Tag Archives: del norte county news

Articles, Local Government, Transportation

Airport Director Discusses BCRAA’s Reduced 2026-27 Budget, Line Of Credit From Del Norte County

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Thumbnail photo courtesy of Andrew Goff

Two weeks after they extended a line of credit to the Border Coast Regional Airport Authority, Del Norte County supervisors on Tuesday approved an airport authority budget its director said was balanced after “we trimmed and trimmed.”

BCRAA’s 2026-27 budget calls for projected revenues and expenditures of about $6.78 million, down from the $13.73 million the authority’s original 2025-26 budget called for and the $13.74 million that was in its revised budget. 

Fewer grant-funded projects expected this fiscal year is the main reason for the difference, Airport Authority Director Sean Rosenthal told Redwood Voice Community News on Thursday. Those projects include rehabilitation of Runway 18-36 and the purchase of an airport fire rescue truck, both of which were paid for with Federal Aviation Administration dollars, he said.

“It’s those really large projects that make the airport budget fluctuate so,” he said. “Probably this would be one of the leaner years, but that’s, again, due to the fact that we have less projects than we did last year. The next one will be when we do Runway 12-30 in a few years.”

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Articles, Environment, Local Government

County Supervisors Vote To Send ‘Very Soft’ Offshore Oil Drilling Opposition Letter Despite Chris Howard’s Objections

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Thumbnail photo: Oil platforms off the coast of Seal Beach, Calif. | Photo by Mike Peel via Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons License

District 3 Supervisor Chris Howard warned his colleagues a third time about sending a letter to the federal government outlining Del Norte County’s opposition to offshore oil drilling.

Del Norte County’s letter is in response to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Section 312 evaluation of the California Coastal Management Program. While he called it mild, Howard said he worried about any fallout the county may experience as a result. He was especially concerned about the $2.1-$2.7 billion tunnel bypass around Last Chance Grade south of Crescent City.

“I’ve expressed concerns about federal funding for our tunnel project and an administration that seems to be very vindictive as it relates to funding projects where communities take an opposition to those federal policies,” Howard said Tuesday.

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Articles, Infrastructure, Local Government

Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Recap, July 28, 2026

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Right: Retiring correctional deputy sergeant Gary Potter (middle) received a proclamation celebrating his 24-year career with the county from District 5 Supervisor Dean Wilson (left) and Sheriff Garrett Scott (right). | Capt. Jennifer Campbell

Among the items discussed at Tuesday’s Del Norte County Board of Supervisors meeting:

Gary Potter: Before he read the proclamation celebrating Gary Potter’s 24 years with Del Norte County, District 5 Supervisor Dean Wilson noted that he had administered the oath of office to the retiring correctional deputy sergeant.

Potter began working for the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office in 2001. For the past 17 years, Potter has been a correctional deputy sergeant, according to the resolution.

“Potter was an experienced correctional sergeant that kept things running with safety and security in mind,” the resolution states, “he was a real pillar of excellence in our Del Norte County Jail.” 

Continue reading Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Recap, July 28, 2026 →
Alerts, Environment, Local Government, Tribal Affairs

Del Norte Supervisors Weigh In On Assembly Bill That Recognizes Tribal Stewardship On State Conservation Lands

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Thumbnail photo: Rosa Laucci, Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation marine program manager, led a hike down the Sweetwater Creek Trail during a 2023 celebration commemorating the reclamation of place names at Tolowa Dunes State Park. | Photo by Jessica Cejnar Andrews

Three months after he opposed a proposal to transfer Tolowa Dunes State Park to the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, Del Norte County District 3 Supervisor Chris Howard has his sights set on another assembly bill penned by the same author.

Authored by San Bernardino Assemblyman James Ramos, Assembly Bill 53 would allow federally recognized tribes to receive grants, awards and loans from the Wildlife Conservation Board’s California Riparian Habitat Conservation Program and Inlands Wetlands Conservation Program.

It would also allow federally-recognized tribes the ability to enter into contracts or agreements with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to manage “certain lands.” 

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Articles, Environment

Federal Assessment of California’s Coastal Policies Prompt Starkey, Borges To Call For Offshore Oil Drilling Opposition Letter

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Thumbnail photo: Oil platforms off the coast of Seal Beach, Calif. | Photo by Mike Peel via Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons License

Del Norte County Supervisors on Tuesday decided to put their opposition to offshore oil drilling in writing. But whether they’ll send their letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officials assessing the California Coastal Management Program remains to be seen.

District 2 Supervisor Valerie Starkey pushed for the opposition letter, reminding her colleagues that lease sales may be under consideration in three years. 

Though he went along with his colleagues in approving the letter, District 3 representative Chris Howard said he still thinks Del Norte County shouldn’t get involved in a political butting of heads between Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration.

