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Autumn is upon us, and with it comes the change of colors, cooler temperatures and pumpkin-spiced everything. Of course, what also has arrived is an increase in COVID-19 and flu cases. In this week’s edition of the SoCoCorrespondent, we have the latest on how you can protect yourself and your family this fall. We also have updates on the county’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase the number of charging stations for electric vehicles, and expand shelter options for homeless people. Plus, we are excited to share a very happy ending to a story about a dog that spent 15 months in the county animal shelter.
As always, we encourage you to share this newsletter with friends, colleagues and family members or urge them to sign up for the SoCo Correspondent so they can receive it directly, normally on the first and third week of each month.
¿Está interesado en leer sobre lo que hace el Condado de Sonoma dos veces al mes? Este boletín estará disponible en español. Regístrese aquí para suscribirse a nuestro boletín, el SoCo Correspondent.
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Dr. Karen Smith, Sonoma County’s health officer, has issued new guidance strongly recommending that everyone 6 months or older get vaccinated for influenza and COVID-19.
COVID-19 and flu illnesses are increasing in Sonoma County, according to wastewater sampling monitored by the county, and COVID-19 hospitalizations have been ticking upwards since early July. Vaccination remains the best protection against both types of respiratory virus infections. Wearing masks in public indoor settings can further slow the spread of COVID and influenza.
If you have not received a COVID-19 vaccine in the past two months, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you get an updated vaccine to protect yourself this fall and winter. Updated vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna were released earlier this month. Book an appointment or find a walk-in clinic today by going to myturn.ca.gov.
You also can get four free rapid COVID-19 tests sent to your home by registering at COVIDtests.gov. If you have older tests at home, check to see if their expiration dates have been extended before throwing them out.
In response to the increase in respiratory illnesses in the county, Dr. Smith issued a health order last week requiring health care personnel to wear a mask when in patient care areas. The order applies to staff at health care facilities including hospitals, clinics, surgery centers, infusion centers, dialysis centers, skilled nursing facilities, portions of long-term care facilities where nursing care is provided, and other facilities where patient care is provided indoors. It will be in effect throughout the respiratory virus season, which runs from Nov. 1 through April 30.
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Pandemic leads to reduction
in greenhouse gas emissions by county
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Greenhouse gas emissions from county government operations fell 37 percent from 2017 to 2021, according to a new study presented to the Board of Supervisors this month. So what was the factor behind the decrease? COVID-19. The pandemic increased the number of people working from home and decreased commuting.
The study has now set a baseline for the county, allowing it to measure progress as it seeks to become carbon neutral by 2030.
“Despite being devastated by multiple successive natural disasters and a global pandemic in recent years, we continue to engage in progress toward our climate action goals,” said Supervisor Susan Gorin, a member of the board’s Climate Action Workshop Planning Committee. “The baseline inventory is an important starting point and essential to our understanding of where and how to maximize critical public funds in adapting to climate change.”
The county’s Climate Action and Resiliency Division will return to the Board of Supervisors in December with a set of options to reach the county’s emission targets. Potential strategies include shifting county electricity purchases to Sonoma Clean Power's Evergreen program; completing energy efficiency upgrades and electrification retrofits to county facilities; electrifying county fleet vehicles and equipment; increasing diversion of waste from landfills through education and improved waste receptacles; and exploring ways to reduce workforce commute emissions.
“Sonoma County is a canary in the coal mine and uniquely positioned to lead on climate efforts,” said Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, also a member of the ad hoc committee. “More and more communities across the country have come to understand what we have already learned. Our swift action to adapt to and mitigate the reality of climate change will create a ripple effect with profound positive impacts beyond our county.”
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County adds solar-powered EV charging stations | |
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A solar-powered electric vehicle charging station at Ragle Ranch Regional Park.
Sonoma County has installed mobile solar-powered charging stations for electric vehicles at three regional parks in Sebastopol, Santa Rosa and the Sonoma Valley.
The chargers are located in the parking lots at Ragle Ranch, Taylor Mountain and North Sonoma Mountain regional parks. They could be relocated over time depending on utilization rates, operational limitations such as lack of sunlight, and use as a backup power supply during emergencies.
Each station has two chargers and is free to be used by the public (excluding parking fees where applicable). The initiative is part of a larger program to replace all eligible County Fleet internal combustion engines with electric vehicles by 2030.
