To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Board of Supervisors
Staff Name and Phone Number: Board of Supervisors 707-565-2241
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Board of Supervisors 2024 Calendar Items of Significant Interest
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt the 2024 Board Significant Interest Calendar
end
Executive Summary:
On Tuesday, January 9, 2024, the Board held a meeting to conduct their annual review and discussion on calendar year priorities. Based on input provided by the departments and the discussion held by the Board, staff is presenting for approval the 2024 Significant Items of Interest Calendar. The approved calendar will subsequently be reviewed around fiscal year mid-point (estimated in June/July) to address the need to reprioritize and reflect adjustments that may be discovered as the work to develop the requested actions progresses.
Consistent with the Board’s Strategic Plan Racial Equity and Social Justice pillar, and to look for opportunities to operationalize equity, during 2024 several of the Significant Items programmed for the year will be reviewed through the Racial Equity Toolkit (Attachment C), developed by the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), and approved by the Board in November 2020.
This staff report reviews new county work items discussed on 1/9/2024 and provides suggestions on how to address them.
Discussion:
The recommended Significant Items of Interest Calendar for 2024 was developed with the goal of scheduling up to 4 hours per board meeting dedicated to regular agenda items necessitating board discussion and deliberation.
On January 9th, the Board discussion identified the topics listed below. Along with the listed item, CAO is providing a response and/or recommendation for the Board to consider as part of approving the first version of the 2024 calendar.
A. Review the current Transient Occupancy Tax Board established financial policies.
Consider additional deliberation as part of upcoming budget development deliberations. Starting with Budget Workshops scheduled to occur from 4/22/24 to 4/24/24.
B. Establish Vacation Rental advertising enforcement component.
Permit Sonoma staff will include options as part of the 4/30/2024 Vacation Rental Update.
C. Ensure that the General Plan Update includes the different Specific Area Plans completed or underway.
During the meeting Permit Sonoma Director Wick confirmed that the workplan folds in the various Specific Area Plans.
D. Keep the Board informed of the Cannabis Environmental Impact Report (EIR) progress status and discussion themes surfacing from engaging community groups.
Board briefings will continue to be offered as the project advances to keep the Board informed of this project. Additionally, recordings from community meetings held can be accessed on the project website <https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/county-administrators-office/projects/cannabis-program/cannabis-program-update-and-eir>.
Please note that the Notice of Preparation (NOP) to inform the public, responsible agencies, and involved federal agencies that the project will have EIR prepared was issued on February 6, 2023. Comments received are viewable by month <https://share.sonoma-county.org/link/ZzYl1qANuaQ/> on the Project’s dedicated website <https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/county-administrators-office/projects/cannabis-program/cannabis-program-update-and-eir>
Staff has identified November 19, 2024, to present the Cannabis Program Update and Environmental Impact Report
E. Provide Homeless Services updates that include information from both programs and systems operated by local government and non-government organizations.
This topic is included on 8/13/2024, Contract Awards for Homelessness & Continuum of Care programs; and on 9/24/2024, Homelessness Program Update-2024 Point In Time Count.
F. Micro-Enterprise Kitchen
9/24/2024 includes Consideration of Micro-Enterprise Kitchen Implementation.
G. Community Parks
Unincorporated Area Ad hoc discussion on 2/6/2024 is estimated to recommend work efforts for the Board’s consideration. Also, Agricultural and Open Space’s Matching Grant Program Guidelines and Application is included on 3/5/2024.
Additionally, representatives from Sonoma Immigrant Services <https://www.sonomaimmigrant.org/> requested during Public Comment that the following new work item be added to the 2024 Calendar.
H. Investigate how does the cooperation between the Sheriff and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) affect all Sonoma County departments?
The Transparent Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds (TRUTH) Act (Assembly Bill 2792) annual community forum is anticipated to occur on 5/17/2024. CAO staff will include estimated annual staff costs associated with responding to ICE inquiries, tracking and recording data, and developing the annual TRUTH Act report. The Sheriff’s Office policy that describes how they work with ICE can be found here <https://static1.squarespace.com/static/542ec317e4b0d41ade8801fb/t/6018272c280b4036f4ce7b3d/1612195629034/immigration-status+%281.2021%29.pdf>. The SO’s information page includes links for community members to learn how to get a U-Visa <https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/victims-of-criminal-activity-u-nonimmigrant-status> if they are an undocumented victim of certain crimes with physical or emotional abuse.
Because County departments may not collect service delivery data for their programs in a manner that will allow us to determine whether certain clients are associated with ICE referred individuals and/or their families, in some cases we may not have access to data/information that illustrates other County departments/agencies are affected due to the Sheriff’s Office (SO) complying with the California Values Act SB54 <https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB54>, also referred to as the “Sanctuary State” law. Not having other indirect ICE related information is consistent with state law limiting local government’s role in deportations and uncovering personal information of relatives. Further, the state limits immigration enforcement actions at public schools, hospitals and health facilities, courthouses, and libraries. SB 54 codifies a prohibition on cruel, costly, and unconstitutional ICE “holds” in local jails, which include prohibiting local law enforcement agencies from notifying ICE when a community member is about to be released from custody or transferring a community member to ICE. The state law provisions were set as the foundation with which local governments are to uphold due process for all people.
Finally, to ensure due process the Board of Supervisors championed the creation of the Secure Families Collaborative <https://sonomacountysecurefamilies.org/> (SFC) and has contributed a total of $300,000 since to support. Through the SFC the Board has developed a pathway to support immigrants in our community and protect our entire community’s cultural and economic vitality.
Prior Board Actions:
January 9, 2024, Board item2024-0053 | Review of the 2024 Board Calendar
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Most of the resources needed to deliver the actions, items, and workshops included in the proposed 2024 Significant Items Calendar have been included in the current FY 23/24 budget and/or will be included in the proposed FY 24/25 budget to be heard by the Board and the public in June 2024.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
Attachment A - 2024 Significant Interest Calendar - January 9, 2024, Draft
Attachment B - 2024 Significant Interest Calendar - Proposed for adoption.
Attachment C - GARE Racial Equity Toolkit
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None