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MINUTES
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
DEL NORTE COUNTY
STATE OF CA LIFORNIA
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
REGULAR MEETING 10:00 AM
PRESENT: Supervisor, District 2 Valerie Starkey
Supervisor, District 3 Chris Howard
Supervisor, District 1 Darrin Short
Supervisor, District 5 Dean Wilson
Supervisor, District 4 Joey Borges
ABSENT:
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CLOSED SESSION 8:30 A.M.
Public Comment on Closed Session items only.
Hold a closed session to consider and discuss litigation and personnel matters:
Conference with Labor Negotiators pursuant to Government Code 54957.6 between
County Negotiator: Neal Lopez, CAO and Represented Employee Bargaining Groups.
REGULAR SESSION 10:00 A.M.
10:00 A.M. Call the meeting to order and take roll.
• Moment of Reflection
• The Pledge of Allegiance to be led by Chris Howard, District 3 Supervisor.
• Introduction of new employees to the Board of Supervisors
Makayla Patch, Human Resources Technician; David Hernandez, Safety Coordinator –
Human Resources/Risk Management; Ryan Hoffmann, CSS Specialist - Child Support
Services; Jenet Lund – Behavioral Health Specialist – DHHS.
• Report of any actions from closed session by County Counsel
None
• The Chair requests any deletions, corrections or additions from Board members
to the agenda at this time. In order to add an item to the agenda, the matter
must have come to the attention of the County subsequent to the posting of the
agenda and the matter requires action before the next regular meeting of the
Board of Supervisors.
None
• Receive other brief reports or announcements relative to the County of Del Norte
programs and projects, progress of the two by two committees, technical
advisory committees and/or Board and staff travel/training reports.
Supervisor Short: Attended the DNSWMA meeting.
Supervisor Starkey: Attended the Healthy Workforce TAC meeting, participated in an
interview with a student regarding news outlets in Del Norte County, attended
numerous Opioid Litigation group meetings, attended a meeting with the new
Caltrans Director, attended a Caltrans Coffee and Conversation event, took a tour of
some properties that are raising blight concerns within District 2, attended the
Visitor’s Bureau meeting, attended the Chamber of Commerce meeting, attended the
First 5 meeting, attended the CDFW Ad-Hoc committee meeting and also attended
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the RCTA meeting.
Supervisor Howard: Attended a meeting with Michelle Carrillo, Nick Rail and County
staff regarding partnerships for a Local Performing Arts Center, attended the CDFW
Ad-Hoc committee meeting, attended a meeting with the new Caltrans Director,
attended the Del Norte RCD meeting, attended the CSAC Board of Directors meeting
and attended a reception for the Consul General of Japan.
Supervisor Wilson: Attended numerous Homeless ERF meetings and attended a
meeting with CDD staff and Property Owners regarding the upcoming construction of
the Requa Bridge.
CONSENT AGENDA
Comments from members of the public may be heard at this time regarding matters on
the Consent Agenda only.
Action: Approved.
Motion: Move to approve
Move: Darrin Short
Second: Dean Wilson
Vote Yea: 5 Valerie Starkey, Chris Howard, Darrin Short, Dean
Wilson, Joey Borges
Vote Nay: 0 None
Vote Abstain: 0 None
1. Approve and adopt the minutes from the August 12, 2025 Board of Supervisors
meeting.**
Approved.
2. Approve and authorize the County Agricultural Commissioner to sign the
agreement with the California Department of Food and Agriculture for the
2025/26 High Risk Pest Exclusion program from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026,
as requested by the Agricultural Commissioner.**
Approved. DNCOAGREE #2025-174
3. Direct the County Engineer to finish all work related to the capital project titled
Del Norte County Service Area No. 1 Onsite Emergency Power Supply for
Sanitary Sewer Lift Stations - Phase 1 and outfitting of the related storage facility
with remaining allocated grant funds. Accept the work performed by GR
Sundburg Inc. as complete, and authorize the Chair to execute a Notice of
Completion for the project components, as requested by the County Engineer.**
Approved. DNCOAGREE #2025-178
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4. Approve the expenditure of P.L. 110-343 Title III Funds in the amount of
$99,485 for the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office, Search and Rescue Unit for
equipment procurement and training to support Search and Rescue personnel for
deployments within the National Forest and federally managed land in Del Norte
County as requested by the Director of Community Development.**
Approved.
