By Dawn Duckett
Shasta County Board of Supervisors from left, Matt Plummer, Corkey Harmon, Kevin Crye, Chris Kelstrom and Allen Long. © A News Cafe 2025
Editor’s note: Dawn Duckett presented the following message during the public comment period Tuesday’s during the Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting. We welcome your New Year’s resolution suggestions in the comments section for the Shasta County Board of Supervisors
These are my New Year’s resolution suggestions for the Shasta County Board of Supervisors:
First, commit to respectful engagement with the public. Public testimony is not an inconvenience; it’s the foundation of representative government. Please welcome feedback—even when it’s critical—and refrain from mocking, interrupting, or dismissing speakers. Listening costs nothing and builds credibility.
Second, closely examine agenda items to ensure they have tangible impacts on our community. Too often, time is spent on political theater, grandstanding, or virtue signaling—items that generate headlines but don’t solve local problems. Our agendas should reflect practical governance, not performative politics.
Third, restore the full three minutes for open public comment. Two minutes is simply not enough to make a cogent, thoughtful point—especially on complex issues. These meetings exist for the Board to hear from the public, not rush them through.
Fourth, seriously reconsider development impact fees. We can all agree that the impact of new development is not zero. The County is leaving much-needed infrastructure funding on the table—funding for roads, public safety, and essential services.
And finally, revisit the substantial raises this Board granted itself last year. Consider rolling them back to a level consistent with what other bargaining units received. Leadership means sharing sacrifice, not exempting yourselves from it.
Dawn Duckett lives in Cottonwood.
