December 2022

Dear Community,

As 2022 draws to a close, I wanted to share with you my reflections on the past year.

One of the brightest points of 2022 is that we’re back to seeing each other in person. While we’re clearly not done with COVID, we’ve figured out how to carry on and it’s such a welcome change! For some, the isolation of the pandemic was no big deal. But for others, it took a toll. Overall, we’re better together.

Another win is that County leaders and staff stayed laser-focused on serving the public and keeping County business running smoothly. Back in January, the Board of Supervisors established its eight top priorities for the year: fiscal stability and core services, emergency preparedness, economic development, broadband, cannabis, housing, homelessness and recreation. Over the course of the year, we saw exciting progress on each of these. For example:

One new low-income housing community (Brunswick Commons) was completed and another (Cashin’s Field) is near completion.
The County entered into a partnership with Golden State Connect Authority and obtained a $500,000 grant to lay the groundwork for significant broadband expansion in unincorporated areas.
The South Yuba River Public Safety Cohort had three new emergency call boxes installed at river crossings with no cellular service.
The Cannabis Compliance Division implemented its drone program to assist with enforcement of illegal cannabis operations.
The County awarded over $93,000 of micro-grants to Firewise Communities to help respond to the vegetation debris left behind by the devastating snowstorms at the end of 2021.

I am disappointed that Measure V was not successful. It would have significantly boosted the resources available to us to prevent wildfire and respond to disasters. Over the coming years, we’re only going to need more resources for this. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) tells us that every dollar spent on prevention saves $6 in future losses. FEMA gives us grant funding, but their money is very slow to arrive and it’s not enough. Other funders tell us they want us to develop local funding streams to pay for fuels mitigation work that they are currently contributing to. We will continue to seek creative solutions to address this critical issue. We simply must.

In 2023, I plan to continue pressing on the Bureau of Land Management to conduct fuels mitigation work on their land within our neighborhoods. I plan to continue seeking ways to prevent wildfire in our area, including advocating for projects that are planned or in the works. I will support improved recreation amenities and opportunities around the county, as well as the expansion of broadband access. And then, there are many things I hope to see in 2023 that are mostly out of my control, like a halt to current inflation, wholehearted support for democracy and elections, and more urgent and meaningful action on the climate.

On Monday, December 19 at 9 am, I will be on KNCO with Shelly Covert, spokesperson for the Nisenan Tribe to discuss the California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP) exhibit here at the Eric Rood Center in celebration of Native American Heritage Month, what my recent appointment to the California State Association of Counties’ Executive Committee means for Nevada County, and more. If you haven’t had a chance to see the beautiful CHIRP exhibit, I encourage you to come by and take a look. It will be up through December 31st.

I wish you and your loved ones peace, health and happiness during these final weeks of 2022. Before the current of 2023 sweeps us away, let’s all take time to reflect on how we can be even better versions of ourselves in the new year.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns about life here in Nevada County. I am here to serve you. Reach me at Heidi.Hall@NevadaCountyCA.Gov or 530-265-1480. If this email was forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe to my newsletters, click here.