District 3 Monthly Newsletter | |
A Message from Chair Coursey | |
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Greetings neighbors and friends, I write this note with a sigh of relief as the first series of winter storms seem to have subsided for now. While we avoided major flooding from the Russian River, our community was impacted in many ways. My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones, and my deepest gratitude goes out to staff, volunteers and emergency personnel who assisted residents in distress during the storms. At this time, the county continues to gather information to assess the full impact of the storms in an effort to advance our recovery and future resilience.
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At the outset of this year, the county also experienced major changes in its leadership. As you may be aware, Sheryl Bratton announced her retirement last year and this month the Board publicized the selection of Christina Rivera as the new County Administrator. The Board also selected a new slate of officers this month, and I am proud to be serving as Chair of the Board this year. I look forward to partnering with our new administrator, county staff, the community and our Board to continue serving the best interests of all Sonoma County residents.
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In the newsletter below you will find more on these topics and many other updates we have put together. We also have included a community bulleting and information on local events that may be of interest. As always, I am grateful for your continued engagement, and I welcome your thoughts and feedback.
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Chris Coursey
707-565-2241
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New Leadership at the County of Sonoma | |
Coursey is named Chair of the Board of Supervisors | |
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District 3 Supervisor Chris Coursey was unanimously selected by his peers to serve as chairman of the Board of Supervisors in 2023, replacing District 4 Supervisor James Gore.
Coursey, who was elected to the Board in 2020, represents central Santa Rosa, the Roseland and Moorland areas of Santa Rosa, and most of Rohnert Park east of Highway 101. Previously, he served four years on the Santa Rosa City Council, including two as mayor, when he led the city’s efforts to recover from the 2017 wildfires.
“I look forward to this year as chair of the board, working with my colleagues, our staff and the community to make Sonoma County an even better place for all of our residents,” Coursey said.
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Maria Christina Rivera, former Assistant County Administrator, will succeeding Sheryl Bratton as the county government’s top executive at the beginning of Februa
Christina Rivera was born in Santa Rosa and has more than 25 years of government experience including five years as Assistant County Administrator. She is the first Latina, bilingual County Administrator for the County of Sonoma, and will oversee more than 4,000 employees and an annual budget of roughly $2 billion.
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Dave Kiff, a government official with more than 30 years of experience, including as Interim Executive Director of Sonoma County Community Development Commission (CDC), has been named director of the county’s new Homelessness Services Division within the Department of Health Services. As CDC Director, Kiff oversaw the county’s affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs, and managed all CDC operations including its Housing Authority.
Kiffs designation as Director of the new Homelessness Division is the latest in a series of recent Board actions to consolidate homeless services under the Department of Health Services and allocate discretionary funding toward expanding resources to address homelessness.
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The first storm landed in our region on Dec. 26. By the time the last one departed on Thursday, Jan. 19, it had rained 20 of 24 days in Sonoma County, causing at least $20.8 million in damage and untold hardship to people whose lives were interrupted by the unrelenting storms.
With swift action, the County activated the Emergency Operations Center, opened an emergency shelter and dispatched emergency personnel to assist residents in dangerous conditions. To support residents without power, the county opened community support centers, handing out blankets, water and food while providing a place to connect to the internet and recharge phones.
Although the region avoided major flooding from the Russian River – the storms caused immense hardship to many of the most vulnerable members of our community. In response, the county partnered with local nonprofits to create an innovative new model to disaster recovery, allocating $300,000 in financial aid directly to individuals who met eligibility requirements. Nearly 1,100 people visited the Recovery Support Centers or accessed the centers by phone.
At this time, the county continues to assess the impact of the storms and response efforts.
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The Board of Supervisors last week unanimously approved an updated mental health services support plan for Sonoma County, utilizing more than $28 million in funds provided through Proposition 63, which California voters approved in 2004.
The plan updates and enhances key mental health programs that served nearly 30,000 individuals last fiscal year.
“Expanding mental health care is one of the most important things we can do as a community, and it is a top priority of this Board,” said Supervisor Chris Coursey, chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. “The Mental Health Services Act is a tremendous resource, funding vital programs that make a real difference in people’s lives.”
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Two county departments – General Services and Transportation & Public Works – have been consolidated into a single agency with a new name: the Department of Public Infrastructure.
The Board of Supervisors appointed TPW Director Johannes Hoevertsz to lead the new agency, which has the equivalent of more than 272 full-time employees and an annual budget of $240 million.
The merger is designed to improve the efficiency and quality of services overseen by the new department. General Services managed county purchasing, facilities, real estate, capital projects and its fleet of vehicles. TPW managed county roads, transit, the airport, multiple waste disposal sites and water systems, as well as regulation of air quality and emissions.
