Supervisor Bradford’s Week in Review

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting. The agenda includes a significant item related to the City of Wheatland and south Yuba County:

I do not have any other board and committee meetings on my calendar this week.

Additional items on my calendar included speaking at a press conference in Sacramento on behalf of the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) in support of SB 769  (the Golden State Infrastructure Corporation Act), and two meetings with constituents to discuss transportation projects.

I headed to DC in the second half of the week for Cap-to-Cap 2025.   On Friday, I participated in a transportation and housing tour of northern Virginia hosted by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) followed by a dinner hosted by Choose Folsom and Visit Placer.  Saturday I didn’t have any work related items so my wife and I visited the People House Museum, went to the top of the Washington Monument, and Went to an Orioles game in Baltamore.  On Sunday, I had a flood protection related brunch and then we attended the Cap-to-Cap Chair’s Reception followed by a dinner for the Yuba-Sutter delegation attending Cap-to-Cap.

This week, community events on my calendar included the Plumas Lake Walking Moai

I was in DC for the first half of the week for Cap-to-Cap 2025. I served on the Transportation and Flood Protection teams, and we will met with federal representatives and agencies to advocate for the Sacramento region’s needs in those subject areas.  You can find the details about what the 450 Cap-to-Cap deligates advocated for here.

My advocacy meetings included:

• Business Climate Team meeting with Congressman LaMalfa’s office
• Transportation Team meeting with the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works (majority)
• Transportation Team meeting with Senator Booker’s office
• Transportation Team meeting with the US Department of Transportation
• Flood Protection Team meeting with Congressman Kiley’s office

I also attended team meetings for the Transportant Team and the Flood Protection team.

I had several other board and committee meetings on my calendar, including:

• Budget AdHoc Committee Meeting

After I return from DC, additional items on my calendar include a Board Governance Training Workshop hosted by Yuba Water Agency, a Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) chair’s retreat panel session speaker prep call, and the GSEC annual celebration.

Community events on my calendar include the Yuba County Office of Education Roll & Stroll, where I served as a judge for the South Yuba County Sunrise Rotary Chili Cook-off.

Looking ahead to this week 

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

I had several other board and committee meetings on my calendar, including:

• Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Board of Directors meeting (agenda)
• Yuba Sutter Transit (YSTA) Board of Directors meeting (agenda) [didn’t attend due to conflict]

Additional items on my calendar included an agenda setting meeting for the next Board of Supervisors meeting, a meeting with Yuba Water Agency and staff from Congressman LaMalfa’s office, and a SACOG/Sac RT Tour and Talk.

The Olivehurst Public Utility District (OPUD) ‘s Board of Directors met on Thursday at 7 p.m. (agenda), and the Yuba County Planning Commission met on Wednesday at 6 p.m. (agenda).

This week, community events on my calendar included the Plumas Lake Walking Moai and  a Yuba Sutter Chamber Happy Hour at Palomas in Marysville.

The Board of Supervisors met at 9 a.m. on 4/222 at the Government Center in Marysville.  I could not participate due to vacation, but I listened to the meeting remotely. The agenda contained several items of interest, including:

• Receive the quarterly update from the Community Development and Service Department.
• Victim Services unit to honor local law enforcement, District Attorney staff and community partner agencies for outstanding service to crime victims of Yuba County.
• Adopt resolution accepting the California Department of Housing and Community Development annual progress report reflecting the Yuba County General Plan and housing element..
• Adopt resolution assigning remaining portion of Northpoint Village 1 and all of Northpoint Village 2 into CSA 66 – Zone of Benefit E.

You can find the video of the Community Development Update here and the report here.  The presentation starts with an update on overall Yuba County Economic Development (starts at 18:00), and then moves into specific projects, including the Holiday Market in Plumas Lake (starts at 24:26).

I had several other board and committee meetings on my calendar, including:

• California State Association of Counties (CSAC) Board Meeting
• CSAC Housing Land Use and Transportation (HTL) Committee meeting
• CSAC Rural Caucus meeting [couldn’t attend due to conflict]
• Yuba Sutter Arts (YSARTS) Board of Directors meeting [couldn’t attend due to conflict]

I attended the annual CSAC Legislative conference in Sacramento from Wednesday through Friday.  Additional items on my calendar included giving a presentation about Yuba Water Agency and leadership at the Northern California Water Association (NCWA) water leaders meeting, a federal funding and policies webinar hosted by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), a Cap-to-Cap Transportation team meeting, a Cap-to-Cap Flood Team meeting, a CSAC/CalCities reception, and the Yuba County On the Horizon Dinner.  I attended an A’s game with some county supervisors while we were at the CSAC conference.  In addition, I was interviewed by CBS13 about the planned development in the Sports & Entertainment zone near Hard Rock.  You can read and watch the interview here.

This week’s community events on my calendar included the Cobblestone Elementary Spring Carnival and the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Sutter County Museum.

Looking ahead to this week  (4/28)

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

I had several other board and committee meetings on my calendar, including:

• South County Infrastructure Ad Hoc Committee Meeting

Additional items on my calendar include a Yes to Startups Pitch Competition, a review of the design for the Holiday Market in Plumas Lake, a Yuba Water Agency employee recognition event, a lunch meeting with some residents about the Sports & Entertainment zone development, a Yuba Community College Board of Trustees meeting, and a Mountain County Water Association (MCWA) reception.

The Wheatland City Council meeting is at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, and the agenda is available here.  The Council will also hold a City Council/Planning Commission Workshop on Wednesday evening; the agenda is available here.

This week, community events on my calendar include the Plumas Lake Walking Moai and the memorial service for Officer Rodarte.

Looking ahead to this week  (4/14)

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Wate Agency board of directors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

I had several other board and committee meetings on my calendar, including:

• Northern California Water Association (NCWA) Board Meeting
• Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Land Use and Natural Resources (LUNR) Committee (agenda)
• National Association of Counties (NACo) Transportation Committee meeting
• Yuba Sutter Transit special board meeting

Additional items on my calendar include a SACOG SB125 briefing, agenda setting for the next board of supervisors meeting, a Cap-to-Cap transportation team meeting, lunch with Yuba County Community Development leadership, a NCWA tour of the Solano Project (including Monticello Dam, the Putah Diversion Dam, and Putah Creek restoration in the City of Winters), and an strategic marketing interview with a consultant working on Yuba County economic development,.  I planned to attend an OPUD park committee meeting (see this link for OPUD committee agendas), but the Yuba Suter Transmit meeting ran long and I couldn’t make it.

This week, community events on my calendar include the Plumas Lake Walking Moai.

Looking ahead to this week 

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

I had several other board and committee meetings on my calendar, including:

• Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Board of Directors meeting (agenda)
• Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA) Board of Directors meeting (agenda)
• Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA) Board of Directors meeting (agenda)
• RCRC COLR AdHoc Committee meeting and tour of the AT&T central office in Sacramento
• Yuba Sutter Arts and Culture Board of Directors meeting
• California State Association of Counties (CSAC) Tribal Work Group meeting
• Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Mega-Region Working Group Meeting

Additional items on my calendar include a meeting with Regional Economic Modeling to discuss the CSAC Housing, Land Use, and Transportation (HTL) Committee.  Yuba County participated as a sponsor of the 2025 Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC) Spring Forum in Sacramento, and I represented Yuba County at a Kings game network event hosted by Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) related to the forum.

Tragically, on Wednesday, a Marysville PD officer (Osmar Rodarte) was killed in the line of duty (Appeal-Democrat article).  One Thursday, I did something I never imagined I would do, and never want to do again.  The City of Marysville invited me to ride with them in the procession to take Officer Rodarte from Marysville to Rocklin.  The support shown by the community, regional law enforcement, and regional fire departments was incredible and awe-inspiring.  The procession took 11 minutes to pass a specific spot, and the route through Marysville and Wheatland was lined with community members and public safety professionals paying tribute to Officer Rodarte.  Every overpass on SR65 in Yuba and Placer Counties was packed with support, including the public, law enforcement, and firefighters on top of their engines, saluting the procession.  The ride was extremely emotional and hundreds of law enforcement officers welcomed the procession to the destination in Rocklin. (KCRA coverage)

This week, I did not attend any community events.

Looking ahead to this week 

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

I had several other board and committee meetings on my calendar, including:

• Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) monthly board meeting. The agenda includes multiple items of public interest, but the primary one is likely “Approve 2025 Regional Active Transportation Program Funding Recommendation.”
• Sacramento Area Council of Governments REI Working Group Meeting
• Yuba Sutter Transit monthly Board meeting (agenda)
• Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) Ad-hoc Committee Meeting
• Northern California Water Association (NCWA) Executive Committee Meeting

Additional items on my calendar included an event hosted by Valley Vission about how wildfires impact the environment, public health, and the economy; agenda setting for the board of supervisors meeting on 3/25; a special board workshop for Yuba Water Agency; a SACOG bus tour of Rocklin; and a meeting with the new RCRC transportation and water policy staff member.  Yuba County participated as a sponsor of the 2025 Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC) Spring Forum in Sacramento, and I represented Yuba County at several dinners over the weekend related to the forum.  There was an OPUD board of directors meeting this week, which I did not attend, but you can find the agenda here.

I received an invitation from RCRC to attend a dinner hosted by Canadian Consul General Rana Sarkar with key stakeholders from Canada and California focused on safeguarding and championing the Canada-U.S. trade relationship.  Several county supervisors, state legislators, and representatives from the California business community attended the dinner, and we focused on continuing our mutually beneficial trade partnership and friendship.   I’m concerned that the trade war will hurt Yuba County consumers and the local economy by impacting agriculture and our booming housing market.

This week, there were no community events on my calendar.

Looking ahead to this week 

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

I had several other board and committee meetings on my calendar, including:

• Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) Board of Directors meeting.

Additional items on my calendar included a meeting with AT&T, a Bi-County Ambulance Leadership Luncheon, a meeting with the Yuba Water general manager, a meeting with the county auditor, a regional dinner with the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) in Chico, a graduation for several probation programs, and coffee meetings with several local elected officials and constituents.

This week, community events on my calendar included the Yuba Sutter Farm Bureau Spring Fling and the South Yuba County Sunrise Rotary Park Cleanup in Plumas Lake.

Looking ahead to this week 

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

I had several other board and committee meetings on my calendar, including:

• Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Land Use and Natural Resources (LUNR) Committee – agenda  (I missed due to a conflict with CALCOG)

For the first part of the week,  I was in DC for the National Association of Counties (NACo) annual legislative conference and in addition to typical general and breakout sessions, I met with several California legislators.  Senator Schiff and Senator Pedilla held large group meetings with California supervisors. I met individually, along with Colusa County Supervisor Kent Boes, with staff from Congressman LaMalfa and Congressman Kiley’s offices.  I asked Senator Schiff to support funding allocation to allow USACE to complete the Water Control Manual Update for New Bullards Bar and Oroville.  I had the same ask of the congressmen LaMalfa and Kiley, in addition to thanking them for the recent federal grant for the Plumas Lake Blvd extension, updating them on the South Beale Rd and Beale Expressway projects, asking for assistance with BLM land for recreation in the Yuba Goldfields, and asking for grant assistance with the South County Wastewater Project.

Once I returned from DC, I attended the CALCOG regional leadership forum in Sacramento and the NCWA annual meeting in Chico.  I also participated at a SACOG Lunch & Learn on Mobility Zones (see video, starts at 2:08:28)

This week, there were no community events on my calendar.

Looking ahead to this week 

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

I had several other board and committee meetings on my calendar, including:

• California State Association of Counties (CSAC) Housing Land Use & Transportation (HLT) Committee Leadership Meeting
• Yuba Sutter Arts Board of Directors meeting (I missed due to a conflict)

Additional meetings on my calendar included a webinar with Climate Scientist Dr. Danial Swain, a board workshop with the three south county school districts about consolidation, a meeting with the Yuba Suter Transit executive director, a hearing with the Little Hover Commission on California’s electric costs, a Salmon Homecoming Regional Collaboration call, and a Rural Counties Representatives of California (RCRC) Legislative Call-in session.

You can find the financial report on the potential consolidation of WUHSD, WSD, and PLESD here and the associated presentation here.  I was very surprised that due to the way the state allocates funding, there would be a ~$6M decrease in annual revenue to the districts if they consolidated.  While potential cost savings would make up some of that, it would still be a net negative financial impact of $2M to $4M annually.  All three districts posted an overview of the process and next steps on their social media, here is the one from PLESD.

This week, community events on my calendar included a black-tie, red-carpet movie premier of No Address.  I found it to be a very good, and powerful, movie about homelessness.  Thank you for the invite Daysha Trujillo and for your dedication to helping homeless youth in our region.

On Friday, I headed to DC for the National Association of Counties (NACo) annual legislative conference.  So far, I’ve In addition to typical general and breakout sessions, I’ll participate in the all-day Transportation Policy Steering Committee meeting, the Rural Action Caucus meeting, and the California caucus meeting.  On the final day of the conference, we have time to meet with our representatives on Capitol Hill, and I’m working to set up appointments with the offices of Congressmen LaMalfa and Kiley and Senator Schiff.

Looking ahead to this week 

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency board of directors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

I had several other board and committee meetings on my calendar, including:

• Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Board of Directors meeting (agenda & video recording) [There are several items I think the public will be most interested in, including Unmet Transit Needs Findings, approval of State Funding Program and 2025 Blueprint Update and Upcoming Milestones.]
• Yuba Sutter Transit Board of Directors meeting (agenda)
• Blue Zones Yuba Sutter Steering Committee

Additional meetings on my calendar included agenda setting for the next board of supervisors meeting, a Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) meeting with Hard Rock and Enterprise Rancheria, a development update meeting with Hard Rock and Enterprise Rancheria, a launch event for the GSEC #DoGreaterSacramento campaign, and a SACOG welcome reception for new board members.  There are also Olivehurst Public Utility District (OPUD) Board of Directors (agenda) and Yuba County Planning Commission (agenda) meetings this week.  Both meetings likely have items of interest for District 4 residents, so I suggest you check the agendas for additional details.  I attended the OPUD board meeting to speak in favor of OPUD signing onto a charter to establish a county-wide parks and recreation working group made up of the owners and operators of recreational assets in Yuba County (see the charter for the workgroup here and watch the video from the meeting here, starting at 34:26)

This week, community events on my calendar include a retirement celebration reception for Bob Harlan.

On Friday, I head to DC for the National Association of Counties (NACo) annual legislative conference.  In addition to typical general and breakout sessions, I’ll participate in the all-day Transportation Policy Steering Committee meeting, the Rural Action Caucus meeting, the West Region caucus, and the California caucus meeting.  On the final day of the conference, we have time to meet with our representatives on Capitol Hill, and I’m working to set up appointments with the offices of Congressmen LaMalfa and Kiley and Senator Schiff.

Looking ahead to this week (and the next)

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

• Approved a support letter for the renaming of the 10th Street bridge.
• Approved appointment of Sandra Gilbert to the Historic Resources Commission as a District 4 Representative.
• Approved amendment No. 2 to the agreement with Wood Rodgers, Inc. for the Plumas Lake Boulevard/SR 70 Interchange Phase II Project.
• Presented a proclamation to 2024 Peace Office of the Year Valentino Aguirre.
• Presented a  Proclamation to Grace Episcopal Church recognizing their 150th-year anniversary
• Presented a  Proclamation and received an update on the history of Yuba County recognizing their 175th year anniversary

Tuesday evening was a Wheatland City Council meeting (agenda).  Additional meetings on my calendar included a meeting with Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) staff and leadership.

This week, community events on my calendar included a Korean New Year celebration at Sage Strategies.

