Santa Cruz County approves amended contract for consultant amid community calls for transparency

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 4 approved an amended professional services contract with Stephanie Smith Consulting LLC to assist on a community protection and benefit agreement and related NEPA FAST-41 work for the Hermosa/Hormusah mining project.

The vote came after more than an hour of public comment from residents and community groups who said the proposed contract increases Smith’s compensation by roughly 20–25% without clear status reports or deliverables from her existing agreement. “We are asking the Board of Supervisors to take no action on Ms. Smith’s request for a 25% increase in compensation for the next 3 years,” said Robin Lucky, president of the Calabasas Alliance. Lucky added the increase would amount to “a third of a million dollars in 3 years.”

The contract before the board would convert the consultant’s billing to a monthly stated compensation and extend the term; the item description on the agenda said the monthly amounts would be $8,000 and $8,333 per month. Several commenters urged the board to pause the amendment, request a summary of completed deliverables and billing to date, and hold public informational sessions before approving any increase.

Pamela Kean, a volunteer with Friends of the Santa Cruz River and the Medical Reserve Corps of Southern Arizona, said she found Smith’s briefings helpful but told supervisors that the county website did not provide enough information for meaningful public engagement. “The current website, I feel, is inadequate for really having a meaningful dialogue,” Kean said, and recommended study sessions or town halls to provide status updates on the negotiations.

Other public speakers echoed concerns about procurement and choice of consultant. Jay Thompson, treasurer of the Calabasas Alliance, said the original contract “was not put out for bid because you didn't have to,” and asked for public documentation of invoices and deliverables from the prior year. Carolyn Schafer, mission coordinator at Patagonia Area Resource Alliance, asked the board to delay action for six months to allow newly seated Supervisor Fanning to observe the consultant’s work with stakeholders.

Supervisor Fanning acknowledged the public’s concerns and said he looked forward to additional meetings and open dialogue. Supervisor Davis told the room he would revisit the contract if the process did not remain transparent.

During discussion on the board floor the county manager and county attorney noted the contract contains termination provisions and can be revisited if necessary. After discussion, a motion to approve the amended professional services contract was made, seconded and approved; the board did not record a roll-call vote in the public audio but the chair announced the motion carried.

The item ties to an ongoing local debate over proposed industrial mining activity in the Patagonia Mountains and a county-led Community Protection and Benefit Agreement process. Speakers repeatedly asked the board for clear, public reporting on what the consultant has performed to date, detailed billing summaries, and regular informational sessions for residents.

The board approved the contract amendment; supervisors said they would consider study sessions and additional public outreach to increase transparency around the consultant’s work and deliverables.