Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Lassen County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues
Biomass Clean Energy Tax Credit Clarification Act support
The Board was asked to send a letter of support for federal legislation clarifying biomass clean energy tax credits — a boost for the county's timber and biomass industry.
OHV grant funding for Sheriff's Department
The Sheriff's Office secured $23,880 from the state OHV grant program for deputy and sergeant overtime, training, and equipment to patrol off-highway vehicle areas. Supervisors also asked staff to look into future funding for patrolling hiking trails, possibly using e-bikes.
Water transfer to Southern California
The board wants to oppose a plan to transfer Sacramento Valley water south, arguing it should recharge Lassen-area groundwater instead.
Herlong Recreation and Park District formation
Herlong could get its own recreation and park district. The Board was asked to start the LAFCo application process, which would include a plan for services and a five-year financial plan.
Electronic filing of campaign disclosures
A proposed county ordinance would allow candidates and committees to file campaign disclosure statements online instead of on paper, with adoption set to continue to November 17.
Medi-Cal behavioral health funding agreement
The county renewed two contracts with Community Medical Specialists: after-hours crisis response (max $300,000) and daytime in-person therapists for mostly youth clients (max $750,000), partially reimbursed by Medi-Cal. Officials also highlighted a 'grow your own' effort with Chico State interns to address the rural therapist shortage.
Susanville pool funding through 2033
The county will keep paying $80,000 a year to keep the Susanville community pool open through 2033, passing 3-2. Supporters said swim lessons, the swim team and senior exercise programs are irreplaceable; opponents said the county can't afford it and the city or the pool itself should fund it.
Ambulance service and EOA contract
SEMSA's ambulance contract runs through May 30, and a new entity backed by Plumas District Hospital is lined up to take over. The board got a status report on the RFP and transition.
El Niño local emergency declaration
Supervisors declared a local emergency before any flooding, hoping to speed permits and qualify for grants if a wet winter brings debris flows and clogged culverts.
Travel Stop tax revenue agreements
Resident Jim Barry raised concerns about the proposed 24-hour truck stop near Susanville: traffic through the Skyline/36 intersection, security and human trafficking risk, 7,000–9,000 gallons of water use per day, and noise and light impacts for Sierra Road residents.
State mandates on rural counties (SGMA, housing, wildfire)
Forest Supervisor Rick Hopson laid out an ambitious agenda — tripling fuels treatment to 24,000 acres and boosting timber harvest to 52 million board feet — while supervisors pressed him on hazard trees, slow NEPA, campground closures, and local economics.
Senior lunch program expansion
After four years, Meals on Wheels and senior congregate lunches resumed this week — supervisors and social services staff were visibly emotional about it.
Wildlife overcrossing on Highway 395
The Lassen County Transportation Commission is leading a $6 million, fully grant-funded effort to build wildlife crossings; Red Rock has become problematic due to BLM delays, so Bass Hill may be designed instead to 65% engineering by March.
Supervised visitation and child welfare reunification policy
Two Lassen Family Services contracts passed despite Albaugh's votes against, grounded in his foster-parent experience that court-mandated reunification services hurt kids. Staff explained the contracts are state-mandated and tie to federal foster care funding.
ADA website compliance costs
The county must make its whole website ADA-accessible by April 2027 (DOJ deadline pushed back a year); the new automated tool adds about $3,500 a year but saves weeks of manual work.
Red Rock to Doyle Safety Project on Highway 395
Caltrans is combining four projects to reduce crossover collisions on a dangerous 25-mile stretch of Highway 395, weighing a concrete median against California's first alternating passing lanes. Public comments on the environmental scoping are due November 12; supervisors pushed for local economic impacts and truck traffic to be addressed.
Year-end budget shortfalls and oversight
The county had to plug a $2.6 million hole in the just-ended fiscal year — driven by a PG&E overage, fair costs, and an unbudgeted HVAC repair at animal control. The board told department heads to come to supervisors before going over budget in the future.
Standish-Buntingville Road project close-out
The road rehab is done — the board approved the Notice of Completion so the county can collect state reimbursement and avoid losing money already spent.
Correction to budget vote record
The September 16 minutes wrongly recorded the 2026/27 budget adoption as unanimous — it was actually 4-1 with Supervisor Neely voting no. The record was fixed.
Public Health records contract renewal
Public Health hired Metopio Inc. to build a three-year Community Health Improvement Plan; supervisors noted the prison population skews the county's health statistics, including high suicide and overdose rates.
Ravendale illegal cannabis grows and administrative penalties
Six property owners were hit with penalties and liens for failing to clean up public nuisances, including a Westwood landlord who says he never got notice of his hearing and had already cleaned up. Supervisors split on whether to show leniency but adopted all six penalties 5-0.
Workforce recruitment and retention crisis
AFWD helped 1,574 job seekers and 141 local businesses last year, but supervisors expressed disappointment that Class A driver training support still hasn't materialized after three years of asking.
Behavioral health contracts and psychiatric placement costs
The DHCS performance contract sparked an unusually blunt discussion: Supervisors and Behavioral Health Director Tiffany Armstrong agreed small counties are drowning in state reporting requirements with no way to push back. Albaugh voted no; counsel said only a broad coalition of counties could change anything.
Electric school buses and PG&E programs
Supervisor Albaugh pressed PG&E on electric school buses that can't handle cold weather and hills, and on red tape holding up a Westwood co-generation project. PG&E also pitched its advisory program and rate discounts for income-qualified customers.
Homelessness funding (HHAP Round 6 and youth housing programs)
The county locked in about $104,000 in state HHAP-3 grants now administered by T.E.A.C.H., Inc. (a Modoc County nonprofit) instead of the City of Redding. The money pays for staff time supporting housed clients, training and street outreach.