I was out of town for the majority of the week (with the exception of Monday) to go to Tennessee and help my son and new daughter-in-law get settled into their new home near Memphis.  We made a stop in Nashville on the way to check out Broadway and some other sites.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency board of directors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

• Receive an update on the South County Infrastructure project and consider approving the Chair’s formation of an Ad Hoc Committee for South County Infrastructure and nomination of Directors Bishop, Bradford, and Vasquez to serve on the committee. (watch the video of the presentation here, starts at 1:30)

I had several other board and committee meetings on my calendar, including:

• Yuba Water Agency Project Operations and Development (POD) Committee (agenda)
• Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Land Use and Natural Resources (LUNR) Committee (agenda) [There were two items I think the public will be most interested in from this meeting:  1) 2025 Blueprint (Regional Land Use & Transportation Plan) Update and 2) Transportation Funding Overview.   The PowePoint for both of these items and the video recording of the meeting can be found here]
• Three Rivers Level Improvement Authority (TRLIA) board meeting (agenda)
• Olivehurst Public Utility District (OPUD) County Liason Committee [see my FB post with updates from this committee here]
• Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Carrier of Last Resort Ad Hoc Committee meeting
• National Association of Counties (NACo) Transportation Policy Steering Committee

Additional meetings on my calendar included agenda setting for the next board of supervisors meeting, a lunch with Yuba County CDSA leadership, a kick-off meeting for the Cap-to-Cap Flood Protection team, and a meeting about collaboration between Sacramento Valley Water users and Tribal Interests to discuss how we can support the return of salmon.  I also stopped by Beale AFB to renew my access pass.

This week, community events on my calendar included a fundraiser for the Yuba Sutter Foodbank and 1st Friday at Beale AFB.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

• Hold a public hearing and adopt a resolution approving an extension for Hammonton Road in the Goldfields to remain gated.
• Present certificate of recognition to Juan Heredia.
• Present Proclamation to the City of Marysville recognizing their 175th anniversary.
• Annual Yuba County Strategic Plan Priorities Workshop.
• Accept Annual Countywide Capital Facilities Fee Report for Fiscal Year 2023-2024.
• Approve the purchase of a handheld narcotics analyzer by reallocating up to $45,000 of Measure K Funds previously approved for purchasing VIPER workstations.
• Approve Fee Credit Agreement with JAS Land Fund 2 LLC for Wheeler Ranch Phase 2 Project for TRLIA Levee Impact Fees.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a meeting with staff from the Community Resource Project to learn how they can help Yuba County residents, a meeting with a constituent to discuss the South Beale Rd Interchange project, a Community Health Improvement Project quarterly check-in, a webinar from the National Association of Counties (NACo) on the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, a meeting with our third-party auditor for the annual audit, a meeting with the developer of Plumas Lake Commons, a meeting with stakeholders about the TRLIA North Training Wall project, and a NACo Transportation Committee leadership call.  In addition, I’ll attend the CPUC meeting in Sacramento to advocate in support of open-access public broadband networks in Monterey and Calaveras Counties provided by the Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA), which I serve on the board of (an affiliate organization of the Rural County Representatives of California)

This week, community events on my calendar included attending the tribute to Hotel Marysville.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency board of directors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

• Consider approval of a sponsorship for $5,000 in support of the Bear Yuba Land Trust.
• Review of financial statements and details for November 2024.
• Consider approving the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024.
• Chair appointments of Board members to serve on standing committees.

I had my first Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture Board meeting this week.  It’s one of the new committees I’m assigned this year; the other is Yuba Sutter Transit.  There are several other meetings on my calendar, including setting the agenda for the next board of supervisors meeting, discussing the Plumas Lake interchange project with Hard Rock, a webinar from RCRC on navigating the congressionally directed spending process to secure funding for rural counties, a meeting with some leaders from Peach Tree Golf Country Club, and a California Arts Council meeting hosted by Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture.

I attended a reception for the California Arts Council at Yuba Suter Arts and the PLESD Public Input Session at Rio Del Oro on Thursday at 6 pm.  You can read my summary and a few comments about the PLESD meeting here.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda for District 4 residents:

• Received a quarterly update from the Community Development and Services Department (watch here; it starts at 6:35).
• Adopted a resolution adopting the Goal and Vision for the “Yuba-Sutter Regional Safety Action Plan”.
• Approved a service agreement with Enterprise Rancheria to provide supplemental law enforcement services at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain.
• Approved 2025 Board Standing Committee appointments.
• Approved the reappointment of Kelly D. McNally as a District Four Representative on the Yuba County Planning Commission to a term ending January 9, 2029.
• Approved the reappointment of Debbie Panteloglow to the Yuba County Commission on Aging as a District Four Representative to a term ending January 8, 2029.
• Approved the reappointment of Jennifer Bradford to the Yuba County Library Advisory Commission as a District Four Representative for a term ending January 8, 2029.
• Appointed  Community Development and Services Director, Mike Lee and Administrative Services Director, Perminder Bains as real property negotiators for County owned property APN 016-040-104.

One of the duties of a County Supervisor is to represent the County on various boards, committees, and commissions. Some of these assignments are on internal committees but most are with external agencies and organizations. In addition, Yuba County Supervisors also serve on the Board of Directors of the Yuba Water Agency and participate in Yuba Water-related committees and organizations.  We approved county-related committee assignments at our meeting on Tuesday. Here is a blog post about my assignments and you can find assignments for the full board here.

I had a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) board meeting on Thursday morning in Sacramento (agenda) and a Yuba Sutter Transit Board meeting on Thursday afternoon (agenda).   While I served as an alternate to the Yuba Sutter Transit board during my first term, this is my first time serving as one of the two representatives on the board from Yuba County.  I look forward to advocating for improved transit service in the 4th District and our region.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a touch-base lunch with Yuba County community development, a touch-base lunch with a few current and previous Yuba Sutter elected officials, a meeting with the Karlshoej family, a meeting with Blue Zones Yuba Sutter, and a Northern California Water Agency (NCWA) strategic planning session.

There was a Wheatland City Council meeting on Tuesday at 6 pm (agenda) that may contain items of interest to Wheatland residents and an OPUD Board of Directors meeting on Thursday at 7 pm (agenda) that may contain items of interest to Plumas Lake residents.

On Saturday, I was honored to participate in the 26th Annual Yuba-Sutter march to honor Dr. MLK Jr.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Due to the Christmas and New Year holidays, I had limited meetings and supervisor-related activities, so this update covers three weeks rather than just the typical one week.  It was great to spend time with friends and family.  I even took a trip with my wife to DC (using my personal funds) to celebrate New Year, see some sights, and attend a swearing-in reception for Senator Schiff.  I also went to Memphis to check out my son’s new home.  I’m proud that after completing the Yuba Fire Academy and working a season for CalFire, he’ll be moving to Memphis to be a firefighter for the City.

Tuesday the 6th was a special Board of Supervisors meeting.  Three supervisors took the oath of office:  Supervisor House for his first time, Supervisor Fuhrer for his second term, and me for my third term.  In addition, we heard from outgoing board chair Don Blaser and selected our chair and vice chair for 2025.  I’m honored to be selected at the 2025 chair and Supervisor Messick will serve as vice-chair.

Tuesday the 7th was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

I also attended a Plumas Lake Elementary School District (PLESD) board workshop related to facility planning and an upcoming community input session.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

This week, community events on my calendar included volunteering as Santa at Rio Del Oro Elementary, helping the Salvation Army pack food boxes, and volunteering as Santa on the Fire Truck for Plumas Lake.

Looking ahead to this week (and the next two)

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

This week, community events on my calendar included the Plumas Lake Night of Lights.

Looking ahead to this week 

Announcements & Events

This update covers the weeks of 11/18, 11/25, and 12/2, as I was out of town most of that time for conferences and vacation.

Week of 11/18:

I spent Monday through Friday at the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) conference in Pasadena.  Supervisors and staff from California’s 58 counties came together for the annual fall meeting to network, learn, and conduct CSAC business.  In addition to spending time with Yuba County colleagues and attending general sessions, I attended the following additional sessions:

• Innovation Summit – Innovations in Transportation
• Housing, Land Use, and Transportation (HLT) Policy Committee
• CEAC Transportation Policy Committee
• Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources (AENR) Policy Committee
• Rural Caucus Meeting
• Strategic Grant Funding Considerations for County Supervisors and CAOs
• CSAC Board of Directors Meeting (I served as our voting delegate)

Due to the holiday season, I had a significant number of community events on my calendar, including 1st Friday at Beale AFB, the Beale Christmas Tree Lighting, the Wheatland Christmas Tree Lighting, the Plumas Lake Christmas Parade, and the Wheatland Christmas Street Fair.

Looking ahead to this week 

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

This week, community events on my calendar included the Marysville Veteran’s Day Parade and the YCOE Adult and Career Technical Education Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

Looking ahead to this week (and the two after that)

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  Due to our board chambers serving as a polling location, we met at the Yuba Water offices located at 1220 F Street in Marysville.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

This week, community events on my calendar included the Salvation Army Rock the Red Kettle Fundraiser (Facebook event) and the Plumas Lake Community Cleanup (Facebook event).  The community cleanup was a huge success and I was glad to help constituents unload their vehicles for most of the event.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Since this was the 5th Tuesday of the month, there was no Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting or a Yuba Water Agency board meeting.

I headed to San Antonio on Sunday for the annual Association of Defense Communities (ADC) Installation Innovation Summit. Attendees include military and community leaders from across the nation, and the topic will be how communities can best support their local bases. We were looking for key military leaders to talk with about what makes Beale unique and an excellent choice for new missions like Collaborative Combat Aircraft and the 14th AF HQ.  We had a great conversation with a veteran working on creating a unique destination golf course (Warbird National) about why his vision complements the master planning efforts of Enterprise Rancheria in the Yuba County Sports & Entertainment Zone and Beale AFB.  I look forward to convening the appropriate stakeholders to see if this project makes sense to everyone involved.

This week, community events on my calendar include the Wheatland Trunk-or-Treat and the West Sacramento Rotary meeting, where Lt Col JC Gorman spoke about the U-2.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

This week, community events on my calendar include the Rio Del Oro Harvest Festival on Friday night and the Wheatland Cruise Trunk or Treat.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

This week, community events on my calendar included the annual Northern California Water Association (NCWA) Sacramento Valley Celebration.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

This week, community events on my calendar include the 2024 Flood Awareness Be Prepared Fair and the 5th Annual Hanger Party at the Yuba County airport.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency board of directors meeting.  A few highlights from the agenda include:

This week, I attended community-related events, including the final Plumas Lake Walking Moai of the season, a PLESD community meeting about the design of the middle school and measures DEF, First Friday at Beale AFB, “an afternoon at the Dannebrouge Mine” in Browns Valley hosted by the Yuba County Historical Resources Commission, the Global Rice Fest at Conway Ranch in Yolo County, a Parade of Beale’s First Responders in the Beale Housing community, and the Plumas Lake Oktoberfest!  The Global Rice Fest is a fundraiser for the Yolo Foodbank I attended to show appreciation of a very generous donation for the Yuba Sutter Foodbank to help with food insecurity of our Beale airment.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, and a few highlights from the agenda include:

This week, community events on my calendar included the Yuba County Airport’s 75th Anniversary celebration, the National Pumpkin Weigh-Off (including the grower’s reception and the awards dinner), the Wheatland Vendor Fair, and a gathering to make yard signs in support of Plumas Lake school bonds (BCDEF)..

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

After Tuesday’s Yuba Water Agency meeting, I headed to Rohnert Park for the rest of the week to attend the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) annual conference and board meeting.  The agenda from the RCRC board meeting can be viewed here, and the sessions at the conference include:

• Powering the Future: Accelerating the Pace and Scale of Clean Energy Generation and Storage
• What’s the Big Deal about Regenerative Agriculture?
• Featured Speaker: The Honorable Mike McGuire, Senate President Pro Tempore
• The Rural Perspective of California Legislative Leaders
• The Pathway to Sustainable Forest Management & Addressing California’s Energy Agenda
• Navigating the Challenges of Short-Term Rentals

Community events I attended this week included the dedication of Deputy Meilbeck Park in east Plumas Lake on Saturday.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

Additional items on my calendar include several meetings related to County workforce development and Yuba Community College District, a SACOG Policy and Innovation Committee; a meeting with Enterprise Rancheria, a visit to Kratos in Roseville to learn about collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs), a National Association of Counties (NACo) Rural Action Caucus meeting, Yuba Water Agency agenda review, a Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) board meeting, a housing-related information session hosted by SACOG called Unlocking Prosperity Series: Housing Solutions from the Ground Up.

This week, community-related events on my calendar include the dedication of the Cotton Rosser Bronze Monument, the Recovery Happens event, the Air Force Ball, Sodbusters, and the Marysville Stampede.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

• Sponsorship for the National Pumpkin Weigh-Off
• Receiving a presentation from participants in the 2024 summer intern program

Additional items on my calendar included a Tree Rivers Levee Improvement Authority (TRLIA) board of directors meeting (agenda), a Northern California Water Association (NCWA) board of directors meeting, a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Transportation Committee agenda review, a Yuba Water Chair/Vice-Chair breakfast, an OPUD/County Liason Committee, and a SACOG Transportation Committee meeting (video) followed by a SACOG lunch and learn on Road User Charges (video starts at 2:02:00).

The agenda for the SACOG Transportation Committee includes multiple items of significant public interest, including:

• 2025 Regional Active Transportation Program Policy Framework Amendment
• Approve 2025 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program
• 2025 Blueprint: Draft Transportation Project List and Investment Priorities

There was a significant item on the TRLIA agenda related to access to the Feather River Setback Area.  The item was continued at our October meeting based on public comments from the state and local farmers in the area.  In addition, TRLIA established an ad-hoc committee (with myself and director Hastey appointed) to meet with the State, the sheriff, county staff, and land owners to further discuss access challenges and opportunities related to public access in the area.

• Hold public hearing, waive second reading, and adopt Ordinance repealing and reenacting Ordinance No. 5

This week, community-related events on my calendar include an Elite Services open house, a fundraiser for the Yuba Sutter Foodbank, the Sutter Yuba Behavioral Health Bridging Hope Walk, and volunteering at (and then attending) the United Way Golden Autumn Wine Festival at Bishops.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Here are a few highlights from the agenda:

• Adopt a resolution authorizing the Public Works Director to submit a grant application for funding and commit funds for the non-federal cost share under the U.S. Department of Transportation FY 2023-FY 2024 Railroad Crossing Elimination Program. (this is to seek federal funding for the Plumas Lake Blvd Interchange, Phase 2)
• Approve Board of Supervisors Grand Jury responses to be sent to the Judge of the findings made in the 2023/24 Yuba County Grand Jury Report,
•  Hold public hearing, waive first reading, and introduce ordinance repealing and re-enacting Chapter 2.160 of Title II of the Yuba County Ordinance Code relating to the County Seal and County Logo.

Additional items on my calendar included a day-long Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) strategic planning committee (i.e. executive committee) leadership retreat to discuss SACOG initiatives and programs in 2025 and a tour of Beale AFB with Placer County elected officials.

This week, community-related events on my calendar included a ribbon cutting for the track at Lindhurst High School, a networking event for Sacramento Advocates for Rail and Transit, and the Taco Festival at Hard Rock.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  The agenda was relatively short, but a few highlights include:

• Consider adoption of Resolution 2024-12 authorizing the General Manager, or their designee, to prepare and file a CEQA Notice of Exemption for the Daguerre Point Dam Nature-like Fishway Phase 2 Site Investigations Program
• Receive a presentation from interns on projects completed during the 2024 Summer Intern Program.

Additional items on my calendar included a touch base with a company looking to invest in Yuba County, a touch base with Yuba County Community Development leadership, a Northern California Water Association (NCWA) Executive Committee meeting, and an NCWA Conservation Task Force meeting with Assemblyman James Gallager and the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians to discuss opportunities to learn from either other and fund common ground on Sacramento Valley water issues.