Continue reading Federal Assessment of California’s Coastal Policies Prompt Starkey, Borges To Call For Offshore Oil Drilling Opposition Letter →
Articles, CC Harbor, Infrastructure

Del Norte Supervisors Accept Harbor District’s Facilities Plan, Enabling It To Use Measure C Dollars For Maintenance

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Thumbnail photo: The federally-funded reconstruction of Citizens Dock is one of the projects the Crescent City Harbor District’s facility plan lists. | Photo by Jessica Cejnar Andrews

Del Norte County supervisors accepted the Crescent City Harbor District’s facilities plan on Tuesday.

A necessary step for the Harbor District to be able to use Measure C tax revenue for maintenance, Board Chairman Joey Borges noted that the previous iteration CCHD officials presented to them in December “lacked a few items.” 

The revised version, completed in May, includes a list of potential projects as well as costs and timeframes by which Harbor District officials would like to see them accomplished, Borges said.

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Articles, Local Government

Del Norte Supervisors Initiate Hiring Freeze, Though Starkey Says It Won’t Be Enough to Close $9.6 Million Budget Deficit

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Thumbnail photo by Paul Critz

Three weeks after supervisors approved a recommended budget that included a $9.6 million deficit, Del Norte County’s top administrative officials proposed a temporary freeze in hiring for general fund positions.

It’s a step the Board unanimously agreed to on Tuesday, but District 2 Supervisor Valerie Starkey said it won’t be enough to close the budget gap. 

Starkey referenced the staff report County Administrative Officer Neal Lopez submitted, which stated that there were 31 vacant positions within the general fund, each yielding about $81,000 in savings per pay period. She noted that if the hiring freeze lasted for a year, Del Norte County would still have a $7.4 million budget deficit.

Continue reading Del Norte Supervisors Initiate Hiring Freeze, Though Starkey Says It Won’t Be Enough to Close $9.6 Million Budget Deficit →
Articles, CC Harbor, Crescent City, Economy, Local Government

‘By Spring, You Will Not Recognize This Place’; CCHD Board Approves RV Park Lease With Developer Daniel Dahan

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Thumbnail photo: Bayside RV Park is one of two RV parks that the Crescent City Harbor District is looking to lease to Daniel Dahan, investment manager for BSD Property Management. | Photo by Jessica Cejnar Andrews

Before Crescent City Harbor commissioners approved leasing Redwood Harbor Village to him, Daniel Dahan outlined a timeline that included upgrading the electric system, redoing the parking lot and bringing in homes on wheels.

It will take several months, the developer said, adding that winter rains will likely make installing the septic system impossible. Eight to 10 months will pass before the revitalized RV park is ready to accept visitors, but, Dahan said, his investors are committed to making it a success.

“I promise you that by this spring, you will not recognize this place,” he told commissioners at their meeting June 24.

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Articles, Community News, Health, Housing, Local Government

‘A Warm Dry Bed’: Del Norte Opens Its Emergency Homeless Shelter, Micro Village

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Del Norte County celebrated the opening of its first emergency homeless shelter and micro village on June 9. | Photos by Aisling Bludworth

From the ashes of the old mental health building the emergency shelter and micro village was revealed to the public last week.

Community members came to celebrate the hard work that brought it to fruition.

“It’s really not every day that your career comes full circle, and you literally find yourself helping make plans to burn down your [old] office.” said Shiann Hogan, deputy director for Del Norte County’s Behavioral Health Branch during the June 17 ribbon cutting at the facility on 200 Williams Drive. 

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Articles, Economy, Local Government

Del Norte CAO Calls General Fund Deficit ‘One Of The Largest In My Career’; Starkey Points Out Budget Errors

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Del Norte County’s top administrative official admitted that finding $9.6 million to balance the fiscal year 2026-27 general fund budget was an arduous task that goes beyond sharpening pencils.

County Administrative Officer Neal Lopez affirmed concerns District 2 Supervisor Valerie Starkey raised Tuesday. But, according to him and according to at least one of Starkey’s colleagues, the “huge deficit for the general fund, one of the largest I’ve seen in my career” can be traced to the Board’s actions in the fall to increase the county’s ability to be market competitive.

When the Board of Supervisors raised wages and approved the county’s new salary structure across all bargaining units in December, retirements increased too, Lopez said. Still, he reminded supervisors that the county’s 2026-27 budget is still preliminary and all the accruals from the current fiscal year that ends June 30 have not yet been realized.

“A lot of the prior year’s revenue will increase the revenue from the general fund side of things so we won’t be $9.5 million out,” Lopez said. “I don’t know where it’s going to land, it’s too early in the process, but the bottomline is we have to have a balanced budget so we will have a balanced budget.”

Continue reading Del Norte CAO Calls General Fund Deficit ‘One Of The Largest In My Career’; Starkey Points Out Budget Errors →