Today’s edition of SoCo Correspondent reports on efforts by the County to address climate change, recognize the evolving needs of our aging population, and respond realistically to the opportunities and perils posed by artificial intelligence. You will also find updates on neighborhood issues in the Sonoma Valley and north Sonoma County, and the latest link in a bike/pedestrian path that will one day stretch 70 miles through Sonoma and Marin counties.
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Sonoma County ag sector boosted production to nearly $950 million last year | |
Rising grape prices and a bountiful harvest combined to drive up the value of Sonoma County crops and other agricultural products to nearly $950 million last year, an increase of nearly 19 percent, according to a report delivered to the Board of Supervisors last week.
The total value of Sonoma County’s world-famous grape crop jumped nearly 31 percent to $716.8 million, bouncing back strong from a 2022 harvest diminished by drought and frost. The value of the county’s apple crop rose 11 percent to $3.6 million, with falling prices offset by an increase in the size of the crop.
Other sectors, however, lost ground. The value of livestock and poultry products declined 7 percent last year to $99 million, reflecting declines in milk prices and production. The value of the county’s legal cannabis crop was cut in half, plunging to $25.7 million last year, as falling prices offset an 8 percent increase in production.
“In 2023, our agriculture community faced flooding, crop damage and an avian flu outbreak that devastated producers, their employees and support industries countywide,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “In spite of those challenges, the 2023 report highlights the commitment and resilience of our local farmers and ranchers who continue to make Sonoma County a diverse and thriving agricultural industry.”
The annual report is produced by the Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner, which is required by state law to compile crop and livestock statistics. The County has produced an annual crop report since 1928.
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Board of Supervisors adopts plan to support older adults, people with disabilities and their caregivers | |
Sonoma County has the second-largest concentration of older adults in the nine-county Bay Area. Today, 28 percent of the county’s population is 60 or older, a number projected to increase to 35 percent by 2030, according to the California Department of Finance.
Improving the health and wellbeing of this population is the focus of a new plan approved by the Board of Supervisors last week. The Sonoma County Master Plan for Aging provides a blueprint for the public and private sectors to work together as Sonoma County’s rapidly aging population increases demand for affordable and accessible housing, health care, transportation, caregiving and other services.
The plan outlines 23 strategies to achieve goals in six key areas: housing, transportation, health, wellness/equity/inclusion, caregiving and economic security. It recognizes the county’s aging population is becoming more racially, ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse, with 15 percent of residents born outside the United States.
“Sonoma County is aging faster than almost any other place in the Bay Area, part of a massive demographic shift that will create both challenges and opportunities,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “This plan is a call to action. By working together, we can make Sonoma County a place where everyone can age well.”
Over the next three months, the Sonoma County Department of Human Services will host a series of public meetings across the county to provide an overview of the plan and work with communities to implement its strategies.
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County to build permanent bridge over Russian River near Asti | |
The site of the temporary bridge over the Russian River near Asti.
It is an annual ritual in Sonoma County. For decades, the County has built and removed a temporary bridge over the Russian River near Asti. The bridge is erected every summer as water levels recede, then dismantled in the fall before river levels rise during the rainy season.
The practice is not only expensive but also inconvenient for residents who must find alternate routes when the bridge is removed. And with climate change increasing the threat of wildfires, having more than one escape route is critical.
Last week, the Board of Supervisors decided to make the bridge permanent. Supervisors approved construction of a permanent two-lane bridge across the Russian River near Asti on Washington School Road.
“This project has overwhelming community support from homeowners and neighbors who for too long have faced the risk of being trapped if the seasonal bridge is not open and a wildfire cuts off River Road north to Cloverdale,” said District 4 Supervisor James Gore, who represents the Asti area. “Residents of Palomino Lakes, River Road in Cloverdale and the Alexander Valley Citizens League all understand the cost and complexity of maintaining a temporary seasonal bridge, and the need for permanent emergency access regardless of the season.”
The project is expected to cost $30 million. The Department of Public Infrastructure will return to the Board of Supervisors in the future with financing recommendations, which could include the formation of an assessment district with support from residents who benefit most from a permanent bridge. In the interim, Public Infrastructure will proceed with identifying funding to complete the bridge design and construction.
