-Headline News

  After two hours of discussion regarding a new contract for sheriff’s employees May 21, the fight appeared to go out of the Plumas County supervisors and they approved the next several agenda items with little or no debate.

  In addition to green-lighting three music festivals (see related story), they also authorized the probation department to fill a vacant position, approved budget transfers for both the probation and sheriff’s departments, amended a personnel allocation in social services and delineated the roles of social services and the Child Abuse Prevention Council.

The audience spills into the hall outside of the Plumas County Board of Supervisors chambers March 21 as Sheriff Greg Hagwood addresses the board regarding his employees’ contract negotiations. The supervisors held a public hearing to address the topic. Photo by Debra Moore

Debra Moore

  Plumas County supervisors voted to implement a new contract with sheriff’s department employees, but they hope to change the agreement before it takes effect Aug. 5.

  Three years of negotiations between the county and its public safety employees ended May 21 following a two-hour public hearing that filled the boardroom and spilled into the hall.

  At issue: how much the employees would contribute to their own retirement. The new contract calls for the county’s contribution to be reduced from 7 percent to 1 percent for miscellaneous members (dispatchers, office personnel and correctional officers) and from 9 percent to 1 percent for the safety members (deputies), which would require both groups to pay a greater share of their retirement.

The Plumas County registrar of voters must receive vote-by-mail ballots for Measure A by 8 p.m. June 4.

Debra Moore

  The last day to vote on Measure A is June 4 and as of May 21, only a quarter of the vote-by-mail ballots had been returned to the Plumas County Registrar of Voters.

  But Elections Coordinator Marcy DeMartile isn’t worried. “Come back on May 28 and these trays will be full,” DeMartile said, pointing to the containers earmarked for ballots.

  What the Portola City Council thought was water under the bridge proved to be an issue of unrest for select citizens of the city. The change in the utility billing policy that was discussed more than a month ago was brought up again when city staff made revisions to the draft utility billing policy.

  What would you do if you were told to evacuate your home, gather your pets and livestock and seek shelter? Would you know where to go? Another fire season is fast approaching and many of us are not ready. Are you prepared to ask, “How can I help?” when it happens?