A stormy night did not stop local citizens from attending the first League of Women Voters of Plumas County candidate forum, held Monday, Feb. 5, at the Quincy branch of the Plumas County Library. A large crowd filled the room to hear a full slate of candidates and information prior to the March 5 presidential primary.
Linda Judge, president of the local league, opened the forum with a brief history. The national organization was established in 1920, the local Plumas chapter in 1993. The League of Women Voters’ mission encourages informed and active citizen participation in government.
The evening began with Superior Court judge candidates William Abramson and W. Wayne Yates Jr.
Next were Plumas County supervisor District 4 candidates Greg Hagwood, the incumbent, and Mimi Hall, the challenger. The supervisorial District 4 area includes Meadow Valley, Quincy and parts of East Quincy.
Throughout the evening, both candidates touted their experience as leaders, with Hagwood telling of his accomplishments as a first-term supervisor. Hall spoke of her past career as public health director in Plumas as well as Yolo and Santa Cruz counties and what she would like to do if elected.
Introductions
Hagwood introduced himself as joining the local workforce at age 11, with a Sacramento Bee paper route, then moving on to work at the county fairgrounds at age 12. He attended California State University, Sacramento. He was hired as a Plumas County deputy in 1988 and went on to be appointed sheriff, then elected three times as sheriff, and once as District 4 Supervisor. Hagwood said he has a proven track record of accomplishments, dedication and commitment, all of it exclusively to this county and community.
Hall said she is a public servant, wife, and mother of three kids. She has tackled the toughest human, economic, health and public safety issues in Plumas County and California. She said she and her husband of 25 years, Quincy native Thom Hall, started a life and business and raised their family here. Hall worked for Plumas County in public health from 1999 to 2017, serving as director most of those years. In 2017, she and her family found it difficult to live the kind of future in Plumas County that they were planning for. Hall’s contract pay had not changed in 10 years, and she was taking home less pay despite doing more work and assuming more responsibilities for the county.
Hall said she decided to take a job in Yolo County and commuted back to Quincy on weekends. She was hired as a public health director in Santa Cruz County, managing a $200 million budget and supervising a department of 600 employees. She has hands-on experience in working in larger counties with many of the same issues as Plumas. She said she offers a well-run county that we all deserve.
The bulk of the forum featured Hagwood and Hall responding to questions from the audience posed by Judge.
What are you working on now for economic development and business for the county?
Hagwood: He is actively engaging with a group working on a visitors’ center at the old Lawry House, and with the chamber coalition on relocating a program for businesses to come to Plumas County. He also mentioned Pacific Gas and Electric Co. settlement funds to chambers for marketing, and working toward a business-friendly environment that streamlines the process for investing in business districts.
Hall: She has a big wishlist, she said, and is campaigning for an extremely well-run county. “Plumas County doesn’t have its business in order. It’s not one person’s fault. We need a fiscally sound county. We have dollars not being spent and sent back.” Hall wants to solve that. She will focus on the county with competitive wages for all departments and public safety.
Morale is low and there are high vacancies in county departments. How will you change that?
Hagwood: “A perception is being advanced by certain people with certain agendas.” In the last two years, he said, the county lost 19 department heads. It has made more progress recently: “For the first time in 15 years elected leaders got a raise. I drove that raise forward. … My brothers and sisters in the sheriff’s office got the largest raise they have seen in 50 years.”
Hall: “Morale is a complicated thing. Sheriff Todd Johns tried to bring about raises for 18 months and could not move them forward. The supervisors had a willing sheriff. Why did it take so long? … A piecemeal approach doesn’t work. We need equity and a comprehensive approach to address all departments with competitive wages.”
Hagwood rebutted: “Johns did come forward with savings from vacancies, but now the county has come up with a sustainable revenue stream to support the raises.”
Are transient occupancy taxes effective?
