Mendocino County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Mendocino County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Public Ambulance Joint Powers Agreement
Public Health and the Coastal Valleys EMS Agency gave supervisors a picture of how emergency medical services are operating countywide. EMS staffing and response times are a persistent concern in rural counties like Mendocino.
Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO) Program
The county could opt into a state program allowing residents to legally run small food businesses from their home kitchens. If the board approves, staff will draft a local ordinance and permitting process.
First Quarter Budget Report and FY 2026-27 Budget Amendments
The Board adopted the third-quarter budget amendment for the current year and got its first look at the preliminary 2026-27 budget — a preview of what services and staffing the county can afford next year.
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.
Ukiah Area Trash Capture Devices
A $205,000 construction contract would install trash capture devices to keep litter out of local waterways around Ukiah.
Residential Permit Amnesty Program Considered
Dozens of residents testified that county permitting is too expensive, slow, and intimidating — only 12 of 38 housing-related amnesty applications finaled. The Board directed staff to review failed cases, meet with those owners, and hold community meetings rather than launch a new amnesty program now.
Sea Level Rise Policies for the Mendocino Coast
The county was set to hold a public hearing on adopting baseline sea level rise policies into its coastal plan and sending the amendment to the California Coastal Commission. These rules could shape future coastal development and how the shoreline is protected for decades.
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.
Animal Shelter Spay/Neuter Funding
A $408,000 donation is funding low-cost spay/neuter across the county, but a veterinary shortage is slowing things down; the county may rent its care van to a traveling vet with discounts for Covelo, the coast, and reservations.
Sea level rise and coastal plan update
The county is developing baseline sea level rise policies for its coastal General Plan element.
Permanent County CEO appointment
The county is working on filling its top administrative job — the CEO who runs day-to-day county operations. The board discussed the appointment behind closed doors and announced no hire, so the position's status remains up in the air.
Renewal of Climate and Tree Mortality Emergency Declarations
The board renewed its local emergency declarations for tree mortality and climate change, keeping the county eligible for related response tools and funding.
County Executive and Legal Leadership Appointments
The board is weighing performance reviews for four department heads and appointments to two top county jobs, including Chief Executive Officer and County Health Officer. Who fills these roles shapes how county services are run day to day.
1% Road Sales Tax Falls Short
The county tried to put a 1% transportation sales tax on the November ballot to fund road paving and maintenance staffing. It needed four of five supervisor votes just to pass the board, and got three. Roads stay underfunded.
Behavioral Health Contracting and Mental Health Client Services
The board approved $19.2 million in contracts with five mental health providers, but punted on whether providers must use the county's Avatar record system or may keep their own systems with a hybrid model. A new ad hoc will study it and report back.
Performance evaluations of department heads
The Board evaluated several top officials behind closed doors, including the Interim CEO, Agricultural Commissioner, Air Quality Pollution Officer, and Public Defender. Outcomes stay confidential unless they affect employment.
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.
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.
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.
Deteriorating county roads
Mendocino County ranks in the bottom five of California's 58 counties for road conditions, with an average pavement score of 47 and about half the network in poor or failed shape. Full repair to good condition would cost $575 million — far beyond current funding of about $5.5 million a year.
Reynold's Highway bridge replacement over Outlet Creek
A 1955 single-lane timber bridge — the only access and evacuation route for west-of-creek residents near Brooktrails — will be replaced with a new two-lane structure designed for 100-year floods, fully reimbursed by the federal Highway Bridge Program.
Data center moratorium extension
The Board imposed a 45-day emergency ban on approving new data center projects in unincorporated Mendocino County while it studies their water, electricity, farmland and fiscal impacts. A renewal hearing — possibly for a term as long as two years — is expected October 6.
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.
Labor Negotiations with County Employee Unions
Nearly 20 employees and union reps pleaded for a 3% cost-of-living adjustment, saying county workers qualify for food assistance, can't afford local housing, and that the county's 1% offer and cut to longevity pay would drive staff away.
El Niño winter storm emergency
The county ratified an emergency proclamation for a potentially historic El Niño, but staff say state permitting could take 9–18 months — meaning flood-prevention work in places like Hopland likely can't happen before the storms.