The weekly morning meeting of the Shasta County Board of Supervisors was called to order at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, June 17, 2024. The complete video and agenda are available here. Timestamps are in parentheses.
CALL TO ORDER
(3:21) The Invocation was conducted by Deacon Mike Mangas. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by District 3 Supervisor Mary Rickert.
REGULAR CALENDAR
Members of the public may comment on any item on the Regular Calendar before or during the Board’s consideration of the item. Members of the public may also address matters scheduled for public hearings at the time such public hearings are opened for comment. Those wishing to participate in public comment for Regular Calendar items must submit a speaker request card to the Clerk of the Board before public comment on the item begins. Each speaker is allocated three minutes to speak. All speaker request cards submitted after public comment for each Regular Calendar item begins will not be heard by the Board.
Board Matters
(4:19) R1 Take the following actions: (1) Receive a legislative update from the County Executive Officer on County issues and consider action on specific legislation related to Shasta County’s legislative platform; (2) approve a letter of opposition to Senate Bill 961 which proposes to require certain vehicles to be equipped with a passive intelligent speed assistance system; (3) approve a letter of opposition to Assembly Bill 2557 which limits local government authority to contract for statutorily authorized special services; and (4) receive Supervisors’ reports on countywide issues.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
CEO David Rickert
(4:52) CEO Dave Rickert: I have two issues to comment on. First, we’re going to start with California budget. The California legislature met Thursday and rejected most of Governor Newsom’s difficult budget cuts and chose instead to speed up a temporary tax to increase some taxes on businesses and to help address an estimated $45 billion deficit while preserving spending on many social programs. The state have not approved the state’s final spending plan. Newsom and legislative leaders are still looking at negotiating on how to fix the shortfall before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1. But lawmakers are required to pass a balanced budget which they did Saturday which would protect and preserve their six-figure salaries.
Moving on to county business, we have our first reportable fire action of the season. We had the Hidden Fire. Evacuations were issued due to vegetation fire threatening structures off Bear Mountain Road near Hidden Valley Drive in the Jones Valley area of Northeast Redding. CAL FIRE reported that this affected approximately 45 acres with to date no personal injuries or asset losses. So I will contact Sean O’Hara from CAL FIRE fire to get an update later. But currently that’s the information I have and that concludes my report.
Supervisor Tim Garman, District 2
(6:48) Supervisor Tim Garman, District 2: I don’t have a lot in my board report this week, but I do have some good news to report. The county has received the funds from the state for the reimbursement for the folks who drilled their wells during the year and a half ago. We ran out of water. There was eight families that should receive checks in the mail. Those checks should already be out. If not, they will be out soon. So please keep your eyes on your mailboxes. If you’re one of those eight families who are expecting funds to be reimbursed for when you drilled your own. Thank you. That concludes my report.
Supervisor Patrick Jones, District 4
(7:23) Supervisor Patrick Jones, District 4: Attended a Shasta County election commission. They are now holding those in this very room. They do have a quorum this week. They went over and reviewed considering amending ad hoc committees which they talked about several, deleted a few and then they received commissioners reports as well. Did meet, had an opportunity to meet with several ROV candidates, which is what we’re going to be doing for the next couple of days. So that was good.
And then last night, obviously our CEO has talked about the hidden fire that was about a mile from my house. I do live on Bear Mountain and a quick response from the ground from CAL FIRE. I talked to Chief O’Hare last night and it looks like it was possible that someone using a lawn mower which is not the first time in that area that serious fires happened. But it just is a reminder that we are now in fire season and it’s already June and we’re getting some significant fires. The wind last night picked up. If the wind had picked up more, it could have been a very serious fire. Luckily the wind was blowing towards the lake but there were structures possibly threatened. So they got on that quickly and got it knocked down. Lots of planes, lots of equipment on the ground. So if you hear today that there’s like 70 or 60 or 70% containment, they are still mopping up, but I can assure you they’ve got a very good handle on that and that concludes my reports.
