Shasta County Board of Supervisors Adopts Shortened Email Retention Policy at June 30, 2026, Meeting
- Elisa Ballard
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Redding, CA - Despite public opposition and the dissenting vote of Supervisor Kevin Crye, the remaining members of the Shasta County Board of Supervisors—Chair Chris Kelstrom and Supervisors Allen Long and Corkey Harmon—approved a significant change to the county’s email retention policy during the June 30, 2026, board meeting. Supervisor Matt Plummer was absent.
The change, part of broader updates to the 817-page Administrative Manual, shortens the retention period for Outlook emails. Staff had originally proposed automatically deleting emails after one year, citing the need to reduce workload amid a sharp rise in public records requests, which have doubled year over year. Retention practices vary widely across California counties, ranging from 90 days to 10 years, according to Bryce Ritchie, Senior Administrative Analyst, who also stated that he met with County Counsel Larmour to advocate for and discuss changes to the retention period.
Supervisor Allen Long proposed a two-year retention period with a one-month grace period to allow employees time to archive important correspondence. The board adopted Long’s suggestion. Before the change, county emails were retained indefinitely in Outlook.
County Counsel Joseph Larmour noted that Governor Gavin Newsom had recently vetoed legislation that would have mandated a minimum two-year retention period, citing concerns over increased administrative burdens on local governments.
Other Actions
The board also approved several updates to contracts and procurement policies, including raising the purchase order limit from $3,000 to $5,000 and expanding the CEO’s signing authority.
In response to pending state legislation, the board approved a letter of support for Assembly Bill 1821, which would extend the timeline for responding to public records requests from 10 calendar days to 10 business days.
Proclamation and Awards
The board adopted a proclamation recognizing the 250th anniversary of the United States and presented awards to winners of the Shasta County American Story Art Contest. The Shasta County Administrative Office accepted entries from K-12 students through May 29, 2026. Students were encouraged to create works celebrating patriotism, America’s independence, associated freedoms, and Shasta County’s role in the nation’s story. Submissions were judged by county staff. Winning entries will be on display in the County Administrative building at 1450 Court St. in Redding.
Election Certification
Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis announced that the June 2, 2026, election was ready for certification and that he had checked everything he could. Staff reported that the canvass appeared accurate, and the board certified the election by a 4-0 vote.
Public comments on the election covered a range of topics, including concerns about voter rolls, non-citizen voting, mail-in ballot security, photo ID requirements, and alleged internet-connected tabulators. Others praised improvements in transparency, bipartisan representation of poll workers, and enhanced security under Curtis.
Supervisor Reports
Supervisor Allen Long reported that cleanup is underway at two blighted trailer sites—one in French Gulch and one in Old Shasta, one related to fires—with ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds being used for the effort.
Supervisor Kevin Crye shared that he had met with the new Redding City Manager, William Tarbox, who will soon announce significant developments in the city. Crye also attended the Beljanski Integrative Cancer Conference in La Jolla, California, this week. He emphasized the need to address local delays in obtaining scans and treatment plans for people diagnosed with cancer.
Public Comments
Dawn Ducket congratulated the winners of the art contest, then emphasized that respectful disagreement is foundational to our republic, stating, "Our founders did not create a country where everyone agreed. They created a republic where people could disagree, sometimes passionately, without fear of punishment."
Jennifer Williams, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, thanked the board and highlighted patriotism and historical preservation.
Laura Hobbs addressed what she described as a toxic work environment in the Elections Office, attributing it to politically motivated complaints by long-term employees loyal to former Assistant Registrar of Voters Joanna Francescut. Hobbs stated that complaints from new employees have been ignored by Director of Support Services Monica Fugitt and urged the board to ensure all complaints from new employees are heard equally. She also stated that Curtis is too laid-back, and people take advantage of it.
Bev Gray warned about the certification of the election results because of fraud in voter registrations, including fraudulent addresses and nonexistent addresses, and the Sheriff's Department finding that fraud exists right here in Shasta County.
Carol thanked the Board for their ongoing service to the community and stressed the changes made by ROV Clint Curtis were encouraging and impressive.
Linda Glass stated that Human Resources interviewed their longtime friends and wrote a teenage novel to target Clint Curtis, who had come to clean up fraud in the Elections Office, and he has done just that.
Jenny Nowain raised concerns about the impending closure of the Burney rehabilitation center “Circle of Friends,” highlighting its critical role in providing rural recovery support.
Michelle warned about the dangers of increased incidents of cancer that were studied near nuclear plants in Florida.
Katherine Smith Vargus proposed housing the homeless in abandoned buildings and hotels and providing triaged care for addiction, mental illness, and needed training.
Brad G. and Steve Kahn want Curtis censured.
Jacqueline stressed the need to protect the homeless from counterproductive practices such as confiscating their possessions. She stated that a new law is coming to protect them.
Various speakers were critical of the board's decision to limit the time for public comment.
Shasta Unfiltered strives to give a voice to public commenters who other local news outlets too often ignore. Due to the sheer volume and length of comments made, we cannot include everyone in our articles. Please know that we deeply appreciate these contributions and remain committed to reporting on these important matters.
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