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By CHRIS SMITH
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Efren Carrillo was busy when his office phone rang late Thursday morning. Told it was the governor, calling from Monte Rio, the west Sonoma County supervisor got unbusy.
Jerry Brown.
The call came from Gov. Jerry Brown, who has visited the lower Russian River through much of his life and honeymooned there five years ago. On Thursday he popped into a cafe while walking with a friend and a dog along Highway 116.
He chatted inside the Rio Bridge Cafe & Flea Market with its stunned owner, Jo Ann Wilson.
“Oh, it was fun. He was delightful,” Wilson said. She said Brown, in the area for a brief vacation, seemed genuinely interested in Monte Rio, asking how its businesses are faring and what the area’s future plans are.
Wilson said she told him him about the river town’s successes and struggles, then mentioned that she wants to grow her business but has run into county obstacles.
Wilson operates a collectibles shop alongside the cafe but aspires to run a flea market with vendors in the backyard, and a produce stand. County officials have told her she’s limited by her current use permit.
Wilson mentioned to Brown — who said he wasn’t hungry but accepted a glass of water — that Supervisor Carrillo has worked with her but to this point she’s still not permitted to operate a flea market.
She said the governor told her “it was a great idea to have it (the flea market). He said, ‘Call him, call Efren.’”
It’s a call likely to bring a smile to Susan Upchurch, the supervisor’s district director, for years to come. She asked if the guy on the phone really was Gov. Brown.
“He said, ‘It really is, and I want to know why we can’t have a flea market in Monte Rio.’ ” Upchurch said she replied, “And I want to know why we can’t have access to redevelopment?”
Upchurch said he replied, “Well, that’s a boondoggle.”
Carrillo was at that moment in County Administrator Veronica Ferguson’s office. She carried the phone to him and suggested he might want to take the call.
“I was very surprised,” the supervisor said. He said he and Brown chatted about jobs and economic development and he, too, tweaked the governor about the demise of local redevelopment agencies.
“I definitely took the opportunity to have a little fun with him,” Carrillo said. “But the boat’s left the dock on that one.”
He complimented the governor’s good taste for vacationing on the Russian River and vowed “to do my very best to see that Jo Ann can fulfill her dream out there.”
Back in Monte Rio later Thursday, Wilson was still shaking her head and smiling about the surprise visit.
“It was funny,” said the restaurateur who aspires to open a flea market. “It was a wonderful day.”
(Contact columnist Chris Smith at 521-5211 or chris.smith@pressdemocrat.com.)
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If you want PRMD to act and act quickly, become a county licensed foster care home, PRMD is very much afraid of the county foster care agency.
And by the way, it says Mail, not E-mail up there.
@MRS “we want to gentrify the area” begs the question of who’s we? Gentrification, the ugly stepchild of redevelopment, has done more damage to communities than any other form of government intrusion. If trash lying around is the problem then having a flea market to recirculate the “trash” making things reusable to low income folks will be a benefit. Governor Brown has done a lot of redevelopment in Oakland that didn’t go well to put it mildly. Amassing debt that ultimately has to be repaid by taxpayers puts an extreme burden on cities in the long run. In the short run, poorer people are displaced, including many mom and pop businesses that may have been there for decades.
If the “we” you are referring to is you plus other newer arrivals that want a clean, sterile environment why did you move into an area known for its funkiness and eclectic mix of inhabitants? As usual, you are only thinking of yourself and your property value above all else including the many low income folks who have lived in that region for decades.
PRMD should be ashamed of themselves for their excessive regulations that prevent people from establishing gainful activities which will help lift them out of dependency on the government. Small business people are the backbone of our country and should be encouraged by government instead of listening to every nimby that thinks they are entitled to a nice view of other people’s property.
At Least Jerry was spending money in Sonoma County no matter whose $$$ it was it added to our local income. Plus if the new gets around even in Sacramento, that he came to Sonoma County some who haven’t visited our area might be curious and come by to visit the area as well and leave a few more $$$ behind to local ventures. I am certainly NOT happy with everything he is doing trying to some of Arnolds’ and Wall Street’s mess, but I won’t say he shouldn’t take vacation days (I am sure he gets some as Gov.)and better he spend that money in CA than out of the state or in another country. Now if he could just see the social, economic and health value of keeping our State Parks open and not charging fees at all the State Beaches I could more easily say something nice about his current term as Gov. of CA.
