With $5.3 million of Measure Z funds already dedicated to next year’s budget for public safety services like the Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney and Probation Department, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday proposed an additional $6.5 million in spending for projects that will protect our community. Funding for these projects, 25 in all, will be included into the county’s proposed budget, which will be available for public comment at the Board of Supervisors meeting on June 7.
The proposals include $1.8 million to the Humboldt County Fire Chief’s Association for equipment such as fire engines, metal building kits, personal protective equipment and hoses. In addition, more than $250,000 would be used for critical emergency response along the Highway 299 corridor, which is an area that is currently not under the jurisdiction of any one agency. Local roads are scheduled to receive $1.5 million, and the Sheriff’s Office would receive nearly $1 million for seven additional staff (four deputy sheriffs, one correctional Lieutenant, one community services officer, one animal control officer).
More projects are proposed for funding. A complete list of these projects is available on our Measure Z web page.
In total, agencies submitted 43 applications requesting more than $12.5 million in funding. The applications were reviewed by the Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Measure Z Expenditures earlier this year and submitted its recommendations in March. The committee held six meetings, including one public hearing, in which it took public input and evaluated proposals that sought a share of these funds.