Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Solano County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues
SEIU Unit 7 dispatcher pay increase
911 dispatchers got an 11.6% market equity raise, pushing entry-level monthly salary to about $6,400-$7,800. This helps the county compete for the people who answer emergency calls.
CIF FY2026/27 annual grants and NAMI Solano funding gap
NAMI Solano, which serves over 1,000 people a year with free mental illness support, lost all its county funding — about $325,000 — after Proposition 1 changes, and a nonprofit grant application was denied. They asked the board to help find a path forward.
Williams Case Settlement audit report
The county office of education reported on its inspections of schools flagged for visitation — checking bathrooms, instructional materials, and teacher credentials. Enrollment is declining 1.2% over three years, and 62% of Solano students are socioeconomically disadvantaged.
User fee increases under AB 2380 and AB 2224
Recording a real estate document or registering agricultural pest control just got pricier — fees rise January 4, 2027, because state law changed. The recorder change alone brings in about $335,000.
Quarterly fire protection district meetings
The Board was scheduled to sit as the governing boards of the East Vallejo, Montezuma, Suisun, and Vacaville Fire Protection Districts for their quarterly meetings.
First 5 Solano audit
The Board was scheduled to receive the annual audit of the First 5 Solano Children and Families Commission for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, which funds early childhood health and education programs.
Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan
The county's road, bridge and drainage wishlist for the next six years was approved, funded heavily by the 2017 gas tax. Highlights: sidewalks at Suisun Valley/Rockville Roads, a 70-year-old culvert replacement, and 30+ miles of chip sealing a year.
Public safety dispatcher market equity increase
The Board was scheduled to consider an 11.6% market equity raise for entry-level public safety dispatchers, raising the monthly range to $6,398.30–$7,777.17. Competitive pay helps the county recruit and retain the people who answer 911 calls.
English Hills Transportation Impact Fee update
New homes in the English Hills area will pay $8,384 (up about $188) toward fixing substandard roads there, starting January 1, 2027. Fire rebuilds and small ADUs stay exempt.
ARPA fund closeout
The board wrapped up pandemic relief spending, handing the County Administrator authority to close out ARPA and shift any leftover eligible money to the Radio Interoperability Project — better radios for first responders.
Behavioral health interoperability contract
Consent items totaling over $1.1 million would fund transitional housing (Bay Area Community Services, Caminar) and behavioral health services (Seneca, St. Joseph's) for residents in need.
Fire district cost-of-living raises
Suisun, Vacaville, and Montezuma Fire District employees get 3% cost-of-living raises, and the interim fire chief's salary range jumps to nearly $10,500 a month — with a permanent chief hire discussion to come back to the board.
2027 Legislative Platforms
The county's advocacy playbook for next year targets HR 1's cost shifts to counties for Medi-Cal and CalFresh, a proposed census rule that could cut California's federal funding, and potential PG&E wildfire-liability legislation — all with real dollar consequences for county services.
OpenGov contract management software
The county plans to spend $2.3 million over nearly five years on software to manage its contracts countywide. Better tracking could mean more transparency in how county money is spent.
Native American Heritage Month proclamation
The county formally honors November 2026 as Native American Heritage Month, recognizing the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation's stewardship of Patwin ancestral lands and ongoing partnerships like the mobile food pharmacy in Vallejo.
Winter storm and flood preparedness
A very strong El Niño is already driving up tides, Suisun's drainage district has declared early, and crews are prepping roads, culverts, and the Justice Campus flood walls. Residents are urged to clean their own culverts and sign up for Alert Solano before the first big storm flushes debris downstream.
UC Cooperative Extension services and volunteer programs
4-H (323 kids in seven clubs), Master Gardeners, and Master Food Preservers deliver nearly 20,000 volunteer hours worth about $800,000 to the county — but CalFresh Healthy Living cuts cost the region nine staff positions.
Justice Campus flood gates
The board approved $4.9 million to start Phase 1 of security upgrades at the downtown Fairfield justice campus.
Counties Care Holiday Food Fight
Solano is challenging Contra Costa to the 23rd annual food fight after a six-year win streak; employee fundraising runs Nov 1-Dec 31 and has totaled $836,318 over 22 years. The food bank reports rising demand as CalFresh changes push more neighbors into food insecurity.
Nut Tree Airport hangar taxilane construction
A $1.8 million contract will rebuild the northeast hangar taxilanes and drainage at the county airport.
NorthBay health facilities revenue bonds
Ten NorthBay health facilities in Fairfield and Vacaville will get up to $250.6 million in tax-exempt financing for renovations and $42.5 million in new exam rooms and services. The county isn't on the hook for repayment — the bonds are issued by a state financing authority for the nonprofit borrower.
Short-term rental ordinance clarifications
The county tightened its 2018 short-term rental rules after finding owners advertising fake 31-day rentals with easy cancellation to dodge transient occupancy tax and permit fees. New rules add minimum stay requirements, refund restrictions, advertising limits, and record-keeping.
Vacaville Fire Protection District FEMA grants
The district accepted $709K in FEMA grants to buy a new water tender and a PPE extractor, retiring a 1971 water tender.
Transitional housing and behavioral health contracts
Over $826K in contracts with Bay Area Community Services and Caminar will provide transitional housing through June 2027 for people who are homeless or at risk and have behavioral health needs.
Fire alarm and suppression upgrades at county buildings
$876K for Phase 1 fire alarm replacement at three Fairfield county buildings, with Phase 2 fire suppression at the Administration Center server center to follow.
