Lake County risk‑reduction authority, RCD report growth, seek sustained funding

The Lake County Community Risk Reduction Authority reported new staff and a slate of programs Tuesday, saying 2024 saw regular meetings, new committees and grant-funded administrative support that enabled more sustained work on wildfire resilience and related projects.

John Vanderbord, facilitator for the RRA and conservation program manager at the Lake County Resource Conservation District, told the Board of Supervisors the joint powers authority was created in 2018 to improve coordination among local governments, fire districts, water districts and tribal partners. “The RRA seeks to accomplish the goals … to provide low- or no-cost programs to the public and to elevate resources for community resilience,” he said.

Why it matters: Supervisors and municipal staff said the RRA’s new staff capacity—funded through an Adaptation Planning Grant Program award—has made the difference between ideas and implementation. The authority coordinates projects that can protect life, property and critical infrastructure from wildfire, and members said sustaining that staff will be crucial to keep programs running and to leverage state and federal grants.

What they reported: Vanderbord said the RRA in 2024 held 12 regular meetings, organized two virtual town halls, launched a YouTube channel and a website and launched two subcommittees (biomass utilization and a grants best‑fit group). He said administrative support is funded through a grant that provides roughly $89,500 for RRA staffing through the end of 2025.

Supervisor Paiske and city and district representatives praised the progress and urged a clear path to a permanent funding home for the JPA. Kevin Ingram, Lakeport city manager and occasional RRA representative, said the authority’s convening role and projects—especially the biomass pilot—could provide sustainable revenue models in the future.

RCD update: Julia Sullivan, executive director of the Lake County Resource Conservation District, gave an annual update on the RCD’s expanded programs and staffing. She said the RCD’s budget grew from under $500,000 to about $2 million in the most recent fiscal year after successful grant applications and partnerships. The RCD now lists program areas that include watershed restoration, sustainable agriculture, forest health, the Lake County Fire Safe Council, and climate partnerships.

Sullivan described active projects: wetlands restoration at Kallanipa; Caltrans-funded mitigation projects; a mobile tool‑lending program; a defensible‑space pilot that served more than 100 homes; and planned community wildfire defense grant applications. She said the RCD is a special district and can serve as a CEQA lead agency for appropriate projects.

Board discussion and next steps: Supervisors asked how future grant awards should be managed—whether funds should flow to the RRA accounts or to partner organizations that administer projects. Vanderbord and Sullivan said the RRA and RCD are developing options, including grant funding, fee‑for‑service and other mechanisms; they highlighted a lawyer working with the biomass contractor to review JPA bylaws and fiscal structures.

Supervisor Sabatier asked staff to pursue ongoing funding to avoid a break in administrative capacity when current grants end in late 2025. Several board members committed to continued advocacy for federal and state funding to keep programs operating.

Ending: The board did not take formal fiscal action Tuesday but asked staff to return with options for a sustainable fiscal structure and said the county will continue to be an active participant in RRA planning and funding efforts.