News 

County faces budget shortfall

Carolyn Shipp, Staff Writer

The county’s budget for the next fiscal year needs some help from reserves in order to go forward for the next year. The $15.8 million budget has at least a $2.6 million shortfall, even after cuts made by departments. If the budget passes, it will be up to the board to draw from reserve funds in order to make up the difference.

At the Plumas County Board of Supervisors’ meeting Aug. 21, county budget consultant Susan Scarlett walked the board through the current draft budget and fielded questions. The board also heard additional requests for funds from county department heads. The additional requests increased the shortfall by more than $210,000.

The additional requests included hiring a new Deputy County Counsel II position, at a cost of $111,650, and also increasing the District Attorney Legal Services Assistant’s salary for the first time in 23 years. District Attorney David Hollister explained that even though the assistants handle complex case documents, and sometimes deal with unruly clients and traumatic crime scene evidence, the position is paid significantly less than any other assistant position in the county.

Additional requests included new vehicles and equipment, and a new phone system, which would be offset with savings. The board will review all the requests and determine if they can include them in the budget.

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One request that may not go through was made by the Facilities Department and concerned fire egress improvements to the fourth floor of the courthouse, which is the District Attorney’s department and office.

The fourth floor needs significant renovation to make the building fire safe, which includes an external fire escape stairway to be utilized in the case of an emergency. The total cost of the improvement is well over $1 million in the course of three years, which caused a drastic increase in the facilities budget. District 5 Supervisor Jeff Engel was not so sure the expenditure was needed.

“It is just something I don’t think we can afford,” said Engel, suggesting instead that the D.A.’s office move to a different area in the courthouse and use the fourth floor for storage.

“The challenge is that nobody wants to move,” said Kevin Correira, the county facilities director.

Engel suggested they continue the discussion, and that he meet with the facilities department to see what the best option might be.

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The board will continue to review the budget for the next fiscal year, and is expected to vote on it at the next board meeting Tuesday, Sept. 4.

63 thoughts on “County faces budget shortfall”

  • The voters of Plumas County should vote yes on prop B this November, this could help our local community and schools.

    • Didn’t we just pass $30,000,000 in school funding? Trust me. Growing dope isn’t the key to financial stability for Plumas County and it’s not a trade the voters of Plumas will go for. Sorry.

      Take your dope growing dreams elsewhere. You’ll have better luck.

    • “The voters of Plumas County should vote yes on prop B this November, this could help our local community and schools.”
      Flying Saucers?

      Bigfoot?

      Atlantis city under the sea?
      
Time Travel?
      
Liberals working?
      All of these are hard to believe.

  • $15.8M budget??? Probably need to add a “1” in front of that.

    • “$15.8M budget??? Probably need to add a “1” in front of that.”

      No need for that kind of faulty math Rose.

  • Measure B is totally illegal. It enriches the proponents (Chelsea and Kim) while further bankrupting the county in defending this poorly written and unconstitutional proposed ordinance.

    • You obviously don’t know much about civilization, Mr community

      • I think Mr. Community knows an awful lot about civilization. He obviously knows that measure B is a total burn for the citizens of this county. Harry, you seem to be the confused one. Probably a nice guy but confused.

    • There is nothing illegal or unconstitutional about Measure B, local resident priority policies have been used in many instances successfully without legal challenge, such as State collages for example.

      County Auditor Roberta Allen has admitted to a honest misunderstanding of the new laws concerning cannabis. “When Mrs. Allen initially searched the license types available she did not see the Self-Distribution option and therefore created a budget that reflected a possible shortcoming of $48,000 in funds.”
      “With the Self-Distribution License included, Plumas County stands to make $250,000 over what implementation costs are expected to be. This provides Plumas County with a surplus of funds before the collection of Taxes begins.”

      • * State Colleges

      • Maybe so. But watch as Measure B goes down in flames in November. As it should.

  • Two examples in the last week of how faux humanitarian orgs like ADA, and now the fire safe crowd, break the budgets of cities, counties and individuals. Under the guise of safety.
    So they have to take more grant money and become more controlled by their sugar daddy.
    Recently Argentina’s currency was traded down by “the market” (Wall St.). Now, like a good trained puppy, Argentina begs for IMF bailout money, and it will use its own resources as collateral to the bankers.
    Same format used on our county.
    Respect to Engel for trying to remain old school-but this is new school. Just put it on the card. Charge it. The kids will pay the tab for their “safety”, just like the Argentinians, as debt slaves. That’s not very “safe”.

