Lassen County Clerk

Julie Bustamante

2007-2018

Last Term

She selects the laws to ignore and break

Bustamante Unaware of Ballot Error

Poll Monitors

Diebold Voting Machine Easily Changes Votes

LASSEN COUNTY NOVEMBER 8, 2016 ELECTION

LASSEN COUNTY JUNE 7, 2016 ELECTION

LASSEN COUNTY JUNE 3, 2014 ELECTION

 Lassen County May 7, 2015-Southern Cascade Election

What a tangled web we weave when first

we practice to deceive

when you sober up you will realize it was a stupid act to show up in court

Julie Bustamante has yet to post any 2017 Minutes on the Supervisors website

When contacted, she didn't even know they hadn't been posted

Bustamante charges the public to get a copy of the Board of Supervisors Agendas/Minutes

There is no cost, to the public, to print this public document. 

Bustamante denied that the Minutes had not been posted, but at 10:00 AM she began posting the missing BOS Minutes

The bloviating, blistering, bafoonery of Supervisor Chapman gets one last chance to attack the Critics. Todays Lassen County weekly/advertiser gave Chapman a half page to blast his critics.

CHAPMAN HAD THE COUNTY CLERK

JULIE BUSTAMANTE  ERASE THE 11/15/16  PUBLIC CRITICISM FROM THE MEETING AUDIO TAPE, WHICH SHE KNOWS IS ILLEGAL TO TAMPER OR DESTROY PUBLIC RECORDS OR PROPERTY (California Penal Code 594)

County Clerk Julie Bustamante has made it a common practice

to erase Chapman's irrational tirades

IT JUST KEEPS GETTING SLEEEEEZIER

Lassen County Board of Supervisors

November 15, 2016 meeting Audio CD Altered

The Public Records Act states that any audio, video or record that a public entity makes, of a pubic meeting, becomes a disclosable record to the public.

Kan We Help submitted a "Public Records Request" for a copy ($5.71) of the audio of the 11/15/16 Board of Supervisors meeting only to find that it had been altered. 

The CD clearly stops at the Supervisors 11:03 AM break.

According to the 11/15/16 Minutes the meeting continued at 11:08 AM. 

The Minutes also state this meeting adjourned at 12:46 PM, but the audio from 11:08 to 12:46 was deleted.

ONE HOUR AND THIRTY EIGHT MINUTES DELETED

What happened in that 1 hour and 38 minutes?

TIME:  11:08 AM

1. Milford Fire District appointment

2. Rate increase for Susan River Park Water Company

3. Chapman's appointment to the CSAC Board for 2017 (he retires in 2016; 44 days)

4. Marijuana discussion on State Proposition

TIME:   12:46 PM

[Clerk of the Board: Julie Bustamante]

Deputy Clerk of the Board, Susan Osgood, is responsible for the Board's Minutes and the Audio recordings.  This was a deliberate act of altering a public document.

This is not the first time this has happened and usually occurs when Supervisor Chapman has had a temper tantrum or violated the Brown Act. 

 Kan We Help has requested a complete recording of the November 15, 2016 Board of Supervisors meeting. 

Kan We Help Asks

the

Clerk of the Board

to post 9/27/16 Meeting Minutes.

Rather than posting the 9/27/16 Minutes to the $40,000 Agenda/Minutes website she suggests that Kan We Help can purchase the Minutes for $4.00

Kan We Help worked six months to get 1 1/2 years of Board of Supervisors delinquent  meeting Minutes updated.

It was a six month process to convince the Lassen County Supervisors to force the Clerk of the Board to do her job. Nine of the Minutes could not be approved because Supervisors had left the Board and there no longer was a quorum to approve them.

LAZINESS CANNOT BE AN ACCEPTABLE EXCUSE

The County Clerk is the Clerk of the Board and is responsible for keeping the Minutes in all forms. This County Clerk destroyed the audio of a meeting where Supervisor Chapman threw a temper tantrum.

Bustamante doesn't care

The lazy County Clerk includes two "page 1's"  in the August 23, 2016 Minutes and when Kan We Help alerts her.......SHE DOES NOTHING

.....and another page 1 is included in the August 23, 2016 BOS Meeting Minutes for the Supervisors to approve

Bustamante Corrects LCPIC Agenda

Kan We Help reminded Bustamante over and over that the Lassen County Public Improvement Corporation has not held their mandatory "ANNUAL" meeting yet.  This corporation was formed to process a $4 million dollar loan to finance an office building and a community pool.

When she does schedule this meeting, she puts two (2) meeting times on the Agenda?

Bustamante Just Doesn't Care

The regularly scheduled July 19, 2016 Board of Supervisors meeting was cancelled. But still no Notice to the public on the Supervisors website recording this canceled meeting.

What a tangled web we weave when first

we practice to deceive

The regularly scheduled July 26, 2016 Board of Supervisors meeting has suddenly become a "SPECIAL" meeting.

Kan We Help has informed the County Clerk that Agenda Item G-2, in the 7/26/16 Consent Calendar, fails to report, in the July 12, 2016 Minutes, that Consent Calendar G-5 and G-7 were pulled by Supervisors for discussion and had a separate vote. Instead, the County Clerk has placed these two items incorrectly in "Department Reports"

(Agenda G, Consent Calendar,  illegally prohibits the public from pulling any of the Consent Calendar items for discussion; Brown Act Violation 54954.3)

BUSTAMANTE HASN'T CARED

ABOUT HER JOB

IN A LONG, LONG, LONG TIME

County Clerk fails to post meeting notice

Two Lassen County residents drove from Doyle to attend meeting July 19, 2016 Board of Supervisors meeting and the  doors were locked

JULY 19, 2016 WAS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING

Lassen County Election Officer

Julie Bustamante

She selects the laws to obey

is Tasked with Determining a Candidates Qualifications

to Run For Office

THAT'S HER JOB

To test this enforcement obligation by the Lassen County Election Officer, Kan We Help Secretary filed Candidate documents for the Susanville Sanitation District with a Westwood address.  Election Officer/County Clerk Julie Bustamante promptly sent a letter stating that you need to live within the Susanville Sanitation District to run for this office.

CHRIS MONTGOMERY DID NOT PURCHASE ANY PROPERTY IN DISTRICT 2

HE LIED

CHRIS MONTGOMERY DID NOT LIVE IN DISTRICT 2 WHEN HE FILED HIS CANDIDATES PAPERS ON MARCH 11, 2016

HE LIED

Julie Bustamante has confirmed that  Chris Montgomery registered to vote and lied where he lived at the time. Montgomery committed willful perjury.

Maybe this should go to the District Attorney.

......and DA Stacey Montgomery can put this complaint on top of Julie Bustamante's Perjury of her FPPC 700 form

Quid Pro Quo

[ you let my husband illegally run for office and i will throw out  your perjury on your FPPC form]

County Clerk Julie Bustamante claims the Audio Recording

of the

Board of Supervisors

March 22, 2016 Meeting

 is suddenly

"unrecoverable"

Is this what happened?  The County Clerk records the meetings

NOTE: On March 22, 2016, Jim Chapman refused to allow public comments on Agenda item B-4 and then threatened to arrest a member of the public who objected to his action

All in full view of County Counsel Bob Burns, CAO Richard Egan, Sheriff Dean Growden, all the Supervisors, the Lassen County Times (recording also), Department Heads and VETERANS........and the public

This old politician reminds Kan We Help Secretary that this is not a Town Hall meeting?

 Maybe Supervisor Chapman needs to be reminded that this is a PUBLIC meeting governed by the Brown Act.

If you put your head down, you get to ignore what just happened

                                                                                              Guess who came to the meeting?

Oops.....Kan We Help recorded the entire meeting,

Sorry Julie

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

REGULAR JUNE 23, 2015 MEETING CANCELLED

Lassen County CAo Richard Egan told to call a

Special Meeting because

County Clerk Bustamante failed to post

the Agenda for June 23, 2015

Bustamante's $40,000 Agenda Software

has

Wrong Dates and Wrong Times

for

Board of Supervisors meetings

Kan We Help was notified, on Sunday, June 14, 2015, the dates and times of the Lassen County Supervisors Agenda information was incorrect.  Kan We Help notified County Clerk Julie Bustamante of this problem

All of the dates for the meetings were on Monday @ 6:00 AM

2015 Agendas and Minutes

To: Julie Bustamante

Lying was not an option

AT 9:15 AM, 6/15/15:

JULIE FIXED THE PROBLEM, SO WHY LIE.......?

Lassen County Public Improvement Corporation

NOT A NON-PROFIT

as the Articles of Incorporation

and Bylaws state

......just a plain old ordinary shell corporation

Kan We Help requested the Agendas, Minutes and annual corporations reports filed with the Franchise Tax Board and/or the IRS.  On May 29, 2015, the County Clerk was advised by County Counsel not to let KWH inspect these documents. 

The County Clerk claimed later, after Kan We Help threatened to file a Writ of Mandate, she had to find all of the documents requested.

Bustamante had the "green" binder at the May 26, 2015 LCPIC meeting and could have complied with Kan We Help's Public Records Request on May 29, 2015

Bustamante turned the "green" binder over for inspection today.

 Bustamante also released the annual regular corporation "Franchise Tax Form 100's "  & copies of the letters from the State of California regarding late fees, penalties, etc.

All PRA requested documents were

available on May 29, 2015

County Counsel Burns tells Bustamante

NOT TO COMPLY

with

Public Records Request

Bustamante, "So, take me to Jail"

Lassen County Public Improvement Corporation

County Clerk Julie Bustamante

Submits Costs to

Install Video Taping Equipment

in BOS Board Room @ 707 Nevada Street

{The Supervisors intend to re-locate and sell this building}

This is the same elected official that received BOS approval to purchase a $27,000 Agenda/Minutes software and then spent $40,000. CAO Richard Egan did not have authority to approve the $13,000 increase.

This is the same elected official that spent $20,000 remodeling her office and took Judge Sokol's leather chairs from his office. CAO Richard Egan did not have authority to approve the $20,000. In addition there was no budget for this expense.

Bustamante gives original

documents

to

Kan We Help

...and then goes into a rage

Bustamante told to

"STOP IT" by a clerk

after verbally attacking Eileen Spencer in her office

Bustamante had given the clerk the originals to release to Kan We Help

Kan We Help Secretary Eileen Spencer was notified that Bob Burns 700 Form, Schedule B (interest in real property) was ready to pick up.

Kan We Help had submitted a Public Records Request for County Counsel Bob Burns and Deputy CAO Tony Shaw's Schedule B when it was discovered that they both owned real estate and had not disclosed it.  Burns completed his Schedule B's back to 2006.

When Ms. Spencer asked where Tony Shaw's forms were County Clerk Julie Bustamante went into a rage and verbally attacked Spencer until a clerk told her to "stop it".  Bustamante walked back to her newly remodeled $20,000 office and continued to yell.

Lassen County Has No Capital Improvement Plan

No Money Budgeted for Remodeling the Old Courthouse, and County Clerk spends $20,000 to remodel her office in the Old Courthouse

Look who gets the WORK. 

SKIP JONES

NOTHING BUDGETED......AND YET THEY ALLOW THE COUNTY CLERK

TO REMODEL HER OFFICE,

IN THE OLD COURTHOUSE,

 BY KNOCKING DOWN WALLS

County Clerk Bustamante's renovation includes Bob Burns old office. 

This same County Clerk received approval  from the Board to purchase a $27,000 software package (INSTALLED OVER A YEAR AFTER PURCHASE

 and then spent $40,000 without going back to the Board

Susan Osgood, Deputy Clerk of the Board,

Intentionally attempts to Deceive the Board

at the

March 10, 2015 Board Meeting
 

Watch the CAO's reaction to the discussion:  video

Even the audience is in disbelief

Susan Osgood, Deputy Clerk of the Board (according to her payroll records), told the Board that Supervisor Hemphill and Supervisor Hammond did not attend the September 23, 2014 Board of Supervisors Meeting.

As Deputy Clerk of the Board, Susan

prepares the Minutes

for the Board of Supervisors

Supervisor Hammond knew he attended the September 23, 2014 meeting, but said nothing. Hammond  voted to approve the Amedee Airfield Parcels RFP at the September 23, 2014 meeting.

 Hammond later admitted that he was secretly working with one of the Bidders (HSP Resources, LLC) on this public Request for Proposal so that HSP Resources (Pezzullo) would have an advantage in the bidding process. 

Attempting to lesson the quilt by trying to get it in the record that he wasn't present for the vote on September 23, 2014 to approve release of the RFP, well oops,

Kan We Help can say......GOTCHA

SHAME ON SUSAN OSGOOD

SHAME ON SUPERVISOR HAMMOND

Time for you to leave Mr. Hammond

.

County Clerk

and

Deputy Clerk of the Board

doctor  FPPC Forms

...while her staff watches

On March 10, 2015, there were no Schedules attached to Ms. Osgood's 700 Form

1. March 6, 2015, Susan Osgood has no 700 Forms on File

2. March 10, 2015, Susan Osgood now has a "Cover" page only on file for 2013

3. March 11, 2015, Susan Osgood and Julie Bustamante attach newly created form Schedule B Forms to Osgood's 2011-2014 700 Forms

On March 10, 2015, Kan We Help's Secretary asked Julie Bustamante "to view" Susan Osgood's 700 Forms for the last three years. Bustamante said that the request needed to be in writing. [It does not need to be in writing]

Bustamante's response was that she only had Osgoods  2013-700 Form and the rest were in storage (basement). The County Clerk refused to get the documents claiming that she had only one person in the office. (There were four people in her office)

The Public Records Act, Section 6253 (a) allows anyone to view public documents during business hours  Reluctantly, the angry County Clerk produced a single document and stated emphatically that Susan Osgood was not required to attach any schedules

Eileen Spencer, KWH Secretary, returns the next day with a written request (even though one is not required) to view Osgood's 700 forms. Bustamante leaves her office to inform Spencer that she has ten days to respond and leaves for a moment to return with her response in writing.  As Bustamante walks away, Spencer reminds her that she must produce the documents now. Bustamante, in her typical bad behavior uttered insults as she returned to her office.

Attached to KWH's request was a copy of  Lassen County's "Conflict of Interest" Report listing the six catagories of disclosure.  Since, Susan Osgood, claimed to be an "Administrative Secretary" she was required to disclose financial interests in all six catagories.   The problem: she had never complied in 7 years. 7 years that Bustamante has been County Clerk

UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF JULIE BUSTAMANTE,

 OSGOOD'S FPPC 700 FORMS WERE DOCTORED 

Osgood signed the four Schedule B's on March 11, 2015

 (2011-2014)

No Schedule B's were attached to 2008-2010.They evidently did not have immediate access to the old forms to doctor 2008-2010.

The ink wasn't even dry yet !

No other years were "available", but

the one page 2013 -700 form was there ?

Ms. Bustamante stated that Susan Osgood was not required to file any schedules  with  her 700 Form.

..... Susan Osgood's payroll history states she is the Deputy Clerk of the Board but Osgood claims on her FPPC 700 form that she  is an

"Administrative Secretary" ?

FPPC TELLS KAN WE HELP THAT THE

"CLERK OF THE BOARD"

IS COVERED UNDER "COUNTY CLERK" POSITION

IN LASSEN COUNTY'S

CONFLICT OF CODE

....even though the Supervisors do not list this position

After seven  years of using County Clerk as a title on the Board of Supervisors Agendas, suddenly Julie Bustamante began using "County Clerk-Recorder" as the agenda title for the Boards Minutes.

