Agenda Preview - Board of Supervisors 8-19-2025

The Board meets Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. in Redding at 1450 Court Street. Highlights include a presentation from Chriss Street about building a medical school, a charter-related item, the Old Courthouse demolition project, land acquisition tied to the Alternative Custody Program, and a scaled-back request from the Elections Office compared to last week’s proposal.

R1: CEO Update and Supervisors’ Reports

This opens the meeting with the County Executive Officer’s update and brief reports from each supervisor. It may include legislative letters or advocacy items aligned with the county’s platform, but typically no formal votes occur here.

R2 — Presentation: Medical School / Residency Concept (Chriss Street)

R2 comes at a time when Shasta County’s physician shortage has been formally declared a public health crisis. In June, Health Officer Dr. James Mu warned that the county is short by 50 to 100 doctors and that many residents face waits of a year or more to see a physician. Mu has said the solution may involve residency programs, a medical school, or both, to ensure new doctors are recruited and retained in the North State.

The Board will hear a presentation from consultant Chriss Street, who was retained in February under a $40,000 personal services agreement to assess local medical needs, explore funding opportunities, and recommend long-term solutions. His presentation notes that Shasta County qualifies for Health Professional Shortage Area and Medically Underserved Area designations and outlines funding streams through federal Graduate Medical Education reimbursements, Medi-Cal, and the state’s Song-Brown program. Street recommends seeking HPSA/MUA designation, forming a seven-member expert panel to advance the medical school concept, and pursuing federal opportunities to expand residency training.

What remains unclear is how much of this work was produced under his contract. Much of the information in the packet is already publicly available, raising questions about what deliverables were produced for the $40,000 agreement.

As reported in Episode 38 of the breakdown, Street is a figure who has drawn much criticism. He previously served as Orange County Treasurer, in 2010 and was found by a federal bankruptcy court to have breached fiduciary duty while serving as a trustee, a failed bid at Shasta County CEO, and more recently became a leader in the New California secession movement.

Consent Calendar Highlights

The Consent Calendar bundles routine items that are typically passed with a single vote unless pulled for discussion. Among them are budget amendments requiring a super-majority vote, approval for the County Clerk to run the City of Redding’s special election this fall, an investigative services contract, and the Sheriff’s annual report on military equipment use.

• C1 – Budget Amendments: Shifts $75,000 from the Land, Buildings, and Improvements budget into the Agricultural Commissioner & Sealer of Weights and Measures. While staff note there’s no additional General Fund impact, this transfer requires a four-fifths vote of the Board.

  
  

• C2 – Redding Special Election: Authorizes the County Clerk to conduct a special election for the City of Redding on November 4, 2025. Unlike most consent items, this one will have a direct General Fund impact, since the County must provide the staff and resources to run the election, however the City of Redding will reimburse costs under Elections Code §10002.

  
  

• C3 – Investigative Services: Approves an agreement with Oppenheimer Investigations, LLP, a firm that provides outside investigative services for the County not to exceed $100,000 over three years. This allows for third-party handling of certain sensitive workplace or administrative matters, though staff state there is no added General Fund cost.

  
  

• C11 – Sheriff’s Military Equipment Policy: In line with Assembly Bill 481, the Board will review and determine whether the Sheriff’s annual military equipment report complies with state standards. This covers the use and oversight of items like armored vehicles, drones, and other specialized equipment, a subject that often draws public scrutiny.

R3 — Shasta County Charter Survey

The Board will consider a vote on whether to approve a community survey about possible amendments to the County Charter. Shasta officially became a charter county on January 1, 2025, following voter approval of Measure D in the March 2024 primary election.

According to the staff report, this item stems from a request made by Supervisor Crye at the July 16 meeting. The report proposes using a public survey to gather resident feedback on what areas, if any, should be addressed in the Charter. A draft survey included in the packet asks respondents which topics they would prioritize, such as public safety, health and human services, infrastructure, environmental regulations, economic development, or social services, and also asks how important they feel it is to update the Charter at this time.

The staff report emphasizes that amending the Charter is a costly and legally complex process, since any changes must be placed on the ballot and approved by county voters. It also notes that not all suggestions may be legally feasible, but that a survey could guide whether the Board chooses to pursue a formal amendment process.

R4 — Old Courthouse Demolition

This item addresses the future of the old Shasta County Courthouse property. The Board is being asked to receive an update on the demolition project, provide direction on whether to construct a parking lot at the site, and authorize staff to solicit proposals for installing a solar array there.

