Fire season has arrived. This fact was on display in recent days as Cal Fire crews battled the 14,000-acre Corral fire in the Livermore-Tracy area, the 60-acre Crystal Fire in Napa County and other wildfires. In today’s edition of SoCo Correspondent, we offer an outlook for the fire season in Sonoma County as well as information on what you can do to make sure you are prepared for wildfire. (Be sure not to miss the special four-part series on SoCo Chat podcast about fire preparedness, beginning today.) In this edition, we also provide news about an important $5 million open space acquisition by the County, a new honor for Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport and a profile of a native Santa Rosan who loves serving the community through her work within the Public Defender’s Office.
If you have a friend or family member who lives in the area – or you know of a former Sonoma County resident who might be interested in receiving these updates – urge them to sign up for the SoCo Correspondent so they can receive it directly, normally on the first and third week of each month.
¿Está interesado en leer sobre lo que hace el Condado de Sonoma dos veces al mes? Este boletín estará disponible en español. Regístrese aquí para suscribirse a nuestro boletín, el SoCo Correspondent.
| |
Slow start to 2024 wildfire season expected
| |
The 2024 wildfire season is expected to begin slowly this year, thanks to a wet winter and timely intrusions of cool, moist coastal weather anticipated this spring and summer, state and county emergency officials told the Board of Supervisors on Monday.
But make no mistake. “With wind events, we are an afternoon away from the potential of a fast-moving fire,” Sonoma County Fire District Chief Mark Heine said.
Heine and other emergency leaders urged Sonoma County residents to take advantage of the extra time to make sure they are prepared for a major wildfire or other disaster. Sign up for emergency alerts, know your evacuation zone, make a plan, create an emergency kit, and get connected with your neighbors.
“Do your part, as we will do our part,” Heine said.
A new Cal Fire forecast concludes Sonoma County faces a below-average risk of significant fire activity in June and July. The risk of a significant local fire in August and September – traditionally the peak of wildfire season – is average this year, said Ben Nicholls, division chief for Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit.
Cal Fire crews are now at peak staffing for wildfire season and anticipate an increase in grass fires in 2024, Nicholls said. Grasses are thick and tall this year, thanks to ample rain over winter. But trees and brush also soaked up the extra water and are less combustible than they were a year ago, he said.
Fire agencies made good use of the off-season, conducting controlled burns to reduce fire fuels in key areas, organizing drills to give the public opportunities to practice an emergency evacuation, and training staff internally to improve response.
“There has been a lot of work done to prepare for this year,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “No one has been sitting on their heels.”
| |
Board of Supervisors poised to adopt $2.5 billion budget | |
The Board of Supervisors will convene at 9 a.m. Friday when it is expected to put the final touches on a spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Members of the public are invited to share their thoughts during the public comment period, which will be at the start of the meeting.
Over two days of public hearings this week, supervisors reviewed spending proposals from the public, County department heads, County Executive M. Christina Rivera, and fellow members of the Board of Supervisors.
The recommended budget includes $2.46 billion in total expenditures, a 10 percent increase from the 2022-23 adopted budget, including $430 million in General Fund revenue and $2.03 billion in other sources.
| |
Sonoma Water buys Mark West Wikiup Preserve | |
The County of Sonoma is now owner of a 30-acre preserve in the Larkfield-Wikiup area, home to a half mile of Mark West Creek, oaks and grasslands in a residential neighborhood north of Santa Rosa. Ag + Open Space provided $5.1 million for Sonoma Water to purchase the property from the Jackson family, owner of Jackson Family Wines. The Open Space District also acquired a conservation easement and recreation covenant over the property, ensuring the natural and recreational resources will be preserved forever.
“Conserving our natural resources is critical across the county, but uniquely important within our cities and towns,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Ag + Open Space and Sonoma Water Boards of Directors. “The conservation and restoration of Mark West Wikiup Preserve will help Santa Rosa be more resilient, continue to protect habitat for fish and wildlife, and ensure that the preserve continues to be a place neighbors and visitors alike can enjoy.”
Neighbors, who enjoy visiting the property, have long dreamed of protecting the area from development and ensuring it remains accessible to the public. Mark West Creek and riparian vegetation runs along its southern border, providing critical habitat for salmon and steelhead trout.
“Part of our work is honing in on projects that meet several community needs,” said Ag + Open Space General Manager Misti Arias. “The Mark West Wikiup Preserve is a great example of how land conservation can increase the health and resilience of our watersheds, wildlife and communities.”
| |
Improvements at Foothill Regional Park showcase resiliency from wildfires | |
In 2019, Foothill Regional Park was a battleground. Firefighters utilized the park to defend Windsor from the Kincade fire, creating fire breaks and conducting suppression burns that prevented flames from burning adjacent homes at the northeast corner of the town. The fire burned or damaged 95 percent of the park, including 4 miles of trails, eight trail bridges and a 40-foot bridge that provided access to the park’s backcountry.
