June 23, 2026, Shasta County Board of Supervisors Meeting - New Rules and Time-Limits for Public Comments are Approved
- Elisa Ballard
- 5 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Redding, CA
The Shasta County Board of Supervisors convened its regular meeting on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, addressing a range of administrative, fiscal, and local governance matters. Discussions included an update from the Department of Public Works on the County’s Permanent Road Division Zones, adjustments to public comment procedures to comply with new state law SB 707, the formal adoption of the FY 2026-27 budget, and the advancement of two charter amendments for the November 2026 ballot. Supervisors also highlighted community concerns, including family adoption fees, water infrastructure risks, and environmental issues in local waterways. The meeting reflected ongoing efforts to balance fiscal responsibility, local control, and public participation in county government.
Presentations: There was a Department of Public Works update on the status of the County’s Permanent Road Division Zones (sponsored by Supervisor Plummer). What They Do:
They allow property owners in unincorporated areas to collectively fund and maintain private or local roads that the county does not maintain with general tax revenues (such as gas tax funds).
The county’s Public Works Department administers them: Shasta County currently manages 85+ PRDs.
Funding comes from special benefit assessments or taxes levied on properties that benefit (added to property tax bills). These funds are restricted to road improvements, maintenance, drainage, repairs (e.g., culverts), and related work within the specific zone. Typically, these roads receive maintenance every 10 years.
PRDs ensure that all benefiting property owners share costs fairly, build reserves for ongoing maintenance, and help preserve property values and emergency access (especially important in rural/fire-prone areas).
PRDs are typically formed at the request of a majority of affected property owners when a new subdivision is created (often with voter approval for the assessments) and provide a structured, long-term mechanism for road care in subdivisions or neighborhoods where roads are not part of the main county-maintained system.
District Attorney's Office: Approved retroactive additional General Fund authorization ($235,057) for the Victim Witness Budget (BU 256) in FY 2023-24 and 2024-25. The State has been delaying reimbursement and failing to cover all expenses, resulting in the shortfall.
Board Matters: CEO update on County issues, legislation, and supervisors’ reports. CEO Dave Rickert announced that the Mental Health, Alcohol, Drug, and Advisory Board is looking for new members to join its team. Members must be residents of Shasta County and available to meet on the third Wednesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. Applications can be obtained by emailing MHADAB@shastacounty.gov.
Family Adoption Fees: Supervisor Kevin Crye requested a future agenda item to discuss fees imposed on families wishing to adopt other family members. Crye would like to make it less difficult for family members who wish to adopt relatives to keep them out of the foster care system.
E. coli Found in Clear Creek: Supervisor Allen Long noted that he has been working with Environmental Health and Code Enforcement to get to the bottom of how E. coli bacteria are entering Clear Creek. He warned everyone about the danger of swimming in the creek.
Supervisor Chris Kelstrom warned about the danger of draining Lake McCumber and North Battlecreek Reservoir due to PG&E's pullout. He stated it is an important water source for fire safety and serves as a recreation area. He stated that the citizens have formed the Save Lake McCumber Group and held their 2nd Annual Picnic to raise funds and awareness.
Long requested that the Board consider censuring Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis at the next board meeting. The Supervisors voted 4-1 to bring the agenda item back for discussion, with Supervisor Crye dissenting, stating, "It's a waste of time." (Curtis was defeated by former Assistant ROV Joanna Francescut in the June 2 election.)
Consent Calendar and AI Resolution: Adopted the same/resumed AI commitment resolution as the prior meeting.
SB 707 compliance: Clerk of the Board Stephany Blankenship gave an update on implementation challenges for the new State law requiring counties to have a phone-in system for public comments. Blankenship proposed amending Administrative Policy 1-101 on public comment rules, including: removing the 4-item speaker limit (recommended by Chair Kelstrom) because it would be too difficult to track, limiting open public comment time to 30 minutes, and stating that the chair has the authority to adjust the time limits. Telephonic speakers and in-person speakers would each be given 15 minutes as a group, and within that group, the priority would be on a first-come, first-served basis. The new rules will require the use of kiosks in front of the board chamber to request speaking slots, or speaking slots can be requested online via a website (accessible by a QR code) on a cell phone. The kiosk/online system will open at 8 a.m. for a 9 a.m. meeting. The requester must provide a cell phone number and indicate whether or not they reside in the County. Regular items on the calendar will be allotted a total of 20 minutes for public comment. Crye complained that each time speakers come to speak on an item for 3 minutes, they cost the County $1,600 – $1,700 in staff time. (Many citizens are taking full advantage of the current system by speaking on almost every item on the agenda.) Chair Kelstrom has indicated that the time limits will be re-evaluated as needed once there is some experience with the new system. Christian Gardinier, one of the citizens who regularly speaks on agenda items, called Kelstrom "the muzzler".
Board of Supervisors (Charter Amendments): Supervisor Kevin Crye requested placing two charter amendments on the November ballot, similar to Measures P and Q that failed to pass in a prior election (November 5, 2024):
Adding limitations on the exercise of eminent domain to the Shasta County Charter by preventing the taking of private property for another person/entity's use (other than for a governmental use). (Board voted 3 - 2 to bring back the agenda item, with Long and Plummer dissenting.)
Adding provisions for filling elected department head vacancies. The amendment would allow the Board of Supervisors to decide whether to give voters the chance to elect a replacement for a vacancy at the next regularly scheduled election (if the election occurs within 12 months). If not, the Supervisors would need to reach a 4/5 vote to appoint a candidate for the remaining term. (The Board voted 4 - 1 to bring the item back as an agenda item, with Long casting the lone "no" vote.)
Warning About Certifying Election Results: A letter to the Board of Supervisors and Registrar of Voters from Robert Paul Preston, Governor Pro Tempore of New California State, was read during Public Comment. It requests that the board refrain from election certification under California Election Code §16100(d) due to illegal votes cast by non-citizens/illegal aliens allegedly registered via DMV and provided ballots. It demands an investigation into voter fraud and warns that certifying the results would be a felony, citing vote dilution and the right to redress grievances.
County Administrative Office/Budget: Adopted the FY 2026-27 budget resolution (incorporating prior public hearing revisions from June 9-11), repealed an old resolution, approved committed fund balances/position allocations/salary schedule, and adopted related salary updates effective June 28, 2026.
Key recurring themes included fiscal management, AI policy, charter reforms for local control, public participation adjustments, and ongoing litigation/Measure B matters.
To view the full video of the meeting, go to:
