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Dear Editor,
As the upcoming election nears, I would like to share my thoughts. I retired nearly two years ago after serving 15 years as Mendocino County Treasurer-Tax Collector, so my views come from inside and outside public service.
As I stated two years ago, I believe most of the current Board of Supervisors was ill-equipped to comprehend the financial and budgetary complexities inherent with the operation of the county, I believe that is still the case today. When the Board moved forward with their reckless non-plan to consolidate the offices of the Auditor-Controller and the Treasurer-Tax Collector, they managed to destabilize the entire financial engine of the county. Regardless of comments from various supervisors, this has set the county on a negative path going forward.
We deserve a Board that concentrates on the difficult problems at hand and does not create new ones that do not exist. For example, a quality-of-life issue on which this Board needs to concentrate is the homeless situation that is deteriorating in our community, particularly our downtowns. Millions of dollars are spent annually, and the problem is only getting worse. Our downtowns will never economically thrive in the current environment.
The supervisor in the district where I reside, Maureen Mulheren, was recently quoted as saying the homeless situation has improved. IT HAS NOT. Drive through the streets of her district alone and it is evident. The Board of Supervisors and the City Councils throughout this county need to work together to minimize the homeless impact on our citizens. Ms. Mulheren has had the opportunity now for years as she served on both the Ukiah City Council and the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors.
IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE, as members of the public we DESERVE better leadership than what we are currently receiving. We need bold and competent leaders that are not afraid to deal with the difficult issues at hand. At this time, we have three seats on the Board of Supervisors that are up for re-election.
On a positive note, we will definitely have two new supervisors in the 1st and 4th Districts. It is imperative we also have a new supervisor in the 2nd District. Please join me in voting for JACOB BROWN for 2nd District Supervisor. He is the positive change we need now!
Shari Schapmire (Ukiah)
Witnessing first hand the manipulation of Mulheren. When addressing the homeless issues I understand your concerns. Please tell us how will Jacob differ in his approach to this delema?
I witnessed Mulheren and Marilyn Buzzard collectively use a dead soldier to further her political agenda. Anyone would be better for this city.
All votes aside, I have actually seen Mulheren speaking with homeless people on the street on several occasions. I just saw her a month ago chatting with a lady on the ground at Big Lots while the rest of us stepped around in disgust. So maybe she has inside information or is paraphrasing the sense of moral she’s picking up from talking directly to the homeless?
Maybe you should run you sound like you have the right ideas and knowledge and guts this world needs experienced courageous people to stand up and take care of our people do what’s right for the community
I respectfully disagree. Putting someone in with no experience wouldn’t be an improvement. Also I’ve seen Mo out helping the community on a regular basis.
Simply a campaign plug for a particular candidate. Many generalizations and nothing factual or specific for the public to make a intelligent decision. I’m sure she has no problem cashing her monthly Mendocino County retirement check for 10K.
Retirement well earned and deserved for her hard work, dedication, and safekeeping of our public funds. I hope she lives a long healthy life like Edie Ceccarelli so it becomes an actuarial loss and pains people like you. Live long and prosper Schapmire!
Yes, finally someone with first hand knowledge about this country’s BOS failures responds. The BOS have made decisions that will haunt Mendocino County for decades and then leave the scat behind for the next board to either clean or cover up. It’s convenient to site a single gesture of kindness by this Supervisor, observed by one person but perhaps one should acknowledge what that Supervisor was doing the remaining 364 days of the year. Those who frequent downtown Ukiah cannot honestly express the outlandish opinion that the homelessness has improved. Hopefully this Supervisor is not crediting herself with this improvement in her district as an achievement to get re-elected. The citizens in this Country will determine the devastation the entire BOS has created with the “GOOD OLE BOYS” decisions about DA, and qualified employee firing for vindictive reasons. BOS need to concentrate on quality of life decisions in Mendocino County and STOP crediting themselves with failures. It’s obvious the entirety of this BOS should step aside and allow others with knowledge of budget and financial responsibilities, honesty, and integrity replace them! Continuing on this path by failure to listen to those with exemplary knowledge and advice is leading to the destruction of Mendocino County!
Someone endorsing a candidate with absolutely no previous experience because she has a chip on her shoulder. smh. Petty politics as usual.
the homeless situation definitely has changed. I don’t know where they went, but there are far fewer on the streets then a few years ago
This letter comes across as an endorsement for any opposing candidate because the writer seems to have a bone to pick with the BOS.
I work in the ER and I can say from what I experienced a few years ago to now there’s been an improvement in the homeless situation. We still definitely have an issue, but everywhere seems to these days. We’re not as inundated as we were just a few years ago. I can tell Shari doesn’t like the current BOS but to say that Ms. Mulheren hasn’t made positive changes in District 2 is false. I’ve seen her volunteering at countless events I’ve participated in. She’s actively out there in our community and her efforts to address homeless, addiction, and other issues hasn’t gone unnoticed or unappreciated by me and many other constituents in Ukiah.
The BOS refused to approve a 3% Cost of Living for the county employees and hundreds of employees and their families are living below the poverty line. Many of them work full time and receive medical and food stamps. The BOS only approved a 1% COLA and then raised the medical insurance cost 20%. A thousand new low income apartments have been built between Brush Street, Gobbi Street, and behind the truck stop. The county spends millions purchasing and managing the hotel on Orchard Street. Millions have been spent providing for the homeless through a year long hotel voucher. Haven’t you noticed that every motel on state street is filled with the homeless through this voucher program that gives people a room for one year paid for? Maybe the people that you think are homeless on state street, are not. Just maybe these are the hundreds of people in the hotels walking from place to place because many of them don’t have drivers licenses, cars, or insurance. Did you know that these programs have meetings with their departments in other counties? Do you know that they are moving the homeless from other counties to our county to fill these low income apartments? A lot of people are suffering with the high cost of living and the never ending increase in taxes. Who ever stands up or fights for the working poor, the tax paying citizens.
