Joanna Francescut.
On a muggy day in May which will go down in infamy in local politics, newly selected Shasta County Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis fired Assistant ROV Joanne Francescut, a 17-year veteran of Shasta County’s elections office earlier today.
“This afternoon I was informed that my employment with the County of Shasta will end as of today, May 27, 2025,” Francescut said in a Facebook post. “I am deeply disappointed that since his appointment, the new County Clerk and Registrar of Voters did not make any effort to meet with me or provide an opportunity to work collaboratively.”
“Most of all, I am saddened to leave a department and a team I have proudly served for the past 17 years. It has been an honor to contribute to Shasta County elections with integrity, experience and dedication,” Francescut continued. “My commitment to this community remains strong. I will continue to advocate for transparent, respectful, and community-centered leadership as I move forward with my campaign.”
Former Shasta County ROV Cathy Darling Allen expressed support for her former lieutenant.
Former Shasta County ROV/County Clerk Cathy Darling Allen
“Dear Shasta County voters: By now you may have heard that the new Registrar of Voters has fired Joanna Francescut, the longtime Assistant ROV,” Darling Allen said. “Please join me in objecting to this action by letting your supervisor know your opinion. The next Board meeting is June 9th. You can also call and leave a message for your supervisor at 530-225-5550. Or email them all at once by using this address: shastacountybos@shastacounty.gov.”
(A News Café readers who want to support Francescut’s campaign may click here for more information.)
District 2 Supervisor Allen Long.
District 2 Supervisor Allen Long submitted this statement:
“I am very disheartened by the actions taken today by Clerk-ROV Clint Curtis that resulted in the termination of Joanna Francescut. She has been a loyal servant to this County for 17 years, and I’m very appreciative for all that she’s done. She will be greatly missed, but I know she will be back soon.”
“I know I am not alone in my concern with the direction this Board is taking. Running an election is a highly technical skill, and to strip all institutional knowledge is dangerous to the integrity of our elections.”
Curtis had a plan
Clint Curtis.
Curtis dropped hints at a town hall meeting held Saturday at the Redding Public Library that Francescut’s job, as well as the jobs of her coworkers, might be on the line. This reporter was turned away from the advertised public event by host and former Shasta County District 4 Supervisor Patrick Jones, seemingly with the full approval of the new ROV, who has pledged to make Shasta County’s elections as transparent as possible. The Florida fabulist is off to a flying start.
Despite widespread evidence that Curtis had been less than forthcoming about his employment history and his total lack of experience in any elections position, District 1 Supervisor Kevin Crye, District 3 Supervisor Corkey Harmon and District 5 Supervisor Chris Kelstrom voted 3-2 to make the Florida flimflam man the next ROV earlier this month. District 2 Supervisor Allen Long and District 4 Supervisor Matt Plummer fought hard against Curtis’s appointment, and now find themselves on the wrong side of a 3-2 decision whenever anything important needs to get done. MAGA has assumed control.
New Shasta County ROV Clint Curtis AKA the Florida fabulist.
The kind of numb-nuttery we’re about to descend into the next year and a half was fully evident at Tuesday’s Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting as Crye and Curtis turned against their own measure to disband the Shasta County Elections Commission.
R4 was placed on the agenda by Crye at Curtis’s request: Introduce and waive the reading of, “An Ordinance of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Shasta Repealing Shasta County Code Chapter 2.07, Elections Commission.”
Recall the commission, manned by election deniers who spent $50,000 last year making illegal recommendations and eventually used the data they collected to sue the county, upon which the commission was suspended. According to Long, both Crye and Curtis had approached him about repealing the commission.
“I am in support of disbanding the commission,” Long said, noting that Curtis as well as current commission members believe in unfound conspiracy theories about election fraud. “This commission has made illegal recommendations and cost us a fortune. Curtis said it should be disbanded, it’s redundant.”
But after basking in the adulation of our local election deniers at the Saturday town hall I was booted out of, Curtis was singing a different tune on Tuesday.