The Recorder position was moved from the Auditors office into the County Clerk's office on June 22, 1993 by Resolution 513.  In 2007, the Supervisors moved the "Clerk of the Board" position into the County Clerk's office.  Government Code 25100 defines the duties of this position and leaves it to the Supervisors discretion on what department will be responsible.

The FPPC stated that Susan Osgood, should be required to file a FPPC 700 Form. No 700 form was filed.

CLEARLY SUSAN OSGOOD IS

 THE "DEPUTY CLERK OF THE BOARD"

BUSTAMANTE DOESN'T KNOW

"WHAT" HER JOB IS ?

Clerk of the Board, Bustamante

Posts Board of Supervisors

2/26/15 Board of Supervisors Meeting

without posting the Agenda

Brown Act Violation 54954.2 (a) 1

Kan We Help files FPPC complaint

Supervisors Allow Bustamante

 to Make Up Fake Titles

The February 10, 2014 Board of Supervisors Agenda Item H-4 lists an item under County Clerk/Recorder

The State of California's Government Code 25100 creates a statutory position to exclusively place the County Board of Supervisors Minutes with the "Clerk of the Board"

The Supervisors are being advised by County Counsel to ignore Government Codes

BUSTAMANTE DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE

On February 9, 2015, Bustamante posts a phantom meeting agenda. The was a Training Meeting?

CAo Richard Egan said he had no knowledge of this posting

Bustamante is Desperate

Every day she proves that she is not only incompetent but deceitful

The County Clerk/Clerk of the Board  Julie Bustamante has done it again.  She attempted to post delinquent April 29, 2014 Board Minutes that have not been approved by the Board. She tried this with the January 13, 2015 Minutes last week and got caught.

NOW SHE IS TRYING IT AGAIN?

Kan We Help, for the third or fourth time (more if you count the e-mails to the CAO, County Counsel and Pyle) asked for the delinquent BOS Minutes to be put on the Agenda to be approved

Sooooooo as a response to KWH's plea, Bustamante placed the

January 20, 2015 Minutes on the January 27, 2015 Agenda.

ONE WEEK, PEOPLE, ONE WEEK

Then, she posted the January 13, 2015 to the website on January 29, 2015.

PROBLEM: the January 13, 2015 Minutes have never been approved.

Was she using the January 13, 2015 BOS minutes as a coaster...???

Bustamante continues to be an

Incompetent County Clerk

a little housecleaning, yes, but it would take demolition to fix what she has done

The County taxpayers pay her a salary that far exceeds her competency

55% of her salary is for services rendered for 1 or 2 elections...every 2 years

15% of her salary is for services rendered for County Clerk

15% of her salary is for services rendered for County Recorder

15% of her salary is for services rendered for ....... Clerk of the Board

Now, let's look at Julie/Susan's performance record since 2007

Kan We Help, for the third or fourth time (more if you count the e-mails to the CAO, County Counsel and Pyle) asked for the delinquent BOS Minutes to put on the Agenda to be approved

Sooooooo as a response to KWH's plea, Bustamante placed the January 20, 2015 Minutes on the January 27, 2015 Agenda.

ONE WEEK, PEOPLE, ONE WEEK

All the time using the January 13, 2015 BOS minutes as a coaster.............

Bustamante has no skills for being a

competent Clerk-of-the-Board

Video of 1/20/15 BOS Meeting

....and the Board of Supervisors don't give a damn

Clerk of the Board Bustamante

had a month to catch up on Board meeting minutes

Bustamante has no idea what she is doing

The Clerk-of-the-Board position was created by Ordinance 532, placing this position under the County Clerk

County Clerk Duties

Must Be Downsized

Julie Bustamante has demonstrated during her tenure

 she cannot handle all of the duties in her office

1. Clerk of the Board

Delinquent Meeting Minutes back to April-2014

After all, this is the publics business

2. Assessment Appeals Board

Supervisor Hammond placed the "Assessment Appeals Board" on the November 25, 2014 Agenda to better understand why there are so many complaints filed. 

PART 2: BOS November 25, 2014 Meeting

Bustamante was late for the meeting and when she arrived rudely pushed County Assessor away from the podium. Now, Bustamante whines about not having staff or money to handle the tax appeals. 

She claims she had to hire her friend Theresa Nagel to clerk the Appeals Board. 

SUPER BAD CHOICE

Theresa Nagel built herstorage units at Eagle Lake within walking distance of her 24 year old home that was being taxed as a vacant lot.

Theresa Nagel Named in Diebold Lawsuit 

Theresa Nagel Decides Not to Run For County Clerk

LINK TO NAGEL ELECTION PROBLEMS 

NOW, WE KNOW WHY  NAGEL DIDN'T RUN.........and Bustamante hesitated

KAN WE HELP ASKS

LASSEN COUNTY SUPERVISORS

TO LOOK INTO JULIE BUSTAMANTE'S

DISREGARD OF THE RULES

On July 23, 2013, Bustamante asked the Board of Supervisors for $27,300 for new Agenda/Minutes Software and then spent $40,000 without permission

County Clerk, Julie Bustamante

Leaves her daughter Nicole as an Election Officer

and

Replaces Bridgett Bustamante with her sister Cindy

This violates the Lassen County

Nepotism code

Trick THE PUBLIC or Treat?

County Clerk's Remedy

Change her daughter's name (no one will ever notice)

BUSTAMANTE, MADDEN, MURRAY

and add another relative, Bridgette Bustamante

Bustamante Hires Daughter Again

The County Clerk Claims Her Daughter Will Not Get Paid As An Election Officer

.....Bustamante has been there long enough NOT TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT

.....Has Bustamante been there too long?

Kan We Help Files Complaint Again

Lassen County Clerk Bustamante

 Lied to the

Lassen County Supervisors and CAO

She spent $40,000 and just recently

purchased the software

County Clerk Julie Bustamante asked the Supervisors, on July 23, 2013, [for a "one-time" cost of $27,800] to purchase a new agenda/minutes software program. Her request was approved.

Bustamante had fallen way behind in getting Minutes to the Supervisors to approve.

In 2013, Kan We Help gave the Supervisors a list of 14 Minutes that had not been approved over the last year and a half.  The Supervisors eventually placed these on the Agenda, one at a time,  to be approved but did not have a quorum to approve two due to changes on the Board.

DID BUSTAMANTE LIE TO THE CAO ?

Kan We Help has been inquiring about this software for over a year and most recently at the Supervisors meetings. The CAO stated publicly (early in 2014) that the IT people were training the County Clerks staff on this new software.

THIS WAS A LIE

Kan We Help requested a copy of the Purchase Order from the CAO

Kan We Help requested a copy of the payment to Granicus from the Audior

"No records existed"

Both offices said to ask the County Clerk

So......Kan We Help requested a copy of the purchase of the Granicus software from the County Clerk

Bustamante ordered  the $40,000 Granicus software on

July 9, 2014

What makes it even worse is that Bustamante has again fallen behind in taking care of the Board of Supervisors Minutes.

She has not posted:

4/29/14 Minutes

7/22/14

8/4/14

8/12/14

She has not presented Minutes to be approved:

8/19/14

9/9/14

9/16/14

9/23/14

Bustamante buys $27,000 software a year ago

and

has no idea how to use it

$27,000 down the toilet

She always, always blames her incompetency on others

Diebold Voting Machine Program Cards Easily Changes Votes

Videos of the Lassen County Board of Supervisors meetings are now available on Lassen County Scoop website

Bustamante Refuses to Certify

Egan's April 16, 2014 letter

Julie Bustamante is the Clerk for the Board of Supervisors. She certifies all copies originating from the Board as being authentic. She refused to certify a letter that she knew the CAO wrote. The "received" date has been altered on the letter?

