Sierra County supervisors approve bridge inspection contract, roadway safety plan and several wildfire, fire‑service and personnel measures

The Sierra County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a $409,796.88 professional services agreement with Gannett Fleming for construction inspection and materials testing on the Papago Road bridge replacement over Kanaka Creek, adopted a Local Roadway Safety Plan to make the county eligible for federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds, approved multiple wildfire and fire‑service letters and agreements, and completed a personnel appointment that sets the county’s new director of personnel and risk manager salary at $140,582 effective June 25, 2025.

The actions bundle routine infrastructure contracting with public‑safety and wildfire‑resilience steps that county staff said will help the county compete for outside funding and address local emergency needs.

Public Works Director Brian Davy told the board the Gannett Fleming contract covers the construction management services required for large technical projects and follows a qualifications‑based procurement process for professional services. "This is the construction management piece that's required when you construct a large technical project like this," Davy said. The board voted to approve the agreement as presented.

Transportation planner Kaylon Hall said the county’s Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) is now required to apply for HSIP grants and focuses projects on safety and crash reduction. "This is overall, it should be focusing on the 4 E's of traffic safety," Hall said, listing engineering, enforcement, education and emergency services as priorities. Hall said crash and roadway data in the plan came from the sheriff’s office and the California Highway Patrol; the board approved the LRSP so staff can apply for HSIP Cycle 13 when it is released.

Planning Director Brandon Pangman asked the board to approve a letter of support for a joint Wildlife Conservation Board grant application by the Truckee River Watershed Council and the Middle Truckee River Watershed Forest Partnership for a forest health and fuel‑reduction project that spans primarily Nevada County but includes a small portion of southern Sierra County in the Truckee River headwaters. Pangman said the request is for a letter only and that the project would be administered by the partners, not the county; the board approved the letter of support.

The board also approved a multi‑party agreement—funded through the fire district, not the county—between Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District and Sierra County Fire Protection District No. 1 to provide fire suppression and emergency medical services to parts of Verdi and Long Valley. The agreement, as described in the meeting packet, sets not‑to‑exceed amounts of $49,440 for fiscal 2025–26, about $50,004 for 2026–27 and $51,004.37 for 2027–28; county staff clarified the funding will come from the fire district rather than the county general fund.

Sheriff Mike Fisher addressed wildlife and depredation issues in a separate presentation and urged local capacity for incident tracking and response. Fisher described a recently published statewide California Department of Fish and Wildlife black bear management plan and said Sierra County has recorded hundreds of wildlife conflict reports. He also described a proposal he drafted for a cross‑designated local deputy/game warden position that would work with Fish and Wildlife but remain a county post, and said funding would need to come from grants or partner agencies. Board members raised concerns about long‑term county funding and liability if the county adopted a position that the state had historically filled.

On personnel and administrative items, the board directed staff to move forward with reinstating an insurance buyback program and separating dental and vision from medical coverage so employees can elect or decline those benefits; staff will return resolutions for formal adoption. In closed session the board gave direction to separate the county’s health and social services offices and approved retaining outside counsel for negotiations with the Deputy Sheriffs Association up to a $10,000 cap, a step the county counsel reported was approved by a 5‑0 vote. Later the board adopted a resolution appointing the county’s director of personnel and risk manager at an annual salary of $140,582 effective June 25, 2025.

The board took additional routine actions: letters of support for two Forest Service fuel‑break projects (49er Gold and Pliocene Ridge), reappointments to the Sierra County Local Agency Formation Commission, and an appointment to the Calpine Water Works District board. Several items brought forward for future agenda work include a potential county application for $151,000 in grant funds to fund a Fire Safe Council coordinator position and further discussion of local wildlife response capacity.

Votes at a glance

- Professional services agreement with Gannett Fleming for Papago Road bridge construction inspection and materials testing — approved; amount not to exceed $409,796.88; two‑year term. - Resolution approving Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) and authorizing the Director of Transportation or designee to implement the LRSP — approved; enables HSIP applications. - Letter of support for Truckee River Watershed Council / Middle Truckee River Watershed Forest Partnership Wildlife Conservation Board grant application — approved; county not fiscal administrator. - Agreement with Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District and Sierra County Fire Protection District No. 1 for fire suppression/EMS in Verdi and Long Valley — approved; funding paid by fire district (figures listed in packet: $49,440 for FY25‑26; ~$50,004 for FY26‑27; $51,004.37 for FY27‑28). - Letters of support for U.S. Forest Service fuel‑break projects (49er Gold and Pliocene Ridge) — approved. - Reappointments to Sierra County Local Agency Formation Commission (four‑year terms) — approved. - Appointment to Calpine Water Works District No. 1 — Joanne (last name not specified in packet) appointed. - Direction to staff to reinstate insurance buyback and separate dental/vision from medical benefits — direction given; staff to return formal resolutions. - Closed‑session outcomes: direction to separate health and social services offices; approval to retain outside counsel for Deputy Sheriffs Association negotiations up to $10,000 — approved 5‑0; no other reportable action on the other closed‑session employment item. - Resolution appointing director of personnel and risk manager with annual salary $140,582 effective 06/25/2025 — approved.

Staff and board members said staff will return to a future meeting with implementation resolutions, contract documents and any grant applications. The board adjourned after completing the agenda.