Supervisor Chris Kelstrom, District 5
(9:01) Supervisor Chris Kelstrom, District 5: Yeah, on Wednesday I met with Chief O’Hare and we went over the fire ordinances being written and I met the young man doing the work on that. So that was good. Looks like we’re going to be able to move forward that here in the next couple of months. Then that night, I went to the Mosquito Serenade in Anderson River Park. That’s every Wednesday. I’m not sure if it’s this Wednesday, but it’s every other Wednesday, starts at 7:00 p.m., opening show at 6:00 p.m. I encourage everybody to go down there. It’s a great time.
And then Thursday, I had lunch with CEO Rickert and we talked about many issues including an ADU issue up in Shingletown that I was having. So the next day I met again with CEO Rickert and Paul Hellman and Adam Fieseler. We hashed out this ADU ordinance that Shasta County has that supersedes state law, but we were able to find a way around that, a work around, so I thank CEO Rickert for that as well as Paul and Adam. Looks like that project will go forward. Then Saturday, I went to the Riverfront Specific Plan. Didn’t go with Supervisor Crye, but he was there. So we both attended that and then had a lunch with the constituent afterwards, and talked about a couple of issues there and then yesterday was Father’s Day, so happy belated Father’s Day to all the fathers out there. And that concludes my report.
Supervisor Mary Rickert, District 3
(10:18) Supervisor Mary Rickert, District 3: I made some phone calls on the Fountain Wind Project. We need to continue to keep this issue in front of the public and continue the fight with the State of California. I’ve had discussions with Paul Hellman about it. I’m continuing to work on that. I attended the SHARC meeting at Mercy Hospital Dignity Health. SHARC stands for Shasta Health Assessment Redesign Collaborative. We’re still trying to attract physicians to our area which continues to be a real problem.
Thursday night I attended the ag commissioner meeting of the North State. So they have a regional group and I think the most southern person there was from Monterey County. We are still continue to be very entertaining for other counties here at Shasta County. But so I have to tolerate the teasing. And I just wanted to bring to the public’s attention. We do have wolves in Shasta County and this is something in the eastern portion. It’s something that we do need to be aware of. We’re a very rural county. As a rancher who’s lost five yearlings to wolves already, it’s very harmful to ranchers and their bottom line. When you get wolves in an area, the cattle develop all kinds of weight gain issues, you get problems with fertility. So this is something that we need to be aware of. And once they’re here, it creates a real problem for anybody that tries to produce beef cattle.
Also talked to Sean O’Hara in regards to Castle Fire Department and some of the issues that they were having up there. That concludes my report.
Supervisor Kevin Crye, District 1
(12:06) Supervisor Kevin Crye, District 1: This past week I met with Mayor Audette and Councilman Mazzano as well as Councilman Dacquisto, all separate meetings surrounding some of the things that are playing out with that possible position on the council and had a lot of conversations. Attended the Shasta County Chamber of Commerce event. They held that at Woody’s this past week. I would encourage small businesses or businesses of any size really to get involved with that. We had some from Burney and Fall River that were in attendance. So that was great to see them come all the way down the mountain to attend.
Met with Matt Plummer. We discussed how the opioid dollars are being dispersed or what some plans for those are. So that’s something that I’ll be continuing to look at and work on. Went to the Riverfront Specific Plan meeting on Saturday. I think the most beneficial part of that was speaking to all the people at the breaks or after when I left and you just getting people’s input about that. And again, this board doesn’t have any jurisdiction of that, but a lot of that is in District 1 and hearing how the public’s being engaged, I think is very important. And then again I like many of the other supervisors up here spent quite a bit of time going over applications for the interviews that start tomorrow, having meetings and speaking with constituents. And that concludes my report.
(13:37) Public comment on R1 began. There were four commenters.
(14:04) Bruce Russell: I just want to thank uh CEO Rickert for your letter of opposition to SB 961 and AB 2557. I assume the board will unanimously approve sending the letter to the state. Sadly, I’m not optimistic the state will listen to the county. Seems like most of the bills the state passes make California citizens lives more difficult. These two subject bills will drive up vehicle costs and will drive up local government contracting costs and make government contracting more difficult. We need to streamline government and not grow government. It wouldn’t surprise me that they’d like to take SB 961 and eventually monitor citizens driving.