I love how she says bold and competent but she knows neither about the candidate that she endorses. From his own account he’s only presently working as a substitute teacher (they can only work 90 days a year, so that’s part-time employment). His previous work history is questionable since he says he “climbed ladders” but is no longer associated with those places.
Mr. Brown was teaching math full time at Eagle Peak last year and he got fired.
So did he get fired from the district or is a substitute teacher? Both can’t be true. Also, you should probably check your facts about the number of days a substitute teacher works.
But while we are on professions of the candidates, would Ms Mulheren release Dr Trotter from his non-disparage agreement as part of the settled lawsuit that, by the timeline, looks to have ended her career as an insurance agent?
The post doesn’t say anything about being fired from the district. I don’t think it has to be both. They’re pretty desperate for teachers. I do also believe that substitute teaching is a part-time non-benefitted position, technically. I’ll have to ask my friends who work for the district though.
Well that was some amazing speculation based on your own admitted ignorance on the topic. Guess you woke up this morning and random disparagement on the Internet.
It takes nothing more than a 2 second search of the Ukiah Unified School District page as to who employs the teachers in UUSD although simple logic should have been enough.
Additionally, the poster said that a substitute is limited to 90 days or less. Also, about 12 seconds on the UUSD page to find out isn’t true.
Be better.
I didn’t see any disparagement in Josh84’s message. I just see a lot of defensiveness and attempts to deflect in yours. Yikes. Now I’m curious.
Josh84 made statements implying that Mr. Brown could be fired from Eagle Peak but not from the UUSD as well as opining about how much a substitute teacher works. He then immediately admits he does not know what he is talking about but will “ask my friends who work for the district”.
I then to him where he could directly go to find the information that he admitted to not knowing.
That is the opposite of deflecting. I was directing Josh84 to the information he didn’t have before making his post in case he couldn’t get around to speaking to his friends.
A dictionary would be a great investment in your life.
Since you brought it up. What is Mo’s previous work experience? Failed insurance businesses, that’s all I can see.
City Council, Mayor, 2nd District Supervisor, Chair of BOS from my understanding.
I, for one, have definitely noticed an improvement in the homeless situation of late. We still have strides to make but I think Maureen Mulheren is doing a great job and truly loves our community. I see her as authentically caring and not just a mouth piece looking for attention – which is refreshing.
I think Mo is actually the most approachable BOS. That lizard guy John H is who really freaks me out. Mo’ walks the trail, picks up trash with kids, speaks directly to the mentally and financially impoverished. Maybe it’s for looks, but even so, she is there. I’m over here complaining from my arm chair, MO is actually touching transients. Breathing right next to them, asking their opinions.
As for Jacob, I think he’s great too. He’ll actually talk to you too, he talks openly, he listened to my opinions as a mom raising kids in this town. I appreciate his mix of real world and idealism. He’s seen shit.
I’m so tired of politics dividing us. Mo and Jacob are two sides of a coin. Mo has put her boots on the ground in our home town, and Jacob put his boots on the ground out in the world. Put the two together and it’s dancing.
Ms. Schapmire has a lengthy record of service with the County, coming up through the ranks at the Treasurer-Tax Collectors Office. Anyone who has worked with her will attest to her knowledge, ethics and sincerity. Mo Mulheren has been a dedicated, hard-working councilwoman and supervisor. Our supervisors are often at the mercy of those who provide them with information (and misinformation). I believe that the supervisors are currently getting some incomplete or wrong information from those they depend on. In that context, it is important that our supervisors are able and willing to recognize and challenge information that may not be helpful. Jacob Brown has shown those qualities. And a note to Housewife Here: your mean-spirited comment about Supervisor Haschak is unwarranted. Remember: a show of class is always better than a display of ignorance.
Anonymous, I think your post is as full of empty platitudes as I’ve found Mr. Brown’s to be. “willing to recognize and challenge information that may not be helpful”. Obviously. I disagree with your statement that ‘Jacob Brown has shown those qualities.’
The author of the letters proficiency at her former job is not in question but rather her misguided endorsement of a candidate who has proven no such competency.
In my opinion.
“Stay classy”
Is there enough willpower in Mendocino County to stop and reverse the Doom Loop? Nope. Example — Too many here dismiss the former Treasurer’s comments for superficial reasons. It’s easier than acknowledging a harsh reality. My opinion, having followed the financial matters of the County, is that Shari Schapmire knows of what she speaks and is one of few who are courageous enough to advocate for change. She had it right when she said none of the Supervisors have the financial wherewithal — and I might add interest — to comprehend let alone manage the County’s finances. Every candidate for Supervisor should be tested to see if they can read a Balance Sheet, a P&L report, a cash flow statement and so on.
The public should know that many of the motels the county is paying to put people up in – including families with children – are disgusting with roaches, bedbugs, and tobacco smoke. They are dirty and do not get cleaned daily, because once the motel owner installs a small refrigerator they can be rented out as something other than standard motel rooms. This gets the motel owner off the hook for cleaning every day. I can’t imagine bringing my child into an environment like that. Kids with asthma are especially sensitive to roach poop and left-over tobacco smells. I hope someone looks into this situation, because it should not be happening.