Board Actions – Jan. 14 – Welcome to San Bernardino County

Federal Affairs Committee created

The Board of Supervisors created a Federal Affairs Committee, chaired by First District Supervisor Col. Paul Cook (Ret.) with board Chairman and Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe serving as a member.

This subcommittee of the board will collaborate with the County Administrative Office to set goals for the county’s lobbying team; oversee federal lobbying efforts to ensure the county successfully receives federal funding, including grant funding, federal partnerships and matching funds, and congressional member-directed funding requests for critical projects; advocate for San Bernardino County’s priorities in Washington, D.C., and with the county’s local congressional delegation.

Supervisors contribute to Chino Hills Community Park improvement project

The Board of Supervisors approved $250,000 in funding from Fourth District Supervisor Curt Hagman’s Fourth District Priorities Program to the city of Chino Hills to support the final phase of the $8 million refurbishment project at Chino Hills Community Park.

The community park serves as a local hub for baseball, softball and soccer activities, hosting practices, league games and tournaments throughout the year. As the most utilized park in Chino Hills, it accommodates thousands of residents and visitors annually.

The refurbishment project, which began in 2022, will enhance the park’s functionality to meet the growing community needs. The final phase, supported by the board’s contribution, will expand the parking lot and add a V-ditch drainage system to improve water management and protect the park’s infrastructure.

This project aligns with the Countywide Vision by investing in quality of life resources and enhancing opportunities for neighborhood and family engagement in shared spaces.

Mutal aid agreement with the city of Colton

County Fire is entering into a non-financial automatic and mutual aid agreement with the city of Colton for assistance on fire, rescue and emergency response services through June 30, 2029.

County Fire has numerous mutual aid agreements with local, state and federal agencies to reciprocally assist partner agencies by providing personnel, equipment, materials/supplies and other services, as needed, for fire suppression and/or during emergency incidents.

This collaboration enhances emergency response capabilities by leveraging a “closest resource” approach, which dispatches the closest and most appropriate fire unit regardless of jurisdiction. It allows fire and rescue resources to cross jurisdictional boundaries and provide equipment and firefighting apparatus that may not be available within the jurisdiction, ensuring faster and more efficient service during emergencies.

The partnership advances the Countywide Vision by working collaboratively to ensure that communities are safe, educated, and prepared to mitigate, respond to, and recover from man-made and natural threats to public safety of any scale.

ADA-accessibility street improvements in Highland

The Board of Supervisors awarded an approximately $1.2 million construction contract to Onyx Paving Company, Inc., to upgrade 42 curb ramps in the Southeast Del Rosa area to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Additional improvements include the reconstruction of sidewalks, driveways, spandrels, cross gutters and minor street improvements, as needed, at various locations. Certain areas will also require root pruning and the installation of a 24-inch root barrier to protect sidewalks from future damage.

The projects aligns with the Countywide Vision by continuing the development of a well-planned, balanced and sustainable county and providing for the safety of county residents by improving access for all pedestrians, including those with disabilities.

HUBB platform assists the business community

To assist San Bernardino County small businesses and entrepreneurs, the county’s Economic Development Department secured an approximately $413,000 contract with HUUB, a cloud-based software platform that helps event planners manage virtual, hybrid, and in-person events to provide a centralized platform for small businesses from Feb. 1, 2025, through Jan. 31, 2027.

HUUB’s platform simplifies businesses access resources and assistance by serving as a centralized portal for live and on-demand trainings, startup information, grants and one-on-one technical assistance in multiple languages, offering a comprehensive ecosystem of support.

This centralized approach is more cost-effective, as it eliminates the need for businesses and the county to manage multiple separate services or platforms and improves the delivery of support services.

By expanding and tailoring its business assistance tool, the Economic Development Department aligns with the Countywide Vision to model business-friendly best practices and reinforce the county’s commitment to sustainable economic development.

U.S. Department of Justice grant award

The County Administrative Office’s Law and Justice Group was awarded a United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance’s 2024 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program grant in the amount of approximately $311,000 from the United States Department of Justice for the period of Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2027. This program provides funding to state and local governments for support of a broad range of activities intended to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system.

As part of the award, approximately $181,100 in grant funding will be provided by the county to the city of San Bernardino, and the county will retain a total of approximately $129,000 in grant funding.

Ford Model T donation

The Board of Supervisors accepted a donation of a 1923 Ford Model T, valued at approximately $22,000, from Dr. Herbert Fischer.

Beginning production in 1908, the Ford Model T was one of the most influential cars of the 20^th century. It provided inexpensive transportation on a mass scale and signified the power and success of America’s growing middle class. This vehicle was first used as a work truck in the orange groves of Redlands, then as a delivery truck for Flowerland Nursery owned by Herbert and Mary Fischer from 1950 until 1999.

By featuring the donated Ford Model T in future exhibits and educational programming that highlight its role in early 20th-century agriculture and commerce within the region, the County Museum is working to fulfill the Countywide Vision by celebrating the arts, culture and education in the county, creating quality-of-life for residents and visitors.

For more information, visit museum.sbcounty.gov.

Sheriff’s Department Pathologist Assistant Program with Loma Linda University School of Medicine

The Sheriff’s Department is entering into a non-financial agreement with Loma Linda University School of Medicine to host approximately 60 pathology students for clinical rotations within the department’s coroner division from Jan. 15, 2025, through Jan. 14, 2026.

Students enrolled in the program will observe and participate in autopsy procedures as part of a partnership designed to support workforce development in healthcare and forensic sciences. This comprehensive clinical training will bridge students’ educational knowledge with hands-on, experiential learning.

Through investing in professional training for students, the Sheriff’s Department continues to advance the Countywide Vision by fostering partnerships with educational institutions to support economic development and job creation initiatives.

Additional County Update News – Jan. 16, 2025