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Napa County CEO highlights 2024 achievements and priorities, cites wildfire resilience and new jail
Summary
Ryan Alsop, Napa County chief executive officer, summarized infrastructure, emergency response, social services and community programs completed or advanced in 2024 and outlined upcoming priorities including wildfire resilience investments and a new jail scheduled to open later this year.
Ryan Alsop, chief executive officer of Napa County, delivered a brief countywide update outlining 2024 accomplishments and near-term priorities, saying the county will invest in wildfire resilience, open a new jail later this year and expand social and community services.
In his remarks, Alsop said the county paved 40 miles of road, replaced key bridges on Partrick and Chiles Pope Valley roads and “made major progress on the new jail, which is on time and on budget.” He said work at the Napa County Airport included demolishing old terminals to clear the way for two new fixed-base operators.
Alsop placed particular emphasis on wildfire response and preparedness. “Napa County Fire responded to more than 4,200 calls in 2024,” he said, and described a 13-acre prescribed burn in the Pacific Union College forest that created a cleared ridgeline intended to help protect Angwin and Deer Park in future fires. He said the county has cleared 48 miles of roadside vegetation, chipped more than 47,000 cubic yards of material and strengthened its volunteer firefighter program through new agreements and a refreshed command structure. Alsop also said the county plans to “invest tens of millions of dollars in community wide wildfire resilience projects.”
Alsop summarized public-safety and justice-system activity, saying the district attorney’s office filed about 750 felonies and 1,800 misdemeanors in 2024, while the public defender handled over 1,800 cases. He said probation collected $300,000 in victim restitution.
On community services, Alsop said the Health and Human Services Agency expanded a mobile response team to provide 24/7 crisis response and answered 528 behavioral health calls. He said the county’s point-in-time count showed a decline in the number of people experiencing homelessness but did not give a specific figure. Alsop listed new and ongoing programs including CareerPoint Napa (a job center launched with the Workforce Alliance of the North Bay), implementation of CareCourt in collaboration with County Counsel and Napa Superior Court, Winston’s Community Unity Project (a café and job-training program), and the Imagination Station opened with the Children’s Museum.
Alsop highlighted cultural and environmental items: the county finalized acquisition of Skyline Wilderness Park, advanced a regional climate action and adaptation plan, and adopted a reusable foodware ordinance to reduce single-use plastics. He said the county launched a countywide video newscast, added Spanish AI translation to board meetings and went live with an online permit center. He also noted the transfer of fairgrounds ownership to the city of Calistoga and the Calistoga Library centennial.
Alsop closed by thanking county employees and noting an employee recognition program for the county’s roughly 1,600 employees. “They are the foundation of everything we accomplish,” he said. He told viewers to expect outreach about an upcoming update to the county general plan and opportunities for public involvement.
The remarks were a report of accomplishments and planned work; no formal board actions, votes or ordinance adoptions were announced during this address.