“Everybody says don’t suspend the commission,” Curtis told the board. “Change it to once a year, once every six months. It might have been a little arrogant on my part … I thought getting rid of it would be a little easier and quicker but it might be a problem down the road.”
Long needled Crye about the commission. Crye was for it, then he was against it, now he’s for it again. What gives?
“Why are we discussing this?” Crye snipped. “Mr. Curtis said he didn’t want it. We’re moving on.”
The board voted 4-1 to not disband the elections commission, with Long dissenting. Remember the MAGA cult crazies we thought we were getting rid of? The situation just got exponentially worse. Stay tuned.
“Patti” Divine is your Shasta County Employee of the Month.
SCOREBOARD
Today we’re starting a new feature in the SCOREBOARD. On resolutions of consequence (where discussion occurred), we’ll provide a short narrative of what happened after the vote score. Just keep scrolling.
Board Matters
R1 Adopt a resolution which recognizes Patricia “Patti” Divine, Senior Social Worker, of the Health and Human Services Agency as Shasta County’s Employee of the Month for May 2025.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Score: The board voted 5-0 to recognize Divine as Employee of the Month.
“Patti arrives to work each morning with a smile and greets everyone around her with a positive attitude,” Supervisor Plummer said. “Patti is compassionate towards those that she interacts with daily and takes the time to notice when individuals need a bit of additional kindness. Patti demonstrates Health and Human Services’ core values of collaboration, adaptability, respect, and excellence, both internally and externally as she continues to work with her peers, community partners and clients.
“For the reasons stated above, the Employee Recognition Committee recommends Patricia “Patti” Divine, Senior Social Worker, of the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency be selected as Shasta County’s Employee of the Month for May 2025,” Plummer concluded.
R2 Receive an update from the County Executive Officer on County issues and consider action on specific legislation related to Shasta County’s legislative platform and receive Supervisors’ reports on countywide issues.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Score: No Vote
CEO David Rickert suggested a letter from the county helped reauthorize the federal secure rural schools program. Supervisor Long warned that FEMA money for the McConnel fuels reduction mitigation on the west may be hung up. Supervisor Kelstrom complained about dam and power plant removals in Black Creek Canyon. Supervisor Harmon flipped more pancakes at the Pancake Breakfast than he’ll probably ever flip again. Supervisor Plummer discussed his research on the medical school issue.
New California State secessionist Chriss Street.
R3 Take the following actions: (1) Receive a presentation from healthcare consultant, Chriss Street; (2) consider findings regarding establishing a medical school and residency program; and (3) consider providing direction to staff (Sponsored by Supervisors Crye and Plummer).
Future General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Score: 3-2 MAGA, with Long and Plummer dissenting.
In Shasta County MAGA is all about secessionist cronyism, from the State of Jefferson to the New California State pushed by Chriss Street, a Crye crony if ever there was one. Street has so far spent $7000 out of the $40,000 he’s been allotted to determine why or if physicians are reluctant to come to Shasta County, in the context of the medical school that has been proposed by Redding City Councilman Dr. Paul Dhanuka.
To be blunt, Street’s presentation was vague, yet Crye seemed to think somehow the Orange County transplant had determined there was no problem getting primary care physicians to come to Shasta County. The gist of Street’s spiel was somewhere we’d find $30 million to $50 million for an escrow account and then … well he didn’t get that far yet. In fact, Plummer and Long seemed more up on the topic than Street.
As he is wont to do, Plummer drilled down with not a three- but a four-pronged attack on the proposed medical school. Where are we going to get high quality students? Where are we going to the get faculty—with acerbating the existing doctor shortage? Do we have enough clinical rotations to attract med school students. What about residency programs?
“Residency is the key to retention,” Long agreed. “The $30 to $50 million escrow account would be paid by the county.
This could easily be a $60 million investment in debt service. I’m not sure it’s the right thing for the county to be funding this exploration.”
Perplexed by Plummer and Long’s resistance, Crye, through a hissy fit, and accused Plummer of being “passive aggressive” then refused to entertain any of Plummer’s well thought-out suggestions.
