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January 2024 Newsletter

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A Message from Chair Coursey

We’ve closed out the year strong at the Board of Supervisors and have a full agenda for 2024. As you’ll read below, our year ended with notable milestones such as the expansion of mobile crisis response capability, the kick-off to our General Plan update, and an increase to the county’s living wage, among others. 


To kick off the year, the Board elected its new chair and reviewed a preliminary calendar of significant items, outlining the primary issues we will visit this legislative year. Items slated to be discussed in 2024 include banning flavored tobacco sales, re-authorizing the tree removal moratorium and considering new tenant protections. The Board will adopt the final calendar at their Jan. 23 meeting, where the public is encouraged to attend and provide feedback. Meeting materials will be published here about a week ahead of Jan. 23.

This month, District 3 is also excited to announce an opportunity to work in our office. See the job announcement below for more information. 

In this newsletter you also will find news and updates on local events, resources, and community announcements. As always, we appreciate your engagement and look forward to your comments, thoughts, and questions.


Sincerely, 

Chris Coursey

707-565-2241

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What's New at the County of Sonoma?

The Office of Supervisor Chris Coursey is Hiring!

The Office of Supervisor Chris Coursey is seeking a skilled professional to serve as District 3's Field Representative. This is an exciting opportunity to establish a career in public policy and local government. The Field Representative in our office will be expected to perform a wide variety of tasks and constituent liaison work including:


  • Coordinating, attending, and facilitating district outreach activities and events
  • Conducting research in support of District initiatives
  • Managing projects and community initiatives
  • Assisting in making program and policy recommendations
  • Assisting in program development and coordination
  • Reviewing and responding to written correspondence and verbal inquiries
  • Solving constituent concerns by working with and making referrals to relevant County departments and other entities
  • Developing written, photographic, and graphic design content for newsletters, web pages, and social media


Monthly Salary Range: $7,421 - $9,019

Recruitment closes at 5pm on Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Learn More & Apply

Sonoma County kicks off General Plan update

Sonoma County recently kicked off its General Plan update, a yearslong process that will shape future growth, encourage housing, and job development, foster healthy and resilient communities, guide the protection and management of natural resources, and promote social and economic equity.


“The General Plan update is one of the most important projects that the county will undertake in the new year,” said Supervisor Coursey. “It will lay the groundwork for most of our land use, resource conservation, housing, public safety, climate and equity policies for decades. For this effort, we need a robust outreach strategy so that we can hear input from as many corners of our community as possible."

Learn More

Mobile Crisis Units to Expand Countywide by Year’s End

Last month, the Board of Supervisors approved an expansion to our Mobile Crisis Response system throughout the county by the end of the year. The teams of mental health and emergency medicine professionals will respond within 60 minutes to urban crisis calls and 120 minutes to rural crisis calls, anywhere in Sonoma County, 24 hours a day.


“Health experts and law enforcement agencies agree situations in which individuals are experiencing a non-violent mental health crisis are better handled by dedicated teams of specialists,” said Supervisor Coursey. “The results of the pilot program have been successful. Now we are preparing to offer this vital service anywhere in the county, anytime day or night.”

Learn More

Sonoma County’s Living Wage

Increases to $18.10 An Hour

Effective Jan. 1, the county’s Living Wage rose to $18.10 an hour, up from $17.65 an hour. The Board’s approved 2.8 percent increase matches the inflation rate measured in October by the U.S. Consumer Price Index.


“The Board of Supervisors made a commitment to ensure the Living Wage keeps pace with inflation,” said Supervisor Coursey. “[This] increase keeps a promise to low-wage workers that they will not be forgotten. We expect to review the Living Wage again in 2024 to make sure these workers are not falling behind.” 


The Board of Supervisors is considering a series of amendments to the Living Wage ordinance. It is expected to discuss these potential changes at its March 26, 2024 meeting.

Learn More

Housing & Homelessness Updates

Sonoma County Homeless Point in Time (PIT) Count 2024 Volunteer Registration Now Open! January 26th!

Friday, Jan. 26, is the Sonoma County Homeless Point-in-Time (PIT) Street Count for all populations of persons experiencing homelessness! The Count is required to receive federal homeless assistance funds and provides critical data to understand homelessness locally and support strategic decisions about our programs. We are seeking volunteers to help with the count this year with registration now open.


Volunteers will be asked to work in teams and drive all assigned routes from approximately 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM on the morning of Friday, Jan. 26.

Learn More

Sonoma County Housing Authority Awarded

$1.18 Million for New Housing Vouchers

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the Sonoma County more than $1.18 million, or a total of 53, new additional Family Unification Program (FUP) vouchers. The Family Unification Program is a coordinated effort to assist youth with a history of foster care involvement, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and families whose lack of adequate housing is the primary reason their children remain in foster care.


“Keeping young people from becoming homeless, keeping families housed and together, that is how we progress toward our goal to end homelessness,” said Supervisor Coursey. “These additional vouchers will provide stability to families and youth in our county. Vouchers have and will continue to be an essential resource in our ongoing efforts to provide stability to some of our most vulnerable populations.”

Learn More

How to get help in Sonoma County: A Community Webinar on Homelessness (#3)

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You are invited to participate in an online public forum on homelessness on Wednesday, Jan. 31, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The forum will begin with a brief discussion on how to get help for homelessness, followed by an “open forum” style Q&A session. It will feature Kaitlin Carney with HomeFirst and Thai Hilton with the Sonoma County Department of Health Services Ending Homelessness Team. This is an opportunity to ask questions and to learn more about getting help for homelessness in Sonoma County.

