![]() ![]() ![]() | |||
![]() |
Opinion and Commentary by Samuel Strait – July 12, 2024
It is often difficult to judge what exactly it is that will fill the Board of Supervisors meetings with outraged citizens. Having sat through the entirety of many such meetings over the past few years, I, myself, and a few others who are private citizens are more often out numbered by employees of the local government by a wide margin. Apathy reins supreme more often than naught in the local Board room inspite of the fact that our local Board by votes of 5-0 regularly commit the local taxpayer to millions in misspent tax dollars in theory to “make our lives better”. I am never sure whether or not the five members even listen to their respective constituents any longer as too much is spent with no apparent reason other than just to spend money because it happens to find its way on their agenda. Once there, it is rarely questioned, and never put to the test of what it hopes to accomplish for how many and how much.
![](https://crescentcitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/BOS-May-24.jpg)
The July 9th meeting of the Board of Supervisors was such a meeting. Chairs filled with the Public, an under current of suppressed rage, illegal fireworks the topic and a “Public Comment Period” full of “finger pointing”. More on that later. First, another hire by the County, Board reports, then on to another rubber stamping of the Consent Agenda. The Consent Agenda was a paltry fifteen items nine of which emanated from the Department Of Health And Human Services. Once again the Board was asked the question, “how are members of the Public expected to comment on loaded Consent Agendas, fifteen items this time, twenty six at the previous meeting, in three minutes? A request was made to the Board to consider changing this policy. Now we will see if they are listening. The Agenda itself, was a laundry list of contracts and plans, all costing the taxpayers thousands of dollars with no rational for why any were necessary. Quickly dispatched 5-0.
On to the “vital” paving projects at the Veteran’s Hall and the Sheriff’s station. It appears to consume $387,000 of Measure “R” money. While there was a brief discussion as to whether or not the County could accomplish the task at a lesser cost. The suggestion was quickly put to rest with, the County has the equipment for the job, but not the man power, and besides, it costs more than $300,000 and by regulation must be put out to bid. Looks like the County doesn’t really need a Maintenance and Roads Department with that attitude. Nor the County Engineer. Save some money and contract it all out? Then again, what is so “vital” about the Veterans Hall Parking lot, or the Sheriff’s for that matter? Another example of the fraud within the County’s expenditure of Measure “R” money. Vital anyone?
Thirty or more locals showed up to “rake the Board over the coals” following the mishap that occurred on the evening of the Fourth of July. Fourteen people were injured on South Beach after fireworks exploded on the crowded Beach. A child was seriously injured. For years this kind of unregulated and poorly monitored activity has dominated the local Fourth of July. It has attracted thousands of people each and every summer for decades and poured countless dollars into local pockets. Up to the current year the County and the City have dodged the bullet of a major accident until now. While there is plenty of blame to go around, now is the time to see if the current Board is listening, and what will happen going forward. In the past, there isn’t much evidence that the Board is filled with listeners which often results in them only hearing what they want to hear. if they hear anything at all. The voting record of this Board does not inspire much in the way of hope.
Public Comment was followed by a flashy report on the state of the Border Coast Regional Airport Authority. None of which addresses the current problems that the Airport currently has, a short runway, an Oakland destination, less than ten thousand enplanements per year, the Medford Airport, and the convoluted new service to Hawthorne in the LA region. These few items make Crescent City particularly uninviting to regular passenger flying in and out of Jack McNamara Field. We will see if Supervisor Howard’s claim that enplanement was up 50% since Advanced Air took over, or whether we will see yet another carrier try their luck a couple of years down the road.
Moving on. A Board of Equalization item and a lame report on the County’s Strategic Plan. Quarterly we are told. Most of the attendees have left. A short discussion about putting the Ambulance service up for bid. Not many minds on the Board changed since taking this action earlier in the Spring. 3-2 vote to spend $50,000 to $150,000 taxpayer dollars to fund the adventure, likely to end with the same service we have now. A limit of $300,000 was placed on this futile expense based on the fire departments inferiority complex. Short, Borges, and Starkey leading the futility. After all it is only the taxpayer’s dime. Is anyone listening at all?
An update on the County’s grift to the Federal Government. Money for the County Jail. Not enough to do the entire job, well short of the total estimate. I’m sure the County can find some other way to tap the taxpayer to cover the rest. The critical and vital need to refurbish Pyke’s Field, more money for the Veteran’s Hall, a maybe later, and no money for the South Beach entrance to Town. Wonder where Last Chance Grade figures in all this. What a line up, vital to the needs of the County’s population? Two hours and forty five minutes and we are at the end. One more Board Meeting this month then over to Medford to fly away.
Any free thinking reasonable person who would read the Consent Agenda, board reports, and contracts would realize the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Consent Agenda propels Governor Newsom’s sanctuary of lawlessness and free checks. Spending money without tangible results while increasing run away inflation and making California working families vacate because of unobtainable real estate.
