The talk of finances by the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors continues, along with confusion. The Board is trying to get to the bottom of why the county’s short money in the healthcare plan, which is creating a domino effect. The county has money from the coronavirus federal government stimulus known as the American Rescue Plan Act. Over 4.5 million dollars could be used to stuff the budget gap which was just noted this spring. The CEO and the board discussed how it goes back nearly six years when the county spent down a budget surplus because they supposedly had too big of a reserve from the health plan. The county has also not been reimbursed for money spent during COVID lockdowns. And cannabis funds are not what were expected. The new CEO also promised employees bonuses from the stimulus, but those may be on pause for a minute too.
There’s a new suit in charge of climate resiliency in Lake County. Terre Logsdon has been named the new Chief Climate Resiliency Officer. The position is made possible with funding from the state’s Office of Emergency Services’ (CalOES’) Prepare California “Jumpstart” Grant program. Logsdon has been around the block when it comes to the environment, working the last few years as the Environmental Director and Chief Operations Officer for the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians (SVBPI). The position is under the County Administrative Office team, with an eye on mitigating the effects of global climate change as a full-time employee. Her appointment is effective December 5.
Hundreds of millions of dollars are lost from California’s two major pension plans. This is way more than had been reported the first part of the year. The Public Employees’ Retirement System and the State Teachers’ Retirement System have released the latest numbers for the last fiscal year which ended in June. It included updated private equity and real asset returns. CalPERS showed a -6.1% return for the fiscal year, then adjusted it to -7.5%. And CalSTRS, had reported a -1.3% return, but updated to reflect -3.3%.
As we reported with election returns, Proposition 29 got a resounding no… again. Doctors, nurses, dialysis patients and others affected by the initiative said they were not surprised it failed for a third time, this time nearly a 70% no vote. It lost by an even wider margin this time though. There were over 70 groups against Prop 29, including the California Medical Association, American Nurses Association and the California NAACP and almost every state daily newspaper. The proposition would have meant all dialysis clinics in the state would need administrators on site at all times, but they wouldn’t be providing direct patient care, just increasing the cost.
A man from Albion has been found guilty for multiple rapes. A jury convicted 30 year old Anthony Oakley last Friday for felony assault with intent to commit rape on Jane Doe #1; felony forcible spousal rape on Jane Doe #2; and another against Jane Doe #3. There were many other charges against him, including another rape and criminal threats. After the deliberations were over Oakley ended up back in Mendocino County Jail. The case is with the Probation Department for a background study and sentencing recommendation; which is set for next week.
The rest of the PG&E money set aside by the Mendocino City Community Services District for Public Safety Power Shutoffs is going to another need. The Board of Directors has approved the Superintendent Ryan Rhoades using the rest of the grant money they received in 2021 to respond to a power loss during the October 2019 extended power outage, causing the plant to be shut down. Some of the money will go to buy several backup generators and fuel. The board also voted last month on rate increases and sent ballots to property owners to decide.
