County of Sonoma District 3 News & Updates |
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Welcoming Spring with a Renewed Sense of Hope |
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Our community struggled through a steep uphill battle this winter, a surge in the pandemic that brought new highs in case rates and death rates, and new lows in the personal, social and economic misery spread by COVID-19.
These times of darkness brought unforeseen and unprecedented challenges throughout our community, including to local government that has been battered by crises and disasters throughout the past four years.
But that’s why local government exists – to rise, respond and adapt to challenges in order to meet the needs of our constituents, no matter what the cause of those needs.
The challenge to “build the plane as we fly it,” has brought its own trials and tribulations, from mitigating the impacts of widespread shutdowns to standing up testing sites and distributing a woefully limited supply of vaccines. With some resources provided from Washington and Sacramento, we’ve made significant strides in funding local aid programs, increased our capacity to detect the virus through enhanced testing, and established a robust vaccination infrastructure. Our county is nearing 300,000 vaccinations administered; our daily rate of new cases is less than 5 per 100,000 residents compared to more than 60 at our highest point in January. And Sonoma County has moved from the purple tier to the red tier and is nearing an upgrade to orange in California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. While we have a long way to go before this virus is behind us, these milestones bring the hope that recovery is on the horizon. Still – wear your masks, keep your distance, stay safe.
In addition to responding to the immediate and long-term impacts of COVID-19, our Board of Supervisors continues its work of overseeing the implementation of local ordinances, managing land-use issues and preparing for the next natural disaster. In this newsletter, we’ve included some of the Board’s actions related to these issues as well as a COVID-19 update. I look forward to the days we will no longer need the latter. For now, we continue on, staying vigilant, protecting our community and ourselves, and looking to the brighter longer days of spring for a renewed sense of hope.
Chris
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Ag + Open Space Approves $5.8 Million for Community-Led Open Space Projects |
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On March 23rd the Board of Supervisors, acting as Directors of the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, recommended $5,805,600 in funding for six Matching Grant Program projects that will benefit residents throughout the county. This funding will add 145 acres of new public spaces, including the creation of two new parks, the expansion and enhancement of three existing parks, and a critical trail connection in Bodega Bay.
One of the projects funded by the matching grants will be particularly valuable to residents of the Third District. It includes a 75-acre expansion of Crane Creek Regional Park with added trails, new park connections to the City of Rohnert Park and Sonoma State University, and a safe crossing of Petaluma Hill Road to connect the city with open space and recreation lands to the east. To learn more about the other exciting projects, you can visit: Sonoma County Open Space
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PG&E Settlement to Fund Vegetation Management and Help Develop Local Workforce
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In October 2020 the Board of Supervisors allocated $25 million of the PG&E settlement funds to finance vegetation management activities that reduce wildfire risk, promote safety, and support ecosystems and agriculture. To guide how the funds should be spent, Sonoma County contracted with UC Berkeley School of Law’s Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE). After facilitating two expert group discussions to identify top priorities, CLEE reported its findings to the Board of Supervisors on March 23, 2021.
CLEE identified urgently carrying out shovel-ready vegetation management projects as a primary fire prevention measure for the near future. To get ahead of the 2021 fire season, the Board of Supervisors at the March 23rd meeting, took the critical action to fund $2 million to $4 million in near-term vegetation management projects with an emphasis on activities in high-risk areas and near key ecosystems.
In addition to their recommendation to immediately get to work making our wildlands safer from fire, experts recommended developing a local workforce to meet those critical vegetation management needs. In line with these findings, I presented a motion at the March 23rd BOS meeting that would support a program through Santa Rosa Junior College to help train and develop our local workforce. As reported by CLEE, vegetation management jobs can offer a pathway to a high-quality, well-paying, career for local workers, provide long-term growth opportunities to disadvantaged communities, and staff vital capacities for future resilience. The BOS passed this motion unanimously and we look forward to supporting the launch of a self-sustaining skilled workforce to meet vegetation management needs, support ordinance compliance, help plan evacuation routes, aid with land management, and play a crucial role in mitigating fire risk.
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Measure P Passed - What's Next? |
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Last November 65% of voters in Sonoma County supported the Evelyn Cheatham Effective IOLERO Ordinance, Measure P, to fortify community oversight over our local Sheriff’s Department. In addition to allocating funds for oversight, the measure calls for public access to body-worn camera footage, the establishment of a whistleblower hotline, independent review of complaints against police use of force, and formalizing the Community Advisory Council (CAC) as an independent body. On March 16, 2021, the Board of Supervisors heard an update from IOLERO Director Karleen Navarro on the implementation of Measure P.
