Board of Supervisors Meeting | 8.19.2025

by | Sep 10, 2025 | Economic Development, Get Involved, Stay Informed, Your Opinion Matters

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This board meeting included one presentation, updates from our CAO, department heads, and Supervisors. The board addressed seventeen items on the Consent Calendar, five items under County Matters, and three under Closed Session.The presentation focused on Child Support Services.

A. PRESENTATIONS

A.1. Child Support Services – Adopt a proclamation of appreciation which recognizes North Coast Regional Child Support for their continued commitment to the children and families of Trinity County in light of the National Child Support Awareness Month of August. No fiscal impact. 

  • The board approved this proclamation as presented and presented it to staff.
B. PUBLIC COMMENT
  • Information shared about an event to help people understand how to enter the legal cannabis program. Also, the board was asked to review a change in the direction of staff resources to address notices of violations. Her company has 30 applications ready for staff review. Also noted an appeal of a Planning Commission’s decision that should be on a board agenda as soon as possible.
  • Additional support provided for the previous comments
C. REPORTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS

C.1. Report from Department Heads

  • Liz Hamilton | Director of Health & Human Services Agency
    • Shared that the integration of Behavioral Health is going very well.
    • Shared information about the Homeland Security grant, noting that the funding is earmarked for specific uses. 35% is earmarked for terrorism prevention.
    • Explained the process for approval of planned purchases using these funds.
    • Over $500,000 has been channeled into our volunteer fire departments during the time that our Office of Emergency Services has been under her supervision.
  • Sheriff Saxon
    • Shared a positive report regarding the Jail following a recent inspection.
    • Highlighted two team members who performed very well during the inspection.
    • Recognized the contributions of our CAO and members of the Health & Human Services Agency in supporting Jail Health operations.
    • Mentioned staffing progress and hopes to get deputies back out in more remote county areas.
    • Working toward the installation of fixed-location automatic license plate recognition devices.

C.2. Report from County Administrative Officer

  • RCRC Jail Medical Services Group Meeting – researching the costs of a study of best practices for the operation of detention facilities.
  • November Special Election – if this becomes a reality, we will need to quickly support this election focused on districting. Funding for this initiative is uncertain.
  • Collision Avoidance Training – “Five Keys” – members of staff who regularly operate county vehicles attended this training.
  • Budget – plan to release the budget book no later than September 7th – 8th

C.3. Reports from Members of the Board of Supervisors

  • District 1 | Ric Leutwyler
    • NoRTEC – finalized recommendations for the new Executive Director that will be presented to the board on August 28th.
    • SCED – board meeting last week in Redding.
    • Tourism – met with leaders of several TBID organizations and with the leader of a digital marketing agency that provides online marketing services to several TBID organizations.
  • District 2 | Jill Cox
    • Not Present
  • District 3 | Liam Gogan
    • No out-of-county travel
    • PATH Meeting – open house taking place in September.
    • Promoted attendance at upcoming community plan meetings
    • Water flow increases to support the Hoopa Boat Dance celebration.
  • District 4 | Heidi Carpenter-Harris
    • Community Forest Meeting
    • VOAD Meeting
    • Community Meeting in Hyampom – roads remain the highest priority.
    • LAFCO Meeting
    • Community Wildfire Defense Grant Meeting
    • Shared dates for Community
    • No out-of-county travel
  • District 5 | Julia Brownfield
    • Post Mountain PUD Meeting – progress is being made.
    • No out-of-county travel
    • Requested a visit by Cody Smith to speak about new housing-related ordinances.

 

D. CONSENT CALENDAR
  • Public Comment
    • Requested additional information regarding the costs of the community plan meetings represented by item D4
    • Additional support is provided for the previous comments, which raised concerns about the potential for cannabis program dollars to be used to fund these meetings.
  • Items D4 and D16 were pulled for additional discussion.
  • The board approved all remaining items on the consent calendar as presented.

 

D.4. Community Development – Planning – Approve amendment number 3 to the agreement with Mintier Harnish, increasing the cost by $50,520 to provide facilitation of the additional community workshops for the General Plan Update. An additional $50,520 from the General Plan Update fund.

  • CAO Tuthill shared information regarding this matter. Details regarding the costs and the source of funding were included in the backup material.
  • The board approved this matter as presented.

D.16. Transportation – Amendment number 1 to the Memorandum of Understanding with Cal Fire for Conservation Crew Services increasing the maximum cost by $50,000, extending the term and ratifying the Director of Transportation’s signature on the Cal Fire documents. Increase in maximum agreement cost from $25,000 to $75,000, funded by Airport and Road funds.