While my calendar was light on formal meetings, it was full of community-related events, including: a reception for the Beale Military Liason Council (BMLC) Golf Tournament, a BMLC Golf Tournament with my host commander at Beale (Lt Col Brennan Howell), a fundraiser for “Yes on 36“, and the annual Yuba Water Agency employee BBQ.  In addition, I celebrated the grand opening of the new Jamba Juice in Plumas Lake and the new Wendys in Linda.  I also had an opportunity to provide an update on important South Yuba County infrastructure projects at the weekly South Yuba Sunrise Rotary meeting (slide deck),

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  The agenda contained several item of public interest:

• Approve request from Wheatland Union High School District Board of Trustees ordering a School Bond Election authorizing three (3) separate actions in consolidation with the General Election to be held on November 5, 2024
• Approve request from Plumas Lake Elementary School District ordering a School Bond Election authorizing three (3) separate actions in consolidation with the General Election to be held on November 5, 2024
• Approve agreement with Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency for the Star Bend Boat Ramp Sediment Removal Project.
• Approve a second-hand dealer’s license for D & D Thrift Store located at 1688 North Beale Road in Linda.
• Adopt a resolution that authorizes the Public Works Director to execute a restricted grant agreement for funding under the California Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant.

The Board of Supervisors conducted our annual Budget Workshop on Tuesday and Wednesday, which was open to the public. Each department presented what it accomplished in FY 23/24 and its goals for FY 24/25. The schedule of each department’s presentation to the board can be found here and the draft FY 24/25 budget, approved by the board in June, can be found here.

I also had a monthly Sacramento Area Council of Government’s (SACOG) board meeting this week and you can find the agenda here.  Items this public is likely most interested in include:

• Regional Funding Program Framework
• Transportation Policy Workshop
• 2025 Blueprint Implementation Discussion: Housing Types

Additional items on my calendar include a SACOG Strategic Planning Committee retreat prep meeting, a Yuba Water Agency agenda prep meeting, a Yuba Water Agency chair/vice-chair breakfast, a NACo West Region monthly meeting, a touch base on some future advocacy for Beale AFB, and a Hard Rock/Enterprise Rancheria Development Committee meeting. It’s always great to meet with Hard Rock, Enterprise Rancheria, the City of Wheatland, OPUD, Yuba County, Yuba Water, YSEDC, and other partners to discuss the status of infrastructure, commercial, and residential development projects in south Yuba County.

This week, community-related events on my calendar included a Yuba Sutter Chamber Ribbon Cutting for Palomas in downtown Marysville, the kick-off of the Yuba Sutter Veteran’s Stand Down, the Plumas Lake Block Party, the  Run for the Hills Mountain Fair 5k and the Mountain Fair in Brownsville.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a meeting of the Yuba Water Agency board of directors.  The agenda contains one item of public interest:

• The Board approved a grant of up to $7 million and a loan of up to $8.33 million to the Camptonville Community Partnership to continue developing a bioenergy facility to be constructed in Dobbins, CA.

This project is critical for Yuba Water’s mission related to forest and watershed resiliency, but it also brings economic benefits, provides additional clean energy for the grid, and improves air quality. The Yuba Water press release for this significant project is here.

I also had a Three River Levee Improvement Authority (TRLIA), and the agenda contained several items of public interest, including:

• FY 24/25 Budget Hearing
• Ordinance—Public Hearing: Hold a public hearing, waive the reading, and introduce an ordinance repealing and re-enacting Ordinance No.5 updating public access and rules of conduct in the Feather River Levee Setback Area (FRLSA).
• CFD 2006-1 and CFD 2006-2 FY 24/25 Tax Reports

Speaking of the TRLIA CFD assessment… Yuba Water Agency and Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority’s work in 2020 to refinance the “levee builder bonds” continues to lower the TRLIA CFD assessments for some Plumas Lake homeowners.  Some Cresleigh Creekside residents will see their assessment drop from $1493 to $1212, a $281 reduction.  Some Cresleigh Woodside residents will see their assessment drop from $922 to $748; a $174 reduction. Others will see it drop from $1142 to $947; a $195 reduction.  In the Lennar developments on the eastside, residents will see a drop from $590 to $543, $618 to $569, $959 to $883, or $791 to $728. This is in addition to reductions last year of $662 to $590, $1076 to $959, and $887 to $791. This puts the two-year reductions at $119, $49, $193, $159, respectively.   In FY 21/22 residents on the east side of River Oaks and north of the Fire Station who pay this assessment were the first to benefit from this work, seeing their assessment go from $2627 to $1154 ($1473 reduction) or $1282 to $834 ($448 reduction).  See the full report for this special assessment (TRLIA CFD 2006-1 & TRLIA CFD 2006-2) in the board packet for this week’s TRLIA meeting.  I also received questions about when other areas may see a reduction.  While it depends on the growth rate in a specific neighborhood, a presentation on the anticipated timeline for the reductions can be found here.

Additional items on my calendar included a Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) with the Sacramento State President and a White House Senior Advisor, a webinar on what public officials need to know about local ballot measures and candidate elections, a meeting to touch base with Yuba County Public Works, and attending a Plumas Lake Elementary school board workshop on the design of the design of the middle school that will be built if voters approve bonds in November. It’s no secret thatI’ve been a strong advocate of approving these bonds to address school overcrowding in the fast growing community of Plumas Lake.   I was excited to see some of the preliminary designs and envision the asset this facility will be to the community.  I look forward to the district sharing it with the broader community in the coming weeks as voters determine how they will vote on these important measures.

This week, community-related events on my calendar included Wheatland’s National Night Out at Tom Abe Park on Tuesday, August 6th, from 6pm to 8pm and Dance with Our Stars at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

Also, the filing deadline for local elected positions appearing on the November ballot ended this week. You can see which races are contested and who will be on the ballot here.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Since this Tuesday was the 5th Tuesday of the month, there was no regular Yuba County Board of Supervisors or regular Yuba Water Agency board meeting.  However, there was a special Yuba Water closed session meeting to conduct a routine evaluation of the general manager.

I also hae a monthly Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Transportation Committee meeting on my calendar this week; you can find the agenda here.  Two items of significant public interest are on the agenda, including:

• Public Hearing: 2025 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program, Amendment #1 to the 2023 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy and Air Quality Conformity Analysis.
• Transportation Project List Development for the 2025 Blueprint.

Additional meetings on my calendar this week included a SACOG Transportation Committee agenda review meeting, a meeting with MJUSD to discuss growth in south Yuba County, a Yuba Sutter Economic Development Corporation (YSEDC) board meeting, a California State Association of Counties (CSAC) Agriculture, Environment & Natural Resources Committee (AENR) meeting, and training for the public about local government and how to make public comment at local government meetings.  I was honored to speak at the public comment training and provide the perspective of a local elected official on the importance of public comment and also alternatives to showing up at the meeting.

I had a great time manning a table at the Wheatland Union High School Community Resource fair to provide information and answer questions about Yuba County and Yuba Water Agency.

This week, community-related events on my calendar included volunteering at the Wheatland History Museum.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors  meeting and the agenda had one item that I believe the public will be interested in:

There was a Wheatland City Council meeting on Tuesday at 6 pm, and I attended as there are multiple items on the agenda I think the public will be interested in, including:

• Beale Expressway Project Status Report.
• Consideration and Adoption of Resolution Authorizing Execution of Agreements Between Olivehurst Public Utility District and City of Wheatland Regarding Provision of Regional Wastewater Treatment Services.
• 2024 Traffic Management Plan for Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm Event
• Consideration of Establishing a City of Wheatland Farmers’ Market
• Multiple public hearings on developments

I spoke during public comment on the Beale Expressway item to thank the City for their partnership with the County on this project and re-iterate the importance of the project to support the mission of Beale AFB, reduce traffic on Hwy 65, and support housing and economic growth in both the City and the County.

I spent most of Wednesday in Sacramento for the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) board meeting, the Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA) board meeting, and the Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA) board meeting. I’m honored to serve as the Yuba County representative on those boards. You can find the agendas here: RCRC, GSFA, and GSCA.

My schedule was unusually light this week and included no community events.  However, in addition to the meetings listed above, I did participate in filing a wildfire preparedness PSA for RCRC.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

I was out of town at a conference from the 11th-16th so this update covers two weeks.

Tuesday the 9th was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors  meeting, and the agenda had one item of significant interest:

Tuesday the 16th was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  I was out of town at a conference and unable to attend, but the agenda contained several items of likely public interest:

• Approve up to $5 million in expenditures to advance the remaining anticipated costs to bring the South County Infrastructure Project, Phase 1 (Wheatland to Olivehurst Public Utility District connection) to construction ready, including: 1) Up to $2,376,000 to the Olivehurst Public Utility District for additional design engineering and right of way appraisal and acquisition tasks; 2) Up to $1,397,000 to the City of Wheatland for design engineering and environmental permitting; and 3) Up to $1,227,000 for other direct consulting costs to Yuba Water Agency.
• Consider a request from Yuba County Office of Emergency Services for a Bill Shaw grant in the amount of $7,500 for a project to upgrade the PA system in the Main Exhibit Hall at the Yuba Sutter Fairgrounds.
• onsider a request from Yuba County Probation for a Bill Shaw grant in the amount of $18,500 for fifty Yuba County 1st Responders to attend a two-day conference to provide education mental health tools and resources for agencies, and first responders.
• Receive update on the progress to form a non-profit organization for the purposes of education and research in Yuba County and approve the submission of appropriate documentation for its registration.

There was a Wheatland City Council meeting on the 9th (the agenda is here) and an OPUD board meeting on the 18th (the agenda is here).

On Monday the 8th I was at Beale AFB all day with fellow SACOG board members for a tour to increase awareness about the importance of the base for our national security and regional economy.  There are multiple housing, transportation, and economic development projects on the table in south Yuba County that will support Beale’s mission, and we want to ensure SACOG representatives (as the regional land use and transportation planning agency) are aware of their importance to the base, our region, and our nation.

Additional meetings on my calendar these two weeks included a meeting to provide feedback on the work of Valley Vision, a tour of the Goldfields with 530 Recovery and Supervisor Messick to talk about a potential OHV park, a Northern California Water Association (NCWA) Board Meeting, a Yuba Water Agency agenda review meeting, a Yuba Sutter Economic Development Corporation (YSEDC) Executive Committee meeting, and a monthly chair/vice-chair meeting with the Yuba Water General manager.

From Thursday the 11th through Tuesday the 16th, I was in Tampa representing Yuba County at the  National Association of Counties (NACo) annual meeting.  Some of the sessions I attended included the transportation policy committee, the telecommunications and technology policy committee, the Rural Action Caucus, the California Caucus, several general sessions, a workshop on fostering civility in public disclosure, a session about current global trends across western democracies, a NACo business meeting, and several networkworking events.  NACo installed Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore as our president for the next year, and Supervisor Gore announced his leadership appointments.  I’m honored to receive a presidential appointment to chair the Transportation Policy Committee, Highway/Highway Safety Subcommittee.

I attended community-related meetings and events these weeks, including a Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting for City Cafe on Plumas St in Yuba City, the Peach Festival Pub Crawl, the Peach Festival 5k, and the Peach Festival itself.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

This Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency board of directors  meeting and the agenda, while short, had an extremely significant item: “Consider approval of a non-binding initial financing plan for the South County Infrastructure Project, a collaborative project with the City of Wheatland, Olivehurst Public Utility District, and the County of Yuba.”  This is the most significant infrastructure project in Yuba County since the building of New Bullards Bar Dam and the $400M+ south County levee projects.  This project is incredibly important for the economic future of the County. It’s already been approved by the OPUD Board of Directors and the Wheatland City Council. and it will:

Due to the holiday, my schedule was light this week, but there were a few additional meetings on my calendar, including a tour of the new Yuba Water Agency Power System HQ building under construction in Oregon House, A California Caucus Briefing for the annual National Association of Counties Conference, a meeting to discuss OHV access at the Goldfields and Gray’s Beach areas, a regional transportation discussion with Chico Councilmember Winslow, and a Yuba Water Water Education Ad Hoc Committee meeting.

Community-related meetings and events I attended this week included the Plumas Lake 4th of July Parade and the Wheatland 4th of July BBQ.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting and the agenda contained multiple items I think the public will be interested in :

• The first was an ordinance to restrict specific activities within the Feather River Setback Area, including off-road vehicles. There is an immediate need for action to protect public safety, protect public and private property, and provide safe recreational access to the Feather River at Gray’s Beach. The board voted to introduce the ordinance, which would be considered for formal adoption in two weeks at our next meeting. The board also established an ad-hoc committee made up of myself and Supervisor Messick to meet with 530 Recovery, Sheriff Anderson, and County staff to discuss the possibility of a managed off-road vehicle area in that vicinity.  You can watch the presentation and listen to public comment and board discussion  here (starts at 1:00:38). You can read the ordinance and staff report here.
• The board also voted to extend the development agreements for three previously approved development projects in the Plumas Lake area. In exchange for the extensions, developers agreed to construct bike path segments adjacent to their developments and pay 50% of PLSP traffic impact fees before the typical requirement. Board discussion for these items focused on infrastructure funding (including for schools and large transportation projects) and the desire to work with the community to update the Plumas Lake Specific Plan to facilitate more 21st-century development concepts like walkability, distributed commercial, and a mix of housing types. You can watch the board presentation and discussion at here (starts at 2:04:27)

Additional meetings on my calendar included a meeting with Enterprise Rancheria and Hard Rock to get an update on the master planning effort in the Sports and Entertainment zone and a discussion about broadband and AB 2797.

Community-related meetings and events I attended to be at this week include the 3rd Annual “Together We’re Better” fundraiser golf tournament for Yuba Sutter Colusa United Way and the Plumas Lake Bike Path Ribbon Cutting.

From Wednesday afternoon through Friday evening, I was in Denver with fellow Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG)  board members to learn about regional transportation and land use in the Denver area.  The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) hosted us and some highlights include:

• A presentation from the Colorado Department of Transportation on their tolling efforts in the region.
• Presentations from developers on affordable housing projects, and redevelopment of infill areas in the region like Steam on the Platte and the Lowry Airforce Base.
• Connecting with the Regional Transit District, Denver’s transit provider, to learn about their projects and bus rapid transit corridor in Colfax.
• Opportunities to connect with elected officials throughout the trip and a special dinner with DRCOG board members sponsored by SMUD.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was the Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting and the agenda contained multiple items I think the public will be interested in :

Additional meetings on my calendar included a Yuba Water Agency South County Infrastructure committee meeting, a discussion of Prop 1, a South Yuba Transportation  Improvement Authority (SYTIA) board meeting, a Northern California Water Association (NCWA) executive committee meeting, a Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority (TRLIA) board meeting [agenda], and a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) board meeting [agenda].  At the SACOG meeting, we approved the regional and use scenario that will serve as the basis of the 25-year regional and use and transportation plan, known as Blueprint 2025.

I also attended an OPUD meeting  [agenda] to thank them for their partnership with the City of Wheatland, Yuba County, and Yuba Water Agency on the South County Infrastructure (wastewater) project and encourage the board to support the MOU. This project is critical for the economic future of Yuba County and is as significant as the construction of New Bullards Bar and the $400M+ spent on levee upgrades. It lays the foundation for over 40,000 future jobs.  Plumas Lake residents will be happy to know that the design work for the fix to the lift station at River Oaks and Zanes is complete and the board will consider bidding on the fix at or before their July meeting. It’s expected to be complete by the end of the year.

On Friday morning the Marysville City Council held an emergency meeting to declare a local state of emergency due to the Marysville Hotel fire.  I attended the meeting and the press-conference that followed. Hopefully, this will provide State resources to assist with the situation. There were elected officials from Yuba County, Sutter County, Yuba City, and Oroville there to help convey the regional impact of this event, and I made that statement during public comment.

Community-related meetings and events I plan to be at this week include the 2024 Yuba Sutter Fair Kick-off.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting and the agenda contained multiple items I think the public will be interested in :

There was  a Wheatland City Council meeting on Tuesday at 6 pm and the agenda contained multiple items that City residents may be interested in:

• Resolution of the Intention to Levy Assessments for Fiscal Year 2024-25, for the Wheatland-Premier Grove Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District
• Consideration and Adoption of Resolution Approving the Budget, Control Policies, and Appropriations Limit for Fiscal Year 2024-25

Additional meetings on my calendar included a FEMA/USACE Levee Webinar, a Yuba Water Agency non-profit steering committee meeting, a Yuba Water Agency agenda review meeting, a public authority IHSS meeting, and an economic development opportunity meeting with Paleo Tech Group.