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Board of Supervisors adopts plan to make County government carbon-neutral by 2030 | |
Average daily temperatures in Sonoma County have risen by 2.7 degrees since 1900 and are projected to increase by another 8 degrees by 2070, according to a major new report that summarizes the local impacts of climate change and outlines the County’s plan to respond.
The Board of Supervisors last week adopted a detailed plan to make County government operations carbon-neutral by 2030, part of the County’s ongoing efforts to slow climate change and protect county residents from its increasingly dangerous effects.
The 167-page action plan provides a detailed roadmap to reduce carbon emissions from County operations, increase carbon storage on County-owned lands, and make County lands and operations more resilient to wildfires, droughts, floods and other climate hazards that threaten our communities.
“Sonoma County is taking a leading role in addressing a global crisis on a local level,” said Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, vice chair of the Board of Supervisors. “Addressing a problem as big as climate change can seem daunting, but this plan breaks down a massive challenge into a series of achievable and well-defined steps. Today’s vote underscores our commitment to cut local greenhouse gas emissions and fortify Sonoma County against climate hazards.”
Supervisors directed County staff to implement 25 near-term steps outlined in the Climate Resilience Comprehensive Action Plan and launch a community engagement strategy that will refine and prioritize future County actions.
“This plan shows our county is committed to doing more than just talking about the problem of climate change,” said Supervisor Susan Gorin, who played an integral role in getting the action plan started. “The public wants government at all levels to take action, and this shows Sonoma County is doing its part.”
The Board of Supervisors declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has dedicated more than $100 million in funding from a variety of sources since 2021 to climate resilience. The strategy is designed to minimize damage to our communities, economy and environment by preparing for climate change and responding to its effects.
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SMART lands funding for bike/pedestrian path between Santa Rosa and Sonoma County airport | |
A family enjoying a bicycle ride on the SMART pathway/Great Redwood Trail
It’s been a critical gap in what will eventually become a 70-mile bike and pedestrian pathway through Sonoma and Marin counties. But not for long.
Last week, Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit announced it has been awarded a $7 million federal grant to build a 4.7-mile section of the bike and pedestrian pathway between Santa Rosa and its rail station near Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport. Construction is scheduled to start next summer.
"SMART is working hard to implement our voters’ vision of a complete rail and pathway network," said Supervisor Chris Coursey, who serves on the rail agency’s board of directors. "This new segment will greatly benefit the residents and businesses of Marin and Sonoma counties, making it more accessible to commute and travel for recreation by bicycle and train. It’s exactly this kind of improvement to the corridor our voters envisioned and that SMART is working to deliver.”
More than 28 miles of SMART pathway have been completed and another 9.5 miles are currently under construction. The pathway, which serves as the southern portion of the Great Redwood Trail, provides first- and last-mile connections to SMART stations and offers a safe way to travel along the rail corridor. In the past year, more than 784,200 pedestrian and bicycle trips were completed on the pathway.
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New policy provides guidelines for use of AI by the County | |
Artificial intelligence has the potential to make government much more efficient, but the rapidly evolving technology also poses serious legal and ethical challenges.
Last week, the Board of Supervisors adopted a new policy on the use of AI by County employees to protect sensitive data and ensure it is used legally, ethically and transparently. It prohibits the use of AI for decision-making or other activities that may narrow or exclude options from otherwise being considered or that could result in biased or discriminatory outcomes.
“We are on the cusp of the artificial intelligence revolution, and we understand the opportunities we have to harness this technology to realize efficiency and cost-savings for the public,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “At the same time, there is a lot that we still don’t know about AI, which is why we need to proceed with caution in a secure and ethical manner.”
The policy prohibits County employees from submitting personal or confidential information into AI technologies. County employees may use certain generative AI products, such as ChatGPT, for common tasks such as creating and editing emails and letters, sales and advertising materials, spreadsheet calculations, coding development or debugging, summarizing information and drafting policies, job descriptions, memoranda and similar documents. Users are required to review and fact-check any output from AI technologies and to be transparent when content is drafted using AI technologies.
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Airport to update public on air traffic patterns, noise at two workshops in October | |
The Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport will hold a pair of public workshops in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa next month to update the public on a study examining air traffic patterns, noise and operating procedures at the airport.
The workshops, which will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., will be held Oct. 2 in Sebastopol at the Analy High School gymnasium, 6950 Analy Ave., and on Oct. 3 in Santa Rosa at Vintners Resort, 4350 Barnes Road.
