To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Public Infrastructure
Staff Name and Phone Number: Johannes J. Hoevertsz, 707-565-2550
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Town of Windsor Disbursement from Contingency Liability Fund
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Resolution authorizing a budget adjustment to the FY 2025-26 Sonoma County Public Infrastructure Adopted Budget to fulfill the Town of Windsor’s request for disbursement of $535,000 from the Town of Windsor’s share of the Contingent Liability Fund, which is held in trust by the County on behalf of the Committed Cities in accordance with the terms of the Sonoma County Committed Cities’ Contingent Liability Fund Agreement.
(4/5th Vote Required)
end
Executive Summary:
The Department of Sonoma County Public Infrastructure (SPI) is requesting approval of a Resolution authorizing a budget adjustment for the Windsor Contingent Liability Fund for Fiscal Year 2025-26 to release $535,000 as requested by the Town of Windsor to support the Town’s efforts to reduce trash in parks and public spaces and to address the presence of rodents caused by public waste overflow. The Town’s available funds for these purposes are limited in the wake of significant reductions in the Town’s operating budget. These funds are available pursuant to the Landfill Settlement Agreement entered into in 2015 by and between the County and the Committed Cities.
Discussion:
In December 2009, Sonoma County's Board of Supervisors initiated a collaborative process called the County City Solid Waste Advisory Group (SWAG), which involved public stakeholders, Sonoma County cities, and the County, to create a long-term solid waste and recycling strategy. Three agreements were created to achieve the SWAG’s objectives:
1. The Master Operations Agreement (MOA) to ensure the continued operation of County Facilities, such as the landfill and transfer stations.
2. Waste Commitment Agreements between Republic Services and each City to direct municipal solid waste to County Facilities.
3. The Landfill Settlement Agreement (LSA) to resolve unfunded landfill liabilities associated with the County’s solid waste system.
After the Board approved the MOA in April 2013, Republic Services and the "Committed Cities" negotiated waste delivery agreements. The Committed Cities and the County also negotiated the LSA, which settled certain liabilities for the Committed Cities’ disposal of solid waste to the Central Landfill and assigned responsibility to the County for a term of 30-years for the post-closure obligations at the Former Urban Landfills.
As a condition of entering into the LSA, the Committed Cities requested, and the County and Republic Services agreed, to collect a "Committed Cities Contingent Liability Fee" on Committed City waste through disposal fees collected by Republic. The County administers the funds, which are allocated to each Committed City based on solid waste tonnage delivered from its jurisdiction. As of January 30, 2026, the Committed City Fund Balances are: Cloverdale $430,381; Cotati $511,200; Healdsburg $832,984; Rohnert Park $1,922,195 Santa Rosa $5,718,905; Sebastopol $477,865; Sonoma $435,233; and Windsor $1,150,140.
Request to disburse funds
On January 7, 2026, the Town of Windsor requested a disbursement of City Contingent Liability Funds in the amount of $600,000 to support the Town’s ongoing efforts to address landscape areas, including litter and debris collection and rodent abatement (See Attachment A). Following review and coordination with the Committed Cities, the request was revised to $535,000, which is the amount now being requested for appropriation. Landscaped areas in the Town that are left unattended have drawn debris, creating a potential fire hazard and a magnet for additional waste and related rodent problems, which are a public health concern. The funds requested by the Town will provide for the procurement and installation of “Big Belly” enclosed waste and recycling units, in addition to provision of additional trash collection and weed abatement services in the Town’s landscaped areas that are suffering from the appearance of blight.
The LSA states that any disbursement of funds from the Committed Cities Contingent Liability Fund requires approval of the Committed Cities in accordance with the terms and condition of the Committed Cities Contingent Liability Fund Agreement, to which the County is not a party. Accordingly, County staff requested that the Town of Windsor take actions necessary to secure the approval of the requested disbursement by the Committed Cities, as contemplated by the governing agreements. On February 19, 2026, the cities of Cloverdale, Healdsburg, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, and Windsor convened a meeting in accordance with the Committed Cities Contingent Fund Agreement. At that meeting, the cities approved a revised request by the Town of Windsor to withdraw $535,000, rather than the originally requested $600,000, from Windsor’s share of the fund, consistent with the agreement to limit disbursements to no more than 50% of a city’s fund balance. That approval was memorialized in a February 24, 2026, letter to the County Executive (Attachment B).
The Town of Windsor Contingency Fund balance will be approximately $566,252 after this request is processed.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
07/8/2025: Board adopted a resolution authorizing a budget adjustment for the FY 25/26 to fulfill the City of Santa Rosa’s request and disburse $1,076,000 from the Santa Rosa Contingent Liability Fund.
07/11/23: Board adopt a resolution authorizing a budget adjustment to the FY 2023-24 Adopted Budget to fulfill the City of Santa Rosa’s request and disburse $1,450,000 from the Santa Rosa Contingent Liability Fund;
03/03/15: Board authorized the Chair to execute the Landfill Settlement Agreement between the County and the Cities;
04/23/13: Board authorized the Chair to execute the Master Operations Agreement.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 25-26 Adopted |
FY 26-27 Projected |
FY 27-28 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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|
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
$535,000 |
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|
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Total Expenditures |
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|
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Funding Sources |
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|
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General Fund/WA GF |
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|
|
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State/Federal |
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|
|
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Fees/Other |
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|
|
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Use of Fund Balance |
$535,000 |
|
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$535,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
To facilitate this recommended action, budget appropriations of $535,000 are being requested from available Windsor Contingent Liability Fund. For Fiscal Year 2025-26, no appropriations were budgeted in the Windsor Contingent Liability Fund (Fund #41134) as requests for fund withdrawals are infrequent. The City of Windsor made a request to withdraw $535,000 from fund balance to support their community maintenance and resilience activities after the Department submitted the FY 2025-26 Recommended Budget therefore, no budget appropriations were requested at that time.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
Attachment A - Request Letter
Attachment B - Approval Letter by City Manager Group, as directed by Marcela Piedra, Chair Attachment C - Budget Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Landfill Settlement Agreement