Ballots for the Nov. 4 election will be mailed out next week, on Oct. 6. In preparation, we’ve invited candidates for local office to participate in written interviews on their vision, goals, background and qualifications in a series we’re calling “Meet the Candidates.”
Plumas Unified School District is under the direction of Plumas County Office of Education. Both PUSD and PCOE have boards served by the same five board members elected for four-year terms. Due to a resignation by a District 5 board member before the term was up in 2026, an appointment was tied by the remaining board members. The vacant seat went to a November special election upon the recommendation of the school superintendent.
PUSD recently went under state receivership and the PUSD board will be advisory only to the county administrator. District 5 represents parts of East Quincy, Cromberg and Graeagle.
The two candidates are Keith Barnett and Matthew De La Montanya. We asked them to tell us about themselves, why they are running for the seat, their skills and experience and how they will work with the rest of the board and the new county administrator. Their responses appear in alphabetical order by family name.
Keith Barnett
1. Tell us about yourself and where you live in District 5.
My name is Keith Barnett, and I live in East Quincy off of First Street. I own and operate a general construction contracting business, as well as a C-54 tile and stone business. I also provide hardscape landscaping, rock work and commercial snow plowing in the winter.
I’m 45 years old and have lived in Quincy since I was 14, on and off. My wife, Julie Tanaka, is also a long-time resident and business owner. Together, we are raising our son, Jameson Barnett, a 15-year-old Quincy Junior-Senior High School student.
I enjoy being involved with youth activities, especially those my son participates in. I make it a priority to attend as many of his games and events as possible. I also volunteer my equipment, time and knowledge to help support student programs and projects — especially when district funding falls short — so that kids don’t suffer the consequences of budget limitations.
In addition, I teach self-defense and striking classes for both adults and kids. Sharing what I’ve learned over a lifetime of training and experience is something I love and take pride in.
2. Why are you running for this position?
I’m running for this position because I’ve spent the last five to seven years carefully watching, as if “a fly on the wall,” the decisions being made. I feel that community trust has been lost and that the board too often “just goes with the flow” rather than fulfilling its duty to represent. The board holds the final decision-making power, and many of the problems we’ve seen should never have happened if members were truly representing the community as they committed to.
I’ve also had many people reach out to me, encouraging me to run. They know I don’t have political ties or outside influences that could hold me back from doing what’s right for our teachers, educators and — most importantly — our students. The students need a true voice, not just a translator.
3. What skills and experience will you bring to the school board?
I’ve run multiple businesses in the construction trades my entire adult life, and I personally handle every aspect of operations. I have served on educational boards within the construction industry and am deeply familiar with budgeting, accounting, payroll, performance evaluations and setting and achieving goals.
Logistics are second nature to me — charts, graphs and detailed spreadsheets are the tools I use daily to run my businesses. I have also worked as a national educator, traveling across the country to present seminars on industry standards and requirements. My leadership experience, combined with accountability, integrity and commitment, has prepared me to contribute effectively to the board.
4. Now that the district is under state receivership, how will you work with the rest of the board and the new county administrator?
Now that the state has taken control and the board’s authority is limited, this is a critical time to listen, learn and rebuild. We need to reflect on past mistakes, take decisive steps to address the financial crisis, and create a team capable of recognizing warning signs before they become emergencies.
As an elected board member, my role is not about personal interests or popularity — it’s about representing the best interests of our community, our teachers and, above all, our students. Decisions should be made through teamwork, discussion and voting, with the future of our children as the guiding principle. The teachers, the educators and especially the children should not be punished for mistakes made by the district. Their futures must remain our highest priority.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Matthew De La Montanya
1. Tell us about yourself and where you live in District 5.
My name is Matthew De La Montanya and I am 49 years old. I have been married for the past 25 years to an amazing woman, Genevieve. Together, we have a 22-year-old daughter and a 16-year-old son. We all enjoy spending time outdoors and exploring Plumas County. We have lived on La Porte Road for the last eight years.
Growing up, my parents taught me the importance of hard work. This lesson has served me well throughout my adult life. I take on difficult tasks and see them through to completion. I believe it is important to help our neighbors and community members. Being kind and offering help to our friends, family and even strangers is something that I believe can truly build a resilient community.
2. Why are you running for this position?
I have similar concerns for our district that many community members have in regards to how the district has been run. I am running to be a voice for our children, teachers and staff at Plumas Unified School District, and to help with concerns from community members. I want to be part of the solution moving forward with the help of the state and a focus on regaining the communities’ trust.
3. What skills and experience will you bring to the school board?
I have served on the board of the Quincy Little League, during which I helped with fundraising and field cleanups. I also participated in approving budget items for the league. I have had two careers in my life. I worked as a tile setter and as a general manager of a northern California flooring company. I was responsible for providing estimates and bidding future jobs. I oversaw the day-to-day operations from scheduling, installations and quality control for our final product. I have received extensive training in time management, working with people and finding agreeable solutions to challenges.
My second career was in law enforcement. I have been a police officer for the last 16 years. This career has further expanded and tested my ability to find solutions in difficult situations. During this career I have been able to participate in several opportunities with the students and staff in the Quincy area.
4. Now that the district is under state receivership, how will you work with the rest of the board and the new county administrator?
Plumas County’s school district has never been in this situation. The roles are changing to the control of the state and the new county administrator. I have started to reach out to the principals in the Quincy area to find out what they need from the board. All of them responded with a version of better communication.
First and foremost we need to work together. Respectfully. I understand the state offers various training for the board members. As a board we need to take advantage of this! I will help build a team with the other board members so that we can make better decisions in the future. This is an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. In the last few months, we have learned a lot of mistakes were made throughout the district. This is the time to be humble, learn from our mistakes and build a better future for our children.
