Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Mendocino County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
21 issues
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.
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.
Bower Park Improvement Project Phase 3 Grant
Gualala's Bower Park could get a state grant to finish Phase 3 of its improvement project — the board would direct staff to apply.
Ukiah Area Trash Capture Devices
A $205,000 construction contract would install trash capture devices to keep litter out of local waterways around Ukiah.
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.
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.
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.
Briceland Road Bridge Replacement Over the Mattole River
The consent calendar included a $530,000 engineering design contract for replacing the Briceland Road bridge over the Mattole River near Whitethorn — a key link for the isolated southern Humboldt-adjacent community.
Animal Shelter Spay/Neuter Funding
A $408,000 donation is funding low-cost spay/neuter across the county, but a veterinary shortage is slowing things down; the county may rent its care van to a traveling vet with discounts for Covelo, the coast, and reservations.
County Health Officer appointment
Supervisors privately discussed filling the County Health Officer position. No decision was announced, leaving the county's public health leadership question open.
Performance evaluations of department heads
The Board evaluated several top officials behind closed doors, including the Interim CEO, Agricultural Commissioner, Air Quality Pollution Officer, and Public Defender. Outcomes stay confidential unless they affect employment.
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.
Willits library refresh and ADA upgrades
The Willits library gets a full overhaul — ADA fixes, new flooring, HVAC, windows and an outdoor kids' patio — funded entirely by Measure O sales tax dollars, under a new 10-year plan to share library capital money fairly countywide.
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.
Code enforcement priorities and neighborhood nuisances
The board kept life safety as the top code enforcement priority and added law-enforcement referrals, but a 4-1 split revealed frustration that nuisance complaints — trash, junk, illegal occupancy — aren't being addressed fast enough with staffing down to two field officers.
Meadow Farm code enforcement fee waiver
The county waived about $9,000 in building-permit penalties for the Fort Bragg nonprofit so it can afford permits to fix inherited code violations; one supervisor warned about setting a precedent.
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.