Who is your schools’ representative? Check out the new map

March 14, 2022 Editor

By Debra Moore

Three boards — Plumas Unified School District, Plumas County Office of Education and Feather River College — met to deal with three tasks March 10.

Less than an hour later the entities had held their public hearings, approved the new maps for their trustees areas, and selected an election sequencing calendar.

The five trustees who sit on the school district board are the same as those who serve as the county office of education board. Board president Traci Holt, as well as Dave Keller, Joleen Cline and Leslie Edlund attended the meeting, while the fifth board member, JoDee Read attended the Plumas District Hospital board meeting, which was being held at the same time. (She is the hospital’s chief executive officer.)

The five trustees representing Feather River College: board president Guy McNett, Bill Elliott, John Sheehan, Dana Ware and Kimberly Kaznowski all attended.

Michelle Cannon, an attorney who represents both the school district and the college, as well as McKay Larabee, from FLO Analytics (the consulting firm hired to help with the process) recapped what had occurred to date and the effort to involve the public.

McKay outlined the four listening sessions that were well held and described them as “not well attended.” In addition, there were joint public hearings that also garnered no input. The consulting firm also provided interactive maps and a website featuring the presentations made. “There were a lot of resources for the public,” she said.

“Through this process, we have not received any communication from the public,” PUSD Superintedent Terry Oestreich said.

McKay once again reviewed the process (required following the 2020 census) and then shared the final map, which attempted to balance the population between trustee areas while keeping communities of interest together as much as possible. Population deviations are required to be under 10 percent and in the final map the overall deviation is 6.3 percent. That’s an incredible number given that the deviation began at 93.8 percent.

The final map keeps East Quincy together and keeps Iron Horse with Delleker/Portola, McKay said of two priority areas.

Trustee area 1 (Portola area) is 188 people over at 4.9 percent, while the other four trustee areas are slightly under the ideal number. Area 5 (Graeagle) has 33 under while the other three trustee areas are at 52 under. “Having three of the same number is very rare,” McKay said.

Following the presentation, Cannon asked the board presidents to open their public hearings. Both PUSD president Traci Holt and FRC board president Guy McNett conducted their hearings and received no public input.

Cannon then discussed election sequencing and how the changes would impact the current trustees.

“During these transitions, current board members can serve out their four-year term,” she said. “Regardless of the sequencing selected, you will serve out your terms. This determines which trustee areas will be on the ballot.”

During this year’s election cycle, PUSD will see trustee areas 2,3 and 5 up for election, while FRC will have 1,2 and 4 on the ballot. In 2024, it will be trustee areas 1 and 4 for PUSD, and 3 and 5 for FRC. The board approved the sequencing.With trustee areas redrawn, there are some issues on the FRC side. There are currently two trustees in area 2: Bill Elliott and Guy McNett; while no trustee lives in area 1.