Supervisors discuss plans for reopening
UKIAH » As the governor announced California’s tentative reopening for June on Tuesday, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors evaluated the county’s descent into the Orange Tier, as well as how the county is planning for the upcoming wildfire season — possibly using PG&E settlement funds to do so.
At the start of the meeting, the board approved the entirety of the consent calendar, aside from pulling an appointment application for the Third District Representative on the Behavioral Health Advisory Board which needed further review.
Jumping quickly into a brief COVID-19 update, the county’s Public Health Officer Dr. Andrew Coren reported that Mendocino County’s average daily new case
rate is down to 3.07 per 100,000 people. The sevenday test positivity rate for the county is also down to 2.4 percent, showing less transmission of the virus within the county.
The percentage of Latinx residents testing positive for COVID-19 is slightly down, at 50 percent, which Coren says is not enough, but is heading in the right direction.
There have been no new, Coronavirus-related deaths in the county in the last two weeks. All of these numbers lead Coren to say he believes that the county is on track to move down into the Orange Tier as early as later this week. inf act, the state announced Mendocino County entered into the Orange Tier later that same day.
According to Coren, the Orange Tier would mean increased
capacity for places of worship, retail, shopping centers, restaurants, movie theaters and museums, as well as outdoor live events. It would also allow the reopening of indoor pools and bars that serve food.
While offices may begin to gradually reopen, Coren says he still encourages telework where it’s possible.
“We want to move forward, we want to get back to normal life, schools open, recreation, and a more sociable and rewarding life,” Coren said. “But we also want to see that all these restrictions, plus masking, distancing and testing, got us here. We need to continue those activities, along with vaccines, until we are sure we have this pandemic under control.”
As the weather in California is warming and summer is creeping closer, Mendocino County is looking at how it can prepare for the inevitable dry and dangerous season.
In preparation for the
2021 fire season, CAL Fire Mendocino Unit Chief George Gonzales presented CAL Fire’s plans to reduce the impact of the coming summer, especially following the devastating millionacre August Complex “gigafire” last year.
“I have concerns for this summer. Last year unfortunately, Mendocino County saw the first gigafire in the state of California,” he said. “California has never seen a fire over a million acres and we had it right here in our backyard.”
According to Gonzales, CAL Fire has around 13 fire and EMT projects in the works throughout the county, although some are on pause due to wildlife acts which protect bird migration.
CAL Fire’s preventative measures include implementing firebreaks — gaps in vegetation which slow or stop the spread of wildfires — as well as controlled burns and mountain top radio repeater maintenance.
“Our fall, winter and spring for the next several years, at least while I’m still here, are going to be similar to this,” Gonzales said. “It’s going to be packed with vegetation management projects for this county.”
CAL Fire is also utilizing 100 more firefighters than it’s ever previously had to prepare and execute these projects, according to Gonzales. In addition, Mendocino County is receiving a Firehawk helicopter, designed after the military Blackhawk, which can travel at speeds up to 180 miles per hour and carries 1000 gallons of water, as well as 14 crewmembers.
“It is quite advanced, we’re looking forward to using it. Hopefully we won’t have to use it on any fires this summer, but if there is one we’ll be ready,” he said.
The board then moved on to receive five funding proposals for the Pacific Gas & Electric disaster settlement funds, including from the Mendocino County Fire
Safe Council, Emergency Medical Services and the Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office proposed the development of an Emergency Operations Center, although Chief Executive Officer Carmel Angelo said the proposed building is already allocated to other departments. Angelo said she would work with the Sheriff’s Office to find an appropriate space for the EOC.
The Mendocino County Department of Transportation also proposed the use of funds for bridge, road, airport and other infrastructure maintenance and emergency preparedness.
The Department of Planning and Building Services requested funding which would reimburse the department for waived permit fees and staff hours during last year’s fire recovery. According to the proposal, the money would then be reinvested into department resources, permitting software and staffing.
The board will revisit the PG&E funds on May 4, with additional proposals. Prior to that though, Supervisor Glenn Mcgourty said he’d like the board to start discussing the big picture as more proposals are presented.
“I hope at some point we’re going to have a discussion on how we prioritize monies to be spent from the PG&E funds and the COVID relief funds so that we can start thinking about that as we view the presentations,” Mcgourty said.
Angelo said that the CEO Office is keeping a running tally of all requested funds, and once all presentations made, they will present the board with a comprehensive look at all proposals and funding streams.
The Mendocino Board of Supervisors will meet next for a special meeting on April 12, and then for a regular meeting at 9 a.m. on April 20. For more information, visit mendocinocounty.org/government/ board-of-supervisors.