North State Breakdown 10-15-2024 Agenda Preview

In this episode of North State Breakdown, we discuss the upcoming Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting on October 15, 2024. Key topics include the appointment of Sean Ewing as Director of Resource Management and financial concerns within the Health and Human Services Agency.

Transcript:

Welcome to the North State Breakdown with Benjamin Nowain. Today, I'd like to discuss the agenda for the upcoming Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting on October 15, 2024. There was a late revision to the agenda on Friday, October 11, 2024, which added a presentation about Health and Human Services finances.

R1: Breast Cancer Awareness Month Proclamation

The first regular item on the agenda, R1, is a proclamation designating October 2024 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, sponsored by Supervisor Kevin Crye. This annual initiative aims to raise awareness about breast cancer and emphasizes the importance of regular screenings. With over 160 new cases expected in Shasta County this year, it's a crucial reminder for preventative health measures.

R2: CEO Update and Supervisor Reports

R2 is a standard item. It includes an updated CEO report from David Rickert and Supervisor Reports.

R3: Health and Human Services Financial Status Presentation

R3 is a late addition to the agenda that involves a presentation on the financial status of the Health and Human Services Agency. This discussion, as requested by Supervisor Crye, will address the financial challenges faced by the agency, including budgetary concerns and their impact on service delivery. This presentation is likely related to the financial irregularities discovered by former CFO Rahsaan Dean, who was fired after only two months when he began questioning those irregularities. Given the agency's essential role in providing critical services, this presentation is a critical addition to the agenda and should be closely watched.

R4: Redding Walk for Freedom Presentation

Next is R4, a presentation by Deborah Hiner, CEO of Guardians for Freedom, about the upcoming Redding Walk for Freedom. This annual event, now in its second year, aims to raise awareness about human trafficking, a significant global and local issue.

R5: Red Ribbon Week Proclamation

For R5, Supervisor Mary Rickert has sponsored a proclamation declaring October 23 through 31, 2024, as Red Ribbon Week. This initiative focuses on substance abuse prevention, which is important, especially considering the ongoing opioid crisis in Shasta County.

R6: Appointment of Sean Ewing as Director of Resource Management

R6, the appointment of Sean Ewing as Director of Resource Management. The board will consider appointing Sean Ewing as the new Director of Resource Management effective October 21, 2024, with a salary of $76 per hour. While Sean Ewing doesn't appear to have the same baggage as Wyatt Paxton, who was appointed as the interim director (which was discussed in previous Breakdown episodes), in a now-deleted social media comment from 2020, Ewing can be seen criticizing COVID-19 precautions that were intended for public health purposes. His hiring in 2022 and subsequent promotion to director over Adam Fieseler, who has many more years of experience, seems to align with this board majority's goals, where bucking public health trends was a significant focus. The appointment raises questions about whether political alignment played a more significant role than experience in the decision-making process.

Public Comment Period

The agenda includes a public comment period, allowing community members to express their views on agenda items or other county issues. Those wishing to speak should submit a comment card by 9 a.m..

Consent Calendar Highlights

The consent calendar features routine items typically approved in one motion. Here are some key highlights:

• C1: Appoint Darren Butterfield and reappoint Rick Danielson to the Halcombe Public Cemetery District Board trustees.

  
  

• C2: Approve the minutes from the September 24 and October 1, 2024 board meetings.

  
  

Revisiting Previous Meeting Minutes

I'd like to revisit a couple of items in those minutes from these meetings. During the September 24 meeting, the board rejected a motion to form an ad hoc committee to develop a funding plan for the $39 million opioid settlement. Supervisor Rickert, who voted against that rejection, raised concerns that excluding her from the planning could indicate politically motivated efforts to limit her influence, especially considering her experience with the opioid crisis. In fact, the Breakdown attended Matt Plummer's opioid settlement meeting on October 10, 2024, where various community members and officials discussed potential strategies for allocating the settlement funds to combat the opioid crisis in Shasta County.

Also memorialized in the minutes was a board discussion regarding using the transient occupancy tax funds for tourism marketing. Auditor-Controller Nolda Short questioned whether the county would see an adequate return on investment.

Particularly since other priorities, like public safety, which the board majority—Crye, Jones, and Kelstrom—ran on, improvements were abandoned due to funding limitations. Also, as previously discussed, there's an ongoing concern about a potential conflict of interest, as Nigel Skeet is involved in one of the RFP bids for the Shasta County Chamber of Commerce, a chamber that has only been in existence for roughly a year. Given Skeet's connection to Supervisor Crye, questions have arisen about cronyism in this process.

• C3: Adopt a resolution for appointments in lieu of election for 32 board positions across 15 special districts. When the number of candidates is equal to or fewer than the available seats, the positions can be filled without a general election. While the roles might seem non-political, there are concerns that the board may favor appointees who align with specific political ideologies, which could affect decision-making at the local level.

  
  

• C4: Amend an agreement with the Shasta County Office of Education regarding the Community Connect program. This amendment changes the budgetary process, requiring the Board of Supervisors to approve any budget amendments exceeding 10% of a category's total. Previously, such decisions could be authorized by the County Executive Officer. This move appears to align with Kevin Crye's previous attempts to strong-arm SCOE and manipulate the offerings of the program. Crye postured this as a move to help children, but in the process, he denigrated the Community Connect program's use of ACES scores (adverse childhood experiences), despite the program showing positive outcomes in the community.

  
  

• C5: Approve a $1 million permanent loan to the Center of Hope Apartments 2 project supporting affordable housing development.

  
  

• C6 through C10: Address various infrastructure projects, including building expansions, HVAC replacements, pest control agreements, and water system improvements.

  
  

Closed Session Items

Then, the board will discuss several items in closed session without public oversight:

• R7: HHSA Director Performance EvaluationInvolves a performance evaluation for the HHSA director or acting director. Since the director, Laura Burch, is currently on leave, Christy Coleman is the acting director of the Health and Human Services Agency. This evaluation is likely related to ongoing concerns over financial irregularities within the department. Given the recent controversy surrounding the firing of former CFO Rahsaan Dean after he questioned financial irregularities, this evaluation could have significant implications for the future of the department and its leadership. It is essential that the results of this evaluation address these issues to ensure accountability and proper management of the agency's finances and services. Since this is a closed session item, the public will only learn of any reportable actions near the end of the meeting.

  
  

• R8: Appointment of a Public DefenderThe board will also consider the appointment of a public defender. As we've discussed in previous Breakdown episodes, it's critical that anyone appointed to this role remains independent from political bias or allegiances. The public defender's role requires a commitment to providing fair and unbiased legal defense, which makes the political neutrality of the candidate even more important, especially given the recent political tensions within the county. The board's decision in this matter will be watched closely to ensure that the appointment upholds the integrity of this critical position.

  
  

• R9: Labor Negotiations with United Public Employees of California, Local 792

  
  

• R10: Litigation Discussion – John Patrick Kropholler v. County of Shasta

  
  

It's important to remember: if you'd like to have your voice heard, please get involved. Attend the meeting on Tuesday at 1450 Court Street at 9 a.m., or email the board with your questions or concerns. Your voice matters.

And that's the agenda preview.