Guest View

The Morgan Hill Community Foundation is asking for help to raise money to cover childcare costs for essential healthcare workers and first responders. For more information and to donate, visit morganhillcf.org.

What an incredible quarter century I have spent working for these community newspapers.  Twenty five years spent learning, teaching and contributing to producing your local newspaper.  I had several mentors over the years, who each had many more years here than I have racked up.  They taught me so much about each department, how it works and how they all fit together. Thank you to each and every one of you (you know who you are) for investing in me and making me better.  Much of my work was behind the scenes, planning and organizing, making sure everything came together on deadline.  I loved every minute of it!

Under the current economic slowdown, most Americans have spent time thinking about how they will cut personal spending, how they will pay their rent or mortgage, and some are also asking themselves how long they can endure this economy that is hanging on by...

Aah! Summertime! Here we are, many of us stretched out in front of the television set, munching on snacks, with our iPhones stuck in one hand while playing video games with the other. Perfect, right? Actually, we should answer no! Summer has a higher purpose!...

Farmers’ markets represent a unique bridge between urban and rural communities that provide an opportunity to support the local economy, as well as access to fresh, nutritious foods. Aug. 5-11 is National Farmers’ Market Week. This designation seeks to increase the public’s awareness of the role local farmers’ markets play in creating healthy communities and in building prosperity among farmers and small businesses.Farmers’ markets support California’s small and diversified farms, and return money to our local economies. At a farmers’ market, 100 percent of your food dollar goes to your local farmer, while a farmer only receives 15 cents of every food dollar that consumers spend at traditional food outlets. Studies have shown that all farms, regardless of scale, are significantly more likely to survive if they have local food sales as a part of their marketing portfolio.Local markets also provide low-barrier entry points for new farmers, ranchers and food entrepreneurs, allowing them to start small and test new products.In 2017, 7,377 markets and direct-marketing farmers accepted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) electronic benefit transfers, resulting in $22 million in SNAP spent at farmers markets. This provides access to fresh, local produce and enables SNAP recipients to purchase the nutritious foods their families need to stay healthy.  A growing number of farmers’ markets also offer incentive programs to low-income seniors and WIC (Women, Infants and Children Program) customers.Unlike many supermarkets, farmers markets put fruits and vegetables front and center and create a shopping environment where nutritious foods are not only affordable, they are celebrated.Visit your local farmers’ market this week and enjoy the bountiful crops that are grown close to you.Sen. Bill Monning represents the 17th State Senate District, which includes all of San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz counties, and portions of Monterey and Santa Clara counties. The weekly Morgan Hill Farmers Market takes place year-round 9am to 1pm Saturday, at the Caltrain parking lot on Depot Street in the city’s downtown.

The City of Morgan Hill’s plan to develop county farmland to preserve it lacks merit. It undermines broader regional efforts to enhance and protect productive farmlands throughout our valley. Dominated by financial self interests, the city has pushed forward a fiscally and environmentally irresponsible plan that will hasten the demise of local farming. With the impending effects of climate change, preserving our farmlands becomes crucial. This is why on March 11, the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) must vote to deny the city’s plan.The city is seeking LAFCO approval to annex 229 of acres of farmland in the county for commercial development to fund preservation. But the funding plan is flawed and grossly inadequate according to the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority and American Farmland Trust, and LAFCO concurs. The city has 45 years’ worth of vacant commercial land within its current boundaries. It can use those lands and not develop any farmland at all.As the city touts its preservation policies, it has declined to work with the OSA, the county and LAFCO to address concerns they have with the plan.So what is the city’s plan? There is no plan. There are few if any viable projects proposed for the lands to be annex. If LAFCO approves the city’s request, the city can simply abandon the plan and rezone for commercial and residential use. There is no guarantee than any farmland will be preserved.The city has proposed a terrible recipe for 21st century urban sprawl. It’s greed, not need. And that puts our region at risk of losing an invaluable and finite resource, at risk of lowering our quality of life, at risk of damaging an important and valued economic industry in our valley. In fact, the county agricultural commissioner has recently reported, “The value per acre and the value per worker created by Santa Clara County agriculture has continued to increase and has never been higher.”Southern Santa Clara County contains the majority of farmlands in the county and their value cannot be understated. Our farmlands are utilized throughout the year. They are supported by a unique groundwater basin. They are well suited to lessen the effects of climate change through carbon storage, water retention, flood protection, local food production, habitat and biodiversity.The lands in question are county lands. While the cities have a part in protecting farmlands, it is the county that is in the best position to ensure a coordinated effort. The city’s piecemeal plan undermines all farmland at the cusp of regional efforts to preserve.Please add your voice to theirs and send an email to LAFCo before March 11th c/o Executive Director, [email protected] to urge LAFCo to deny the City’s proposal.Mark Grzan is a Morgan Hill resident and former City Councilmember.

To consider non-essential legislation without opportunity for public hearings violates the Brown Act, writes Bob Silvestri, president of Community Venture Partners in Mill Valley. And, he says more new housing bills do not qualify as essential legislation.