“With the devastating health and economic consequences of climate change growing here and elsewhere, we know that Sonoma County must act with urgency,” said Supervisor Chris Coursey, chair of the Board of the Supervisors. “This versatile new infrastructure is completely off-grid and transportable, which makes it a sustainable source of electricity for first responders and the general public, especially during an emergency.”
The units, which cost $81,595 each, were paid for with money from the county’s Climate Resilience Funding program using PG&E settlement funds from the 2017 wildfires. Other projects under development include a rainwater catchment system for Helen Putnam Regional Park; EV charging stations at the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office; bike lane construction on Arnold Drive; prescribed animal grazing for wildfire mitigation; and free public transit for Sonoma County youth.
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Videos spotlight work of four public safety agencies | |
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The next time you go to the movies, see if you can spot one of the new videos showcasing the work of county public safety agencies.
The videos were produced by the County Administrator’s Office to educate the public about the work of the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender, Probation Department and Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach. They are part of an initiative to improve public understanding of county health and safety programs, a goal outlined in the Healthy and Safe Communities pillar of the county’s five-year Strategic Plan.
The 30-second videos can be seen in local movie theaters, where they are shown before the movie begins. Extended versions can be viewed on the county’s YouTube channel and other social media feeds. Click on the links below to view them:
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County expanding shelter options for homeless | |
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Sonoma County is phasing out two interim housing sites for people experiencing homelessness and replacing them with longer-term housing systems.
This month, the Board of Supervisors voted to authorize staff to study a possible 2.4-acre shelter site in north Santa Rosa that could provide RV or trailer shelters, as well as tiny homes. The site could shelter up to 70 people. The site, located on Russell Avenue just north of the county courthouse and jail, is intended to partially replace the emergency shelter site, which opened in March on the county government campus off Ventura Avenue.
In east Santa Rosa, the county will work on a plan to renovate two of the existing dormitories at Los Guilicos, with a goal of housing up to 140 people. When done, the County hopes to remove 60 pallet shelters established 3½ years ago at Los Guilicos Village.
The transition of the two interim shelter sites is estimated to cost about $3 million and is expected to take place by the end of the year.
“We have made ending homelessness and creating affordable housing our priorities in Sonoma County, with investments in new shelter facilities, expanded supportive services and the development of current and new affordable housing projects,” said Supervisor Coursey, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “We have more work to do, and we won’t let up on our commitment to achieving ‘functional zero,’ which means any episode of homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring.”
The number of homeless individuals in Sonoma County decreased by 22 percent from last year, according to figures presented to the Board of Supervisors this month. The reduction reflects an increase in the number of beds available at new housing projects in the county, in places like Healdsburg, Rohnert Park, Petaluma and Santa Rosa.
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Brittany Lobo wins national recognition
for work in public health
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Brittany Lobo, a section manager in the Sonoma County Department of Health Services, has been recognized as one of the top rising public health leaders in the nation.
Lobo was included in the de Beaumont Foundation’s “40 Under 40 in Public Health” list, which recognizes young leaders who are changing the face of public health in innovative ways.
Lobo oversees the Community and Family Health section, which has a staff of 62 and includes programs such as Women, Infants and Children; Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health; Healthy Eating, Active Living; and Vital Statistics. She successfully applied for two grants in the past year, bringing nearly $250,000 into Public Health to support workforce development and provide car seats to low-income families.
“Brittany is a talented public health professional who has created a culture of care and trust within her section. She supports her staff so that they can successfully implement their programs and strategies,” said Tina Rivera, director of the Department of Health Services. “She has had many impressive accomplishments just within the past year, and she could not be more deserving of this recognition.”
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Board of Supervisors expands scope
of Living Wage ordinance
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It started in 2016 with a simple concept: employers who make money by selling products or services to the county government must pay their workers a wage that will support living in Sonoma County.
This month, the Board of Supervisors approved a major expansion of the county’s Living Wage ordinance. Supervisors applied the requirements to larger employers who conduct business on county-owned property, including tenants and concessionaires at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport and the county’s seven veterans memorial buildings.
For the first time, all employers covered by the ordinance also must give employees at least one hour of paid time off for every 20 hours worked, up to a maximum of 12 paid days off annually.