Flannery Associates lot line adjustment
Three ag parcels totaling 580 acres near Collinsville Road were reconfigured, with Williamson Act contracts rescinded and replaced. Supervisor Vasquez voiced distrust of Flannery Associates but voted yes after staff confirmed the land remains agricultural and zoned unchanged.
West Nile virus warning
The acting public health officer warned that West Nile-positive mosquitoes are running high countywide, especially around Dixon and northern Solano, with two deaths already in Yolo County. Residents are urged to dump standing water, wear repellent, and get flu shots.
Domestic violence awareness and services
Supervisors recognized Domestic Violence Awareness Month, hearing that the DA's office has filed 544 DV cases in nine months and advocates have served over 844 victims this year. Local services are expanding into Vallejo, including a supervised visitation program and an October 10 awareness walk.
Culturally informed suicide prevention for Native communities
A retired tribal caseworker told the Board suicide is the second leading cause of death in Native American communities and urged mental health services that reflect historical trauma and cultural context. The county's new public health-led prevention program pledged community-based coalition work.
Lawsuit over Delta Conveyance Project
The Board declared Delta Week, and Supervisor Mashburn used the occasion to warn the Delta is 'under siege' by water export interests — and to explain why he's giving up his regional transportation seat to focus on Delta and water fights.
Fall prevention services for seniors
With about 110,000 seniors in the county and falls the leading cause of injury death for people 65-plus, agencies described free programs providing grab bars, ramps and in-home safety assessments — though funding lapses have already forced one program to shut down temporarily.
North Meridian Road drainage and flood risk
A resident says the county's road widening pushed material into her drainage canals and they've never been cleared, raising flood fears ahead of a predicted wet El Niño winter. County staff say Public Works is already coordinating storm prep and will report back on possible state emergency funding.
FY2026/27 County Budget
The Board quietly set next year's property tax rates for the county, cities, schools and special districts — the routine annual action that determines what appears on property tax bills.
Suisun Expansion Project airport compatibility review
A proposed ad hoc committee would review whether the Suisun Expansion Project could conflict with airport land use compatibility requirements, looking ahead to its draft environmental impact report.
Solano 5 Wind Repower Project and Travis AFB compatibility
An ad hoc committee visited Travis AFB's Radar Approach Control Center to understand how wind turbines might interfere with radar and the base's training mission, and is working to visit the FAA facility as well.
Disposal of former redevelopment properties in downtown Suisun City
The board was scheduled to act on the transfer of five former redevelopment parcels — four to a private buyer and two small portions to the City of Suisun City. These decisions shape what gets built or preserved on downtown Main Street.
Registrar of Voters governance change
A small but real change: the Chief Information Officer no longer has to double as Registrar of Voters, letting elections and IT leadership be handled separately.
Psychiatric inpatient services contract
The county locked in $767,390 with Sierra Vista Hospital for acute psychiatric inpatient beds for Medi-Cal beneficiaries through June 2028. This keeps treatment options available for residents in mental health crisis.
Nut Tree Airport property litigation
The Board voted unanimously to sue to recover possession of county property at the Nut Tree Airport through an unlawful detainer action.
Drug Medi-Cal program transition to county control
The Sheriff's Office will enroll eligible inmates in Medi-Cal starting July 1, 2026, under agreements with the state through June 2029. Connecting people in custody to health coverage can improve reentry outcomes.
Car seat safety grant
A $140,000 state grant funds the Solano Car Seat Connection program for another year, helping families get and correctly install car seats.
State of the County event
A proposed ticketed Chamber-hosted State of the County breakfast drew concerns about staff time, Brown Act rules and equitable access; the board agreed any future event would not involve the full board.
Midway Road vacation and Sodhi Circle
An unused piece of Midway Road near I-80 was vacated and a new 500-foot public road named Sodhi Circle was accepted for the Midway Plaza fuel station project; a resident raised Sweeney Creek and farm traffic concerns.
Large-scale Development Project
California Forever’s plan to build a brand-new city in Solano County just hit a snag, and the outcome could change how the area grows and what housing gets built. If you care about local development, land use, or housing, it’s worth keeping an eye on.
California Forever development proposal
Multiple residents used general public comment to oppose California Forever-related growth, citing affordability and livability, while a later speaker argued development itself is not the driver of cost increases.
Battery energy storage siting near airports
A resident warned that battery energy storage certification reports are being withheld as trade secrets and may be outdated, limiting the fire marshal's ability to write emergency response plans.
$8.5M California Jobs First grant for maritime economy
The state has drafted legislation to reshape 1,350 acres of water-dependent industrial land at Collinsville for shipbuilding and maritime manufacturing, using the 2008 environmental review and overriding Measure T for acreage-neutral reshaping. About 120 residents testified, mostly against, and the board voted 3-2 to oppose the bill as written and keep negotiating for 2027.
Housing Element zoning consistency update
The ordinance codifies state requirements for farmworker housing, density bonuses, residential care facilities, emergency shelters and low-barrier navigation centers.
IHSS caregiver contract
SEIU Local 2015 in-home care providers got a new contract approved unanimously, aimed at recruiting and retaining the caregivers who keep seniors and people with disabilities living at home.
Accessory dwelling unit (ADU/JADU) zoning update
New rules align the county's accessory dwelling unit regulations with state law — ADUs were 35% of county building permits last year and are a key piece of the county's affordable housing capacity.