To: Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Rex Bohn
Agenda Section: Initiated by Board Member
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
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El Niño Emergency Preparedness: Funding for Sandbags, Sand and Additional Resources
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Direct the County Administrative Office, in coordination with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services and Department of Public Works, to return to the Board with a financial plan, not to exceed $25,000, for the purchase and strategic placement of sand, sandbags and other emergency preparedness resources in flood-prone and low-lying areas and locations identified as appropriate based on historical flooding, community need and emergency preparedness considerations.
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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: 1009 - Expand county infrastructure resilience
DISCUSSION:
With El Niño conditions anticipated for the upcoming winter storm season, Humboldt County may experience increased storm activity and localized flooding, particularly in low-lying and historically flood-prone areas.
Pre-positioning sand, sandbags and other necessary emergency preparedness resources will help ensure supplies are readily available when needed. Staff have recommended the Board direct the County Administrative Office, in coordination with the appropriate county departments, to identify priority locations and resource needs and return to the Board with a financial plan not to exceed $25,000.
This recommendation is aligned with the County of Humboldt’s Sandbag Policy that states, “The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors have recognized the need to have sufficient stocks of sand and sandbags available for public infrastructure protection and, when possible, to assist the citizens residing in the unincorporated areas of the County. As the procureme...
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