Sutter County candidates touch on funding, efficiency, commercial pot

Four candidates are running for two seats on the Sutter County Board of Supervisors. Candidates running for the District 4 seat are Karm Bains and Tej Maan. For District 5, candidates are incumbent Mat Conant and Sarb Thiara.

Q: How and where will supervisors obtain funds to repair roads and increase funding for fire, police and safety employees considering the debt the county owes to CALPERS that amounts to more than $170 million?

Maan said the PERS situation is on its way to getting fixed, though that’s not the only bill the county is on the hook for, with law enforcement and fire needing better pay and staff being asked to do more with less resources. He said it will take time to recover from the current pandemic and that the county should try to recruit businesses from the Bay Area to bring in higher paying jobs.

Thiara said the county would benefit from negotiating its contracts from more of a business perspective. He said if there isn’t enough infrastructure currently to support new business, the county should consider doing more and making it easier for the permitting process, which would help cover some of the county’s costs.

Bains said one group put forward a plan to develop around the Harter Parkway area but red tape is preventing an economic driver from coming into the community. He said the

county needs to do what it can to generate revenue, and he would push to hire a grant writer who could help secure millions in state and federal funding.

Conant said SB 1 has helped the county with road repairs and that the road issues have been accumulating over the years. He said some of the county’s fire departments haven’t raised their special district fees since 1994, and the amount they were able to operate off of then won’t work today.

Q: Efficiencies – Give your opinions on if the county is overstaffed or understaffed. What changes would you be pushing for if elected?

Thiara said he would have to review current staffing levels before making a determination, though considering the county is lacking infrastructure he believes there are cuts to be made. He said there are opportunities to consolidate certain agencies and that the county could look at joining forces with Yuba City in some areas to cut down on expenses.

Bains said there is always room for efficiency, using the example that the county now uses Yuba

City’s council chambers for meetings. He said the county should look into finding positions that could serve both the city and the county. He said there is an opportunity to review and make an assessment, though he supports the employees that are currently on the payroll.

Conant said the sheriff ’s department and probation department are understaffed, and part of that has to do with recruitment challenges because of the uncompetitive salary schedule, compared to surrounding jurisdictions. He said a lot of departments are running at a bare minimum already and that the county should make sure staffing levels don’t get too low.

Maan said he feels the county is pretty efficient as is. He said current staff is working hard even

though they are asked to do more with less. He said the county should bring in more businesses to help generate more revenues.

Q: What is your stance on growing or selling recreational marijuana in the county? What about growing industrial hemp?

Bains said he was against the growing of cannabis in the community and said it’s still illegal under federal law. While he understands the medical benefits of cannabis, he said there are plenty of opportunities for patients to get their medicine as is. In terms of hemp, he said the county already has an ordinance allowing for cultivation, though law enforcement needs help to ensure it is able to sufficiently enforce the laws.

Conant said he’s opposed to growing and selling cannabis in the county, as it leads to crime and is a gateway drug. He said he has concerns of how it impacts children and how the county can protect children from it. In terms of hemp, he feels it’s a commodity that can have great benefit for local farmers though he would like to see better restrictions and regulations in place, specifically bigger buffer zones between schools, churches, housing developments and roadways.

Maan said he’s against growing cannabis and dispensaries. He said law enforcement doesn’t have enough funds to help enforce laws, and selling leads to crime. He said there are ways for people to get cannabis if they need it. He said there is an opportunity for growing hemp but feels there needs to be more regulations, and that if someone wants to grow it, they should have to do it in an area away from everything else.

Thiara said he’s against cannabis and that it can slowly lead to drug addiction for kids. He said the sheriff ’s department deals with a lot of calls and crimes related to cannabis.

Q: What are three ingredients that make for a

superior supervisor and how do you stack up?

Conant said his background in education and serving on boards or commissions has benefited him in the position. He said a supervisor has to have an open mind about their goals and objectives on ways the county can improve. He also said a supervisor should be reachable by community members and that one’s word should be their bond.

Maan said supervisors need to have experience due to the responsibility that the position requires. It also requires a significant time commitment in order to learn all of the issues. Lastly, he said a supervisor must be committed to their community and have an ability to listen.

Thiara said supervisors

need to be able to work with others and that comes through experience. He said he’s not a politician, rather a businessman, and he feels he can do a better job helping the county negotiate deals. He also said he is the type of person who tells it how it is.

Bains said the position takes honesty, integrity and an open mind. He said a supervisor should have the ability to educate themselves about the pros and cons of each decision made. He said it’s important to elect true leadership and not career politicians. He said the county needs someone who will serve the community and ensure constituents are heard.

Q: Yuba City failed in the last election for annexation of the keyhole area in south

Yuba City. Should another run be made at it? What should be done differently, or should the effort be let go?

Maan said he believes another attempt should be made and that the area in question needs to be able to provide services efficiently. He said it will ultimately come down to the residents voting for it, though the county could do a better job educating them on the matter. He feels it would be better for those residents to be part of the city.

Thiara said he feels the decision should be made by residents, though they would benefit from having more information about the effort.

Bains said it comes down to educating those residents about the advantages and disadvantages, like whether or not they would be able to receive sewer or water services. It would also help clear up boundary issues between the police department and sheriff ’s department. He said the county would benefit from the area being annexed as it would free up additional deputies for the more rural areas, though it ultimately comes down to what residents decide.

Conant said he thinks the area should be annexed into the city. He said he doesn’t want the area to become isolated and not receive adequate services. He said the city needs to sweeten the pot and develop a plan to get those homes on the city’s sewer system over time, which he feels would make the residents more inclined to support the effort.