|
Bringing County Services to West County
We are proud to share that the West County Services Center is now live in the former Bank of America building in Guerneville! At the Services Center, you can find District 5, the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, and WIC.
District 5 is utilizing the space to meet with constituents and to host public workshops like the upcoming Parents and Babies Support Group led by the Child Parent Institute, register here.
If you’d like to connect with District 5 staff, join us for coffee and pastries - generally from 8 - 9 AM on the third Monday of each month, except that in January and February it will be on the 3rd Tuesday due to holidays.
The Human Services Department is busy connecting folks to CalFresh, Workforce Training, and Medi-Cal benefits on Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30 - 5:00 pm and will be holding In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) trainings for caregivers beginning in early 2025.
Our Department of Behavioral Health meets with local clients to support their mental health needs, and WIC meets with new parents to provide food assistance, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals. By appointment only.
We look forward to bringing more County resources to our local community in 2025 and hope you stop by to say hello!
Investing in Public Gathering Spaces
Since the pandemic, we've been hearing from residents that they're looking for opportunities to recreate, gather and connect with their neighbors. With the unanimous approval of $2.95M in Ag + Open Space Community Spaces Matching Grant funding, outdoor public meeting spaces are on their way to becoming a reality in Guerneville, Occidental, and Graton. The Graton town square is already in use by locals and I was excited to join an enthusiastic crowd at this year’s Graton Days! Occidental and Guerneville are both in the design phase with more information to come as these projects continue to take shape.
Investing in Local Infrastructure
Speaking of funding -- in 2024, I invested in local infrastructure across District 5. Some of the highlights include: support for our local recreational docks, matching funds for Forestville Skatespot's site planning and Monte Rio's skatepark remodel, security upgrades and a water fountain installation at the Occidental Community Center, renovation of the Veteran's Kitchen at the Center for the Arts in Sebastopol, and expansion of access to the County's chipper program.
We’ve also made significant strides in expanding digital connectivity. Occidental now has free public Wi-Fi funded through Tourism Impact Funds (TIF), joining Jenner, Cazadero, Forestville, Monte Rio, Guerneville, Bodega, and Bodega Bay in offering free public Wi-Fi access. By next year, all these towns will also have Starlink units with battery backups. This upgrade ensures that during disasters and outages, residents can go downtown to access reliable communication, stay connected with first responders, reach loved ones, and receive critical updates.
Lower Russian River Governance Study
The Lower Russian River Governance Study, initiated in early 2023, was a year-long effort to explore options for improving local services and governance structures in this vibrant region. With the final draft published in March 2024, the study outlines a range of potential solutions aimed at addressing service gaps and enhancing local control, informed by an in-depth financial analysis and extensive community input.
At the heart of this initiative is a commitment to collaboration. The process is about empowering the community to shape its own future, whether through enhanced existing structures or new governance solutions like a Community Services District (CSD) or incorporation as a city. This approach ensures flexibility and responsiveness to the region’s unique needs and aspirations.
Stay tuned as we dive deeper into the Governance Study’s recommendations and explore how community-driven solutions can create a more sustainable and effective system of governance for the Lower Russian River.
Investments in the Health of the Community
This year we also focused on supporting the health and wellness of our community. We supported Mendonoma Health Clinic by providing funds toward the launch of a mobile dental clinic this past Fall, brought several community-based organizations together to connect residents to resources at the Bodega Bay Health and Safety Fair, and secured funding for promotores to provide influenza, COVID, and RSV vaccine access to our most impacted communities.
Exploration of an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD)
This year, we’ve been exploring the potential benefits of an EIFD. An EIFD is a financing tool that enables local governments to fund a variety of infrastructure projects and community development initiatives. Unlike traditional redevelopment agencies, EIFDs do not rely on tax increment financing from property taxes. Instead, they utilize a portion of the growth in property tax revenue within a designated area, without impacting funding for schools or other essential services. EIFDs are often used to support major infrastructure investments and require community input and approval to ensure transparency and alignment with local priorities. No EIFD has been created yet, but a feasibility study is underway and we've already held a MAC meeting to listen to community priorities. Learn more and view the recording of the special joint MAC meeting here.
Supporting Fishermen with the Launch of Black Cod Week
Sonoma County’s fishing industry continues to face climate and environmental challenges that have severely diminished income and threaten the viability of the local fishery. Dungeness crab and local Chinook salmon populations, a staple in the fishing industry, continue to struggle due to these climate and environmental impacts. Unlike fish and crab that live in shallow waters, black cod lives in deeper waters that are not as significantly impacted by climate change.
With Black Cod Week, we aimed to increase awareness and build consumer demand for local black cod by partnering with Sonoma County Tourism and the Economic Development Collaborative to launch a 10-day, Restaurant Week-style event. More than 40 restaurants across Sonoma County offered a black cod dish on the menu and a half-dozen local markets offered fresh black cod for at-home chefs to try their own creations. We are already dreaming up recipes for next year's Black Cod Week!
Beyond promotional efforts, we continue to invest in the infrastructure that supports our fishing industry. Mason’s Marina received critical repairs, including a new lift that has been a boon for fishermen with smaller boats, enabling them to unload and better utilize the Marina. Additionally, we are actively seeking funding for the Ice House and other dock infrastructure essential to commercial, charter, and sport fishermen. These upgrades are vital to preserving access to and enjoyment of our blue economy while ensuring sustainability and growth for the fishing community.
Protecting our Environment
I fought hard for an expanded version of the County's tree protection ordinance, originally adopted back in 1989. The update we approved increased protections from 11 to 31 tree species, lowered the size threshold of protected trees to 6 inches in diameter or greater to support forest health, and exempted removals for public safety, defensible space and basic property maintenance. The protected species include: big leaf maple, black oak, blue oak, boxelder, California black walnut, California buckeye, canyon live oak, coast live oak, two cottonwood species, interior live oak, madrone, Oregon ash, Oregon oak, red and white alder, valley oak, two willow species, two cypress species, grand fir, six pine species, redwood, western hemlock. To mitigate the impact of removing trees, the ordinance requires new trees to be planted or payment of an in-lieu fee. This updated policy was developed after extensive engagement with stakeholders and experts, with both myself and Supervisor Gore conducting site visits alongside local foresters across West County. For more information and to read the text of the adopted ordinances please visit the Comprehensive Tree Ordinance Update website.
Protecting Renters
A critical policy initiative I championed this year was the Tenant Protection Ordinance that was approved by the Board of Supervisors in September. Under the ordinance, landlords must have a “just cause” to evict a tenant. Evictions, in most cases, are prohibited during a declared emergency, like a wildfire or flood. Landlords are prohibited from evicting tenants for nonpayment unless more than one month of rent is overdue; tenants can use this protection up to two times per year. When a landlord asks a tenant to vacate a property, they must provide the tenant with information about their rights in English and Spanish.
We Take Care of Us
As we wrap up 2024, we want to highlight the amazing work of the many community-based organizations that are dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ folks, health care access, our undocumented and immigrant community members, the social safety net, mental health services and the environment. At the recent We Take Care of Us town hall, we were joined by Assemblymember Damon Connolly, Assemblymember-elect Chris Rogers, Congressman Jared Huffman, and many community members to celebrate these organizations, learn about the resources they provide, and consider ways to get involved. If you haven't had a chance to view the town hall, please check it out on our YouTube channel here.
You can also find recordings of MAC meetings on our YouTube Channel to catch up on the other goings-on in District 5. It's been a busy year!
| 
