Supes deadlock on Fair Advisory Board stipends

It takes a majority vote to pass most matters before the Lassen County Board of Supervisors, and a request for a $40 per meeting stipend for members of the Lassen County Fair Advisory Board from ‘Fair Manager Bill Payer failed when the supervisors deadlocked 2-2 on the issue.

District 3 Supervisor Tom Neely and District 5 Supervisor Jason Ingram voted nay while District 1 Supervisor Mike Scanlan and District 2 Supervisor Gary Bridge voted aye. District 4 Supervisor Aaron Albaugh recused himself because his wife serves on the fair advisory board.

Payer said the advisory board, formed in 1978, has never had a stiped for its members.

Scanlan said he supported the stipend as a balanced approach.

“We can start off small, and if we feel differently … we can adjust it down the road,” Scanlan said. “This is a start … Honestly, we could never pay them enough … Their value is much greater than the $40 we’re proposing. It’s a gesture. It’s an attempt to limit the liability on the part of the county. It’s an attempt to not give a gift of public funds … It’s simply an acknowledgement of their valued service.”

Before recusing himself, Albaugh participated in the board’s discussion. He said being on the Fair Advisory Board was “not supposed to be a money-making opportunity … It’s a volunteer service that these people are providing … I think my wife is on the fair board. She has to travel the farthest of anybody. She’s been doing that for longer than I’ve been a supervisor. It’s a volunteer thing.””

Albaugh later recused himself from the discussion because his wife serves on the advisory board.

Ingram argued the advisory members should be paid more than $40 per meeting and he thought they should receive mileage for their travels to and from the meetings as well. Then he suggested the stipend should be $80.

Ingram also noted the stipend is just for the advisory board meetings, and does not include all the other events the board members attend and all they times to volunteer to work at the fair.

District 3 Supervisor Tom Neely suggested they advisory board members should be paid $100 per meeting.

Neely asked Payer how much time each board member put in per month, and the fair manager said it varied with the individual member.

“Some put in 10 hours per month, but some put in at least 40 or 50 hours per month and maybe even more,” Payer said. “During the fair, it could be that much just during the week of the fair.”

Round up of actions taken by the board
Closed Session
The board met in closed session to discuss two items — a conference with legal counsel regarding a significant exposure to litigation (if needed) and an employee performance evaluation of the county administrative officer. The board took no reportable action.

Public Comment
Andrea Drake, president of the Lassen Wresting Association, and a number of young grapplers delivered a “long overdue thank you” to the board for its support of their program.

Matters set for Time Certain
The board recognized Denise Hanson (Public Works) and Jaimie Mack (Auditor’s Office) for 10 years of service to the county; and Samantha Burch (Health and Social Services) and Alex Smith (Health and Social Services) for 25 years of service.

Information/Consent Calendar
The board unanimously approved its information/consent calendar including discretionary fund expenditures by Scanlan, Bridges and Albaugh; minutes for the board’s June 9 meeting; a Memorandum of Understanding between Lassen County and Sonoma County for detained juveniles in Juvenile Hall; a Memorandum of Understanding between Lassen County and Tehama County for detained juveniles in Juvenile Hall; a resolution renewing the Lassen County Investment Policy; and a resolution renewing the delegation of authority to invest and reinvest funds for the county.

Department Reports
Planning and Building Services
By a 4-1 vote (Neely voted nay), the board approved a contract amendment between Lassen County and the California Association of Environmental Health Administrators; and the board unanimously approved two agreements between the county and Community Medical Specialists.