The update highlighted active progress on the implementation of the ordinance, and we will continue to work with the community and staff to ensure that Measure P is carried out as voters intended.
We also want to ensure the selection for CAC membership is just and equitable. Our office is actively looking for applicants to the CAC. Interested residents of the Third District may access the applications by clicking here. You can help us expand outreach efforts by forwarding this information to your lists and anyone you know who may be interested.
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As of March 14, Sonoma County moved to the red tier on the State Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Advancing to a less restrictive tier allows several sectors to expand operations including indoor gyms at 10% capacity, indoor dining at 25% capacity, and movie theatres at 25% capacity.
Advancing to the red tier also enables all grade levels to begin in-person learning under the state’s updated guidance for K-12 schools. Beginning Sunday, March 14, 2021, schools have a three-week window to reopen or begin a phase-in reopening to facilitate a calm and safe return to classrooms. Once reopened, schools may continue to operate even if the county reverts into the purple tier. You should check with your individual school district for the latest plans and updates.
Moving into the red has been a long-awaited milestone and represents a step forward toward the well-being of our county. However, the red tier indicates that the COVID-19 spread remains substantial in Sonoma County. Our daily rate of new cases per 100,000 is under 5 and under current guidelines, advancing to the orange tier requires this number to be below 4. To protect the most vulnerable members in our community, and safely reopen our economy, it remains crucial to practice mitigation measures such as social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands, and getting tested regularly
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On March 15 the Third District Office held our first online community forum over Zoom, Facebook Live, and radio broadcast at KBBF 89.1 FM. We convened health, equity, and communications experts at the forefront of the COVID-19 response to deliver vital information in Spanish to communities most impacted by the pandemic. The Foro Informativo received engaged participation from the audience throughout the program and across platforms, demonstrating the value of language and media accessibility. Working through an equity lens, our office intends to hold future online events that model cultural competency, language justice and appreciation for the diversity of our county. I want to thank my Field Representative Jazmin Gudino for her valuable work on this effort.
Our next community forum will take place on April 19th at 5:30 pm. Please mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details.
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As part of the larger response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sonoma County’s strategy for vaccination prioritizes our most vulnerable residents to COVID-19 due to age, risk, and disproportionate impacts of the pandemic on certain communities. The County has helped create, advise and supply a network of vaccination clinics and collaborates with large health-care providers, pharmacies, and local health centers to provide the public with transparency on the vaccination process.
Over 280,000 total doses of the COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Sonoma County. As of March 15th, vaccine eligibility expanded to include people 16 and older who suffer from comorbid health conditions, and severe disabilities and illnesses. Eligibility also expanded to those living or working in high-risk congregate spaces, and certain groups of emergency, disaster service, and social workers. Vaccinations for persons in Phase 1a and Phase 1b will continue as well. You can visit myturn.ca.gov to check whether you are eligible. Appointments are subject to vaccine supply availability and can be made through socoemergency.org/vaccine.
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As part of a county objective to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to the most vulnerable and underserved communities, Sonoma County and Santa Rosa Community Health have partnered to open a new vaccination clinic in Roseland.
The clinic in Roseland primarily serves the community’s large Latinx population, a group that has been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Latinos make up 27 percent of the County’s population but have experienced two-thirds of all of COVID cases the County has recorded during the pandemic. So far, just 16 percent of residents who have received the vaccine have identified themselves as Latino.
The clinic opened on March 23rd at Santa Rosa Community Health Center’s Lombardi Campus in Santa Rosa and focuses on Rosa Community Health patients who live in the 95407 zip code. It is scheduled to move to the Roseland Library on April 7th when it will open vaccination to other eligible individuals. Vaccinations are by appointment only for residents of the 95407 zip code, and members of the Hispanic/Latinx community. For information, call 707-347-0553 for English and 707-336-8491 for Spanish.