“If we don’t talk about doing big things,” Crye said. “With that we’re going to move on to R4.”
According to Shasta County CEO David Rickert, “Street is going to deliver a shovel-ready project by July.”
Bollocks.
County Clerk-Elections
R4 Introduce and waive the reading of, “An Ordinance of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Shasta Repealing Shasta County Code Chapter 2.07, Elections Commission.”
General Fund Savings
Simple Majority Vote
Score: 4-1, Long dissenting, see above.
Dr. James Mu.
Presentations
R5 Receive a presentation from the Shasta County Health Officer regarding alcohol and other drug services funding, legislation, and service numbers.
No General Fund Impact
Score: No vote.
At the request of Chair Crye, Shasta County Health Officer Dr. James Mu was scheduled to do a presentation alcohol and drug services but handed the task off to an underling. That being the case, here’s Dr. Mu’s answers to questions I sent him before the last board meeting, where he gave a predictably anti-vax presentation on COVID vaccines.
A News Cafe: Have you handed off your private family practice to another physician? You were in the process of doing so last time I asked a year ago?
Dr. James Mu: Yes, I completed the transition of my private practice to another physician last month. It was important to ensure that my patients continued to receive high-quality, personal care. I’m grateful we were able to find a provider who shares those values.
ANC: How’s your progress going on earning board certification from the American Board of Preventive Medicine; or certification by the American Boards of Family Practice, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, or Internal Medicine?
Dr. Mu: I’ve completed all the requirements for recertification through the American Board of Family Medicine. The preliminary results indicate that I passed the board examination, and I expect the final certification to be issued in June 2025.
ANC: Are you still planning NOT to get a Master’s in Public Health?
Dr. Mu: At this time, I do not plan to pursue an MPH. The cost of such a degree typically ranges from a minimum of $20,000 to well over $100,000, depending on the institution. In California, an MPH is not a requirement to serve as a Public Health Officer. Approximately half of California’s Public Health Officers do not hold an MPH, and to my knowledge, none of the Public Health Officers in our surrounding counties have one. I continue to grow professionally through hands-on experience, collaboration, and continuing medical education. That said, I remain open to the possibility in the future if circumstances and resources allow.
ANC: Supervisor Crye has obviously politicized COVID vaccinations, do you feel any pressure to give him the results he wants, i.e., he wants the answer to be, the COVID vaccine is bad for children, even though the evidence doesn’t say that.
Dr. Mu: I base my presentations on scientific evidence and my medical training—not on political, media, or pharmaceutical influence. My responsibility is to present the facts objectively and transparently, even when they don’t align with prevailing narratives, media sentiment, or political agendas. Public health leadership must be grounded in integrity and transparency, and that’s the standard I aim to uphold.
ANC: How much time did you take preparing your presentation?
Dr. Mu: Over the last four years, I’ve continually reviewed and compiled scientific research on COVID-19 vaccines. For this presentation specifically, I spent few weeks intermittently reviewing literature, organizing data, and ensuring the information was both evidence-based and accessible. I took care to address the topics I was asked to speak on with accuracy and thoughtfulness.
District 4 Supervisor Matt Plummer.
County Administrative Office
R6 Approve the Request for Proposals (RFP) for Community Engagement and Opinion Research for the Development of a Strategic Plan and provide direction to staff.
General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Score: 3-2 MAGA, with Long and Plummer dissenting.
The rise of Clint Curtis to ROV has broken the Shasta County Board of Supervisors. Long and Plummer are clearly the only people with brains on the board, but they’ve been neutralized. Corkey Harmon’s stature shrinks with every meeting, he’s a non-entity, secessionist Patty Plumb’s MAGA place holder. Kelstrom too is a long-time secessionist and former SOJ spokesman.
The most thin-skinned authoritarian since Patrick Jones, Crye crushed Plummer’s hope of hiring a real consultant to develop a strategic plan for Shasta County; now it’ll be done in-house on the cheap. It was clearly payback for Plummer’s pushback on Curtis.