  • Argentina? Sugar Daddies and the IMF?

    What do they have to do with us?

    Your point is lost.

  • The ADA was the world’s first comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities.
    You have a problem with that Meanwhile in America?

  • Lol…I predict B will be a resounding NO

    Maybe someday when the Good-old-Boys get their preferred growers in place who can grease the wheels with some big $$$ LIKE just announced in RENO….Where venture capitol 2 weeks ago announced growers raised $5 million start up capitol

    So Jill and her minions wont pass something that resembles B untill they ante some multi millions up front money to grease the wheels.

    • Jill is very much against Measure B and commercial cultivation in general. I hope you were not mis-referencing me. Thank you.

  • Face it. If folks like Jill had, say put up a $10 MILLION Dollar cash bond with the county and more in skin in game like a pile of upfront cash instead of bloviating snotty comments ….funny is they/she are so absolutely convinced of county revenue, yet why isnt vent-cap backing the?

    You see its nothing but a SCAM being hoisted by Losers who if they really were in it for the longhaul they would already have BIG money behind them…they are blowing smoke.B IS A SCAM plain simple

    There is nothing but huge losses for the county by under funded morons having fantasys here of being big growers B IS A SCAM.

    • Why pick on Jill?
      She’s on the same side as you Bill.

  • A yes vote on measure B is a vote for free market capitalism in plumas county, anyone that says other is pushing liberal nanny state horse crap.

    • *otherwise

    • Oh here we go again. The constant bleating of green sheep.

  • Sorry if i got that wrong..just add whatever name apply’s.TY

    Point should be well taken..if for growers its about the money to be made in PC for them, then why isnt big money venture capitol handing them millions in start up money….1.answer…because commercial growing ops. In places like Reno are SECURITY and enviro friendy compared to outdoor and forest grows….so have a chance to invest,whats better people with MBAs growing in secured controlled inviros…or some schmuck with a bugsprayer in a backyard someplace, doing whatever….if B had the opp to give big returns, BIG money would be behind it,not schmucks.

  • Lol….you dont even understand basic economics

    If free market capitol investment money saw a potential for all this imagined money to actually have a ROI better than 5% Than i would be replying to someone they would PAY TO POST….someone with talking points ..instead of me replying to you, that obviously doesnt know much about how money works.

    • Shut it, ya miserable drunk.

  • Thats it???.♧thats all you have against facts?…dont get me wrong..its possible some moronic multibillionaire will throw around a few million dollars in upfront wheelgreasin money to make it happen….but not likely if investing in secure grows in RENO continues to be a massive moneymaker with PHDs MBA,s MD,s involved…what do you have, un realistic pipedreams and calling people drunks..?..thats it?

  • I am just going to chime in on a comment about me above. The statement Measure B “enriches” me in some way, consistently is brought up, but no one ever says how? I live in the City of Portola, I do not own property anywhere else in Plumas County. That means, Measure B does not affect me. If I was self serving, I would have written an Initiative for the city. Also, I do not use cannabis in any form, but I did use it to cure my father’ Cancer, and for that reason I defend its use and access. The people who gave me the cannabis to treat my father were small local farmers in PC. Big money isn’t backing us, because we didn’t sell out our County in Measure B. A no vote for B will not keep cannabis out, it will allow it by the BOS standards later.

    • I think Bill has it right. But Plumas county growers didn’t sell out but because they had neither a chance to buy in or out because the big money is investing elsewhere and Nevada seems prime. Open skies, and sunshine. Unlimited water, less regulation, better tax structure and if it’s an indoor grow, electricity costs about half in Nevada.

      Even here in CA., in three? more years under Prop. 64 the mega corporate growers can get started. Reality is locals simply cannot compete with valley farmers growing herb by the section, selling for less.

      Our BOS was headed to a no vote on commercial grows and that’s where Measure B comes from. The local growers last chance. For Plumas it’s over before it’s started.