  • CAO Tuthill shared information regarding this matter.
  • The board approved this matter as presented
E. COUNTY MATTERS

E.1. Transportation – Receive a presentation from the Department of Transportation Director on operations. No fiscal impact.

  • Panos Kokkas | Director of Transportation – shared a presentation
  • Part One: what we do, who is doing it, our workload, how we pay for it
    • 692 miles – 166 eligible for federal aid, 526 miles of local roads
    • 462 paved, 230 non-paved
    • DOT Road Workers are first responders for snow removal, downed trees, slides, etc.
    • The equipment is old, and there are limits on allowable use. CARB regulations call for the limited use and replacement of older equipment
      • Fire & Law Enforcement do not have to comply with CARB regulations!
    • Repair road surfaces, culverts, install pavement markings, maintain equipment, provide engineering services, provide transit services (including free transportation of students to/from Shasta College), and support general aviation airports.
    • Many community roads began as mule trails that were widened into roads. These are very different from roads constructed in more urban areas, where engineering specifies the right amount of base, ideal drainage and retention, etc.
    • Impact of Traffic – One bus = 969 cars or pickups
    • Staffing – DOT has 48 allocated positions. 13 of these positions are vacant
      • Funding is the biggest barrier to filling these positions.
    • Disaster Damage Repairs
      • 2016 to 2025 | 225+ sites, $150 million estimated cost of repair
      • Scheduled Capital Improvement Plans – $4.2 million
      • $41 million of the required work is not covered by federal funding
    • Funding
      • Fuel Excise Tax
        • 4.6% Federal
        • 9.0% State Highways
        • 38.2% Counties
        • 47.7% Cities
      • 64% goes to State
      • 36% to Cities & Counties
        • Of this, 18% goes to counties – based 25% on maintained miles and 75% of registered vehicles
        • Road funds can only be spent for roads that are part of the approved maintained miles.
      • Total Road Related Funds
        • Funds come via several sources. Each source has its own set of use criteria
        • Projected Revenue – $14,659,742
        • Projected Expense – $16,805,096
        • Capital Improvement Projects make up $4.2 million of these funds.
        • Storm Damage Only
          • Projected Revenue = $4,840,660
          • Projected Expense = $6,274,566
      • With only 18,347 vehicles, we receive a very small fraction (.0005463) of available funds.
        • Example: out of $1 million that goes to counties, we receive $3,058.93
      • Other Funds
        • $1.2 million for Local Transportation
        • Obtained $5.9 million in federal funds via a competitive grant
      • Secure Rural Schools Funding – our county lost over $1 million because congress did not approve this last fiscal year. It has also not been approved yet for the current fiscal year.
      • Allocation of Funds across districts
        • Weaverville Crew – works in districts 1, 2, 3, and 4. 40.82% of funds
        • Hayfork Crew – works in districts 3, 4, and 5. 12.45% of funds
        • Ruth Crew – works in district 5. 46.73% of funds
      • Trends
        • Vehicle miles traveled is increasing while gas consumption per mile driven is decreasing.
      • Timing
        • Example of one Hayfork Bridge that has been tied up with NEPA (environmental studies) for 10 years.
        • Damage can take place after the storm that is then not covered by state/federal funding for storm damage. Example – the freezing and thawing can cause more significant damage after the deadline for reporting damage to be covered.
  • Part Two: Disaster Damage Approval & Repairs
    • Active Slides – Shared LIDAR images taken after fires in the southern part of county – showing significant slide activity.
    • Hyampom Road
      • Shared images of a significant slide in the Hyampom area. This is the only way in and out of this community.
      • Working with USFS to enhance a forest service road to the point where it could provide ingress/egress for this community of access via Hyampom Road is cutoff this Winter.
      • Also preparing for the challenges of plowing this road during the Winter when snow up to 6’ can be expected.
    • Storm Damage Repair Funding – there are many stages/requirements for which FEMA reimbursement is not available

E.2. Board of Supervisors – Adopt revised bylaws for the Tourism Development Advisory Board. No fiscal impact. These changes do not result in any additional expenditures.

  • Public Comment
  • Comments in opposition of the TBID initiative. Shared concerns of changes in the planned use of funds. Indicated that she has not received information regarding the TBID. Suggests that all TOT funds be directed to the General Fund, not to this Tourism Development Advisory Board. Suggested creating a database of lodging business owners – with focus on vacation rental organizations.
  • Additional concerns shared regarding the use of staff for this initiative.
  • Comments offered in support of the previously stated concerns.
  • The board approved this matter as presented.