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District 3 Appointments to Boards and Commissions |
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Sonoma County Board of Zoning Adjustments / Planning Commission |
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Jacquelynne Ocaña grew up in District 4's Junior College neighborhood and attended Santa Rosa city schools, including Santa Rosa Junior College, before graduating from UCLA with degrees in Anthropology and Latin American Studies. Born to an American mother and an immigrant father, she is seventh-generation Sonoma County on her mother's side and Mexican on her father's. Jacquelynne is a small-business owner, a licensed Private Fiduciary, and a National Certified Guardian. She serves as a Board Member for Legal Aid of Sonoma County, Vice-Chair of the Diversity + Inclusion Section of the Sonoma County Bar Association, is a member of the Redwood Empire Estate Planning Council, and holds leadership roles in the Professional Fiduciary Association of California. She is currently working on a Master's in Business Administration. When she is not serving seniors and disabled citizens in our community, she spends her time traveling, participating in social justice circles, and supporting the local art scene.
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Sonoma County Board of Zoning Adjustments / Planning Commission |
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Gina Belforte is the local owner of Stanley Steemer which services Sonoma, Napa, Lake, and Mendocino counties.
She serves Sonoma County’s 3rd District on the Planning Commission/Board of Zoning Adjustments and was recently chosen to be a California Democratic Party Delegate for this year. She also serves as Secretary for Social Advocates for Youth.
Gina is the immediate Past President of the Rohnert Park/Cotati Rotary Club and serves on the newly formed Environmental Committee for Rotary. Gina was a founding member of the Rohnert Park Democratic club and currently serves as a member-at-large. She is a former Mayor of Rohnert Park, and former Golden Gate Bridge Board Member, serving in elected office for 12 years. Gina was heavily involved in the founding of the Latino Alliance, a non-profit group serving Latino interests in Rohnert Park and Sonoma County. A San Francisco California native, Gina has lived in Rohnert Park for 34 years with her husband Kevin and Elliott the-Wonder-Dog. She has two grown children.
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Sonoma County Fair & Expositions Board of Directors |
Hugo Mata Marquez has been a resident of Rohnert Park for more than 30 years. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Radio and Television from San Francisco State University and has worked in public bilingual radio for more than 20 years. For the past 21 years, Hugo has been a force in connecting the environmental industry to the needs and voices of the growing LatinX community in California. He established his own consulting company (Soluna Outreach Solutions) in 2017.
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Sonoma County Fair & Expositions Board of Directors |
A Santa Rosa native and longtime Junior College neighborhood resident, Carole Quandt spends much of her post-retirement time volunteering with the Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery Preservation Committee. She is serving her second term on both the Santa Rosa Waterways Advisory Committee and the Board of Community Services.
A lifelong Sonoma County Fair patron, her summer delights at the fairgrounds have changed over the years: the Zipper has been replaced by the Hall of Flowers; carnival games by exploring the youth crafts on display at Finley Hall. She is honored to participate on the Fair Board, knowing it oversees much more than just the brief run of the summer fair: the fairgrounds and its facilities are vital and evolving resources for the entire county.
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Sonoma County Fair & Expositions Board of Directors |
A 40 year resident of Santa Rosa, Sharon Wright served 12 years on the Santa Rosa City Council; 3 terms as Mayor. She has a long history of community service including the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the County Planning Commission, Transportation Authority and the California Coastal Commission. She currently serves on the boards of Memorial Hospital, Burbank Housing and Summit State Bank.
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Climate Resiliency Town Hall
Join us for the County of Sonoma's Climate Action & Resiliency Virtual Town Hall on Tuesday, April 6th at 5:00 p.m.
After brief presentations about current climate initiatives in the County, participants will be invited to give feedback, voice concerns, identify priorities and brainstorm future initiatives. We want to hear from you how to make Sonoma County carbon neutral by 2030.
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Wildfire Protection Plan
Our Community. Our Responsibility.
Get Involved! Join us for the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Community Workshops! A workshop will be held virtually in each supervisorial district. The workshops will provide the opportunity to learn about wildfire preparedness as well as for Permit Sonoma to gather information from local residents about wildfire risks in their communities.
The meeting for District 3 will take place on April 22, 2021, Thursday, 6:00 – 7:30 PM
To look up which Supervisorial District you live click here.
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Cesar Chavez Day Health Fair |
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Raizes Collective invites you to:
Cesar Chavez Day Health Fair
Saturday 4/3 10am-2pm
-Outdoor Covid Campaign Art Exhibit
-Access to Health Professionals
-Sign up to get your Vaccine!!
-Art sale and t-shirt giveaways
-With Live musical performances by: Kurupi, Fourhead, Kayatta and Anette Moreno
-Traditional Champion Dancer Rueben CrowFeather, Lakota
Live performances start at 12:30 pm!
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