      Regardless, I’ll be…

  • U sure have quite a fixation on the fauxnews network lately..okay so its now its more like MSNBC and your addicted….suprise suprise suprise..hardcore leftists loving fox more and more everyday……im shocked just shocked>not

  • Lol..
    Not that theres anything like lefty humility or hypocrites ..but by your own measure ..you shouldnt watch fox news because they had Bill O’Reilly…though i digress lately its like FREE SKITTLES to deep state lovers, never Trumpers,Obama doll holders

    • Have another ya lush.

      Me knows you like to get your news from pedophiles like Milo yiannopoulos.

  • Sick, sick sick.
    Grow up Me’s Turn.

  • You CAN grow as much weed as you want in plumas!!!!!

    You have to be a pro grower.
    Please support plumas.

    Good grower makes 1 million plus a year easy. ((Pros, not homegrowerers)

    $1,000 a day fine. Let’s run that.

    Make 1 million. Pay plumas $365,000.00
    No problem. Still 500k profit

    • Where does that fuzzy math come from?

  • Certainly theres some other aspects of B that arent discussed.i.e. associated waste,ground water issues,the biggie of organised & opprotunity crimes,toxic blue algae blooms downstream.

    However one big advantage is that if as predicted B turns PC into ruination like redding,trinity,humbolt…for folks living here that been on the fence of totally giving up CA for and vamoosing for good..passing B looks like final straw material

  • Why not pass something thats isle-crossing and TRULY COMPASSIONATE?
    I,de be all in 100% for B if it crossed the isle and was truly compassionate for those that dont want to be in PC as it turns into Redding, trinity,humbolt,worse.

    A plan simmilar to,something like

    If you have owner occupied property in PC For at least 10yrs..want to move out.
    If you sell for more than $10k over what you bought for,PC will give you a $2000 payout to move from the county…so come up with something thats truly compassionate for folks who will heartbroken as this place turns into Redding…?

  • Kim, Chelsea and Harry just to name a few, are not what this county needs. These are the last people in Plumas county you should want to do business with!

    NO ON MEASURE B

  • Bill, I would be happy to discuss water and waste concerns with anyone. Measure B includes required participation in the State’s Water Boards Cannabis Cultivation Program. I will attach a link to that program here. We care about Plumas County’s environment.

    https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/cannabis/

    • “We care about Plumas County’s environment.”

      If that was true we wouldn’t have need for this discussion. You wouldn’t even be thinking about commercial grows in this county if you truly wanted to protect the environment. Truth is it’s money that you people really care about, to hell with everything else. VOTE NO ON B.

  • I fully appreciate your positions..however seems that the most you could prove is for whatever reasons you couldnt invest or get funding in someplace like RENO thats throwing around venture capitol startup money by the MILLIONS…so yes you prove that your highly educated on the matter…yet for whatever reason you cant assemble a viable business plan for salivating investors in NV…why, if your smart on the issue ?

  • Water regs. Vastly under under reported this summer was entire drinking water sources full of toxic blue green algae..not reported widely is the pile of it growing at the confluence of the Feather and lake Oroville…Now im sure that theres already plenty of good meaning regs already in place to look at and recite chap-verse…yet theres the already plumes growing and poliferating TOXICITY to view…regs already in place arent stopping it, so what is well-wishing going to accomplish?

  • And again…ugg..
    What is the ultimate point you can make about the water and runoffs…that you care so very very much about the water here where there is basically ZERO REPEAT zero industrial wastewater recycling on a scale compared to RENO that has industrial wastwater recycling for YEARS now….so yea u care so much about water issues u wont move over the hill where industial waste has enviro friendly solutions we dont…yes tell us you really care so so much

  • Bill, you obviously are very concerned about the water and so are we, but we work with the information that is being provided to us by the Water Board. We cannot create regulations based on an opinion in the comments section. Each license holder will be responsible for creating whatever recycling needs are demanded by the Water Board. If those are not available, then the license holder will need to build their own. Unfortunately, I feel like regardless of what I say, you will discount it, because you oppose the situation. You mention Reno quite often and ask why I do not find capital from there, but I am not starting a cannabis business. I have no use for investors.

