Plumas County supervisors approve fairgrounds payment, air‑curtain burner loan, sheriff hiring bonuses and multiple personnel actions

The Plumas County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 21 approved a series of consent and personnel agenda items, including payment of a $3,088.75 noncontract invoice for locksmith services at the Plumas County Fairgrounds and agreements to trial an air‑curtain burner loaned by Cal Fire for green‑waste disposal.

The board approved the fairgrounds invoice after a citizen email objecting to the cost was read into the record and Oren, fairgrounds staff, explained scheduling and vandalism repairs required additional labor and parts. "It's a place in Susanville. That's the closest locksmith I can get at a reasonable price," Oren said, describing difficulty finding specialty vendors locally. The motion to approve the single noncontract invoice passed on a roll‑call vote, Supervisors Hall, McGowan, Sarah Solow, Engle and Goss voting yes (5‑0).

On a separate consent item, the board approved an agreement to accept a Cal Fire air‑curtain burner on one‑year loan, plus a separate memorandum of understanding with Intermountain Disposal (IMD) to operate the unit for a trial at IMD’s green‑waste site. Public Works staff described the burner as mobile and noted Cal Fire and air districts would approve use windows; IMD would cover fuel and operational costs. That measure also passed on a 5‑0 roll call.

The board adopted two resolutions authorizing the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office to offer hiring bonus incentives for dispatchers and patrol deputies. Sheriff Todd told the board sign‑on bonuses nationwide range widely and said the program is designed to reduce vacancies that have persisted in the department. The resolutions include staged payments tied to background clearance, completion of field training and service anniversaries; the board voted 5‑0 to adopt both measures.

Supervisors also approved a package of human resources actions (job classifications and position allocations) affecting behavioral health and information technology, including adoption of two substance‑use disorder counselor classifications and a new IT help‑desk specialist classification, and authorized HR to recruit and fill several funded, allocated vacancies. Those items passed in a single roll call.

In other action, the board adopted an assessor resolution reversing a prior choice to publish only assessed values online and directed that postcards and online notices both be used to notify property owners of assessed values. The assessor said the office will mail postcards after values are posted; the resolution passed 5‑0.

Why it matters: The votes implement short‑term fixes (payment of vendor invoices, trial of new equipment) and longer‑term personnel measures aimed at stabilizing public safety staffing and county services. The hiring incentives and the ADU/job classification approvals are intended to address persistent vacancies and service delivery challenges in county departments.

Votes at a glance: 1) Fairgrounds — approve noncontract invoice to Allsafe Lock & Alarm Co., $3,088.75; vote 5‑0 (Hall, McGowan, Sarah Solow, Engle, Goss). 2) Cal Fire air‑curtain burner loan & IMD MOU — approve agreements; vote 5‑0. 3) Sheriff hiring‑bonus resolutions (dispatch & patrol) — adopt resolutions authorizing sign‑on/staged bonuses; vote 5‑0. 4) HR package (C1–C6) — adopt job classifications, amend position allocations, and authorize recruitment/fill of funded vacancies; vote 5‑0. 5) Assessor notices — rescind web‑only posting policy; require postcards and online posting; vote 5‑0.

What’s next: Departments will begin implementing the newly authorized recruitments and the sheriff’s office will post its bonus package; public‑works and solid‑waste staff will coordinate the Cal Fire trial with IMD and air‑quality authorities.