Community-related meetings and events attended this week include the Alliance for Hispanic Advancement scholarship dinner in Yuba City, and Groundbreaking for the State Route 65 Wheatland Pavement Rehabilitation Project.  Some details about the Highway 65 project include:

• Caltrans project to rehabilitate pavement, add bike lanes, construct a Class I multi-use path, enhance crosswalk visibility, and add a traffic signal at McDevitt Drive.
• The project is in Wheatland from 0.1 mile north of State Street to 0.3 mile north of Evergreen Drive.
• The project has a cost of approx $10M and construction will be from June 2024 to December 2024.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting and the agenda contained an item I think the public will be interested in :

I had a SACOG Transportation Committee meeting this week and there are multiple items on the agenda I’m sure the public might be interested in including the Regional Carbon Reduction Program Funding Recommendations.  Yuba County applied for funding to design the Plumas Lake Regional Trail Network.  Unfortunately, the project didn’t score well enough to be recommended for funding, but we’ll try again in a future grant cycle.  After the committee meeting, we had a lunch-and-learn for the SACOG board on Transportation Funding in California.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a SACOG Transportation Committee Agenda review.  On Wednesday and Thursday, I attended the CalMatters Ideas Festival.

Community-related meetings and events I attended this week include a BMLC dinner to meet the commander of Air Combat Command.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting  and the agenda contained an item I think the public will be interested in :

Additional meetings on my calendar included a meeting with law enforcement and farmers to talk about concerns with the lawlessness and property destruction occurring in the river bottoms around Gray’s Beach, a Yuba Water Agency agenda review meeting; and a Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Legislative Call-in session.

Community-related meetings and events I plan to be at this week include a Memorial Day Walk to Remember in Plumas Lake, a Memorial Day Service at Wheatland Cemetary, a Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce event at the Sutter Theater, a farewell open house for Col Church at Beale AFB, a grand opening and ribbon cutting for Holligans Bar & Bistro in Yuba City, and the Plumas Lake Flag Football Tailgate Party.  I didn’t have anything on my calendar on Friday morning, so took a hike on the Yuba Rim Trail near New Bullard’s Bar.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting  and the agenda contained an item I think the public will be interested in :

Following the Board of Directors meeting, we had a special meeting to receive information from legal counsel regarding the Yuba Water Agency Act spending authority and authorizations.  Two other meetings in the 4th District that the community might want to consider attending this week are the PLESD special meeting to appoint someone to the vacant board position and a Wheatland General Plan Ad-Hoc Committee meeting.  I attended the PLESD meeting where the candidates were interviewed and selected. We are fortunate that three well-qualified individuals stepped up to serve our students and the community by applying to fill the seat.  Congratulations to Cody Hess for receiving the appointment.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a strategic plan discussion with a sheriff’s deputy, a discussion about safe and sane fireworks with a local TNT representative, and a Hard Rock Development Update meeting.  The Development Update meeting included Enterprise Rancheria, Hard Rock, Yuba County, Yuba Water, OPUD, and the City of Wheatland, and the primary focus included updates and discussion on wastewater and transportation projects in south Yuba County.

Community-related meetings and events I attended this week include the 2024 Yuba City Mayor’s Bus tour, an Ellis Lake Ribbon Cutting, a meet and greet with the new Beale AFB chief of community engagement, and a kick-off event to learn about Yuba College’s Strengthening Community efforts.

On Thursday two Yuba City High School students came by my office to interview me for a school project.  The topic was homelessness and we talked about the strong partnership between local government and non-profits here in Yuba-Sutter to get people the services they need and get them off the street and into housing. We also talked about the need for much more affordable housing and an increased ability to do enforcement.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Board of Supervisors Meeting  and the agenda contained multiple items I think the public will be interested in, including that we:

I had several additional board and committee meetings on my calendar this week including a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) board meeting (agenda), a Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) board meeting (agenda), a Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA) board meeting (agenda), a Golen State Connect Authority (GSCA) board meeting (agenda), and a National Association of Counties (NACo) Telecommunications and Technology Policy Steering Committee meeting,   At the SACOG meeting, Col Church from Beale AFB gave a presentation about the importance of the base to our regional economy and our national security and we continued the development of the 25-year regional land use and transportation plan (Blueprint 2025) with a presentation on Prioritizing Build Out and More Complete Communities.  The RCRC (and GSFA/GSCA) meeting was in Monterey County (Salinas) as every year one of our board meetings is in the county that the chair is from, and this year that is Monterey.  Next year our RCRC county of the chair meeting will be in Modoc, the only county in California that I’ve never be to.

Additional meetings on my calendar include a NACo West Region monthly meeting, a Yuba Water Agenda review meeting, and a SACOG breakfast meeting to discuss the book “The Color of Law” which the board was encouraged to read.

There was a Wheatland City Council meeting on Tuesday at 6 pm and one item on the agenda that city residents might be especially interested in is “Approving SB-1 Funding Project List for Fiscal Year 2024-25”.   On Thursday at 7 pm there was an OPUD meeting and Plumas Lake residents may be interested in multiple items on the agenda. including approval of the monthly picnic in the park / second Saturday event.  The Yuba County Planning Commission met at 6 pm on Wednesday and the agenda includes approval of 102 homes in the Arboga/North Plumas Lake area in the Feather Glen II development, which was approved by the commission.

Community-related meetings and events I attended this week include the Peace Officer’s Memorial Ceremony in Yuba City, a graduation for the Yuba Sheriff’s Citizen’s Academy, the 100th annual Wheatland Pet Parade, the 150th Birthday Celebration of the City of Wheatland, the Beale Auto Expo, Dinner in the Orchard, and a celebration of Caltrans District 3 and 2 Bits Express becoming Blue Zones Certified.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors Meeting and the agenda contained multiple items I think the public will be interested in, including :

I had several additional board and committee meetings on my calendar this week including an ACWA JPIA board meeting (agenda), a SACOG Strategic Planning Committee (agenda), and a TRLIA board meeting (agenda).  The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) Spring Conference was this week in Sacramento and I spent multiple days at the conference attending various sessions and associated networking events.

Community-related meetings and events I attended this week include the 98th Sacramento Host Breakfast and the 175th Anniversary of Corinthian Masonic Lodge in Marysville, one of the oldest in the state.  I also watched the graduation of Class 45 at the Yuba College Fire Academy as my son is one of the graduates.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Special Board of Directors Meeting (agenda) and a Yuba Water Agency POD Committee Meeting (agenda).  The board agenda was very short but there are several items on the POD committee that the public might be interested in, including:

In addition to the Yuba Water Board meeting and POD committee, I had several other Yuba Water related items on my calendar this week including a Northern California Water Association (NCWA) board meeting, a Yuba Water Agenda review meeting, a South County Infrastructure Ad-Hoc Committee meeting, and the monthly Yuba Water Chair/Vice-Chair Breakfast.

On Monday I spent all day touring Beale AFB with executive leadership (both board and staff) from SACOG to convey the importance of the base to our national security and our regional economy.  In addition to a mission briefing we toured the base; including the 548th campus, PAVE-PAWS, a chase car ride, an EOD demonstration, and the fire department.  Beale’s leadership conveyed the importance of local housing and transportation projects to their mission.  I also facilitated a meeting between Yuba County staff and SACOG staff to talk about regional land use plans and transportation projects in the Blueprint 2025 discussion scenario and chaired the monthly SACOG transportation committee.   Speaking of the SACOG transportation committee, the agenda contained several items the public might be interested in including Approval of the Regional Transit Network, Draft Vision and Goals for the Regional Mobility Hub Design Guidance, and 2025 Blueprint: Transportation Funding Outlook.

Tuesday evening was a City of Wheatland General Plan Ad-Hoc Committee (agenda) meeting and there was an OPUD Park Committee meeting on Thursday (agenda), neither of which I was able to attend.  I participated in an OPUD/Yuba County Liason Committee where we discussed fire department consolidation, the lift station at Eufay Wood Park, the status of parks in Plumas Lake under construction, and a potential dog park.  I also met with OPUD and several community members to discuss the 2nd Saturday event in Plumas Lake.

Community-related meetings and events I attended this week include the YS Chamber Luch Mob at Lakeside Indian Cuisine, the Legacy Lending Grand Opening, the National Day of Prayer Breakfast, First Friday at Beale, and the When Pigs Fly fundraiser for the Yuba Sheriff’s Aero Squadron.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Board of Supervisors meeting.  The agenda  had several items the public might be interested in, including:

On Monday I spent the day in Sacramento meeting with state representatives and state agencies to advocate for twelve important transportation projects to help increase mobility across the Northern California Megaregion (16 counties and 11 million people in the Bay Area, Sacramento region, and San Joaquin County.  Projects of greatest interest to Yuba County residents are likely the Valley Rail Project / North Valley Rail Project, the Yolo 80 Project, and the I-5 Managed Lanes Project.  Speaking of North Valley Rail, the updated Strategic Plan was just released. The BCAG Board considered approval of the plan at their meeting on Wednesday, which I attended to hear the discussion, thank them for the leadership, and indicate my support.  Two additional county-related meetings on my schedule this week included discussing the need for more Little League fields in Plumas Lake and an RCRC Legislative call-in session.  I also attended a lunch this week celebrating Yuba County employees who reached 20, 25, 30, and 35 years of service in 2023.

I had multiple Yuba Water Agency-related items on my calendar including a regional discussion at Lumberg Family Farms on Monday (evening) welcoming the Northern California Water Association Water Leaders to Yuba Water on Wednesday and talking about leadership and my role at the Yuba Water Agency and on the Board of Supervisors..

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

I had a very busy two-week period, almost half of which was spent in Washington DC.  This week also includes a very full schedule.

Tuesday the 9th was a Board of Supervisors meeting.  The agenda  had several items the public might be interested in, including:

On Monday the 8th, I attended a Wildire and Biomass Bus tour hosted by the Clear Air Partnership (CAP).  Stops included the site of a wildfire near Colfax, a forest restoration project near Auburn, and a biomass power facility in Lincoln.  Additional meetings on my calendar included CSAC Rural Caucus meeting, a YSEDC Executive Committee meeting, an RCRC Transportation Ad Hoc Committee, meeting, and a SACOG Board meeting.  At the RCRC Transportation Committee, we discussed the challenges that many rural counties are facing due to the State’s policy focus on a “one size fits all” approach to limiting capacity-increasing projects and equating GHG reductions to reductions in VMT.  The SACOG agenda contained multiple important items including Senate Bill 125 Transit Funding Allocation and 2025 Blueprint Discussion Scenario (the regional land use and transportation plan for the next 25 years).  I also attended a community meeting where the Yuba County Bicycle & Pedestrian Mobility Plan was unveiled.  You can read the plan here and provide your feedback here.  It’s also important to note that the Yuba County Planning Commission met on April 17th and approved extensions to three existing development agreements for the Plumas Lake area.  The agreements include more than 3000 new homes and you can read more here.

On Thursday the 11th, I attended the Yuba County On the Horizon Dinner at the Yuba County Airport.  This was an opportunity to thank and celebrate our local businesses and share the amazing things going on in the County.  On Saturday the 20th, I attended a fundraiser for the Yuba Sutter Colusa United Way at Hard Rock.

From Friday the 12th through Wednesday the 17th I joined 424 other community, business, and government leaders from the six-county Sacramento region for the annual Cap-to-Cap regional advocacy trip.  I participated on the Flood Protection & Transportation Teams.  Some of the meetings I attended include:

• Representatives from SACOG, Yuba County, El Dorado County, Elk Grove, Davis, and West Sacramento meeting with the Federal Highway Administration to discuss transportation projects important to the Sacramento region.
• The Flood Protection team had a good (but brief) meeting with FEMA touching on topics such as mapping, national flood insurance program rates, and grant opportunities.
• The Transportation Team met with Congressman Kiley to talk about transportation projects that are important to your constituents and the Sacramento region.
• Rails to Trails Conservancy met with representatives from Yuba City, Yuba County, Yolo County, and SACOG to talk about Rails to Trails opportunities in the Sacramento region.
• The Flood Protection Team and Transportation Team with staff from Congressmen Thompson, LaMalfa, and Schiff offices about important infrastructure projects in the Sacramento region.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  The agenda  had several items the public might be interested in, including:

There were OPUD committee meetings last with interest to Plumas Lake residents including a water/wastewater committee (agenda) a park committee (agenda).  I was unable to attend the OPUD committee meetings, and a SACOG Transporation Committee meeting (agenda), as I went to Joint Base San Antonio with BMLC to learn more about the mission of the 16th Air Force and how we can best support Beale AFB and our local airmen.  I learned a lot about the Information Warfare mission of the 16th Air Force and how Beale AFB fits in. It was also great to see the Basic Military Training graduation of 571 new airmen and tour the Air Force’s facilities to prepare those recruits to serve our nation.

Before leaving for San Antonio, I had several things on my calendar, including a meeting with Blue Zones to talk about their Corner Market Program, a SACOG Transportation Committee agenda review, and a Yes to Startups event where Yuba County entrepreneurs will pitch their business in our local version of Shark Tank.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  The agenda  had several items the public might be interested in, including:

There was a Wheatland City Council meeting on Tuesday evening and the agenda included a few presentations that City residents might be interested in, including:

All day on Wednesday, Yuba Water Agency hosted board training for all elected officials in Yuba County.  Sessions included:  (1) Brown Act, Best Board Practices and Fair Political Practices Commission Training; (2) Ethics Training (required bi-annually per AB 1234); and Anti-Harassment Training (required bi-annually per AB 1825).

Additional meetings on my calendar included a Yuba Water Agency agenda review, a Yuba Water chair/vice-chair breakfast, a meeting with an entrepreneur looking to expand into Yuba County, an RCRC Legislative call-in session, and several constituent meetings.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements & Events

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  The agenda was fairly short and included a review of the financial statements from January and a review of the Energy Risk Management Annual Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.  I also had a SACOG board meeting this week (agenda) that was held in Yolo County at the California Ag Museum in Woodland. Before the meeting, board members had an opportunity to tour a few locations in the area including the AgTech Incubator Lab, an affordable housing project, and, the Center for Land Based Learning. We also received a presentation on the Yolo Active Transportation Plan.

Additional meetings on my calendar included Cap-to-Cap Flood Protection Team & Transportation TeamKick-off meetings, a meeting with SACOG planning staff to update them on the development of the Sports & Entertainment Zone and south Yuba County, a Yuba Water Agency non-profit steering committee meeting, and a monthly NACo Telecommunications and Technology policy steering committee meeting.   I  attended the monthly OPUD Board of Directors meeting (agenda).  They approved the proposed design recommendations for modifications to lift station 14 at River Oaks and Zanes in Plumas Lake to address the smell.  They also approved a contractor with a new company to do park maintenance; it’s the same company the County uses to do landscape maintenance in Plumas Lake and other areas.

On Thursday, I joined with several other members of my Rotary Club (South Yuba County Sunrise Rotary) to volunteer at the Yuba Sutter Foodbank giveaway at Wheatland High School.  Over the weekend, I attended Luke Days Air Show at Luke AFB with BLMC.  We attended at the invite of the next commander for Beale AFB; Colonel McLeese and it was an opportunity to meet with him as well as the civic organization that supports Luke AFB.

