Supervisor hopefuls debate kids' needs

<p>In the campaign's most tightly focused debate, six candidates for three seats on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday addressed children's issues ranging from gangs to obesity and tooth decay.</p><p>The two-hour session sponsored by the Sonoma County Child Abuse Prevention Council attracted about 60 people representing about 100 nonprofit agencies that deal with youth.</p><p>"A measure of our community is how our children are doing," said Robin Bowen, executive director of the California Parenting Institute.</p><p>By that yardstick, most of the candidates at the forum held at the county library in downtown Santa Rosa said county government could do better.</p><p>Most agreed that fluoride should be added to the water supply to help prevent tooth decay. Rue Furch and Efren Carrillo, candidates in the 5th District, were in favor. In the 3rd District race, Sharon Wright agreed, and her challenger, Shirlee Zane, said her study of fluoride's health benefits caused her to change her position from undecided to support.</p><p>However, Will Pier, candidate in the 1st District, said he preferred that the water agency dispense fluoride tablets. Valerie Brown, incumbent in the 1st District, had left the debate for another commitment, but has previously said she is undecided until the public health department reports on Healdsburg's experience with fluoride.</p><p>The influence of gangs on school-age children was high on the list of candidate concerns.</p><p>Carrillo, who grew up in Roseland -- an area affected more than most by gang activity -- called for the county to create a youth conservation corps to provide role models for at-risk children.</p><p>"There is a disconnect between youth and the larger community. Someone will accept them, and it will be the gangs," Carrillo said. "The question is, how do we divert that effort?"</p><p>Furch said anti-gang efforts should start at the preschool level by identifying at-risk children, and in elementary school by providing opportunities for activities and interests both before and after school.</p><p>Most candidates agreed that county officials could do more in the battle against obesity, such as promoting exercise and consumption of healthy food.</p><p>Wright, a former Santa Rosa mayor, said the county should encourage more cultivation of garden plots on residential property. Zane, Council on Aging CEO, said she wants neighborhood reviews to determine whether markets are affordable and accessible.</p><p>"We need exercise programs back in the schools," Zane said. "There is too much watching television or playing on the computer."</p><p>Pier said he advocates Open Space District purchase of urban plots for development into vegetable gardens.</p><p>All candidates lamented limited funding for the Healthy Kids program that provides health coverage for children up to 6 years old.</p><p>Zane proposed using a volunteer force of retired nurses and social workers to launch a program aimed at enrolling all eligible children in the program. Wright said that as supervisor, she would refuse to reduce funding for any health care program.</p><p>Furch suggested supervisors include factors such as a development's walkability, its proximity to centralized services and its access to food markets in zoning reviews.</p><p>Carrillo, who sits on the board governing the Southwest Community Health Center, said the goal of providing medical treatment for limited-income residents should expand to include advice on exercise and nutrition.</p><p>"Also, we should not have stores with only Popsicles and churros," Carrillo said. "Unhealthy children don't do well in school."</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Bleys W. Rose at 521-5431 or bleys.rose@pressdemocrat.com.</p>