Bodega Bay Beat by Joan Poulos - June 2017

Sixty some Bodega Bay and surrounding community citizens gathered at the Grange Hall April 27 to meet with

The theme of the meeting was about roads and water issues in the District. The CalTrans Supervisor, Dan McElhinney was clear in admitting that there will be traffic issues for many months, not only in Bodega Bay but also Valley Ford and other parts of Highway One all the way to Ft. Ross. Dan is open to feedback, so call or email him at 510-220-0738 cell,dan.mcelhinney@dot.ca.gov.

The meeting was hopeful, but not entirely convincing that the problems of either the Fire District or those dealing with “safe passage” will be easily resolved. The traffic problems, including adequate and well-maintained roads, and the problems with road sharing (pedestrians and bicyclists) were certainly not forthcoming. One thing was very clear: Supervisor Hopkins is working very hard in our best interests and we should all we can to help her.

For those of us who have been on the walkway, access studies for many years there wasn’t much new data. The Fire Protection District problems are certainly not completely solved. The current situation was described by Fire District representatives as “troubled” and from my standpoint it is just a waste of time to talk about what we could be doing if we were incorporated. We are not about to be. Also, it is a waste of time to complain about the 4-5,000,000 tourists that visit our area annually, when for years we have used county funds to support tourism agencies and to encourage more visitors (even though our resources are stretched to provide either housing or safety).

There was a long discussion about how to direct more of the TOT (tax on tourism effectively) to the local needs, and not just merge it into the general fund of the county. Again, we have talked about this many years, and until we elect more Supervisors like Supervisor Hopkins (who appears ready to work on getting more of these funds back to local use) it won’t change. There was a discussion about our forming a Municipal Advisory Committee but (again) this is simply an advisory committee and will remain such. She still has to work with State Parks and CalTrans (since Highway One, which is our main street) is a state highway and the county has little control.

Citizens who attended the meeting ranged from urging us to support the local Bodega Bay School and buy the tamales the After School Program are selling, to complaints about things outside county control (like establishing a daily bus system which at least serves the airport) and how to keep people from renting their homes (real estate agencies encouraging people to rent out at least part or all of their single family residences) to establishing a community “VOICE” a computer site aimed to be a Community Bulletin Board. Kudos to Dr. Michael Trapani and the members of the Chamber.

On the plus side, we have community members working together to try to elicit change; we have convinced CalTrans that the eroded roads through the area need immediate attention to allow both pedestrians and bicyclists to safely use the road (and prevent accidents). We will have another meeting and personally, I think we should take more photos of dangerous roads and effects of too high-speed allowances.

We are going to get the Bay dredged; this should help the fishermen. We are going to get more road paving like that south of town, and the Harbour residents are going to take photos to show the danger of exits from their subdivision on to Highway One.

To finish on an upbeat note, this is a wonderful place to live. This week I was driving Highway One just after Hageman Ranch and I saw a brown spot in the road. I slowed, thinking it was a cat. When it barked, I realized it was a puppy. Without thinking (except about the heavy traffic) I just stopped. There was a lot of traffic, but I put on my lights and blinkers and opened my driver side door. It was a puppy. I had honked and he didn’t move but when I opened the door, he ran toward me (I was quickly getting out of the car in order to wave down any approaching traffic) and I had a puppy. He had no collar; no license and nothing to identify him. I quickly took him home (where my other rescue dog was not too happy to greet him) and after giving him water and some puppy food, I started calling. The sheriff was nice but it was after five. I called the Humane Society who said to bring him by tomorrow. I started calling everyone I knew. I got an appointment with Dr. Trapani (he is just the best!) and true to form he agreed to see the rescued puppy No chip. He checked him out; charged me nothing, and relieved me immensely. His wonderful staff took the puppy’s picture to put it on Facebook, and the cuddly puppy and I started home. A staff member ran out to the car and said there was a woman calling who said she had a lost puppy. She lived on a ranch near where I found him. Once more, I was glad I live in a community that is willing to pitch in and solve problems – even for stray puppies.

The rhododendrons are blooming; the trees are green, the little moon came back last night – all is well. Enjoy yourself on the coast. The whales have been running and the weather is wonderful. Enjoy the fog horns, put out your feeder for the hummingbirds which have returned, and be grateful that you live on the coast. Most of all, look around you and see who you can help (even the lost puppies of the world) and BE KIND.