Now, it is a symbol of the county’s ability to overcome adversity. Much of the park’s burned infrastructure has been replaced with fire-resilient materials, including the backcountry bridge (now metal), and various other trail bridges and way-finding signs. The entrance now features an 88-foot-long mosaic – titled "Resilience" by artist Angelina Duckett – depicting the park's recovery after the Kincade fire. It crowns a new gathering area, one of the most visible renovation projects in the park’s multi-year fire rebuild. A series of interpretive signs has also been installed throughout the park, describing the fire’s impact, the firefighter and community response, and the park’s fire-adaptive ecosystems.
Improvements throughout the park made over the past four years have centered on “climate adaptive design and natural resource management,” including replacing wood retaining walls, footbridges and wayfinding signs. Fuel breaks and grazing also make the park more resilient to future wildfires and offer greater protection to surrounding neighborhoods. The gathering area, at the main entrance of the park, features improved ADA-accessible parking, concrete seat walls, drought-resistant landscaping, and metal and concrete infrastructure.
Reconstruction throughout Foothill Regional Park was funded, in part, through a $500,000 grant from the Kaiser Permanente National Community Benefit Fund of the East Bay Community Foundation, with additional funding from Sonoma County Supervisorial District 4, the Sonoma County Parks Foundation, and the Rotary Clubs of Windsor and Coronado.
| |
Sonoma County Airport named one of 10 best small airports in U.S. | |
Sonoma County residents have long known that our local airport is one of Northern California’s best-kept secrets. But now the rest of the nation is in on the secret as well. As part of the 2024 Readers' Choice Awards sponsored by Newsweek magazine, the Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport was named the fourth best “small airport” in the nation.
Fifteen airports were nominated by a panel of travel experts and Newsweek contributors. The final list was determined by Newsweek editors and votes were cast over the past month by the magazine’s readers.
The top 10 winners in Newsweek’s “Best Small Airports” Readers’ Choice Awards:
1. Huntsville International Airport in Alabama
2. Lehigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania
3. Seattle Pain Field in Washington
4. Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport
5. Bangor International Airport in Maine
6. Missoula Montana Airport
7. Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri
8. Wilmington International Airport in Delaware
9. Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky
10. Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Kansas
The airports were judged on their ease of use and friendly service, among other criteria.
Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport offers nonstop flights to 14 destinations served by Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Avelo Airlines. Book your flight today to Bend/Redmond, Boise, Burbank, Dallas, Kalispell, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orange County, Palm Springs, San Diego, Salem, Seattle, Phoenix and Portland.
| |
Splash into summer safely | |
The summer season officially kicked off over Memorial Day weekend, when Sonoma County Regional Parks opened the swimming lagoon and water park at Spring Lake and resumed a program that provides free life jackets to borrow while swimming at Russian River beaches.
The Spring Lake swimming lagoon, located at 393 Violetti Road in Santa Rosa, is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. with lifeguards on duty. Swimming and playing on the beach is always free. No reservations are needed and free life vests are available. Water in the swimming lagoon is chlorinated, filtered and tested to ensure quality exceeds state standards.
The Spring Lake Water Park features inflatable, floating play structures on a portion of the swimming lagoon. There are three two-hour sessions daily at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Admission is $10 per person, per session. Children must be 6 or older, at least 42 inches tall and know how to swim. On Spring Lake, paddleboards and single and tandem kayaks can be rented by the hour ($14 to $18), starting at 10:30 a.m., with the last rental at 5 p.m.
On the Russian River, swimmers and paddlers will find Regional Parks life jackets available for free use at Del Rio Woods, Forestville River Access, Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach, and Steelhead and Sunset beaches. Visitors can borrow one for the day and put it back when they leave the beach. Using a life jacket is highly recommended; there are unseen hazards and changing conditions on the river.
The Russian River patrol, a roving team of lifeguards, will visit Del Rio Woods, Forestville River Access, Steelhead and Sunset beaches Fridays through Mondays through Labor Day. They share information with visitors about staying safe on the water, avoiding dangerous situations and help swimmers fit free loaner life jackets.
The temporary dam at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach will be installed by early July, creating a popular swimming area along the park's wide, sandy beach. Lifeguards are on duty Saturdays and Sundays through June, then daily once the dam is installed. Beach admission is free.
| |
County funds project to convert historic Guerneville tavern into supportive housing | |
George’s Hideaway, left, will be converted into supportive housing, depicted in conceptual rendering on the right.
The lower Russian River area is home to roughly 6 percent of Sonoma County’s homeless population but has only 1 percent of the county’s supportive housing units, which provide residents with affordable shelter and coordinated services to help with addiction, mental health and other struggles.
