Page 5 - Dan Gjerde News Today

The Mendocino County Tourism Commission is exploring the viability of increasing the lodging assessment from 1% to 2%, and expanding the kinds of businesses that pay, in an effort to save the county money on marketing itself to visitors. The Board of Supervisors is divided on the increase, and the inclusion of restaurants.

The Board of Supervisors reviewed a breakdown of costs for building the new jail; learned that interest on covid relief money is not recoverable; and that there is no paper trail documenting the cause of the shortfall in the health plan.

The Board of Supervisors discussed cannabis, and whether or not the full Board is required to hear public comment on items that have been commented upon in a standing committee. Public Health Officer Dr. Andy Coren recommends masking indoors again, and the caregivers union wants better pay.

The Board of Supervisors considered recommendations and concerns about allowing moveable tiny homes as permanent living units. Currently, tiny homes are allowed with a standard building permit, but they are considered RVs if they are on wheels.

The Board of Supervisors tried to figure out how the $4 million deficit went unreported for more than two years.

The Board of Supervisors sped up the hiring process of a high-level analyst for Treasurer-Tax Collector/Auditor Controller Chamise Cubbison's office at this week's meeting and directed the CEO's office to conduct additional reviews of reports before sending them on to Cubbison.

The Board of Supervisors General Government standing committee heard hours of comment from growers about recommendations from the cannabis ad hoc committee in a more expansive and casual setting than is typical for full Board meetings.

The Board of Supervisors discussed the particulars of a request for proposals from contractors competing to offer drug addiction rehabilitation services.

As cannabis farmers struggle with the plummeting market and ever-changing regulations, supervisors and cannabis advocates discussed the federal legality of a state-funded grant program intended to help those who have been harmed by the war on drugs.

The Board of Supervisors learned last week that $10.2 million was borrowed from an unknown account to cover the deficit in the county's self-funded healthcare plan. Even after using $4.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to reduce the shortfall, the deficit remains at $5.6 million.