To: Board of Supervisors
From: Clerk of the Board
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Appoint New Members to the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council and Letter of Appreciation to Patti Pedigo for Service on the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council
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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 a letter of appreciation for an outgoing Humboldt County Fire Safe Council member.
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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. It is currently authorized through Oct. 5, 2026, under Resolution No. 21-101. According to the Board of Supervisors’ updated Protocol for Board of Supervisors Appointments, dated Jan. 30, 2024, the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council is listed on Exhibit 1 of Attachment B and is therefore exempt from the “at-large” appointment process.
The Willow Creek Fire Safe Council has nominated current alternate Olivia Lopes to replace Patti Pedigo as their primary representative on the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council. Additionally, the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council has nominated Jim Cotton as their new alternate representative.
Patti Pedigo was appointed to the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council in August 2022 and is now transitioning to other duties. Pedigo’s service has been invaluable and her commitment to traveling to the coast to represent the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council at Humboldt County Fire Safe Council meetings was always consistent and greatly appreciated. The Board would like to thank Pedigo for her dedicated service.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Grant Funds
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
This action will not have an impact on the Humboldt County General Fund. Coordination of the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council committee is currently provided by the Department of Public Works’ Natural Resources Division Planning staff and a team of consultants. Their work is 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).
Maintaining the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council provides the County of Humboldt and partner agencies and organizations with 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 over $64 million dollars of local, state and federal funding to support implementation projects countywide.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board Discretion
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Willow Creek Fire Safe Council Nomination Letter
2. Letter of Appreciation to Patti Pedigo
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A