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Santa Cruz Local tackles a reader’s question: Does Santa Cruz County have enough water supply to support new housing?
The answer is counterintuitive, water officials said. Despite population growth in Santa Cruz County in recent years, total water use has declined, according to county data and water authorities.
Reduced water demand is largely due to a culture of water conservation, water-saving building codes and smarter technology in appliances, water district leaders said.
County water leaders said water supply reliability remains a problem, as well as sea-water intrusion of groundwater in coastal areas outside the city of Santa Cruz. 📰 Read Jerimiah Oetting’s story
Water use in acre feet has declined even as water connections and population has grown in Santa Cruz County, according to county data.
(County of Santa Cruz)
Vaccine eligibility expands to all Santa Cruz County seniors
All county residents 65 and older are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine regardless of ZIP code or insurance status. A mass vaccination clinic opened last week at Old City Hall, 250 Main St., Watsonville, for people 65 and older and health care workers, by appointment only. Call 877-218-0381 or register online.
The county-run vaccine clinic at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds stopped registrations last week. The clinic will be used for second doses only, a county spokesman told Santa Cruz Local.
Sutter Health has vaccinated the greatest share of those 65 and older with 8,635 doses administered in Santa Cruz County, according to California Immunization Registry data shared in a Feb. 11 news conference. There have been 13,396 doses given to people 65 and older in Santa Cruz County, accounting for about 12,806 people, according to that data. 📰 See the data. (Scroll to “How many vaccinations have been administered to date in Santa Cruz County?”)
An update on school reopening and COVID-19 safety plans is expected Thursday from County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah. Santa Cruz County public school leaders plan for a phased opening of elementary schools by spring, according to a Feb. 12 statement from Sabbah and 14 other local superintendents and school leaders.
More than 1,000 preschool, kindergarten and day care teachers and staff were vaccinated last week in a clinic led by Dignity Health Medical Group-Dominican and Dominican Hospital in partnership with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, medical leaders said.
Teachers unions and other unions in the county had said they would not will not participate in school reopening until employees were vaccinated and COVID testing capacity increased, Sabbah said in a January board meeting. Union leaders now have agreed to resume in-person teaching after receipt of the second dose of vaccine.
👉 To participate: Join on Zoom or by phone at 669-900-6833, meeting ID 847 5021 2903#. To comment ahead of the meeting, email a comment no longer than 300 words to cbennett@santacruzcoe.org by 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Scotts Valley City Council
6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17 Online or by phone
City could issue bonds to pay for pensions
Wednesday, the city council is scheduled to hear a consultant’s analysis of Vice Mayor Jim Reed’s idea to borrow more money through pension obligation bonds to cover pension costs.
Pension obligation bonds are loans that local governments take when interest rates are low to help pay off unfunded pension liabilities. Some experts consider those bonds risky since governments won’t know if the bond saves money until the bond’s term ends.
Scotts Valley issued pension obligation bonds in 2012 to help pay down its unfunded liabilities. City leaders expect to finish paying off its $2 million outstanding on those bonds by June 2025.
The consultant’s report listed several pros and cons and concluded that city leaders should hire a debt finance consultant for deeper analysis if it wants to consider bonds.
Scotts Valley’s General Fund balance at the end of June is expected to be $3.6 million, about $360,000 more than forecasted. The city’s General Fund deficit is expected to be $239,300 by June 30. Sales and hotel taxes have raised more revenue than expected, by a combined $609,000, according to the report.
The city was paid $208,000 by the state to allow CalFire to use Skypark as an emergency operations base during the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. The use resulted in about $1.1 million in damages to the turf and walkways. Total reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to be 75% of the cost, according to the staff report. City staff have proposed a $300,000 transfer from the General Fund to cover the cost. Other proposed budget changes are listed here.
Tentative agreement with police bargaining units
City negotiators have reached a tentative one-year agreement on labor contracts with the Scotts Valley Police Bargaining Unit and the Scotts Valley Police Supervisors Association. Negotiations took months and the current contract expired in July. The council is expected to consider the agreement on its consent agenda Wednesday.
The memorandum of understanding includes:
Salary increases: A 5% increase for the police bargaining unit and an 8% increase for the police supervisors association
Pension plan changes for police supervisors: Employee contributions to pension plans would increase to 9% of applicable salary to align with state law, according to the staff report.
The net cost to the city is expected to be $70,000 for the rest of this fiscal year and $140,000 in following years.
In a separate consent agenda item Wednesday, the council is expected to consider a resolution that would double the signing bonus for entry-level police officers to $20,000 and offer a $40,000 signing bonus for higher-level hires. The department is short staffed and the bonuses would be more than what’s offered at other local agencies, according to the staff report.
The Capitola City Council unanimously approved a conceptual plan for a public park at the Rispin Mansion last week. The council also directed city staff to apply for a $482,000 State Parks grant as part of the roughly $825,000 project. It directed staff to return with a history of Henry Allen Rispin to consider a potential new name for the park.
The council in 2014 voted to build a public park outside the historic, mothballed mansion. The project had been delayed because of lack of money. The city received a $178,000 grant from State Parks in January. During a Feb. 11 Capitola City Council meeting, project planner Mike Arnone described the project.
Repairs would be made to a reflecting pool, stairs, garden walls along Wharf Road, an overlook seating area, walking paths, an arbor and landscaping.
New features would include a 60- to 80-person capacity amphitheater, bocce ball court, children’s area, bike racks, picnic tables and art such as murals.
More than $400,000 in General Fund money has been set aside for the project, city leaders said. If the new State Parks grant is accepted, the project could go out to bid this year and take about four months to build, city staff said.
-- Stephen Baxter
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Santa Cruz Local is producing a podcast series on distance learning and the state of education in Santa Cruz County. Your input will guide our reporting.