5. Approve and authorize the Chair to sign the attached renewal Agreement for
Drinking Driver Treatment Program Services with HASP for the term of July 1,
2025 through June 30, 2026, as requested by the Director of Health and Human
Services.**
Approved. DNCOAGREE #2025-175
6. Approve and authorize the Chair to sign the attached renewal Agreement with
The SmithWaters Group to continue providing Patients’ Rights Advocacy Services
for the term of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, as requested by the Director
of Health and Human Services.**
Approved. DNCOAGREE #2025-176
7. Approve salary step placement at Step C for newly hired (Office Assistant III) as
requested by the Director of Health & Human Services and recommended by the
Director of Human Resources and Risk Management.**
Approved.
SCHEDULED ITEMS
8. 10:25 A.M. COMMENT PERIOD: Members of the public may address the Board
on matters which are within the jurisdiction of the Board. If you are addressing
the Board regarding a matter listed on the agenda, you may be asked to hold
your comments until the Board takes up that matter. Please limit your comments
to three minutes or less.
9. 10:30 A.M. Conduct a public hearing and adopt a resolution authorizing
Community Development Department staff to proceed with extending the
temporary closure of portions of Union Street, Broad Street, National Boulevard
and Madison Avenue using a combination of gates and K rail as shown on
Attachment A in the resolution in accordance with California Vehicle Code
Sections 21101.4 and 21101.6 as requested by Supervisor Short, District 1.**
Action: Approved. RESO #2025-017
Motion: Move to approve
Move: Darrin Short
Second: Dean Wilson
Vote Yea: 5 Valerie Starkey, Chris Howard, Darrin Short, Dean
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Wilson, Joey Borges
Vote Nay: 0 None
Vote Abstain: 0 None
REGULAR ITEMS
GENERAL GOVERNMENT:
10. Approve, authorize and accept a donation from the Del Norte County Sheriff's
Posse of a 1954 vintage police vehicle as requested by the Sheriff-Coroner.**
Action: Approved.
Motion: Move to approve
Move: Valerie Starkey
Second: Chris Howard
Vote Yea: 5 Valerie Starkey, Chris Howard, Darrin Short, Dean
Wilson, Joey Borges
Vote Nay: 0 None
Vote Abstain: 0 None
11. Approve, and accept a patrol vehicle donation from the Yurok Tribal Police as
requested by the Sheriff-Coroner.**
Action: Approved.
Motion: Move to approve
Move: Darrin Short
Second: Chris Howard
Vote Yea: 5 Valerie Starkey, Chris Howard, Darrin Short, Dean
Wilson, Joey Borges
Vote Nay: 0 None
Vote Abstain: 0 None
12. 1) Introduce by title only "An Ordinance Amending Portions of the County
Buildings and Construction Ordinance" related to grading permits; 2) Waive
further reading; 3) Set a public hearing to adopt the Ordinance on September 9,
2025; 4) Approve and Adopt Resolution 2025-xx rescinding Resolution 2017-057
which designated the Community Development Director as reviewer of
applications for CAL FIRE's less than 3 acre Conversion exemptions; and 5)
Designate the Clerk of the Board to prepare a summary of the Ordinance for
publication as requested by the County Engineer.**
Action: Approved. RESO #2025-018
Motion: Move to approve
Move: Darrin Short
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Second: Chris Howard
Vote Yea: 5 Valerie Starkey, Chris Howard, Darrin Short, Dean
Wilson, Joey Borges
Vote Nay: 0 None
Vote Abstain: 0 None
13. Approve and adopt the Del Norte County Assessment Appeals Board Ordinance,
creating an Assessment Appeals Board (AAB), comprised of experts in real
estate, taxation, property appraisal, and/or the assessment appeal hearing
process, that would hear property tax assessment appeals for the County of Del
Norte instead of the Local Board of Equalization as requested by County
Counsel.**
Action: Approved. ORDINANCE #2025-003
Motion: Move to approve
Move: Chris Howard
Second: Darrin Short
Vote Yea: 5 Valerie Starkey, Chris Howard, Darrin Short, Dean
Wilson, Joey Borges
Vote Nay: 0 None
Vote Abstain: 0 None
LEGISLATIVE AND BUDGET ISSUES:
Consider miscellaneous legislative and budget matters pertinent to the County of Del
Norte. Authorize the Chair to sign and send appropriate letters with respect to matters
pending before the state or federal governments.
