Opinion

What I do as a County Supervisor: There are many challenges and opportunities for the communities of Siskiyou County. As a County Supervisor I represent people in the communities of Fort Jones, Etna, Happy Camp, Hornbrook, Klamath River, Seiad, Greenview, Callahan, Horse Creek, Hilt, Cecilville, Scott Bar, Forks of Salmon, Sawyers Bar, Somes Bar, Quartz Valley, Hawkinsville and Greenhorn This is a very diverse area with different cultures, values, problems and levels of organization. There are many issues to work on including local water systems, coho Incidental Take Permits (ITPs,) Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements, mining restrictions, watermaster service, wildfire fuel reduction and a Bluegrass Festival.

As a County Supervisor, in addition to participating in weekly Board meetings, I am appointed to represent the County on many committees throughout the week. Some of these include:

· The Klamath River Fisheries Task Force – a federal body that shares information and allocates certain funds for fisheries restoration and other projects.

· Siskiyou County Resource Advisory Committee or RAC - a federal committee that allocates certain funds to local Forest-related projects.

· Local Agency Formation Commission LAFCO – currently working on the Municipal Services Review and planning of fire services throughout Siskiyou County.

· Siskiyou Association of Government Entities – SAGE - currently working on affordable housing.

· County Liaison to the Siskiyou County Emergency Management Council – working on emergency planning, training and preparedness throughout Siskiyou County; helping to establish Citizen’s Emergency Response Teams (CERT.)

· Quartz Valley Indian Tribe Coalition of Understanding – a collaborative effort of the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation, County and state government agencies, and local non profits to focus on common issues, opportunities and goals.

· Community Services Council and Child Abuse Prevention Council – (1) establishing, building and supporting a network of Family and Community Resource Centers (FRCs) throughout Siskiyou County; (2) encouraging community and agency collaboration on programs, such as parenting education; and (3) integrating community programs with the County Human Service Department’s “Differential Response” program.

· First 5 Siskiyou – Allocates Proposition 10 funding to local projects that benefit children from 0-5 and their families such as the dental screenings and school readiness efforts.

· Siskiyou County Economic Development Council – the EDC is the principal economic development organization in the county and has been instrumental in 94% of the measured employment growth that has occurred in Siskiyou County since 2001.

· Siskiyou County Fire Safe Council – supporting the development of local fire safe councils and Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWWPs.)

· Behavioral Health Services Board – working on development, approval and implementation of the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63) project for Siskiyou County

· Siskiyou County Health Partnership – subcommittee on substance abuse – working on implementing a family-based recovery program throughout Siskiyou County.

In addition to my duties as a Supervisor, this year I serve as Chair of the Board of Supervisors. We will be holding a series of workshops on the last Tuesday of most months covering – the economic relationship of the County to federal lands (Forests); impacts of methamphetamine on the county; National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) training for elected officials; fire services in Siskiyou County; cell towers; and perhaps the “graying” of Siskiyou County. The Board will conduct strategic planning sometime in the fall.

For me, being a Supervisor is more than a full time job and I thank you for the opportunity to serve the people of Siskiyou County.