Mon, Dec 1, 2025·Sacramento County, California·Boards and Commissions

Sacramento Flood Control Agency Board Meeting — November 2025

0:00

I'm sorry I didn't hear that.

0:07

Good afternoon, welcome to the November meeting of the Sacramento Flood Control Agency.

0:12

Would the clerk please call the roll.

0:14

Director Desmond.

0:15

Director Hume.

0:16

I hear him.

0:17

He's here.

0:18

Director Hume.

0:19

Here.

0:20

Director Kennedy.

0:21

Here.

0:22

Director Rodriguez.

0:23

Here.

0:24

Director Munoz.

0:25

Here.

0:26

Director Jennings.

0:27

Here.

0:28

Director Kuhn.

0:29

0:29

Director Kaplan. Here.

0:31

Director Pluckybaum.

0:32

Director Holloway. Here.

0:34

Director Johns. Here.

0:36

Director Abdus. Here.

0:38

Director Baines. And Director Stevens.

0:41

Here.

0:42

We have an 11-member quorum.

0:44

Great. Then we will stick with the agenda.

0:48

Would you please join me in the present allegiance?

0:54

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

0:59

and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

1:08

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

1:11

This meeting of SAFCA is being live-streamed on Metro14live.satcounty.gov

1:17

and will be recorded and re-aired on Metro Cable Channel 14 on Saturday, November 22nd at 3 p.m.

1:25

and the meeting will also be available on SafeGives website within 48 hours after the meeting.

1:31

Thank you.

1:32

Thank you very much.

1:33

Is there any member of the public that would like to address the board on an item that is not on the agenda at this time?

1:40

I have not received any comments.

1:42

I'm hearing and seeing none.

1:44

We will move on to the next item, please.

1:46

And the next item, our consent matters.

1:49

Items 1 through 14 are in order.

1:51

Thank you.

1:52

We have a motion?

1:56

Second.

1:56

We have a second.

1:57

Is there any comments or anything a member of the board wants to pull at this time?

2:01

Member Kaplan?

2:03

I apologize.

2:03

I did not get the first.

2:05

It was the vice chair.

2:07

Thank you.

2:08

Member Kaplan.

2:09

I just want to say because item four is dealing with Natomas Levy improvement projects that I did talk to our executive director and others as, you know,

2:19

dealing with the Natomas Habitat Basin Conservancy.

2:22

is a sensitive issue that this is a land swap

2:26

and has been worked out with the Natomas Habitat Basin Conservancy

2:29

and no concern on that,

2:31

but I just wanted to make sure that was clear and stated for the record.

2:34

Thank you, Director.

2:35

Any others?

2:37

Hearing and seeing none, any member of the public?

2:39

Hearing and seeing none, we have a motion and a second.

2:42

All those in favor?

2:43

Aye.

2:44

Opposed?

2:45

Abstain?

2:46

Next item.

2:47

Next item is the Executive Director's Report.

2:52

Thank you, Chair Kennedy. Jason Campbell, Executive Director.

2:56

Sorry, the presentation is coming up.

2:58

It takes a second.

2:59

All right.

3:01

So as I think we all know, finally we have a continuing resolution so the federal government is hopefully operating again,

3:10

making its way for getting some sort of budget activity moving.

3:14

So House Appropriations still has their energy and water development bill, which actually is something that benefits the projects that we have, including the Natomas project.

3:26

Unfortunately, the Senate still has not adopted a bill for that committee.

3:31

So the existing bill does identify that the work plan for the Corps of Engineers is included.

3:39

Hopefully that will stay in because ultimately we're hoping that we see some money come to the Natomas project either in 26 or fiscal year 27.

3:49

So currently only the Natomas basin is a project.

3:52

It's the only project that we currently have operating that needs additional funding in the foreseeable future.

3:59

Absent that funding, we'll just have to make sure that we get something going in fiscal year 27.

4:05

So the day next, I'm sorry, the 1st of December, I will have meetings in D.C.

4:12

through the 4th.