“We’ll get it out as fast as we can,” CEO Rickert said.
Again, bollocks.
District Attorney
R7 Discuss and consider directing staff to create alternately staffed Legal Secretary
I/II Classifications.
General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Score: The board voted 3-2 to bring the issue back during upcoming budget negotiations.
Presentations
R8 Receive a presentation from WellPath on inmate healthcare and services in the Shasta County Jail (Sponsored by Supervisor Crye).
No Additional General Fund Impact
No Vote
R9 Receive a presentation from the Shasta Substance Use Coalition regarding opioid overdose deaths in Shasta County (Sponsored by Supervisor Plummer).
No Additional General Fund Impact
No Vote
SCHEDULED HEARINGS
Public Works
R10 Conduct a public hearing and adopt a resolution which finds a public easement, being a portion of Tamarack Avenue, located in the Burney area (Easement), is not necessary for current or future public use and orders the vacation of the Easement for road and utility purposes, reserving the rights for any existing utilities, located in the unincorporated area of Shasta County.
No General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Score: Board voted 5-0 for the resolution.
R11 Conduct a public hearing and adopt a resolution which finds the previously relinquished access rights (Access Rights) onto Bear Mountain Road (County Road No. 5H04) not necessary for current or future public use and orders the vacation of the Access Rights.
No General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Score: 5-0.
CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
The Board of Supervisors will recess to a Closed Session to discuss the following items (estimated 1 hour):
R12 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION
(Government Code section 54956.9(d)(1):
Names of Cases:
Rood v. Lockwood, et al. (United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Case #2:19:CV-01806-KJM-AC)
Littlefield, et al. v. County of Shasta, et al. (United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Case #2:25-CV-01292-DMC)
Gorder v. David J. Rickert, County of Shasta and its Board of Supervisors (Shasta County Superior Court, Case #25CV-0207689)
R13 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION
(Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(4)):
Initiation of Litigation: One potential case
At the conclusion of the Closed Session, reportable action, if any, will be reported in Open Session.
REPORT OF CLOSED SESSION ACTIONS: The board voted 5-0 to hire outside counsel in the Jeff Gorder case.
CONSENT CALENDAR PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
County Administrative Office
C1 Take the following actions: (1) Approve an agreement with Youth Violence Prevention Council of Shasta County, dba Youth Options Shasta, in the amount of $1,000,000 for youth substance use education and prevention services; (2) approve an agreement with Shasta County Child Abuse Prevention Coordinating Council, dba Raising Shasta, in the amount of $3,000,000 for youth substance use education and prevention services; (3) waive provisions which require advance payments be required to earn interest and apply interest to reduce the contract price as set in Administrative Policy 6-101, Shasta County Contracts Manual; and (4) approve a budget amendment which increases appropriations by $100,000 in the Opioid Settlement Budget (BU 430) offset by use of fund balance.
No General Fund Impact
4/5 Vote
C2 Adopt a resolution which: (1) Repeals Resolution No. 2023-017; and (2) designates signing authority for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services under the Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance for Disasters and/or the California Disaster Assistance Act to the Shasta County: (a) Sheriff; (b) Fire Chief; (c) County Executive Officer, or their designee; and (d) Public Works Director.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C3 Approve a renewal lease agreement with Parlay Investments, Inc., for office space at 1313 Yuba Street, City of Redding.
No General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C4 Approve a budget amendment which increases appropriations by $825,000 in the Miscellaneous General Budget (BU 173) offset by a decrease in appropriations by $825,000 in the Reserves for Contingencies Budget (BU 900).
General Fund Impact
4/5 Vote Assessor-Recorder
C5 Approve an agreement with Megabyte Property Tax Systems, Inc., for software services and support.
Future General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Auditor-Controller
C6 Approve a renewal agreement with Fifth Asset, Inc. d/b/a DebtBook, for Lease and Subscription Based IT Arrangements (SBITA) management software-as-a- service application for Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) financial reporting requirements and designate authority to the Auditor- Controller to sign amendments and future renewals.
