LAKE COUNTY >> Monica Rosenthal was inspired to run for the District 1 Board of Supervisors seat when she served on the Lake County Planning Commission. That was back in 2008, but she didn’t think it was the right time to follow through.
Now, in light of incumbent Jim Comstock’s retirement and the recent fires, she said she is ready to run and lead the region to what she refers to as smart growth, increasing economic prosperity.
“I just feel we are poised for success,” Rosenthal said. “I’m excited about all the possibilities.”
Since her campaign began last February, she’s garnered some powerful support including coveted endorsements from a federal official.
“I am proud to support Monica Rosenthal for County Supervisor,” Congressman Mike Thompson said in his endorsement. “I watched her repeatedly provide the hard work and leadership needed to bring our communities together and move Lake County forward from this tragedy.”
Along with Thompson, she has received high-profile support from Assemblymember Bill Dodd, former Supervisor Ed Robey and current Supervisors Rob Brown and Jim Steele. There are also many Middletown business owners and winemakers on her endorsement, according to her campaign website.
“I ‘m honored,” she said. “Different individuals have endorsed me for different reasons.”
Some of those reasons were her actions taken throughout the turmoil of the Valley Fire and her successful organization of the 2016 Economic Outlook and Forecast event in December, which drew around 200 people. In fact, she claimed that two-part event was the catalyst for Dodd’s endorsements.
Even before the fire and being a large part of Team Lake County, Rosenthal developed a long resume of community leadership. Part of a wine label herself (R-Vineyards, which she and her husband Dave operate), she has been very active in the local Wine Grape Commission and the Lake County Winery Association. Other groups she’s involved in are the Middletown Area Town Hall, Clear Lake Soroptimists, and the Middletown Area Merchants Associations.
“My expectations are high,” she said, adding that she and her family enjoy outdoor activities. “ I like to have fun, but I also like to get things done,”
The Issues
According to Rosenthal, she didn’t get a full look of the county until her two-year tenure as a planning commissioner. “The planning commission opened my eyes to wide range of unique attributes of Lake County,” she claimed. “We have all these little micro communities that are special.”
Those features are what she is trying to protect while simultaneously encouraging economic development. To her, it’s all about “smart growth,” proper planning and adjusting the county’s general plan.
When asked about what “smart growth” looked like, Rosenthal said her priority was infrastructure for transportation and water resources.
“Development is thinking about our community needs—both youth and elderly,” she added. “We’ve neglected paying attention to our infrastructure and I think it’s time for us to put that in the forefront.”
Apparently, she has already started by working to form a committee that would collaborate with Caltrans about bike paths throughout the area.
These paths, in addition to the local hiking trails, are also related to two of her other issues: improving the tourism industry and community health, which recent statistics have shown that the county is one of the worst in California for preventable death.
Being involved in the early stages of the health program Way to Wellville, she is aware of the situation and argued that the county needs more parks.
“There’s so many ways we can be a healthy community,” she said. “There’s no reason for us to not be outdoors.”
Healthy food, she added, can be found by promoting the agriculture industry—one of her biggest issues.
Just an short drive from Napa Valley, Lake County wineries have “huge agriculture tourism opportunities” Rosenthal would like to seize upon. She would also like to push for more restaurants.
In regards to economic development outside of tourism, the she is focused on education and providing careers for the region’s high school/college graduates. To do this, she believes that schools and local industry need to be connected.
“They need to know what they’re opportunities are,” she said.
Finally, her last main issue is developing a greater rapport with local counties and Sacramento in an effort to get better funding for environmental protection, the Valley Fire recovery and providing basic social services to citizens.
“There’s no way we can get through this kind of crisis without looking for support,” she said. “We need to have those connections outside the county to be able to develop and offer our community the services they need.”
A Crowded Field
The race for District 1 now has three candidates — her, Voris Brumfield and Moke Simon — and all of them have popularity in community and the apparent qualifications to do the job.
Despite what she referred to as formidable opposition, Rosenthal said she feels confident as a candidate.
“I encourage the voters to take a look and make the best choice possible for the future of Lake County and District 1,” she explained. “I feel the experience and connections I have gained is well suited for what I can do for this community.”
