Articles, CC Harbor, Infrastructure, Transportation

CCHD Commissioners Drag Feet On Key Citizens Dock Project-Related Appointments; Project Grants Manager Says Work Won’t Slow

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Thumbnail photo by Jessica Cejnar Andrews

Despite selecting a project manager and a grant manager for the Citizens Dock rebuild and seawall replacement last week, Crescent City Harbor commissioners delayed approving the contract that would allow them to start work.

CCHD Board Chairman Rick Shepherd asked his colleagues to wait until the district’s next regular meeting to consider the contracts between Kimley-Horn and Community System Solutions. 

At a special meeting Friday, Shepherd said he felt the public didn’t have sufficient time to review the proposed agreements. Though he and his colleagues decided to award the grant manager contract to Fair Oaks-based Community System Solutions, Shepherd still had questions about the firm’s role in the overall project.

“There’s still a gray area between grant manager and finance director and having another accountant in between that. That needs to be explained to me,” he said.

Continue reading CCHD Commissioners Drag Feet On Key Citizens Dock Project-Related Appointments; Project Grants Manager Says Work Won’t Slow →
Articles, Community News, Crescent City, Economy, Housing, Infrastructure, Local Government

Crescent City Starts Public Outreach On Second Phase Of Downtown Plan Next Week

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Thumbnail photo: Early concept art of the Redwood Downtown, a mixed-use building that includes residential units planned for 3rd and J streets in Downtown Crescent City. Housing is one of the key components of the city’s Downtown Specific Plan. | Image Courtesy of the City of Crescent City

Don Arambula thinks of Whitefish, Montana as an example of the downtown Crescent City could have in about 20 years.

The Rocky Mountain community, population 7,751 as of the 2020 U.S. Census, is about the same size as Crescent City. It’s isolated, a gateway to a national park and, similar to Crescent City, was “kind of struggling.” 

Arambula, principal planner and urban designer for Portland-based Crandall Arambula PC, said the downtown masterplan his firm developed for Whitefish is comparable to Crescent City’s Downtown Specific Masterplan. 

Continue reading Crescent City Starts Public Outreach On Second Phase Of Downtown Plan Next Week →
Articles, CC Harbor, Crescent City, Economy, Local Government

‘By Spring, You Will Not Recognize This Place’; CCHD Board Approves RV Park Lease With Developer Daniel Dahan

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Thumbnail photo: Bayside RV Park is one of two RV parks that the Crescent City Harbor District is looking to lease to Daniel Dahan, investment manager for BSD Property Management. | Photo by Jessica Cejnar Andrews

Before Crescent City Harbor commissioners approved leasing Redwood Harbor Village to him, Daniel Dahan outlined a timeline that included upgrading the electric system, redoing the parking lot and bringing in homes on wheels.

It will take several months, the developer said, adding that winter rains will likely make installing the septic system impossible. Eight to 10 months will pass before the revitalized RV park is ready to accept visitors, but, Dahan said, his investors are committed to making it a success.

“I promise you that by this spring, you will not recognize this place,” he told commissioners at their meeting June 24.

Continue reading ‘By Spring, You Will Not Recognize This Place’; CCHD Board Approves RV Park Lease With Developer Daniel Dahan →
Articles, CC Harbor, Local Government

Local Activist To Proceed With Harbor Fundraiser Despite Objections From Its Fiscal Officer And One Of Its Commissioners

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Thumbnail photo: Alicia Williams plans to raise money to help the Crescent City Harbor District with its U.S. Department of Agriculture loan by selling items that come from the district’s gift shop and that were donated by other local businesses. | Photo courtesy of Alicia Williams

Two days after he abstained from a vote that gave Alicia Williams the official green light to organize a fundraiser for the Crescent City Harbor District, Commissioner Dan Schmidt aired a series of concerns about her efforts.

Some of his complaints were aimed at the self-described activist and community builder herself who, Schmidt said, frequently attacks the harbor and its commissioners and staff as well as members of the public. She also goes beyond the three minutes allowed for public comment, Schmidt said.

“We can’t seem to shut her up,” he said at a special meeting Friday, prompting Williams to call him a misogynist pig.

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Arts & Culture, Community News, Crescent City

Art Scene: Art in Public Places, Community Drum Circle

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Here are this week’s Arts Notes from the Del Norte Association of Cultural Awareness (DNACA):

  • On display until July 9: As part of its Art in Public Places Program, DNACA presents Flora, Fauna and Omah– a collection of mixed media art by artist Jim Hooper. View his collection at the Del Norte County Courthouse, 450 H St. in Crescent City. The courthouse is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
  • On display until July 9: DNACA presents A Solo Exhibit by Georgia Cockerham at the Del Norte County Airport, 1650 Dale Rupert Rd. in Crescent City. The author and artist’s collection of watercolor artwork can be viewed on the second-floor mezzanine of the airport. 
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Articles, Education, Infrastructure

DNUSD Faces Daunting Task Of Updating Surveillance System Hardware, Software Amid Skyrocketing Tech Costs

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Thumbnail photo courtesy of DNUSD Communications Director Michael Hawkins

Ryan Bahten summed up a setback to Del Norte Unified School District’s new system for monitoring emergencies in real time using its surveillance cameras with one word: RAMageddon.

