>> Click here to download an 11 x 17 printable annual report (high resolution, ~20MB)
>> Click here to download an 8.5 x 11 printable annual report (web resolution, ~2MB)

Dear Residents of Solano County -

We’re proud to announce that while 2015 presented us with some pretty significant challenges, we banded together, as we always do, to overcome obstacles like rare health disease outbreaks, historic drought, wildfires, and wellness challenges to create a safe and healthy place for our residents to live, learn, work and play. 

In early 2015 a string of rare and communicable diseases, including Measles and Ebola made headlines in our community.  Acting quickly, County Public Health and Safety officials partnered with local hospitals to establish training and safety protocols to protect the community against disease.

By spring Mother Nature dialed up the heat, and 6 months before the historic drought declaration and water rationing, Solano County had already been conserving water.  Facility maintenance crews installed equipment and replaced inefficient technologies, allowing the County to conserve 21 million gallons in 2015.

On July 22 the Wragg Fire made news across the county as it quickly raced through Solano County.  The County Sheriff’s Office coordinated resources from across the state, and, through the quick response, no lives or homes were lost in the 8,000 acre fire.

Eleven months after it began, the Board of Supervisors affirmed recommendations that limited smoking at County parks and facilities, and, in most instances, completing our commitment to take steps to reduce the risk of second hand smoke affecting County employees, residents and visitors to County facilities.

Looking at the long list of challenges we successfully managed in 2015, we are proud to say we continue to move forward, serving the employees, residents and visitors to Solano County.

Sincerely,
Birgitta E. Corsello, County Administrator
Erin Hannigan, Chairwoman, Board of Supervisors

---------------------------

IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE
Solano County is committed to the improvement of health and wellness of all those who live and work in our community and has high-quality programs and services to support these goals.

Grab your backpack, it’s time for Pre-K Academy
First 5 Solano helped more than 570 children attended Pre-K Academy and /or Pre-K Bootcamp Academy this year.  Academies give children considered “high-risk” due to factors such as poverty, remoteness, substance abuse, family violence, child abuse and neglect, special needs, lack of education and other challenges an opportunity to attend pre-school a chance to become familiar with basic school routines and a classroom environment before starting Kindergarten in the fall.

Helping families find meaningful employment
Solano County Health and Social Services Employment and Eligibiltiy services helped 34 families find meaningful employment through the Families Active in Meaningful Employment (FAME) program. FAME is designed to provide short term paid work experience and training to low income families with the goal of leading to sustained employment.

Sheriff’s new trailer protects man and man’s best friend
The Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Unit added a new 27-foot Exiss goose neck trailer to its fleet, significantly expanding the department’s ability to transport large and small animals during a rescue, as well as equipment, off-road vehicles and supplies during a natural disaster.  The trailer has proved its worth right from the start, especially during the Wragg Fire, which burned 8,000 acres in Solano County, leaving pets like dogs, cats, horses and farm animals needing to be rescued.  It also hauled supplies to help fight the fire.  The trailer was obtained under an Urban Area Security Initiative grant administered by FEMA.

Working collaboratively to prevent disease
The Solano County Public Health team rose to the challenge this year of responding to potential public health outbreaks by teaming up with local hospitals and emergency operations teams to prepare for Ebola, Measles, Enterovirus and other life-threatening diseases.  The training improved communication among all agencies involved and helped health care providers address gaps in infections disease readiness, all of which became useful when the Measles outbreak appeared in Solano County.

Serving those who served our country - Veterans
Solano County is number two in the state among all California counties,  second only to Los Angeles County, when it comes to providing programs and services to our 33,500 veterans.  Solano County vets receive an average annual compensation of $6,798.  In 2015 the office filed more than 5,000 claims for veterans and their dependents, resulting in more than $26 million dollars of new federal dollars available in the form of programs and services.  This is a 10 percent increase in fund received over the previous year.

Securing families a safe place to live and thrive
Solano County’s Child Welfare Services protects children from abuse and neglect by strengthening families or finding safe, permanent homes so that they grow into healthy, productive adults. This year, Solano County implemented the Approved Relative Caregiver (ARC) Funding Option Program.  ARC funds were allotted to participating counties based on the maximum number of approved relative caregiver placements of eligible children in the county.  As a result, 31 children were identified and placed in approved relative caregivers, maximizing their chances for a safe upbringing.

“Read your book,” doctor’s orders
Solano County Libraries is committed to life-long learning and reaches beyond the printed word to electronic resources, homework help, online tutoring, immigration support, employment workshops, legal help, tax preparation and a variety of programs to support early learning.  This year, a significant milestone was celebrated by the Library’s Reach Out and Read – a component of the Library’s Literary Services program – where pediatricians “prescribe” reading at regular checkups.  Since the program was launched in 1999, more than 200,000 books have been given out to children.