CAO Egan admits, on 6/24/14 that he wrote judges letter

? Cheaters Reunion ?

THE CLASSLESS GANG

Julie Bustamante's daughter Nicole changed her waive from a single finger to all five fingers when she saw the camera. Bustamante's husband, daughter and Theresa Nagel attended the awards ceremony at the Board of Supervisors meeting for Bustamante's 25 year award.

Theresa Nagel, former County Clerk, never looked better as she chirped out,

"Bitch"

as her photo was being taken.

KAN  WE HELP

WILL MONITOR THE ELECTION

THE TRUST IS GONE

Lassen County Clerk

Borders on

TOTAL DYSFUNCTION

Lassen County Clerk, Julie Bustamante, has fallen behind on the Board of Supervisors business. Meeting Minutes have not been approved for six meetings. Her staff is not even proficient with the old software so how can the public trust her with a new $27,000 software package she purchased last September that has yet to be installed.

Now, the Agendas have "This Agenda item pulled" listed for secret and unknown agenda items?  Only the Supervisors can vote to pull an Agenda item.  The real reason, the County Clerk does not understand her software.

At the March 18, 2014 Board of Supervisors meeting, Bob Pyle voted to approve the 1/28/14 minutes. The "Problem", he did not attend this meeting.  Over the years, the County Clerk failed to present over a dozen Minutes to be approved and the Supervisors could not possibly approve one, two year old minutes. When they were forced, by Kan We Help to address this, they approved all but one. They didn't have a quorum to approve the last one because of Jack Hanson's Recall.  

NOT A GOOD WAY TO RUN THE PUBLICS BUSINESS

Maybe, if Julie Bustamante ever visited her office, her staff might get some direction.

 Lassen County Clerk, Julie Bustamante, has been asked to take a second look at Brian Wilson's Candidate papers for County Treasurer

The State sets the qualifications for the office of County Treasurer, not Bustamante.

As County Clerk/Election Officer she is required to follow the law not bend it.

On March 10, 2014, Julie Bustamante "qualified" Brian Wilson to run for County Treasurer. Bustamante qualified him because he took one class in Business Calculus at Glendale Community College. As an insurance broker, he can offer financial services, such as retirement plans and estate planning. This does not meet the strict criteria the State sets for County Treasurer.

Kan We Help will be filing a formal complaint with the California Secretary of State if this is not corrected. 

County Counsel's sudden opinion on 5081.1 (a) does not help Jim Chapman qualify. She simply confirmed a known fact that California does not demand that a County Auditor be a CPA after January 1, 2010 and that 5081.1 was repealed in its entirety.

Jim Chapman has filed papers

for County Auditor

He does not meet the State Qualifications for this position

Are Julie Bustamante's Policies

Unethical or is she just a Cheater?

62.22 % of District 5 voters decisively recalled Jack Hanson

Jack Hanson was recalled on 9/10/13, and continued to be recalled on 9/13/13 and remained  recalled on 9/17/13

Lassen County Clerk prepares the Board of Supervisors Agendas and "ethically" should have included the election results on the September 17, 2013 Board of Supervisors Agenda. The only thing that prevented Bustamante from placing the election results on the September 17, 2013 Board of Supervisors meeting was BUSTAMANTE.

She had another agenda

Bustamante issued an unofficial final Certificate of her "Canvass" of the election results on 9/11/13. Special emphasis on the fact she post dated her signature (9/13/13) (Election Code 15301 states she must do this canvas by 9/12/13)

Election Code 11384 states if the majority of the votes on a recall election are "YES" (62.22% is still a majority) the officer sought to be recalled shall be removed UPON THE QUALIFICATION OF THE SUCCESSOR.

The "QUALIFICATION" requirement means that the Board of Supervisors must vote to accept the election results.  

After Bustamante posted her September 11, 2013/ September 13/2013 UNOFFICIAL FINAL she waited to issue her Final/FINAL on September 16, 2013.

If Bustamante had placed the election results on the Board of Supervisors September 17, 2013 Agenda as the first Agenda item, Jack Hanson would have been removed, Tom Hammond would have been issued his "Certificate of Election" and administered the Oath of office.

Jack Hanson was recalled on 9/10/13, and continued to be recalled on 9/13/13 and remained  recalled on 9/17/13

The 9/24/13 Board of Supervisors Agenda places the Election Results after items requiring votes.

Will Hanson have enough class to recuse himself from any voting?

He didn't at the 9/17/13 meeting.

Martin Nichols even tried to put it as the last Agenda item on the 9/24/13 Agenda? 

It just gets sleazier.....................

On September 10, 2013 Jack Hanson Ceased to

be a Lassen County Supervisor

District 5 voted a new Supervisor in and no matter how long Julie Bustamante delays giving Tom Hammond his Oath of Office, Jack Hanson can not act in any official capacity on the Lassen County Board of Supervisors

 Hanson's official role ended on 9/10/13

If he refuses to step down he can be removed by the courts. Is this what he wants?

Supervisor Jack Hanson Recalled

Jack Hanson was elected with776 votes in 2006, 889  votes in 2010

531 votes in 2013 to Recall Jack Hanson

The Perception of Abuse of Power

Lassen County Clerk was forced, by the Court,  to hold the Jack Hanson Recall Election.

A reputable County Clerk would have placed the recall election Certification on the September 17, 2013 Board of Supervisors Agenda (Bustamante is also the Clerk of the Board and is responsible for the Agendas) This would have allowed Tom Hammond to take the Oath of Office at the 9/17/13 Board of Supervisors meeting.

 Bustamante hides behind the fact that this is HER POLICY.

Lassen County Clerk Julie Bustamante apparently feels that she did nothing wrong when she made it her POLICY to:

..... delay newly elected County Supervisor Tom Hammond's seat on the Board on September 17, 2013

....not place the Recall signature results and election Certification on the "next" Board of Supervisors Agenda as required by the law

....reject the Jack Hanson Recall petitions twice and then was ordered by a Court of Law to not only accept the petitions but to count the signatures

....approve no more petition recall signatures than the minimum set by the court. Bustamante lost a Writ of Mandate that forced her to do the right thing.

....place her daughter as a Doyle precinct worker when County Rules prohibit this.

Bustamante's "policies" are not illegal. The Secretary of State allows her enough rope to hang herself.

Bustamante's "POLICIES" are not illegal, but they don't get her re-elected either.

Lassen County Clerk Bustamante posted the Election Certification on 9/11/13

 but put 9/13/13 on the document.

Is there something slightly IMPROPER ABOUT THIS

and even illegal?

Lassen County Clerk Places Her Daughter

at a

Recall Precinct in District 5

Lassen County Clerk Julie Bustamante places her daughter, Nicole Madden, at one of the Recall precincts in District 5. She says she is only a "Trainer". Veteran Poll workers are working at this precinct.  There is no need for a "Trainer".

Nicole will be handling ballots for the Jack Hanson Recall Election on September 10, 2013.

In 2002,Nicole tried to hide the AccuVote Audit tape in her purse. When told that she couldn't do that, she tried to hide it in the case for the voting machine.  Eventually she was forced to place it in the bag with the ballots and it was sealed. 

In 2012, Nicole was placed, at the Westwood precinct, where a seal on the AccuVote machine just "fell off" and was replaced. 

Lassen County Clerk Julie Bustamante

Attempts to Change the Date, in the Minutes, "When"

 She Submitted

the Jack Hanson Recall Signatures as being Sufficient to proceed with the Recall Election

58 California Registrar of Voters Under

the Protection of the Secretary of State

....but no local oversight

In 2006, eighteen County Election Officers were sued over abuses with the Diebold Voting machines. Lassen County Clerk Theresa Nagel was included in this lawsuit. Theresa Nagel was up for re-election and chose not to run again. Julie Bustamante, Deputy County Clerk ran for this position and won.

