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Sonoma County, a diverse county of over one million acres is famed for its agriculture industry and recreation boasting a booming economy and a unique lifestyle for its citizens described by the same Luther Burbank as the chosen spot of all the earth. Sonoma County is the place

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to live, work and play as we move into the 21st century. Led by the forward looking philosophy of its governing bodies. Sonoma County's 340,000 residents are a harmonious, successful blend of ethnic and economic backgrounds. We invite you to take a closer look at Sonoma County in

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the nineties with your host Rich McGlinchey, how you doing everybody? Welcome to this edition of Sonoma County in the nineties. We're gonna be talking to an old friend this program, It's kind of tinged with nostalgia you might say because he's been an associate of mine for

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the last uh 15, 16 years. As a matter of fact, he has served four terms as the Sonoma County supervisor from the fourth district. His name, I think you probably know already is nick and he's been with us a few times before and he's consented to

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come back and talk about his four terms in office and also talk about, what are you going to do afterwards. First of all for the eighth time. It's nice to have you as our guest. You realize it was that many times. I know it was close

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nick, you have served as 1/4 district supervisor for almost 16 years and your, any of your public service career at the end of this year, Maybe we ought to ask first is, what do you plan to do in your retirement? Well, I'm gonna spend a little

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more time with my family and maybe do a little golfing, little little traveling. You still know them. Incidentally. Uh I'll tell you it, it's taken a lot from my family over the 16 years, but I'll make it up. Yeah. I talked to Gayle, Gayle's wife, his

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wife, uh not so long ago and she says, don't persuade him to stay any longer. I'm looking forward to having, she's looking for me forward to seeing me stay home for a while nick you were, you were in business and was successful in business and got

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out about 18, 20 years ago and and then determined to get into what, what prompted you get into public service. Well, I had retired and I was young at the time. I was 40 years old when I retired and and a lot of people just wanted

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to see me get involved in local politics and I, after a while of persuasion, I finally decided that I'd give it a shot and I did. And here I am 16 i in this year, last year of office as a county supervisor. What major issues do

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you feel are facing Sonoma County? Well, we're doing a few things this year. Uh we're gonna, we're still in the middle of the reorganization of the county system and I think that's gonna be a real tremendous asset to the public. Uh it won't be a large

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cost savings, but I believe that we'll be able to give better services to the public and that's why we're there other issues such as transportation purchase of the railroad. Uh right away, I think we need to get that behind us. We've got the gravel industry out

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there that we've had gravel wars. Those issues have to be resolved. I hope to have them resolved in the next two or three months. Uh we've got uh some agricultural interests out there that have to be uh taken care of and that's big in Sonoma County

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and we need to work with our ag people and uh hope to have those interests behind us and and uh we'll be on our way at that point. One thing that I hadn't jotted this down to ask you here, but what does come to mind, what

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about the transportation uh factor between, let's say the battery and Healdsburg Cloverdale, is that going to require? What are we gonna do about all that? Well, we we need the support to go ahead and put another lane on the freeway and then we need to concentrate

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on rail service that will be something in the future and it's going to take a lot of money to do that. But I think the support needs to be in that area and there's there's a lot of pro and con on the additional lane on the

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freeway and and doing redoing some of the on and off ramps. I think that's an important part of the whole project. But You know, nothing has been done for 30, 40 years and it's time to uh to make a change because we've had a lot of

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growth and uh we need to compensate for it. And the only way to do it is go ahead and that's the easiest and the fastest solution is the other lane and then go to uh some other type of rail service or other service. When you came

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into office in 78 County was a little smaller but really hasn't grown. The county workforce hasn't grown too much in that period, has it? Not? Not really, you know, I came on with properties in 13, that's when uh, fire services, police services, schools we're all gonna

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close and that hasn't happened. I think that we've, I know in my district, I have enhanced those services and uh I think other districts have basically done the same thing, But uh it's it's been real tough to get the job done because of the fact that

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the state has, has been in trouble for the last few years. And that's not that problem isn't going away. Well, you know, it's expensive, incurring the wrath of some of our state officials, the state for many years and for all the years that I was out

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there from 69 on would seem to legislate programs and indicate that they were going to pay the freight on them. But in very short order you photos were paying the freight on. This is heard, hasn't it? It's always easy to mandate programs and services and of

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course, uh the money has to come with that or else other local programs suffer and that's what's happened over the years. We've had to cut services in other areas too to meet some of the mandates that we've had from state and federal government. Nick one thing

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that's fairly new and maybe get your thoughts on it now, how do you feel about the managed care health program? Well, I think uh you know, with our involvement in community hospital, I think we've made some major changes in Sonoma County over the last few months.

