think about railway right away is as once gone, never retrieved, and

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at this point, we don't. Many people really don't know what it would mean to lose that right away. They don't know what it would mean toe have it, but at least having it is better than losing it and never retrieving it because it's a kind of

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small, narrow strip that would be lost in the shuffle of property and purchases and so on. But I think that, according to the study in the number of cars, the expansion of Sonoma County, a six lane freeway, would do it. Added to that, we do have

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Petaluma Hill Road in and Stony Point that are parallels to it. Petaluma Hill Road is taking its share of the burden, certainly is. You know it. Stony Point needs to be upgraded to do that, but in the general plan as well in in this latest study,

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they are looked at as parallel to 101 to relieve for short term runs and also to stay off the freeway a little longer than taking a long route, getting on it and cluttering the traffic. Certainly of those six lanes now, we would like to see each

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new third lane to be what we call a vehicle high occupancy lane. That means the lanes that are are held for certain times of the day of high traffic and congestion areas, allowing the three occupant car as well as the buses to use those lanes. We've

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seen those in Marin County. We will see those in Sonoma County yesterday seem to work very well. Yes. Yes, Helen, We've been told we must build a new jail. How way? Well, the wind is perhaps a little easier than the how the the win. We should

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have that jail built according to our program. Now, December 31st 1987. Ready for January 1st, 1988. That is the track we're on. And I have every reason to believe that we could make it. We are working very hard on that. We are in 1986. We will

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see the plans prepared. That is the plans and specifications. We hope to have those finished by the end of this year so that we can start building in 86 80 and concluded in 87. Now, how we're going to do that is, of course is you know

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where we have a subcommittee that it's addressing this jail problem daily. Ah, we are on a fast track to do it. And I think that is a good idea because it gets done. We're on it, getting it done. Ah, we're working with our planners and with

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architects at the present time laying out the plan so that they could be all taken care of. Now, as far as financing, of course, we the county has about $9,000,000. I believe that we can put into this right off. Then we would hope to have a

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1,000,000 at least from the state. And that was through the last proposal Proposition that was on the ballot were working very hard to try to get more money from the state. In the end, we'd like to see it funded about 75%. Then there's one other thing.

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Certificates of compliance. We might distance be able to find some way, and we can. Did I say find someone? Certificates of participation. Of course, compliance is up to US certificates of participation. And this is a private governmental relationship in which we will sell certificates to the

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private sector and use that money to build our jail and over a period of 30 years, pay back those certificates so that in the end, ah, we will have the jail and the the private sector will have a to the benefit of tax exempt bonds, certificates

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and so on. And that is how we plan to move ahead of the present time. We are working very diligently, though two for the state to help to fund us just as they are doing other counties. 22 things off the side, a little bit, one personal

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to you and then another that I know is close to your heart, as your opponents have discovered. To their dismay, you're a rather remarkably successful campaigner. But I wondered, I think I kind of know. But, I mean, I wonder if our audience would like to know

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what possessed you to run for office the first time. 2nd 3rd Well, thank you very much. As you know, I was one of those professional volunteers all my life allied for Children at home, you know, And I did my share of PT a league of women

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voters. Perhaps not so much leave was. But I did all the volunteers things that a mother of four Children and a wife that did not have to go out to work would do. Um, I grew up in a family that believed you help your community. And

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so I was helping When I became when I went to the Board of Education and served there 10 years, I found at the end of that time. Ah, that Board of Education could have younger people, people with Children in schools, and, uh, it was time to

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move from there. I wasn't ready to go home and just sniffed or play bridge or whatever. And so I had many friends who said, You know, don't lose all that expertise. Try for the county Board of Supervisors. I had been out here a time or two

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with the program. I had seen, how it functions and so on, so forth. And I had the time I had the strong desire that it was time a woman should be involved with the Board of Supervisors. And I had a great deal of support from many

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people who had known me over these years that I had served the community and the other capacity. And so with that urging, throw in my hat as they say, and one that is the first time and you know now is just easy to keep going. No.

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Five, if I continue to have the support of many of the people who wanted me to run the first time, wanted me to continue the second time and felt it was terribly important that I run the third time, so I did. Well, you did. And you're

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deserve congratulations for the first for the second. Thank you. All right to other things were down to about three or four minutes. The press likes nothing better than to attack what it calls secrecy in government. Yet I think any thinking person must realize that there's certain

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areas of sensitivity which should, in all probability, be discussed confidentially. What do you think about that? I agree with you. Okay. As you know, I have tried to be very open and mindful of the public's business. I will be one of the 1st 2 will hold

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something, uh, from the agenda when it involves a policy or a regulation or public awareness and say we would hold this for two weeks so that people can call me, tell me what they think. They're many things I think that deserve to be publicized in the

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paper so that people can respond. On the other hand, when it comes to the possibility of hurting county through liability a legal, um um, litigation or hurting an individual by discussing, um, him or her publicly before all the facts are in. I believe those two kinds

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of things that could cost the county a great deal of money must be worked out and are able to be according to the Brown Act and are rightfully done in a closed session according to the law. I believe those things must continue to be discussed in

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secret until call it in secret in close session. I call it until we are able to make a statement to the public. That is a protection for the county. Very well put. And I agree with you. One other thing we may have time for you to

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cover. Briefly. Uh, the general prayer, which we got about two minutes with the general plan, is to be updated. Yes. You're going to be in that process this year. Tell us about that. Right past the general plan in 1978. I think it has served Sonoma County.

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Well, we still have hundreds of people who want to get into the county because of I think the goals that we set there, but we did say it would need to be updated in five years to keep up with the Times keep up with needs that

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I'm determined to see accomplished in 1985 this one year we will be starting. Our first meeting is the end of January in a type of workshop for the Board of Supervisors, and it is open to the public to to set our direction to finalize. How will

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we do this? And then we will be about it. I believe it will make next year's in the planning department easier when we have the general plan done so that were more consistent between zoning and planning. We've got about one minute left. Final remarks is it's

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very challenging and exhilarating to be in this position at this time and to be the chairman of the board. We have had a hard year. Election year is always hard for an institution is as the county. I'm sorry for the county. They had to take a

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lot of the the heat off of my election. But here we are. There's so much good to be done. We have so many fine people on the staff that I believe very strongly that we can move ahead and serve the county very well. Under your leadership,

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I have no doubt about Richard. You're always very helpful. So thank chair of the Board of Supervisors. Ladies and gentlemen, our special guest on this edition of cinema can in the eighties has been, as I said a moment ago, Another friend and long standing on Lady,

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I respect greatly. Helen Rudy, chair of the County Board of Supervisors for 1985. My name is rich. McClatchy. I'll be back with you next week Will bring you another member of the county government. Family were related agency A Learn a little bit more about the county.

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We live in the county, Really? Until it so long and good luck to each and every one of you. Sonoma County in the eighties is a production of the Sonoma County Public Information Office. This program is being produced as a public service by Total Television of

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Santa Rosa four. Channel 22. Be sure to join us next week. Same time, same channel for another edition of Sonoma County in the eighties