North State Breakdown - Quick Update 10-6-2024

The Breakdown discusses the canceled board meeting that was to take place on 10/8/2024 and how Kevin Crye is holding an unauthorized board meeting starting at 9:30 am on the 1450 Court Street steps. We also discuss the canceled elections commission meeting that was supposed to take place on Monday 10/7/2024.

Transcript:

North State Breakdown: Quick Update for October 2024

Shasta County Board of Supervisors Meeting Canceled

Welcome to the North State Breakdown Quick Update with Benjamin Nowain. The October 8, 2024 Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting has been officially canceled. Kevin Cry, the board chair, announced via his radio program that he will be, quote, on the steps of the county building to hear from the public despite there being no official meeting.

Kevin Crye’s Announcement

"I will be, I will be on the steps in front of the board of supervisors at 9:30. I'm pretty sure Supervisor Kallstrom said he could commit to being there at 10:30 on Tuesday and stay for a half an hour or so. So I will be on the steps in front of the board of supervisors at 9:30."

Potential Legal Concerns

According to Cry, Supervisor Chris Kallstrom will also be joining him. If another supervisor joins them, it could form a quorum, which would make it illegal for them to discuss county business in an unauthorized setting without public oversight. As this is not an official meeting, there will be no public record of what was discussed here.

Similar Actions by Patrick Jones

This mirrors actions taken by Patrick Jones in the past. On January 5, 2021, his first day in office, Jones opened the board chambers to the public despite a virtual meeting being scheduled due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Later, on August 17, 2021, after a meeting was canceled, Jones held an unauthorized gathering and opened the chambers again without a quorum.

On January 18, 2022, Jones held an outdoor meeting on the steps of 1450 Court Street. This was via Zoom for the rest of the supervisors. Even though the meeting was set to be virtual for everyone, it would appear that Cry is taking a page out of Jones' own playbook.

Shasta County Elections Commission Meeting Canceled

Additionally, the Shasta County Elections Commission meeting, originally scheduled for October 7, 2024 at 2 p.m., was also canceled. This follows the sentencing of Tina Peters, the former Colorado County clerk, to nearly nine years in prison for election tampering. Peters was a major source of election misinformation both nationally and in Shasta County.

Given the gravity of her actions and the influence on local election integrity, it's possible that the Elections Commission is taking time off to consult legal counsel, particularly as they evaluate the broader implications of her sentencing.

The Upcoming Gathering

The Breakdown will be at the unauthorized meeting on Tuesday, October 8, to document for the public what is happening. According to Cry, he will be there around 9:30 a.m. If you'd like, you could come to this gathering at 1450 Court Street. But remember, since it's not an agendized meeting, this will likely be a venue for people to air their grievances.

And that's The Update.