Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public comments highlight prosecutor pay, DA criticisms and a contested gun‑range lawsuit
Summary
During an extended public‑comment period, prosecutors and county residents urged higher pay and staffing for district attorneys and public defenders, speakers accused the DA's office of Brady violations (disputed), and multiple speakers raised concerns about the Millville gun‑range project and alleged conflicts of interest.
A diverse set of public commenters took the board’s microphone on March 25 to press local officials on criminal‑justice staffing, election administration and ongoing litigation.
Deputy district attorneys Brian Ziegler and David Stewart urged the board to address recruitment and retention in prosecutor offices, citing statewide starting salaries and local entry pay. Ziegler said entry level prosecution pay in Sacramento starts near $136,000 and the state average is roughly $127,000, while local entry for a Shasta DDA1 is about $87,000; he asked the board to back competitive wages so offices can retain staff.
Other speakers raised sharply contrasting points about the district attorney’s office. One commenter alleged multiple Brady violations (failure to disclose exculpatory evidence) involving specific cases; another commenter defended the DA and said many disclosure lapses stem from workload and were accidental. The transcript records both accusation and rebuttal during public comment; the board did not take formal action on those allegations during the meeting.
Separately, multiple speakers addressed the Millville Plains shooting‑range litigation. One public speaker who identified as a plaintiff argued that the county’s prior handling required a full environmental‑impact report and cited wildfire risk from bullet fragments and proximity to transmission lines. Other speakers alleged conflicts of interest by an elected official related to the range application; the board recessed into closed session for existing‑litigation discussion and later reported no reportable action.
Speakers also told the board about reductions in child‑abuse cases reported by Raising Shasta (from 715 substantiated cases in 2022 to 564 in 2023) and asked the board to continue investing in prevention programs.
No votes or formal policy changes resulted directly from these public comments; several items raised questions the board asked staff to follow up on or to schedule for return presentations.
Representative quotes: Deputy D.A. Brian Ziegler said: “The simple math is that we need more attorneys and to get more attorneys we need a competitive wage.” A public commenter on the Millville lawsuit cited wildfire risk and said a full EIR should be required.
What’s next: The board returned from closed session and reported no reportable actions on litigation. Several speakers asked for future staff presentations on grant accounting, DA and public defender budgets, and other operational topics.
