North State Breakdown Board of Supervisors Agenda Preview - Special Meeting 02-11-2025

Welcome to the North State Breakdown with Benjamin Nowain.

Today's episode covers the agenda for the Shasta County Board of Supervisors Special Meeting on February 11, 2025, which will begin at 9 a.m. at the County Administration Center, 1450 Court Street, Redding.

This special meeting includes significant items that merit close attention, from emergency declarations to litigation and changes to the Shasta County Elections Commission.

Let’s break it down.

R1. Emergency Declaration

The Board will consider adopting a resolution ratifying the Director of Emergency Services' February 5, 2025 Proclamation of a local emergency due to the severe weather conditions impacting Shasta County and its cities, including Redding, Anderson, and Shasta Lake.

The declaration followed significant flooding, prompting swift water rescues and road closures. This enables the California State Office of Emergency Services and allied agencies to assist with road conditions, search and rescue operations, and hazard mitigation, as needed.

Local public works and safety officials are addressing reports of affected roads, posting signage, and closing areas as necessary. Residents are urged to avoid crossing roads with flowing water and to call 911 in emergencies. Additionally, officials encourage registration for the Alert Shasta Emergency Notification System.

Approving this resolution ensures the county receives the support it needs during the ongoing recovery.

R2. Property Negotiations

The Board will appoint County Executive Officer David Rickert and Senior Administrative Analyst Bryce Ritchie and Jen Rossi as negotiators for real property at an assessor parcel.

The negotiations involve the City of Redding, and while the details are light in the agenda packet, this appears to be a potential property acquisition that could have a long-term implication for county services.

Closed Session Items

R3. Ongoing Litigation

This item pertains to ongoing litigation: Daniel T. Ladd vs. Thomas Taller in Shasta County Superior Court, Case #206952.

This lawsuit seeks a writ of mandate alleging multiple violations of the California Elections Code and improper administration of election-related processes. The primary claims include:

• Failures to comply with voter roll maintenance requirements

• Obstructing public observation of the election processes

• Improper ballot handling and chain of custody procedures

  
  

However, the lawsuit's merit appears questionable. For example, the petition highlights numerical discrepancies in ballot counts, audit log irregularities, and allegations of non-compliance with California voting system standards.

Notably, the petitioners fail to present any substantive evidence indicating fraud or deliberate malfeasance by the Registrar of Voters, and several of the claims rely heavily on assumptions rather than verifiable facts. Given the lack of clear evidence and the technical nature of many of these allegations, it is unlikely the Court will grant the writ.

Adding to the legal drama, Laura Hobbs, a failed candidate for District 2 Board of Supervisors, is also named in the Daniel T. Ladd lawsuit. Hobbs previously filed her own lawsuit challenging her election loss due to an alleged ballot order error. After losing in Shasta County Superior Court, Hobbs pursued an appeal, which was also unsuccessful. The courts found no sufficient grounds to overturn the election results.

R4. Anticipated Litigation

This item involves anticipated litigation with significant exposure to one potential case. This could be related to a potential taxpayer lawsuit regarding the hiring of Chris Street as a healthcare consultant, based on the email listed in the agenda packet.

Citizen Jeffrey Gorder states that he believes that the selection of St. represents cronyism and a waste of public funds.

R5. Property Negotiations (7251 Eastside Road)

The Board will discuss terms for property at 7251 Eastside Road with the City of Redding. Any reportable action from this closed session discussion will be announced afterward.

Regular Calendar Items

R6. Shasta County Elections Commission

This item will introduce and discuss amendments to Chapter 2.07 of the Shasta County Code, which governs the Elections Commission. Proposed changes include:

• Limiting meetings to four times a year in non-election years and ten times in election years, with additional meetings only by Board approval

  
  

• Adding new duties, including an annual survey of public trust in elections and a twice-yearly report to the Board

  
  

• Allowing the Board to remove Commission members at will, which could raise concerns about transparency and politicization of the Commission’s work

  
  

• Removing language that previously allowed Commission members to be named as election judges or inspectors—a provision that was initially proposed as a workaround to California election laws, but is now being stripped from the ordinance completely

  
  

Based on the amended ordinance, it would appear that this Board is stripping the Commission of some of its power and independence. It’s possible that this move is setting the stage for the Commission’s future elimination. Given the ongoing election-related lawsuits and controversy, this discussion is expected to be contentious among election fraud advocates.

R7. Amendments to the 2025 Board of Supervisors Meeting Calendar

The current audio/video system in the Board Chambers, originally installed in 2016, has reached the end of its life and is set for replacement. During April and May of 2025, the Chambers will be unavailable, and meetings will need to be relocated.

The proposed calendar adjustments aim to minimize disruption and costs during this period. It’s unclear where these meetings will take place and will likely be discussed by the Board at this meeting.

Even though this is a special meeting, you can still share your thoughts with the Board by emailing Shasta County BOS@shastacounty.gov.

The meeting will be streamed online for those who cannot attend in person.

Stay informed, stay engaged, and hold our local government accountable.

And that’s the agenda preview.