County Election Officials are normally separate from the County Clerk's office but in Lassen County the election duties are combined within the County Clerks office.  Election laws are set by the State of California and any criminal activity reported by the Secretary of State is handled by the Attorney General. However, indiscretions/complaints  are monitored by the Secretary of State. 

There is a process to file a complaint when there is evidence of a failure to follow Election Codes.  

1. Make an oral or written complaint directly to the local Election Official

2. Make a complaint in a public forum

*3. File a complaint with the Secretary of State

4. File a complaint with the Attorney General

5. File a civil lawsuit

6. Recall the Election Official

*The Secretary of State will always handle all complaints "in-house". The public will not know about any discipline or action by the Secretary of State, unless it is immediately evident the Election Official has corrected any indiscretion.

 Serious complaints, such as "tampering" are always kept confidential. The Secretary of State, regardless of political party, quietly handles the incident  "in-house" to protect the Secretary of State and the County Election Officer.

The illusion of fair elections must be maintained at all times.

The Secretary of State is no different than any other government agency with a limited budget. Local District Attorneys pick and choose which criminal cases they can afford to prosecute. It is no different with the Secretary of State.

Lassen County Clerk Julie Bustamante knows very well that she is protected by the Secretary of State if she strays from complying with California's Election Codes. The only thing Bustamante risks is a Civil lawsuit and/or Recall.  The Secretary of State has a HANDS OFF position on local election issues and depends on the public resolving serious non-compliances with private lawsuits or recall elections.

While most County Election Officials would not risk exposing personal agendas in their elections, Bustamante has shown no fear of exposure to such complaints

THAT IS SIMPLY NOT ACCEPTABLE

In the 2012 Presidential and Supervisorial election, Julie Bustamante claims that she followed instructions and written procedures when a "memory card seal" fell off.

The information on this report is incorrect. The Memory Card assigned to this voting machine is serial number 246745. It was erroneously replaced with Memory Card serial number 662618.  IT IS THAT SIMPLE. FLAGRANT TAMPERING.......WHY?

SLEAZY EVEN FOR BUSTAMANTE

IT IS THAT SIMPLE.

FLAGRANT TAMPERING.......WHY?

tricks of the trade

The voting machines are sent home with a poll worker of her choice. Replacing the Memory Card goes undetected until the numbers are checked first thing in the morning at the precinct.

                 No memory card "seals" are available at any Precinct.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

    District 1 Supervisor Bob Pyle won by 27 votes in that 2012 election. The Westwood Precinct is within District 1

While most County Election Officials would not risk exposing personal agendas in their elections, Bustamante has shown that she is extremely good at this. She learned all the tricks of the trade from her previous Boss.  In the 2002 Lassen County Election, the Memory card serial numbers after the election did not match any Memory Card serial numbers that had been assigned to the Accuvote machines. A complaint was filed with the current Secretary of State and ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WAS DONE. This complaint also included White Out being used on ballots. The Secretary of State told Theresa Nagel she could no longer use White Out on the ballots but dismissed the Memory Cards being changed ?

In the 2002 election, Julie Bustamante's, High School age daughter Nicole, attempted to place the voting audit tape in her purse....Accuvote carrying case........ and finally was forced to place it in the clear plastic bag with the ballots.

Bustamante claims that Complaints were filed because

someone DOESN'T LIKE HER..........REALLY?

Just ignore the evidence......RIGHT?

State Procedure requires Ms. Bustamante to remove the voting equipment if a seal has been compromised. Ms. Bustamante determined that a seal falling off did not necessitate her to follow the protocol. Did the seal fall off PRIOR TO THE POLLS BEING OPENED or was the Memory Card replaced with "another" erroneous card?

Bustamante answers a questionnaire from the Secretary of State on her local procedures:

........AND THE MEMORY CARD SEALS ?

Bustamante also tells the Secretary of State that the AccuVote machines go home with  Poll Workers.

Bottom Line:

Integrity of Lassen County Elections Are and Will Continue to Be Suspect

Can Bustamante Conduct A Fair Election ?

No

Bustamante continues to be Partisan

Kan We Help has filed a request with the California Secretary of State to conduct the Recall Election or at least send a Representative to monitor the election in September.

There are so many irregularities

In 2002, Kan We Help raised serious concerns that the election had been tampered with. It was documented that the voting machine memory card serial numbers did not match the serial numbers that were registered to the voting machines. The memory cards had been changed.

Nicole Bustamante, Julies daughter,  attempted to place the voting audit tape in her purse

In 2002, Kan We Help caught Theresa Nagel and Julie Bustamante putting "white-out" (correction tape) on ballots. They got their hands slapped ?  white-out

In 2006, California Secretary of State visits all 18 Counties effected by the Diebold lawsuit on March 21, 2006

 In 2006, Lassen County Clerk named in Diebold lawsuit

In 2012, voters in the Standish-Litchfield Fire District received ballots with the Susan River Fire District candidates on it.  Lassen County Clerk, Julie Bustamante, sent out bad ballots and didn't even know it.

In the 2012 Election, seal "falls off" voting machine in Supervisor Pyle's District 1, Julie's daughter again is present

Tom Hammond

will run for District 5 Supervisor

in

Recall Election, September 10, 2013

to recall Supervisor Jack Hanson

Jack Hanson Recall

Supervisor Jack Hanson Recall Election

set for September 10, 2013

 Election Code 11381 (b) governs a Recall for a local official

Once the election date is set, September 10, 2013, Bustamante has given the candidates only 7 days to file nomination papers (June 27, 2013).

LASSEN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

SELECT THE INFORMATION THEY WANT THE PUBLIC TO SEE

This Board has a lot to hide

Since the Board of Supervisors placed their Clerk of the Board position back with the County Clerk, the Boards Agendas and Minutes have been of little use to the public. 

The public is directed to one Agenda website for current and past Board Agendas. The Board deliberately excludes access to important documents, Resolutions, Ordinances, Minutes, Letters.........

NO EXCUSES. If the Board maintains a website for the people, all public documents in the Agenda Packet should be available. NO EXCUSES

BROWN ACT VIOLATIONS

The Brown Act, California's Open Meeting Law, specifically addresses this issue in the first paragraph

Government Code 54950

"The people in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know"

More importantly the California Constitution states it even stronger

Article 1, Section 3 (a)

The people have the right to instruct their representatives, petition government for redress of grievances, and  assemble freely to consult for the common good

Article 1, Section 3 (b)

The people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people's business, and therefore, the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies shall be open to the public scrutiny.

The Lassen County Supervisors have published, on the website the public is directed to, only 53% of their Meeting Minutes prior to their meetings, prior to a vote. These minutes need to be approved by at least 3 members

The County Clerk is not only not making important documents available, but is now blocking documents

Lassen County Clerk

Under Attack:

Lassen County Clerk, Julie Bustamante Failed to Accept

the Recall Petition against Jack Hanson because

a "name" was mis-spelled.

There was an extra "e" on one name. This cost the Recall Committee thousands of dollars to fight her action in court. The Court ruled against Bustamante claiming this was a petty decision.

The Lassen County Clerk Can't Even Spell Her Own Name

Lassen County Clerk

Under Attack:

Lassen County Clerk Puts the May 28, 2013 Board of Supervisors Agenda in the "Minutes" column

The Lassen County Board of Supervisors approved their May 28, 2013 Minutes on June 11, 2013

 but the County Clerk does not place these Minutes IN THE BOS MINUTES column, so the public can read them. Instead she puts another copy of the Agenda there.

