Supervisor Mulheren: “September 19: At the Great Redwood Trail Agency Meeting in Healdsburg we received a presentation by the consultant about the Master Plan Process for the Great Redwood Trail.”
Response: But when we went to Doug Bosco’s Coastal Conservancy website we found that the “master plan process” emphasis on “process” not the actual plan — is running late.
“Key Dates:
Request for Proposals Released: 3/16/22
Proposals Due to Coastal Conservancy: 4/26/22
Reviews/Interviews/Contract Negotiation: May
Estimated Start of Work: June 1, 2022
* * *
Mulheren: “September 22 — I had the opportunity to meet and discuss what the potential options are for the Palace Hotel and the benefits to the community. I know this has been discussed before but it’s still very exciting to think about the possible benefits to the Ukiah Valley. It would great to see the sale of the building to a new owner with the vision to finally move this project forward.”
Response: Last we heard the building had already been sold to “a new owner with the vision to finally move this project forward” back in April. Has that already fallen through? The Ukiah public had its hopes up! What happened?
Unbelievably, Sheriff Kendall’s Lawsuit (or whatever he calls it, an attorney request?) against the county is still pending, on appeal. The case is on the Board’s closed session agenda for next Tuesday. And:
(From the California Association of Counties, CSAC, website, as of September 1. Note that CSAC has sided with the Supervisors without explaining why, probably a pro forma stance without much examination of the background.)
“Kendall v. Superior Court (Mendocino County Board of Supervisors)
Pending in the First Appellate District (filed Mar. 8, 2022)(A164676) Status: Awaiting Briefing Schedule To Be Set
“This case started as a dust up between the Sheriff and the County over a proposal to either consolidate the Sheriff’s separate information technology system into the County’s IT infrastructure, or alternatively to assume responsibility for the operation and management of the Sheriff’s IT infrastructure. The Sheriff opposed the consolidation and submitted a request to the Board of Supervisors under Government Code section 31000.6 seeking separate counsel. Ultimately the Board dropped the consolidation proposal and concluded there was no conflict of interest on the operational issues but did agree to hire counsel selected by the Board for limited purposes of helping the Sheriff craft a response to an AG’s request on the issue. The Sheriff filed an action in superior court asking the court whether there was a conflict of interest as defined by section 31000.6, and if so, to appoint counsel independently selected by the court to advise on those issues. The trial court declined to appoint counsel for the Sheriff, and the Sheriff has appealed. CSAC will file a brief in support of the Mendocino Board of Supervisors.”
Mendo’s Payroll Processing, which was transferred from the Auditor’s office to the CEO’s office in August on grounds that the Auditor was understaffed and Supervisor Ted Williams was worried about it, will now cost the County an additional $100k for outside consulting “assistance” for the next few months (plus some other budget stuff, apparently).
Consent Item 3j: “Approval of Agreement with ClientFirst Consulting Group DBA ClientFirst Technology Consulting in the Amount of $100,000, to Assist with Payroll Processing Project Management, Provide Project Oversight for Recurring Munis Improvements, and Initiate and Plan for Munis Improvements in 2022 through 2023, Effective Upon Full Execution through June 30, 2023.
Farming Out The Ag Commissioner
Mendocino County has seen a parade of relatively short-term Ag Commissioners come and go after the retirement of long-time Commissioner Dave Bengston in 2009. Since then we’ve had:
Tony Linegar, a good guy who quit to take a bigger job in Sonoma County.
Chuck Morse whose departure after a few years we don’t know anything about. He apparently resigned, returned for another short period, and then resigned again. Mr. Morse also had a hand in the pot permit program for a while. He lasted several years in total.
Joe Moreo, brought in for five days with great fanfare, then quit after seeing whatever he saw, or vice-versa.
Harinder Grewal lasted a little over a year, currently suing the County for wrongful termination.
Diane Curry, who had the temerity to tell the Board the truth about some of the problems with the Cannabis Permit program in the early days of the program while it was temporarily assigned to the Ag Department. A few days later CEO Angelo asked for her resignation (i.e., fired her on the spot without notice) and had her marched out of her office by security.
And more recently Jim Donnelly who was terminated in July. “A personnel matter,” said Supervisor/Board Chair Ted Williams.
Apparently Assistant Ag Commissioner Aaron Hult (who seems qualified enough for us) either turned down the job or doesn’t have the necessary license, or wasn’t ready for promotion in someone’s opinion. It may also be a cost saving attempt. But somebody still has to run the Ukiah office. There’s no indication that SoCo Ag Commissioner Andrew Smith will ever set foot in Mendocino County. There’s been no mention of any additional hires to pick up whatever workload a part-time out-of-County Commissioner may not be able to do.
