Letter: Government isn’t all bad

EDITOR,
Last October, I wrote a letter to Supervisor Mark Stone and the Press-Banner questioning whether a sunny Sunday closure of Lompico Road from before dawn into well past dark — forcing all residents of the narrow canyon community to climb up and over perilous Lake Boulevard — was really necessary. Recently moved to the area, I had been encouraged by longtime residents to “get used to it — they ignore us.” I was glad to report back that Supervisor Stone had immediately sent a letter to the director of public works inquiring about the situation, conveying my concern.
In December, I received a letter from Supervisor Stone, passing along information reported to him by the county public works director, explaining that on the day of the road closure (Oct. 18), a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. transformer had been damaged by a falling tree, creating a hazardous spill and requiring, after tree removal and power line repair, a hazardous materials cleanup crew to work into the night. I wrote back to Supervisor Stone thanking him for his effort and communication, expressing my regret at having so easily accepted the cynical view that presumed neglect of public need, when the opposite seems to have been true.
I am humbled to be reminded that, while we should always hold our government and its agents accountable, we really do have dedicated people working on our behalf, from technicians in the field to the folks down at the county building, even in times of stress and difficulty. I especially appreciate someone like Supervisor Stone (again) showing how responsive and effective an elected official can be, even when challenged by occasionally pissy citizens like me.