E.3. Community Development – Planning – Approve a budget adjustment for FY 24/25 for Planning – Dept 2800 – decreasing Revenues by $103,474, Salary and Benefits by $27,938, Services and Supplies by $34,000, Interfund Expenses by $400, and Other Charges by $1,020, and approve a budget adjustment for FY 24/25 for General Fund Contingency – Dept 9901 decreasing Provisions for Contingency by $40,116. Increase in General Fund appropriations in the amount of $40,116; current contingency balance is $354,391.

  • Drew Plebani | Interim Planning Director presented this matter
  • The board approved this matter as presented.

E.4. Community Development – Planning – Discuss topics for upcoming Community Plan meetings and receive direction from the Board of Supervisors. No impact to the General Fund.

  • Drew Plebani | Interim Planning Director presented this matter
  • The board was asked to provide direction to staff regarding the subject matter of upcoming community meetings
  • The result of Planning Commission review of this matter resulted in the following area:
    • Review of Community Vision Statements
    • Review of Land Use Maps – focus on village and unclassified
    • Input on land use priorities, etc.
    • Input on development priorities – focus on mixed use and dwelling density
  • Suggests that the cannabis-related matters be handled separately.
  • Public Comment
    • Comments regarding land use should include reference to commercial cannabis as a form of agriculture. Feels that environmental studies would need to be conducted to support any limitations on cannabis that go beyond limitations on other forms of agriculture. Feels that the EIR completed for the commercial cannabis program provides sufficient information regarding cannabis.
    • Support for previous comments. Concern that general plan dollars are being used for what he believes is an effort to limit economic development in the form of commercial cannabis.
    • Shared concerns about the use of overlay zones. Mentioned that a Junction City resident asked him to note that cannabis is not mentioned in their community plan since comments were submitted. Proposed alternatives to methods being discussed.
    • Shared concerns that more notice be provided for community meetings. Wonders why the North Lake area was split for community plan purposes. Feels that cannabis affects  all in the county and should be discussed by all the county, vs via individual communities.
    • Shared uncertainty as to why cannabis seems to be singled out for limitations when it is an important economic driver for the county. Feels that county representatives are still acting like cannabis is illegal.
  • The board supported the recommendation of staff and planning commission.

 

E.5. County Administrative Office – Approve a budget adjustment for FY 24/25 for CDBG Grants – Dept 1970 increasing Transfers In by $136,100; approve a budget adjustment for FY 24/25 for Contributions to Others – Dept 1990 increasing Transfer Out by $136,100; and approve a budget adjustment for FY 24/25 for General Fund Contingency – Dept 9901 decreasing Provisions for Contingency by $136,100. Increase in General Fund appropriations in the amount of $136,100; current cash balance in CDBG Grants – Fund 182 is $134,676.62; current Contingency balance is $314,275 (after the previous budget adjustment).

  • CAO Tuthill presented this matter
  • This item is focused on eliminated negative debt for which we are paying negative interest.
  • Recommend use of available contingency fund for this purpose.
  • The board approved this matter as presented.

 

Closed Session Report
  • Direction to staff was provided on both items handled in the previous closed session.

 

F. CLOSED SESSION

Public Comment

  • Believes that the county is setting themselves up for class action law suits with the way we treat commercial cannabis
  • Suggestion that the county pursue training focused on how not to get sued.

 

F.1. Government Code Section 54954.5(b) – Real Property Negotiations Property: 450 Oregon Street Agency Negotiators: Trent Tuthill Under Negotiations: Price and Terms of Escrow

  • Direction given to staff

 

F.2. Government Code Section 54954.5(c) – Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation No. of Cases: Three

  • National Prescription Opiate Litigation, Case No. 1:17-md-02804-DAP, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
  • Purdue Pharma L.P., et al, Case No. 19-23649, pending in the United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York.
  • Estate of Joshua Garbutt, Stacy Pohlmeyer and Brian Garbutt vs Trinity County, Case No: 2:24-vc-01275-DMC
  • Direction given to staff

 

F.3. Government Code Section 54954.5(f) – Labor Negotiations County’s Designated Representatives: Margaret Long, Laila Cassis, Elizabeth Hamilton and Suzie Hawkins

Employee Organizations:

  • IHSS and Probation Peace Officers Association
  • Direction given to staff

 

ADJOURN