 

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://sonomacounty.zoom.us/j/94330516223?pwd=TDdXbzE2WUpSSGwrUUZGOGprd0pHUT09

Passcode: 898517

Phone: +1 669 900 9128

Webinar ID: 943 3051 6223

Learn More

SoCo District Attorney:

Public Service Announcements

FDA Halts Sale of Balance of Nature Supplements

Sonoma County residents may have seen the Food & Drug Administration’s recent press release regarding its enforcement action against Balance of Nature and wonder if they may be entitled to relief. In conjunction with several other California counties, the Sonoma County District Attorney obtained a June 23, 2023, court judgment against Balance of Nature’s parent company, EVIG, LLC that halts the sale of the product and, among other relief, provides for refunds to certain Balance of Nature of Customers. 


If you purchased Balance of Nature’s FruitsVeggies, and/or Fiber & Spice products between Feb. 23, 2017, and June 23, 2023, please visit the third party claims administrator’s website for more information on how to obtain a refund if you purchased the product

Streaming Service Scams

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Scammers are imitating popular streaming services such as Netflix and Paramount +. Recent emails indicated Paramount + subscription was expiring and had a realistic Paramount + logo but was a scam. Similarly, an email purporting to come from Netflix to sign up for a loyalty program was also a scam. To avoid scammers, check the email address that generated the email which will generally indicate that the email is not coming from the companies that operate these services. Usually you will be notified when you sign in to the App on your TV regarding the status of your subscription if it has expired on the credit card on file with the provider has expired. If you have any doubts, call the company directly and do not respond to emails asking for updated subscriber info or to sign up for a loyalty program.

Read Press Release

Community Events

Bilingual Dog Training at Andy’s Unity Park

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Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 3:30-5pm at 3399 Moorland Ave, Santa Rosa


Interested in free dog training with a certified dog trainer? Join Sonoma County Regional Parks for a Spanish and English dog training session at Andy’s Unity Park. Participants and their pups will learn about loose-leash walking, attention-getting techniques and proper socialization strategies. Don't forget to bring some extra high-value treats! For more information, contact Alexis Puerto-Holmes at communityengagementprograms@sonoma-county.org. No registration required.

Learn More

City of Rohnert Park Neighborhood Meeting

Thursday, Jan. 18, from 6-7:30 PM at Richard Crane Elementary School, 1290 Southwest Blvd, Rohnert Park


Join Vice Mayor Gerard Giudice to discuss topics of interest such as the future Rohnert Park Downtown project, homelessness solutions, economic development and more! The event is open to all! See flyer below for more information.

Learn More

Free Events and Activities Hosted by the

 Sonoma County Regional Library

Join the Sonoma County Library for events and activities in District 3 throughout the month of January. All events are free, and you don't need a library card to attend; registration is required for select events. See a countywide list of the Sonoma County Library’s events here.

History of Cumbia

Satturday, Jan. 20, from 2-3 pm at Santa Rosa Central Library

In this storytelling experience, a DJ plays records to talk about the importance of immigration in music, exploring the origins of cumbia, and its evolution in Colombia, Peru, Mexico and the United States.

Seeds and Reads: Wildflower Seed Bombs

Monday, Jan. 22, from 10-11 am at Roseland Regional Library

Join the Children’s Librarian to mix seeds and potting soil together. Choose an appropriate location to throw your seed bomb at a patch of dirt and watch it explode! For grades K-6.

Lion Dancing! with the Sonoma Vietnamese Association

Saturday, Jan. 27, from 1:00-1:30 pm at Santa Rosa Central Library

Watch the Sonoma Vietnamese Association Lion Dance Team as they welcome the Lunar New Year. In Vietnam, lion dancing combines martial arts with folk dancing to mimic the animal’s movements. All ages welcome!

2024 Economic Perspective

Thursday, Jan. 25, from 7:00-9:00 AM at Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park


Dr. Jerry Nickelsburg is back to present an exclusive first look into Sonoma County's economic future for 2024. This valuable insight will provide context and understanding as we launch into the new year. 

Get Tickets

Cohort #14: Native American Historical and

Traditional Healing Project

Workshop #1: Wednesday, Jan. 24, 6pm -8pm

Virtual Webinars, Register Here!

 

Five Workshops presented in chronological order. Learning objectives:

  1. Understand the accurate history of Native Americans in Napa County; that Native people lived in structured, civilized, complex societies in permanent villages.
  2. Explain the historical process of the extreme systematic trauma to the Native population.


Show how California Natives are still present, active and involved in the modern world. Will share examples and explorations of tribal resilience. Pre-registration required.

See Complete List of Webinars and Dates!

EcoPath Youth Career Expo

Saturday, Jan. 27, from 10AM-2PM at Chop’s Teen Club, 509 Adams St. Santa Rosa

Join Sonoma Environmental Education Collaborative for this event which will feature engaging speakers, resume and interview workshops and a job fair. See the flyer below for details. 

Register

Resources Bulletin

Sonoma County Transit

Increases Discount for Low-Income Adults

Since 2020, Sonoma County Transit has offered a 20 percent discount for eligible adults earning under 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Effective Jan. 1, 2024, Sonoma County Transit will increase the discount to 50 percent for eligible adults.   


“Thanks to approval by the Board of Supervisors, Sonoma County Transit will continue making transportation affordable for community members who need it most,” said Supervisor Coursey. “Every bit counts, and participants can now count on a 50 percent discount when riding Sonoma County Transit and 20 other Bay Area transit agencies.”


For more information and to apply, please call (855) 614-9149 or visit the Clipper START website.


A full list of Sonoma County Transit’s discount fare categories is available online or by calling (707) 576-7433. 

Learn More

Financial Assistance through Season of Sharing

California Mortgage Relief

Community Health Worker Training

My Pathway Youth Program

Supervisor Coursey
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