The county’s Planning, Building and Environmental Services department (PBES) said that more than 90 percent of the facilities received an “A” rating and up to 98 percent received an A or a B score. Officials said the glowing reviews are the result of new leadership that focused on efficiency, accountability and protecting public health. 

A staffing shortage brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated challenges for the Environmental Health division of the county, along with wildfires and an increasing number of unpermitted food vendors, county officials said. 

“Despite these hurdles, the EH team prioritized high-risk establishments, addressed public complaints, and increased monitoring of businesses with past violations,” PBES said.  

Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.