The Board voted to adopt the Measure Q Vision Plan for 2025–2030 and to program county allocations for FY25–26. Staff described the plan as the guiding document for the measuregrant program, focusing the first five years on water quality and resilience, wildfire risk reduction and forest health, and parks access and equity. The plan assigns geographic priorities including $600,000 minimum grant pools for Pajaro Valley and San Vicente Redwoods.

County staff recommended programming approximately $875,000 of county funds for three shovel-ready county projects in the unincorporated area: Freedom Lake restoration and access ($720,000), completion of roadside vegetation trimming to meet a FEMA hazard-mitigation grant match ($80,000), and a Corralitos Creek flood‑modeling and forecasting tool to inform evacuations ($75,000). Staff explained the county allocation this year was roughly $1.4 million, of which $500,000 had already been set aside for supervisor discretionary allocations and other items, leaving ~$900,000 for programmatic allocation.

Members of the public and conservation partners (Land Trust, County Park Friends, Watsonville Wetlands Watch) spoke in support of the vision plan and the proposed projects. Supervisors asked for assurances about geographic equity and how the grant program would be structured. Staff replied the grant program scaffolding would be brought back to the COAB and the board in mid‑November to early January and that annual reporting and KPIs would be required. Supervisor Cummings sought a return presentation on the grant process no later than the first meeting in January; staff agreed to come back with initial scaffolding and to adjust timing according to board direction.

Motion and result: The board adopted the Measure Q Vision Plan as approved by the Community Oversight Advisory Board and approved the recommended county funding allocations for FY25–26; the board directed staff to return with grant-program details and an annual reporting schedule. The motion passed; one later procedural amendment (on funding details) passed with a 4–1 vote on a related allocation motion.

Why it matters: Measure Q supplies dedicated local funding for safe drinking water, clean beaches, wildfire mitigation and wildlife protection. The boardactions commit initial county funds to visible, shovel-ready projects intended to reduce wildfire risk, improve water management and restore park access in the short term while establishing a grant program for broader community proposals.

Next steps: Staff will return with grant-program scaffolding, RFP timing, and an annual reporting plan; the proposed county projects will move to implementation beginning in FY25–26 subject to procurement, permits, and additional matching funds.

Sources: Presentations by Rebecca Hurley and Dave Reed (Oct. 21, 2025); public comments and board votes on Measure Q plan and allocations.