The Humboldt County Citizens Advisory Committee on Monday finalized changes to its fiscal-year 2026–27 grant application, added two questions to clarify service area and partial-funding impacts, and extended the submission deadline to Thursday, Feb. 26.

County staff told the committee the packet now includes a new question asking applicants to identify which geographic areas and populations the project would serve and another asking applicants to explain at what point partial funding would render an application ineffective and how outcomes or scope would change. Staff said the rest of the application remains the same and that submissions will be handled digitally.

Staff reported the amount available for grant awards this fiscal year is $1,650,000, up from the roughly $1.5 million figure cited at the committees previous meeting, due to prior-year expenditure savings. Committee members asked that technical corrections to the dollar figure be reflected on the published application.

On timing, staff said applications would close on a Friday and that agenda materials must be posted by the following Monday; to allow Friday packet assembly and give members time to review materials, staff recommended a Thursday, Feb. 26 deadline. Committee member (speaker 8) moved to approve the application with the deadline change; member (speaker 4) seconded and the motion passed by voice vote.

Public comment ahead of the vote included Ryan Zamora, CEO of Kamau Medical Center, who described elevated operating and maintenance costs for ambulance service to Willow Creek and asked the committee to consider restoring funding to support that service. The committee closed public comment before taking the motion.

The committees action updates the application and deadline and will be reflected in the released digital application. The Board of Supervisors retains final budget authority for Measure Z allocations.