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Uh we got into managed care and I think that's uh the wave of the future. It has to be, if you're gonna keep healthcare costs down. Uh This is the way you're I think a starting point and we started our own program and I think you

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can see the effect it had on one of the other uh organizations HPR And uh I think that uh you've seen some changes in uh Kaiser and I think that overall you're gonna see more changes in the future. Sutter coming into cinema County now is gonna

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make a big change. So it's it's something that, You know, we've we've worked on for the last couple of years because of changes in our hospital. Uh you know, overall I believe the occupancy in in the hospitals have declined about 40% over the last few years

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because of outpatient care. And this has really made a difference on what's what's happening within the hospitals. The patients stay is about 4.3 days at this point. And uh that has made a major major change in in the revenue structure of of our hospital, Even despite

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the community seems to be leveling out and moving along fairly smoothly getting there. We we still have our problems, but you know, we were the only hospital in the state of California uh county owned out of 58 counties that showed a profit up until a couple

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of years ago. And uh we lost 25% of our paying patients to Kaiser. When that happened. Of course, we started operating in the red uh because we only collect about 53 cents on the dollar. And that does make a tremendous difference. You know, and in comparison

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to other hospitals, we have to take care of the indigent, we have to take care of uh the underinsured, no insured uh Medical Medicare. And uh and we've done a good job and at least as I speak, I would say that uh we can meet the

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payroll, You know, I have nothing but praise for community hospital. I started out there when I've had a lot of coronary problems in the last 20 years and found, you know that care was excellent and the personnel was excellent and I was started that they ran

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into this rough period like that because I think uh not to the detriment of any other hospital, but there were very fine hospital and it deserves the the acceptance of that fact by the community. And of course Kaiser coming on, did did put a dan did

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it like that and then maybe a few other problems contributed to that. But it seems to be coming back on a pretty even keel. Well, we uh through our own program, I think that uh in the next few years we'll turn it around and we need

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a few more patients in the hospital. We do have an excellent facility and and we're all proud of that and it's something that we need to continue with a dual type facility because I think it's important to the taxpayers of Cinema County. Well, we just talked

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about the fact that the state of California there, there were supposed to be a subdivision of the state of California? But sometimes I think they're our greatest enemy. It seems like. But how do you, how do you think the 1994 95 state budget will affect Sonoma

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County? Well, we still don't know at this point, reg what's happening is uh nobody's addressing anything in sacramento at this point and because they're just not sure where they're at and, and again, they're looking at the possibility of being 7 to $8 billion in the red.

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Again, if that's the case, I'm sure local governments gonna have to pick up part of that tab. Again, you know, there's only so much that we can pick up and we did get a little increase in sales taxes last year to compensate for some of the

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losses in the past. But that isn't enough. And if we have to deliver the goods, uh, we need some help from the state and federal governments the same time. Otherwise we're gonna be cutting back on some, I think services that really we need to provide for

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some of the people in Cinema County. I don't know if this is a viable factor, not, would would it help if they cut back on on some of the required programs? Well, absolutely, but when they cut back on the mandates, uh, it still puts the pressure

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on local government to keep providing the services. Uh, once you start providing a service awful hard to take that back. But they need to understand uh, what goes on on a local level. And most of them up there, don't understand and don't care to understand. That's

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the sad part, there's not enough supervisors that go up to the legislature. I don't think there's too many attorneys you said. Um One of the things you mentioned a few moments ago and I know it's been in in operation or in progress for some time now

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is the reorganization of the Sonoma County government structure. Uh, what are we talking about in general and how do you think it'll affect the county? Well, you know, we've had to cut back, we've made some, Oh gee, some tremendous cuts in personnel uh, just in the

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courts by doing some uh, combining between superior and municipal court. We cut out 2530 positions just in one area. Now, this is over time other departments will be merging uh and reorganizing others. And as I said earlier, maybe come up with a permit center that will

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take care of a lot of concerns that people have had in the past looking for permits. We don't have to go to eight or 10 different locations they can come to as a one stop shopping type of situation. And again it may not save a lot

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of money, but I think it will provide a much better service to the, to the people of Sonoma County. That's the most important thing I think at this point. Well recently we had ken Miller who's your, your planning director and everything's going to be the director

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of your new from its center operation. And he pointed out that the board was was adamant and looking for a method to simplify the public's need to come in for for instance, you come in now and you go to planning and one office, you go to

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building some place else to go. Water agency somewhere else public works somewhere else. And even the sanitation up on the hill. Uh, poor person would Run around for days literally fire services. Exactly going on on this. This is really long overdue. And I commend you for,

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well, it's very easy to put it, put it into operation. You know, this is the main thing. It's gonna cost a couple of $3 million. We've allocated the money to do that and we're moving ahead. So it's going to happen. It's gonna happen and they're not

