Grass Valley Measure B committee confirms midyear expenditure plan, prioritizes firefighters and fuel-reduction projects

The Measure B Committee of the City of Grass Valley on April 7 confirmed that the city's proposed midyear expenditure plan for Measure B funds is consistent with the voter-approved measure and discussed priorities for the remainder of the fiscal year, including fully funding firefighter staffing and a major vegetation fuel-reduction project on city-owned parcels at Loma Rica.

Tim (city staff) told the committee the committee's earlier projections have been revised based on a third-party forecast and staff recommendations. "This will be our big year looking at our expenditure plan Measure B," Tim said, summarizing the midyear adjustments and noting staff had reduced some line items after receiving updated revenue projections.

Why it matters: Measure B is the city's dedicated local tax measure funding wildfire resiliency and response. Committee members discussed the balance between spending on resiliency (staffing and response) and vegetation mitigation (fuel reduction and home-hardening grants), emphasizing that both approaches reduce wildfire risk but act on different time horizons.

Key decisions and budget changes

- Firefighter staffing: The committee prioritized fully funding seven firefighter positions. Staff explained the $530,000 figure in the packet covers salaries, PERS, health benefits, uniform allowances and other operating costs tied to each firefighter position.

- Vegetation-management operating budget: Staff reduced the previously budgeted $300,000 for the vegetation-management program to $171,000 to cover two newly hired staff for roughly six months of service, plus related benefits and operating costs. The revised line item also includes $30,000 for equipment/contract setup and $15,000 to hire seasonal workers to support curbside/front-yard inspections.

- Fuel-reduction capital project at Loma Rica: Staff proposed allocating $500,000 to a mastication and tree-thinning project that would cover roughly 80 acres of city-owned land at the Loma Rica property, plus smaller adjoining parcels the city controls. Tim said the city is exploring a mix of contracting and in-house seasonal labor to stretch the budget; he estimated private contractors' bids could run $2,500 to $3,000 per acre, which could exceed the proposed allocation if bid prices are high.

- Long-term green-waste and bioenergy options: A previously earmarked $70,000 for long-term green-waste solutions was set aside pending potential third-party arrangements and permitting. Staff reported discussions with PG&E and county partners about a carbonizer/bioenergy approach and said if an outside partner secures permits and funding, Measure B funds could be redirected elsewhere.

What inspections and grants would look like

Gwen (city staff) described the vegetation-inspection approach: "We will do a visual inspection from the front yard," she said, and emphasized staff will not enter private property without permission. The program will issue door hangers explaining code noncompliance and offer residents the option of a follow-up, more thorough inspection. Staff also noted AB 38 (the state home-sale inspection requirement) operates separately and is fee-funded by the real estate transaction when invoked.

Project selection and procurement

Committee members asked whether the city planned to bid the Loma Rica mastication project and how many bids staff expected. Tim said municipal procurement rules require public bidding for capital projects; staff hopes to receive three or more bids but acknowledged that market size and contractor availability could limit responses. Staff said contractors would be required to provide a forester on-site for tree-selection and thinning decisions.

Community feedback and next steps

The committee opened public comment on the proposed midyear plan; the only caller urged the city to address illegal dumping on South Auburn Street, which staff said would be directed to code enforcement for compliance action. Committee members asked staff to return with more detailed proposals and cost estimates; staff proposed scheduling an annual Measure B budget review meeting in May to present next fiscal year's proposed spending.

Vote

The Measure B Committee voted to confirm that the proposed midyear expenditures are consistent with Measure B and the associated midyear expenditure plan for the portion of fiscal year 2024-2025. The committee recorded five votes in favor and no opposed votes.

Where the plan stands

Staff said the revised midyear proposal leaves a modest reserve and reflects a conservative revenue estimate of approximately $1.7 million for the year (staff said they had rounded the third-party forecast downward for prudence). Staff emphasized the city will return to the committee and to the council with bids and final procurement recommendations before implementing large capital fuel-reduction projects.

The committee scheduled a dedicated budget-review meeting in May to review the next fiscal year's proposed Measure B expenditures and asked staff to provide more detailed cost estimates, procurement options (including seasonals vs. contractors), and examples of treatment types and maintenance requirements (including trials such as goat grazing) to inform future allocations.