On Wednesday evening, I had a re-election celebration reception at Neva’s Place Speakeasy in Marysville.  Thank you to everyone, including constituents, local elected officials, and community leaders, who came.  Your support is greatly appreciated and I’m honored to serve you, and serve with you for another four years.  Special thanks to Stuart Gilchrist for hosting and Ashley Cummings for setting up and serving drinks; plus Marc Perrault, Michele Perrault, Jen Bradford, and Patty Forget for the great food. Also, to the families that contributed to the amazing gift basket.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

Tuesday was a Board of Supervisors meeting that took the majority of the day due to multiple items scheduled for the afternoon.  I think it was the longest meeting since I’ve been on the board.  The agenda contained multiple items that I think the public would  be interested in, including:

• Approve sole source justification request for Bi-County Ambulance Service, Inc. for ambulance services for the indigent population of Yuba County.
• Accept Annual Countywide Capital Facilities Fee Report for Fiscal Year 2022/2023.
• Adopt resolution approving the 2023 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Annual Performance Report
• Receive quarterly updates from Public Safety Departments.
• Receive Presentation of Yuba County Broadband Planning and Feasibility Study.
• Approve plans, specifications, and estimates, and authorize advertisement for bids for the 2024 CSA Resurfacing Project

In other exciting news, SACOG received a $22.5 Million Federal Reconnecting Communities Grant that will advance transportation design and planning projects to address barriers in disadvantaged areas. The award includes projects in Marysville & Linda.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba Water Agency Board meeting.  The most interesting item on the agenda was to consider approving $50,000 to develop a Water Conservation Pilot Program for the Yuba County public agency water districts, including OPUD and the City of Wheatland.  I attended a Yuba Water POD Committee Meeting where we approved modifications to the Community Impact Grant & Loan Program.  On Thursday I’ was down in Sacramento for the monthly Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Transportation Committee, which I’m honored to chair (agenda) followed by a lunch workshop on the 2025 SACOG Blueprint.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a touch base lunch with the Yuba County Assistant Community Development Director and a SACOG Transportation Committee Agenda Review meeting.  I spend all day in Chico on Friday at the Northern California Water Association (NCWA) Annual Meeting.   I also attended the Yuba Sutter Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee for a presentation on the North Valley Rail Project.

On Saturday, I participated in the Bok Kai 5k and the Bok Kai Parade.  In honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday, I read Go Dog Go to Mrs. Bradford’s 1st-grade class at Cedar Lane in Linda.

Looking ahead to this week

The Wheatland City Council meeting on Tuesday was canceled but I have several additional board meetings on my calendar, including Rural County Representatives (RCRC agenda), Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA agenda), and Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA agenda) board meetings in Sacramento on Wednesday, and a virtual Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) board meeting on Thursday.

Announcements

This week was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Some highlights from the agenda include: Awarding the contract for the Plumas Lake Bike Path Project; Receiving a Code Enforcement Department Update; Approve letter of opposition to AT&T’s application with the California Public Utilities Commission to withdraw as the carrier of last resort; and Holding public hearing, waive reading, and adopt an ordinance to repeal and re-enact Title XI Development Code and County Zoning Map.   Tuesday evening was a Wheatland City Council meeting. The agenda included several items the public may be interested in including: Acceptance of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and Auditor Correspondence for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2023; Fiscal Year 2023-24 Mid-Year Budget Report and Consideration and Adoption of Resolution Amending the Fiscal Year 2023-24 General Fund Budget; and an Update on Current Development Activities.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a public WUHSD Facility Planning Board Workshop to learn about the plans for a Plumas Lake High School (if Plumas Lake residents pass Measure T) and additional enhancements to Wheatland High School (if Wheatland residents pass Measure U), a Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Legislative Call-in Session, a Yuba Water Agency board leadership breakfast meeting, and an OPUD/County Liason Committee.  I requested several items be added to the OPUD/County Liason meeting, including updates from OPUD on the lift station smell at Eufay Wood Park, the status of parks under construction in Plumas Lake, and the plan for parks in the North Arboga Study Area.  I spent most of the day on Monday with the Northern California Water Association (NCWA) and the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) at a briefing about the Agreements for Healthy Rivers and Landscapes and associated tours.

On Friday, I visited Edgewater Elementary to read a book (Go Dog Go) as part of their read-a-thon.  That evening I attended the Murder at Cafe Noir fundraiser for the Sedona Project at Nev’s Place Speak Easy in downtown Marysville.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors Meeting.  A few highlights from the agenda included considering approval of a letter of support for the City of Yuba City Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Conversion Project and a presentation on a two-year collaborative research project between the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) at UC Berkeley and the Yuba Water Agency using new monitoring and sensing technologies on levees.  You can watch the presentation at https://www.youtube.com/live/-rwDm0koGuc?si=Q90Ko0so8RDo8gv-&t=2449 (starts at 40:49)

I had multiple Yuba Water Agency related meetings on my calendar this week including a meeting with SBFCA to discuss the habitat benefits of a dredging project; a south county infrastructure ad-hoc meeting; a Nothern California Water Association (NCWA) executive committee meeting; a non-profit steering committee kick-off meeting; and NCWA Legislative Advocacy meetings with Senator Laird, Assemblyman Hover,  Assemblymember Hart, Senator Ashby, Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry, Assemblymember Gallagher, and Assemblymember Nguyen..  We discussed issues important to Sacramento Valley Water users including Sites Reservoir and Agreements to Support Healthy Rivers and Landscapes.

Additional meetings on my calendar include a Blue Zones Project steering committee and a community health improvement plan quarterly meeting.  I attended a Chamber of Commerce Business Connection Breakfast about MJUSD & YCUSD, the 9th Reconnaissance Wing Annual Awards Banquet at Beale AFB, and I participated in a panel for Sierra Forward on what various counties are doing about wildfire risk.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

Tuesday the 6th was a  Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  A few highlights from the agenda include the purchase of some property near Colgate and the consideration of a staff recommendation to staff to limit the Community Impact Grant and Loan Program’s March 2024 application window to only a few grant categories.  The staff report for the agenda item summarizes that since June of 2021, Yuba Water has approved $52.4M in community impact grants, $57.2M in loans, and $34.2M in grants to Yuba County, primarily to leverage additional state and federal dollars.  I also had a Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority (TRLIA) meeting and one of the items on the agenda was to approve four encroachment permit applications with the Central Valley Flood Protection Board (CVFPB) for the Climate Resiliency Project, a project to ensure levees protecting Linda, Olivehurst, Arboga, and Plumas Lake exceed a 300-year level of protection.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a Northern California Water Association (NCWA) special board meeting to review 2024 priorities, a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Strategic Planning Meeting to approve board rules and discuss opportunities and challenges in the year ahead, and a touch-base with Yuba County Public Works on several things they are working on for me on behalf of constituents.   I also attended a community meeting on Wednesday evening hosted by PLESD on Measures VWX.  On Wednesday, I joined Councilmember Teeter and the City Manager from the City of Wheatland for a tour of Beale AFB.

On Friday the 9th through Wednesday the 14th, I was in DC for the National Association of Counties (NACo) 2024 Legislative Conference.  On Saturday, I’spent all day in a  NACo Telecommunications and Technology Committee (T&T) Policy Steering Committee Meeting,   In addition to informational sessions at the conference, I participated in thein Rural Action Caucus and California Caucus meetings.  Finally, while in DC with Congressman Kiley and staff from Congressman LaMalfa’s office about several items of importance to Yuba County, including: A Community Project Funding Request, Radio Upgrade Project for Yuba Sheriff; Reconnecting Communities Grant; East & West Linda / Erle Rd; South Yuba County Transportation Projects; North Valley Rail; AT&T Carrier of Last Resort; Affordable Connectivity Program; Updates to Water Control Manuals at New Bullards Bar Dam and Oroville Dam; Victim Services Funding; and a Plumas Lake ZIP Code.

After returning from DC on Wednesday, I had a SACOG board meeting on Thursday in Sacramento where we received a presentation on the status of The Blueprint, the 25-year land use and transportation plan for the six-county region, required under Federal and State law to receive transportation dollars.   The challenge with the plan is that it must be constrained by anticipated (transportation) funding during the planning horizon and comply with state greenhouse reduction targets. This limits what can be included in the plan.  More info on the blueprint can be found at https://www.sacog.org/planning/blueprint. While local jurisdictions, not SACOG, have land use authority, SACOG will use the land use plan it develops to drive what transportation projects should receive the limited funding available.  You can watch the presentation at https://www.youtube.com/live/UCHyCWNWnNU?si=UAZgzIFp4Z0alFrr&t=5890 (presentation starts at ~1:38:00)

I attended the OPUD board meeting on Thursday night to receive an update on the resolution of the odor at the lift station near Eufay Wood Park in Plumas Lake.  The contractor is actively working on confirming what the issue and designing a solution.  It’s expected that OPUD might receive the results as soon as a week or two and can then begin the process of going out to bid to have it fixed.   On Friday, I attended a bi-monthly development meeting at Hard Rock with key stakeholders to talk status of infrastructure and commercial development in the Sports & Entertainment Zone.  I was back at Hard Rock on Friday evening for the annual Yuba Sutter Chamber of Commerce Gala.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

As this week contained the fifth Tuesday of the month, there was neither a regular Board of Supervisors Meeting nor a Yuba Water Agency Board meeting.  However, we did have a Special Board of Supervisors meeting related to property negotiations (agenda).  I attended a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Transportation Committee Meeting (agenda).  I’m honored to chair that committee this year and we discussed several important regional transportation topics, including:  unmet transit needs findings, a regional funding found framework, and federal funding grant prioritization methodology.  I also had a Yuba Sutter Economic Development Corporation (YSEDC) board of directors meeting but was unable to attend due to a conflict with a Yuba Water Agency related meeting.

Additional meetings on my calendar included meeting with a constituent to talk about Yuba Water Agency, an agenda review for the SACOG transportation committee, an agenda review for the Yuba Water Agency, a Yuba Water Chair/Vice-Chair breakfast, an RCRC Roadway Infrastructure Ad Hoc Committee, and a community input meeting for the Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan.  At the RCRC committee, several rural county supervisors brought up policy concerts related to the State and transportation infrastructure.  My concern is the growing opposition at the State level to fund capacity-increasing projects.  Projects like the East Wheatland Expressway and the Goldfileds Parkway are critical for growing counties like Yuba.  Both projects are important for congestion mitigation and emergency evacuation and the the East Wheatland Expressway is also important to national defense and Yuba’s ability to help the State meet it’s new housing goals.

Tuesday evening was the Yuba Sutter Candidate Forum at the Yuba County Government Center.  The forum featured candidates in contested races for Yuba County Supervisor, Sutter County Supervisor, and Yuba Water Agency. (each forum is linked to a live stream recording on YouTube).  I also attended a Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce Lunch Mob at Rolling Stone Pizza on Tuesday.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors Meeting.  A few highlights from the agenda include Board of Supervisor Committee Appointments for 2024 and a board workshop (at 1 pm) to receive an update on the Yuba County Strategic Plan.  My committee assignments are generally the same as 2023, except that I will no longer serve on Yuba LAFCO.  You can see my assignments here and the assignments for the full board here.  You will find the Yuba County strategic plan and the presentation from the workshop here.
There was also a Wheatland City Council meeting on Tuesday night (agenda) that I attended

Additional meetings on my calendar this week included: speaking with other local supervisors at a Yuba-Sutter Bar Association luncheon, a discussion with SACOG about Beale AFB, A San Joaquin Join Powers Authority board meeting in Sacramento, and a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Mega Region Working Group Meeting (agenda).  At the SACOG Megan Region Working Group meeting we talked about tolling lanes across the 16-county Mega Region and received updates on the Mega Region Dozen; 12 important projects for improving connectivity between the Bay Area, the Sacramento Region, and San Joaquin County.  Two of the projects in our region are Valley Rail and the Yolo 80 project.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting (agenda).  Several other board meetings on my calendar included a Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) board meeting on Wednesday (agenda), followed by the annual RCRC Rural Leadership Reception,  and a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) board meeting on Thursday. The SACOG agenda includes the establishment of a Regional Tolling Authority to oversee toll lanes planned for the Yolo Causeway and other regional freeways.   Both the SACOG and RCRC meetings included 2024 committee appointments and I’m honored I was appointed to chair the SACOG transportation committee, serve on the SACOG Mega Region Working Group, serve on the SACOG strategic planning committee, and serve on the RCRC Roadway Infrastructure Ad-Hoc committee.   I attended the OPUD meeting on Thursday (agenda) via Zoom so I could be informed about the latest status of efforts to reduce the smell at the Eufay Wood Lift Station.

Additional meetings on my calendar this week included:  a meeting with the clerk-recorder to talk about the upcoming election, a touch base lunch with Yuba County community development, a Yuba-Sutter Economic Development Corporation executive committee, a few meetings with Hard Rock, and a Northern California Water Association (NCWA) board meeting to discuss strategic priorities for 2024, an NCWA Conservation Task Force planning meeting, and a NACo West Region Monthly Meeting.   I also had NACo Telecommunications and Technology and NACo Rural Action Caucus meetings, but they conflicted with RCRC and SACOG and I was unable to attend.  There was also a Yuba County Planning Commission on Wednesday (agenda).

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  The agenda contained several items of particular interest to District 4 residents including:  Agreements between Hard Rock, Live Nation, and the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department for supplemental law enforcement at the casino and amphitheater; an amendment to the agreement with Wood Rodgers, Inc. for the Plumas Lake Boulevard/SR 70 Interchange Phase II Project; and approval of plans, specifications, and estimate for the Plumas Lake Bike Path Project, and authorize advertisement of bids.  We also voted on chair and vice chair for 2024.  Supervisor Blaser will serve as chair, and Supervisor Fuhrer will serve as vice chair.  There was a Wheatland City Council meeting on Tuesday evening and you can find the agenda here.

Additional meetings on my calendar this week included:  a CERF Sub Regional (Yuba-Sutter) Roundtable meeting to provide a space for community discussion about Yuba-Sutter’s job economy, and will also feature Valley Vision’s presentation on preliminary research of Yuba-Sutter’s economic analysis; a SACOG Transportation Committee (agenda) to discuss the creation of a regional tolling authority; a meeting to discuss pedestrian safety in the Sports & Entertainment Zone; a Yuba Water Agency agenda review; a meeting with the Sheridan Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) to update them on the East Wheatland Expressway project; a tour of the Pottery World factory in Wheatland; and a meeting regarding the upcoming Cap-to-Cap trip.  You can find the presentation on the East Wheatland Expressway here.

On Saturday morning, I was honored to participate in the 25th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community event.  The event occurs the Saturday before MLK Jr day and includes a march from Yuba City across the 5th St Bridge to Marysville and a program to remember and honor Dr. King after the march.  The event focused on love and unity and I shared one of my favorite quotes from MLK Jr, which is “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.  That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

Due to the Christmas and New Year holidays, my schedule was lighter than usual during the period covered in this post.

December 19th was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  We had a longer-than-usual agenda and one of the items was to consider almost $25M in grants to local agencies, including over $11M for flood risk reduction and public safety in Arboga, Plumas Lake, and Wheatland. In addition, there is a $600k grant request from Yuba County to restore the existing boat ramp at Star Bend by dredging out approximately 1,800 cubic yards of material that is currently impeding boat traffic.  January 2nd was also a Yuba Water Agency board meeting (agenda) and we received an update from summer interns, approved a $30M grant from the State for a Nature-like Fishway around Daguerre Point Dam on the Yuba River, and elected our chair and vice chair for 2024.   The board unanimously voted for Supervisor Messick to serve as chair and for me to serve as vice-chair.  I’m honored my fellow board members provided an opportunity for me to remain in board leadership.  There was no Board of Supervisors meeting on December 26th due to the holiday.

Other meetings over the three weeks included:  One-on-one meetings with our auditor/controller, a fellow supervisor, and a pastor from Wheatland;  a Northern California Water Association (NCWA) executive committee, a National Association of Counties (NACo) Telecommunications and Technology Policy Steering Committee;  a Yuba Water Agency agenda review meeting; a Yuba Water Agency chair/vice-chair breakfast; an OPUD Wastewater committee to get an update on the Eufay Wood lift station; and a Yuba LAFCO meeting.

I was fortunate to play Santa several times the week before Christmas including for Cub Scout Pack 513 on Monday, at Rio Del Oro Elementary on Wednesday morning, and on the Fire Truck in Plumas Lake on Thursday evening.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting [agenda].  Other board meetings on my calendar included a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) monthly meeting [agenda], a SACOG Strategic Planning Committee [agenda], and a Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) Board meeting [agenda].  There was also a Wheatland City Council meeting this week [agenda].

