6/3/25 Board of Supervisors Meeting Summary

By Linda Margaretic

Link to agenda and materials
https://plumascoca.portal.civicclerk.com/event/1594/overview
 
Link to video
https://plumascoca.portal.civicclerk.com/event/1594/media
 
Public Comment
Linda Margaretic – gave thanks to BOS for their $10,000 contribution to the Plumas Feral Project to purchase 100 specialized traps and explained the benefits of such a program in contrast to the “trap and kill” method of dealing with the feral cat population.  To date 300 cats have been spayed or neutered which equates to 2000 or more feral cats that were not born and will not populate the county’s feral cat population. The project plans their fifth “spayathon” in October 2025.
Chris Rouse – Plumas Arts Director, announced the programs they are offering – First Friday Art Walks, Music in the Park on Thursdays, Farmers Market at Rich Bar, Town Hall Theater showings.  For more info go to https://www.plumasarts.org/
Rick Foster called in to ask that item 3.C. be removed from the agenda.  This item is about giving Treasurer Tax Collector Julie White authority to invest for the county investment pool. He mentioned the civil grand jury reports and the recommendation to create a Treasury Oversight Committee which is supposed to be in the works.  He would like to see evidence of this happening before Julie White has the investment authority.
Deb Hopkins spoke about the Chinese Cemetery and the damages that need to be repaired.  She requested “next steps” from the Cemetery District to make the repairs and do the needed maintenance.
Shelly, owner of The Feather Bed spoke about how short term rentals (Air BnB, etc) are taking business from them and are not paying TOT – and not investing in the prosperity of our county. She requested the BOS create an ordinance to enforce TOT participation for the short term rentals.
 
Department Head Announcements
Marcie DeMartile, Registrar – Announced that the filing period for Special Districts opens July 14th.   Referring to a Plumas Sun article, said that her office cannot respond to questions about the PUSD special election until it is “called” by the Board of Supervisors.
Nick Collin, Facilities – Reported that the men’s restroom at the Chester Park was vandalized.
Zach Gately reminded us that there will be a special Board of Supervisors meeting in Greenville at the high school library 10 a.m. June 6th regarding the Dixie Fire/PG&E . To access the Zoom meeting or recording https://www.plumascounty.us/2442/Agendas-and-Minutes
Sheriff Todd Johns reported that a letter came out last week from California Department of Homeland Security regarding sanctuary counties and cities in California.  He said the letter didn’t go over very well with the sheriff departments. He said the list has since been pulled because the western states sheriffs association contacted the Dept. of Homeland Security to let them know this was going to cause problems. The 48 counties on the list seem to have been randomly chosen.  For example Plumas County is on the list while Marin County is not. The concern is that federal funding will be pulled from counties that don’t follow the sanctuary guidelines. He said that some counties are creating resolutions to declare they are NOT sanctuary counties. County Counsel said 48 out of 58 counties were designated sanctuary counties.  He said the sheriffs’ association is working on this. Rose Buzzetta asked if ICE notifies the sheriff when they are in town.  Todd Johns said they often do but they don’t have to.
 
Presentation by Fire Safe Council (go to minute 24:30 to watch slide presentation)
Chair, Sally McGowan explained that the Fire Safe Council is the umbrella for five programs.  She explained each program, how they are funded and what they do. She invites everyone to attend the Fire Safe Council meetings – they meet the second Thursday of the month at the basement room in school district office at 9 a.m.
 
Updates and Reports
Engie Project Update – Nick Collin, Facilities – reported that the LED lighting portion of the project is complete and Engie is now working of the solar portion of the project. He said Engie has stopped all work other than the lighting and solar because of the changes we have made to the contract. They are amenable to changing the contract.  Now we are working with KNN financing consultants to see what our steps forward are to modify the financial agreements.  Nick projects that we can save $2 million with the changes he has suggested.
Forest Service report – most campgrounds are opening.  Fire crews and Hot Shots getting ready for fire season.  Ryan Bauer, forest fuel officer is retiring.
Martee Nieman, Auditor – update on Munis payroll system.  Use of the system is delayed again due to a county HR staff person leaving and a new  Munis project manager  coming on board.  New date for beginning using Munis is October 1st.
 
