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Trinity County reports six vehicle removals in 2024; program runs on $1-per-registration fee
Summary
County staff told the Board of Supervisors that the abandoned vehicle abatement program removed six vehicles in calendar year 2024, used general-services equipment for some removals and processed 527 private-party assists. The program operates on roughly $15,000 annually from a $1-per-registered-vehicle fee.
Trinity County staff briefed the Board of Supervisors on Jan. 29 about the county’s abandoned vehicle abatement program, reporting modest activity and a small dedicated budget.
County Administrative Officer Trent Tuthill, presenting the annual update, said the program’s designated revenue comes from a $1 fee added to county vehicle registrations. “You can see that our annual budget for this area is only around $15,000,” Tuthill said. He added that the county recently acquired a car hauler for internal use, reducing the need to hire third-party tow vendors for accessible passenger vehicles.
Tuthill said that in calendar year 2024 the county removed six vehicles: three were towed by a third party working on the county’s behalf and three were removed by county general services. “There was a seventh vehicle, but once that was tagged…that one was removed by the owner and no expense from the county,” he said. County staff also recorded 527 private-party assists — a process in which a private applicant completes a DMV form to remove a vehicle from the DMV registration roll.
The CAO described the cost variance for removals: passenger vehicles are substantially cheaper to address than larger RVs or burned-out vehicles that require specialized hauling. “It's anywhere from $1,500 or so upwards to we've seen as high as $6,500 per vehicle,” Tuthill said, adding that geography and distance to be towed drive costs.
A supervisor asked whether the program’s $15,000 balance is strictly limited to funds raised by the $1-per-registration fee; Tuthill confirmed the fund is the program’s revenue unless the board elects to supplement via general fund appropriations.
A board member urged property owners to verify that contractors they hire for property cleanups dispose of removed items properly and to request receipts, citing cases where cleanups left vehicles and debris for the county to address.
The presentation was informational; no change to program funding or policy was taken at the meeting. County staff noted the program’s limited budget and that larger or remote removals may require board authorization for additional spending when the small fund is depleted.
