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Roseland Review by Duane Dewitt - May 2017

Community Action Partnership brought the fixings for the event while Bayer Farm workers such as Jonathan Bravo were on hand to do grilling. On Saturday graffiti in the city limits was painted over off apartment building exterior walls along Sunset Ave. Volunteers also picked up debris and cleaned in the Roseland Neighbor Wood and Nature Preserve near Roseland Creek. Some of the volunteers were there for the first time and said the area is so lovely they will be back soon. They were helped by volunteers from the Burbank Ave. Neighborhood Association,Friends of Roseland Creek, and the Hughes Ave. Neighborhood Association.

Some of the same people at the Earth Day event had been able to share a meal together on Tuesday April 18, 2017 at a small meeting held by Sonoma County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins. The meeting at the Roseland Library Branch building from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. featured a nice Mexican buffet meal before Ms. Hopkins spoke at 6:30 p.m. A little after 7 p.m. county officials switched into a meeting to provide information to local residents who may be concerned about current federal policies regarding undocumented immigrants. A short question and answer period at 6:30 with Ms. Hopkins ranged on a number of local topics Roseland asked about. Concerns have been heightened about the appearance of the Roseland Village Shopping Center owned by county taxpayers.

Ruby Court resident Jim Bray emphasized to Ms. Hopkins, “Roseland is worse now than it was ten years ago.” He and others expressed frustration with the slow pace at which the county is dealing with the homeless camp on site and the constant trashing of the area on the side of the Dollar Store. Hopkins response and the inference from her staff at the meeting seemed to beget used to this. She stated the problems were worse in the “River area” and she and her staff were busy working on resolving issues there first. Considering some Roseland residents are working hard to clean up the neighborhoods it was disheartening for some to see the drunk and disorderly men lying around the library as the meeting started.

This was compounded by stinking blue tarp covered battered old recreational vehicle in the parking lot which has been there for many months surrounded by piles and piles of fecal matter. (Photo taken April 18, 2017 by De Witt)

Such realities as this disappoint many residents while the community is doing its best to clean up and be prepared for the May 5 Cinco de Mayo festival to be held at the Roseland Village. It appears to many residents there is a disconnect between what county officials are telling people and what occurs right in front of their eyes.

The headline above comes to mind now. Ray’s Food Center on the southern end of Dutton Ave. at Hearn Ave. is where Ray Lazzini gave sage advice to generations of Roseland residents while also selling groceries and extending friendship, credit and wisdom to many. He pointed out in the past to this writer, “The reality is actions speak louder than words.” He has been in Roseland 60 + years and he knows what helps or hurts.

Regarding the county officials and their fecal matters this is a public health hazard right in the middle of a very busy public place. County officials need to resolve this matter and get the issues taken care of for the health, safety, and welfare of Roseland residents now no matter what is happening in other parts of Sonoma County. The reality is things are ugly on the land the county tax payers own in Roseland. The annexation of the area into the city of Santa Rosa is moving at a snail’s pace. It has been said the city submitted an application to annex the Roseland County Island to the Local Agency Formation Committee on April 4, 2017. It may take until the end of 2017 to have this resolved. Until then Roseland Review politely asks county officials to get the fecal matter out of here. Please stop treating this place like adumping ground and afterthought while ignoring the realities plaguing us.

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