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Board hears multiple 2026–27 agency budgets; Fire chief flags equipment and staffing needs, public defender and Public Works outline mandate pressures
Summary
The Board received budget briefings across county agencies. Fire Chief Dustin Gardner described radio/ranger/aircraft funding risks and a need for more first responder units; Public Defender Claudia Bautista reviewed a $33M operating budget and grant offsets; Public Works and Resource Management highlighted aging water/wastewater infrastructure and funding constraints in several waterworks districts.
County executives presented 2026–27 preliminary budgets and operational challenges across key departments.
Fire: Chief Dustin Gardner reviewed the fire districts’ budget profile (salaries/benefits dominate) and outlined planning for additional first‑response units driven by rising call volume, upgrades to radio systems (VHF for wildland mutual aid plus 700 MHz for law enforcement), a drone program for rapid incident intelligence, and concerns about loss of Southern California Edison support for a CH‑47 helicopter contract (an estimated $10.4M funding loss projected). He also highlighted forthcoming unfunded state mandates that could add tens of thousands of mandated inspections and require significant additional staffing.
Public Defender: Claudia Bautista presented a $33 million operating budget largely for salaries and benefits for 139 staff, noting grant offsets — the public defense pilot (PDP), Prop 47 grants, and racial justice funding — that allowed expanded services and specialty attorneys for habeas and Racial Justice Act claims. Bautista described ongoing workload increases tied to mental health diversion and competency work and the difficulty of converting fixed‑term grant positions into sustained staff funding.
Public Works & RMA: Directors summarized a $2.227 billion program portfolio (public works capital, roads, water and sanitation). Engineering Services noted permit workload increases. Watershed Protection outlined ongoing Matilija Dam restoration work and sediment modeling. Roads staff warned that gas‑tax revenues and reimbursements for emergency repairs are strained and that the true roads fund balance is already encumbered. Water and sanitation divisions flagged aging wells and treatment costs (PFAS, manganese), Prop 218 limits on rate changes, and several districts showing deficits that will require a June report with more detailed waterworks financial recommendations.
No budget votes were taken; board members asked for follow‑up reports in May and June on capital projects and waterworks districts.