Hagwood: “As sheriff and as supervisor, I support those funds being returned to marketing and advertising. People come and rent rooms. We need to further support lodging providers with a return investment. We need outside people to identify Airbnbs and Vrbo that don’t pay taxes. … Currently, the supervisors decide how to allocate TOT taxes in the county budget. I am one out of five supervisors, and some don’t agree with me.”
Hall: “TOT taxes are good tools if used properly. Problems like this are not solved in the boardroom or by a few people. Get everyone involved. Bring all the voices together and get feedback.” She said that the board doesn’t memorialize anything for the long term with resolutions or ordinances to serve the people in the long run. “The allocation of funds should be invested back with the lodging providers.”
For Hagwood specifically: Under your watch, the sheriff’s office had claims of $3 million in sexual harassment lawsuits; the treasurer/tax collector’s office is a mess; and the human resources director has legal problems. Mental health, environmental health, code enforcement, the dog catcher are nonexistent. Why should I give you another term?
Hagwood: “Mrs. Hall knows as a department head that staff will engage in inappropriate behavior that is uncalled for.” When he found out about that as sheriff, Hagwood said he responded immediately — “in seconds. The dollar amount stated is not accurate, as there are more continuing litigation and appeals going on.”
Hall: “When I was a department head, I had my staff answer 100 questions for a strategic plan. I put systems in place with my staff. We listened to employees and offered training. People were more satisfied. I believe in being proactive — it’s not all about money.”
With the lack of a newspaper, how do you communicate the county’s business?
Hagwood: “With the closing of Plumas News it is a challenge getting the word out. Every person can call me 24/7 and have access to me with their cell phone.” He said it is unprecedented to give out a cell phone number like that. “The county can do better with the county website,” he said. He makes sure that all public comments to the supervisors are put into the record every single day.
Hall: “The county should be proactive and make rules on how we are going to communicate to the public. There are rules of order for the board of supervisors so the public is informed. Government isn’t mysterious; it should be more transparent to serve the public and be clear about communications.”
County properties are not being taken care of. What resources are devoted to preventing wildfires?
Hagwood: “We should use what resources it takes to prevent wildfires. The supervisors are looking to dispose of private or public properties in other districts. At 8:30 a.m. this morning, I was meeting with a congressional staff rep about accessing funding for the Lawry House, to rehab, restore and safeguard it. At 1 p.m. I was at a Forest Service meeting about fire mitigation and hazard reduction. I do this every single day.”
Hall: “A matter of preparedness is — as with any planning — strategic, with a checklist. Money should be spent well and documented on preparedness. Not just one person is responsible. The county should set goals and hold partnerships and the county accountable.” She said that after the fire in Santa Cruz County, the county got to work immediately.
Closing statements
Hall: “I am the right person. Follow my career: Organized, planner, strategic. I listen to everyone. I work in a way to not use my position to influence. I have toured the jail project that lots of people have worked on. I have reached out to legislators about the state rural sheriff funding. I have talked to appointed and elected department heads. It is time to change. People feel despondent.”
Hagwood: “Mrs. Hall will tell you what she will do. I have the things that I have done and accomplished. The jail we put together, the team … we failed the first time, but stood up again and became first in small counties, and third in 58 counties. Zoom for the supervisors meetings — I fought for it, wrote an editorial about it. Dame Shirley — you are welcome! I did preserve it. I do not run to the state or federal governments. I have a proven track record of leadership, dedication and commitment to this county.”
Statement by Supervisor Kevin Goss
Kevin Goss, District 2 supervisor, whose position is uncontested in this race, offered the following statement:
“District 2 has lots of the county now. It includes north of Lee Road in Quincy, Chandler Road, the Feather Canyon. Greenville, Indian Falls and Canyon Dam have been through a lot.” He said he has been working hard with the Dixie Fire Collaborative, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to help get them back up and running.
“I moved to Indian Valley in 1973. I have served three terms as District 2 supervisor and going on my fourth term. I return phone calls immediately. I met many of my new constituents with the Dame Shirley Plaza proposed sale.”