“Our entire county benefits when we reduce poverty and raise the standard of living for our lowest-paid workers,” said Supervisor Coursey, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “These changes will increase the number of workers who are protected by the Living Wage ordinance while ensuring they have access to paid time off in case they get sick or need to spend time away from work.”
The Living Wage ordinance currently requires covered employers to pay workers a minimum of $17.65 an hour, with credits for employers who contribute to workers’ health care or retirement benefits. It is unrelated to the state minimum wage, which rose to $15.50 an hour this year.
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What does ‘economic equity’ look like
in Sonoma County?
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Economist William Rodgers III, vice president and director of the Institute for Economic Equity at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, will be the keynote speaker at the county’s annual Fall Economic Perspective event Oct. 19 at Sonoma State University.
Rodgers will explore the barriers and opportunities for economic equity in Sonoma County. The event, hosted by the county’s Economic Development Board, will also honor recipients of the county’s Economic Prosperity Awards for their work contributing to the economic health of their communities.
“We are truly thrilled to have Dr. Rodgers join us in Sonoma County. Looking at our economy through a lens of equity is critically important and aligns with community goals of economic well-being for all of Sonoma County,” said Ethan Brown, executive director for the Economic Development Board.
The Economic Development Board works to grow a healthy economy by helping businesses in Sonoma County. It provides confidential, no-cost consulting services to businesses seeking to start, relocate and grow in Sonoma County.
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After 469 days in the Sonoma County animal shelter, Ace has finally found a home.
The playful husky, featured in the SoCo Correspondent last March, gained national attention after a July 31 TikTok video about his plight went viral. The TikTok, made by shelter supervisor Emma Diemert, combined a short video clip of the dog on his first day at the shelter and another filmed 14 months later. It was viewed more than 1.4 million times, drawing coverage by Newsweek magazine and inquiries from as far away as Florida.
A young boy began writing letters to Ace, which were captured in an Aug. 31 TikTok video, and a husky owner who viewed the video on Facebook drove up from San Francisco to meet Ace. A Sept. 7 TikTok video shows staff eagerly observing the encounter, which ended with the happy dog escorted out of the shelter to his new owner.
While Ace’s story has a happy ending, he is not the shelter’s biggest social media star. An April 28 TikTok video of Galapagos, a Sharpei mix who had been at the shelter for two months, has garnered 1.9 million views. He was adopted one month later, the joyous moment captured in a May 27 TikTok video.
While Ace and Galapagos are now claimed, the shelter has 44 other dogs and 16 cats available for adoption. The shelter is currently waiving adoption fees for dogs 4 months old and older, and offering a “Buy one, get one free” promotion on kittens.
The shelter is also seeking people willing to foster a dog or kitten, taking them home for as little as a weekend or as long as until they are adopted. The shelter will provide free supplies and veterinary services; foster parents provide a home and love.
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Find room to grow with a county job | |
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Are you looking for a new job? Thinking about career options for the future? Learn how you can take the next step in your professional life and join the County of Sonoma family!
Start Here! is a virtual class that provides an overview of the county’s job application, examination and selection processes. The two-hour session provides information on how to submit a thorough application, best practices for the interview and examination, and much more. Send an email to careers@sonoma-county.org and we will invite you to future class opportunities. Let us help guide you through the county’s selection process.
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Applications for housing vouchers due Oct. 31 | |
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The Sonoma County Housing Authority will soon reopen its waitlist for the Housing Choice Voucher program, formerly known as the Section 8 program, which subsidizes rents for individuals and families with very low incomes.
The Housing Authority will accept applications for the program from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31. After the close of the application period, 750 applicants will be randomly selected in a lottery for placement on the waitlist.
Beginning Oct. 1, applications may be completed online at www.waitlistcheck.com/CA085 or in person at the Housing Authority's offices, located at 1440 Guerneville Road in Santa Rosa. Offices are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Applications are always free and do not require a credit card number. Avoid scammers who request payment. Fraudulent websites may look authentic, with the Equal Housing Opportunity logo and names that reference Section 8. Such sites will take applicants’ money and sell their personal information. The only legitimate website for applications is www.waitlistcheck.com/CA085.
