By Roger Gitlin – EYE ON DEL NORTE – April 21, 2022
Translated from Latin: You give me something: I’ll give you something.
Quid Pro Quo is alive and well in Del Norte County and is particularly well-functioning between the Yurok Tribal Council, the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors and Gov. Newsom and State Senator Mike McGuire.
The newest Supervisor-appointee has come off the line and immediately stumbled.
Here’s the chronology:
* Supervisor Berkowitz passes away in February.
* Yurok Tribal member Susan Masten joins four other candidates for the now-vacant Supervisor seat to finish off the rest of Berkowitz’ two years in Office.
* After the candidate filing deadline, in mid-March, Masten is appointed to serve through January 2, 2023. The field of five candidates, one must have 50% plus ONE vote to prevail as the duly-elected Supervisor until December 31, 2024.
*State Senator Mike McGuire holds a Town Hall on the Homelessness Crisis and declares 150 homelessness projects will be built in the next two years in the six Northcoast counties. The Senator also refers to the need for homeless housing for Yurok Tribal members.
*Govenor Newsom announces a $2.2 million Homekey project for the Yurok Tribe. The Project will be situated in Klamath Glen.
* It is learned that Supervisor Masten (and husband) are selling their Steelhead Lodge/Restaurant to the Yurok Tribal Council/Yurok Housing Authority with funds given them by the State.
Susan Masten states she has no knowledge of the impending transaction and referred me to the Yurok Indian Housing Authority. One must ask oneself how can one sell one’s property and not know anything about the transaction. No one is fooled by these pale protests of ignorance.
Folks, this is the very definition of Quid Pro Quo and a direct conflict of interest for the Supervisor.
Since there are just EIGHT units available for purchase, it unknown if the $2.2 million will be utilized for additional construction. It’s also unknown at this time if the Lodge restaurant will be a future kitchen facility.
Homeowners in the Glen, about 50+ parcels, will not have a say on this Homekey project. Yurok Housing Authority and at least two Tribal Councilmembers have been sharing a not-so private ultimatum: Accept it (Homekey) or move.
*What is known the new Homekey project will be available to YUROK Tribal members, ONLY.
* The Glen is situated five miles from Klamath proper. Wrap-around services do not exist in the Glen or Klamath.
*The very complicit and complacent Board of Supervisors will say and do nothing to stop this nonsense including Supervisor Masten’s glaring conflict of interest. There is no question certain members of the BOS had and currently have aforementioned knowledge of the events leading to our accurate outcomes. I will identify shortly, the two Supervisors who have been briefed and greased by Newsom, McGuire and fellow Utopians.
I remind you, the funds to purchase housing shelter for Yurok Tribal members come from the State of California General Fund. That’s your tax dollars, folks.
This is an evolving story.
Rewind…
Do you know for a fact that the 2.2 million was used to buy Steelhead? Do you know for a fact that housing will be built in that area? Did Crooked David Jones weigh in on this.
If you have facts about the aforementioned article you need to give those facts otherwise this is all speculation Roger.
Where can the FACTS be verified?
Linda, unless they are talking about the motel at the Casino, what other ten room motel is there in the Glen. And, yes a $2.2 million Project Home Key Grant has been awarded to the Yurok Housing Authority for the purchase of a motel in Klamath Glen for the purpose of housing the homeless. Unless you can name another potential motel in the Glen, that only leaves the Steelhead Lodge.
When I first reported the story about the ten room “motel” in Klamath being converted to Project Home Key, I couldn’t think of any other lodging facility in the Glenn except for the Steelhead Lodge. Sorry to see that landmark going down for this kind of travesty. Nice job, Susan. More solid business acumen displayed by the esteemed “business owners”, the Mastens. And this is what we got sitting in for Bob Berkowitz for the next nine months?
There is also Creveli’s Motel and Restaurant. That was the place I initially thought of for the purchase. But it could be Steelhead Lodge. It will be interesting to find out which one.
Cravelli’s is not really “in” the Glen. It’s back up the road a bit towards Klamath Township.
Sorry for the misspelled name, but I don’t recall there being a motel there, just a few RV spaces. Correct me if I am wrong.
I think Creveli’s has a small motel attached to their bar/restaurant. As to it not being in the Glen, I think that “Klamath Glen” refers to everything along Hi 169 from the 101 junction to the airport. Anyway, it will be interesting to learn if the purchase was for Creveli’s or Steelhead Lodge.