Truckee council adopts resolutions opposing federal Forest Service staffing and funding cuts, urges regional coordination

The Town Council of Truckee unanimously adopted two resolutions opposing federal staffing and funding cuts that staff and residents said are already affecting forest-health work, wildfire mitigation and the local economy.

Staff presented two linked draft measures: one focused on impacts to forest health and wildfire mitigation and the other on economic and social impacts to the town and local organizations. Hillary Hodge, assistant to the town manager, told council the drafts were prepared with input from the council’s legislative committee and were intentionally written so regional partners could adopt one or both measures. “As of 4 p.m. I counted 34 written public comments, all of which were in support of council taking action to adopt these resolutions,” Hodge said.

The measures were the subject of a lengthy public-comment period in which representatives of local landowners, nonprofit partners and residents urged swift action. Benjamin Levine, president of the Tahoe Donner Association, said a stalled master stewardship agreement with the U.S. Forest Service was already delaying cross‑border fuel‑reduction projects: “The staff report and resolution before the council state that the Forest Service cuts and freezes will impact us here in Truckee. In Tahoe Donner, the cuts and freezes are already undermining critical work to keep Truckee safe,” he said.

Speakers also described practical consequences they said were already occurring: trail and campground closures in other jurisdictions, uncertainty for seasonal and contract crews, and delays to federally supported wood‑processing and restoration projects. Erica Vadis of the Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation described a regional shortfall in processing capacity and said the foundation has deployed local funds to help but needs federal grants and loan guarantees to move larger projects forward.

Council members framed the measures as nonpartisan, regional advocacy. Council Member Deirdre Henderson, who requested the resolution be brought forward, said the cuts were already reducing staffing in the Tahoe National Forest: “Across the Tahoe District of the U.S. Forest Service, the data that we have been given is that 21 employees have already been laid off. That’s 10% of Forest Service workers in our region. ... To accomplish the pace and scale of fuels reduction work that’s truly needed throughout our region, ... we need more funding, not less,” Henderson said.

Council deliberations emphasized regional coordination. Hodge said the town would distribute adopted resolutions to partner agencies, collect signed resolutions or letters of support, and prepare a joint cover letter for a delegation to deliver to Representative Kiley in Rocklin or electronically if an in‑person meeting was not feasible. The town legislative committee (the mayor and vice mayor) was authorized to approve the cover letter and to sign on to aligned letters from other jurisdictions.

Votes at a glance: - Resolution 2025-15 (forest health and wildfire mitigation impacts from federal staffing and funding cuts): adopted unanimously. Roll call: Council Member Romack — Aye; Vice Mayor Klostad — Aye; Mayor Zabriskie — Aye; Council Member Poliby — Aye; Council Member Henderson — Aye. Outcome: approved. - Resolution 2025-16 (local economic and social impacts from federal funding cuts): adopted unanimously. Same roll call and outcome.

What council directed staff to do: draft a cover letter for approval by the mayor and vice mayor, distribute adopted resolutions to partner agencies, invite partners to join a delegation to deliver these materials to Representative Kiley (or deliver electronically), and authorize the council legislative committee to consider and, if approved, sign on to aligned letters such as the Nevada County letter received by the town.

Context: Staff said the two resolutions were separated so regional partners could adopt the language most relevant to their authorities. Hodge said the Truckee Tahoe Airport District adopted the first resolution the day before the council meeting and the Truckee-Donner Public Utility District planned to consider a resolution the following day. Public comments included officials from Tahoe Donner, Truckee Trails Foundation, Sierra Business Council and other local organizations who urged coordinated advocacy and emphasized risks to wildfire mitigation projects, seasonal firefighting capacity and wood‑processing initiatives.

The council did not adopt additional content changes proposed during public comment; several council members said they were open to incorporating narrower additions in future letters or partner materials but preferred to adopt the two resolutions that were before them that evening.

Community reaction at the meeting was strongly supportive; dozens of residents addressed the council during public comment and several regional agencies signaled interest in joining or mirroring the town’s action.