March 27th, 2023

Item 7. Consider approval of a new Access to Medical Care agreement with Kaiser ...

The proposed Access to Medical Care agreement (ATMC) with Kaiser ensures that they provide services to low-income and indigent county residents similar to the other largest local health systems: Dominican, Sutter, and Watsonville Hospital. Under this agreement, Kaiser would provide 2% per year of its revenues to health-focused charitable and community benefits to the Santa Cruz County community. For the reporting year 2022, the value of this is estimated at $4.5 million.

The County has similar agreements with Dominican, Sutter, and Watsonville Hospital. It has been pursuing an agreement with Kaiser since they entered the Santa Cruz market, but negotiations were delayed due to the COVID pandemic. This would be the first time any county has formed such an agreement with Kaiser. The ATMC agreements are necessary because Santa Cruz does not have a county hospital.

Item 8. Consider report on purpose, scope and financial details of the Boulder Creek Water Quality and Recovery project ...

The Boulder Creek Water Quality and Recovery Project (BCWQRP) proposes to construct a community wastewater collection system and recycled water plant to serve the town of Boulder Creek. It would upgrade an existing wastewater treatment system that serves 264 properties (primarily residential) around the Boulder Creek Country Club. It would add approximately 1,285 new connections.

Today, many of these properties use substandard septic systems, and the cost of putting in a new, advanced treatment system is $70,000 - $100,000 per parcel. These costs (driven largely by state requirements) have made rebuilding prohibitively expensive for many people after the CZU Fires.

The total estimated cost of the Boulder Creek project is $60-90 million, making it cheaper than if each property upgraded its septic systems individually. It also provides the benefit of recycled water and allows the costs to be spread out over 20+ years through a bond or loan. Congresswoman Anna Eshoo secured a federal EPA grant for $2 million to complete the initial project scoping and public outreach.

This is just a report on the project. Staff will return in October of this year with the next update.

To review and comment on the entire March 28th Board of Supervisors agenda click here: http://santacruzcountyca.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=1976 

You may join the meeting via Zoom using the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89949240497, Webinar ID: 899 4924 049 or by Telephone by dialing +1 669 900 6833

Photo of trees that fell and crushed a home during the most recent storm.

The County of Santa Cruz is anxiously awaiting a Federal Disaster Declaration for last Tuesday's cyclone-like storm. We have submitted our initial damage estimates totaling more than $13 million in public infrastructure damage (cities of Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz are included in that total). It is estimated that the wind event brought down thousands of trees.

The County Office of Response, Recovery, and Resilience is collecting preliminary damage information from County residents for submittal to the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This may help us to receive a Federal Disaster Declaration, including individual assistance. Please report any damage that you suffered using this survey: https://forms.office.com/g/h5eiZTZNdH

Your participation is anonymous unless you choose to provide contact information. You can take the survey in Spanish here: https://forms.office.com/g/NyuKP2c8uK

During the storm approximately 27,000 customers lost power across the County. As part of PG&E's Safety Net program, you may be eligible to receive Storm Inconvenience Payments if, due to the severe storm events, your household has gone without power for at least 48 hours. To learn more about outage compensation, visit the Outage Compensation FAQs or contact the extended outage line at 1-888-PGE-4PGE.

If there are fallen trees or branches in a public roadway that need attention, please get in touch with the Road Operation's 24-hour Dispatch by calling (831) 477-3999.

Photo: Two men using a woodchipper.

The Resource Conservation District (RCD) Spring No-Cost Chipping Program opens on April 1, 2023 for eligible Santa Cruz County Residents. For those new to the program, the RCD is hosting an informational Zoom webinar to learn how the program works and to ask questions.

The RCD’s Community Chipping Programs incentivizes the creation of defensible space around homes in high wildfire risk areas by chipping materials generated from clearing vegetation.

Spring no-cost chipping funded by a CalFire grant.

To learn more about the Spring No-Cost Chipping program, please visit the RCD of Santa Cruz County website. 

Photo: Simpkins Family Swim Center.

Looking for that perfect summer job that lets you be outside? Simpkins Family Swim Center is hiring!

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the swim center had to halt the hiring of lifeguards. Ever since then they have been faced with a lifeguard shortage and as a result have reduced pool operating hours.

In an effort to fill Lifeguard and Head Lifeguard vacancies, the swim center is offering a $500 Hiring Incentive Bonus (upon completion of 300 county service hours) for new hires. Application closes April 7.

Upcoming Meetings

Wednesday, April 5th - Office Hours. From 1 PM to 3 PM. Please visit me at the First District Office at the Sheriff's Center, 5200 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, ground floor. First come first serve. 

Thursday, April 6th - Regional Transportation Commission Meeting. The meeting starts at 9 AM. Agenda will be available on March 30th here.

Thursday, April 20th - Live Oak Town Hall. From 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. 

Hybrid Meeting: Sheriff's Headquarters, Community Room, 5200 Soquel Ave Ste 101, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 ground floor and on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/96708318897

Visit the First District Webpage for information on Town Halls, past newsletters, and upcoming events.