The Board of Supervisors took action this week to change that dynamic. On Tuesday, supervisors approved a $12.1 million plan to convert George’s Hideaway, a former tavern outside Guerneville, into 21 units of permanent supportive housing.
Site grading work is slated to begin in July, and the housing units will be ready for occupancy by July 2025. When the conversion is complete, the Sonoma County Community Development Commission will transfer the property to West County Community Services, a Guerneville nonprofit that will own and operate the project.
“We’re grateful to have such wonderful community partners in West County Community Services,” said District 5 Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, who represents the area. “This new source of permanent supportive housing will provide a secure place to live and essential wraparound services, such as mental health support and service navigation, for both George’s Hideaway residents and the unhoused in West County.”
| |
Faces of the County: Meet Jessica Garcia-Reyes | |
An ongoing series highlighting public servants across a variety of departments
at the County of Sonoma. | |
Name: Jessica Garcia-Reyes
Title: Administrative aide, Public Defender’s Office
Years with County: 4
Personal side: I was born and raised in Santa Rosa. Some of my passions include art and wellness practices. One of my favorite activities is being out in nature. I enjoy living in Sonoma County because of all the beautiful parks that are close by. I like doing yoga in my spare time. The best thing to do on an afternoon is to either be in the yoga studio or out on a walk or hike. I have two fluffy maltipoo dogs at home, Lucky and Rocky, who join in on the walks.
Education and/or certifications: I graduated in 2018 from UC Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in molecular environmental biology. In high school, I had an extensive experience in advocating for healthy neighborhoods in my community by participating in youth education projects. I joined the Sonoma County Human Services Department in 2020 as an eligibility specialist concentrating on benefit programs such as CalFresh and Medi-Cal. I bring those skills to this role at the Public Defender’s Office.
What do you do? I help clients whose drivers licenses have been suspended navigate through the state Department of Motor Vehicles and meet requirements to regain their driving privileges. This new position in the Public Defender’s office has been developed from the ground up. I connect clients to DUI school programs and assist them with other criteria to regain their driving privileges. Often this requires getting in touch with the DMV, Child Support Offices, companies that install ignition interlock devices, Human Services agencies, and our internal court clerks. My functions include reviewing clients’ driving records and connecting them to their next steps in getting a license. More than just filling out forms, I provide a bridge for clients who may be confused by the legal system and DMV process.
What gives you fulfillment? I enjoy the work I do because it gives clients a sense of normalcy in their lives which can be uprooted in situations where their driver’s licenses have been suspended. In many situations, one incident can cause downstream impacts, and this leaves people confused about what their next steps are. When a license is suspended, it can make it harder for people to get to work or pick their kids up from school. If a client can’t drive to work or find alternative transportation, it can really hurt a household’s finances, especially when the sole breadwinner is affected. The most rewarding part of what I do is making connections with clients and helping them walk them through stressful circumstances.
Passions outside of work? I enjoy renovating furniture and have a collection of antique pieces that I have restored. I like to see the potential in a flea market or thrift store find and look up ways to bring it back to life. Repurposing objects helps to keep items out of landfills, but also provides me with the freedom to learn as I go because I used to not be able to pick up a power tool on my own!
What is the biggest misconception about the Public Defender’s office? One misconception of the PD’s office is that we do not have the ability to provide the kind of one-on-one assistance that a private for-hire attorney would give their client. In my experience, Public Defenders are dedicated to ensuring that our clients have the representation they need. They assist clients in numerous ways and make the best effort to connect them to resources that are needed. We have an excellent team here at the Public Defender’s Office with bilingual staff, and we are open to serving our community.
| |
The avian flu crisis has officially passed in Sonoma County. The Board of Supervisors last week voted to lift an emergency proclamation that has been in effect since Dec. 5 to respond to the outbreak of avian flu. Eleven commercial poultry companies in Sonoma County euthanized 1.2 million birds in an attempt to stop the virus from spreading, losing an estimated $20 million in birds and egg production.
“The avian flu has devastated local poultry farmers. The avian flu has also had a tremendous impact on the production of local food, local feed suppliers, veterinarians, and the transportation sector,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “Now we turn to the recovery process and will continue to do everything possible to support our multi-generational family farmers.”
In partnership with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the Sonoma County Department of Agriculture/Weights & Measures and the Department of Emergency Management established a multi-department, multi-agency coordination team in response to the incident. The emergency proclamation by the Board of Supervisors provided additional public safety and emergency services to mitigate the effects of the disaster, including local emergency assistance for businesses impacted by the outbreak.
| |
County expands scope of Living Wage ordinance | |
More employers will be required to meet or exceed County requirements for pay and benefits, the result of a decision by the Board of Supervisors to expand the County’s Living Wage ordinance.
