Shasta County Supervisors Approve EV Ordinance, Opioid Funds for Youth Campus and Key Appointments Amid Labor Protests
- Elisa Ballard
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
REDDING — The Shasta County Board of Supervisors took several significant actions during its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, including streamlining electric vehicle charging station permits, allocating nearly $2 million in opioid settlement funds for youth behavioral health services, and making board appointments that drew some controversy.
The board also held a public hearing on a contested solar energy project and faced protests from home health care workers over stalled contract negotiations.
Major Decisions and Votes
Supervisors passed an ordinance adding Chapter 16 to the county code, which streamlines the permitting process for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The change brings Shasta County into compliance with new state laws designed to accelerate clean-energy infrastructure and make it easier for businesses and residents to install public and private charging facilities.
In a 4-1 vote, with Supervisor Allen Long dissenting, the board approved approximately $1.92 million from opioid settlement funds to support the Family Dynamics Resource Center’s Pathways to Leadership Campus expansion in Anderson, with a condition that letters of support will be obtained from the Chief of Probation and either the Anderson Police Department or the Shasta County Sheriff. The project, which has secured a conditional $24.7 million state Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program grant, will create a 60-bed integrated facility offering residential stabilization, intensive outpatient services, and leadership development for youth facing mental health and substance use challenges. It is expected to become the first inpatient adolescent substance-use treatment facility north of Sacramento.
Long, a retired Redding police officer with decades of law enforcement experience, cited concerns that the facility might not be sufficiently secure and could serve youth from outside Shasta County.
The Family Dynamics Resource Center, led by Dr. Sandra “Sandy” Wilson, Psy.D., LMFT, MSCP, has a strong track record of helping at-risk youth overcome trauma and addiction through programs including evidence-based parenting education, family counseling, and Camp HOPE America – Shasta. The Wilsons and their team have supported approximately 70 youth over more than a decade through the Camp HOPE program, with Dr. Wilson noting during public comments that no camp participant has ever run away. The Wilsons have also fostered 50 youth over the years. The couple is further supporting the project by donating land they own in Anderson.
Supervisors also made the following appointments:
4-1 vote (Long dissenting) appointing Authur Gorman, a registered nurse and Shasta County Board of Education member, to the Public Health Advisory Board as the District 3 representative for the remainder of a term through March 2028. The appointment has drawn criticism from some residents over Gorman’s past public statements questioning certain public health measures, including vaccines.
Unanimous approval of new members Josh Barker and Kurt Swanson, along with alternates Nick Kerley, Ken Murray, Ken Miller, and Josh Divine, to the Assessment Appeals Board.
Public Hearing on Solar Project
The board conducted a public hearing on a use-permit appeal for the Battle Creek Bottom Solar Project near Manton — a 25-acre private facility with approximately 8,721–9,000 solar panels capable of generating 3 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 775 homes annually.
Residents and the Battle Creek Alliance raised concerns about potential environmental impacts on oak tree habitats for screech owls and bald eagles, as well as the project’s 35-foot setback from neighboring properties. After discussion, supervisors voted 4-1 (with Supervisor Kelstrom dissenting) to uphold the Planning Commission’s approval and deny the appeal.
Labor Protests and Other Business
Dozens of members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 2015, representing In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) care providers, protested outside the meeting and addressed the board. The union declared an impasse in contract negotiations after the county withdrew a prior wage increase offer. Union leaders warned that the dispute could harm vulnerable seniors and disabled residents who depend on these caregivers and said they have filed an unfair labor practice charge.
Additional routine items included approval of housing-related grants and minor facility improvements, such as remodeling at the Agricultural Commissioner’s office.
Public comments also touched on election integrity issues related to Measure B, the 14-point charter amendment initiative slated for the June 2026 ballot. The board took no formal action on the topic.
During the Supervisors' reports, Allen Long mentioned he attended a quarterly fuels reduction meeting, attended by Cal Fire and others, where a plan was outlined for Shasta County to encircle population centers with controlled burns around the perimeter. Progress has been made with 53 miles still to complete of the 137-mile perimeter. Long also mentioned that Butte County has been obtaining grants for public safety and fire reduction through a grant writer position, which Long plans to emulate for Shasta County.
Supervisor Matt Plummer highlighted his visit to Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in San Luis Obispo County, where he learned about the plant's efficiency, which provides 9% of the state's energy needs. Plummer stated that the plant was almost decommissioned in 2021. The used rods (nuclear waste) are placed in ceramic containers and housed on a platform the size of a football field, and the rods can be recycled and reused to supply power for another 20 years.
Supervisor Chris Kelstrom reported on his concerns that Lake McCumber and North Battle Creek Reservoir in eastern Shasta County are at risk of significant alteration or drainage because Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has decided not to renew its federal hydroelectric license for the Battle Creek Hydroelectric Project.
Supervisor Corkey Harmon indicated he is working on creating another rodeo in Palo Cedro, as well as continuing to attend meetings on the major issue of wolves attacking livestock.
Supervisor Kevin Crye reported on his productive meetings with the State's Public Health Assistant Director and team, asking for their help in improving access to health care in our area.
The meeting highlighted the board’s emphasis on infrastructure, behavioral health, and economic development while underscoring tensions in labor relations and public health governance. Video of the March 24 meeting has been posted on the Shasta County website. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