Each event will consist of a presentation of findings followed by a workshop where participants will be able to interact with aviation experts and airport management. Questions posed by the public will be compiled and answered at a later date. The public presentations each night will also be streamed on Zoom.
The Approach Feasibility Study was commissioned by the airport in 2022 to analyze air traffic patterns and make recommendations on safe and noise-sensitive approaches and departures. The next step will be the development of new or revised procedures while evaluating their potential impacts on airport traffic, airspace, regulatory requirements, and, to the extent possible, any associated environmental and noise impacts.
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Colorful bike racks coming to Sonoma Valley | |
Volunteers decorated bike racks on Aug. 25 at the East Sonoma County Services Center.
Sure, bikes and cycling outfits come in all kinds of eye-catching colors, but how often do you say the same thing about bike racks?
In The Springs area of Sonoma County an ongoing effort to beautify the unincorporated community north of Sonoma is sprouting a rainbow of colors along the Highway 12 corridor. The latest initiative, led by the Springs Municipal Advisory Council and backed by District 1 Supervisor Susan Gorin, will place vividly wrapped and decorated bike racks throughout the community. The bike racks, donated by Sonoma County Transit, were decorated by volunteers in August and will soon be installed throughout The Springs.
“As a cyclist, I understand the importance of accessibility and convenience the racks offer when visiting our community parks, local businesses, or taking public transit,” said Supervisor Gorin, who represents the Sonoma Valley. “The delightful colors and designs represent the diversity in The Springs, and it was wonderful to see community come together to decorate them. Keep an eye out for more of these bike racks to appear throughout the community in the coming months.”
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Sonoma Water offering grants for local educators | |
If you are a teacher or know one, listen up. Sonoma Water is offering grants of up to $1,000 to help North Bay educators undertake solutions-focused projects related to water or climate change at their schools or in their neighborhoods.
Call to Action grants are available to teachers in public, private or home-school settings from transitional kindergarten to grade 12 in Sonoma and Mendocino counties and in the City of Novato, as well as to student-led clubs with a teacher advisor.
The Call to Action program has been offering grants since 2021, funding more than 36 projects for a total of $29,000. Previous projects include rain barrel installations at Healdsburg Elementary School, planting a drought-tolerant native plant pollinator-friendly garden at Brooks Elementary in Windsor and creating a school-wide composting and recycling program at Piner Olivet Charter School.
The deadline for applications is Oct. 16. If all grant funds are not allocated, a second round of applications will be accepted until Jan. 15.
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SoCo Chat celebrates local Latino community in new series | |
Melissa Valle, director of the County’s Office of Equity, right, speaks with County Communications Specialist Karina Garcia on a recent episode of SoCo Chat.
The term “equity” is becoming a more common term in public, but there is often misunderstanding around what this means in a government office. Join us for a conversation about this important topic with Melissa Valle, the newly named director of the County’s Office of Equity, and learn what the County is doing to unseat racial inequities that have been built into government systems and policies over time. Watch or listen to this timely interview here.
To commemorate National Hispanic Heritage Month, SoCo Chat invited Valle and other local Latino leaders to talk with us about their experiences and what it means to connect with the Latino community and to honor their heritage. Previous guests included Maria Christina Rivera, who became the first Latina, bilingual County Administrator in the history of the County of Sonoma when she was appointed by the Board of Supervisors in early 2023.
Subscribe to SoCo Chat podcasts 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:
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Out and About: Fiesta de Independencia | |
Hundreds of people from around Sonoma County gathered Sunday at the 15th annual Fiesta de Independencia at Luther Burbank Center for the Arts. Held in recognition of the anniversary of Mexican Independence from Spain, the event offered authentic Mexican food, music, games, and family activities and featured community groups, including representatives from multiple County of Sonoma departments including the Sheriff’s Office, IOLERO, Child Support Services and the County’s Central Communications team. The event also was a great way to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month. View a photo gallery of the event here.
Thanks to all who stopped by the Central Communications table and congratulations to Raquel Sanchez of Santa Rosa, who won an emergency kit in a raffle drawing by signing up to receive SoCo Correspondent in her email inbox twice a month.
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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 10 a.m. on Sept. 24.
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 Sept. 24 class or sign up for our mailing list to be notified of future classes.
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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.
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