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May 15, 2024

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Don’t be Scared, Be Prepared! 

West County Fire & Emergency / Public Safety Town Hall

Join Supervisor Hopkins on Wednesday evening, May 29, at Guerneville School to visit with representatives from Sonoma County Fire, Department of Emergency Management, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, WiConduit / GMRS Radio Operators, West County Health Centers, Permit Sonoma (to provide input on policy concepts being considered for the Environmental Justice & Safety Elements of the General Plan Update), Safer West County, Watch Duty and more! Snacks and childcare will be provided. 

Public Safety Town Hall - save the date, May 29 5:30-7:30 pm Guerneville Elementary School

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Guerneville Plaza - your ideas are important!

The Lower Russian River Municipal Advisory Council has been asked by Supervisor Hopkins to explore ideas to refresh the Guerneville Plaza. The Plaza is an entryway to the pedestrian bridge, and serves as an entry way to Guerneville. Please fill out this quick survey and stay tuned for community meetings where potential changes will be discussed and presented.

Increased Day Use Parking Fees to

Encourage Local Access to the River [updated details]

From July 1, 2024 to Labor Day, day use parking fees will increase from $7 to $10 in a handful of locations that have high tourist traffic during peak season: Steelhead Beach River Park, Sunset Beach River Park, Guerneville River Park, Riverfront Regional Park, Del Rio Woods, Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach, and Cloverdale River Park. For the rest of the year, the general parking fee of $7 will remain the same. Beginning in 2025, the program will continue between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Peak season fees will be used to offset the additional staffing for river patrols and lifeguards and facilities maintenance at these locations during these busy months.


Peak season fee increases are also intended to open up parking for residents and annual pass holders. Regional Parks did not increase fees to the annual parks passes, only the daily parking fee. Don’t have an annual pass? Renew or buy a pass online


The low-cost Russian River shuttle service is also a great option. The shuttle costs $5 per person per day (children aged 0-18 ride free) and travels a loop, departing every 30 minutes between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from El Molino High School, 7050 Covey Road, in Forestville to Steelhead Beach Regional Park and Sunset Beach River Park. Learn more here or watch the video below to learn more about what it’s like to use the shuttle. 

Image of shuttle passenger with link to shuttle use instructional video

Please Use SoCo Connect for Road Maintenance Requests

Now that the rains have stopped, it’s the best time to fill potholes. If you notice potholes on county maintained roads, please submit repair requests through the SoCo Connect app or website, or send an email to SPI@Sonoma-County.org.


District 5 staff recently collaborated with Friends of Villa Grande and Sonoma County Public Infrastructure to scrape accumulated layers of flood deposited mud off a network of roads in Villa Grande. We would like to extend a big thank you to Friends of Villa Grande for their partnership and advocacy for their community and to Public Infrastructure for their quick turn around in addressing this issue. Check out these before and after photos! (Photo credit: Kyla Brooke)

road layered with mud
road cleared of mud

Update from the Sonoma County Library

Summer Reading Challenge


Your free public library is as busy as ever this summer. The annual Summer Reading Challenge runs from June 1 to August 10. The program, titled Adventure Begins at Your Library, celebrates reading, learning, and fun. Go on a reading adventure by keeping track of your reading by logging the minutes you read online through the Beanstack app or by recording them on paper logs. Studies show that reading just 20 minutes a day helps children retain and enhance reading skills over the summer, making the next school year more successful and fun. The summer program includes prizes for reading, and great events all summer.


BiblioBus Expands Library Services


The Sonoma County Library’s BiblioBus brings the library to you! The BiblioBus prioritizes outreach to underserved communities and provides service countywide to people of all ages and abilities, regardless of physical, economic, social, geographic, or other barriers. Outreach librarians curate a variety of diverse library materials for the communities we visit, and our staff provides fun and engaging programs. The bus has regularly-scheduled Community Stops at schools, senior residences, low-income housing complexes, and rural communities. Thanks to input from our Sonoma Coast MAC, the Bibliobus now features Starlink Wifi! 


library card design options: Free People Read Freely, Flickers, Otto the River Otter, Classic Logo

Limited-Edition Library Cards


The Sonoma County Library just issued new library cards! Available while supplies last, a wonderful new design called “Flickers,” created by Forestville artist Hadassah GreenSky, is inspired by the importance of unity and belonging. The card joins the current lineup of a “Free People Read Freely” card, inspired by the freedom to read; “Otto” the library’s North American River Otter mascot; and the classic card with the library logo. Library cards are available at your local library during open hours, while supplies last. Existing library cards may be exchanged for new designs, free of charge. To get a new card or replace your current one, visit any Sonoma County library.

SoCo Chat Podcast

Have you discovered SoCo Chat? It’s a great way to hear directly from leaders within our county government, listen in to some in-depth discussions about critical issues facing our community as well as hear a variety of tidbits, tales and historic anecdotes about this wonderful place we call home. The series is available on YouTube as well as a variety of podcast services. Learn more and access all the various formats here. Here’s a recent discussion with Erika Thibault, the Director for the Sonoma County Library in the YouTube format.

click to play SoCo Chat interview with Erika Thibault, Sonoma County Library Director

Lower Russian River Governance Options Groups Forming

The Lower Russian River Governance Solutions Report offers a “menu” of governance options for our communities to explore to improve local services and elevate local voices in decision making for the region. Community working groups are beginning to form to learn more about the options available, such as strengthening existing institutions, forming a new Community Services District, consolidating existing special districts, forming a Business Improvement District, or even forming a new city. If you would like to connect with a working group in your community to learn more and further explore the options outlined in the Blue Sky report, please complete this brief survey.

Upcoming Meetings & Events

May 16, 5:30 PM: Sonoma Coast MAC

May 29, 5:30 PM: West County Fire & Emergency / Public Safety Town Hall

June 13, 5:30 PM: Lower Russian River MAC

June 15: Monte Rio RioFest

Fifth District Supervisor Lynda Hopkins | County of Sonoma | 707-565-2241

Lynda.Hopkins@sonoma-county.org


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