5/13/25 Board of Supervisors Meeting Summary

by Linda Margaretic

Agenda and Materials
https://plumascoca.portal.civicclerk.com/event/1718/overview
 
Video
https://plumascoca.portal.civicclerk.com/event/1718/media
 
 
Public Comment
Bob Zernich – announced the Veterans’ Day memorial service to be held May 26th at 11 a.m. in Dame Shirley.  A Vietnam Vet will be the speaker.
Kevin Goss read Dan Kearns’ email – Dan corrected his comment at the last BOS meeting when he said the school district could not account for the $2 million in PG&E disaster funds they received.  He said that $500,000 was divided amongst the county’s campuses and that the rest will continue to be used to facilitate the combined campuses of PUSD and the Charter School at the Greenville site.
Tina Venable – said that May is Nurses Appreciation Month.  She acknowledged by name the nurses at the health department.
 
Department Head Announcements and Reports

Social Services, Laura Adkins – gave a budget report.  She said there are some federal budget cuts but assured us that she is plugged into all avenues for latest information and guidance.  She said she has experienced these sparse times before in 2008 and 2009 and is confident we will be fine.  She also said that all contracts her department enters into have a 30 day safety net clause for dissolving the contract if needed.
 
Registrar Marcy DeMartille reminded us of the special districts presentations she will do – Quincy May 14, Chester May 15, Portola May21.  She emphasized that the presentations are geared toward special district elections.  Not all special districts select their leadership by election.  She also said that people asking for copies of their birth certificates or marriage licenses must have been born or married in Plumas County.  These documents originate where the events occurred.  She said her department helps people know where to direct their requests if the documents did not originate in this county.
 
Probation – Keevin Alred reported they are now fully staffed with probation officers.
 
DA – Provided a many-page document outlining who received the $17 million PG&E good faith funds and how they were spent.  Recipients included all of the county chambers, FRC, Rotary Clubs, Fire Districts, Dixie Fire Collaborative, Fire Safe Council, PCOE Foundation, Sierra Institute, County Fair Foundation, PRS, PCIRC, County Fish and Game Commission, Maidu Summit Consortium. Some of the recipients have not spent the money yet.  Some provided detailed accounts of the expenditures, other were more vague.  The document is too large to include but I included Lara Wheeler’s letter to the DA which I believe explains the intent of the PG&E good faith settlement and gives an idea of how the money is being used.
 
I must say this issue of settlement funds continues to be confusing for me.  There are many pots of money that have come our way, earmarked for different purposes, given to different entities - and no one entity can provide the big picture overview and accountability for all of it.  I do appreciate the DA providing his documentation today.
 
1. Updates and Reports

A. Business and Economic Report – Clint Koble reported that April was a slow month for business application filings and for real estate.  He spoke about relocation incentive programs and encouraged the board to “invest, invest, invest” in growing our county by implementing such a program. (See full report)
 
B. Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship – Zach Gately presented a slide show with Michelle Abramson on zoom.  The presentation outlined the progress being made on the connecting system of trails.  Sierra Buttes is also working with the forest service and the Sierra Institute on various aspects of this project.  Debbie Hopkins pointed out that some of the trails are not fit for multiple use – they are too steep and/or narrow for hikers or horses. Michelle said they are working on this and that there are some alternative by pass trails.
(slide show begins at minute 32)
 
2. Consent Agenda – all were passed
 
3. Department Matters

A. Human Resources – Joshua Mizrahi explained all the changes and modifications to various job descriptions for a number of county departments. The board unanimously adopted the MOU.  Mimi Hall chimed in to thank Joshua and to say that the board intends to do a comprehensive salary study and is looking to create equity across the board for all county departments. Joshua went on to talk about the revisions to the probation officer positions which will help with retention and create a forward moving career path in the department.  This resolution was also unanimously passed.
 
4. Board of Supervisors
​
A.  Crescent Mills Fire District (CMFD) – this was the hot topic of the day.  The issue is that this fire district has had no sitting board since 2021.  For this reason LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission) is working to consolidate this fire district with Indian Valley CSD.  County Counsel emphasized that the board today is simply clarifying the status of the Crescent Mills Fire District. He said “all we want to do is keep the equipment in stasis” for now because this fire district currently has no legal governing authority. A zoom caller said the BOS has no authority to make this change.  Kevin reiterated that no change is being made, the resolution is only to identify the current status of CMFD.  Dan Kearns had questions about tax revenues coming to the CMFD – where is it going, whose paying the utility bills.  The auditor said that she has been paying those bills.  Dan asked if this is “past the point of no return”. Kevin’s response was that if LAFCO decides against a consolidation then CMFD will need to reorganize and form a governing  board.  He said the decision should be made in the next few months and that there will need to be public hearings before a final decision is made.  The current fire chief Rob Hopkins (?) called in and challenged Kevin for not acknowledging the validity of CMFD. Registrar Marcy responded that there is no paper trail of minutes.  Bottom line seems to be that procedures for documenting the status of CMFD have not been followed resulting in possible liability for use of any of their equipment. Today’s resolution was passed unanimously.  (This topic begins at hour 1 of video.)
 
B. Appoint Josh Brechtel interim County Counsel.  This was expected to pass without contest however a zoom caller contested that the contract was not made available to the public.  For this reason Kevin decided it will be presented at next week’s BOS meeting and the contract will be included with agenda materials.  (I’m wondering why Brechtel is being appointed when back in December the board decided he would not be a contender for the position.)
 
C. D. Correspondence and Meetings – Dwight said there was a town hall about the wolves on Monday night.  He said there have been 3 recent “kills” in Sierra Valley. Tom attended CSAC and said Kevin Kiley was there and “they got an earful” referring to the wolf issue. Mimi received correspondence from the equine program at FRC regarding the equine areas at the fairgrounds needing repairs, being unsafe.  Dan Kearns asked about any revenue brought in by the fire camps.  Mimi said she wants to bring together OES and the Fair to get infrastructure grants.  Auditor Martee Nieman said she personally inspected the horse area and found that one barn in particular is in disarray due to housing large animals during and after the Dixie Fire. Janet Crain asked if anything has happened regarding her request to have a town hall with Kevin Kiley. Kevin said he is working on FEMA BRIC (Building Resillient Infrastructure and Communities) grants.
 
Rick Foster called in to remind the BOS of things they’d promised to agendize:  1) county money lost due to fines, fees, penalties  2) the vaccine question which came up in an April meeting. Kevin said “we will check into that”. Linda added the Engie project update to the list.
 
5. Closed Session
A. Did not discuss
B. C. D. and E. – Denied
F. (a duplicate claim so dismissed)
G.  Denied
 
Other Information
 
Tonight, Wednesday May 14th Mineral Building 6 p.m. Marcie DeMartile will give a special district presentation.
 
Thursday, May 15th 6:30 p.m. at Quincy Library Community Room – Supervisor Town Hall with Mimi Hall and Jeff Engel.  Q&A session.
 
If you are a property owner in Quincy, East Quincy, Chester, Sierra Valley – you probably received a little yellow post card from the Supervisors regarding Fire Hazard Severity Zones.  While there is probably very little, we citizens can do to change these State designated assignments, the Planning Dept. is accepting comments and there will also be a public hearing at each of the first two BOS meetings in June.  11 A.M. time specific.  AT that time you may ask your questions at the meeting or call in to ask. Here’s the Planning Dept. link for more information.
​