“Doing a flea market in Monte Rio probably doesn’t mean anything to many, but it does mean a lot to the town of Monte Rio” – - WRONG thinking here. Why not take a poll of the residential property owners here in Monte Rio asking “who wants a flea market on 116 in Monte Rio?” I certainly don’t.
We want to gentrify the area, not trash it up.
Hey Bob, Brown realy made a mess of Oakland and now he is gona save California. So Brown Gave you all some good lip service. It was only just that Lip Service. He hasn’t done a damb thing to get Californias spending and budget under control. This state will be in no better shape after he is done. You realy got star struck. “Down to earth”, please he has been in california politics for a life time. He has had his hands all over evry asspect of or state goverment and look where it has gotten us. As Attorney General crime in the state whent up and has continued to because of his policies. As Okland Mayor the crime rates sky rocketed.
It was terrific that Jerry Brown came to do a little vacationing here in Monte Rio. Many of us locals got to meet and talk with him. Gov. Brown is very down to earth. There is absolutely nothing phony about him. He showed a real interest in our little, struggling town. He talked to Jo Ann Wilson, who wants to do a small flea market in Monte Rio. I’ve gotten to know Jo Ann Wilson pretty well. She is all heart. Everything she does is well intentioned. Helping the needy and feeding the homeless, having clothes and other things affordable to those that need help. It’s hard to find anything about Jo Ann and her family to criticize. Doing a flea market in Monte Rio probably doesn’t mean anything to many, but it does mean a lot to the town of Monte Rio. Gov. Brown has the insight to see this. Citicizing the Governor for supporting Jo Ann is really an unfair and unthinking tactic. Gov. Brown inherited an absolute nightmare from his illustrious predecessor. If anyone wants to complain about the problems that exist here in California, send Arnold an Email. Give credit where it is due.
In the so-called ” Land of the Free”, we have to be ‘permitted’ to do anything anymore. Sure some restraint is needed, but the Government makes it too hard for some people even to think about starting a business, or expanding one. Every year brings new ‘requirements’ made up by people hired to make new ‘requirements’.. It’s their job.
Really: I stand corrected. Google Maps shows it wrong.
This time of year there’s a lot of giardia in the lower Russian River. I hope our dear governor didn’t drink that glass of water or go splashing about with two sides of his mouth open.
@Amy
When someone is coating the walls of your home with asbestos to protect you from fire, “positive” thoughts don’t come to mind.
But if you are ignorant of the danger you face and see it only as someone protecting your home from fire, blissful thoughts come to mind.
Like running off to town to do something positive.
If our beloved governor wanted to take a real vacation rather than visiting his old haunts with like minded senior citizen hippies living on the banks on the Russian River, he should have visited the San Joaquin Valley. He could have stayed on one of the dairy ranches and listened to the farmers talk about the impact his train to nowhere is going to have on their farms and ranches.
Ranches, farms and lives destroyed just so the governor’s dream of high speed rail built on stimulus federal and state money will be built over the country’s most productive farm land.
And will this modern pyramid be finished, probably not. Too expensive, in the wrong place and providing an unwanted and unneeded service.
Yes, Jerry there are bigger concerns you should be addressing than worrying about a lot of junk being sold at a garage sale on the banks of a river where you spend your youthful summers.
The world certainly seems to have changed from the government objecting to us doing something when legalities infringe, to us having to ask permission and waiting for permission, pending sme lame excuse for denial. something wrong here
I understand every response that I have read, but it is only up to us local citizen’s and business people to stand up and take action. This area I am sad to say, is known for “sitting back in the recliner and complaining”. I have chosen to take another path. How ironic I was reading this article in the paper while I ate my dinner this evening. As today, I took steps to set up an informational breakfast between local business owners and local realtors, with Tim Ricard, who is with So Co Economic Development,who has helped implement a program designed to benefit the local Russian River Area businesses. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Ricard with Al Lerma at one of our Russian River Chamber of Commerce meetings. Not only are there new tools the So Co Economic Development Board is creating to benefit us all, as soon as within the next couple of weeks, they have access to a Rep at PRMD, to help PRMD work with local businesses instead of blocking progress with the usual red tape. Let’s all pull together and do something proactive and take advantage of what is out there. Look for flyers in our area next week and plan to attend so you may gain the knowledge and know how to use this new program to gain positive results instead of falling over stumbling blocks. It will be held Thursday September 27th at 9 am at Chef Patrick’s in Guerneville. Mr. Ricard will present us with a wealth of information and explain how we all can implement this new program within our business to survive the upcoming winter and our business future. The cost is $25 per person which covers your breakfast (tip not included). If you wish to be put on the invitation list, contact Beth Rudometkin at Community First Credit Union for more information or to RSVP email brudo@comfirstcu.org. It takes all of us to join together to create positive changes; this is an opportunity for us to do so.