Lassen County Clerk

Under Attack:

Lassen County Board of Supervisors Agenda/Minutes Website: Unreliable

If the public wants to read or print any document that will appear on the "next" Board of Supervisors Agenda, The Clerk of the Board refers the public to a website for Board documents/minutes/agendas but the documents may or may not be there.

The Lassen County Board of Supervisors have done nothing to post ALL OF THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRING ACTION, REQUIRING A VOTE, prior to their meetings.

L to R: Larry Wosick, District 3, Bob Pyle, District 1, Jack Hanson, District 5, Aaron Albaugh, District 4, Jim Chapman, District 2

 They are allowed to pick and choose what the public should know.

Take a look before they change it. These Minutes have been like this for three years and it is only the tip of the iceberg. This public website is borderline dysfunctional

As of 9:00 PM, June 11, 2013, the July 27, 2010 Agenda has never been available on the BOS website. You will find the April 27, 2010 Agenda there.

 2010 Board Agendas and Minutes

DOES ANYONE CARE THAT THE COUNTY CLERK HAS MADE A MESS OUT OF THIS PUBLIC WEBSITE

Time is running out to approve old Meeting Minutes that have never appeared on any Agenda to be approved. Only Chapman, Pyle and Hanson can approve these old Minutes. If Hanson is recalled, the BOS will not have a quorum to approve these old Minutes.

Lassen County Clerk, Bustamante Violates Election Codes

Can she be trusted with the election?

No need to adjust your screen. The photo is crooked.

Lassen County Clerk, Julie Bustamante took the Certificate of Sufficiency [which allows a Recall Election against Supervisor Hanson to proceed] to the Lassen County Board of Supervisors, on June 11, 2013. By waiting the additional two weeks, She violated Election Code 11224 (d), 11225 (h) and 11227.

Kan We Help submitted a complaint with the California Secretary of State. If you wish to file a complaint click here

Bustamante certified the signatures collected by the Recall Committee on May 23, 2013. The Election law states that she must deliver this Certificate at the Board of Supervisors "next" meeting (May 28, 2013).  That's all she had to do

Bustamante claims that she did not comply because by Thursday, May 23, 2013 the BOS Agenda had already been distributed. Oddly, County Counsel made the mistake of agreeing with her. (KWH will check to see if County Counsel is a licensed attorney)

    The "Certificate of Sufficiency", itself, does not need any action by the Board. 

NEXT.............

Lassen County Clerk/Registrar Julie Bustamante

Certifies Recall Election Against Supervisor Jack Hanson

on May 23, 2013

but did she manage to violate Election Laws in the process?

To be the Clerk-of-the-Board

      or not to be the Clerk-of-the-Board

.......Will that be the question?

No. The question is, why does the County Clerk decide what the public should know?

In November of 1996 the Lassen County Board of Supervisors passed Ordinance 531 which moved the Clerk of the Board position out of the County Clerk's office and placed this position back under the control of the Board of Supervisors. The Board could now hire and fire the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors.

FROM 1996-2007-THE "CLERK OF THE BOARD" WAS NOT A DUTY OF THE COUNTY CLERK

The Board of Supervisors "appointed" Theresa Nagel to this independent position. Theresa Nagel held her elected office of County Clerk/Recorder/Election Officer and the independent position of Clerk of the Board of Supervisors  

.  Kan We Help requested copies of the Clerk of the Board's payroll checks but Nagel ignored the Public Records Request. Determined to obtain these public records several requests were made. THERESA NAGEL DID NOT RESPOND, but County Counsel did. AND SHE LIED ?

Ordinance 531 stated the Lassen County Board of Supervisors could appoint any "Deputies" necessary to perform all the duties of the Clerk of the Board. These employees would serve at the will and pleasure of the Board

NAGEL CHOSE NOT TO RUN FOR THE COUNTY CLERK AGAIN AFTER SHE WAS NAMED IN THE DIEBOLD VOTER FRAUD LAWSUIT

In March of 2006, a lawsuit against certain California County Clerks was filed, which included Theresa Nagel. The Lassen County Times never carried this story. A Sacramento Bee Reporter Herbert Sample sent Kan We Help the article about the lawsuit.  This lawsuit was filed against County Clerks that were using the Diebold system. The lawsuit claimed the Diebold AccuVote system is vulnerable to fraud , the Interpreted Code is insecure and is subject to manipulation.

During the 2006 Budget meetings Theresa Nagel asked the Lassen County Board of Supervisors to separate the Registrar of Voters position from the County Clerk. Supervisor Bob Pyle also instructed the CAO to include a position for Theresa Nagel as "Clerk of the Board". In 2006, according to the Lassen County Auditor, the Clerk of the Board had a 2006-2007 budget of $118,000. The Registrar of Voters had a budget of $283, 417. Theresa Nagel wanted to gut the County Clerk's office to just Clerk/Recorder.

THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TOLD HER NO

On January 2, 2007, Theresa Nagel resigned her position as Clerk of the Board. Even though the 1996 Ordinance still maintained that the Board of Supervisors had the  authority to hire and fire the Clerk of the Board.

Serious discussions began, at the January 9, 2007 Board meeting on what to do with the Clerk of the Board position which keeps the Official Record of the Lassen County Board of Supervisors

Also on this same agenda, Fred Nagel secures a contract with Lassen County Public Works Department as Deputy County Surveyor. Next position for his wife, Theresa Nagel. A POSITION THAT WOULD NOT INVOLVE "ELECTIONS". County CAO Ketelson asks for direction on the now vacant Clerk of the Board position. Supervisor Dahle asks Ketelson to do a study on their choices and report back on January 16, 2007.

Discussion continued at the January 16, 2007 Board meeting about what action was needed to fill the Clerk of the Board position. Supervisor Chapman supported repealing Ordinance 531 and put the position back in the County Clerk's Office. The Supervisors voted to appoint Julie Bustamante, current County Clerk, to fill the position of Clerk of the Board until other options could be discussed. Supervisor Dahle and Supervisor Keefer voted NO.

Supervisor Jim Chapman, at the January 23, 2007 Board meeting, instructed County Counsel Craig Settlemire to bring an Ordinance to the next meeting to repeal Ordinance 531. Supervisor Chapman has been on this Board since 1977.

Lassen County Counsel brings the Ordinance 531-A to the February 13, 2007 [as Agenda Item H-1] Board meeting but Supervisor Pyle and Chapman change their minds on taking action and continue the issue to the February 20, 2007 Board meeting.

The Lassen County Supervisors approved the appeal of Ordinance 531 at their February 20, 2007 Board meeting. The Minutes show that Supervisor Pyle, Chapman and Hanson voted YES. Supervisors Keefer and Dahle voted NO.

If you look at the condition of the Board Minutes since this change was made, well they are appallingly dysfunctional

In the last three years alone, only 57% of the Board Minutes have been posted to the Lassen County Board's website prior to action by the Board. In this same period 14 minutes were never voted on.

This Board has decided WHAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW.

This is in direct conflict with the intent of the Brown Act. 

Lassen County Clerk Julie Bustamante

LASSEN COUNTY CLERK  REFUSES TO POST DOCUMENTS

ON THE BOS WEBSITE

AND

THEN CHARGES THE PUBLIC

IF THEY WANT COPIES.

Is this about  the money

OR Just

ABUSE OF AUTHORITY?

Kan We Help Submits Request , under

the Brown Act, to

Receive the Lassen County Supervisors

Agenda Packet

....only to be met by an abusive County Clerk

 Kan We Help is a government watch-dog website that monitors government in Lassen County and surrounding counties. Kan We Help is 11 years old

 Kan We Help submitted a formal request for copies of the May 14, 2013 Lassen County Board of Supervisors Agenda Packet. This request specifically identified Section 54954.1 of the Brown Act.

