Supervisors Continue to Rely on Consent Crutch to Conduct Business

The October 14 Del Norte Board of Supervisors meeting was fairly tame, non-controversial, and predictable.
Of the 37 listed agenda items, 28 were listed on the Consent Agenda. For those who are not familiar with the Consent Calendar, the items are perfunctory and routine, such as approval of minutes from September 23, salary step increases, updating renewals of expiring contracts, and recognition of ceremonial events (of which there were none at this last meeting).

Eighteen of the DHHS’s 27 items were requested by the County’s Health and Human Resources, and several of these items involved funding decisions.
The Department of Health and Human Services and its 11 departments represent at least 50 percent of the County’s adopted $242 million budget, of which approximately $45.3 million in General Fund revenue is collected.

The flaw in the Consent Agenda is limited discussion or sharing with the public on often controversial Sacramento decisions.
The votes for the Consent Agenda are always 5-0, 100% approved.
Discussion is limited to three minutes total for the 28 items, public comment period excluded.

The two Consent items of note included Item #8: approval and authorization of the agreement with El Dorado County for detention of juvenile court wards at the El Dorado County Juvenile Detention Facility, as requested by Chief Probation Officer Lonnie Reyman. The Board approval expands options for placing offending subjects beyond the option of Humboldt County.

Item #24 was passed for approval/agreement with Del Norte Ambulance for continuation of emergency transportation services through June 30, 2026.

In General Government, the Board unanimously approved the final 2024-2025 Grand Jury Report, with no additional comments offered.
Items 36 and 37 approved the Chairman to sign the resolution for the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure for Round 2 and allow the Board to apply for available grants. It further allows the Chair and Director of Health and Human Services to sign a letter of support for True North Behavioral Health Campus in Redding. It is uncertain if any funds would come to Del Norte County.