Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Mendocino County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
12 issues with high priority
Public Ambulance Joint Powers Agreement
The Fire Safe Council and Fire Chiefs Association will update the board on work toward a public ambulance JPA, which could reshape how emergency medical transport is delivered in the county.
First Quarter Budget Report and FY 2026-27 Budget Amendments
The county's mid-fall checkup on spending and revenues comes with proposed budget adjustments — a 4/5ths vote would be needed to adopt the amending resolution.
Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO) Program
The county could opt into a state program allowing residents to legally run small food businesses from their home kitchens. If the board approves, staff will draft a local ordinance and permitting process.
Deteriorating county roads
Supervisor Williams warned the Board that District 5 residents want road funding in the next budget — drains aren't cleaned, roads are crumbling, and he'll be a holdout on any budget that doesn't address it.
County Executive and Legal Leadership Appointments
The county has its new permanent CEO and incoming County Counsel — key players in everything from budgeting to code enforcement.
Sea Level Rise Policies for the Mendocino Coast
The county is updating its coastal plan to deal with rising seas — covering bluff erosion, deed restrictions on risky properties, and newly added saltwater intrusion language. Speakers flagged septic system risks as seas push groundwater up.
Residential Permit Amnesty Program Considered
Residents packed the room to say the county's permit process is too costly and confusing, and that unpermitted housing is widespread. Only 12 of 38 housing applications from the last amnesty program got through to final inspection. The Board is now digging into why people couldn't finish, before deciding whether a new amnesty program makes sense.
Permanent County CEO appointment
The county is working on filling its top administrative job — the CEO who runs day-to-day county operations. The board discussed the appointment behind closed doors and announced no hire, so the position's status remains up in the air.
Labor Negotiations with County Employee Unions
Nearly 20 employees and union reps pleaded for a 3% cost-of-living adjustment, saying county workers qualify for food assistance, can't afford local housing, and that the county's 1% offer and cut to longevity pay would drive staff away.
Reynold's Highway bridge replacement over Outlet Creek
A 1955 single-lane timber bridge — the only access and evacuation route for west-of-creek residents near Brooktrails — will be replaced with a new two-lane structure designed for 100-year floods, fully reimbursed by the federal Highway Bridge Program.
Data center moratorium extension
The Board imposed a 45-day emergency ban on approving new data center projects in unincorporated Mendocino County while it studies their water, electricity, farmland and fiscal impacts. A renewal hearing — possibly for a term as long as two years — is expected October 6.
El Niño winter storm emergency
The county ratified an emergency proclamation for a potentially historic El Niño, but staff say state permitting could take 9–18 months — meaning flood-prevention work in places like Hopland likely can't happen before the storms.