Adunderale, you are actually wrong. River Rd. actually terminated at Hwy. 116 in Guerneville. All addresses west of Guerneville are Hwy. 116 and not River Rd. doesn’t matter they fixed the article after my post.
You could have all the flea markets you wanted if the town had a sewage system. You might even have some people with money to buy the stuff.
Whats going to happen when the state condemns just about every house up there because of inadequate septic tanks? Flea markets will be the least of your worry’s.
Life long resident, born and raised in Villa Grande.
Billd
Pensacola FL
Oh my God the negativity is astounding, now wonder nothing gets done. It so depressing, my only hope is that the people who have something positive to contribute to life, don’t spend to much time, responding to these things, with that I’m off to town to do something positive.
I really am tired of hearing about redevelopment. The politicians today are so uncreative and lazy. Stop stifling good business, have a good plan for people to live in an area instead of traffic everywhere. I don’t think any politician has common sense anymore and what is sad, neither do the voters. This new thing of increase density is idiotic in so many ways. However, Californians lately have their head so far up their asses with the social programs and reward ignorant and lazy, that the state keeps slipping further and further behind. It is sad to see over the years the state that once lead is now being lead by everyone else. This thinking of hand outs have to stop on all levels. Americans were proud workers and it reflected in their communities and houses. Now, it just seems drugs, gangs, lazy, disabled, immigrants, and the whole lot take over the working middle class. It is really sad to see, but just read every article or every “redevelopment area” and you will see. The middle-class keeps getting screwed.
Terry- the bureaucracy might be unbelievable because rank and file staff were laid off. I’ll bet there are still plenty of managers remaining in the Permit office though. Making mischief because they don’t have enough to do while the remaining staff are working for two.
Once again, taking Nor Cal water!
Well, the guy’s a politician and this is all about a pol acting like a big-shot pol. His saving grace is that he did away with redevelopment and has the good taste to vacation along our beautiful river. He has these things right on. However, let’s not get our skirts all up in a fluff about his visit and have magical (and stupid) visions of skyscrapers (hyperbole) dancing in our heads. The truth of the matter is that small and slow is our saving grace our here along the irreplaceable Russian River. If you want Santa Rosa or Carmel or present day Healdsburg then by all means go to Santa Rosa or Carmel or Healdsburg! The reason the river is still so enchanting is because it is what it is, not what a couple business-folks would like it to be. As for a flea market, good grief, of course! That a person can’t just set up a flea market on a trial basis after paying a fair fee ($20!) is anti-American and pro-big, bloated county government. Gotta have overpaid bureaucrats deliberate on the flea market question for 10 years or so, and then maybe. That’s American? Is everything we do all about supporting a bloated governmental empire at the state, county and local levels? Remember, Brown, although a nice guy, is still a pol of the first order. He is pretty much a poster boy for all pols everywhere. But that he comes to the river and enjoys himself does say a lot. He actually has good taste.
Someone failed to inform Mr. Jerry Brown, that Monte Rio may have more smash and grab residents than employed or retired. And the location of the “The Flea Market,” may overcome The Sheriffs Department resources…b
Instead of giving Gov. Brown a hard time over the Re-Development “Boondoggle” (Thank you Gov. Brown for supplying the perfect word!), I wish that Supervisor Carrillo would have reamed him over the suspension of the Brown Act funding, which was recently cut from our State budget! Now we need get our local government to go on record that they will continue with Brown Act requirements, regardless of State funding. Thank you Gov. Brown for NOT funding open and transparent government!