(19:37) Jenny O’Connell: I saw the picture that you took on the Bear Mountain Fire and, you know, that’s actually like a part of your job to like survey damage to your district. So thank you very much for actually doing your job this week, Patrick.
(20:33) Benjamin Nowain: In regards to meeting with the ROV candidates, our community faces a new and significant challenge, the rise of extremist candidates for our Registrar of Voters. These candidates threaten to reshape and influence our electoral process in ways we can scarcely imagine. The recent removal of the Dominion voting system executed without a clear plan almost led to widespread disenfranchisement. It was only through the foresight and meticulous planning of our former registrar Cathy Darling Allen and her assistant Johanna Francescut that our voting rights were preserved. And as we move forward, it’s imperative that we remain vigilant and engaged. We must ensure that our electoral system is secure, transparent and inclusive. The selection of a registrar is not only a procedural task, it is a critical safeguard of our democracy. We cannot afford to have this process undermined by extremist agendas that threaten the very foundation of our civic rights.
(22:26) A motion was made, seconded, and passed by unanimous vote to approve letters of opposition to SB 961 and AB 2557.
(22:53) PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD – OPEN TIME
During the Public Comment Open Time period, the public may address the Board on any matter not listed on the agenda that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Board of Supervisors. Each speaker is allocated three minutes to speak. Those wishing to participate in Public Comment – Open Time must submit a speaker request card to the Clerk of the Board before the meeting begins. All speaker request cards submitted after the meeting begins will be heard by the Board once all items on the agenda have been considered. Any public comment not heard prior to the 10:00 a.m. recess will be heard after the Board reconvenes from Closed Session and all agenda items have been considered.
Mental Health, Behavioral Health, and Social Services Branch Director
(23:12) Miguel Rodriguez: As you know or have heard, last week I submitted my resignation as a mental health director for Shasta County and want to use my public comment time to thank the county for the opportunities I’ve received over the past six years. In my growth as an administrator, as a clinician and as a human being I’ve learned that everything and everyone, including myself, has positive and negative qualities. I could certainly stand here before you and discuss events I view as negative, but our county needs to start healing. And with that in mind, I’ve chosen to stand here and highlight the positive things I have seen during my time here.
I typically in my discussions highlight the commitment my staff have towards this community. However, I believe that they should be first as they are the most important people in the county. And what makes our services, although not perfect, improve the well being of our community. During two of the most impactful events in Shasta County during my time here, the Carr fire and COVID, our staff did not have the luxury to stay at home. Although they are not thought of as first responders, the need for a child and elder abuse investigation, mental health crises and support services do not stop because of a crisis. Despite being fathers, mothers, caregivers, sons and daughters, they are also public servants who serve the county with pride and passion. I’ve witnessed staff complete their eight hour shift and then go volunteer at Red Cross shelters or drive through dangerous weather conditions which most people shy away from, just to come and help and serve their clients. I applaud and could not be prouder of every single one of my staff for continuing to provide excellent services despite the continuous changes and traumas our county has experienced. I hope in the near future they can be compensated accordingly for the work they do.
As for the Board of Supervisors, I want to thank you as a whole for your support of the Behavioral Health and Social Services branch, as my staff are the ones who are providing services to your constituents who are most in need. Supervisor Rickert, thank you for the unwavering support you have shown BHSS and myself at the Board of Supervisors and at the Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug advisory board. In my opinion and during our interactions, it is easy to see that you have a passion for helping the population we serve and are an extremely caring person.
Supervisor Garman, my staff and I cannot be more appreciative of the time you took to visit our programs, speak to the staff and learn about what they do on a daily basis. More importantly, acknowledging them by name during your board reports is something that did not go unnoticed. Chair Crye. You take time to listen to your constituents with events such as coffee with Kevin. I think that’s what it’s called. And I hope that you continue to engage all of your constituents on an ongoing basis.
Supervisor Kelstrom, your constituents have a supervisor who cares about their needs and they can rest assured you will work on having their needs met. Supervisor Jones, I will never forget you saying that I was the right person for the job when I was promoted. Your support for the branch myself and myself did not go unnoticed either. And even on a few occasions, you supported our contracts by educating the staff about fee for service contracts or the impact our specific contract would have on our services.
