Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for Feb. 27, 2024

Ryan O’Neil is best for District 2 supervisor seat

If I lived in District 2, I would vote for Ryan O’Neil in the March 5 primary election for a seat on the Marin County Board of Supervisors. We need leaders willing to roll up their sleeves and solve problems for the community, even when it requires them to take significant political risks. O’Neil is just such a leader.

I am volunteering on a task force to help put a deal back together to sell the Deer Park campus site so the Fairfax-San Anselmo Children’s Center continues to operate there. It provides sorely needed child care to families and children. The deal fell apart late last year and there were hard feelings, with people oftentimes saying unfortunate things about positions taken by others. Trust was all but gone.

I reached out to various Ross Valley School District trustees to try to find common ground. None of them would talk to me. Then O’Neil called and told me he had time to listen. He has many legitimate concerns about the site and the center’s ability to operate it. We talked about creative ways to move forward. We listened to each other and we identified a path we both felt would work for all concerned.

O’Neil continued to consider creative solutions, even while speaking with many district residents who are not in favor of rekindling negotiations with the center. With that type of leadership, I think we are on track to make a deal.

I may not have a vote, but I do have a stake in the race for a county supervisor seat. As a lifelong resident of Marin County, I need to count on the entire board to provide leadership for our community, especially when the going gets tough. For me, O’Neil is the right kind of leader for the county.

— Andrew G. Giacomini, San Geronimo

Mountain bikers must be larger part of future plans

I’m a San Anselmo resident, father and longtime volunteer and steward of our outdoor spaces.

I’m writing today to express the importance of outdoor access to me, my family and our community. I would like to highlight the lack of inclusivity for mountain bikers in Marin County.

Most mountain bikers feel like second-class citizens and trespassers on our public lands. The goal for me and many other mountain bikers is to come together with all user groups. We want to partner better together to help our county and public space land managers achieve sustainable outcomes for us all.

I hope you’ll help amplify our desire to work hard and work together to create the right outcomes for our community.

— Jonathan Irwin, San Anselmo

Vote yes on Measure A for Tam District high schools

In 2022, I ran for the Tamalpais Union District School Board of Trustees partly because I wanted to play a role in deciding whether or not to put a bond on the ballot. Before running, I had witnessed the district’s vast needs, as well as the thoroughness with which it approached its facilities master plan and a potential bond.

I take the responsibility of asking our community for financial support very seriously and respect healthy dialogue regarding tax measures. Unfortunately, the dialogue regarding the Measure A bond proposal on the March 5 ballot has gone beyond healthy.

From the beginning, spurious claims have been made, including in the argument submitted against Measure A in the voter’s guide, which claims that a simple “cafeteria” for Redwood High School will cost over $100 million. If this was true, I wouldn’t support Measure A either. Unfortunately, though it was printed, it is not true.

That is just one example of the inaccurate claims that have been made and are now being perpetuated on social media and in mailers and texts. Go to yesona4tamdistrictschools.org for more information.

I believe that our community supports our schools and that the vast majority of people will take the time to learn about Measure A. I have spoken to hundreds of people about the measure and they have been overwhelmingly supportive after learning the facts.

We have portables and buildings in the Tam District that must be replaced by state law, but the state doesn’t provide money for facilities. A facilities bond is the only mechanism that districts have to make necessary repairs and upgrades to outdated and, in some cases, truly dilapidated buildings. We provide our students with a rigorous education and we want them to learn in environments that match that education. I urge you to vote yes on A.

— Emily Uhlhorn, Mill Valley