PRMD should take notes. Logic, reason, and property rights are not respected by Jennifer Barrett or Pete Parkinson. I am not sure of the flea market idea or if it is appropriate for the zoning, but from my experience that has little to do with PRMD making it difficult on applicants who have a good project. The bureaucracy is unbelievable.
Well let’s see if the governor can get PRMD to do something. Next we should try the president, if that does not work we really need to rethink PRMD. It now stands as a bloated dept. with no accountability with staff only concerned with process not purpose.
Thanks for a good story.
I wish he would have stopped by the State Parole Office in Santa Rosa and asked how everyone was feeling.
I find it funny that the Gov can just say “make it happen” over the voices and reasons and protocol of our Supervisors.
What if he’d been lunching with the CVS folks in Sebastopol?
Or the quarry folks?
Or the “Indian” casino promoters?
It makes nice press, but chances are there’s a solid reason for not having a junk mart on that site. Water, parking, traffic, cleanliness, etc.
For shame, Gov Brown. Appreciate your taking time to powwow with the little folks, but let’s preserve our local government’s rights and responsibilities.
Local zoning is out of your mandate.
Jerry’s always been at least ten years ahead of the rest of the planet, kinda like David Bowie.
He’s a fiscally responsible democrat which is normally a contridiction.
I’m a Libertarian but I voted for Jerry, Kamila, and Gavin.
At least he was not vacationing in Spain. He was here
asking questions, trying to learn about the
concerns of his constituents.
So many negative comments here about our governor as if he doesn’t get to have a few day off now and then.
His gesture was warm and generous. My hat is off to this wonderful man.
OUR GOVENOR WAS INDEED WORKING !!! AND ON HIS VACATION TIME NO LESS!! I WOULD GLADLY PAY DOUBLE TAX DOLLARS TO SOMEONE LIKE GOVENOR BROWN WHO TOOK THE TIME IN OUR TOWN WITH LOCAL CITIZENS TO NOT ONLY ASK WHAT AND HOWTHINGS COULD BE CHANGED TO BRING MONTE RIO AND THE RUSSIAN RIVER AREA UP BUT TO ACTUALLY MAKE A PHONE CALL TO OUR WONDERFUL SUPERVISOR E.C. TO SEE WHY SOME THINGS ARE NOT BEING ALLOWED TO HAPPEN THAT WOULD ABSOLUTLY BE WONDERFUL FOR THIS AREA.HE’S AWESOME!!!! AND TO ANYONE THAT DIDNT VOTE FOR GOVENOR BROWN, DO YOU, HONESTLY, THINK THAT WHOMEVER YOU VOTED FOR DOESNT OR WOULDNT TAKE A “PAID VACATION”!!!!??SOUNDS LIKE A WAAH THING TO ME! BESIDES, ONE MANS JUNK IS…
Really: Hwy 116 in Monte Rio is also River Road – like part of Farmers Lane in Santa Rosa is Hwy 12.
ahhh. too bad the guvnah’s not there for every business or property owner getting screwed by PRMD.
redevelopment is a boondoggle. carrillo’s a dope. the gravy train left the station.
It’s alright to take a day off once in awhile. I’m taking tomorrow off and going ab diving! Have fun at work Missy.
Since he wasn’t working, as I said, he should be thrown out. What a waste of taxpayer money! And I bet he paid on his taxpayer issued credit card too. NOT with his own cash. His attorney wife knows how to do it, you know the one with all the decorum that called Meg Whitman a B word that they caught on tape!
For those of us in the Bay Area that would like to be amongst like minded people come to this facebook group – there’s already 74 of us there.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/313816595380968/
Wow. What is the chance of that?
The governor who can do nothing right calling and getting taken to the woodshed by a county supervisor who longs for the corruption money the governor stole from him.
Our governor is an embarrassment, and so for that matter is our supervisor who needs to lead for real and not count on local developers getting in bed with taxpayer dollars.
As for her permit for another crappy flea market i.e. junk sale, I hope the county holds the line- we’ve got enough junk on River Road already.
It’s Hwy. 116 not River Rd., at least try to get some facts right.
He was working! Contacting the citizens about what is going on in their lives is far better than reading some
“study” written by a staffer.
Shouldn’t Jerry Brown have been working today in Sacramento? Efren Carrillo was working.
I propose we get a part time legislature in Sacramento since Jerry is off galavanting on our tax dollars instead of working.
Think of the money we would save!