Dear Friends,
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year, and that you're staying warm amidst this frigid start to December. I'm thankful that last week, the County of Sonoma and City of Sonoma were able to open a temporary warming center at the Sonoma Veterans Center, which I know was of great concern in the community.

In my next long-form newsletter, I'll be reflecting on the past year, including both our challenges and accomplishments, in the First District.

In the meantime, please continue reading below for announcements, information on upcoming events, and community news!
December 2022 COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics - Please visit SoCoEmergency.org for more information.
Watch Below: Safety Communications Webinar - Last month, I hosted a webinar focused on emergency communication, with an emphasis on when the public should call 911 and when they should use 211, the county’s information line. Watch the recording below!
Press Release: Sonoma County receives first $5.7 million of FEMA grant to reduce risk of wildfire - Sonoma County received an award of $5.7 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the California Office of Emergency Services for Wildfire Resilient Sonoma County, a wildfire risk reduction program. The $37 million Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant announced for the County of Sonoma represents one of only two such wildfire resiliency grant projects funded nationally to date.

The award is the first allocation of funding for Wildfire Resilient Sonoma County program, which was announced by President Joe Biden in June 2021. In announcing the funding to support ongoing fire mitigations efforts, Biden said, “Sonoma knows all too well the devastation wrought by fire.”
 
The grant requires a local match of 25 percent, or approximately $12 million, for a total of $48.8 million. Sonoma County plans to finance the local portion using PG&E settlement funds. The award encompasses planning and environmental review phases of the effort.

Continue reading the press release at the link below:
Upcoming Board of Supervisors Meeting: December 16th, 2022 - The Board will be hearing the Sonoma Developmental Center Specific Plan and Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on Friday, December 16th. Agenda and meeting materials will be posted at the link below, and for more information, visit the SDC Specific Plan website also linked below.
Charla Comunitaria - Charla Comunitaria is back in 2023! Join us for the First District's monthly Spanish-language community town hall, Charla Comunitaria. Spread the word, and we hope to see you there! View past and future meetings on Facebook and YouTube.

Next meeting: Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 6pm.
Springs MAC - Join the Springs Municipal Advisory Council on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, December 14th at 6:30pm.
North Sonoma Valley MAC - Join the NSV MAC on the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30pm.

Next Meeting: Special Meeting Monday, December 12th at 5:30pm.
Sonoma Valley Citizen's Advisory Committee - The Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission advises on local planning projects in the Sonoma Valley, and hears informational items on other areas of interest. Join the SVCAC on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 25th at 6:30pm.




Susan Gorin, 1st District Supervisor