Imperial County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Imperial County, California public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Storm response and deferred facility maintenance
With a very strong El Niño expected to peak in December, the board declared a local emergency so fire and OES can pre-position flood-fight materials and run regional briefings.
Duplicate mail ballots ahead of November 3 election
The registrar mailed 160 duplicate ballots by mistake, and is scrambling with FAQs, PSAs and vote centers. Also, a new state law (SB 884) could delay results past 8 p.m. if any polling place in California stays open late.
Recall effort against Chairwoman Price
A former Imperial councilmember formally noticed intent to recall District 3 Supervisor Peggy Price, citing storm response, airport funding, fire staffing, and transparency failures. Recall efforts hinge on signature gathering and an eventual election.
Nyland fire and public safety response
The county finished rebuilding five homes destroyed in the Nyland fire using $2.28 million of a $2.5 million CDBG grant, returning the leftover $336,919 to the state.
Adult Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facility Phase 2
Imperial County is building its first residential substance use treatment facility, so residents won't have to leave the valley for care. The Board approved the $14.1 million Phase 2 construction agreement, with groundbreaking April 30 at 1319 South Clark Road.
Voter outreach and low election turnout
A resident revealed that a $50,000 outreach allocation for low-propensity and limited-English voters was never actually delivered to the Registrar of Voters due to a motion mix-up — and the county now has the state's lowest voter turnout at 22%.
North End cooling centers and extreme heat
Residents from Niland, Slab City, and Calipatria blasted the county because North End cooling centers won't open until July 1 while triple-digit heat already kills — more than ten neighbors died of heat illness last year. Staff said staffing delays were the cause and promised to explore opening earlier next year.
Seville 4 and Seville 5 solar and battery projects
A resident cited San Diego's 17-day Gateway battery fire, urging the county to stop amending its general plan and zoning to allow battery storage everywhere until emergency response capacity is proven, including larger setbacks.
Veterinarian shortage in Imperial County
With no large-animal vet locally and residents traveling to Indio, Yuma or Mexicali, the county is crafting a $375,000 recruitment program — but it goes to the Community Benefit Committee first for review.
Sonrisa retirement community closure
All 86 residents of the Sonrisa facility were relocated by April 3, but the county lost its only facility that accepts residents dependent on Medical and Social Security — a gap officials say they'll lobby state representatives to fix.
Possible closure of Son Risa assisted living facility
Supervisor Hawk reported the only assisted living facility in Imperial County, Son Risa in Heber (Holtville area), may close, which would force residents to relocate out of the county. County staff and agencies are working on placements and possible solutions.
Behavioral health campus expansion
The county is turning its empty Brawley building into a one-stop behavioral health campus funded by a state BHCIP grant. Residents from the north end — many in recovery themselves — said the two-hour bus ride to El Centro keeps people from getting help, and the Board approved the budget amendment to move forward.