A friend in need is a friend indeed
Solano County Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) was recognized in 2015 by the DCSS Director’s Association for their support of Napa DCSS employees following the South Napa Earthquake.  By Wednesday morning, just three days after the 6.0 quake, Solano DCSS had set up a conference room with tables, computers, phones and equipment.  Because they acted quickly, Solano DCSS successfully hosted their Napa colleagues for six weeks, and, without the response, Napa employees would have lost pay and clients would have gone unserved.

Modern tools for a mobile society
The Treasurer – Tax Collector – County Clerk’s Office has continued efforts to modernize and streamline the services provided to the public.  This includes the addition of support for mobile devices and the use of online services to deliver programs and services to the greatest extent allowable under the law.  These continued changes help control costs, improve efficiency and make services more accessible to the public.

Healthy living by example
Solano County’s Health and Social Services, Older and Disabled Adults program, “Solano County Mini-Medical School: Aging with Vitality,” received a merit award from the California State Association of Counties this year.  The mini-series aims to normalize the aging process and inspire participants to be proactive by making healthy lifestyle choices.  Modeled after the UC Davis “Mini-Medical School,” the award brings state-wide recognition to healthy living.

Wash, rinse, repeat - healthy hands, healthy life
The Environmental Health Division protects the public and our local businesses by inspecting restaurants and promoting health, wellness and food safety.  Health inspectors visited more than 450 restaurants in September during the annual Food Safety Month and Clean Hands Week.  The programs’ s goal: increase food safety by improving food worker hand washing techniques.  Staff took this opportunity to help food workers learn how to properly wash their hands and the importance that clean hands serve to safe food preparation activities as part of their food safety inspections.

A breath of fresh air
The Solano County Board of Supervisors adopted a new smoke-free policy this year making all Solano County facilities, parks and campuses smoke-free.  The move aims to improve air quality and the health and wellness of all County employees and our customers.  Leading the charge, General Services established a smoke-free transition team to help County employees and the public move toward a smoke-free environment through an educational campaign, signage, smoking cessation classes and friendly support.  Because of this action, Solano County joins a growing number of state, county, private and local not for profit agencies moving to become smoke-free. 

---------------------------

INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE
The Board of Supervisors make strategic investments in programs, services and infrastructure improvements for County residents of today and tomorrow.

Sealing roads keeps our motorists safe
The County’s Public Works department is dedicated to keeping our community safe by chip sealing more than 33 miles of road in the unincorporated areas around Dixon, Vacaville and Fairfield, including sections of Midway road, Pleasants Valley Road, Cantelow Road and Ramsey Road.  The chip-seal protects roads and motorists from water penetration that contribute to premature failures, hydroplaning
and prevents accidents.

Keeping things ship-shape after the shake (quake)
The 6.0 magnitude South Napa Earthquake that struck parts of Solano County in August 2014 impacted several high-traffic County facilities and operations, including the County owned Court and Health and Social Services buildings.  In response, General Services Facility Maintenance crews successfully relocated all essential assets and equipment to other parts of the County within 72 hours – minimizing service disruptions for the public.  After all County building repairs were complete in 2015, the County moved on to making strategic investments in making our facilities even safer for the public, protecting against the next natural disaster.

Aviation enthusiasts, you’re clear for takeoff
The Runway Threshold Shift Project at the Solano County Nut Tree Airport has significantly improved public and airplane safety while leveraging the use of local funding.  Completed in Fall, 2015, the project eliminated a runway safety issue while bringing it into compliance with current federal safety standards.  The project aligned the north end of the runway with Taxiway K, which leads to Runway 20 and the offsite ICON Aircraft Production facility.  The project was funded by the Federal Aviation Administration, the County Airport Fund and ICON Aircraft.

Selecting the best bidder for the job
On October 8, 2015 Governor Brown signed into law Senate Bill 762, the Local Agency Construction Act, sponsored by Solano County and championed by Senator Lois Wolk.  The bill establishes a pilot program for seven California Counties, including Solano County, to establish a pilot program to select a bidder for public works projects on the basis of the best value for construction projects in excess of $1 million dollars.  The bill also establishes criteria that require bidders to verify specific information under oath, giving Solano County the ability to select the best possible contractor for the specified job.

---------------------------

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Solano County strives to create programs and services for our residents that use taxpayer dollars responsibly as part of a balanced budget.

Adopted budget for fiscal year 2015/16
The Revenues by Source chart describes the sources of governmental funds used to finance the FY 2015/16 budget. The County’s single largest revenue source is intergovernmental revenue from the state and federal agencies, which are generally restricted dollars to fund the County’s implementation of state and federal programs. The General Fund Revenue chart provides information on the sources of funds used to finance County operations, including property taxes and intergovernmental revenue that come to the County without restrictions. The Spending Plan by Function chart shows where the County allocates its budget. Public Protection represents the single largest category of expenditures in both the total budget and Discretionary Spending.

Accolades for excellence in fiscal reporting
For the 13th consecutive year the Government Finance Officers Association awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the County of Solano and the Auditor-Controller’s office for the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014.

---------------------------

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ARE WELCOME
Please send them to Matthew Davis, Sr. Management Analyst and Public Communications Officer at (707) 784-6111 and [email protected]