Commentary by Samuel Strait – October 31, 2022 My apologies to those that wait breathlessly for my inane rambling about the circus like representation we have in this County on a bi-weekly basis. Four hours and forty four minutes of listening pleasure was difficult to shoe in amidst a cross country trip of more than 10,000 road miles. Coast to coast with multiple stops enroute, with time to reflect on the challenges of living in California as opposed to much of the rest of the Country. It is not often that our local Board of Supervisors make it through the bi-monthly Del Norte County Supervisor's meeting without suitable "egg on one's face" moments, and the October 25th rendition was no exception. With weighty issues on the Board's agenda such as VRBO's, Juvenile Hall Closure, Homeless trash collection and as usual the Consent agenda, what could possibly go wrong? I suspect that the ensuing train wreck of indecision, questionable decisions, and flights of comedy were not too much to qualify for the general dysfunction award given to local governments that behave in this fashion "beyond the call of exceptional bad governing bodies". It remains clear that our local Board of Supervisor's is completely tone deaf to the notion this community has more than enough government currently on the books that fail in too many ways, for them to continue to push "more government" as the solution to this impending catastrophe. I was recently characterized as someone who takes government accountability and transparency as a paramount concern in my approach to government malfeasance, that; however, it not even close to the concern I have over the shear over reach and size of local government. The current reporting of activities by local Supervisors give ample reason to become aware of just how far the tentacles of local government have reached into the lives of the citizens they are meant to benefit. Worrying about oversight and transparency is hardly a relevant occupation when our leadership is barely aware of what is placed before them and that information comes from the various County departments they are meant to oversee. Kind of like the chickens telling the fox which way to the hen house. Not going to be very accurate when the fox goes looking for that hen house. Following the Supervisor's report came the much abused consent agenda, passing 5-0, but not before removing item #16 for further scrutiny. More on that later. Public comments, more VRBO protests and defenses, while we await the staff to generate more government intrusion. Then on to the weighty issue that occupies most residents in the County, that of natural and cultural preservation in the event of a natural disaster. Workshop to follow, food and good cheer, plus a little something extra in your pay check for those that attend. A grant from Humboldt Area Foundation to pick up the $1200 tab. The board then had to dig into their costume bag to drag out their change of wearing apparel to that of the Board of Equalization to deliberate on the weighty issue of about $400 of additional property tax being levied on a local family. The County position was that the additional tax was appropriate according to State law and should be collected. Clearly the choice between following State law and being "fair"was indeed a difficult choice for the newly constituted Board, but "fair" won the day and the local family had a successful day before the Board. That leaves only the State to weigh in on what the law has erred on the side of fairness, but shucks the local "clown show" was well worth the time spent in the "new" duds. The scheduled items concluded with a return to the costume closet and the return of the Board to regular business items, that of reclassification of employees at DHHS, coupled no doubt, with a tidy increase of compensation for the lucky reclassified employee. Then on to the general business scheduled for this meeting. A new ordinance about County campground stays, a pay increase for the County's Agricultural Commissioner, now that he has less to occupy him, more employees for Animal Control because they can't possibly survive without a secretary for each entity, now that the Agriculture department is moving to new digs. Not as though Animal Control could possibly find a spare secretary when they join the Sheriff's Department, or that Agriculture could steal away the one that currently slaves away at Animal Control. Heavens the catastrophes that await. And finally we arrive at the door of staff recommendation of the closure of Juvenile Hall, horrors. There has been a number of assurances by various Board members at previous meetings where we have been assured that anything County Staff recommends we must "trust" without exception. Clearly, that is until certain circumstances arise. One; however, becomes somewhat uncertain as to when the moment arrives, when we are to no longer trust County staff. Apparently, the closure of the "popularity contest winner "juvenile hall" is one such occasion. What initially became a presentation by the County's Probation department head for the additional information as to "why" Juvenile Hall needs to be in the County's rear view mirror, quickly turned into a public crucifixion of the unlucky soul. As usual the Board quickly turned a quest for additional information into a public hanging, unsupported allegations notwithstanding. Fortunately for all involved the action was tabled before decorum left the room. While the continuation of life at Juvenile Hall is clearly a step the County wishes to maintain for some Supervisors, the "how to do it legally and still have a functional probation department" is dangling out unsupported for the few juveniles that require the service. As far as whether or not leadership is a problem for the department, the Board should make a serious effort at getting the Judicial part of the equation up to their required duties before the decision to close or remain open is made. It was truly a mistake on the part of the Board to proceed without all the players part of the process. And the bumbling and stumbling goes on. Legislative issues and budget transfers yet to go, with no end of the fumbling in sight. 5-0 is the vote, and the tax payers are paying in Measure R funding to pick up the trash from the homeless. Somebody needs to tell the Board in no uncertain terms that "trash collection" is not an ENFORCEMENT ISSUE! HOMELESSNESS is a choice and should be treated as such. County government and the taxpayers are not responsible for the care and feeding of those that refuse to take up one of the many jobs available in this County alone. Homelessness has only become a serious problem when governing agencies get involved. Spending $50,000 funneled through Code Enforcement to justify the expenditure of Measure R funding is just another example of why the County should not have the sales tax money in the first place. A "Working group", and $50,000 to spend on an unsolvable issue is the kind of waste that the County's Oversight Committee should be all over, yet silence is their answer. This is precisely why citizens should be less concerned about oversight and transparency because it is such a waste of time and focus on ridding us of excessive government. The grand finale, an oversight by Chair Hemmingsen having forgotten the item removed from the Consent Agenda is drug into the shining light of public view. I will spare you the sordid details of the item itself, chalk it up to "liberal/progressive State government", but the response by the Board is priceless. Failing to pass muster at 3 opposed to 2 in the affirmative, the Department of Health and Human Services must look for somewhere else to spend taxpayers money on LGBTQ services, as only one group stepped up from Humboldt County to take up the challenge. Then the prize for stupidity stood up and uttered a condemnation of Branden Bieber for his insistence that more items from the "Consent Agenda" should merit such scrutiny. One only wonders just how many examples of Staff submissions to the Consent Agenda would have with stood the light of Public attention and been passed 5-0. Congratulations to Branden Bieber for cracking an impenetrable wall. Hopefully we will begin to see more such questionable items pulled from the Consent Agenda in the future where optics matter. And the Darwin Award for stupidity goes to Chair Gerry Hemmingsen, also congratulations.