2026 Lassen County Fair results
The fair made a profit, drew 14,237 paid attendees, cut comp tickets 66.5%, and had zero medical calls. Grandstand attendance dipped and the water bill flagged for future review.
SB1 road maintenance funding for FY 2026/27
New Public Works Director Amy Schmidt outlined road shop internet upgrades, three replacement supervisor trucks, bridge projects on Muddy Slough and Whitehead Slough, and a planned chip seal of Eagle Lake Road, funded mostly by SB 1 gas tax money.
IT infrastructure costs and cybersecurity
A $680,000 server replacement was approved after a debate over hardware costs that have doubled in a year — some components up 700%. Details were redacted from the public agenda for cybersecurity reasons.
Fairgrounds Budget and Revenue Plan
The fairgrounds gets its first middle-management position so operations continue when the Fair Manager is away. There's also a long deferred-maintenance list being worked down with cleanup after the Christmas storm.
FY 2026/27 county budget and sheriff funding cuts
The board adopted the recommended budget to keep government running until the final budget passes. Big change ahead: everything moves into Tyler software, with no more 500-page binders, and budget analyst Samantha McMullen is weighing a week-long hearing format.
Williamson Act Property Tax Impact
The county's policy (Resolution 12-050) forces landowners with conservation easements off Williamson Act contracts, costing the Hansons about $2,300 more in taxes. The family and Farm Advisor asked the board to revisit paragraph 2G; the board instead upheld the non-renewal 3-2.
Cemetery Program Reorganization
Cemetery duties are moving from Public Works to Planning and Building Services because the County Surveyor now handles cemetery staking. A new cemetery ordinance is being drafted, and staff plan to digitize old paper plot records.
PERS Unfunded Liability and Insurance Cost Increases
The Auditor reported CalPERS unfunded accrued liability rates jumped sharply this year — a 23% increase — driving up every department's budget, along with higher workers' comp and cybersecurity insurance costs.
Veterans Service Office Relocation and CalVet Billing
The county is exploring moving the VSO office into the ADA-compliant HSS building, with plans to boost CalVet reimbursement revenue and provide veterans warm handoffs to services.
Honey Lake TV signal problems and budget
The nonprofit got five rare FCC broadcast licenses and will add channels for Doyle, Milford and maybe Westwood — without raising the $25-per-home fee. The board adopted its $146,752 budget unanimously.
Westwood road rehabilitation
Supervisor Scanlan said he's been pressing for Pine Town Road paving in Westwood, but it hasn't happened yet and residents want answers.
Lassen National Forest update
District Ranger Michael Rahe reported on timber and reforestation projects, grazing allotment changes, storm-damaged roads and campgrounds, and a public 250th anniversary event at Frenchman Lake on June 27.
Military Equipment Use Policy (AB 481)
The Sheriff's borrowed military MRAP is slow, unreliable, and hard to repair, so the county is buying a purpose-built BearCat on a five-year lease-to-own. It should roughly cut tactical response times in half and carry the whole SWAT team.
County fleet leasing vs. buying
A pitch to lease the county's cars, trucks and heavy equipment instead of buying — spreading costs over time and liquidating old equipment statewide. No decision yet; staff will study it.
Skyline Aggregates Quarry approval
The county's biggest land-use decision in years: a 50-year quarry that supporters say anchors jobs and growth, and opponents warn will bring dust, blasting and noise near the college and hospital. The board sided with approval after a packed hearing.
ESJPA solid waste representation
Supervisors want the people who actually run the dump representing the county on the regional solid waste board — Amy Schmidt got the seat today, and a designee question goes back to November.
Road Department CDL training
Another road worker gets sent to truck driving school at county expense — and Supervisor Neely keeps pushing to get the workforce agency to pick up the tab.
FY 2025-26 county budget
The Board adopted a roughly $156.6 million budget. Only about $31 million is truly discretionary — the rest is state-mandated — and supervisors used the hearing to explain that to the public. The fair's $150,000 general fund contribution and lost federal public health grants were flashpoints.
Waterworks District I board vacancies
Two seats on the Lassen County Waterworks District I board were vacant, and the county had to sort out who legally appoints members under Government Code 55301. The Board confirmed the sitting members and appointed Cindy Harbert.
Bug Fire on Highway 395
Sheriff McGarva blasted out-of-area incident command teams for backburn decisions he says cost the county property — including the Doyle fire complex — and promised follow-up meetings with CalFire. Supervisors pledged full support and noted fires strain shelters, HHS, and the fair beyond firefighting itself.
Livestreaming public meetings
The county sits below the population threshold requiring livestreaming under the Brown Act, but working residents can't attend daytime meetings. A majority agreed to expand streaming to Planning Commission and Solid Waste meetings; two supervisors pushed back, saying staff time isn't worth it.
Youth wrestling use of fairgrounds at reduced fee
A new standardized application and fee schedule for short-term fairgrounds rentals — mirroring the Veterans Memorial Hall process — was tabled so the California Fair Services Association and county counsel can review it first.
Home visiting program for families with young children
A $1.25 million three-year state grant will expand home visiting services for expecting moms and families with kids up to age five, aimed at reducing child abuse and neglect. The program just opened a Family Engagement Center on Paul Bunyan Road and plans to add two home-visiting case workers.
Animal dumping and spay/neuter funding
A resident flagged dumped kittens and puppies across the county and said a funded free spay-and-neuter program is sitting unused. She wants the county to release the money and clarify enforcement options for dumping.
Dyer's Woad declared a public nuisance
The board made it official: keeping the invasive noxious weed Dyer's Woad is now a public nuisance subject to county enforcement, with discussion of how abatement, private property rights, and pesticide use fit together.