DEPARTMENT OF UNINTENTIONAL SATIRE: From the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors Agenda Item 5a, July 24, 2018: "Noticed Public Hearing - Discussion and Possible Action Including Adoption of Resolution Accepting Two Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funded Studies; One Titled “Removing Barriers to Entry for Local Economic Development in Mendocino County” and the Second Titled, “Housing Conditions Survey.”
THE “housing conditions survey” is three years old, and what it has to do with “removing barriers” is not explained, but, WTF, the leadership threw it up there anyway, buried in language that defies meaning.
AMONG THE RESULTS of the “Removing Barriers” report are such keen insights as “Employee recruitment and retention is the largest concern for businesses in Mendocino County,” And, “Housing costs was another issue that was reported as being a difficulty.” And, “Insurance costs (health and liability) as well as worker’s compensation costs were also challenges.” And, “the biggest struggle reported was the planning and zoning processes.”
THE COUNTY OF MENDO would never know about these problems without a high-paid consultant telling them.
BUT the following “result” stands out:
“While the survey did not directly address the marijuana culture in Mendocino County, the comments section made it clear that this was a major issue affecting businesses throughout the County. The words marijuana/pot/weed were mentioned 36 times in the comment section. Unfortunately, few conclusions could be drawn from the comments. There was considerable conflict between comments as many comments pointed out that it brought people and money into the region, while others felt it was a drain on local resources. Several businesses did agree that marijuana cultivation makes it difficult to retain employees because legitimate businesses cannot compete on wages and employment taxes. One business said, ‘when you are paid $35 per hour cash to trim marijuana, it's difficult to find people who want to work in the legitimate jobs.’ They were not the only one to express this sentiment.”
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WEDNESDAY’S MEETING of the Measure B Mental Health Facilities Advisory Committee discussed a formal response to the Willits City Council Resolution calling for assurances that the City’s rules and regs will be followed when the Old Howard Hospital is remodeled into the County’s new Psychiatric Health Facility, “Response to City of Willits from Committee; With Discussion and Possible Action. Member McGourty”
THERE'S also a discussion of the feasibility of adequately staffing the facility: “Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF), Cost Analysis, Staffing, Can we afford one and Can We Sustain One; With Discussion and Possible Action. Members Mertle & Miller,”
ONE WOULD HOPE that the people planning our very own local psych unit will discuss the size and level of care of the facility, and not just vague generalities about hiring and paying people. Since the County doesn’t send that many people out of County for psychiatric care (medication juggling behind locked doors) the question will be how much more capacity and what type should a locked unit be here in Mendo? It’s very possible that the proposal to convert the old Willits Hospital would not require a rehab of the entire structure, leaving plenty of dough for small facilities in several lower security County locations where patients are closer to family and support.
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SHERIFF ALLMAN ON THE LIP SYNC CHALLENGE “I know that hundreds (and more ) of my friends have asked for the lip sync challenge. It may take a couple weeks because we are very, very busy. I’m happy that other agencies have accepted the challenge, and that law enforcement officers are being seen for what we are: humans who do good work, but have fun when we have time. The challenge has been received, but please understand that our highest priority is delivering quality public safety to our county. We have several major investigations occurring right now and we simply do not have the time. Thanks for understanding, and thanks to the first responders who are doing their jobs, 24/7. — Tom”
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FORT BRAGG is putting a 3/8 cent sales tax measure on the November ballot. According to the City Council resolution, “If the measure passes by a simple majority, the City’s intent is to commit to a 15-year amortization period on the estimated $9.4 million unfunded accrued [pension] liability instead of a 30-year amortization. The reduced payment period will save the City taxpayers an estimated $4.1 million.”
WE GET THE BASIC IDEA, i.e., to pay off the pension debt sooner and save on interest rates. But there seems to be a lot of missing “slush fund” and “how did we get into this situation and what are we doing about it?” type questions concerning how and when the money will be collected and paid back into the pension system and how this stop-gap measure prevents another round later.
BESIDES, the Fort Bragg area just passed (barely) a Hospital parcel tax. Now the City wants voters to approve a sales tax increment on the grounds that it saves on pension costs and most of it will be paid by tourists and visitors.
WE WONDER 1) Why there’s no discussion of this new tax in any Fort Bragg forum so far? And 2) whether Fort Bragg voters will really buy the argument that they should pay a higher sales tax so they can “save taxpayer money”?
‘when you are paid $35 per hour cash to trim marijuana, it’s difficult to find people who want to work in the legitimate jobs.’
Assuming the $35/hr figure is not essentially hyperbole (a mightily strained assumption), it does call into question the whole notion of a “legitimate job”. We know the big legit places, like Walmart for instance, don’t pay nearly enough to overcome the aforementioned local barriers to happiness in employment. Is there really a competition for workers between weed trimming and other local enterprises? It has the sound of another lame excuse.