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Tuolumne supervisors direct staff to explore placing Office of Emergency Services under sheriff after hours-long debate
Summary
After extended public comment and a divided board debate over oversight, staffing and grants, the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors voted 3–2 to direct staff to investigate moving the Office of Emergency Services (OES) into the sheriff’s office and to return with ordinance language and fiscal details.
The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors voted 3–2 to direct county staff to investigate moving the Office of Emergency Services (OES) under the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office and to return with a proposed amendment to the county ordinance.
Supporters said the change would align emergency operations with a public-safety chain of command, improve cross‑training and help secure and administer grants. “This is another layer of insulation to make sure we are doing what we’re supposed to be doing,” Chair Grieffer said, framing the proposal as a way to strengthen OES staffing and funding.
Opponents warned the proposal risked disrupting a high-performing OES team and urged the board to defer the matter until the OES director, fire chief and other operational leaders could participate. Several residents and speakers credited OES with recent successes — including the Chinese Camp cleanup — and said the office has delivered strong grant management and recovery work despite being understaffed.
County staff told the board that a fully funded OES would total about $211,000; this year OES was funded at roughly $90,000 with grant offsets. The county administrator said those fiscal and operational details, including how grants and positions would be handled if OES moved, would be worked out with the sheriff and returned to the board.
Sheriff David Vasquez told the board he would only accept operational control if there were clear reasons to do so and pledged the sheriff’s office would not “weaponize” the function. “If there’s a reason that made sense, I am willing to support you,” he said.
Public comment was evenly split: some residents urged retaining OES under the county administrator to protect long-term recovery and interdepartmental neutrality; others said placing OES within a public-safety structure could improve staffing surge capacity and regional grant coordination.
The motion directing staff to explore the move carried 3–2. Staff will return with ordinance amendments and the fiscal and operational analysis before any final transfer occurs.
