Board of Supervisors to take December off

The Plumas County Board of Supervisors is taking the month of December off — at least when it comes to meeting with each other. The board met Nov. 27 and isn’t scheduled to convene again until January. No one can seem to recall the last time that the supervisors did not meet for such a prolonged period of time. Given the magnitude of issues facing the county, it seems like a misguided decision.

The supervisors cited the fact that the clerk to the board would be unavailable for several weeks as the reason for not meeting. But for years, the clerk to the board position was a part of the Plumas County Clerk-Recorder’s office, and staff, including Clerk-Recorder Kathy Williams, would fill in as needed. No doubt such an arrangement could have been implemented to allow the board to meet.

This isn’t to say that the supervisors won’t be working — they will continue with their other responsibilities and individual meetings, as well as responding to their constituents. No doubt there are some who would argue that the county ultimately would be better off if they ceased meeting altogether. We aren’t among that group, but once again we renew the call for them to hire a county administrative officer.

We were pleased to see the board considering a job description for a county administrative officer during a meeting earlier this month. It’s become increasingly clear that the supervisors could use someone with the fully dedicated time and expertise to provide valuable analysis and input as they lead the county.

Public Health continues to be shining light for the county

When Public Health Director Mimi Hall traded her post in Plumas for a position in Yolo, we lamented the loss of such a talented and effective leader, but the structure she implemented during her tenure as head of her department, has allowed public health to continue to shine.

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Last week’s issue of the newspaper contained a story about how the department’s response to the opioid crisis plaguing this country is being heralded as a model throughout the state. And in this week’s issue, the front page of the regional section highlights the countywide training exercise held at the Plumas-Sierra County Fairgrounds that brought together medical personnel and first-responders in an active shooter scenario. It takes leadership to orchestrate such a broad-based exercise and acting Public Health Director Andrew Woodruff and his team demonstrate that a high level. Kudos to public health for their good work.