Chair Crye interrupted Rodriguez and asked him to wrap things up, which Rodriguez did after a few more sentences.
(32:14) Public comment continued. There were ten more speakers. One spoke about a potential sales tax on the ballot and the rest spoke about the ROV interviews and the elections office.
(57:07) CONSENT CALENDAR
The following Consent Calendar items are expected to be routine and non-controversial. They may be acted upon by the Board at one time without discussion. Any Board member or staff member may request that an item be removed from the Consent Calendar for discussion and consideration. Members of the public will be provided with a single opportunity to comment on one or more items on the Consent Calendar before the Board’s consideration of the Consent Calendar. Those wishing to participate in public comment for the Consent Calendar items must submit a speaker request card to the Clerk of the Board before public comment for the Consent Calendar begins. Each speaker is allocated three minutes to speak. All speaker request cards submitted after public comment for the Consent Calendar begins will not be heard by the Board.
The Consent Calendar was passed by unanimous vote.
(57:53) Supervisor Kelstrom asked Troy Bartolomei from Public Works to clarify some points about C7.
County Clerk-Elections
C1 Adopt a resolution which approves a State of California grant agreement for Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds for a Polling Place Accessibility Training Program (Grant) and designates authority to sign all documents related to the Grant.
General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C2 Adopt a resolution which approves a State of California grant agreement for Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds for the administration of elections for federal offices (Grant) and designates authority to sign all documents related to the Grant.
General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Health and Human Services Agency-Behavioral Health and Social Services
C3 Approve an amendment to the agreement with Hill Country Community Clinic for Mobile Crisis Team services which modifies the terms.
No General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C4 Approve a renewal agreement with The Sail House, Inc., for enhanced residential care home services.
No General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Probation
C5 Approve a renewal revenue agreement with the Anderson Union High School District for Deputy Probation Officers to serve as Juvenile Prevention Officers at Anderson Union High School.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C6 Approve an agreement with HOPE City Redding for restorative justice programming, mentoring services, and juvenile crime prevention project, HOPE City HUB.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Public Works
C7 Adopt a resolution which initiates the formation of a single, countywide Permanent Road Division and establishes the date and time to receive public comment on the matter.
No General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C8 Find the “Redwood Blvd Parking Lot Project,” Contract No. 610957, categorically exempt in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 1530, Class 1 – Existing Facilities, Section 15303, Class 3 – New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures, and Section 15304, Class 4 – Minor Alterations to Land, approve plans and specifications and direct the Public Works Director to advertise for bids, and authorize opening of bids on or after July 18, 2024, 11:00 a.m.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Support Services
C9 Approve an agreement with Compliance Associates Inc. for drug and alcohol compliance testing services.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C10 Approve an agreement with Lotus Educational Services, Inc., for mental health trainings for staff.
Future General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
REGULAR CALENDAR, CONTINUED
(1:00:57) CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
The Board of Supervisors will recess to a Closed Session to discuss the following item (estimated 1 hour):
R2 CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS
(Government Code section 54957.6):
Agency Negotiators:
County Executive Officer David Rickert
Personnel Director Monica Fugitt
Employee Organizations:
Shasta County Employees Association-Supervisory Unit
R3 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION
(Government Code section 54956.9(d)(1)):
Case Name:
T-Mobile West, CenturyLink v County of Shasta, State Board of
Equalization – 23CV-0202403
R4 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION
(Government Code section 54956.9 (C))
Initiation of Litigation: One Case
At the conclusion of the Closed Session, reportable action, if any, will be reported in Open Session.
REPORT OF CLOSED SESSION ACTIONS
(1:01:08) Counsel Larmour: We have a reportable action on R3 existing litigation. The board 5-0 granted permission to defend the action and to retain Porter Scott as the counsel. Nothing further.
(1:01:25) A speaker request card came in after the meeting began for public comment. The commenter spoke negatively about the elections office.
(1:04:57) ADJOURN