 The Brown Act Section states this request is good for a calendar year in which it was made and entitles the requestor to a free copy of the Agenda Packet. If you wish it mailed to you, this Section states that the public agency can assess a fee equal to the mailing. The County Clerk Julie Bustamante claimed she could charge a fee to copy the Agenda Packet. Ms. Bustamante explained that everyone had to pay for a copy of the Agenda Packet.  Kan We Help was told, via e-mail, the May 14, 2013 Board of Supervisors Agenda Packet would cost $148.00 and $5.71 postage for the mailing service.

Ms. Bustamante claimed copies were only made for the Board of Supervisors. This was very much NOT TRUE

Julie Bustamante distributes copies of the Board Agenda Packet to the Lassen County Times and KSUE radio at EVERY MEETING.

The May 14, 2013 Meeting Minutes were not posted to the website and still are not posted for the public. The Minutes were included in the Boards Agenda Packet

On May 16, 2013, Kan We Help filed a Public Records Request under the Public Records Act for TEN YEARS WORTH OF LASSEN COUNTY TIMES AND KSUE "Requests for Agenda Packets" and copies of their cancelled checks showing they paid for each and everyone.

KWH Secretary Eileen Spencer called Bustamante's office on Friday morning to find out how much the copies would be. Ms. Bustamante became indignant and yelled "I have until May 26" and then slammed the phone down.

At 3:41 PM on Friday, May 24, 2013, Bustamante responds by sending an e-mail:

Bustamante lied about the copying fees to avoid releasing a Board Agenda Packet to Kan We Help.

Kan We Help receives dozens of public board Agenda Packets every month and has never paid anything except the mailing costs.

County Clerk Creates Selective Access

 Bustamante claims the public has access to the Board Agenda and documents via the Board of Supervisors website. THE SAD TRUTH OF THIS WEBSITE, NOT OFTEN BUT ROUTINELY, EXCLUDES THE "SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS" LIKE COPIES OF THE MINUTES THAT REQUIRE ACTION BY THE BOARD TO APPROVE.

 ACTION THAT REQUIRES PUBLIC DISCUSSION.

Lassen County Clerk Julie Bustamante

Rude, Angry and Unprofessional

Angry Bird, Julie

A call was placed this morning to the County Clerk's office. The gentleman that answered the phone was asked if the Recall Petition had been certified. He quickly transferred the call to Ms. Bustamante who, in her angry unprofessional voice, said that it has not been finished and then she hung up the phone. The caller was asked not to call again  and said that this was a waste of her time. Really oh elected person...................

UNCIVIL FOR A CIVIL SERVANT

The last time a call was made, was April 17, 2013. The question: when is the deadline for certifying the signatures?  Bustamante yelled "May 29" and then slammed the phone down.

Ms. Bustamante recently was ordered, by a court action,  to accept the Recall Petition against Supervisor Jack Hanson. The Court determined that her reason for denying the petitions was petty and ordered her to count the signatures.

MAYBE IT IS TIME

TO PUT A NEW COUNTY CLERK IN

 Recall rules state that if the number of signatures are greater that 110% of the required number, the petition is considered qualified (Election Code 11225) Upon completing the examination the County Clerk must notify the proponents of the results. If it is determined that there are sufficient signatures, the County Clerk must submit it to the Lassen County Board of Supervisors at their next regular meeting

This angry public servant has not notified the Board of Supervisors as of the next meeting on May 28, 2013. This issue does not appear on the BOS  5/28/13 Agenda. It appears that Bustamante wants this to go to the June 11 meeting. 

It must be noted that the Election Code allows Bustamante to announce the disqualification of signatures and the Recall Petition at anytime and the Recall Petition dies.

Kan We Help Asks Lassen County Supervisors

 to Table Agenda Item

The May 14, 2013 Minutes were placed in the "Consent Calendar" as G1 on the May 21, 2013 Agenda to be approved.

All items placed within the Consent Calendar are voted on with one vote. They are considered "routine in nature". The problem: No Minutes were posted for public review. This isn't the first time this has happened.

Kan We Help has pointed this problem out many times and the Supervisors still are not posting the supporting documents, minutes and agendas prior to their meetings.  The excuse is that there is a glitch in the system, yet other documents seem to get posted on their website.

BOS Creates Selective Access

This time, Kan We Help asked the Lassen County Supervisors to table the Minutes until they figure out the minutes, if action is to be taken, must be available for review by the public. The Brown Act allows for public discussion prior to a vote.  Deputy County Clerk Susan Osgood appeared outraged at Kan We Help's objection. Evidently, the May 14, 2013 Minutes were included in the Boards Packet.

County Clerk Bustamante is clinging to the position that if the public wants a copy of the Board Agenda Packet you must pay for it. More to come on that position..............

CAO Nichols/Bustamante are responsible for the accuracy of the Board of Supervisors Agenda. Susan Osgood does what she is told to do.

Kan We Help was prepared to file a Brown Act Violation but the Supervisors agreed to continue this item until the Minutes are posted on their website.

This Board has  inconsistently failed to post their minutes on their website. Kan We Help reviewed five years of the Lassen County Board Minutes and found dozens of Minutes that have never been posted. The Supervisors are now playing "catch up". The Supervisors added another clump of minutes to be approved at their May 21, 2013 meeting [August 8, 2011, August 10, 2011, August 11, 2011, August 12, 2011]. Fortunately, four of the Supervisors were present during these 2011 meetings and will be able to vote to approve them. This is not the best way to approve minutes that are two years old.

NOTE: The May 14, 2013 Agenda included approving  the June 15, 2010 Minutes. The Supervisors placed these three year old minutes independently as the LAST ITEM ON THEIR AGENDA.

the public's business should be public

the public's business, isn't public

Lassen County Clerk, Julie Bustamante is  responsible for posting the Lassen County Board of Supervisors Agenda's and Minutes to the Board's website. 

The Lassen County website is just poorly maintained and has become useless to most. First, there are two sites for Board Agendas and Minutes. Both are poorly maintained and updates are random at best.

One properly maintained site would be the answer but Ms. Bustamante wants no changes.

Secondly, certain documents are missing on the site that does offer access to uploaded meeting documents but you can not print the Agenda.

The site that does allow you to print the Agenda (below) does not post access to agenda documents. You put that together with the fact Agendas and Minutes are simply not posted prior to the Board of Supervisors meetings make both sites useless.

Kan We Help has informed the County Clerk many, many times how undependable both sites are, including years old Minutes that have never been approved.

Only recently, the Board of Supervisors have been placing these old minutes on their agenda to be approved one by one.

On the May 14, 2013 meeting agenda they placed Agenda item H1, the June 15, 2010 meeting minutes, to be approved as the last item on their Agenda.

On their May 21, 2013, meeting agenda the Board of Supervisors has placed Agenda Item H4, the last item on the agenda,  to approve the August 8, 2011, August 10, 2011, August 11, 2011 and August 12, 2011 meeting minutes

It is difficult to approve minutes that are years old because, one,  the Board members have changed and it is unlikely that the Board members that did attend these meetings are not in a position to approve two or three year old recollections of those meetings.

Conspiracy...No

Sleazy policies, arrogance and disregard for the Brown Act.......Yes

These practices are not a glitch, oversight or a conspiracy

When public agencies, such as the Board of Supervisors fail to approve meeting minutes, they have their own agenda and have something to hide.

When public agencies hide issues in the Consent Calendar that are not "routine in nature", they have something to hide.

When an agenda item is purposely vague to the point the public is mis-informed as to the real issue, they have something to hide.

When public documents are not available, they have something to hide

When an agenda item is placed in closed session as an erroneous existing litigation, they have something to hide

When a closed session is placed on the agenda as "time certain"

THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RELY ON THE PUBLIC just  NOT NOTICING

The Brown Act  can be an awful nuisance for those public officials that believe they have the right to decide what the public needs to know.

