Sunny Baker

The regular session meeting addressed operational and financial matters. Key discussions included the approval of the consent agenda, which covered payment for the annual household hazardous waste event. The director's report highlighted continued operation of transfer stations, lower per ton rates compared to neighboring counties, and recent community events, including a marine flare collection and a food rescue initiative. A significant portion of the meeting focused on approving Transfer Station Change Order 36 for the replacement of a primary vehicle door at the Delmar County Transfer Station, with an approved cost not to exceed $51,700. The board also elected a new secretary, Darren Short, and adopted a resolution establishing a temporary special project stipend for an employee, Katherine Brewer, acknowledging her considerable additional effort in implementing the new ERP accounting system.

The meeting began with the roll call and a public comment period where residents passionately addressed concerns regarding traffic safety, specifically speeding and high rates of near-misses or incidents on Fred Hate Drive near a narrow bridge and on Highway 101 in the Smith River area, citing a recent fatal hit-and-run involving a pet and near-misses involving children. Commission members acknowledged the ongoing nature of these concerns, referencing new state legislation (AB 1014) that allows for potential speed limit adjustments independent of the 85th percentile rule, and mentioned supporting pedestrian safety planning documents from the Tolowa Dee-ni Nation. Following public comments, the commission moved to adopt the consent calendar, which included approving minutes from the November 4, 2025 meeting and addressing a minor discrepancy in the funding amount for the 2026 statewide local streets and roads needs assessment resolution. The primary agenda item discussed was the development of the 2026 through 2027 Overall Work Program (OWP), which guides the commission's work and project funding. The OWP process includes incorporating mandatory and preferred work, such as the Regional Transportation Plan update, economic and demographic profiling, and regional mapping (GIS data). The OWP development is currently in its initial public review stage.

The meeting commenced with a roll call of commissioners. The primary agenda item involved a presentation on the current status of the statewide deer conservation and management plan. The presentation detailed the plan's structure, which is divided into chapters focusing on introduction of Deer Conservation Units (DCUs), deer biology and ecology, the conservation and management framework, population monitoring methods (including the Integrated Population Model (IPM) utilizing fecal DNA sampling and GPS collars), other data sources like genetics and disease monitoring, and the adaptive management framework for decision-making. The presenters emphasized utilizing a flexible, data-driven model and requested input from the commission on the plan's preliminary framework before the first draft is released for broader public review later in the year. Contact information for submitting feedback to the statewide deer coordinator was provided.

The meeting commenced with public comment regarding contamination issues at the Smith's River bin, which the board agreed to address as a future agenda item. The consent agenda approved payment claims, including one for a Clean Harbors grant-covered marine flare collection event and annual permit fees for the Crescent City landfill. The director's report highlighted the authority's full operations, maintenance compliance, and the successful hosting of the marine flare collection event. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to reporting on the 17-day activation of the Emergency Feeding Task Force in response to the SNAP CalFresh benefit disruption, detailing the extensive collaborative support provided to residents. The board also addressed the need to replace an aging 1996 Toyota 4Runner, with staff recommending the purchase of a slightly higher-cost hybrid Tacoma model due to long-term operational, financial, and environmental benefits aligning with sustainability goals. Finally, the board passed a resolution honoring Commissioner Michael Tomkins for his service from 2019 through 2025, acknowledging his contributions to landfill capacity extension, fee reduction appeals, and financial stability.

The commission discussed the golden mussels being in the Delta and what they're doing to address this issue. They also discussed the Elk Creek drainage meeting and the Talawa tribe checking the levels of the lake. The commission discussed the tires fixed on that tractor and the elk. Also, the commission discussed the dune removal equipment out of the grass of the area and the Lake Earl. They discussed the sandrass removal and snowy pover.