Nevada City, CA – The Nevada County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $387.7 million budget for fiscal year 2024/2025 to fund essential services while maintaining a healthy $40 million in general fund reserves given ongoing economic uncertainty.
“We are supporting the community’s priorities for wildfire, housing and more. But we know we must exercise fiscal prudence so that we are well positioned for any uncertainty the future may bring. Our budget considers projected state and federal shortfalls,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Hardy Bullock.
Budget Funds Construction of Major Infrastructure Projects
The 2024/2025 budget includes funds to support infrastructure projects related to transportation, solid waste, animal shelter and libraries.
The completion of the McCourtney Road Transfer Station renovations is expected this fall. The
$22 million project repurposes the existing facility’s footprint to accommodate increased traffic and demand for recycling and solid waste services and allow for state-mandated organic food waste collection. The project includes better access for unloading green waste and construction demolition debris.
Construction on three bridge replacement projects is slated to begin this summer: two in the Hirschdale Road area of Truckee and another off Dog Bar Road in Grass Valley. These projects include $12 million in planned funding and improve connectivity to recreation access along the Truckee and Bear rivers.
The design for two new facility projects is moving forward this year: a regional Truckee Library in partnership with the Town of Truckee and Friends of the Truckee Library and a joint Animal Shelter facility with the City of Grass Valley and City of Nevada City. Community service needs have outgrown both facilities. Both projects have been planned for and included in Nevada County’s Capital Facilities Master Plan for many years.
“Joining operations is good government. Our responsibility is to provide the best possible services in the most cost-effective way for our residents,” said District 3 Supervisor Lisa Swarthout.
Funding for Wildfire, Housing, Recreation, Resiliency and Economic Development
The budget also reflects the County’s focus on bringing in additional grant dollars to increase programs and funding for community priorities such as wildfire, housing, economic development and more.
“This budget reflects what we have heard from our community at meetings and in our recent community survey,” said Bullock.
Emergency preparedness remains a top priority, with over $15 million in grant funding over several years going towards shaded fuel break and wildfire risk reduction projects to help protect our communities. “Evacuation continues to be one of the most concerning areas for us,” said Supervisor Ed Scofield. “Projects like Woodpecker Ravine – compounded by the work and funding going to our local Firewise communities – are treating thousands of acres of vegetation.”
Now in the design phase, the proposed North San Juan Fire Suppression System is a $3 million project, funded by a federal grant and transient occupancy tax dollars (from hotel or short-term rental stays), to construct a 330,000-gallon water storage tank that would provide water mains and fire hydrants for the commercial core of North San Juan. If a $130-per-parcel tax is approved by the 142 North San Juan parcel owners, construction could begin in 2025.
Just over $13 million for phase two of Lone Oak Senior Housing in Penn Valley, funded through the Western Nevada County Regional Housing Trust Fund with the cities of Grass Valley and Nevada City and state grant funding from the HOME program, is bringing an additional 31 one- and two-bedroom apartments online seniors aged 62 and older. The project doubles the existing available units that already includes a community garden, a fenced dog park and more. “These senior housing units are more than just a home – they’ve built a community to support each other,” said Supervisor Sue Hoek.
The $2 million Commons Resource Center, funded by a Community Development Block Grant and Whole Person Care grants among other sources, is anticipated to be completed this year and will connect unhoused residents to services including assistance with mental health, housing and substance abuse issues. A $2.5 million, three-year Encampment Resolution Fund grant was also just awarded to Nevada County to help find permanent homes for unsheltered individuals in the Brunswick Basin.
Nevada County and three co-applicants have been awarded a $10 million grant from the state to upgrade Veterans Halls in Grass Valley and Nevada City and enhance services for seniors and residents in need. The bulk of the grant – $8.4 million- will pay for much needed repairs to the two veterans halls, ensuring that they will be able to continue serving our community.
Supervisors also approved and funded a “highest and best use” study to prevent the Nevada County Courthouse from becoming a vacant building when the local courts move to a new site, which is anticipated to occur in the next five years. “We believe Nevada City deserves to have the courthouse re-purposed in a way that continues to contribute to the city’s dynamic culture and benefits our local economy,” said Supervisor Heidi Hall.
Supervisors have also allotted $450,000 to go towards priority projects in the recently approved Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan and the Economic Development Action Plan.
“The numbers tell a story,” added Bullock. “We are supporting the community in a number of ways. That’s who we are and what we stand for.”
Annual Board Objectives and Budget Process
Tuesday’s budget adoption is the culmination of a months-long fiscal planning process that included the Board’s Annual Workshop in January where the year’s objectives were set, meetings to gather input from all County departments and the public, County committees and various commission meetings, budget subcommittee meetings with the Board Chair and Vice- Chair, and a public budget hearing last week.
Find more information about Nevada County’s budget process and adopted 2024/2025 budget on the County Budget Portal at www.NevadaCountyCA.gov/Budget.
Learn more about the progress on the Supervisors eight Board Objectives at www.NevadaCountyCA.gov/BoardObjectives.