New Healdsburg mayor identifies top priorities facing city

When Healdsburg’s new mayor visited Sacramento earlier this month, it reinforced his perception of the city’s positive reputation.

“The buzz around the state Capitol is ‘Healdsburg is a happening place,’” said Shaun McCaffery, who was unanimously selected Monday night by his fellow council members to serve as mayor for the coming year.

Of course, the fact he was in Sacramento to see former Healdsburg councilmen Jim Wood and Mike McGuire sworn in to their new jobs as assemblyman and senator, respectively, ensured the city was in the spotlight.

But McCaffery said the city’s “stable budget and strong local economy” have also made it a desirable place to live and visit.

“I’m proud to be part of that,” he said Tuesday. “It’s real exciting to be mayor of such a fine city. We have a lot going on.”

Wood, this year’s Healdsburg mayor, was elected in November to represent state Assembly District 2, a sprawling area from Sonoma County to Del Norte County. He served eight years on the City Council.

McGuire was on the Healdsburg City Council for six years before serving as Sonoma County supervisor and being elected last month to represent the extensive state Senate District 2, from Marin County to the Oregon border.

With only two years of service on the City Council, McCaffery is just beginning to hit his stride and doesn’t have any aspirations to higher office.

“I don’t see myself going beyond serving Healdsburg,” he said. “It was cool seeing the Capitol building and walking through the halls. That’s for Jim and Mike.”

McCaffery, 39, a consulting engineer, admits he still is learning how to wield the gavel, but added “I think my colleagues have some faith in me being able to run the meeting and going to the ceremonial meetings the mayor has to go to.”

The newly-minted mayor sees a couple issues at the top of Healdsburg’s agenda - parking and housing.

He said more parking is needed in Healdsburg, particularly on weekends and special events when people flock to the food and wine destination.

McCaffery said there are areas where more parking can be created without building a garage, such as some land near the railway tracks that could accommodate more than 50 new spaces. The Purity Building across from City Hall could also be raised or made a more efficient parking lot, he said.

There are also ideas being floated about how to cut down on motorists cruising around looking for available parking, such as a sensor system in which drivers can use their smartphones to find a vacant spot.

Some of those ideas are expected to be discussed Wednesday night from 6 to 8 p.m. at City Hall in a special public meeting on parking issues.

With some of the highest housing prices in the county, McCaffery said the council in the new year will be taking up the question of how to create more affordable habitation.

The City Council on Jan. 5 will be discussing an update to the housing element of the city’s general plan and there also will be ongoing workshops on the topic.

“The biggest thing for me is housing,” said McCaffery. “Housing is the key to a lot of issues in Healdsburg.”

He would like to see more workforce, multi-family housing in the area south of the five-way intersection which has been studied for redevelopment. McCaffery and other council members agree the city’s voter-approved growth cap - which limits construction of new homes to an average of 30 per year - needs to be loosened to create more family housing. The mayor said the council will likely take up the delicate topic of relaxing the growth controls with the aim of putting it on the ballot in 2016.

The council lineup changed this week with the swearing-in of businessman Eric Ziedrich, a former two-time mayor returning to local politics, and Brigette Mansell, a high school teacher making her first foray into public office.

McCaffery said “Eric is a thoughtful and intelligent guy, savvy with the budget and the numbers.”

“Brigette will make an excellent council member,” he said. “I think she will be really good at representing the community and helping with outreach.”

McCaffery said one of the most important things as a council member is to talk with lots of people and connect with them.

“I enjoy talking to the citizens because I represent them,” he said. “I enjoy having a dialogue about these issues and turning them into policy.”

You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 521-5214 or clark.mason@pressdemo?crat.com. On Twitter @clarkmas