How Measure Z Is Doing So Far According to the County

Press release from Humboldt County:

Humboldt CountyOne year ago today, the Board of Supervisors certified the results of the Nov. 4, 2014 election in which Humboldt County voters passed Measure Z. Over the past 12 months, voters have begun to see the difference their vote has made around the county. The measure, a half-cent local sales tax, went into effect in April. Since then, the tax has raised more than $2 million, and a lot has been done with that money to improve the safety of the people in our community. In an effort to keep you informed, the following describes some steps that have been taken towards implementing Measure Z, and what you can expect in the future.

April-May: Citizen evaluation
Measure Z was estimated to raise nearly $9 million during its first year of effect. In April, local agencies applied for a share of these funds and their applications were evaluated by a committee appointed by the Board of Supervisors. The Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Measure Z Expenditures is a group of nine citizens, two of whom represent public safety agencies. In all, 24 local agencies submitted 46 applications seeking nearly $19 million for projects that would increase public safety. In May, the committee recommended seven projects for funding, with more to be considered if funding is available.

June: Teamwork approach allows county to tackle more projects
While the committee was tasked with evaluating the applications as they were submitted, the Board of Supervisors has more flexibility. In open meetings prior to adoption of the budget, the Board and several of the agencies that applied found ways to reduce project costs while still addressing the underlying public safety need. For example, the Fire Chief’s Association was able to save a substantial amount by purchasing in bulk, and several agencies agreed to remove portions of their requests thereby lowering the amount of funding needed. The end result allowed the Board to include funding for 15 Measure Z projects when adopting the county’s annual budget in June.

July-October: Implementation
The Sheriff’s Office was allocated funding for 30 new positions, and made its first hires in July. To date, 16 employees have been hired with Measure Z funds. Those include two sergeants, eight deputies, three community service officers, one animal control officer, one property technician and one extra help deputy. Recruitments for the Sheriff’s Office are ongoing.

The District Attorney’s Office was allocated funding for 11 full-time employees, and made its first hire in August. To date, three employees have been hired with Measure Z funds, including two deputy district attorneys and one investigator. More new hires are expected soon.

The Department of Public Works in October completed 13 projects to repair local roads, with more on the way. Public Works has also funded three cleanups along local rivers and roadways.

The Probation Department was allocated just over $600,000 and has hired one deputy probation officer with more hires expected soon.

Tracking
Six outside agencies were selected by the Board to receive funds from Measure Z, including the Eureka Police Department, Fortuna Police Department, Area 1 Agency on Aging, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Fire Chief’s Association and City of Rio Dell. However, because the Board does not have jurisdiction over those agencies it signed contracts detailing their proposed expenses and actions to be carried out with Measure Z funds. Per the contract, those agencies are required to submit invoices and quarterly reports detailing their progress, success and difficulties relating to implementing Measure Z projects. Those documents are available on our website.

Looking ahead
Outside agencies will continue to submit quarterly reports regarding their progress with Measure Z. In January the Citizens Advisory Committee on Measure Z expenditures willmeet to review the budget at the mid-year point. In March we will hold the Interactive Community Budget Meeting, which kicks off the annual budget process. The committee will begin to meet more frequently early in 2016 and you can sign up to be notified when the committee posts a new agenda.

Measure Z information web page

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Michael
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Michael
8 years ago

Wasn’t some of that money to offset the losses of Firefighters and hire more? Just “removing their requests” for more materials does not make the need go away, as they suggest.

Pete
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Pete
8 years ago

Thanks Kym for the the updated information on how the monies are being used with these meaursure Z tax dollars. Perfect way the county set up an independent group of various citizens to help oversee and nice to know, that it is a renewable type funding…year to year, so if funding isn’t being used efficiently and/or properly…no more type thing, right ? Completely love the transparency with The City of Rio Dell…Transporation/ Personnel costs ? Hmm really Ms. Woodcox ? And so, Hilda, a current employee on the cities payroll has answered the phone once or twice ? More Officer’s in the field ? Well, just glad of the transparency….no one ever seems available when calls are made during business hours….Now at least if ‘We’ as a community are not seeing or experiencing the benefits of this…..might not it be able to be renewed type thing ? Street lighting, I feel could or would fall under the guidelines of public safety, Yes ? Difficult experiences with communication from the Top here…? Anyone ?

