Candidates Statement

Activists in every Chapter and Group are engaged in battles with

developments in their communities, pollution, unreasonable, careless growth

and transportation plans, and preserving natural areas and their small

citizen-folk. The struggles have a familiar ring, "A big developer came

inÖThey want more tax baseÖ They want to cut more treesÖOur City Fathers

think bigger is betterÖWe are just a handful of people against the many and

the moneyed." I have found that any one of them could have been set down in

our community and they would have been familiar with our own salient issues.

The Sierra Club is many things, a social club to meet a spouse, a weekend

hiking organization, or a watchdog for the public weal. I have learned in my

time here that all politics is local. Our group has often led the way in the

county, first to propose a public vote on any annexations to the RUL as a

binding city charter amendment, first to oppose Stanly Ranch, the first to

negotiate with and then oppose the devastating Aetna Springs project, to sue

for better hillside protections, and the first to propose two new State Parks

for Napa. We do not merely appreciate and advocate, we campaign and champion.

If you have a burning issue, if you are sincere in appreciating the glory of

nature, are judicious, persistent and principled, I invite you to join us,

the Executive Committee, et al, and help keep this valley, this county, the

envy of all who perchance to visit it.

I have experienced the club as an activist where we wear the white hats

saving our valley-future for our children. I have enjoyed being in the

company of quality, educated people, people of vision who are in John Muir's

words "warriors" in the best sense. I would be honored to continue to be

counted among them.

John Stephens

Chair, Napa Group