DNUSD’s Information Network Services director said that in order for the district’s new ActiveNet system to work efficiently, the network video recorders at each school site need replacing. But the current skyrocketing costs in memory chips — driven, Bahten says, by the prevalence of artificial intelligence — means that won’t be cheap.

“Dell, as an example, will only give us a quote for six days on a server because every six days they expect pricing increases,” Bahten told trustees Thursday, describing 30-to-50% increases in technology costs month over month. “Right now, today, if I was to buy an NVR, we’re probably looking at anywhere from $35,000 to $40,000 per unit for that one box. But, unfortunately, we’re at a point where what we have is failing out there for our security camera hardware.”

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Articles, Education, Local Government

DNUSD Board of Trustees Recap, June 25, 2026

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Thumbnail photo: Don McArthur (middle) is retiring from his Trustee Area 1 seat on the Del Norte Unified School District Board of Trustees. | Photo courtesy of dnusd.org.

Trustee Area 5 representative Michael Greer was absent. Among the items discussed at Thursday’s Del Norte County Unified School District meeting:

Trustee Area 1 Vacancy: With Del Norte Unified School District’s longest-serving trustee, Don McArthur, announcing his retirement earlier this year, the Board of Trustees will soon have a vacancy.

DNUSD and the Del Norte County Office of Education will be seeking candidates interested in serving in the Trustee Area 1 seat. The Board expects to extend an appointment in July or August. For more information, email communications@dnusd.org.

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Articles, Community News, Health, Housing, Local Government

‘A Warm Dry Bed’: Del Norte Opens Its Emergency Homeless Shelter, Micro Village

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Del Norte County celebrated the opening of its first emergency homeless shelter and micro village on June 9. | Photos by Aisling Bludworth

From the ashes of the old mental health building the emergency shelter and micro village was revealed to the public last week.

Community members came to celebrate the hard work that brought it to fruition.

“It’s really not every day that your career comes full circle, and you literally find yourself helping make plans to burn down your [old] office.” said Shiann Hogan, deputy director for Del Norte County’s Behavioral Health Branch during the June 17 ribbon cutting at the facility on 200 Williams Drive. 

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Articles, CC Harbor, Infrastructure, Transportation

CCHD Board Fills Project, Grant Manager Roles For Citizens Dock, Seawall Endeavors

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Thumbnail photo by Jessica C. Andrews

Crescent City Harbor commissioners on Wednesday selected a project manager and a grant manager for the seawall replacement and Citizens Dock rebuild.

Instead of picking a firm to negotiate an agreement with, the Board unanimously voted to award the grant manager contract to Community System Solutions. The Fair Oaks-based nonprofit helped the Crescent City Harbor District obtain the two U.S. Maritime Administration Port Infrastructure awards paying for the project.

Commissioners also decided that Kimley-Horn should be the overall project manager, noting that while GHD’s proposal was impressive, it was too expensive. 

CCHD Board Chair Rick Shepherd and Vice Chair John Evans also noted that Kimley-Horn Principal-in-Charge Rob Sloop had been with Moffatt & Nichol, the architect firm that designed the seawall and Citizens Dock projects.

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Articles, Economy, Local Government

Del Norte CAO Calls General Fund Deficit ‘One Of The Largest In My Career’; Starkey Points Out Budget Errors

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Del Norte County’s top administrative official admitted that finding $9.6 million to balance the fiscal year 2026-27 general fund budget was an arduous task that goes beyond sharpening pencils.

County Administrative Officer Neal Lopez affirmed concerns District 2 Supervisor Valerie Starkey raised Tuesday. But, according to him and according to at least one of Starkey’s colleagues, the “huge deficit for the general fund, one of the largest I’ve seen in my career” can be traced to the Board’s actions in the fall to increase the county’s ability to be market competitive.

When the Board of Supervisors raised wages and approved the county’s new salary structure across all bargaining units in December, retirements increased too, Lopez said. Still, he reminded supervisors that the county’s 2026-27 budget is still preliminary and all the accruals from the current fiscal year that ends June 30 have not yet been realized.

“A lot of the prior year’s revenue will increase the revenue from the general fund side of things so we won’t be $9.5 million out,” Lopez said. “I don’t know where it’s going to land, it’s too early in the process, but the bottomline is we have to have a balanced budget so we will have a balanced budget.”

Continue reading Del Norte CAO Calls General Fund Deficit ‘One Of The Largest In My Career’; Starkey Points Out Budget Errors →

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