As far as voting: WE”RE SCREWED WHILE NEWSOM MAKES LAWS!
AND, The Board of Supervisors continue consenting 5-0!
Sam, if you haven’t noticed by now (and I’m sure you haven’t), you and Branden are the only two people complaining about the consent agenda. Not the greatest company to have on your side. That means the other ~27,000 county residents don’t have an issue with it. Your constant whining about the time limit is a personal highlight for me each meeting. If you had any critical thinking skills you’d realize that the board isn’t seeing these items for the first time at the meeting. They have plenty of time before meetings to review and ask questions when necessary. Your lack of comprehension doesn’t mean they lack the same.
Grow up, grouch.
Bob, there are a whole host of people in this town that are woefully unhappy with the consent agenda for three main reasons. 1.) Only 3 minutes to comment on the ENTIRE consent agenda, and 2.) we (the public)
do not know about the meetings that were held prior to the BOS meeting wherein that consent agenda item is rubber stamped nearly every time. 3.) Even requests to remove items from the consent agenda for discussion are usually ignored. And lastly, I understand people are leaving Del Norte County left and right bringing our population down in the 26,000 range.
Thanks to Sam Strait’s consistency in attending BOS meetings, that means a whole lot of us don’t have to be bored and aggravated when we look at our Supervisors spending taxpayers dollars and not seeming to care enough to answers questions or offer an alternative to the “3 minute public comment” rule. 26 items is outrageous on a consent agenda!
Why are people leaving Del Norte County right and left?
Sam Strait writes: “The current population as of census bureau data is 26,066. We are projected to be around 23,000 by 2030. We have seen about a 2% drop every year since 2020. In 2010 the population was 28,553. It fluctuated between that and 27,500, then began a rather steep decline mostly due to the policies of the Newsom administration and the Democrat control of the legislation. Nearly all counties in California have experienced similar declines in the past four years and are expecting it to continue through the rest of the decade. Washington and Oregon are experiencing similar exoduses. Liberal government policies at their finest.”
Other people have responded: “Taxes too high and too many. Insurance costs rising.” “Public Education is unsatisfactory/unacceptable.”
The population decrease could also be from older people “aging out” of Del Norte County because of frequent referrals for medical care out of the area. I do not seeing myself staying in Del Norte County for that very reason.
2500 in less than four years?
Other than unresolved murders or simply not being charged with murder, the lack of services we pay taxes on such as police, and the mere fact you have to drive to Medford or Eureka to buy nice shoes or clothing, not to mention not enough doctors, dentists, eye doctors. Lastly, the prison population went from 3500 to about 1500 today.
Hi Bob, Glad to see I made your day. I see you claim to be a world class expert in the intricacies of the Consent Agenda and all content found within. If you would be so kind as to reveal your contact information, I will be happy to let you take over and explain the contents of every Consent Agenda item going forward. It shouldn’t take all that much time on your part, after all, you have the entirety of three whole minutes. Good luck. The ball is in your court. Let’s see if you can compound on your stupidity.
Dear battery operated boyfriend, aka BOB. First and foremost the BOS are suppose to report out on these meetings they attend and it appears they only report out what they think the public wants to hear. Borges doesn’t report out at all. At the very least the Clerk should write in the date the meeting was held discussing the agenda items to demonstrate to the public they were discussed. Especially when taxpayer funds are utilized. You should be concerned about that unless you’re one of the wealthier residents living in Del Norte and money isn’t an issue nor is lack of police service. We don’t attend these meetings because we want to. We attend these meetings to hold our elected accountable something you don’t understand to well. The last meeting I placed the board on notice because tax revenue was involved with Smith River Fire District and the County. That should have been thoroughly vetted out in the public because the Smith River Fire District is in numerous violations of the Brown Act. You seem to forget we the people are responsible for running things not a few elected. You call it whining. How unfortunate that you demonstrate you are one of the 66% who suffers from illiteracy according to Del Norte Unified School District. It is people like you who complain when you have no understanding about local government and their corruption practices that have occurred for years to the point they think they’re doing the rightful honest thing. I call it the twilight zone.
What do you expect? The Mar 5th county election got roughly a 35% turnout. On YouTube the BOS meeting on Jul 9th got 1.2k views (really high probably because of fireworks); Jun 25, 522 views: Jun 11, 270 views. The City’s Jul 1 got 120 views. Measure R on Jun 17 got 40 views and Measure S on Nov 14 got 7 views.
Heard on radio this morning what % of CA voters turnout, don’t recall but it was really low.
Don’t know why, think it’s called “apathy.”
Bingo great statistics. The past election turnout was bad. Out of 26,000 people only 12,000 are registered voters. Out of 12,000 voters approximately 6,000 voted. Keep in mind the voter base has not been updated in years. Out of 3,000 registered voters in district 5 at least 500 or more no longer lived in the area.