County Counsel resigns; Public Health Director retires amid more county staff shortages
By Debra Moore
Staffing shortages are being felt in many departments, and now Plumas is losing two more of its department heads.
During the Board of Supervisors’ June 6 meeting, the board accepted the resignation of County Counsel Gretchen Stuhr, and the retirement of Public Health Director Dana Loomis. Additionally, Planning Director Tracey Ferguson announced that Senior Planner Tim Evans resigned effective June 9, leaving her as the sole person in the planning department. She said that retired former employee Becky Herrin will be able to assist six to seven hours a week.
Gretchen Stuhr did not address the board after they accepted her resignation, which is effective July 24, but a portion of her resignation letter read: “It is with regret that I am tendering my resignation, effective July 24, 2023. It has been an honor to serve Plumas County for the last five and a half years. I have appreciated the opportunity to work with each and every one of you, and am thankful for this opportunity.”
After the board accepted his retirement letter, Public Health Director Dana Loomis addressed the board, noting that he began his relationship with Public Health at the beginning of the pandemic. A portion of his letter read: “As you may be aware, I joined the Plumas County Public Health Agency at the beginning of the Covid-19 emergency, initially as a volunteer epidemiologist, then as an extra help disaster worker, and finally as Director of Public Health, after the former Director resigned. My stated goal in accepting the Director position was to lead this agency through the pandemic.”
But, “now that we’re moving into the post emergency period, it’s time for new leadership,” he told the board during their meeting. Loomis added that he was optimistic for the future of the agency with new funding streams becoming available. His retirement is effective July 8.
In other employment news, the board authorized the recruitment for six positions: a full-time appraiser III; one extra-help assistant cook for the senior services site in Portola; a full-time health education position in Public Health; one extra help administrative services officer for Public Health; one full-time maintenance worker for the Beckwourth area; and one full-time behavioral health systems analyst or information services technician.
Much has been made as to whether an “investigation” or “survey” was taken from departing (ed?) Sheriff Department personnel. Does the HR Department not take exit interviews? It takes paperwork to tender your resignation and therefore, resignations would seem to be the time to collect exit interviews of every employee for every department.