By Branden Bieber – March 27, 2023
Tuesday’s March 28th Board of Supervisors Agenda will not disappoint Del Norte County residents who promote decreasing the standard of living in Del Norte County. Besides writing letters of recommendation, the Board displays an inability to promote any action other than what’s sanctioned through Sacramento’s Legislative long arm.
23 Items on Tuesday March 28th’s Board of Supervisor meeting. That does not include the closed session items and a growing list of litigation the County finds itself defending. Starting with numbered topics in the consent agenda. #1, previous minute’s approval, then #2 Child Abuse and the consent of abusing our youth. In item #3, the County will let Little League maintain Pyke’s Park, although they will still charge the non-profit a hefty rental fee.
Agenda items #4, #9, and #16 discuss the County’s “Housing Elements” and State requirements dictating homeless, and no-income housing requirements that have a negative effect on the standard of living in Del Norte.
Department of Health and Human Services is recommending 5 Agenda items be approved. Including six new positions, and two new job title classification. Agenda item #6 is an amendment to double the $100,000 budget for the contracts remaining three month and funds the unexpected increase in Narcotic Treatment Services. #7, more money to fund HASP and a contract that does not have a contract dollar amount. Only a few month’s left on that contract. #14, a support letter from the director advocating AB 1057. Then out of the consent agenda, and into budget transfers to allocate an additional $289,734.00 to further fund the increase in drug dependency.
Friends of Del Norte make an appearance in agenda item 8, and claim the Smith River Water district could be susceptible to arsenic and metal ore in domestic water as a result of legacy mines in Del Norte.
#10, allows the Sheriff to acknowledge good service in the department.
#11, and more Friends of Del Norte and it’s partnership with Smith River alliance.
#12, and #13 try to distinguish which one of several natural disaster emergencies the County has recently declared to solicit funds. One emergency over, that leaves only two remaining for the County.
#17, more Emergency Services needed. This approval will fund a plan to make a plan to improve communication services for emergency personnel. In the end, we’ll be paying for just a plan!
Then one regular item #19, to give all County employees a 2.5% raise. County employees deserve the raise, what is skeptical is that Administration just got raises. Further increasing the pay discrepancy throughout the salary structure.
Ending the agenda with a few items irrelevant of action. #21, a letter of opposition to AB 742. #22, a letter of support allowing the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation to adequately improve their infrastructure. And finally, ending with agenda item #23. Recommendation on Measure R funds being used to resolve our “critical” and “new” asphalt projects for the County.
Sorry no progress to report.
Go to this link to see agenda: Regular Session • Agenda Portal • CivicClerk
Although this read is ambiguous, vague, and unclear of what the writer is writing about, there is a very nefarious issue surrounding the Board of Supervisors.
The main issue is Darrin Short and lack of transparency.
Darrin Short made it clear at the last meeting that the Supervisors do not have to report out. What does that mean?
Throughout the month Supervisors attend several meetings. When they gather at the Supervisors meeting it is their time to inform the public as well as each other what the meetings were about. They have to by law discuss in open forum points of interest of the meetings they attended. Because they can’t call each other without it being considered a serial meeting and keeping it from the public, which is a Brown Act violation.
The only thing Darrin Short has going for himself is the fact we have a do nothing District Attorney who will not enforce Brown Act violations much less enforce misappropriation of the peoples money simply because it is not her jam. However she will prosecute you to the letter of the law if you’re republican and falsify your candidacy papers. Jokes on us.
Until the people of Del Norte start taking an active roll in getting these people out of their positions Del Norte will never change and will remain what it is.