Other meetings I have attended this week included Yuba Water Agency Agenda Setting, a virtual community meeting for North Valley Rail, a meeting with a fellow supervisor, a constituent meeting to talk about committee openings, and an RCRC/CSAC meeting with PG&E.  I’ attended several holiday open house events with various vendors and organizations and the Olivehurst VFW Ribbon Cutting on Thursday evening.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba Water Agency board meeting (agenda).  A few key items from the agenda included the annual audit, a grant for North Yuba Water District, and a CEQA item related to a proposed nature-like fishway around Daguerre Point Dam.  Following the board meeting, I had a Yuba Water POD committee where we reviewed community impact grants (agenda and materials).  Several grants are on the agenda for agencies that serve Plumas Lake & Wheatland, including Linda Fire, RD784, RD817, and RD2103.  Overall, we recommended the board approve almost $25M in grants to local agencies, with over $11M going to south county agencies.

I had several other board meetings this week including:  Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority (TRLIA) [agenda], South Yuba Transportation Improvement Authority (SYTIA) [agenda], and Rural Couty Representatives of California (RCRC) [agenda].  At SYTIA we received an update on the East Wheatland Expressway Project and approved an agreement with Caltrans to continue progress on the South Beale Rd Interchange project.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a call with a potential developer of a solar and battery storage facility, a North Valley Rail project development team meeting, and a Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility Plan Workshop.  If you didn’t get a chance to attend the workshop, you can still provide input by taking the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LZ3LRT6 and marking areas of concern at: http://Streetsory.edu

I was in southern California on Thursday and Friday at the California Foundation on the Environment and Economy (CFEE) Water Conference.  Yuba Water General Manager Willie Whittlesey and I were invited to participate on a panel discussing harnessing the energy-water nexus.   The format of the conference was very unique with everyone seated around a large table with frank questions and discussions after each presentation.  What makes it even more valuable is that the event is invite only and includes state legislators, state and federal government leaders, business leaders, labor leaders, and water leaders.

Community-related events I attended this week included a Christmas Party or the Civil Engineering Squadron at Beale AFB and the Plumas Lake Christmas parade!  I participated in ringing the Salvation Army Bell at Walmart from 1:30 pm to 3 pm on Saturday.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday at 9 am (agenda).  There were several items on the agenda that I think the public will be most interested in, including requests from Plumas Lake Elementary School District, Wheatland Union High School District, and Marysville Joint Unified School District ordering School Bond Elections in consolidation with statewide primary election to be held on March 5, 2024.

I was unable to participate in the Board of Supervisors meeting as I  was out of town representing the Yuba Water Agency at the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) fall conference most of the week.  While at the conference, I participated in a Yuba Water Agency agenda review meeting and after returning home  I attended a prep call for a panel I’ll be on at the CFEE Water Conference this week.  I stopped by Yuba County elections and completed the final paperwork to ensure I’m on the ballot for re-election in March.

The community-related events I  attended or participated in this week include the Wheatland Christmas Street Fair, Pancakes with Sanda at Arboga Elementary, and the Plumas Lake Christmas Tree lighting.  I want to thank everyone who supported me by attending my Whiskey & Wildgame campaign event.  We had a great time!

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

Given the Thanksgiving holiday, my schedule was light this week.  We had a Yuba Water Agency meeting on Tuesday (agenda).  There were several items on the agenda that I think the public would be most interested in, including: updates to the sponsorship and reserve policies as well as a grant to the Yuba Sheriff’s Department to replace patrol vehicles used in the vicinity of New Bullards Bar.

I participated in a collaboration meeting with the City of Wheatland and Beale AFB about several important infrastructure projects for the City, the County, and the Base; primarily the regional wastewater line and the East Wheatland Expressway.  It’s important for us to all work together to move these projects forward.  I also attended an onsite tour with a few representatives from North Valley Rail to ensure they understand the concerns expressed by some community members about emergency evacuation in east Plumas Lake to make sure the proposed train station at the start of the Bear River Habitat Trail off Algodon Rd has no impact on evacuation routes.   In addition, I had a touch-base lunch with several leaders from Yuba County Community Development.

Community-related events I attended or participated in this week include a Yuba Sutter Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting for Costco on Wednesday.  I’m very happy to see Costco invest in Yuba County and believe it will be a catalyst for re-development, not only of the former Peach Tree Mall but for that entire commercial corridor.  Thank you to everyone who came out to Llamas & Lattes: A Meet & Greet with Supervisor Bradford on Saturday morning! It was a great turnout and I enjoyed talking with everyone.  Special thanks to 2Talls Sweet Treats Bus – Plumas Lake for keeping everyone fed and caffeinated and Lee Beringsmith for bringing out Kissey the Llama!

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting (agenda).  There were several items on the agenda that I think the public will be most interested in, including: adopting a resolution approving the creation of a Yuba County Yes to Start-Ups program in partnership with California Capital Financial Development Corporation (CA Capital) and Sacramento Valley Small Business Development Center, approve the sale of tax-defaulted properties at public auction, approve a memorandum of understanding with San Joaquin District Attorney for assistance with a habeas case, approve amendment No. 1 to an agreement with R&F Engineering Inc. for Star Bend Sediment Removal project, Adopt a resolution authorizing the filing and execution of applications to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for land patent and lease of Hammon Grove and Yuba Goldfields, and Hold public hearing, waive first reading, and introduce Ordinance creating Chapter 2.41 of the Yuba County Ordinance Code, establishing the Office of the County Hearing Officer.

Additional meetings on my calendar included:  a Capital Region CEFT Collaborative Research Presentation, a steering committee meeting for the Yuba-Sutter Blue Zones project, a WUHSD CTE Advisory meeting, a NACo Telecommunications & Technology Policy Steering Committee Meeting, a tobacco education (CHAT) meeting, agenda review for the Yuba Water Agency, the Mountain Counties Water Resources Association (MCWRA) Fall Water Forum, a Hard Rock Development update, and a meeting to discuss funding for EV charging.

Community-related events I  participated in this week include a Salmon Expedition on the Yuba River with Bear River School.  Yuba Water paid to send over 1000 Yuba County 4th graders on this amazing field trip this year and I was happy to join Bear River on their adventure.  We rafted down the Yuba River from Parks Bar Bridge to Sycamore Ranch Park and learned about topics such as the Yuba River watershed, hydraulic mining, Native Americans, water quality, and salmon.  The expedition includes several stops and multiple hands-on activities to teach students about the history of the watershed and habitat restoration.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

It’s been three weeks since I’ve posted one of these weekly updates.  That is because I started having some medical issues the week of 10/23 and ended up spending some time in the hospital and then a few days recovering once I was home before slowly resuming regular activities.  The good news is that I’m feeling fine now.  The bad news is that I don’t have a lot to report from the week of 10/23, although I did attend the 10/24 Board of Supervisors meeting (agenda) via Zoom.  After taking it easy for a few days, I did attend multiple meetings the week of 10/30 including a Northern California Water Association (NCWA) board meeting in Roseville along with a tour of a groundwater recharge well in the City, an agenda review meeting for Yuba Water Agency, a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Land Use and Natural Resources (LUNR) Committee meeting (agenda), a town hall meeting in Lincoln hosted by Supervisor Landon (Placer) to talk about traffic mitigation efforts in south Placer County, a Yuba-Sutter Economic Development Corporation (YSEDC) Board meeting, and a discussion with Yuba County Public works about a meeting they had with Union Pacific Railroad about Links Parkway crossing the tracks between Wheeler Ranch Phase 1 & Phase 2.  I attended the town hall with Supervisor Landon because so many of my constituents are impacted by traffic on Hwy 65 in Placer County and I wanted to ensure I was aware of efforts they are taking to address the congestion.

This week was a Yuba Water Agency Board Meeting and you can find the agenda here.  Key items on the agenda included a grant to RD10 for levee work and a loan to the south member units for Ostrom Rd associated with the sinkhole caused by the south canal.   I was not able to attend the meeting as I was out of town attending the Association of Defense Communities (ADC) Installation Innovation Conference.  I attended with representatives from Beale AFB, Yuba County, and Yuba Water Agency, and we learned how bases and communities can increase partnerships and how we can support Beale’s mission as well as our local airmen, guardians, and their families.

Additional meetings on my calendar included:  a joint SACOG Board of Directors meeting with SMUD, Sacramento Regional Transit, and the Sac Metro Air Quality District to discuss opportunities for collaboration; a Yuba Water Agency POD committee to discuss minor changes to our community impact grant program; a Yuba Water Agency chair/vice-chair/general manager meeting, and an informal coffee caucus zoom meeting to touch base with other county supervisors.

Community-related events I attended or participated in during this period included the Pinktober event at Hard Rock, a Meet & Greet in Wheatland, the Salvation Army Red Kettle Kick-off, the Yuba Sutter Veterans Parade, and a ceremony at the State Capitol honoring veterans from around the Sacramento region.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba Water Agency Board Meeting and you can find the agenda here.  I had a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Board of Directors meeting this week (agenda).  It will be at the La Famillia Maple Neighborhood Center in south Sacramento and was followed by a board tour of the neighborhood.   There was an OPUD board meeting this week (agenda).  Unfortunately, I was unable to attend due to a conflict, which was also the case with NACo Rural Action Caucus, NACo West Region, NACo Telecommunications and Technology Committee meetings this week, and a Yuba Sutter Economic Development Corporation (YSEDC) Executive Committee Meeting,

Additional meetings on my calendar included:  a meeting with the North Valley Rail team about emergency evacuation from east Plumas Lake, a Yuba Water Agency board development workshop, a webinar hosted by the CPUC on rail safety, a Northern California Water Association Executive Committee (NWCA) meeting, and a California State Association of Counties (CSAC) Intergovernmental Relations Platform Review Meeting,

Community-related events I attended or participated in this week include the Plumas Lake Community Walking Moai on Monday morning, the Northern California Water Association (NCWA) Sac Valley Celebration on Thursday evening, a Yuba Sutter Chamber State of Beale Breakfast, the 4th Annual Plumas Lake Halloween Parade, and Pinktober at Hard Rock.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Board of Supervisors Meeting.  The agenda is light but we received the  Quarterly Development Update from the Community Development and Service Departments.   Additional meetings on my calendar included an update on service from Bi-County Ambulance,  a meeting about legislative changes impacting Sutter Yuba Behavioral Health, a meeting about Hard Rock, and a meeting with a few constituents.  I also attended a West Water Forum about water needs and water markets.

Other events participated in include the Plumas Lake Community Walking Moai on Monday morning, a Beale Fire Department parade on base, the annual Yuba County Employee BBQ,   the Rio Del Oro Harvest Festival, the OPUD 75th Anniversary Celebration, and the Plumas Lake Oktoberfest & Safety Fair.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting (agenda here).  Additional meetings on my calendar included a discussion about how to improve safe access to the river bottoms, a Yuba LAFCo board meeting (agenda), a meeting with Placer County Supervisor Shanti Landon to discuss the East Wheatland Expressway, a SACOG Land Use and Natural Resources Committee meeting (agenda), and a Yuba Water Agency chair/vice-chair breakfast.  Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority (TRLIA) and South Yuba Transportation Improvement Authority (SYTIA) meetings scheduled for this week were canceled.

Other events I participated in include the Plumas Lake Community Walking Moai on Monday morning and the annual Yuba Water Agency Employee BBQ.  On Tuesday morning, I had the honor to speak to the Early Risers Kiwanis about all the great things going on in south Yuba County.

On Wednesday I rode Yuba-Sutter Transit from Plumas Lake to downtown Sacramento ($9 round-trip!) to attend a Mobility Bus Tour hosted by the Clean Air Partnership.  Prior to the tour, I attended a ribbon-cutting celebration for some protected bike paths in midtown Sacramento and a celebration for the groundbreaking of the future Valley Rail Midtown Station.  As part of the mobility tour, we visited a Mobility Hub in Del Paso Heights and California Mobility Center.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting and the agenda was fairly light.  We received a presentation on the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Annual Report from Measure K Citizens’ Oversight Committee.  You can find the report here and a link to the video here (starting at 4:00).

Additional meetings on my calendar included a Nothern California Water Association (NCWA) Conservation Task Force meeting, a “Coffee Caucus” information-sharing session with several of my supervisor colleagues from around the State, an agenda review for the SACOG Land Use & Natural Resources Committee, an agenda review for Yuba Water Agency, a SACOG Mega Region Working group meeting with supervisors and councilmembers from the Sacramento area & the Bay Area, and a tour of the PG&E Gas Safety Academy in Winters, a meeting with residents to discuss challenges in the river bottoms near Gray’s Beach, and a planning meeting for the Oktoberfest / Safety Fair coming up on October 14th.   This week was also a Wheatland City Council meeting and you can find the agenda here.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting and you can access the agenda and board packet here.

The majority of the week (Tuesday afternoon through Friday), I participated in the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) annual meeting.  We heard from various speakers about key issues impacting rural counties in California and the conference ended with an RCRC board of directors meeting on Friday morning.  It was a great opportunity to learn and network with my supervisor colleagues from the rest of rural California.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a discussion with the director of Caltrans District 3 about additional access to Hwy 70 from east Plumas Lake in the case of an emergency evacuation and the monthly SACOG Board of Directors meeting, which I joined via Zoom from the RCRC conference.  At the meeting with Caltrans, we inquired about options for a northbound onramp or the emergency exit at Maggie Ct.  Unfortunately, we were told that neither would meet state regulations (see Section 501.3 and page 17-29).  I did connect with a Nevada County supervisor at RCRC who faced a similar challenge and I’m setting up a meeting to discuss their solutions further.  I am hopeful their experience may show us another path to explore.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting and a few key items from the agenda included a proclamation recognizing September 10-16, 2023 as National Suicide Prevention Week, a quarterly update from Public Safety Departments, and approval of the final budget for fiscal year 2023-2024.  You can watch the public safety update here (starts at 23:40) and the budget update here (starts at 2:13:40)

The majority of the week (Tuesday afternoon through Friday), participated in the Water Education Foundation’s Eastern Sierra Tour.  We learned about important topics such as the Geology & history of the Eastern Sierra, the Public trust doctrine, the History & operations of the LA Aqueduct, the Mono Lake ecosystem, the City of Los Angeles’ water supply, and the Bureau of Reclamation’s earliest projects. We visited and learned about the challenges in several eastern sierra watersheds including the Truckee, Carson, Walker, Mono, and Owens.

While I was out of town for much of the week, I before leaving I attended a demo of a tool to simulate evacuations in emergencies.  The demo was attended by various Yuba County departments including OES, the sheriff’s department, and community development.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  A few key items from the agenda included a grant to Yuba County for up to $400,000 in additional funding for storm drainage infrastructure along North Beale Road (bringing the total grant funding for the project to $3.9M), and a presentation on the history and current status of the Bill Shaw Rescue and Training Grant Program. It was great to review all the benefits of the Bill Shaw Grant Program and the impact it’s had on our local fire districts and law enforcement agencies. You can check out the presentation here (starts at 3:23).

Additional meetings on my calendar included a Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority (TRLIA) Meeting (agenda here), a Yuba Water Agency Water Education Ad Hoc Committee Meeting, a planning meeting for a Yuba County Emergency Preparedness Fair in Plumas Lake, a Northern California Water Association (NCWA) Board Meeting at Conant Farms in Rio Oso, a tour of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority (SLDMWA), and a Bus Tour and Lunch with MJUSD.   It was great to get a tour of all the recent (and upcoming) facility upgrades in MJUSD.

From a community meeting and event standpoint, I led the weekly Plumas Lake Community Walking Moai on Monday morning at 6:30 and volunteered to oversee the Wine Shed at the United Way Golden Autumn Wine Festival at Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

Because this Tuesday is the 5th Tuesday of the month, there is neither a Board of Supervisors Meeting nor a Yuba Water Agency meeting.  I took advantage of that rare opportunity to speak to the Sutter Yuba Association of Realtors about what is going on in South Yuba County.  I’ve been asked to speak to the group several times, but I’m always unable to do so as their meetings conflict with our Board of Supervisor and Yuba Water Agency meetings.

