To: Board of Supervisors
From: Clerk of the Board
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
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Appoint New Members to the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council and Letters of Appreciation for Outgoing Members
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the recommended appointments to the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council; and
2. Authorize the Chair to sign letters of appreciation for the outgoing Humboldt County Fire Safe Council members.
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STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Safe & Healthy Communities
Strategic Plan Category: 1001 -Support and sustain partnerships between public safety and partner agencies to enhance public safety in our communities
DISCUSSION:
The Humboldt County Fire Safe Council was formed by the Board of Supervisors as a County committee in 2002. The committee is currently enabled through Oct. 5, 2026 by Resolution No. 21-101. Per the Board of Supervisors’ updated Protocol for Board of Supervisors Appointments dated Jan. 30, 2024, the Fire Safe Council is listed on Exhibit 1 of Attachment B, therefore is excluded from the “at large” appointment protocol.
The Van Duzen Watershed Fire Safe Council has nominated Alicia Phibbs Geurtsto to replace Lyn Javier as their primary representative on the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council. Javier was appointed in July 2019 and has been a faithful participant and valued member ever since. The county appreciates Javier’s service on this committee and congratulates her on retirement.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Coordination of the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council committee is currently provided by Public Works Natural Resources Planning staff and a team of consultants; funded by a County Coordinator grant awarded by the California Fire Safe Council with funding from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Budget Unit 1720-289). This action will not have an impact on the Humboldt County General Fund.
Maintaining the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council gives the County of Humboldt and partner agencies and organizations a competitive advantage when seeking grant funds related to implementing the Humboldt County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP).
The Humboldt County Fire Safe Council has proven to be an invaluable resource for the county as strategies are developed, and funding is sought to carry out the recommendations of the CWPP. The current CWPP, last updated in 2019 with guidance from the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council, has been praised for its comprehensiveness and has been a powerful tool for leveraging funding and catalyzing support.
Since its re-certification in 2019, the CWPP has been cited in multiple county and collaborator grant applications, playing a part in leveraging nearly $65 million dollars of local, state and federal funding to support implementation projects countywide.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Van Duzen Watershed Fire Chief’s Association
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board discretion
ATTACHMENTS:
Nomination Letter for Alicia Phibbs Geurtsto
Letter of Resignation for Lyn Javier
Letter of Appreciation for Lyn Javier
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A