I was astonished to learn that our CEO, Alison Lehman, and County Counsel, Kit Elliot, took it upon themselves to transfer $50,000 of public resources to Gina Will’s Campaign Committee, thus circumventing public Board of Supervisor approval and public comment. Since I believe the transfer of funds was potentially illegal, I penned the following letter to our District Attorney’s office.

Local leftists say the quiet part out loud progressively requesting that our local Nevada County supervisors should create a position in the county for when speakers with whom the local organized mob disagree, the community can vote to determine whether such speaker will be permitted to speak. Calling for the creation of not-so-free speech panels in order to regulate who comes to town to speak.

According to public records received from Nevada County and publicly available mandatory campaign FPPC disclosures, Alison Lehman, county chief executive officer, and Kit Elliott, county counsel, authorized the payment of $50,000 from the county general fund to Gina Will’s campaign committee without approval of the board of supervisors.

We have sham elections occurring in Nevada County. Despite losing her election for auditor of Nevada County to Rob Tribble and after he was found by the Nevada County Superior Court to lack the statutory qualifications to serve as the auditor, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors appointed his challenger, Gina Will, despite the fact that she only garnered 45% of the County vote and was not chosen by the people of the County and without even considering an open appointment process.

Still no independent forensic audit of OES grant contracts and Fire Safe books

The Nevada County Board of Supervisors should be most interested in how the CliftonLarsonAllen contract was procured by County senior staff. The contract entered into without Board approval exceeded the $50,000 threshold which triggers Board action, yet County staff still contracted with CLA without Board approval.

Because the mob was completely ill-informed, they likely did not know the extent to which Conger went to obtain proper approval of the event permit in accordance with the County’s ordinance.

The Brown Act, which governs public meetings of local agencies, states in part: “The legislative body of a local agency shall not prohibit public criticism of the policies, procedures, programs, or services of the agency, or of the acts or omissions of the legislative body.”

Despite a strong recommendation from the Nevada County Superior Court filed on November 18, 2022, against appointment, the Board proceeded with its decision to appoint her for a full term. Recent appointments by the Board of Supervisors for elected positions, such as the recent appointment of Gina Will to the position of Auditor-Controller, have cast doubt on the Board’s adherence to fair and impartial practices – and for good reason.

Over the past eight years, their total financial compensation packages have nearly doubled, which is incredibly alarming considering our county's budgetary challenges.

As fiduciaries of the Public Trust, the supervisors must always display honesty, integrity, and good faith toward their constituents, the People. My feeling is that Hardy Bullock, Sue Hoek, Heidi Hall, and Ed Scofield have failed their constituents in this area. Hall and Bullock touted that they did fact-check the salary comparisons, but this is possible when you line up the comparative counties.

The general feeling of the public that our supervisors and the County lack respect for our residents, local businesses, and for taxpayer dollars is a natural consequence of the County’s ideology which is based upon the idea that the supervisors and the County are the “experts” and that the public is ignorant and is incapable of caring for itself.

I remind all readers that in private companies the CEO must achieve greater revenue than expenses, a process that requires skill on both sides of the equation. Looking at the adopted budgets for the last six years, expenses have exceeded revenue.

“We are a special and different place, and our policies need to reflect that. We need leaders on the Board of Supervisors who will stand up for meaningful solutions to issues that affect our cost of living and quality of life.”

No nonsense, just action. I am the better choice for District 2 Supervisor of Nevada County because I believe in shrinking budgets and honest work for honest pay.

According to Heidi Hall, when a citizen seeks to defend the constitutional rights of Nevada County citizens, and to ensure transparent and fair governance and elections, it is a “waste of funds.” Rather than taking responsibility for what happens in County departments, Hall seeks to infringe on the constitutional rights of a local resident, act in secret, and then bully that resident with fabrications for political gain at a campaign forum.

On January 24, 2024, the Nevada County League of Women Voters hosted a candidate forum for the candidates for Nevada County supervisor district two - Robb Tucker, John Herrera, and Jeff Pettitt. Supervisor district two consists of Alta Sierra, Lake of the Pines, and other south county areas of Nevada County.

Heidi Hall, Sue McGuire, and Michael Taylor responded to questions for the public to assess the qualifications and suitability of the three candidates that are all seeking a four-year term on the next Board of Supervisors to represent the Nevada City and Chicago Park areas of Nevada County.

Nevada County senior staff received pay increase during COVID at times exceeding $100,000. Currently, there’s no citizen oversight of county expenditures. Ordinary citizens are not allowed to attend the yearly budget sessions. Neither are citizens privy to negotiations in how salaries and pay raises are decided. Consequently, there’s no transparency in budget decision-making.

In 2008 and upon the request of the supervisors, the Nevada County Grand Jury conducted an inquiry into compensation and benefits review for the board of supervisors and determined that the position of supervisor in Nevada County is a full-time position. Heidi Hall worked full-time as a supervisor during her tenure while also working for the job with the state at the same time.