OROVILLE — The Butte County Board of Supervisors is set to look at its spending from the PG&E settlement fund Tuesday and potentially implement a budget line for additional internal management going forward.
Chief Administrative Officer Andy Picket is bringing the item before the board at its upcoming meeting with a suggestion that the board authorize a Camp Fire Burn Area Cost Center within the fund to reserve funding for certain projects.
After the Camp Fire in 2018, the county filed a lawsuit against PG&E. From the lawsuit, the power company settled to the tune of $252 million, which was then reserved by the county to go toward rehabilitation of the areas affected by the fire. After attorney fees, the county received $206.5 million. Since the settlement was reached, the county has used the funding for 25 projects with a cumulative cost of $89.3 million.
“The cost center would be funded with the interest earned each year from the Probation Building project and restricted to fund the project and program requests for roadside clearance and maintenance along evacuation routes directly in, or serving, the Camp Fire burn scar,” the staff report reads. “The policy proposes these requests may be made by community-based organizations, homeowner associations or units of local government.”
Pickett will be requesting that the board direct staff on the issue.
Aside from discussing the settlement fund, the board will be voting on whether to finalize the Butte County Housing Element and receive an update on the general plan.
A presentation on the housing element will come from consultants with PlaceWorks, an outside firm hired by the county.
Additionally, the board will vote on a 3% pay increase for Behavioral Health Director Scott Kennelly, which would put his salary at $165,038.96.
The Butte County Board of Supervisors generally meets at 9 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at its chambers located at 25 County Center Drive, Suite 205 in Oroville. Meetings are free and open to the public.
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