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too distant future too. So that's right. You know, the private sector has to make changes in, in times when the economy is suffering and we have to do that too. Well, we're no different. We have been called. And I know, you know this at every level

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of government dinosaurs because we don't change rapidly enough. And so we're gonna become extinct if we don't have to realize true coming from the business world, I, I recognize the fact that the government was never intended to be efficient, never intended to be, It wasn't designed

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to be efficient. Oh, well, what are you doing there? Well, I think we've made some real improvements over the years, but just, there's just programs that other people don't like that. We do have to provide. There are people that need help and, and uh, some people

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disagree with that. And even myself, I've changed to some degree over the years to find that there are people out there that do need help and need county services and I'm willing to provide that as long as we can separate the needy from the greedy. Well,

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you know years I started with you over there is public information officer. One of the biggest complaints that we got on a continuing basis was what in the blazes? Can't you put all the permit people somewhere at least in the same building, you know what I

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mean? Uh So they wouldn't have to make and that you don't have a building big enough. No, you know things easier but yet other people want more laws and, and God, it's just it's just a real web. Um you've seen a lot of changes since 78

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you changes but not only changes in what you've done with the county's accomplished things you've pressed for. I know, but seeing changes in the supervisors changes in the, Well I would say maybe the attitude everybody, there's a spirit of cooperation over there that didn't exist. Yeah,

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I think it's much better today than than it was a few years ago. And I think that you know when we look at the growth in the county that's taken place, not only residential growth, but you know, we've provided a lot of jobs in the last

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few years if you take a ride, take a ride out to airport boulevard and look at the industrial park out there, you know, that's one of the finest industrial parks around the countryside and uh you know, I'm very proud of that and because I was a

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major part of that and at the same time uh that's still growing and it's well done and over the years that will provide uh seven or 8000 jobs and without a major impact. And at the same time it's it's going to be the second largest tax

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generator for the County of Sonoma. You know, those are important issues. Uh we don't have to have people traveling up and down one oh one uh going to work in the morning, uh they can from Windsor lark field Healdsburg uh santa rosa, you can, you can

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come in all directions and uh I think it's it's gonna be really neat uh a neat deal over over the time frame. And uh these are things uh we've helped uh with the farming community, you know, we want agriculture to be number one in Sonoma County

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and we've promoted and worked with them, we've made the general plan easier for them to operate within. And uh so there's been a lot of growth there. So I think with a combination, we've got a good combination going and at the same time we have an

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open space district that we can, we can buy some open space maintain the community separators still grow in the right direction as an urban, you know, in urban areas where the growth needs to be located and I think we can all survive and do a good

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job. Absolutely spots in between. You know, another thing, one final thing that we can take a break here in a moment. Uh, Airport park is not only an economic success, but it's an acidic success. I mean that's really beautifully designed buildings and everything out there. They

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seem to blend in with the area and it really is uh sort of a project to be pointed out as a real example of what can be done Nick, we're gonna pause right here and have the station bring the audience of public service announcement. But right

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after that nick and I will come back. We'll talk more about nick's 15.5, Almost 16 years in office. And what he may be a little bit more about what he plans to do later on. First this message. Get ready for the home fire safety test, electrical

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fire. What do you do use the fire extinguisher? Good grease fire. What do you do? Smothering, terrific trash fire. Now use the water raven. What fire safety tip would you give to kids? Don't play with matches ever. Good smoke filled room. What do you do? Come

00:19:45.310 - 00:20:05.880

on, crawl under it. Great now, what fire safety tip would you give to adults? Don't forget check the batteries in your smoke detector. Don't clown around. Fire is no laughing matter for more information, write the will Rogers Institute White Plains new york. Welcome back to this

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edition of Sonoma County in the 90s. This is sort of a farewell edition for a friend of about 16 years actually, a little bit more than that in New York to before he took office. Nick has been the fourth district supervisor since 1978. He's concluding his

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16th year in office. He's not going to run again. His wife and his family, I think helped persuade him to take some time now and enjoy life. But Nick before we go into the final questions, I know that I worked with you for 16 years, and

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and as one resident and taxpayer from Yuma County, I think you've done a good job. I haven't always agreed with you, but I think that you've represented your position perfectly. Why haven't you agreed with you were wrong? I have a right to be wrong. Listen about

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reorganization, Do you think it will save the county money? There's a possibility. I wouldn't say that it will, we don't know yet. But again, as I said earlier that uh, uh, we will be able to give a better service to the people. I think that's number

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one priority and still live within a fair budget. So I think that, uh, that's, that's a fair question. But I think, uh, I'm giving you a fair answer at the same time. I really don't know. Uh, we hope that it will be a savings, but yet

