Linda Satchwell
Staff Writer
3/31/2010

    County Clerk Kathy Williams has confirmed that her office has counted the signatures and certified the petition for the “Tax Limitation Initiative” that would cap the tax to pay for Plumas District Hospital’s new building at $50 per $100,000 of assessed home value. 
    Williams’ certification states the initiative now is qualified to go to election. She sent proof of certification to PDH by fax Friday, March 26, and also by mail.
    The next step said Williams, according to elections code, is that the certified results will be presented at the next regular meeting of the PDH board of directors. The directors are scheduled to meet Thursday, April 1.
    At the meeting or within 10 days thereafter, said Williams, elections code requires the board either “adopt the ordinance without alteration ... or immediately order an election.”
    Because there were enough certified signatures on the petition for either a special mail ballot election (which would take place Aug. 31) or the next general election Nov. 2, it will be up to the district to determine which date to use.
    With the certification of petitions and reporting to PDH, Williams pointed out her job is done, unless the hospital passes another resolution asking her office to run the election.
    The hospital called a special closed session meeting Monday, March 29, at noon. Chief Executive Officer Dick Hathaway reported out of the meeting that, while no action was taken, the hospital is very close to a settlement regarding existing litigation, Alexander et al. v. Plumas Hospital District. Only one minor item remains to be resolved, he said.
    In addition, the board will be place an item to its agenda for the April 1 meeting that would allow them to set an election date for the “Tax Limitation Initiative.”