To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Administrator’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Christel Querijero 565-2431, Maggie Luce 565-1796
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Measure H Oversight Committee Appointments
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Approve Appointments to the Measure H Oversight Committee to serve a term of three years beginning May 13, 2025, through May 13, 2028. (Countywide)
end
Executive Summary:
The Board of Supervisors is responsible for appointments to over 75 Boards, Commissions, Committees, and Task Forces. Vacancies and upcoming expiring appointments are posted on the County’s Boards, Commissions, Committees, and Task Forces website: <https://sonoma-county.granicus.com/boards/w/808bd6e42edf8e0f>.
Rule 50 of the Board Rules of Procedures states that the Clerk of the Board shall convene staff to review prospective countywide appointments and make appointment recommendations to the Board. The current item recommends the following appointments to the Measure H Oversight Committee, as detailed in the Discussion section below.
Measure H, the “Improved and Enhanced Local Fire Protection, Paramedic Services and Disaster Response” Transaction and Use Tax was passed by voters in March 2024. Measure H authorizes a countywide one-half cent special transaction and use tax (sales tax) to supplement existing funding for wildfire prevention and preparedness, paramedic services, and emergency and disaster response. On January 14, 2025 <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7085820&GUID=12C03924-4551-479E-A16B-450D651EA4A4&Options=&Search=>, the Board of Supervisors created the Measure H Oversight Committee to provide transparency and ensure fiscal accountability. As noted in the Ordinance (Attachment A), the Oversight Committee will consist of eleven appointed members.
Discussion:
On September 26, 2023 <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6361588&GUID=8CF11D3C-B5D9-4DEC-AD0F-A50ED85A18B4&Options=&Search=%3E,>, the Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution calling a special election for March 5, 2024, on the proposed sales tax measure entitled, “Improved and Enhanced Local Fire Protection, Paramedic Services, and Disaster Response Initiative and Sales Tax Petition” (Measure H), and combining the special election with the statewide election on March 5, 2024. Measure H was passed successfully with 61.71% of voters approving a one-half of a cent per dollar sales tax on the sale and use of tangible property within Sonoma County, including both incorporated and unincorporated areas, until ended by the voters, to supplement existing funding for wildfire prevention and preparedness, paramedic services, and emergency and disaster response, raising approximately $60,000,000 annually. The new sales tax became operative as of October 1, 2024.
Implementation of Measure H requires the formation of an independent Oversight Committee to provide transparency and ensure fiscal accountability. On January 14, 2025 <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7085820&GUID=12C03924-4551-479E-A16B-450D651EA4A4&Options=&Search=>, the Board of Supervisors created the Measure H Oversight Committee. The Committee will review, at least on an annual basis, the receipt and expenditures of the revenue from the sales tax, including an annual report of each recipient Agency’s use of the tax.
According to the Measure H Ordinance, the Oversight Committee will consist of eleven members, who will serve a three-year term and are eligible to be reappointed by their appointing bodies. Members must be County residents. Active fire chiefs, active fire directors, County employees, or spouses to any such individuals may not serve on the committee. As outlined in the Ordinance, the committee will be composed of:
• Six members appointed by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors -
o Two of these members selected from a list of names submitted by the Mayors’ and Councilmembers’ Association of Sonoma County,
o Two selected from a list of names submitted by the labor organizations responsible for collective bargaining on behalf of firefighters employed by local agencies which receive funding through the ordinance, and
o Two selected by the Board of Supervisors.
• Three members appointed by the Sonoma County Fire Chiefs Association, including one selected from a list of names nominated from the general public.
• Two members appointed by the Sonoma County Fire Districts Association. One was to be selected from a list of names submitted by the Sonoma County Taxpayers Association. However, the Sonoma County Fire Districts Association determined that the Taxpayers Association is no longer active. Therefore, one member submitted by the Fire Districts Association was selected from the general public.
County staff coordinated with the Fire Chiefs Association and the Fire Districts Association to provide notice to the community about the vacancies on the Measure H Oversight Committee. The County announced this opportunity in a press release, email newsletters and social media, and requested partners to share the opportunity with their networks. The Fire Chiefs Association and Fire Districts Association conducted their own selection processes and notified the County of their appointee selections. The County received the appointment recommendations from the Mayors’ and Councilmembers’ Association and labor organizations responsible for collective bargaining on behalf of firefighters. Additionally, the County received eleven applications for the remaining two committee positions. Staff invited four of these eleven applicants to interview for the Oversight Committee and recommend two to the Board of Supervisors. Staff recommendations were based on applicants’ financial oversight experience and skills, stated interest in serving on this committee, and participation on boards or organizations with oversight responsibilities.
