Supervisor Lucas Frerichs is currently serving his first term on the Yolo County Board of Supervisors after winning the election during the June 7 statewide primary election last year.

Frerichs was selected to represent District 2 following the announcement of longtime Supervisor Don Saylor’s retirement and beating fellow candidate Juliette Beck by over 2,000 votes.

The Daily Democrat reached out to Frerichs to ask him about his goals for his first term as well as how he plans to address District 2’s most pressing issues.

Q What are your priorities for serving District 2 during your first year on the board?

A My previous background in local government has primarily been through the lens of city governance, so I am learning more and more every day about all that Yolo County is responsible for. I am also meeting and listening to as many people throughout my district (especially in Winters) as I can, and attending as many events as possible in order to get to know the issues my constituents find most important to them.

Mental health is a real priority for me, as is the county’s collaborative effort to develop a countywide Strategic Roadmap for Children, Youth and Families. I’m also committed to working on increasing opportunities for women in leadership throughout Yolo County.

Q What are some of your long-term goals for your term?

A There are major issues on the horizon- investment in infrastructure (roads, broadband), working to strengthen a softening economy, work to ensure our resilience against climate change (including wildfire, drought and occasional flood risks) and we always need to work to keep our communities safe, healthy and thriving.

Q What are some current projects taking place right now that will be impacting District 2 and Winters in particular?

A I am working diligently on improvements to our county roads, including County Rd 31 between Winters and Davis. Many of them are in pretty bad shape, and they need work- for all modes of users. This is one issue that I have heard loud and clear from residents throughout District 2 (as well as all of Yolo County). We’re also working on the funding for a pedestrian overcrossing of I-505/Russell Blvd. to improve safety and access for all residents of Winters. We’re also working with Winters Parents Nursery School (WPNS) and the City of Winters to make some building upgrades, with the goal of increasing the number of infant child care slots available in Winters.

Q What are some specific challenges this region in particular is facing and how do you plan to address them?

A There are major issues on the horizon- needed investment in infrastructure (roads, broadband), working to strengthen a softening economy, work to ensure our resilience against climate change (including wildfire, drought and occasional flood risks) and we always need to work to keep our communities safe, healthy and thriving. We will address all of these issues in a collaborative way, partnerships between the county, cities, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, UC Davis, as well as the private sector (including the agricultural community) and even the state and federal governments- it is going to take all of these partners to achieve our shared goals.

Q Homelessness and housing is a significant issue in Yolo County and California. Are there any partnerships or programs you can share that will help address this in District 2?

A Partnership is the name of the game when it comes to addressing the issue of homelessness, and Yolo County works closely with the cities and non-profit housing providers and the interfaith in addressing homelessness, and we have seen our overall numbers stabilize and even decrease slightly. Thankfully, Winters does not have as severe of a homelessness situation as other parts of our county, but it does suffer from the lack of an adequate supply of housing that is affordable to many. This is pretty much a universal problem throughout Yolo County and California, and building additional housing, of all types (including multi-family and single family), is one needed solution.

Q Is there anything else you would like to share that you think our readers should know about?

A Even though cities increasingly deliver social services programming, this is really the essential function that counties play- one of the primary roles of any county is to deliver human services/social services programming to those who are most vulnerable among us and in need (including children, seniors and various special needs populations).

I am also committed to remaining just as responsive and accessible as your county supervisor, as I was while serving on the city council for the past decade. My team and I are ready to assist you- please reach out to us.