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Board of Supervisors invites public
to comment in person or via email
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Members of the public are always invited to address the Board of Supervisors during regular Tuesday meetings and other special meetings. But for the rest of this year, those comments will need to be made in person – or via email. The Board has stopped accepting public comments from people watching its meetings on Zoom in response to a series of racist and antisemitic slurs by anonymous online viewers at its Sept. 12 and Sept. 19 meetings.
The public is invited to address the Board in person during its meetings, held in the Board Chambers at 575 Administration Drive, Room 100A in Santa Rosa. The public may also submit comments via email to bos@sonoma-county.org.
Board meetings will continue to be broadcast live on Zoom and via the county’s Legistar platform.
“I and my board colleagues are committed to free speech and open public dialogue, but that does not include racist, antisemitic and personal attacks that only spread harm. We stand against such behavior, and will not allow our public meetings to be hijacked with the clear intent to disseminate hateful, racist or blatantly offensive speech,” said Supervisor Coursey, chair of the Board of Supervisors.
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Participate in Oct. 4 test of emergency alert system | |
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We need your help: Sign up to provide feedback on the upcoming Oct. 4 test of the wireless emergency alert system.
The test will attempt to send an alert to every cellphone in Sonoma County during a half-hour span beginning at 11:20 a.m. The county is seeking volunteers to report back after the test with your location, whether you received the alert or not, and the type of phone and service you have. Your feedback will provide local first responders, emergency management organizations and partner agencies with valuable information to better serve you, your neighborhood and the community during a real emergency.
Sign up to provide feedback at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5FX8T26 or by contacting (707) 565-1369.
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Learn how to make your home
more energy efficient and resilient
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The county’s Climate Action and Resiliency team is staging a series of free workshops in October and November to educate homeowners about improvements that will make your home more energy efficient, safe and resilient.
Participants will also learn about rebates, incentives and financing to help pay for upgrades to their homes during the 90-minute workshops. A free home energy score report, valued at up to $450, will be given away in a drawing. Register to attend a workshop in your neighborhood:
For more information or to register for one of the workshops, contact energy@sonoma-county.org or call (707) 565-6470.
The Climate Action and Resiliency Division is a one-stop shop for residential and commercial property owners to find resources to help them save energy and water. It provides a variety of services including Property Assessed Clean Energy financing.
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Get the latest information on the county’s efforts
to combat climate change
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The county’s Climate Action and Resiliency Division oversees a series of initiatives to help the county and its residents address the climate crisis. Sign up for its quarterly newsletter to stay abreast of its work, which impacts local lands, buildings and water systems in a variety of ways.
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IOLERO seeking participants for focus group
on community policing
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The county’s Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach is looking for people to help with a research project on community-oriented policing. The office hopes to learn more about what community-oriented policing means to members of the community. Participants will be asked how they think the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office is demonstrating community-oriented policing. Each participant will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.
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Local groundwater sustainability agencies
win $15 million in state grants
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Three groundwater sustainability agencies serving the Petaluma Valley, Santa Rosa Plain and Sonoma Valley were awarded $15.1 million in state grants this month from the California Department of Water Resources.
The funding will help support local sustainable groundwater management, including projects to help rural residents use water more efficiently and better understand how groundwater pumping impacts local creeks and streams. Each of three agencies have developed detailed plans to ensure that groundwater is available to meet local needs for 50 years.
“In Sonoma Valley, we need this funding to ensure our farms, homes and businesses can depend on groundwater resources today and in future years and help us build our resilience to drought, and I would like to thank the Department of Water Resources for reconsidering their earlier recommendations and funding this high priority basin,” said Supervisor Susan Gorin, who chairs the Sonoma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency.
“This is significant funding to help us meet the timeline and goals of our plan and will offset the ongoing costs to our community for this work,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, who chairs the Petaluma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency.
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Support your community by getting involved | |
Get involved with local government
Government is only as good as the people who step forward to serve. There are many ways you can become involved in local government by serving on local boards, commissions and committees.
Current vacancies include:
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Green Valley Cemetery District: To oversee care of the grounds, sell plots and maintain records of burials, secure liability insurance, provide annual audit materials and submit an annual report to the State Controller’s Office.
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Workforce Investment Board: To lead an integrated workforce development system to ensure the county’s economic vitality and quality of life.
Check out the list of current vacancies and discover how you can help shape the future of Sonoma County.
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Volunteer and employment opportunities | |
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