A Message From Supervisor Coursey |
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This month marks two years since the first shelter in place orders were issued across the Bay Area as the COVID-19 virus began to spread in our communities. Since then, our county has weathered disasters, widespread illness and hundreds of COVID-19 related deaths. The pandemic has impacted all of our lives in unimaginable ways. While honoring the difficulties we’ve all endured and the courage we’ve demonstrated in moving forward together, it is important to acknowledge and remember that the brunt of the tragedies have been borne by disadvantaged communities -- Black, Indigenous, Latinx and people of color have been those most severely and disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
This reality, while catalyzing a focus on equity in local government, highlights the crucial work we have ahead of us to strengthen our entire community, centering communities who have been historically marginalized.
Today, our case rate is around 6 case per 100,000 people per day. While it is too early to declare an end to the pandemic, our metrics are moving in the right direction and I am hopeful.
This month also began on an unfortunate note with the March 1 decision by the Board of Supervisors to not move forward with plans for a new downtown Santa Rosa County Administration Center. As I explained in previous messages, I supported this project because of its positive impacts on climate action, housing opportunities (the existing county campus could be transformed into a new neighborhood of many hundreds of homes), transit-oriented development, equity issues and other benefits. However, the idea failed to gain enough support on the Board, and we will, as County Administrator Sheryl Bratton put it, “go back to the drawing board” in exploring options to replace our aging and inadequate county workspace. Thanks to all of you who looked into this issue and expressed your support. Unfortunately, I believe we ultimately will remember this as a lost opportunity for our entire county community.
In the rest of this newsletter, we have arranged a set of county news and community announcements for your engagement. As always, thank you for reading and for your commitment to
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Chris Coursey
707-565-2241
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The Board of Supervisors approved $5 million in climate resiliency projects funded by a $10 million Climate Resiliency Fund established by the Board last year. The approved projects leverage outside grant funding and range from a pilot residential rainwater catchment rebate and training program, to drought resiliency planning and acquisition of land for the creation of more bike paths. A second round of funding is expected for later this year.
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Sonoma County Airport will rely primarily on solar power, as a newly installed solar photovoltaic system becomes operational. The solar installation process took four years and was performed by Forefront power, who will own and maintain the system. The solar canopy is installed above the long-term parking area constructed in 2018. The system will fully power the Charles M. Schultz-Sonoma County Airport, even with a planned terminal expansion. |
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Sonoma County Regional Parks has launched an initiative to create “shaded fuel breaks” in several areas of the county. Unlike “fire breaks,” which remove all vegetation in an area, shaded fuel breaks leave the forest canopy intact and clear away the understory vegetation. This can decrease the intensity of wildfire and create defensible areas where firefighters can slow or stop a fire’s spread.
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Sonoma County and Cal Fire are joining forces to create a year-round fire base at the county’s Los Guilicos campus in Sonoma Valley. A firefighting team is expected to occupy the camp during fire season, which lasts about nine months a year, and a fuel abatement team will occupy it during the wet season, about three months a year. The three-year lease agreement, approved on Feb. 8 by the Board of Supervisors, will significantly improve response times and resources in the event of wildfire or other emergencies.
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April 7 is the deadline to apply for federal funding made available by the County of Sonoma through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Notice of Funding Availability process. The county allocated $39 million to support community resilience programs that address disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to the initial $34 million in funding, an additional $5 million has been made available specifically for Emergency Financial Assistance.
Applicants interested in applying under this category should choose Assistance to Households/Basic Needs: Financial Assistance on the Program Application dropdown menu.
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Do you know high school students interested in how the Bay Area grapples with issues like environmental justice, housing and transportation equity, community health and social justice?
Four regional government agencies are sponsoring an online Bay Area Summer Academy to provide insights into how regional governments address these issues and how the public, including students, can help advance equity across the Bay Area. Students from low-income households are encouraged to apply – the deadline is April 4, 2022.
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Learn how to make your home or business more energy resilient!
The County of Sonoma Energy and Sustainability Division is hosting workshops that cover a range of topics including evaluating energy use, funding your projects, solar photovoltaics and battery storage, water conservation, wildfire safety, and converting to all-electric at home.
Click on the following links to register:
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The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and public health leaders recognize the two-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic by paying tribute to health care workers, the county’s partners and the community for crucial work that saved lives, reduced hospitalizations and slowed transmission of the deadly virus.
Two years ago this month, a shelter-in-place order was issued to protect the public as the virus spread in the Bay Area. While COVID-19 would take a heartbreaking toll — particularly on seniors, communities of color and essential workers — Sonoma County weathered the pandemic far better than most places in the United States.
As a result of the work by the county, its partners and the community, Sonoma County remained safer and healthier than most places in California and the United States. Among the key metrics:
- 81 percent of Sonoma County residents age 5 and older are now fully vaccinated, compare to 74 percent of Californians and 69 percent of Americans.
- 64 percent of the county’s eligible population is now boosted, compared to 57 percent of Californians and 46 percent of Americans.
- Death rates are significantly lower in Sonoma County, where 97 people per 100,000 residents died from COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic, compared to 222 deaths per 100,000 in California and 291 deaths per 100,000 in the United States.
Still, the pandemic’s disproportionate impacts on disadvantaged communities underscored the need for developing equitable solutions that prioritize resources for the people most negatively impacted. The pandemic helped lead to a focus on equity in Health Services and across county government, led by the county Office of Equity.
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