Mendocino County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Mendocino County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Bower Park Improvement Project Phase 3 Grant
The board added $170,000 of one-time money to finish the South Coast park's lighting, fencing and landscaping. Local speakers backed it but questioned who will maintain the park long-term — an estimated $100,000 a year question left unanswered.
Briceland Road Bridge Replacement Over the Mattole River
The consent calendar included a $530,000 engineering design contract for replacing the Briceland Road bridge over the Mattole River near Whitethorn — a key link for the isolated southern Humboldt-adjacent community.
County Health Officer appointment
Supervisors privately discussed filling the County Health Officer position. No decision was announced, leaving the county's public health leadership question open.
Willits library refresh and ADA upgrades
The Willits library gets a full overhaul — ADA fixes, new flooring, HVAC, windows and an outdoor kids' patio — funded entirely by Measure O sales tax dollars, under a new 10-year plan to share library capital money fairly countywide.
Code enforcement priorities and neighborhood nuisances
The board kept life safety as the top code enforcement priority and added law-enforcement referrals, but a 4-1 split revealed frustration that nuisance complaints — trash, junk, illegal occupancy — aren't being addressed fast enough with staffing down to two field officers.
Meadow Farm code enforcement fee waiver
The county waived about $9,000 in building-permit penalties for the Fort Bragg nonprofit so it can afford permits to fix inherited code violations; one supervisor warned about setting a precedent.
Covelo/Round Valley Safe Routes to School
The county hired Dokken Engineering for $1.1 million to design safer school walking routes in Round Valley.
Waterless composting toilets for rural areas
A possible voluntary pilot would let rural residents use container-based composting toilets where septic isn't feasible. Any plan must come back to the Board before implementation.
2026-27 Property Tax Rates
The Board formally set the county's tax rates for the coming fiscal year.
Anticipated Litigation Against the County
The Board got briefed in private on litigation exposure involving multiple cases. Details stay confidential, but outcomes could carry costs for the county.
Grand Jury response on Planning and Building oversight
The Board approved its response to two 2025/2026 Grand Jury reports examining Board oversight of Planning and Building Services, and disbanded the ad hoc committee that drafted it.
Secure Rural Schools Title III project funding
The Board directed staff to partner with the Resource Conservation District and Fire Safe Council to rank and fund fire prevention and related projects with $219,000 in federal Title III funds.
2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan
The Board adopted the updated hazard mitigation plan, keeping the county positioned for federal disaster mitigation and recovery funding.
CEO salary increase to $300,000
Facing a second failed recruitment, the Board raised the advertised CEO salary to a $250,000–$300,000 range, passing 3-2. Dissenting supervisors argued the 20% bump next to staff's 3% raise sends the wrong message, while supporters said the higher ceiling is the only way to attract qualified candidates.
Wildfire Evacuation Order Downgrade
Good news for people near Covelo: the wildfire evacuation order has been downgraded to a warning, so some residents may be able to head home. But it’s not all-clear—keep your go-bag ready and be prepared to leave again if conditions change.
Grand Jury Findings on Planning & Building
A new Grand Jury report criticizes the board's oversight of Planning and Building Services, including failure to implement state fire-safe regulations (PRC 4290). Supervisors Williams and Haschak will lead the response; a resident said last year's promised follow-up never happened.
Hill Road Bridge Replacement Over Mill Creek
The Board green-lit bidding on the $7.87 million Hill Road Bridge replacement in the Covelo area — one of the biggest infrastructure items on the consent calendar.
Hopland Shaded Fuel Break Wildfire Grant
The county will apply for up to $950,000 from Cal Fire's Proposition 4 program to fund the Hopland shaded fuel break wildfire prevention project.
Redwood Valley Water District Annexation (LAFCO A-2025-05)
The Russian River Flood Control District wants to annex the Redwood Valley Water District's service area — an administrative change that would let Redwood use its contracted water anywhere in its boundaries without dissolving either district. The Board's zero tax sharing agreement keeps property tax distributions unchanged if LAFCO approves.
Planning and Building Services Leadership Transition
Director Julia Krog announced she's leaving July 17 for a Marin County job; Richard Wegele will serve as interim director with a supporting team, and the CEO is exploring a broader community services department reorganization.
Fiscal Transparency and the $30 Million Uncollected Revenue Question
Supervisors Mulheren and Williams pressed for better financial reporting on road spending, and Supervisor Haschak flagged public confusion about roughly $30 million in uncollected county revenue flagged in a state audit. Staff said the financial system needs years of work before full transparency is possible.
Lodging Business Improvement District assessment for FY 2026/27
The county will keep collecting the BID assessment with a June 23 hearing set, but supervisors pressed Visit Mendocino to fix its neglect of inland tourism and directed staff on ordinance changes returning election and board powers to the organization.
Elder and dependent adult abuse awareness
Adult Protective Services reported a 30% increase in abuse reports over five years (1,623 in 2025) with a small team responding 24/7; the board proclaimed June as awareness month.
Caspar-Area Road Maintenance and Fish Rock Road Repairs
The board greenlit $3 million in corrective and preventative road maintenance around Caspar and finalized the award for Fish Rock Road storm damage repairs near Boonville.
Veterans ATLAS Telehealth in Fort Bragg
Starting the week of June 22, coast veterans can do VA telehealth appointments at the Fort Bragg Veterans Memorial Building instead of an 80-minute drive to the nearest VA facility.
Wilderness Lodge Road bridge replacement right-of-way
The county will begin condemnation proceedings to get land it needs to replace the functionally obsolete one-lane bridge over Dutch Charlie Creek near Laytonville. The landowner wouldn't respond to purchase offers.
Termination of Ameresco Energy Project and New Green Energy Ad Hoc
After years of trying, the county gave up on the Ameresco solar project because the finances no longer worked — federal tax credit timing was risky and Ukiah's cheap power plus no net metering made savings impossible. A new ad hoc will explore solar on county parcels outside Ukiah and options with Sonoma Clean Power.
Proposed sale of four county-owned properties
The county is quietly working on selling land and buildings in Covelo, Boonville, near Willits, and Fort Bragg. Staff now have authority to negotiate price and terms, though any final sale would return to the Board in public.
Nonprofit partner reports
Ford Street Project, Redwood Community Services, Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority, MCAVHN, and First 5 Mendocino each presented on housing, behavioral health, harm reduction, and early childhood programs serving county residents.
Public safety and reentry services
Sheriff, DA, and Probation leaders gave a joint picture of public safety, including GEO Reentry Services case management. This shapes future funding and policy choices on law enforcement and jail reentry.
Councilmember Property Purchases Conflict of Interest
A Point Arena councilmember is facing conflict-of-interest questions after quietly buying up local properties through LLCs. The concern is simple: if an elected official owns more of the town, can residents trust their decisions at City Hall to be impartial?
City Name Change Consideration
Fort Bragg leaders are weighing whether to drop the city’s name because it honors a Confederate general. The change could reshape the coastal town’s identity and draw national attention—but it also means a rebranding bill and some local friction.
City Name Change Debate
Fort Bragg may get a new name because its current one honors a Confederate general, and the debate is back on. If you live in Mendocino County, expect a loud public fight over local identity, history, and what the name says about the place.