Additional meetings on my calendar include a discussion with a reporter from the Appeal Democrat about the North Valley Rail Project, both a planning meeting and a post-discussion meeting for the east Plumas Lake emergency evacuation town hall, agenda review meetings for Yuba Water Agency and the SACOG Land Use and Natural Resource (LUNR) committee, a meeting with Senator Dahle to discuss North Valley Rail, a Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) legislative update call, a Yuba Water Agency chair/vice-chair meeting, a Yuba Sutter Economic Development Corporation (YSEDC) executive committee meeting, a discussion with Bi-County Ambulance, a meeting with an MJUSD board member to discuss traffic concerns around Arboga Elementary and an OPUD/Yuba County Liason Committee meeting.

From a community meeting and event standpoint, I led the weekly Plumas Lake Community Walking Moai on Monday morning, attended a retirement celebration for Yuba County Probation Chief Jim Arnold, attended a Ribbon Cutting for the new AG Mechanics and AG Building at Wheatland Union High School, attended a Blue Zones Historic Walking Tour in Yuba City, and hosted a townhall for east Plumas Lake residents to discuss concerns about the emergency evacuation of their neighborhood.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors Meeting.  The items of greatest interest to the public on the agenda are likely the special presentations from Yuba-Sutter Transit, the Homeless Consortium (link to video starts at 27:00), and Yuba County Elections (link to video starts at 1:20:20).

Additional meetings on my calendar included a Blue Zones Project Yuba Sutter Steering Committee, a Supervisor Coffee Caucus, a meeting with Yuba County Public Works to discuss multiple concerns I’m tracking, a strategic planning session with district attorney leadership, and an all-day C-SFSR/FFPS Stakeholder Event at Yuba County HHS.  I had several North Valley Rail Project meetings this week including a project development team meeting and stakeholder meetings with Yuba County, the City of Marysville, Yuba Sutter Transit, and Blue Zones.  There was also a Wheatland City Council Meeting on Tuesday evening and you can find the agenda here.

From a community meeting and event standpoint, I led the weekly Plumas Lake Community Walking Moai on Monday morning at 6:30 starting at Eufay Wood Park, attended a BMLC golf tournament social, a grand opening of Didar S Bains Park, the Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting for Adventure Church, and the biggest event of the year in Plumas Lake, the annual Plumas Lake Block Party.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba County Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  The agenda included approval of the revised Yuba Water Agency Energy Risk Management Policy, an update on the Watershed Resilience Program, and a presentation from an intern on projects completed during the 2023 Summer Intern Program.

Other meetings on my calendar included a SACOG Board of Directors Meeting, a NACo West Region Meeting, an overview and feedback session for rural counties on the California Water Commission’s Water Resilience Portfolio, and a Yuba County Employee Service Awards Luncheon.

From a community meeting and event standpoint, I led the weekly Plumas Lake Community Walking Moai on Monday morning at 6:30 starting at Eufay Wood Park, toured the new Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Feather River Temple in Yuba City, attended a town hall meeting with Congressman LaMalfa in Marysville, and attended Summer Rock Fest at Beale AFB.

The SACOG board meeting was held in Yuba County and we hosted a walking tour of downtown Marysville before the board meeting at the Yuba County HHS facility in Wheatland.   I had an opportunity to welcome the Board of Staff to Yuba County by giving a presentation about Yuba County.  My welcome was followed by  Yuba County staff and Blue Zones giving a presentation titled “Improving Public Health and Safety in Yuba County’s Disinvested Communities”.  You can watch the presentation here.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

This week was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors Meeting.  A few highlights from the agenda included a memorandum of understanding with Yuba City for a Dispatch Services Consolidation Feasibility Study, a quarterly update from Health and Human Services, and a presentation of service awards to County employees.  The Tuesday morning board meeting was followed by the annual budget workshop that will continue through the day on Wednesday.  At the workshop, each department presented to the board their requested budget and how their goals for the next year align with the Yuba County Strategic Plan.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a Yuba Water Agency Agenda Review, a meeting with AT&T to discuss their desire to stop providing traditional landline service in areas that have alternatives, a meeting with Amazon Web Services, a meeting to discuss the status of the effort to bring water and regional wastewater service to the Hwy 65 corridor, and a SACOG Strategic Planning Committee meeting.  The SACOG committee agenda included a discussion of pricing and toling strategies for the region and an update on the 2025 regional blueprint.

From a community meeting and event standpoint, I led the Plumas Lake Community Walking Moai on Monday morning at 6:30 starting at Eufay Wood Park, attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Tri-County Juvenile Hall in Marysville, and attended the grand opening celebration of the Yuba City Holiday Inn.  On Thursday morning, I spoke about the North Valley Rail Project to my Rotary Club.   I also had an opportunity to attend the Wheatland Cruise Night and the Plumas Lake Picnic in the Park on Saturday.

Looking ahead to this week

Announcements

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency board of directors meeting and the agenda was fairly light.  Later that afternoon I had a Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority (TRLIA) meeting and on the agenda was approval of the 2023/2024 CFD 2006 annual tax reports.  I had two other board meetings this week including a monthly Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Land Use and Natural Resources (LUNR) committee and a quarterly Yuba-Sutter Economic Development Corporation (YSEDC) quarterly board meeting, a YSEDC executive committee meeting, and a Yuba Sutter Chamber of Commerce Executive committee.  The SACOG LUNR agenda included a presentation from Yuba City on infill development and a Public Health Performance Evaluation related to the 2025 Blueprint Pathways.  I also attended a SACOG presentation about defining disadvantaged communities.

I attended all of these meetings remotely, as unfortunately, I spent my week at home with COVID.  I’m thankful that AB 2994 allows board members to attend meetings remotely up to twice a year for things like illness or when you are out of town on agency-related business.  Unfortunately, it’s limited to just twice per year, as my constituents deserve my attendance whenever I’m physically unable to attend a meeting in person due to travel or illness, but available.  Being quarantined at home, I did have to miss multiple in-person events I had planned for the week including the Plumas Lake Community Walking Moai on Monday morning, National Night Out on Tuesday in Wheatland, and the United Way Service Awards on Thursday (where Yuba Water Agency received a Yuba Water received the non-profit’s “President’s Award” for our service shown through our core missions, local partnerships, Community Impact Grant and Loan Program, and more.

I participated in a discussion on Plumas Lake Social Media about the condition of maintained landscaping in various areas of Plumas Lake.  Due to confusion about what areas the County, through our contractor Elite, maintain and what areas property owners are responsible for, I put together some maps to help the community identify county responsibility areas.  I also described how to report county-maintained areas that need additional focus or have irrigation issues and what to do if private homeowners are not maintaining their property and creating health and safety concerns.  As I’m sure the topic will come up again, I created a blog post that can be shared in the future.

Looking ahead to this week

Tuesday was a Board of Supervisors meeting and highlights from the agenda included approving the updated Yuba County Strategic Plan; holding a public hearing to approve gating of Hammonton Road in the Goldfields; and presenting certificates and proclamations to multiple county employees for their service.  Tuesday evening was a Wheatland City Council Meeting and the agenda included several items of interest iincluding the swearing-in of the new police chief (Brian Wittmer) and the 2023 Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm traffic management plan.

Other items on my calendar included a tour of the PG&E Hazzard & Warning Center and Applied Technology Services Center in San Ramon to learn about all they are doing to reduce wildfires, an agenda review meeting for Yuba Water Agency, a “Coffee Caucus” Zoom meeting to touch base with several supervisors across California, a Yuba Water Agency chair/vice-chair/general-manager breakfast, a meeting with a commercial developer to discuss Plumas Lake opportunities, and a meeting with Hard Rock and the Tribe for an update on development in the Sports & Entertainment Zone.  I also participated on a panel at the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) New Supervisors Institute with supervisors from Nevada, Napa, and El Dorado talking about “when the unexpected occurs” with respect to natural disasters.

I participated in two community-related events this week, both on Saturday morning. The first was my Rotary Club’s (South Yuba County Sunrise Rotary) annual Back-to-School shopping spree event for children in south Yuba County. This year, with the generous help of the Masons of Yuba-Sutter, Over 40 students from south Yuba County elementary schools were invited to receive shopping sprees.   The second was the Community Cleanup (aka free dump day) at Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm.  Special thanks to Recology Yuba-Sutter, the City of Wheatland, Yuba County, and Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm for making the event possible.

Looking ahead to this week

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency meeting and a few highlights from the agenda included approving additional grant funding to Yuba County by $2,373,000 as local cost share leveraging funds for a comprehensive drainage project in Olivehurst (if approved, the total amount of the Yuba Water grant funds would be increased from $7,565,000 to $9,938,000 to leverage up to $38,540,000 in state funding for the project) and approval of a grant for up to $487,000 to the Linda County Water District for impacts to district infrastructure in relation to Yuba County’s grant-funded Cedar Lane Safe Routes to School Project.

Additional meetings on my calendar included an input session related to the Yuba County Office of Education (YCOE) Superintendent search, a town hall related to the election of officers for the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), a meeting about tobacco use in Yuba County.  Monday morning at 6:30am, I led the weekly Plumas Lake Community Walking Moai starting from the north parking lot at Eufay Wood Park.  I also met with public works to talk about multiple items I’m trying to move forward.

I headed to Austin on Thursday for the National Association of Counties (NACo) annual conference.  In addition to networking with my supervisor/commissioner colleagues from across the nation and learning about issues that affect us all, I attended an all-day Telecommunications & Technology (T&T) Policy Committee meeting.  At the policy committee, we spent a lot of time discussing broadband access and setting formal policy direction that NACo will use to advocate on behalf of counties to Congress and federal agencies.  In addition, I’ll cast Yuba County’s vote for the future leadership of the NACo organization from 2024-2026 and approval of the policy advocacy platform for the organization.  A highlight of the conference was an optional tour I signed up for; we toured Community First Village, a 51-acre master-planned community that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness.

Looking ahead to this week

Week of July 3rd…

Due to the holiday, I had a light schedule the week of July 3rd and I took advantage of that to go on an overnight trip to Yosemite Valley.  Given the large snowpack this year the waterfalls and river in the valley were exceptionally stunning.  It was great to get away, relax, and recharge.  One of the few things on my calendar that week was a call with fellow NACo Telecommunications and Technology (T&T) committee members to review policy resolutions we’ll be voting on at the upcoming national conference.  I have a proposed policy resolution related to allowing the use of federal BEAD funding to expand open-access broadband networks for pockets of served/underserved customers within larger unserved areas.  I also met with Recology to talk about additional community involvement in the District, met with a potential Plumas Lake commercial developer, and I met with the Yuba County landscape coordinator to understand the landscape budget for Plumas Lake.  There was no Water Agency Board Meeting that week due to the holiday.

I had a few community-related events I attended including the Yuba County Sheriff’s Association K9 Demo, the Plumas Lake 4th of July Kids Parade, the Wheatland 4th of July Community BBQ, and a 1st Friday social event at Beale AFB.

Week of July 10th…

Tuesday the 11th was a Board of Supervisors meeting with a light agenda.  We had two presentations on the agenda, including one from MJUSD on the status of the school district (link to video here, starts at 4:25).  The other presentation was the quarterly development update (link to video here, starting at 47:07 and presentation here).

I also had a Rural County Representatives (RCRC) board meeting and a Northern California Water Association  (NCWA) board meeting.  Additional meetings and events on my calendar included a broadband mapping working group, lunch with the SACOG executive director, a Yuba Water Agency agenda review, an MJUSD executive facilities committee, a National Association of Counties (NACo) Zoom with fellow California supervisors to meet candidates for NACo VP, a lunch & learn webcast on new campaign contribution limits, and a swearing-in and awards ceremony at the Sheriff’s Department.

In addition to attending the kickoff of the Adventist Health weekly farmers market in Marysville, I attended multiple peach festival-related events including the festival itself, the peach festival 5k, the peach festival pub crawl, and the peaches and pancakes breakfast.

Looking ahead to this week

Tuesday was a Board of Supervisors meeting and a few highlights from the agenda include a development agreement for the Riverside Meadows subdivision in Plumas Lake, an ABC license for Frenchtown Inn in Oregon House, an updated landscape management contract with Elite Services, a cash-flow loan from Yuba Water Agency for the annual CalPERS unfunded liability payment, some budget amendments, and appointment of community members to various boards/commissions.  The Riverside Meadows development agreement included a requirement for the builder to put in the portion of the planned Plumas Lake Bike Path Network that runs along the eastern edge of their development.  On a related note, the developer across the street from the fire station just put in the portion of the bike path network adjacent to their development.  Tuesday evening was a Wheatland City Council meeting. The agenda included this year’s SB-1 (gas tax) project list, an MOU between the City and Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm, and an agreement between the City and  Wheatland High School for a School Resource Officer.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a Coffee Caucus with supervisors from other counties (we discussed fire insurance and forest management), a webinar on artificial intelligence in local government, a call with the NACo Telecommunications & Technology committee lead staff to discuss a policy resolution proposed by Yuba County, a meeting and tour with Cresleigh in Rocklin to discuss multi-family projects and density, a Rural County Representatives Legislative call-in session, and a meeting with Enterprise Rancheria to discuss the North Valley Rail Project and the benefit to Hard Rock and the Sports & Entertainment Zone. The tribe was very interested in the project as a way to transport people from outside the area to Hard Rock, the Amphitheater, and future entertainment venues in that area and mitigate traffic impacts.  I was also honored to attend a Change of Command Ceremony for the 9th Civil Engineer Squadron at Beale AFB, where I’m privileged to serve as honorary commander of the 9th CES.   I want to thank Lt Col Sean Stapler for his service to our nation and Beale and wish him and his family the best as they move onto their next assignment.  I want to welcome Lt Col Brennan Howell to Yuba County and Beale AFB and I look forward to getting to know him and working together for the benefit of the mission and our community

Looking ahead to this week (and next)

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency Board meeting, and a few highlights from the agenda included the FY 23/24 Budget and approval of additional funding to send all 4th graders in Plumas Lake & Wheatland on The South Yuba River Citizens League Salmon Expedition tours this fall on the lower Yuba River.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a meeting with Enterprise Rancheria, Hard Rock, and the US National Whitewater Center to talk about the potential of a location here in Yuba County; a Northern California Water Association (NCWA) Executive Committee meeting; a National Association of Counties (NACo) Telecommunications and Technology (T&T) Policy Steering Committee Meeting; a planning meeting for the SACOG board meeting that will be held here in Yuba County in August; a CERF collaborative meeting; a follow-up with Caltrans District 3 on Highway 65 safety concerns; a Central Valley Rail Working Group meeting; and a Clean Air Partnership luncheon in Davis with the director of the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies on transforming transportation.

The Yuba-Sutter Fair started on the 22nd and I attended a kick-off event.  I also attended a retirement reception for Yuba County Superintendent of Schools Francisco Reveles, an OPUD ribbon cutting for Riverside Meadows Park in Plumas Lake, and a Yuba Sutter Chamber of Commerce double ribbon cutting for Legacy Lending / Sahota, Bracket & Associates.

Looking ahead to this week

Tuesday was a Board of Supervisors meeting, and there was a significant agenda which included approval of the draft FY 23/24 budget, approval of ABC licenses for the Costco in Linda and the Chevron in Plumas Lake, a presentation from Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture, and the quarterly updated from our public safety departments.  You can watch the budget presentation (starts at 1:40:00) from the meeting and view the budget and overview.  On Thursday, I attended the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) monthly board meeting in Sacramento, and a few highlights from the agenda included authorizing an RFP for Trails Plan Implementation, review of the proposed strategy for federal Carbon Reduction Program funding for the six-county region, and a presentation on 2025 Blueprint Pathways: Transportation Assumptions and Evaluation.  I gathered informally over Zoom for a virtual bi-weekly “coffee caucus” with supervisors from Tuolumne, Mariposa, Modoc, Tulare, and Fresno to touch base on various issues.  There was a Wheatland City Council meeting on Tuesday evening, and a few highlights from the agenda included an agreement with Bill Zenoni for City Manager Services, FY 23/24 budget, an MOU between the City and Bishops, and awarding a contract for the City of Wheatland 2023 Pavement Maintenance Projects.  Thursday was an OPUD board meeting.  I was unable to attend the Wheatland City Council meeting and the OPUD meeting due to conflicts, but I try and attend them when available.