Government Code 54950

The Open Meeting Law, Brown Act

"The people in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know"

On May 14, 2013, Kan We Help requested a copy of the Lassen County Board of Supervisors Agenda Packet under Section 54954.1 of the Brown Act. This section allows anyone to request a copy of the Agenda Packet distributed to the Board.

The County Clerk wants to know "why" Kan We Help wants a copy.

The County Clerk cannot ask why. The right to ask for a copy of the Agenda Packet is law.

To further impede the process and discourage the public from their right to have a copy, Julie Bustamante, claims that she can charge $148 for a copy of the Board Agenda packet.

The Brown Act only requires a written request for a copy of the Agenda Packet and allows the public agency to recover the mailing cost if the public member wishes it mailed.

All public Board Agendas and Agenda Packets are free for the asking, to anyone.

Lassen County Clerk Must File

Jack Hanson Recall Signature Sufficiency

by May 29, 2013

California Secretary of State Rules on Local Recalls

California Election Code states the Lassen County Clerk has 30 days from the Courts ruling (April 16)  to certify the Recall Petitions signatures.  Due to the fact the Lassen County Clerk floated several signature requirements to the petition proponents, the Court ordered Bustamante to state a number that she would have to comply with.

County Clerk Julie Bustamante gave the Court 596 signatures that were needed to certify the Jack Hanson Recall Petition.

The Election Code states that 25% of registered voters, in Supervisor Jack Hanson's District 5, need to sign the Recall Petition. The Proponents of the Jack Hanson Recall collected over 700 signatures.

Currently there are 2,521 registered voters in District 5.

If the Recall Petition receives a Certificate of Sufficiency from the County Clerk, the Board of Supervisors have 14 days to determine the Recall Election Date (Election Code 11240). The Recall Election must be held not less than 88 days and not more than 125 days from the issuance of the Certificate of Sufficiency (Election Code 11242)

If County Clerk Julie Bustamante does not issue a Certificate of Sufficiency by May 29, 2013, the Proponents have 21 days to review Bustamante's challenged signatures.  

Reference: page 24, Recall Election Rules

If the Jack Hanson Recall is successful then the Successor with the highest number of votes wins the remainder of Hanson's term. Jack Hanson was elected [with no opposition] in 2010. Jack Hanson received 889 votes.  932 votes were cast. 

Over 700 signatures were obtained to Recall Hanson

79% of District 5 Want Hanson Removed

 A NOTICE IS REQUIRED TO BE POSTED BY THE LASSEN COUNTY CLERK FOR DISTRICT 5 REGISTERED VOTERS WISHING TO RUN FOR OFFICE

Court Re-Affirms Tentative Ruling

Supervisor Jack Hanson Recall Moves Forward

Lassen County Counsel Rhetta Vander Ploeg offered no new evidence to Judge Ervin at the Jack Hanson Recall Hearing this morning

 County Counsel regurgitated evidence that had already been submitted and considered by Judge Ervin in his Tentative Ruling to grant Mr. Hammond his Writ of Mandate allowing the 70 page Recall of Lassen County Supervisor Jack Hanson to proceed. Vander Ploeg could offer the Court no evidence..  The Jack Hanson Recall Petitions were rejected by Lassen County Clerk Julie Bustamante for "minuscule" reasons.

Miscreant Clerk

Mr. Hammond's Attorney Stephen King claimed "She had a dog in the race"

Vander Ploeg claimed that Julie Bustamante was highly trained but then Judge Ervin pointed out that one of the County's exhibits claimed that Bustamante was inexperienced in processing public petitions. 

Judge Ervin asked Vander Ploeg "HOW DID THE PETITIONS MIS-LEAD THE PUBLIC". 

Lassen County Counsel Rhetta Vander Ploeg

Vander Ploeg answered simply "THEY WERE ILLEGAL"

Judge Ervin amended his ruling to clearly state that the Petition needed 596 verified  signatures.  The County Clerk had changed this number three times.  The Court made sure Bustamante could not change it a 4th time.

Over 700 signatures were collected by the Group.

Judge Ervin took the matter under submission.

Lassen County Counsel Rhetta Vander Ploeg
Asks for Hearing to Object to Judge Ervin's  Ruling Allowing the Jack Hanson Recall Petition

to Go Forward

RULING

Lassen County Superior Court @ 10:00 AM, April 16, 2013

COURT FINDS COUNTY CLERK

JULIE BUSTAMANTE'S

OBJECTIONS TO THE

JACK HANSON RECALL PETITION

MINUSCULE

Read Judges 3 page  Decision

The next hurdle for the Recall Petition is that Bustamante will attempt to disqualify signatures.  With Bustamante's history of  shenanigans, this process should be closely monitored and challenged if necessary.

If the County Clerk does not try this, the Recall of Lassen County Supervisor Jack Hanson should proceed.

Supervisor Hanson's Recall Writ

Will Be Heard

on Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Lassen County Superior Court @ 10:00 AM

Case  56179

Assigned Judge: Charles Ervin 

Thomas Stone  v  Supervisors Hanson, Pyle, Chapman

Lassen County's Response to Thomas Stones Complaint

on Thursday, April 18, 2013

Lassen County Superior Court @ 8:30 AM

Case 56493

Kathleen Williams, from Trindel,  represents Lassen County

Lassen County Minutes & Agenda Altered

County Clerk in charge of Agendas and Minutes

Look at Agenda Item A 2 (2) below.

No mention of the Stone lawsuit filed on 7/25/12

Stone $1,000,000 claim against Lassen County

August 14, 2012 BOS Agenda:  printed 8/21/12

Coincidentally Supervisor Pyle, Chapman and Hanson met on August 2, 2012 in closed session. Supervisor Wosick and Dahle, who objected to firing Stone, were not present

 Kan We Help filed a Brown Act Violation on December 7, 2012 with Lassen County.The first mention of the Stone v Chapman, Pyle and Hanson lawsuit, on the BOS Agenda,  was on September 18, 2012

The August 14, 2012 Agendas & Minutes were later altered to add the Stone Case.No record of any additions or deletions on the 8/14 Agenda before it was approved on 8/21/12

Step Back in Time

with the Lassen County Board of Supervisors

Does the County Clerk know what year it is?

Lassen County Meeting Agendas on Two Web Sites

The County Clerk rarely attaches supporting documents and are rarely available on the "Agenda 1" website and the Minutes are hit and miss with big gaps. The public is often surprised when they attend a BOS meeting and Board members start discussing attachments that have not been posted previously. There just hasn't been any consistency, in the past. 

Currently Agenda 1 does not allow the public to print the agenda. Curiously, the attachments, which are mostly not available, are printable. Agenda 2 allows you to print the Agendas and Minutes, but not the attachments. Some Minutes are available but there is no rhyme or reason to the Minutes that are posted.

THEY CAN DO BETTER

They can be more efficient

SUGGESTION 1: Keep "Agenda 1", lose the columns to the right and allow the attachments to open within the Agenda simply by clicking on them. This will allow the public to print the Agenda.

SUGGESTION 2:Keep "Agenda 2" but add links to each of the alleged documents. Allow all documents to be printed. Keep an Archives link on the same page for past Agendas and Minutes.

The County needs only one website THAT WORKS FOR ALL. THIS MAKES IT EASIER FOR STAFF TO MAINTAIN.

Lassen County Falls Behind

in Providing Accessible Meeting Information

Kan We Help pointed out today that the Lassen County Board of Supervisors Agendas and Meeting Minutes have not been accessible to the public. The public has been able to request Agendas by e-mail but the general public did not have access.

After receiving the Kan We Help letter today, the 2013 Calendar was posted ....today....and the 2012 Minutes were updated.....nothing short of amazing. Thank you.

The gaps in the minutes are still a concern