The Living Wage ordinance sets a minimum wage of $18.10 per hour for workers at certain private companies and nonprofits that contract with the County of Sonoma or operate a business on County property. It is unrelated to the state minimum wage, which increased to $16 an hour on Jan. 1.
Earlier this month, the Board of Supervisors expanded the scope of the ordinance to cover certain lessees, concessionaires and other employers using County-owned property, including the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport and the County’s seven veterans memorial buildings.
All employers covered by the ordinance must give employees at least one hour of paid time off for every 20 hours worked, up to a maximum of 12 paid days off annually.
“These changes will ensure that more employers meet minimum standards for pay and benefits if they do business with the County or profit from using County-owned property,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors.
| |
Do you have a septic system? Attend one of these meetings | |
If you live in a rural part of Sonoma County, there’s a good chance you use a septic system to treat your wastewater. This story is for you.
Permit Sonoma is seeking public input on a series of proposals to revise regulations on septic systems. It will host three Zoom meetings – on June 26, 27 and 28 – to receive public comment on the latest draft of its rules for Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, better known as septic systems. The revisions are scheduled to be submitted to the Board of Supervisors on July 16. Review the proposal and register to attend a Zoom meeting here.
Meanwhile, residents of Monte Rio and Villa Grande and neighboring communities are invited to attend a June 29 meeting for an update on efforts to identify feasible wastewater treatment alternatives that, among other things, would reduce pollution in the Russian River from septic systems and cesspools in the two communities. In addition, there will be an update on regulations impacting septic systems, with a focus on the two communities. The 10 a.m. meeting will be held at the Monte Rio Community Center, 20488 Highway 116. District 5 Supervisor Lynda Hopkins will be joined by representatives from Permit Sonoma, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the clean water ombudsman from the County Administrators’ Office, and Brelje & Race, a Santa Rosa engineering firm that is conducting a feasibility study for the wastewater solutions pilot project. An interpreter will be available to provide translation for Spanish-speaking residents. View a flyer for the June 29 meeting here.
| |
Get the inside scoop at SoCo Chat | |
Supervisor Chris Coursey, right, appears on SoCo Chat with County Communications Manager Paul Gullixson.
Where can you go to hear directly from County leaders, get updates on local news and hear discussions about all things related to Sonoma County? The answer is at your fingertips. Subscribe to SoCo Chat, the County’s new podcast series on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube. Check out our growing library of episodes in both English and Spanish (Descubre nuestra creciente selección de episodios en inglés y español). Recent guests and topics of discussion have included:
-
Supervisor Chris Coursey, who represents the Third District, looks back on his first four years in office and shares his observations about the successes he has witnessed and the challenges ahead.
- “SoCo Ready” – Join us as we launch a special four-part series on wildfire preparedness starting today. Our series begins with a forecast of this year’s fire season featuring Jeff DuVall, director of the Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management. Future episodes will focus on the county’s progress in managing vegetation to reduce fire threats, home hardening and what you can do to be ready to evacuate quickly when and if a wildfire approaches.
-
Janice Thompson, deputy director of Engineering and Maintenance for the Department of Public Infrastructure, talks about the County’s efforts to maintain local roads.
-
Jennifer Hainstock, the County’s Public Administrator/Guardian/Conservator, discusses the safety net maintained by her office and how to avoid needing its services.
-
Melissa Ladrech, Mental Health Services Act coordinator for the Sonoma County Department of Health Services, talks about services available in the County’s mental health care system.
-
Erika Thibault, director of the Sonoma County Library, talks about the agency’s 12 regional libraries, two community libraries, three special collections and a growing array of digital resources.
Upcoming SoCo Chat episodes will feature a discussion with District 4 Supervisor James Gore. Listen for a chance to win a SoCo Chat coffee mug by answering the trivia question of the week.
| |
Find room to grow with a County job | |
The County currently has more than 50 job openings posted on its website. How can you improve your chances of landing one?
Sign up for the next Start Here! class, which provides an overview of the County of Sonoma’s job application, examination and selection processes. The two-hour virtual class will be held at noon on June 27.
The free class is intended for the public, whether you are looking for a new position now or planning for a future employment opportunity. Participants will learn how to submit a thorough application, best practices for the interview and examination, and much more.
Contact us at careers@sonoma-county.org to register for the June 27 class or sign up for our mailing list to be notified of future classes.
| |
Adopt the pet of the week | |
Support your community by getting involved | |
Get involved with local government
Make a difference in Sonoma County! Local government thrives when passionate individuals like you step up to serve. There are countless opportunities for you to get involved and play a crucial role in shaping the future of our beloved Sonoma County. Check out the current vacancies:
Your involvement can make a significant impact. Take the first step and explore how you can contribute to a brighter future for Sonoma County.
| |
Volunteer and employment opportunities | |
(stories may require subscriptions)
| |
Getting outside and enjoying the county | |
Follow us online or contact us via email | | | | |