Dear District 5 Residents,

The Board of Supervisors completed budget hearings last week and adopted the County of Santa Cruz Proposed 2025-26 Budget. See my budget update below for key highlights. I want to thank those of you who shared your concerns and priority issues for your communities.

As we head into summer, I’m sure we all have fire prevention on our minds. Recently, we experienced the Hermon Fire, which is a reminder that we must be prepared and ready to respond to emergencies. If you have not already, please sign up for Cruz Aware notifications with your current contact information and download Watch Duty, an app that provides real-time updates on active fires.

To support fire preparedness, I am hosting a town hall on June 21 on evacuation planning for Zayante and Lompico residents in partnership with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, the Office of Response, Recovery, and Resilience, and the Zayante Fire Protection District. This newsletter also includes information on a free home wildfire safety assessment program and other projects in the community that aim to minimize fire risk and support forest health.

In addition to meeting with constituents in my offices, I am continuing to hold office hours in alternating locations throughout the fifth district every two weeks. If you would like to speak to me, my next upcoming In-District Office Hours are June 30 in Felton and July 15 in Ben Lomond. For more information and to reserve a 15-minute time slot in advance, visit my website.

Monica Martinez

Santa Cruz County Supervisor, District 5

The budget hearings concluded last week with adoption of the final proposed 2025-2026 budget. During these hearings, the Board took a deeper look at the departmental proposals and examined the broader impact across the County budget. It was a challenging task, especially given the fiscal uncertainty and ongoing shifts in federal policy.

We had to make some difficult decisions, and there will be more ahead, but I wanted to share a few highlights. The budget included $477K for the Mental Health Client Action Network (MHCAN), a peer-run organization providing an array of support services for those with mental health issues; $509K for a three-month extension for county-funded lab and radiology services for those most in need to ensure a smooth patient experience while services are redirected to due fiscal concerns; and, thanks to Measure K funds, a $2M increase from last year’s budget for road repairs.

We will revisit the proposed 2025-2026 budget again in late summer to finalize it, as it does not yet account for the cuts being proposed at the federal level. I remain committed to doing all I can to protect and preserve essential services and ensure that the needs of District 5 residents are reflected in the budget.

Town Hall: How Will You Get Out During a Fire? 

Celebrate Ben Lomond's New Mural at Mill Street Park

Join me this Friday to celebrate the new mural at Mill Street Park and the great work of the Ben Lomond Village Alliance (BLVA), a volunteer-led organization lifting community spirit by organizing events to bring residents together and enhancing infrastructure with local improvement projects. I will be making a few remarks at a short ceremony beginning at 5:00 p.m. There will be food, drinks, and kids activities. Hope to see you there!

Event Details:

Date:   Friday, June 20
Time:   4:00 p.m. –  7:00 p.m.
Place:  Mill Street Park, 9525 Mill Street, Ben Lomond

The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County has secured a $7M grant from CAL FIRE to implement a series of ambitious on-the-ground forest health projects spanning public and private lands throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The projects will be implemented over the next several years and will expand recent work and support forest management for an additional 830 acres of high priority landscapes. Treatments range from continuing post-fire reforestation and invasive species removal to thinning conifers and conducting prescribed burns – all designed to reduce hazardous fuels, restore native habitats, and build landscape-scale resilience to wildfires. See the press release for more information.

Provide Input on Measure Q: Updated Survey for SLV Mountain Communities

To reduce wait time, we are now utilizing a reservation system. Click here to reserve a 15 minute time-slot in advance. Drop-in visitors are still welcome, and will be seen in order of arrival as time allows between or after reservations.

• June 30, 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. (Felton Office, 6062 Graham Hill Road)  
• July 15, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. (Ben Lomond Highlands Park Senior & Community Center, 8500 Hwy 9)

The purpose of In-District Office Hours is to provide a convenient way for me to hear from you. However, if you have a problem that will require more than 15 minutes to discuss, or you cannot come during the times listed above, my office is happy to work with you to schedule another time meet. Contact my staff at fifth.district@santacruzcountyca.gov or by calling 831-454-2200.