Board approves Measure Z allocations; directs staff to explore tax for rural ambulance and amends funding to add teen-court support

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on April 21 adopted the Measure Z citizen advisory committee's funding recommendations for fiscal year 2026'7, approving a package of county department and community partner awards and directing staff to explore a dedicated ballot or parcel-tax measure to support rural ambulance and emergency response.

Deputy County Administrative Officer Sean Quincy told the board $1.65 million was available for one-year awards. The committee recommended awarding the top-ranked community applications and departmental requests, with the largest combined allotment going to local fire agencies and public safety programs. "The North Coast Rape Crisis Team was the top ranking application," Quincy said, and the list also included funding for a school resource officer in Fortuna, additional operational support for the county drug task force, and continued funding for ambulance services serving remote areas.

The discussion focused sharply on ambulance funding for remote corridors and the long-running support for Kamala/Kam-ala Medical Center'operated ambulance service on Highway 299 and surrounding rural areas. Multiple supervisors and public commenters said small rural ambulance services and volunteer fire departments are essential but financially precarious. "If Camal goes out of business, then we have a larger problem of not being able to meet the mandate to have ambulance service available," a county official observed during the meeting.

Supervisor Bushnell moved to adopt staff recommendations and asked staff to investigate a ballot or parcel-tax approach to generate stable funding for rural ambulance and emergency response (the motion was broadened to include volunteer fire support on state highways and rural roads). After additional discussion the board approved an amendment to allocate $18,666 from Measure Z reserves to fund a teen-court/juvenile-diversion program (the committee had reduced that request during its review); the motion included direction that if Kam Ambulance receives later grant revenue it should return those funds to the Measure Z pool.

The board approved the full set of Measure Z awards, including the amendment, by unanimous vote.

What happens next: Staff will publish the Measure Z award summary, and the board directed county staff to report back on the feasibility, timing and legal process for placing a tax or parcel measure on a future ballot to support rural ambulance and emergency response.

Speakers quoted: Tammy Trent (Measure Z committee chair), Sean Quincy (Deputy CAO), Russ Brown (Fire Chief), Lieutenant Jason Kadel (Fortuna PD).