Plumas County Supervisor Tom McGowan announced Jan. 13 he will not seek a second term representing the Chester-Lake Almanor area.
McGowan used the section of the board of supervisors meeting designated for department head reports to share that his plans do not include another term as the county’s 3rd District supervisor.
“Others are qualified,” he said in a brief statement.
McGowan was elected in June 2022 in a decisive victory over candidate Kelley Cote. His campaign slogan was “Focused on the Future,” he told The Plumas Sun in a May 2025 interview.
During his three years as a supervisor, McGowan has advocated for more attention to the damage in his district caused by the 2021 Dixie Fire. His constituents feel like “the redheaded stepchild,” paying for “a lot they don’t get,” he said. Much of his focus over the last three years has been on changing long-established patterns of county government to create what he called “a more efficient, more cohesive Plumas County.”
In January 2025, McGowan cast the lone no vote to place former Plumas County Administrative Officer Debra Lucero on paid administrative leave. He voted with the rest of the board in April to terminate her contract.
Two people have so far taken out paperwork that could lead to formal filing as candidates for the 3rd District supervisorial office. Douglas Brower is pastor of the New Hope Community Church in Chester. Shawn P. McKenzie is chief executive officer of Chester’s Seneca Healthcare District.
The formal filing period for county offices begins Feb. 9 and ends March 6. It is extended to March 11 for positions like this one, where the incumbent is not a candidate.
