Randy Hooper Reappears at Board Meeting Weeks After Felony-Level DUI Reduced; County Silent as Supervisors Discuss Their Pay Raises

By ROGER GITLIN
Eye on Del Norte

Assistant County Administrative Officer Randy Hooper made his first public appearance Tuesday since his DUI case was handed to Trinity County, where probation officials recommended felony DUI and three years of felony probation—a recommendation ignored by both the Court and Del Norte County leadership. No acknowledgment from the County. No explanation from the Board. No questions about his legal status.

So here’s the real question: Will the Board of Supervisors order an administrative investigation and hold one of its top officials accountable? Will they adopt a policy addressing off-duty misconduct? Will they finally address conflict-of-interest protections for high-level employees facing criminal charges?

Judge Follett may have crafted a sentence to preserve Hooper’s employment, but Hooper works for Del Norte County, not the Court. Let’s not pretend the Board’s hands are tied. They are not. The recourse exists.
It simply isn’t being used.

And yet, on Tuesday, business continued as if nothing had happened. Hooper delivered a presentation on a new capital-improvement planning model. Supervisors accepted the report and turned immediately to a compensation ordinance affecting their own pay.

Supervisors Move Forward on New Compensation Structure

Supervisors approved the first reading of an ordinance restructuring how Board members are compensated. The longstanding tiered system—where pay depends on how many terms a supervisor has served—would be eliminated and replaced with a single uniform rate of $2,277.67 bi-weekly for all five seats. This would be a significant increase on average for County Supervisors' compensation.

A public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for December 9.

The Trinity County Investigation: A Serious Case

As Eye on Del Norte previously reported, Hooper:

• Exited Elk Valley Casino in an intoxicated state.
• Was urged by casino staff to take a taxi home.
• Drove downhill at unsafe speed.
• Struck the parked vehicle of Megan Postma.
• Left the scene.

Because Hooper is a high-ranking Del Norte County official, Trinity County Probation was assigned to investigate. Their findings were unequivocal:

• His blood alcohol content measured .225 at Sutter Coast Hospital.
• Postma suffered injuries requiring surgery and ongoing treatment.
• Trinity County recommended felony status and three years of felony probation.

Judge William Follett rejected that recommendation.

Judge Follett’s Decision Preserved Hooper’s Job

In open court, Judge Follett said he believed a felony conviction would threaten Hooper’s job and create financial hardship for his family. His ruling allows:

• Temporary felony status
• Enrollment in the First-Time DUI Offender Program
• Reduction of the charge to a misdemeanor upon completion
• Jail time (Follett indicated 90 days may be possible)

The Court protected Hooper’s eligibility to remain employed. Any change to his employment now rests primarily with the Board of Supervisors.

County Leadership Still Silent

Since Hooper’s sentencing:

• No county official has stated whether his duties were modified.
• No internal review has been announced.
• No explanation has been offered regarding his employment status.
• No questions were raised during Tuesday’s meeting.

Hooper appeared, delivered his agenda item, and resumed his public-facing role with no discussion of the DUI case investigated by an outside county that recommended felony consequences.

A Stark Contrast

On one side:
A high-ranking administrator involved in a high blood-alcohol-content DUI hit-and-run, investigated by Trinity County, with probation officials recommending felony status.

On the other:
Supervisors advancing a new compensation structure for themselves—during the same meeting where Hooper quietly returned to the public dais.

Del Norte County taxpayers deserve answers.
On Tuesday, none were offered.