4) Remember I told you about a growing movement in Guerneville, the iconic Sonoma County rivertown that’s not actually a town at all, to essentially secede from the county and set up its own government? As it stands, Guerneville — along with neighboring communities like Forestville, Cazadero, Monte Rio, Rio Nido, etc. — are all are non-towns that make up what’s called the “Lower Russian River” area, currently governed by Sonoma County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins. In response to local calls to incorporate, Hopkins is now overseeing a project called the “Lower Russian River Governance Study” to explore the community’s options for independence. She held a meeting last month at Guerneville’s local schoolhouse to go over the latest 31-page draft of the study with her constituents. According to her office, “the January 27 workshop drew a large crowd of community members, sparking a lively discussion on future directions. Community input ranged from city incorporation to seeking additional local control of funding while remaining unincorporated.” Next up will be a meeting at 5:30 p.m. this Thursday — again, at the local schoolhouse — on “how the community can mobilize to support these options” presented in the study, “including enhancing Municipal Advisory Councils, forming a council of governments, or establishing a new government entity like a Community Services District or incorporated city.” You’ll also be able to watch the meeting live on Zoom. (Source: Sonoma County Government & Sonoma County Gazette)
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