Jr
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Jr
8 years ago

Funny-
No mention of the sheriffs new captain position that was somehow funded by measure z. How does government get to create new positions without any citizen oversight? They can’t even put deputies on the street yet somehow more administration is a must.

Where's The Money
Guest
Where's The Money
8 years ago

Where is the nice easy list of where the money went ? They should just list depts and agency’s on a nice list with the amount next to the name .They make us have to dig so as to make the information harder to find

Food for thought
Guest
Food for thought
8 years ago

Because if they put a bunch of filler information of no informity or exact numbers then we won’t know where the money really went. We give them money we get a shpeel.

Where's The Money
Guest
Where's The Money
8 years ago

Law Enforcement
Sheriff’s Office 30 positions $3.15 million
District Attorney’s Office 11 positions $1.36 million
Probation Department 6 positions $603K
Eureka Police Department 2 positions, homeless services $400K
Fortuna Police Department 1 position $125K

Fire
Fire Chief’s Association Clothing, equipment, LAFCO planning fees $2.2 million
Public Works Personal protective equipment at ACV $19,500

Other
Area 1 Agency on Aging Elder ombudsman $10K
City of Rio Dell Code enforcement support $35K
County Counsel Code enforcement compliance officer $125K
Hoopa Valley Tribe Ambulance service
*Contingent upon development of a
benefit assessment district $268K
Public Works Grants to remove hazards at ACV $79K
Public Works Road repairs $425K
Public Works Pedestrian and radar speed signs $25K
Public Works Waste clean-up $25K

Food for thought
Guest
Food for thought
8 years ago

Well now that wasn’t soo hard. Numbers of value and information thank you

Pete
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Pete
8 years ago

‘Where’s the money’ A huge thank you ! Hopefully people will actually read this thread and challenge any discrepancies they may have concerns with. So Rio Dell received 35k for code enforcement ? Now that could actually bring in revenues if managed properly. A currently held position down at City at Hall could certainly manage this. Our City has mailed out multiple listings of ALL of these very Municipal Codes. We have been forewarned on many occasions, especially during these past couple of years. I would hope this is the very reason the grant application the City received was for just that, along with the Dispatch position, which I personally heard and watched for myself the comments by Supervisor Rex Bohn regarding this particular award during the process. As for dispatch, easy solution for a community of 3000 residents, a duel position. Dispatch/code violations. 34k a year….anyone ? This is a decent salary, that I would think a ton of folks would be interested in filling. Of course ALL the benefits, ‘PERS’ would be on top of that…Who wouldn’t want a job with those benefits ? I think most folks in the private sector would jump at it…Perfect to leave the private sector a few years before retirement right folks ? Those actually are the ‘smart’ individuals I’m beginning to understand more and more as our Country evolves into government overload ! Law Enforcement is completely excluded. .
Puzzling to me how this small community has stayed around the same population for the past 40 or so years that I’ve lived here, though a City Clerk ( whom could run this city blindfolded) and an extra hired helper a few days a month could do ALL the billing just for the water and sewer, no technology even. And too, we had an old truck in the Public Works Dept. drive through the entire
City and read the meters ! Amazing huh ? Time to rethink this budget folks…

Humbleone
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Humbleone
8 years ago

Glad to have the monies for the different agencies. Unfortunately with the Sheriffs Department, until they learn ways to retain their experienced Correctional Deputies and Deputies, a good portion of this money will be sucked out for continuously having to fill the positions vacated on a regular basis by exiting staff. The message given out to Correctional Deputies is “you are replaceable” with little respect or consideration given to them by management. It costs a lot of money to background new people and put them through their mandated training. A little respect and appreciation goes a long way people.