According to the staff report, funding would come from the County’s General Fund Infrastructure and Public Safety Infrastructure accounts, with sufficient appropriations already included in the 2025–26 budget. The discussion will help determine whether the property becomes a parking facility, incorporates renewable energy infrastructure, or is reserved for other uses.

R5 — Land for the Alternative Custody Program

R5 asks the Board to approve a lease agreement with the City of Redding for nearly 90 acres of land along Eastside Road in Redding and Anderson. The property would be used to expand the county’s Alternative Custody Program, which allows certain offenders to serve sentences outside the main jail while working, receiving services, and learning trades.

The lease term is 30 years, and importantly, there is no rent payment required between the County and the City. Instead, the agreement is based on the mutual benefits of developing custody operations at the site. The lease also includes an option for the County to purchase the property for $1, but only if several conditions are met: approval of an Environmental Impact Report, construction of a custody facility, operation of the program at the site for at least 12 months, and certification of program operation by the Sheriff or the State of California.

The Board is also being asked to approve $500,000 in budget adjustments to fund the environmental review and early project preparation. Those funds will come from the County’s General Fund Infrastructure accounts that had been committed to detention center projects.

The Sheriff’s Office supports the expansion, presenting it as a way to reduce jail overcrowding and provide a structured alternative for eligible offenders. At the same time, it underscores a shift in priorities. Chair Kevin Crye ran for office in 2022 on building a new jail, but this summer acknowledged that “the jail’s not gonna happen.”

R6 — Scaled-Back Elections Office Request

This item represents a sharp departure from last week’s ambitious plan to lease and renovate the vacant Joann Fabrics building on Dana Drive. That proposal carried multi-million dollar costs over a five-year lease, which drew criticism from supervisors Alan Long and Matt Plummer about the expense, infrastructure needs, and whether the proposal solved practical problems.

This week’s request is for a one-time $125,000 allocation from the General Fund to fund what Registrar Clint Curtis describes as a “proof of concept.” The money would cover leasing equipment and services: about $94,000 for additional ballot tabulators, $16,000 for utilities, $13,000 for professional services, and $2,000 for communications. The goal is to livestream every ballot as it goes into and out of tabulators, provide more space for observers, and consolidate ballot storage and processing under one roof.

What is not spelled out in the staff report is where this setup will actually be housed. The Elections Office has limited space and cannot realistically accommodate a dozen additional tabulators along with expanded observer access, the very issue that drove last week’s push for the Joann Fabrics site. Chair Kevin Crye previously suggested he would try to secure a no-cost, four-month lease at Joann Fabrics as a temporary solution, though the current item does not mention that arrangement explicitly. That leaves open the possibility that the prototype could still take place there, but without the multi-million dollar commitment outlined last week.

Politically, the changes reflect an effort to win Supervisor Matt Plummer’s support. Plummer has voiced reluctance to spend money on untested methods when public safety takes precedence. Crye has steadily pared back the plan in an attempt to land on a version Plummer might approve.

R7 — Youth Substance Use Prevention Presentation

The Board will hear a presentation from the Community Opioid Response and Education (C.O.R.E.) program on efforts to prevent substance use among youth. The program is funded through Shasta County’s share of opioid settlement dollars, part of a broader statewide initiative that allocates settlement funds to treatment, prevention, and education.

This presentation is informational only and does not require Board action. It is expected to outline how funds are being used locally to support education and outreach programs aimed at reducing youth substance use, and to provide an update on progress to date.

R8 — Closed Session: Labor Negotiations

The Board will meet in closed session to confer with labor negotiators regarding the Deputy Sheriffs Association, which represents deputies, sergeants, and district attorney investigators. As with all closed sessions, the public will only be notified if any reportable action is taken.

R9 — Closed Session: Existing Litigation

Supervisors will meet in closed session with legal counsel to discuss three ongoing court cases: Talea Jellison v. Shasta County, County of Shasta v. Lincoln General Insurance, and Smith v. Department of Transportation, et al. As with all closed sessions, any reportable action will be announced following the meeting.

This agenda covers a wide range of issues including county finances, alternative custody programs, and election operations. Each item reflects choices that shape how public resources are used and how local government functions. Even when votes appear routine, the outcomes influence the county’s direction. Community involvement, attending meetings, reviewing agendas, or offering public comment is an important part of making sure those decisions reflect the priorities of Shasta County residents.

And that's the Agenda Preview