4H is not just about animals!! We have youth who never have set foot in a sheep pen! 4H offers over 1000 Sonoma County youth exciting projects based on their interests, such as mountain biking, ornamental horticulture, photography, summer camp, marine biology and much, much, more!

The Community Development Commission exceeded their 5-year goal of providing homeless prevention services to a minimum of 3000 people through use of Community Development Block Funds in only 3 years.

The Community Development Commission has more than quadrupled the goal of helping lower income persons attain economic self-sufficiency through job training and counseling programs funded by Community Development Block Grant Funds. As of June 30, 2002, 10,555 individuals have been assisted through several non-profit agencies.

The Community Development Commission has assisted 54 SEIU Local 707-represented County employees in purchasing their first home through the First Time Home Buyer Program funded by the Sonoma County Housing Assistance Fund.

The Community Development Commission has provided 317 interest-free loans to SEIU Local 707-represented employees to assist with delinquent mortgage, rent, property tax, or homeowner's insurance payments, or first month rent and/or security deposit through the Rental/Mortgage Assistance Program. Seventy-six of these loans have been provided in the past year.

That the Sonoma County Agricultural and Open Space District is one of the top five farmland and open space preservation programs in the Nation and the first special district established for the purpose of protecting diverse agricultural, natural resource and scenic open space lands of Sonoma County for future generations. Since its first acquisition in 1992, the District has protected 116 properties through conservation easements and fee purchases, totaling over 57,000 acres. These acquisitions represent over 31,000 acres in agricultural land and 32 conserved properties offering recreational opportunities, spending about $106.8 million. The District is funded by 1/4 percent sales tax over a 20- year period. District acquires conservation easements through voluntary transactions with landowners. The District also purchases land outright from willing sellers, typically for parks, recreation and other open space purposes. For more information about the District's program, visit our website at www.sonoma-county.org\opensp.

The correctional industries program at the Probation Camp provides vocational training to young men who are Wards of the Juvenile Court. Among the boys' products are redwood picnic tables. 120 custom "western style" picnic tables were produced exclusively for Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park.

Probation's Supervised Adult Crew (SAC) contracts with municipal, county, state and federal agencies on projects to hold offenders accountable while providing community restitution. During the 1950's, the US Government leveled the top of Angel Island for missile radar equipment installation. Last year SAC restored the top of the mountain to its original configuration and the island's natural contour.

The Sierra Youth Center (SYC) is a structured environment for delinquent teenage boys and girls. SYC residents have trained assistance dogs for the disabled community since 1997. As students in the Assistance Dog Institute, the youth learn the importance of consistent training, nutrition, social skills, praise and limit setting. Sierra is honored to have played a part in placing 106 dogs in the last 6 years.

The Sonoma County Film Office works to promote commercial production in the county and helps to bring in an estimated economic impact of $3 million in direct spending annually.

In 2002, 2,071 volunteers and interns, plus 15 groups gave 174,015 hours to one of 60 programs throughout 21 County departments along with Superior Court. The contribution is valued at almost three million dollars.

Property in Sonoma County is assessed at approximately $43.2 billion!  This assessed value contributes approximately $520 million in property taxes of which the County of Sonoma receives only 21%.

Only 16% of the properties on the Sonoma County Assessment Roll still have their original 1978 Proposition 13 values!  After 25 years of real estate activity only 29,000 parcels out of 177,000 have not changed hands or had significant new construction.

The County Clerk's Office is an acceptance agent for people wanting to apply for a United States Passport.  The office accepts passport applications Monday through Friday from 8:00am - 4:00pm.

The County Clerk's Office performs civil marriage ceremonies Monday through Friday by appointment.  Ceremonies are available in both English and Spanish.  Please contact the County Clerk's Office at 707-565-3800 for further information.

The Public Administrator has 78 active cases.  The Public Guardian is the court-appointed conservator or representative payee for 85 elderly individuals.  The Public Conservator handles 240 LPS Conservatorships (conservatorships for the mentally disabled).

That in addition to federal and state elective offices there are nearly 500 local elected officials in Sonoma County.  The Registrar of Voters' Office tracks and schedules elections for ALL elected positions in the county.

There are over 232,000 registered voters in Sonoma County.

The Sonoma County Registrar of Voters' Office recruits nearly 1,500 volunteers to serve at the polls on election day.  If you are interested in serving your community, call the Registrar of Voters' Office at 565-6800 and volunteer today.

The Sonoma County Registrar of Voters' Office issued more than 90,000 absentee ballots in the November 2002 General Election.

There are 68,000 permanent absentee voters in Sonoma County.  If you want to have an absentee ballot automatically mailed to you before each election, contact the Registrar of Voters' Office for an application.

The Sonoma County Registrar of Voters' Office counts over half a million ballot cards in each major election.

There are over 4 million visitors to Sonoma County's Regional Parks each year.

Spud Point Marina in Bodega Bay, operated by the Regional Parks Department, has 247 boat berths, 80% of which are used by commercial fishermen.

The Regional Parks Department operates the 7 Veterans Memorial Halls in Sonoma County, which host over 4500 events each year.

The Regional Parks' Volunteer Program logged over 25,000 hours in FY 02-03.

The Regional Parks Department was established in 1967 with just two parks - Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach and Doran Park. The park system is currently at 40 parks and growing!

On a clear day from Gunsight Rock (atop Hood Mountain) you can see three bridges - the Golden Gate, San Francisco Bay, & Richmond-San Rafael Bridges.

The Regional Parks Department added over 600 acres of land to the County park system in FY 02/03.