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it will deliver better services to the public. And I think that's bottom line. The key, Certainly one of the key parts of our reorganization is the creation of the permit center from all the variety of things. What are some of the other things that might be

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touched on? Well, we're going to cut out about 12 or 14 departments and at the same time people that worked on on the Reorg is uh they've cut themselves out of a job. The water agency manager's job is going to be gone. Uh The building inspector

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is gone. Uh just write down the list and and uh it's pretty hard to work on a program that's gonna cut you out of your job and thank God some of these people are, are ready for retirement. So uh we'll take care of in that respect,

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others, you know, we'd like to go through attrition rather than layoffs and I think that we will work that program out. We've had quite a few people retire and uh we've given a golden handshake and it's all worked out so so far, we're in pretty good

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shape and I think that again, putting the whole package together has taken a couple of years, but it's gonna be worth it. Do you see the county and agriculture continuing to work together in the future. Absolutely. Uh If we want this county to be number one

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in agriculture, the county must help in the past. There's been a problem? Uh at least I saw a problem with the first general plan. The first general plan wanted to preserve ag lands, There's more to preserving ag lands than a general plan. Uh you need to

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help the grower, the farmer and if you can do that, you know, the farmer is no different than one of your big department stores downtown. The bottom line has to be profit or else they're in trouble. And uh in this latest general plan in 1989, uh

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our new board uh really focused in on that issue and uh we work quite well together and and we've done a good job and we supported tag all the way. So uh I would say yes, that will continue on. And that's what's gonna make Sonoma County

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uh, desire a place to live in the future. We'll, do you think. And if you do think so, what effectively open space district have on Sonoma County? Well, I think that's that's a question that uh will be answered in a few years future generations will really

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enjoy that because we'll be able, we do have the money uh for the specific purpose of buying development rights within the Uh community separators and also in some of the other critical open space areas. And uh in 20 or 30 years future generations will really enjoy

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that. We won't be like some of your southern counties, I'm not gonna say any names talking about. Um, do you support the purchase of the rail right away. Absolutely. You know, I think that uh, we have a real opportunity to tie that up for, for future

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needs, whether it would be rail service for now and I think that we need to provide rail service from the north. Uh, and, and later on we'll, we'll be looking at passenger service in a few years and it may take gridlock to get the people of

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Cinema County to really focus in on, on the issue of, of other type of transit, but it'll come sooner or later and we need to tie that up. If we don't tie that up, it would be a tremendous mistake. Yeah, that should be one answer to

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our future transportation problems, shouldn't it? To some, some respects, you know, you're not gonna get people uh, in Sonoma County to get out of their cars. You know, we're not that urbanized at this point. It's hard, but transit is very costly. And when you, when you

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say that you're going to take a commuter train from here to the Bay Area, you know, is one thing, if you, if you're talking about taking it to marin County, we where you can get off the train, get on a bus and go to your job.

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That's one thing, but you're not gonna get people out of the out of the car onto a train transfer in, in marin county, take some other type of transit the bay area and then transfer again it's just not gonna work. Um Okay, we got down to

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a couple of minutes there. What major changes have taken place since you took office? And what do you think about them? Well, again, I, you know, I have to look at the overall growth, not over numbers of of residents in Cinema County, but again with the

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business community jobs. Uh you talk about uh some of the other areas. Warm springs, damn. We we seem to forget that that was a big project. I was part of that project. Absolutely. Uh you take geothermal, I was part of that. That's uh that's the largest

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geothermal field in the world right here in my district. Uh and I had a major play in that. Uh we just finished the Cloverdale bypass. I followed that around this state for several years and we finally got that completed. It's just, you could just go on

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and on and on. I've got a list a mile long. What are you what are the uh about a minute here. What what do you have some of your fondest memories? Not quite over yet, but I mean when you come to it just projects like that,

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like we were talking earlier with the industrial park at the airport in doing some of these things that provide a real service to the community. The reorganization I think we've turned local government around you know we did a 180 and in the support that I've had

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from the public has just been tremendous and and that's what makes it worthwhile, you know, every day for me is a new day. Well that's a matter of time but it should be said and I'll be the one to say it that thank you on behalf

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of everybody in Sonoma County because you've done a good job, you've done what you believed was right, you've stuck to it. You fought with your compatriots periodically. You've won a few, you've lost a few. But the point is you can you can retire at the end

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of this year, proud of the fact that you served your district very very well. Ladies and gentlemen I guess has been the retiring supervisor from the fourth district. He'll be finishing his 16 years in office and then going into a good retirement. He and gail are

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gonna do some traveling. My name is Rich McGlinchey. The program is Sonoma County in the nineties. Be back with you next week with the members of the county government family or a related agency. Maybe two other fine individuals from our county till then tonight. Good luck

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and good health to each and every one of you