Del Norte County is seeking Congressionally directed funding dollars to bring the Veterans Memorial Hall into compliance with the ADA. | File photo by Andrew Goff

Previously:

• In Effort To Get Out Ahead of Federal Earmark Process, Del Norte Admin Propose Improvements to Vets Hall, South Beach

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Del Norte County made its petition for federal dollars to improve the Veterans Memorial Hall and increase public access at South Beach official on Tuesday.

Supervisors added a last-minute item to the agenda after Assistant County Administrative Officer Randy Hooper said the county’s federal advocate, Thorn Run Partners, told him late last week that U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler was opening the application period for Congressionally directed spending requests. The senator representing California set a deadline of March 12.

That puts Del Norte County’s request into “agenda purgatory” since Board of Supervisors meets next on March 12 — hence the urgent request to discuss it on Tuesday, Hooper said.

On Dec. 29, Hooper presented the Board with a short list of projects that included bringing the Veterans Memorial Hall into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, enabling veterans to access its second floor.

The other projects Hooper advocated for included a South Beach Welcome Center and a Community Wayfinding Project.

At that meeting supervisors Valerie Starkey and Darrin Short advocated for improvements to the Veterans Hall.

Board Chairman Dean Wilson urged the county to pursue federal earmark dollars for the South Beach project, pointing to a $725,000 grant the California Coastal Commission awarded to Elk Valley Rancheria to purchase a 9.19-acre parcel in that area.

“If we hit it while the iron is hot, so to speak, hopefully we can come up with a unified vision of developing that South Beach area,” he said.

On Tuesday, Hooper said if Del Norte County receives federal Congressionally directed spending dollars toward improving public use at South Beach, it could spearhead those efforts and partner with Caltrans, the local tribes, the Crescent City Harbor District, Crescent City and Redwood National and State Parks.

“That’s an important gateway into Crescent City that we’d love to see improved,” he said.

As for the Veterans Memorial Hall, Del Norte County is spending Measure R tax dollars to improve the parking lot. The challenge has been to find the money to bring the building into ADA compliance, he said.

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