4:13

We'll be working with committees, members, as well as core headquarters to discuss and

4:20

hopefully be able to convince folks that we need to keep moving on to Thomas to finish.

4:28

Recently, we also had something a little bit different occur.

4:30

We had a what we're calling a hot demolition.

4:33

So basically up near the Sankey Road area, there is a facility that was purchased by SAFCA.

4:43

It's a house that needs to be demolished or needed to be demolished.

4:47

And ultimately the house was set up so that we can do a controlled burn with some fire academy students.

4:55

So fortunately, the Fire Academy from Pleasant Grove decided that they would enter an agreement,

5:02

collaborate with other fire departments, and be able to have their cadets work on an actual burn of a structure.

5:09

So UC Davis indicated that this is the first time they've been able to have their cadets participate in 20 years for an active fire training scenario.

5:19

So happy we can provide that opportunity for all of them, and hopefully we don't have to do any more of them.

5:26

Maybe we can do the same thing with the Avidus property.

5:30

If we have a willing participant.

5:34

A little close to home.

5:36

That's about as close as you can get to home.

5:39

So with that, you just adopted the cancellation of the December meeting.

5:45

So with this, Happy New Year, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.

5:51

We will see you in 2026.

5:53

Great. Thank you very much, Jason.

5:55

Any questions? Any member of the public?

5:58

All right. Our next meeting is January 15, 2026.

6:02

We're adjourned.

6:03

Congratulations, Mr. Pluckyball.

Discussion Breakdown

Engineering And Infrastructure45%

Funding Strategies30%

Land Use Planning10%

Emergency Management10%

Community Engagement5%

Summary

Sacramento Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) Board Meeting — November 2025

SAFCA convened its November 2025 board meeting with an 11-member quorum. The meeting was live-streamed on Metro 14 (Metro14live.satcounty.gov), scheduled for re-air on Saturday, November 22 at 3:00 p.m., and was to be posted to SAFCA’s website within 48 hours. The Board heard no public comment on non-agenda items, approved the consent calendar, received an Executive Director’s federal funding and operations update (including the Natomas Basin project), and adjourned with the next meeting set for January 15, 2026.

Consent Calendar

Approved Items 1–14 in a single motion, with no items pulled and no public comment.
Director Kaplan stated for the record that Item 4 (regarding Natomas Levee Improvement Projects) involved a land swap that had been worked out with the Natomas Basin Habitat Conservancy, and he expressed that there was “no concern” about the issue as handled.

Public Comments & Testimony

No public comments were received or offered on items not on the agenda.

Discussion Items

Executive Director’s Report (Jason Campbell, Executive Director)
- Reported that a federal continuing resolution was in place, allowing federal operations to continue and enabling progress toward budget activity.
- Stated that the House Appropriations Energy and Water Development bill included provisions beneficial to SAFCA projects (including Natomas), while the Senate had not yet adopted its version.
- Noted that the bill identified the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers work plan as included, and SAFCA was hoping to secure additional funding for the Natomas project in Fiscal Year 2026 or Fiscal Year 2027.
- Characterized the Natomas Basin as the only currently operating project expected to need additional funding in the foreseeable future; absent funding, SAFCA would need to ensure progress in FY 2027.
- Announced planned meetings in Washington, D.C., December 1–4, with committees, members, and Corps headquarters to advocate for continued movement to “finish” Natomas.
- Described a “hot demolition” (controlled burn) near the Sankey Road area: a SAFCA-purchased house slated for demolition was used for a controlled burn training with fire academy students.
  - Reported that Pleasant Grove Fire Academy collaborated with other fire departments.
  - Stated UC Davis indicated this was the first time in 20 years their cadets participated in an active structure fire training scenario.
- Referenced that the Board had adopted cancellation of the December meeting and closed with holiday greetings.

Key Outcomes

Consent Calendar (Items 1–14) approved by voice vote (motion, second; Ayes heard; no opposition/abstentions stated).
December meeting cancellation referenced as adopted (details/vote not stated in the transcript segment).
Next meeting scheduled: January 15, 2026.
Meeting adjourned following the Executive Director’s report and confirmation of no public comment.