  • Votin’ No, If you are opposed to Commercial Cannabis then it is absolutely your right to vote against it. You said money is all we care about, but in what terms are you speaking? Do I care if people in PC can have jobs, better social services, and literally be able to keep all of the lights on…then yes, I do care about the money. I don’t believe it comes at the expense of the community, but that is the beauty of democracy, we all get to vote. If you are insinuating that I am all about the money, then you must mistake what I get paid. For serving on the Working Group for over a year I received $0, for writing Measure B I have received $0, and if Measure B passes I receive $0. Whoever you think I am, is clearly based on false rumor.

  • There is no large scale infrastructure to transport or process industrial wastewater in this county,so all the regs do what exactly? Tell them to transport to the WW plant in Quincy, where it ends up as evevn more toxic blue green algae downstream? Or open cesspool evaps onsite. Yes the regs the regs the regs…You dont even touch on the crime,its enviro impact,high fences with armed goons on both sides of ,em or the fact that kids at Quincy elem school already do the DAB DANCE inrelation to highly addictive concentrated cannabis..besides your trickle down economics is BOGUS at best because of ever increasing paychecks at our marble palace and their associated voter base CCL about streetlights..compared to their pocketlining needs

  • It seems your arguement is bogus to false ftom the git go…With bankers and investors in RENO dangling multi millions for GROWERS, why why wouldnt anyone who is already commited to doing it enviro friendly and has the skills just move a few miles over hill and avoid the multilevel mess here…yes yes yes we know they have land purchased MV Greenville,the canyon and are just waiting…too bad…sell NOW and go make millions in RENO, if as you say they, your,,cabal,,is so smart them lettem go to work in RENO and then come back and laugh at us.

  • Thats probably the real story behind the efforts of your Cabal.
    They invested in RE with the intent of making millions and millions on whats called a come >hopes on the POSSIBILITY…Yet venture capitol, big business, PHD,s MBA,s MD,s have made the idea of commercial cannabis i PC obsolete before it even happened…blame yourselves, as that pile.of cash you wasted here on a hunch,,,,combined,,,savily invested a few years ago WOULD already have made millions and millions in RENO..so tell your Cabal too bad soo sad

  • Must say..$ For streetlights…yes we read the story ,no money for streetlights recently. And also just viewed the SO’s shiny new twenty five thousand dollar offroad vehicle in the parade..so your idea of money is going to trickle down to upfunding streetlights is comical as theres already plenty for money for things like $25,000 buggies,,,streetlights too…they arent a priority issue to the BOS is all

    .m

  • Ugg and that just brings it back full circle again. As has been & will be..measure B is a Farse a Ruse a SCAM a FALSEHOOD its just being driven by a small CABAL here and isnt backed by big business that has rightly determined commercial cannabis growing in Plumas County is NOT SUSTAINABLE for a wide variety of reasons on many levels

    Its no more complicated than that…the idea of comm cannabis here is OBSOLETE, in the past,is going nowhere, its not needed in this region of the state when just over the hill IN RENO every every every every aspect of finance to growing to point of sale has >>>proven profitable business models>>>>ALREADY in place…..the idea of comm cannabis in Plumas is OBSOLETE..there is no big money behind it

  • Measure B is a train wreck. Clearly benefits the writers no matter what BS they try and spew.
    Do a little research and find out who’s running the weed delivery service here in the Chester area.
    Where’s the moratorium enforcement?

    • The moratorium is for cultivation only. Does not cover delivery, manufacturing or distribution. Do a little research before you run your mouth.

      • My, how snotty. Try teaching without being a asshole. Thank you.

  • Bill, As I mentioned before, I doubt there is anything I could say that you would find of value since clearly your mind is made up, but I will continue to answer. Other people may read this thread and be able to find answers to their questions in my responses.

    Your dissatisfaction with the water seems to be misdirected. According to you, cannabis growers even if they do it all correctly cause damage,because the water system itself is a failure. If that is true, then you should attack the Water Board, not cannabis.

    I do not believe there will be increase in crime. I base that opinion on the many reports that have said the security measures required of these businesses actually make areas safer.

    Conversation works better than rants

  • Really? Why does pot capitol Mendocino County have the same violent crime rate as South Central LA?

    Granted existing violent crime in P/C is already awfully high. Are you willing to do something that might make it worse?

  • Democrats, Do you have a report for me to read that shows where legally operating cannabis businesses are responsible for that problem?

    • No. But I’m quoting from the report of the Mendocino DA. David Eyster.

      He can set you straight. 707.463.4211

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