Supervisors talk tier system, tobacco sales, Measure B

UKIAH » In the midst of a tense general election day, the Mendocino Board of Supervisors met for their regularly scheduled virtual meeting, Tuesday. In a relatively short meeting, the board addressed the reopening of certain facilities as the county moves down in the state’s COVID-19 tier system, how to address confusion around Measure B, and continued tobacco sale law changes.

The board voted unanimously to adopt the consent calendar, including an item that recognizes Nov. 11 as Veterans Appreciation Day in Mendocino County.

Quickly moving on, the board voted to appoint Board of Supervisors Chair John Haschak as a delegate from Mendocino County to the California State Association of Counties Board of Directors, with Supervisor Ted Williams as an alternate.

Jumping into the bimonthly COVID-19 update, Public Health Officer Dr. Andrew Coren informed the board that the county has moved down into the red tier. This allows indoor worshiping services, indoor dining, gyms and fitness centers, and in-person hospital and nursing facility visits to begin again, with some limitations.

Mendocino County unexpectedly lost its coronavirus testing contract with the University of California at San Francisco as of Oct. 31. The UCSF contract will officially end Nov. 14, according to Coren, but the county is working on establishing a new state contract with OptumServe Federal

Health Services.

County moves out of restrictive “tier”

The county is also now able to reopen schools, which Coren said can stay open even if the county moves back into the purple tier.

Members of the board requested more transparency about the data used to determine the state tier system, which county staff said they will make an effort to provide.