Consent Item 3m: “Approval of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sonoma County for Licensed Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights & Measures Services, Beginning Upon Execution Through April 18, 2023, in an Amount Not to Exceed $50,000.”
Mendo Rented Two Billboards for two months recently for $16k without board approval. (No reason given, no description of message.) Does anyone remember seeing it? It had something to do with behavioral health, which sounds like a waste of $16k. Now the Supes are being asked to “approve” what was already wasted.
Consent Item 3q) “Approval of Retroactive Agreement with National Outdoor Media in the Amount of $16,106, for Use of Static Billboards on Highway 101 for an 8-Week Period, Effective May 23, 2022, Through July 17, 2022.”
Still ‘Trying’ To ‘Work On’ A Wildlife Exclusion Program
Back in June at the Board of Supervisors budget review Interim CEO Darcie Antle told the Board that she “thought” Animal Care was doing something regarding a wildlife exclusion services Request for Proposals.
County Counsel Christian Curtis said he didn't know much beyond the fact that an RFP had been put out.
Supervisor Haschak said he was “still working on it” (failing to mention what was “it” was, then adding, “It will be a lot cheaper than the wildlife services. We do have an RFP for exclusionary work.” Haschak didn’t say what he meant by “having” an RFP either. Was it drafted? Planned? Released? Had bids been received? Haschak also mentioned “a lending library for non-lethal scare tactics.” And maybe some grants and maybe some stipends for educational purposes for “helping people implement these programs,” whatever “these programs” are.
“It's a pretty robust program,” Haschak insisted, all indications to the contrary, “and it will come to the board in August.”
Haschak didn’t say what was supposed to “come to the Board,” but it doesn’t matter because nothing remotely related to “exclusionary work,” robust or otherwise, has appeared on any subsequent agenda.
On Tuesday before last Traci Pellar, a presentable and articulate Laytonville woman, told the Supervisors that she was on the County’s Fish & Game Commission and that she had wanted to bid on the Exclusionary Services RFP (which never came before the Supervisors as an agenda item for review/approval) but, she said, was disqualified because she didn’t have experience doing “paid” exclusionary work, instead doing it as a volunteer for over 20 years. County Counsel Christian Curtis replied that the RFP had gone out and added something about an “AB-5 requirement” which in his mind (only) was somehow relevant to the issue. Supervisor Haschak said he was in touch with County Counsel and Animal Care and Control and “we are trying to come up with a plan that works for exclusionary purposes.”
Also back in June, Laytonville’s Jon Spitz complained about our coverage of the issue, and our quoting of former Laytonville federal trapper Chris Brennan, adding:
“Mendocino County is presently in the process of contracting out for a wildlife exclusion technician who will work with County home owners on-site to exclude small wild animals (raccoons, skunks, squirrels, etc.) from damaging their property using non-lethal methods. The County is working with non-profits such as Project Coyote and the Mountain Lion Foundation to work with rural dwellers on how to exclude large wild animals (lions, bears, coyotes) from damaging their property, also using non-lethal methods. To dispense immediate answers on what to do when human/wildlife conflicts arise, the County is now in the process of setting-up a hotline telephone operator who will be fully trained in non-lethal conflict resolution.”
Unsurprisingly, none of that “work” has paid off.
In August of 2021 after the Board voted 3-2 to end the federal trapper contract/program, Spitz told KZYX that “John Haschak is working very hard to establish wildlife exclusion services in Mendocino County.”
Last June, some ten months later, Mr. Spitz wrote to us to say that “According to County Animal Care Services Director Richard Molinari, there was in fact one bidder for the job — who is now in the process of formally contracting with the County. While I certainly would have preferred there were more than one bidder for this contract, and I had hoped that setting-up this exclusion service would go a lot faster than it did, this innovative new program continues to grind its way through the County bureaucracy largely due to the tireless efforts of Supervisor Haschak.”
After more than a year, poor Supervisor Haschak’s tireless efforts have yet to “come up with a plan” despite “trying” and despite Mr. Spitz’s assuranes that it was complete or would be soon after last June.
Here’s a woman who seems ready, willing and able to do at least some of it, but she’s somehow barred for some silly semi-legal reason while Haschak and his cheerleader Jon Spitz and the rest are still “trying” to come up with a plan?
Meanwhile, if you have a wildlife or wild dog problem in your neighborhood, you might trying calling Mr. Spitz or Mr. Haschak and ask them how long it will be before you’ll get any assistance. Although so far, their time estimates have not been particularly reliable.
Be First to Comment