Additional meetings and events on my calendar included a Yuba County Strategic Plan Ad Hoc committee meeting and a Yuba Water Agency agenda review meeting.

The 2025 Blueprint is the Sacramento region’s plan for building a thriving future and focuses on transportation, affordable housing, and equitable investments.  I attended a SACOG Blueprint workshop event on June 16 at the Folsom Community Center. Several hundred community leaders from across the region attended and we discussed regional transportation and land use choices, and associated impacts, through 2050.   You can provide your input at https://www.sacog.org/survey.  After the workshop, I stuck around for the SACOG Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) luncheon, celebrating the fifth anniversary of the program.  It was great to have multiple participants from Yuba County this year and I hope that tradition continues next year.  Look for sign-ups to happen in the fall.

I participated in a Bluezones Yuba-Sutter Walking Moai in downtown Marysville on Monday evening.  The event happens every Monday, starting at 7 pm from the Brick.  You can come early and enjoy beer, wine, appetizers, and live music before heading out on the walk.  On Thursday night I was at the Sutter County Museum for “An Evening With the Otter!”.  You can learn more about this new interactive exhibit at https://www.suttercountymuseum.org/exhibits.  On Tuesday morning before the Board of Supervisors meeting, I joined supervisors Messick and Blaser and local business owners for a Yuba Sutter Chamber Rise & Shine Breakfast at the Brick in downtown Marysville.

Looking ahead to this week

This week was a  Yuba Water Agency board meeting with a light agenda.  After the regular board meeting, we had a special board workshop focused on board development that included analyzing the strength development inventory of directors and executive staff.  Later that afternoon, was a Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority (TRLIA) meeting and a South Yuba Transportation Improvement Authority (SYTIA) board meeting.  The TRLIA agenda included budget approval and the next step in the 500-year flood protection effort. The SYTIA agenda included updates on the East Wheatland Expressway and South Beale Rd Interchange projects.  Both projects continue to move through the Project Study Report phase and should be ready to move to the environmental phase later this year or early next year.  The other board meeting I had this week was Yuba LAFCO, and the agenda contains primarily administrative items.

Additional items on my calendar included a coffee meeting with a constituent, a meeting with Sheriff Anderson, the National Association of Counties (NACo) Broadband Mapping Working Group, lunch with the Yuba County assistant community development director, the Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) board retreat, and the Together We’re Better Golf Tournament to raise money for the United Way and other local charities.

Looking ahead to this week

I spent most of the week in Charlotte NC, participating in the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU) conference.  SACOG suggested I attend due to my position as chair of the SACOG Land Use and Natural Resources Committee.  I learned more about new urbanism concepts like mixed-use, walkability, and placemaking, which I believe are essential to improving the quality of life in our communities.

I participated in two off-site tours on the first day of the conference.  The first was at the US National Whitewater Center. I’d love to see something like this in the Yuba County Sports & Entertainment Zone near Hard Rock and Toyota Amphitheater.  Next, we toured Davidson NC, a small town on the northern edge of the Charlotte metro area.  The town has a form-based development code focusing on community design and placemaking rather than traditional 20th-century segmented land use zoning.  A few of the requirements from their code include:  buildings must be a minimum of two stories, off-street parking lots must be in the rear, building access must be provided from the street, and buildings are up close to the sidewalk rather than set far back.  We visited a newer neighborhood with a mix of uses (including commercial with residential above) and a mix of housing types, including single-family homes, townhomes, and even small garage apartments.  The design included narrow streets, and many garages were behind the homes on alleys to promote safety and walkability.  We also visited a new “second main street” in the town that contained retail on the lower floor and residential units on higher floors.

I attended sessions over the next few days, and a few stood out.  One was called “Surbaban Main Streets: a new era of opportunity and Imperative.”  The session provided data on the changing demographics of households (the number of households with kids in the home is dropping) and the increasing desire for many on both ends of the age spectrum to live in a walkable community with services nearby.  Based on these trends, we are underbuilding mixed-use walkable communities, which are needed in all communities, not just dense urban cores.  While in Charlotte, I also had a chance to experience the “sound end” area along the light rail line south of downtown (which they call uptown).  The line has a trail for walking/biking along it, a decent amount of transit-oriented residential development, and a lot of bars and restaurants.  I noticed in the evening many people were out enjoying the trail, the bars, and the restaurants.

Looking ahead to this week

Tuesday was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors Meeting.  A few highlights from the agenda included: awarding a contract for the County Service Area Grading Project; presenting proclamations to 2022 Peace Officer of the Year Miles Lewis, and Probation Officer of the Year Kevin Bisby; adopting a resolution approving the expansion of the service area of the Yuba County Business Façade Grant Program to commercial corridors of Olivehurst; awarding a contract for the Cedar Lane Safe Routes to School Improvements Project; and adopting a resolution approving a proposed list of Fiscal Year 2023-2024 projects funded by Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) portion of SB1. (aka Gas Tax).  Thanks to Live Streaming Yuba-Sutter, you can watch a meeting recording if interested.

Additional meetings that I attended included a Yuba Water Agency Foothills Community Meeting, a Yuba County Public Works Corp Yard Grand Opening, a SACOG Land Use & Natural Resources (LUNR) committee agenda review meeting, a National Association of Counties (NACo) Telecommunications and Technology Policy Steering Committee meeting, and a Yuba County Community Health Improvement Plan meeting to talk about Safe Neighborhoods and Built Environments. Tuesday night was a Wheatland City Council Meeting.

With respect to community involvement and engagement, I participated in several great events this week including:  discussing what an Elected Official/County Supervisor does at McKenney Intermediate School’s Career Day; helping place flags and crosses on veteran’s graves at Wheatland Cemetary for Memorial Day; and sponsoring and attending The Event (aka Tyler Rich Concert) at Hard Rock, a fundraiser for the Enterprise Community Fund.

Looking ahead to this week

Tuesday was a Yuba Water Agency board of directors meeting.  The agenda contained multiple significant items, including approval of grants and/or loans for a total amount up to $3.6 million under the Community Impact Grant Program,  approval of emergency contract actions to repair the South Canal crossing at Ostrom Road ($2.9M), and approval of a budget of $39.46M for construction of the new Power System Headquarters in Oregon House.

Additional board meetings included a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) meeting where the agenda included approval of the awards for the 22/23 funding round.  Over $24M was awarded to the Yuba-Sutter region, and you can read more about the specifics in this Appeal–Democrat article.  Speaking of transportation, I met with Yuba County Public Works and the Caltrans District 3 Safety Leadership to discuss potential safety improvements on Hwy 65 both north and south of Wheatland. As a result of the input I’ve received from the community and our meeting, they are investigating the funding and feasibility of the following safety improvements: Flashing warning signs entering town from both sides warning of congestion/stopped traffic (at times when it exists); Preventing left turns from NB Oakley to NB 65 and NB 65 to SB Oakley; and Investigating whether a signal is warranted at Hwy 65 & Dairy.

I also attended a SACOG lunchtime presentation on the Yolo Managed Lanes Project,  a Yuba County Strategic Plan Ad Hoc Committee meeting, a Yuba Water Agency chair/vice-chair breakfast, a meeting to introduce Hard Rock leadership to the North Valley Rail project, had coffee with OPUD Director Lacey Nelson, and participated in a Yuba Water Agency Forest Health Tour.

The Community events I attended include the 97th Annual Sacramento Host Breakfast, Third Thursday at River Highlands Ranch in Smartsville, the Beale Bash, and the 99th Annual Wheatland Pet Parade.

This week was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting I attended remotely as I was out of town at a conference.  A few key items from the agenda included amending the Plumas Lake Specific Plan to require a conditional use permit for gas stations and truck terminals/yards, banning the cultivation of industrial hemp, awarding a contract for the 2023 Overlay Project, which includes multiple roads in the Arboga area, and an agreement with Jacobs for professional electrical engineering and consulting services for the Yuba County Electric Vehicle Master Plan.

I spent the first half of the week representing Yuba Water Agency at the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) Spring Conference in Monterey.  I arrived early to participate in the ACWA JPIA board meeting on Monday.  I left on Wednesday to head to Butte County for a Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) tour and board meeting on Thursday and Friday.  The RCRC board meets every other month, and it’s customary to hold one of those meetings in the chair’s home county.  This year, the RCRC chair is Butte County Supervisor Doug Teeter.  In conjunction with the RCRC board meeting on Friday morning, I’ll also represent Yuba County at board meetings for the RCRC-affiliated organizations Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA) and Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA).  We toured Oroville Dam, Hyatt Powerhouse, Gorrill Ranch on Butte Creek, and Magalia Community Park on Thursday.  Two of the three stops were closely tied to water management, and it was almost like I was still at ACWA.  Networking with my colleagues from the other 39 rural California counties is always valuable.

In addition to the Board of Supervisors meeting, I participated in several other meetings remotely while out of town, including a National Association of Counties Broadband Mapping Working Group and a Yuba Water Agency special board meeting.

Before heading out of town on the 7th, I attended Dinner in the Orchard on Saturday evening.  After returning, I attended a social event hosted by the Beale Military Liason Council (BMLC) on Friday night with the base commander, Col Church, and his leadership team.   On Saturday, I received a tour of The Untz Festival at Sycamore Ranch in Browns Valley.  County staff and the organizer always invite the board to stop by and see the setup.  I attended the inaugural Plumas Lake Picnic in the Park event on Saturday night.

This week was a Yuba Water Agency board meeting.  The agenda was light and included an overview of Agency Administration functions.  Later that morning, I had a Yuba Water POD Committee Meeting, where we approved grants and loans for up to $5.4 million under the Community Impact Grant and Loan Program.  Additional board and committee meetings on my calendar last week included the Northern California Water Association (NCWA), Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Land Use and Natural Resources (LUNR) Committee, and Yuba-Sutter Economic Development Corporation (YSEDC).   I also attended a SACOG presentation on Bikeshare and Innovative Mobility in the Sacramento Region and a Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee.

I also had multiple community-related events on my calendar, including an event at North Yuba Water District (NYWD) celebrating the May 1st release of irrigation water, the National Day of Prayer Breakfast, the LEAD Yuba Sutter Dinner, and Dinner in the Orchard.  I’m honored to sponsor both Wheatland Little League and Plumas Lake Little League, and I watched the Wheatland Hatch take on the Plumas Lake Braves.  In addition, I had lunch with William Franco (commander of the Veterans Affiliated Council), stopped by First 5 Yuba to take my picture with the Blue Dot to spread awareness about maternal mental health, and stopped by the Hanger Food Truck Park at the Yuba County airport for their Cinco de Mayo celebration.

As I was out of town for Cap-to-Cap last weekend and didn’t have time to write an update, this week’s updates will cover the last two weeks.

The 18th was a Yuba Water Agency board meeting.  The agenda included considering a $6M grant to Yuba County to cover the drainage component of a $29M project to design and construct new sidewalks, bicycle lanes, improved transit stops, and drainage facilities in Olivehurst.  The County will apply to the State for a grant to cover most of the additional funding needed. We’ll also receive a presentation on the power systems at Yuba Water Agency.  The 25th was a Board of Supervisors meeting, but I could not attend due to Cap-to-Cap.  Some key items from the agenda included:  the advertisement of bids for multiple County Service Areas (CSA’s) in the communities of Dobbins, Browns Valley, Smartsville, and Camp Far West for Grading and Road Repair; presenting a certificate of recognition to Yuba County Public Guardian’s Office; receiving an update from First Five Yuba Commission; adopting a resolution declaring April 23rd – April 29th, 2023 Crime Victims’ Rights Week; approving an agreement with Yuba County Office of Education for the abatement of the opioid epidemic in California; and introducing an ordinance amending Chapter 7.42 of the Yuba County Ordinance Code relating to the cultivation of industrial hemp.   You can watch the meeting here.

Additional meetings on my calendar the week of the 17th included:  a meeting with the City of Marysville on the Goldfields Parkway project, a National Association of Counties (NACo) Broadband Mapping Working group meeting, a farewell ceremony for Beale Vice Commander Col Eckberg, coffee with Director Bishop, a mega-region (Sacramento area, Bay Area, San Joaquin County) Lobby Day with various state agencies and legislators with the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), a SACOG board meeting, a Yuba Sutter Economic Development Corporation (YSEDC) Executive Committee Meeting, a Blue Zones celebration at Yuba Water Agency, and an Olivehurst Public Utility District (OPUD) board meeting.

On the 21st, I left for Washington DC, with 400+ business leaders and elected officials from the Sacramento region for the annual Cap-to-Cap regional advocacy trip.  I served on the flood protection and transportation teams and met with congressional and federal government representatives to help advance our regional priorities in those subject areas.  You can dive into the specific flood protection and transportation we advocated for.  I participated in flood protection meetings with Congressman Bera, Congresswoman Matsui, Congressman Kiley’s office staff, and FEMA.  I met with Congresswoman Matsui, Congressman Bera, and Congressman LaMalfa’s staff on the transportation side.  In addition, Yuba Water Agency staff was in DC, and I joined them for a meeting with Congressman Kiley’s office.

After returning from DC on Wednesday, I finished off the week with several meetings/events on Thursday and Friday, including:  a North Valley Rail Project Development Team Meeting, a Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Legislative Update Call, a Yuba Sutter Chamber Business Connection Breakfast on “The State of Yuba County”, a tour of the new Tri-County Juvenile Hall in Marysville, a Yuba County Community Health Improvement Plan Built Environments Workshop, a SACOG Meganregion Working group meeting, and a Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Salud! Awards Gala.

This week was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors meeting.  Some highlights from the agenda included: Community Committee Appointments; Acquisition of rights of way for the Cedar Lane Safe Routes to School Improvements Project; Release RFP for surveillance upgrades for Marysville Joint Unified School District through Yuba County Sheriff’s COPS 2020 School Violence Prevention Program; Approve Yuba County Consolidated Fee Ordinance Code for Fiscal Year 2023-2024; Present proclamation to Casa de Esperanza recognizing April 2023 as Child Abuse Prevention Month; Receive annual Public Health Officer Update; and Receive Quarterly Development Update from Community Development and Services.

Additional meetings on my calendar included:  a meeting at SACOG with Congressman Bera, Congressman Garamendi, and Fed Railroad Administrator Amit Bose to discuss megaregion rail projects, including the extension of ACE/San Joaquin passenger rail to Elk Grove, Sacramento, Plumas Lake, Marysville, and Chico;  a separate discussion about public outreach for the North Valley Rail project; and agenda review for the Yuba Water Agency.  I also attended a Yuba Sutter Chamber of Commerce Rise and Shine Breakfast networking event at Hard Rock.

This week was a Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting.  Some key items from the agenda included a CEQA Notice of Exemption for the Power Systems Headquarters Project in Oregon House, a presentation providing an overview of the power grid, balancing authorities, and how Yuba Water provides wholesale power to the grid through CAIS, and a presentation about the Yuba Water Supply Mission.

Additional meetings on my calendar included a Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Land Use and Natural Resources (LUNR) Committee meeting, a Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee, a Yuba Water Agency chair/vice-chair/general-manager breakfast, and a meeting with the public works director and community development director for the City of Marysville. Key agenda items from the SACOG LUNR meeting include a presentation on City of Auburn Planning Efforts: Form-based Codes and the Domes Redevelopment Area and 2025 Blueprint Pathways: Pavement Cost Estimates.

This week was a Yuba County Board of Supervisors Meeting.  Some highlights from the agenda included: approving and awarding the 2023 Yuba County Park and Landscape Maintenance Agreement to Elite Service Experts for park and landscape maintenance (this includes landscape maintenance in Plumas Lake); approving an agreement with R&F Engineering for Star Bend Boat Ramp Sediment Removal Project; received a presentation from City of Marysville regarding Momentum of Marysville; and received a Code Enforcement Department Update.  Tuesday at 6 pm was a Wheatland City Council meeting, and you can find the agenda here.