From:
To: City Council
Subject: Please continue print version of STEP Newsletter Date: Monday, June 19, 2023 2:22:02 PM
Dear Sebastopol Council,
I am a Sebastopol resident and I support keeping the STEP newsletter in paper format. I understand that Sebastopl needs to make budget cuts, however, it hardly seems worth it to slash the budget of a program that is already extremely cost effective, being mostly run by volunteers with free (!!) content that is professional, well researched, and tailored specifically to the needs of our community. STEP is a gem and the program should not be downplayed or devalued by the city.
I believe that this proposed city action could be the end of STEP.An online-only newsletter will drastically cut the circulation. I imagine it could be difficult to maintain the existing volunteer team if the city takes away the newsletter's existing impact. Sebastopol made a commitment to toxic free neighborhoods decades before it was in vogue. If there were to be any changes with STEP, I would want them to be more in the direction of elevating the platform and putting resources toward expanding readership, even putting resources toward making it easier to look up information from archived newsletters. I have even envisioned that this content could be brought/sold to other cities in the county that are now following Sebastopol's lead toward reducing toxic exposure by banning chemicals like pesticides, for example.
I agree that a discussion to revamp the STEP program may be in order, but a decision to cut the paper newsletters with no further thought or analysis is not the right approach. If you are interested in having a future discussion on the future of the STEP program, I would be glad to be a part of that process.
Megan Kaun
Sebastopol, CA
Director, Sonoma Safe Ag Safe Schools
www.SonomaSASS.org
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Megan Kaun