In their own words - Amber Manfree

Running for Napa County supervisor in District 4

Jan 18, 2024

NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — Napa Valley Features introduces "In Their Own Words," a new platform for candidates in Napa County's 2024 primary election. This feature allows candidates to submit letters to directly communicate their vision and election goals to our readers. This opportunity provides candidates a direct line to engage with local voters before the March 5, 2024, election.

We invite other candidates to participate and share their viewpoints. Submissions can be sent to napavalleyfeatures@gmail.com with “In Their Own Words – [candidate's name]” as the subject. Letters submitted should detail the candidate's political platform and background, highlight experience and qualifications, and include a brief biography and any photos. Ensure that your submission is respectful, avoiding any ad hominem attacks or derogatory language. This platform is designed to foster a respectful and informative dialogue with our readers. We welcome reader comments, but they must also adhere to our guidelines.

In my own words – by Amber Manfree

One of the cornerstones of democracy is good journalism, and I commend the in-depth exploration of Napa County's wine, grape-growing and tourism-based economy that has been presented in Napa Valley Features. Reliable information and honest conversations like this give us an accurate picture of the moment we are in. The next step is rolling up our sleeves and putting this knowledge to work. That is the challenge I am ready to take on as a Napa County supervisor.

Napa is a very different place from what it was when my great-great-grandparents arrived here in 1901 and raised their nine children. Back then our farming community was poised to experience a boom in prune and walnut production. Crops shifted, and our valley became world-famous for its premier wine grapes. Amid increasing pressure to urbanize, the visionaries who created the Agricultural Preserve and other conservation policies ensured that our valley floors would remain open and productive.

However, the world is changing around us. Our water supplies are less reliable, and fire risk is increasing. We must continue to actively plan for sustainability in order to hold our place as a renowned agricultural region. Talking with many of you in the community, I hear a theme of wanting “certainty,” and for good reason. A lot is at stake. It is time for a thoughtful conversation about our future that is rooted in science with room for aspiration.

There are a host of issues facing us, and climate-change adaptation in our community involves much more than adjusting our farming practices.

In the past 10 years, Napa has had more declared disasters than any other California county. An earthquake, fires, floods, drought, landslides and a pandemic have disrupted our lives. Everything we know about climate trends points to one thing: Navigating the years to come will require a fresh approach.

State and national policies have oriented us for a major transition in our transportation systems. Once-in-a-generation funding is in the pipeline to support a switch to zero-emission vehicles, build the infrastructure to fuel them and improve multimodal transport. Rental properties will need charging stations. Lots of them. The electric bike enthusiasts already sharing our roads will benefit from safer streets and dedicated paths. How soon will our idyllic valley have a hydrogen station to supply the freight-hauling trucks that will be entering the roads in the next decade? Forward-looking leadership can get us there on time.

Our rugged and beautiful hills are fire-prone. The historical record shows that we have a significantly riskier fuel load than we did 100 years ago. Due to the climate crisis, the likelihood of dry, windy, hot days is increasing. Developing a reliable funding stream for strategic landscape-scale maintenance, informed by the best available science, is our best bet for sidestepping catastrophic fires. To develop a funding pathway that succeeds, we need collaboration across agencies and interest groups. Likely options include a local sales tax or property assessment. Equity and inclusion will be important considerations.

The work of county supervisors affects people’s lives and extends well beyond hot-button land-use issues. Housing, homelessness and mental-health services are top-line items.

There is a broad consensus that we need more affordable housing to better serve workers, reduce traffic and create opportunities for economic advancement. At the same time, plans that are perceived as increasing “sprawl” are unpopular. To meet regional goals, almost 4,000 units must be built in the next eight years. That could require as many as 400 acres for relatively low-density housing, or as few as 50 acres for dense three-story housing. Or the area could be even smaller with housing that is more than three stories. Building “up” may be the best way to retain the open green spaces around our cities that make Napa a beautiful place to live, work and play. I support the continuation of our Affordable Accessory Dwelling Unit and Workforce Proximity Housing programs and ownership models for affordable housing. With a concerted effort and strong partnerships, we can make steady progress toward these goals.

Homelessness is occurring in all cities, small and large. The county has done a commendable job of serving the unhoused, but a quick walk along our riverbanks confirms there is more to do. This is a complex problem with no simple solution. Starting points are (1) building additional housing that is affordable and (2) expanding our eviction prevention strategies because it is less expensive to assist people with rent than it is to provide services once they are unhoused. For those who were recently unhoused and who struggle with multiple challenges, wrap-around services are essential to keep them successfully housed.

County supervisors oversee the Health and Human Services Agency. The services they provide touch all of our lives because the challenges associated with mental illness and addiction cut across all social groups. Despite recent parity legislation, access and insurance coverage for mental-health care services are not always easy to find. As reported by the grand jury, current staffing levels don’t fully meet community needs. Streamlining links between traditional health-care and mental-health services would help patients to receive appropriate care in a timely manner. Health-care staffing shortages are a chronic issue statewide. Where possible, I will support internship opportunities and encourage high school curricula with preparatory subjects pertaining to health-care professions. Let’s keep pushing to make sure we provide well-coordinated care for people with mental-health needs.

We need supervisors with technical skills, integrity and who are dedicated to representing the public interest. I believe in the collective wisdom of this community and am prepared to collaborate with all parties and build consensus. My background as a natural-resources scientist and my lived experience as a rural resident would be unique among board members and add meaningful capacity to our planning efforts.

My vision is a safe and inclusive community that offers economic security, manages its natural resources with care and preserves what makes Napa special. Through partnership, we can make sure Napa remains an amazing place to build a life and raise a family long into the future.

For more information about me and my priorities, please visit amber4napa.com.

Biography

Manfree is a fifth-generation Napan who currently lives in Soda Canyon. She graduated from Vintage High School before attending Sonoma State University, where she earned a B.A. in environmental studies. She later received a doctorate in geography from UC Davis. Her career includes running her own consulting business for five years, decades in natural resources, serving as board president of a worker-run business and being an instructor at UC Davis. Recently she was a member of the Napa Valley Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Advisory Committee. She currently works as a science writer at the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies.

"In Their Own Words” is a series by Napa Valley Features for the 2024 Napa County primary election. Open to all candidates, it provides a space for them to share their platforms, experiences and visions. The views expressed belong solely to the candidates and do not imply an endorsement by Napa Valley Features. Our commitment is to maintain impartiality and offer a variety of perspectives to inform our readers' electoral decisions.

Supervisors 2024 candidates, organized alphabetically by district. Those with “"In Their Own Words:”

District 2:

Liz Alessio
Doris Gentry

District 4:

Amber Manfree
Pete Mott

District 5:

Mariam Aboudamous
Belia Ramos (incumbent)