Shasta County Supervisors Receive Hopeful Presentation on Medical School Viability and Funding Amid Some Debate
- Elisa Ballard
- 18 hours ago
- 6 min read
April 21, 2026
The Shasta County Board of Supervisors held its regular meeting on Tuesday morning in Redding. The agenda included presentations from the Fire Safe Council and the Sheriff's Department, as well as a request for studies on senior suicide and homelessness. However, two topics generated the most discussion: continued planning and potential county support for a proposed rural medical school, and a sharp divide over how California should fund its roads as the state shifts toward electric vehicles.
Proposed Rural Northern California Medical School
Supervisors received an update on efforts to establish the Rural Northern California Medical School in Shasta County, a long-discussed initiative aimed at addressing the region’s persistent shortage of healthcare providers. Proponents requested that the county commit $10 million to an escrow account to help advance the project.
The board has previously expressed support for the medical school concept through unanimous letters of endorsement focused on training and retaining doctors in Northern California.
Supervisor Allen Long expressed caution, noting the county’s limited budget and the need to prioritize public safety with set-aside funds. Supervisor Kevin Crye countered that the county’s current reserve position resulted from early staffing cuts (more than 100 positions) made by him and other board members. He emphasized that Shasta County continues to operate in the black, unlike some neighboring jurisdictions.
Long asked Deputy County Executive Officer Erin Bertain to clarify the remaining balance of set-aside funds. Bertain reported that $34 million had been set aside, but approximately $7 million is allocated to demolishing the old courthouse and constructing a parking lot. After subtracting funds for the Northern Lockheed Drive expansion (Emergency Operations Center Expansion at 6550 Lockheed Drive) and expenditures already made for the Alternative Custody Campus, roughly $21 million remains available.
The board will consider approving the $10 million escrow contribution later this year. Supervisor Matt Plummer requested a more detailed business plan before the item returns for a decision. Dr. Norman Hall, President of Simpson University, offered to meet individually with any supervisor to discuss the plan in detail. He added that Simpson University will make land available for the project and plans to submit an accreditation application to the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) within the next 45 days.
Supporters of the Medical School
Josh Barker, Simpson University Trustee and real estate broker, spoke in favor of the project. He was part of a group that visited Pikeville University in Kentucky to study a successful rural medical school model. Barker noted that the Kentucky school has generated $700 million to $1 billion in economic benefits, maintains a 50% retention rate of graduates who stay in the area, and prioritizes admitting students from the local region. He stated that the proposed Shasta County school would serve six counties and benefit residents within a 150-mile radius.
Several local healthcare and education leaders also spoke in strong support:
Dr. Dean Germano, former CEO of Shasta Regional Medical Center for 32 years, who warned that the state will face a shortage of 4,000 primary care physicians by 2030 if actions are not taken now to avert the coming worsening crisis.
Dr. Thomas Perry, an OB-GYN,
said he has tried to retire twice but keeps returning to practice due to the ongoing physician shortage.
Dr. T. Nandakumar, Program Director of Shasta Regional’s Internal Medicine Residency Program, called the medical school the best return on investment for the common good.
Dr. Michael Salmeier, Provost at Simpson University, who shared his experience living in Appalachia and working with the medical school there.
Dr. James Postma, Chairman of the Board of California State University, Chico, stated that even Chico is starting to see a shortage of physicians.
All the physicians emphasized the critical need for a medical school in the region and voiced full support for Simpson University taking the lead.
Dr. Hall reported that he has been working with CFO Calling to develop cost estimates for the school. Two primary options are under consideration: a leased land option costing approximately $100 million and a purchase option, which would cost more. Multiple financing avenues are being explored. The goal is to enroll the first medical school class in 2029–2030.
Supervisor Crye noted that the idea originated in Fall 2024 during a conversation with Dr. Paul Dhanuka and advanced after the county hired consultant Chriss Street.
Shasta Unfiltered has compared the Pikeville project to the proposed medical school for Shasta County. Click here
Fire Safe Council Presentation
Amanda Macon, County Coordinator for the Shasta County Fire Safe Council, gave an informative presentation (sponsored by Supervisor Allen Long). The program, which is state-funded and supports over 48 counties, aims to reduce redundancies and improve fire resiliency. Macon announced a public Fire Wise Resource Fair scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at KIXE PBS, 603 N. Market St., Redding.