14. 1) Discuss and take possible action on approving a line of credit as needed from
the County of Del Norte (County) to the Border Coast Regional Airport Authority
(BCRAA) for capital project and operational funding obligations using County
Capital Project/Improvement Funds (Funds) as designated by the Board of
Supervisors (Board) at an interest rate not to exceed the current rate of the
Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF) and in an amount not to exceed the
balance of the designated funds without further consideration and approval from
the Board as requested by Supervisor Howard and Supervisor Short. 2)
Contingent on Board approval of section 1) of this item, set the term for the line
of credit at whichever occurs first; A) the line of credit is no longer needed as
determined by the BCRAA Board, or B) the County is in need of the Funds for
County projects.**
Action: Approved. The original approved motion on Section 1 was made by
Supervisor Starkey with a second by Supervisor Borges (with a 5-0
vote) (Yes: Supervisor Short, Starkey, Howard, Borges, Wilson No:
None) to approve the Line of Credit (LOC) as needed by the County
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of Del Norte. Contingent on that approval set the terms for the LOC
for the four open Capital Projects that were presented by the Border
Coast Regional Airport Authority (BCRAA) staff. This motion was
rescinded by Supervisor Starkey due to the Auditor requesting
clarity on the projects in the motion, bringing Supervisor Short to
make the motion to reconsider the item that was approved.
Motion: Motion to Reconsider.
Move: Darrin Short
Second: Valerie Starkey
Vote Yea: 5 Valerie Starkey, Chris Howard, Darrin Short, Dean
Wilson, Joey Borges
Vote Nay: 0 None
Vote Abstain: 0 None
The final approved motion is listed below:
Action: Approved. Approve a Line of Credit as needed from the County of
Del Norte to the Border Coast Regional Airport Authority (BCRAA)
for Capital Improvement Projects that include: 18-36 (The Runway
Project), Wildlife Fencing Project and the ARFF Truck Project (3
Projects Total). Chair Borges received consensus from the Board
directing staff to look into the feasibility of BCRAA's Joint Powers
Authority as a structure.
Motion: Move to approve
Move: Valerie Starkey
Second: Darrin Short
Vote Yea: 5 Valerie Starkey, Chris Howard, Darrin Short, Dean
Wilson, Joey Borges
Vote Nay: 0 None
Vote Abstain: 0 None
15. Approve and authorize the Chair to sign a support letter addressed to Senator
Padilla, for the Fix Our Forests Act (FoFA), to combat catastrophic wildfires,
restore forest ecosystems and make federal forest management more efficient
and responsive.**
Action: Approved.
Motion: Move to approve
Move: Darrin Short
Second: Dean Wilson
Vote Yea: 5 Valerie Starkey, Chris Howard, Darrin Short, Dean
Wilson, Joey Borges
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Vote Nay: 0 None
Vote Abstain: 0 None
ADJOURNMENT
(Next meeting is September 09, 2025)
Kylie Goughnour, Clerk of the Board
County of Del Norte, State of California Date Posted: August 21, 2025
THE AGENDA AND ACTION SUMMARY ARE AVAILABLE ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE:
www.co.del-norte.ca.us
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