General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote Board of Supervisors
C7 Approve a letter of support for Assembly Bill 303: Battery Energy Safety & Accountability Act and a letter of opposition for Senate Bill 681: Housing.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Health and Human Services Agency-Behavioral Health and Social Services
C8 Approve a renewal agreement with J. Reid McKellar, Ph.D., for individual psychological evaluations, adoption psychological evaluations, parent/child bonding assessments, sibling assessments and court services.
No General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C9 Approve a retroactive amendment to the agreement with the Regents of the University of California, dba University of California, Davis, for psychological evaluations, adoption psychological evaluations, psychotherapy, parent and child bonding assessments and sibling assessments which increases rates and extends the term.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C10 Adopt a proclamation which designates June 2025, as “Elder Abuse Awareness Month” in Shasta County. No General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Public Works
C11 Approve an amendment to the agreement with David A. Lawrence, Inc., dba Lawrence & Associates, for on-call engineering services which increases maximum compensation.
General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C12 Waive competitive procurement requirements in Administrative Policy 6-101, Shasta County Contracts Manual, and Shasta County Code Section 3.04.020 on the basis of an urgency to prevent loss or damage to property and approve the purchase of one permanent emergency generator for the “CSA No. 3-Castella Intake Replacement Project,” Contract No. 610956, from Bay City Electric Works.
General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C13 Approve a budget amendment which increases appropriations by $190,000, offset by use of retained earnings, in the CSA 6 Jones Vly Wtr (Elk Trl) Budget (BU 0377).
No General Fund Impact
4/5 Vote
C14 Approve a budget amendment which increases appropriations and revenue by $120,000 in the CSA 13 Alpine Mdws Swr/Wtr Budget (BU 0384) for the “CSA 13 Extraordinary Maintenance Project.”
Sheriff-Jail
No General Fund Impact
4/5 Vote
C15 Adopt a resolution regarding the Breslauer Campus Sewer Line which: (1) Finds an emergency exists that will not permit a delay resulting from a competitive solicitation for bids to repair the sewer line pursuant to Public Contract Code Sections 1102, 20134, and 22050; (2) designates authority to the Public Works Director to take all actions necessary to remedy the emergency pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 22050(b)(1); (3) waives the requirements for competitive bidding or giving notice for bids for contracts to perform modification work to the sewer line pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 22050; (4) finds the project to repair the sewer line to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines 14 California Code of Regulations Section 15302(c) for replacement or reconstruction of existing utility systems and/or facilities involving negligible or no expansion of capacity and Section 5269(b) for emergency repairs to publicly or privately owned service facilities necessary to maintain service essential to the public health, safety, or welfare; and (5) approve budget amendments which decrease appropriations and revenue by $130,000 in the Land Buildings and Improvement Budget (BU 166) and transfer appropriations in the amount of $58,500 in the MHSA Adult Services Budget (BU 404) and $71,500 in the Social Services Admin Budget (BU 501).
No General Fund Impact
4/5 Vote
C16 Adopt a policy resolution which amends Administrative Policy 8-103, Fleet Management Program, to update provisions to be in line with County policies and procedures and add provisions related to telematics.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C17 Take the following actions regarding the “2025 Redding Regional Septage Impoundment 1B Cleanout Project,” Contract No. 207613, (Contract): (1) Reject the bid from Synagro-WWT, Inc., as non-responsive; (2) award the Contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Iron Mountain General Engineering, Inc., on a unit cost basis in the amount of $583,000; and (3) approve and authorize the Public Works Director, or their designee, to sign a Notice of Completion and record it within 15 days of actual completion of the work.
No General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C18 Approve a renewal agreement with California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for inmate housing and training at California Fire Camps.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
C19 Adopt a resolution which authorizes expenditures for Jail Based Competency Treatment program (Program) related items for positive reinforcement and to incentivize inmates to participate in the Program.
No Additional General Fund Impact
Simple Majority Vote
Editor’s note: This story was revised at 11:10 p.m. to include District 2 Supervisor Allen Long’s statement.
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