State Legislative Update and Road Funding Debate
Stuart Butell, Deputy County Executive Officer, presented on the county’s process for reviewing legislation in Sacramento. With approximately 2,000 new bills under consideration, staff prepared recommendations for bills to support or oppose. The discussion centered on a proposal to study a mileage-based road-use charge (often called a “mileage tracker”) to replace declining gas-tax revenue as electric vehicle adoption rises.
Shasta Unfiltered published an article examining the various new taxes under consideration by the California legislature. Click here.
Supervisor Matt Plummer expressed strong concern that the state could soon lack sufficient road funding without new mechanisms and argued in favor of supporting the study. His position contrasted with the county staff recommendation and the views of Supervisors Kevin Crye, Chris Kelstrom, and Corkey Harmon. Crye asserted that the state already collects enough revenue but spends it elsewhere, voicing skepticism about new taxes or tracking systems. County CEO Dave Rickert stated that the County will be unfairly impacted by a mileage tracker bill because the vast distances our residents must cover to get around the area.
The board voted 4-1 to approve the staff’s list of supported and opposed bills, with Supervisor Plummer as the lone dissenter.
Commission on Aging
Supervisor Plummer sponsored an item requesting the Commission on Aging to conduct a survey and produce a report on senior suicide and senior homelessness by the end of the year. Despite current vacancies, the remaining commission members agreed. The board approved the request unanimously.
TRUTH Act Forum on ICE Requests
Undersheriff Gene Randall provided the annual presentation required under Government Code Sec. 7283.1(d). He reported that federal authorities made 33 requests in 2025, and the Sheriff’s Office provided information to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) on 7 inmates.
Consent Calendar
On the consent calendar, the board:
Approved an agreement with Good News Rescue Mission for the construction of a 75-bed residential Medi-Cal certified Substance Use Disorder treatment facility (not to exceed $2,206,000).
Adopted a proclamation designating April as “Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month.”
Approved a letter of support for U.S. Senate Bill 4182: Fostering the Availability in Rural Markets (FARM) of Home Loans Act of 2026.
Approved agreements with The Gold Home for residential care services for the elderly (not to exceed $1,840,400) and with DeMar-Foote, LLC, dba DeMar-Foote House, for sober living residential services.
Approved other routine matters.
Noteworthy Public Comments:
Several speakers urged the Shasta County Board of Supervisors to reimburse the proponents of Measure B — the citizen-initiated charter amendment on election reform, including voter ID and hand-counting of ballots — for the attorney fees they incurred while successfully defending the measure in court.
The proponents prevailed in Shasta County Superior Court when Judge Benjamin Hanna dismissed the legal challenge brought by Jennifer Katske (who initially filed under the pseudonym “Jane Doe”). The Board had previously voted 4-1 not to hire outside counsel to defend the measure, despite it having qualified for the ballot with more than 10,000 signatures. As a result, the proponents bore the cost of their own legal defense.
Margaret Hansen suggested placing the Family Dynamics Resource Center's proposed Pathways to Leadership Campus in Whitmore at the Cascades School, which was previously proposed for the City of Anderson.
Former Shasta County Supervisor Patrick Jones addressed the Board regarding Sheriff Michael Johnson’s retirement and compensation. Jones stated that, prior to his re-election as Sheriff, Johnson retired from CalPERS in 2022. This arrangement allows him to collect both a full CalPERS pension and his county salary simultaneously, resulting in combined annual compensation of approximately $445,000 in salary and benefits.
Jones explained that this “double-dipping” is permitted under a 2017 state law change (enacted through budget trailer bills), which exempts elected officials from many of the post-retirement work restrictions that apply to other public employees under CalPERS rules. He also claimed that County Tax Collector/Treasurer Lori Scott is utilizing a similar arrangement.
Jones asserted that the Board of Supervisors was never informed of Sheriff Johnson’s retirement and argued that the Board should have been notified and given the opportunity to formally reappoint him. He called for the Board to pursue a charter amendment or local ordinance to prevent similar situations in the future.
Tuesday’s meeting took place against the backdrop of Shasta County’s ongoing challenges in healthcare access, infrastructure maintenance, and fiscal pressures influenced by state and federal policy changes. Full minutes, video recording, and any formal actions from the session are available on the Shasta County Board of Supervisors website.