Measure H Oversight Committee Appointment Recommendations
The County Administrator’s Office recommends the following appointments:
• Mayors’ & Councilmembers: Sandra Lowe - Councilmember Lowe is a Councilmember and past Mayor for the City of Sonoma. She has experience serving on the LAFCO Board, where she has been involved in multiple fire district consolidations.
• Mayors’ & Councilmembers: Jeff Okrepkie - Councilmember Okrepkie is a City of Santa Rosa Councilmember. He has founded Coffee Strong, a neighborhood-led fire recovery group, and he currently serves as Chair of the Santa Rosa City Council’s Public Safety Subcommittee.
• Labor Organizations: Nicholas Fitzpatrick - Mr. Fitzpatrick has 17 years of service at the Petaluma Fire Department, 12 years with the Sonoma Sheriff’s Helicopter Unit, and four years as Treasurer on Local 1415 Union’s Executive Board.
• Labor Organizations: Matt Tognozzi - Mr. Tognozzi is the President of the Professional Fire Fighters of Sonoma County, the largest Fire Labor group in the county. He is a Fire Captain with the Santa Rosa Fire Department.
• CAO Staff Nomination: Becky Ennis - Ms. Ennis is a Program Manager who has worked in the field of mental health for 16 years. She leads Resilient Cloverdale as part of the Community Organizations Active in Disaster and she has served on the County’s Mental Health Board.
• CAO Staff Nomination: Jeff Lemelin - Mr. Lemelin is a retired career firefighter and volunteer battalion chief with the Sonoma County Fire District. He is a member of the Mark West Fire Safe Council and is a small business owner.
The following Committee members have been appointed by the Sonoma County Fire Chiefs Association and Sonoma County Fire Districts Association:
• Sonoma County Fire Chiefs Association:
o Todd Derum - Mr. Derum is an Incident Management & Leadership Consultant with a 37-year career with CAL FIRE.
o Tony Gossner - Mr. Gossner is a retired Fire Chief with 31 years of service with the Santa Rosa Fire Department.
o Michael LeComte - Mr. Le Compte is a winery owner who has experience with service organizations including Rotary Club of Windsor, Leadership Windsor Steering Committee, and the Windsor Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
• Sonoma County Fire Districts Association:
o Jackson William - Mr. Williams is a retired accountant who has served as the Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Russian River Fire Protection District. He has experience serving on several other service organizations and worked with the Citizens’ Oversight Committee for Rincon Valley Union School District’s 2005 General Obligation bond.
o Lisa Yoshida - Ms. Yoshida is an attorney who has served on a number of nonprofit boards. She was a neighborhood captain for her community during the initial recovery period following the Tubbs Fire.
See Attachment B for a detailed list of all applicants, Attachment C for copies of applications recommended for appointment, and Attachment D for copies of applications not recommended for appointment.
After appointment today, Committee members will be required to complete mandatory ethics and sexual harassment prevention training and other onboarding tasks with the administrative clerk. Additionally, all Board of Supervisors appointed Committee members must complete an oath of office with the County Clerk of the Board. County staff will contact Committee members individually to facilitate this process, which will need to occur, as schedules permit, before the first Oversight Committee meeting.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
1/14/25: <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7085820&GUID=12C03924-4551-479E-A16B-450D651EA4A4&Options=&Search=> Measure H Oversight Committee Creation
9/26/23 <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6338188&GUID=927F17A6-F5F9-4774-8CAB-6B50A3FC9F45&Options=&Search=>: Adopt a Resolution submitting the Improved and Enhanced Local Fire Protection, Paramedic Services, and Disaster Response Initiative and Sales Tax Petition to the Voters of Sonoma County
9/12/23 <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6338188&GUID=927F17A6-F5F9-4774-8CAB-6B50A3FC9F45&Options=&Search=>: Accepting Certificate of Sufficiency for the Improved and Enhanced Local Fire Protection, Paramedic Services, and Disaster Response Initiative and Sales Tax Petition
Fiscal Summary
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FY23-24 Adopted |
FY24-25 Projected |
FY25-26 Projected |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
There are no fiscal impacts associated with this item.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment A: Measure H Tax Ordinance
Attachment B: Oversight Committee Applicants
Attachment C: Recommended Applications
Attachment D: Applications Not Recommended
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A