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Posts published by “Mark Scaramella”

Major Contributor

Ten Phone Calls & A Jelly Donut

We remain thoroughly unimpressed with the “progress” being made converting — official Mendo calls it “transitioning” — Mendocino’s $7 million adult mental health services from Yuba City's Ortner Management Group to the Ukiah-based Redwood Quality…

BOS Watch

As we reported recently, the Board of Supervisors last week put off a decision to allocate some portion of Proposition 172 funds to local fire departments, ambulance services and various hybrid districts like Coast Hospital’s ambulance department in Fort Bragg.

What Happened To The Crisis Residential Grant?

It’s always interesting how the Board of Supervisors glosses over major blunders by staff rather than asking staff why such blunders occur. The latest to come to light was yet another failure of the Health…

Tule Elk Won’t Stay In The Tules

You think hitting a deer is bad? Try hitting an elk. Laytonville County Water District Manager (and editor of the Mendocino Observer weekly newspaper in Laytonvile) Jim Shields at the County’s General Government meeting on…

Mental Health In A Pickle

Doug Gherkin is “Chief Financial Officer” for Mendo’s Health and Human Services Agency. Until recently, before Stacey Cryer announced her resignation as HHSA Director, Ms. Cryer dealt with Supervisors’ questions about HHSA finances — albeit…

Water Contamination In Downtown Boonville

A few weeks ago the Community Services District, as part of their preparation for a grant application for a possible municipal water and sewer system in downtown Boonville, paid Alpha Labs in Ukiah to test…

Implementing the Kemper Report

The Supes Voted 3-2 Last Tuesday to implement the Kemper Report, over the objections of Supervisors McCowen and Hamburg. Our interpretation of the Supes’ remarks as they discussed the Kemper Report on what has gone…

Revisiting The Kemper Report Hearing

At the day-long Supe's meeting of February 16th devoted to the Kemper Report's long, sad song about privatization of Mendocino’s mental health program, the most cogent public comment was from Behavioral Health Board member Nancy…

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