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife recently determined sea otter reintroduction was feasible in a variety of areas along the Pacific Coast of the United States, including the San Francisco Bay Area, a former habitat range for sea otters. Reintroducing sea otters has a range of benefits from carbon sequestration to ecosystem resilience, and the Board of Supervisors invites and supports further exploration of the Sonoma County coast as a potential reintroduction site. | |
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Electrical appliances will be required in most new residential construction under new building codes adopted last month by the Board of Supervisors to advance the county’s climate action goals.
Natural gas or propane cooktops would still be permitted in new homes, but all other appliances must be powered by electricity under the new building codes. New commercial structures must include solar panels and energy storage.
In response to feedback from low-income residents and housing advocates, the county modified the plumbing code to allow for composting toilets. These revisions are one way Permit Sonoma is addressing alternative housing, and the department will bring additional emergency housing provisions back to the Board of Supervisors next year.
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Receive live, 24/7 online tutoring and homework help in every K-12 subject with HelpNow by Brainfuse! | |
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Earn It! Keep It! Save It!
- FREE 2021-2022 Tax Preparation
- FREE for households earning $66,000 or less
- FREE support provided by certified tax preparers
- FREE in-person or drop off tax preparation available
- U.S. CITIZENSHIP NOT REQUIRED
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Every four years the AAA conducts a County wide Area Plan Needs Assessment to understand the need for and access to services for older adults in Sonoma County. Residents can submit feedback and participate by filling out a 10-minute survey and/or attending a focus group. | |
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TAKE A SURVEY:
Online surveys are available immediately and strongly encouraged to be completed.
Access English Survey HERE
Tome la encuesta en Español AQUI
Printed Surveys will are available at your local senior centers or upon request by calling 707-565-5900.
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Register for an online or in-person Focus Group. Focus groups will be held in various cities from Jan through March, and they will be conducted in English and Spanish, focusing on different needs and interests.
A Spanish- language Focus Group in District 3 will take place Weds, Feb 22 at 3:00pm at the Roseland Library, 470 Sebastopol Rd,
Register for a Focus Group Here
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Andre Siedentopf, a Sonoma County resident who rents out property in west Santa Rosa, has been named January Housing Hero!
Andre been renting out properties in Santa Rosa for 17 years and began renting to housing voucher holders in 2021. Some of the benefits that Andre has experienced from renting to Section 8 Housing Voucher recipients include always receiving the rent on time, leasing his units at market rate prices and gaining long-term dependable tenants.
“Put yourself in their place, that is what I do… give these folks a chance,” Andre said in encouraging other landlords to get involved. “If you can help these folks by providing a roof over their heads, you are going to get paid, they are going to pay you, it's all going to work out.”
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The County of Sonoma Commission on the Status of Women is seeking applicants for the Junior Commissioner Project for the 2023-2024 school year. This project serves as a learning experience for students regarding issues of women’s equity while empowering youth to find their voice. The Commission is particularly interested in encouraging diversity and is actively seeking youth who could help us broaden participation in this project.
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Community Conversation with Legal Aid | |
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Join Moorland Neighborhood Action Group for a conversation with Legal aid Professionals. Learn about services and resources provided by the organization including assistance with eviction and tenant issues, services related to guardianship, elder law, domestic abuse or harassment and more.
The event will be held on Feb. 8 at 6pm at Amarosa Academy located at 3261 Dutton Ave, Santa Rosa Ca 95407.
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Meet employers offering local job opportunities and get support with housing, food access, transportation, and more!
100 – $25 gift cards will be given away to those participating in the event.
Need transportation, clothing, a haircut, resume prep, and more? Contact us at [email protected]
Lunch and refreshments provided!
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Flu season, which started early in Sonoma County, is subsiding. Local hospitals are treating three people for influenza, down from 69 at their peak on Dec. 1. Wastewater sampling also shows declines in the prevalence of the flu virus in Santa Rosa and Petaluma.
More good news: COVID-19 cases are inching down again after a surge pushed Sonoma County last month from the “Low” to “Medium” tier in COVID-19 transmission metrics used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to track how quickly the virus is spreading. As a result of the county’s CDC ranking, state masking requirements were reinstated in emergency shelters, homeless shelters and some other high-risk settings. As of Jan. 19, we are seeing 6.6 new COVID cases per 100,000 residents, down from 16.6 new cases per 100,000 residents in mid December. Hospitalizations are also declining and have been cut almost in half from the winter peak. Local hospitals are now treating 32 patients with COVID, down from 61 two weeks ago. Thankfully, no deaths have been reported since Dec. 9. It is a testament to the decision by 85 percent of the county’s eligible residents to vaccinate themselves against a virus that has now killed 532 members of our community since the pandemic began in March 2020.
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