Department Matters
3.C.1)Treasurer, Julie White – Investment reporting is up to date through March 2025.  She said she is moving forward with the Treasury Oversight Committee. Tom McGowan asked exactly what progress she’s made on the oversight committee.  Julie said she’s hesitant to move forward until she has investment authority.  Mimi Hall said “we are in a precarious position” until we give investment authority to the treasurer.  Currently that authority is with the BOS.  Julie said her hands are tied and yet she is charged with creating the oversight committee and investment policy. The resolution to renew the Treasurer Tax Collector’s authority  to invest county funds passed unanimously. After the fact, reporter Jane Braxton Little asked it has taken so long for the BOS to grant the authority.  Julie responded that there had been concerns over delayed investment reporting but that the topic of giving her authority had come up several times on the BOS agenda.  She said Jane could go back and watch those recordings and told her where to locate them. Mimi said it’s time to move forward.  Julie stated “we’re all trying to move forward.”  Investment authority was unanimously granted to Julie White.
 
3.E.1) Public Hearing Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones – Tracey Ferguson, Planning Director. Office of State Fire Marshall has put out a hazard map for the areas of our county that are considered local responsibility (rather than State responsibility).   (Go to 1 hour 30 minutes to watch this public hearing)  This issues is confusing and also, really, a done deal.  We, the county, can only change the State designated hazard areas in the direction of making them more severe, not less so.  Cal Fire and Quincy Fire department were present. They expressed concern that the designations leave no room for the local community to revise or change in any way.  It was stated several times that the only recourse for any change would be through contacting the legislators.  From what I can understand these are the key things to know: 1) The hazard designation has only to do with wildland fires and topography and the natural “hazard” it poses, NOT with fire “risks” which can be mitigated by home owners.  2) The LRA applies to unincorporated areas of the county which are NOT in state or federally managed areas. Meadow Valley, for example, is not an LRA (local responsibility area) – it is a SRA (state responsibility area) due to being surrounded by forest service maintained land. And 3) Today’s Public Hearing is merely following protocol.  While citizens can make comments and express concern there is not a mechanism for changing the LRA.
 
Map of Quincy and East Quincy LRA (use the zoom feature to locate your home)  https://www.plumascounty.us/DocumentCenter/View/50700/FHSZ_County_PlumasCo_Quincy_EastQuincy_LRA?bidId=
 
Attached is Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s letter which speaks to concerns about the new LRA hazard designations affecting insurance.
 
And here is the Planning Department link for all the LRA information - https://www.plumascounty.us/3354/LRA-Fire-Hazard-Severity-Zones-FHSZ-Map
 
The final decision today was to bring the topic back for a public hearing on June 10th as planned – to adopt the ordinance but to attach to it an associated letter expressing our thoughts and concerns.  County Counsel was charged with drafting such a letter.
 
Auditor Martee Nieman said the 2022-23 financial audit is progressing. The departments are working on a preliminary budget when she will present to the board at the June 10th meeting.
 
Human Resources – Josh Mizrahi presented to the board a request to move forward with a salary survey to be done by RGS – in phases.  Total cost of $154,000. There was much discussion. Concern was expressed about the need for an outside entity to do this rather than in house.  Concern also about the cost.  I came to understand that the method used by our county prior to now has been that department heads approach HR requesting a salary survey for their department.  HR can agree or deny the request.  HR then does the survey.  This is an undesirable  way to do it because it depends upon the initiations of department heads and the approval of HR.  And then, of course, there was the recent litigation of the former HR director regarding fraudulent survey results.  For these reason the county is looking to have the survey done by an outside entity. Today was only about presenting a proposal.  Next step would be a contract and fee schedule.  Mimi made an amended motion for Josh to gather more information and bring this back to the board. This was agreed by all.  Linda Margaretic suggested the board draft a county-wide policy with timelines that all departments would follow regarding salary surveys.
 
Diana Dreiss, via zoom, who had not been able to get her comments in at the beginning of the meeting read the findings of Senator Ron Johnson’s covid vaccine hearing.   
 
Closed Session
A.B.  and D.    No reportable action
C.A bill for $8,700 was agreed to be paid
 
Next meeting of BOS is a special meeting in Greenville, Friday, June 6th 10 a.m. at Greenville High School library. Here’s the link to watch the meeting or the recorded meeting:  https://www.plumascounty.us/2442/Agendas-and-Minutes
 
 
Additional Information
Shannon Lawson’s recent post on Plumas Ponderings.  Learn about the Civil Grand Jury.
https://plumasponderings.substack.com/p/civil-grand-jury-service-in-california?utm_source=publication-search
 
Thursday, June 19th Supervisor Town Hall 6:30 to 8:30 at Quincy Library Community Room.  Topic – Strategic Plan
 
Also attached is an article about the Wolf Problems in Northern California.  This has been an ongoing topic of concern for the BOS, particularly the constituents of Supervisor Dwight Ceresola in Sierra Valley.