Stephen speaks on 5G at 5-25-21 BOS Meeting

Statement: Stephen Jackson Date: 4-27-2021
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Public Comment 6.0
CA Gov Code Title 5, Div. 2, Part 1, Chapter 9 [54950 – 54963] ...shall be known at the Ralph M. Brown Act.
Enacted in 1953, the legislature finds that public boards such as this...exist to aid in the conduct of the people’s business. 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. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created.
The Sacramento Bee said of the act:
Public officers above all other persons should be imbued with the truth that their business is the public’s business, and they should be the last to tolerate any attempt to keep the people from being fully informed as to what is going on in official agencies. Unfortunately, however, that is not always the case. Instances are many in which officials have contrived, deliberately and shamefully, to operate in a vacuum of secrecy. (1 minute)
Which brings us to this board. A little over a year ago, this board made the knowing decision to silence the public, the very people you represent. From May 26 of last year until today, the residents of this county were denied the opportunity to speak to this board of public servants.
Why would you do this? What would make you suddenly stop citizens from having a voice in the actions of their government?
Until May of last year, public comments were delivered in person OR read aloud into the record by the clerk. On May 26 of last year however, the following comment was submitted electronically to each of you, requesting it be read into the record and each of you refused.
This public comment was critical of county leaders and rightfully so, the following are excerpts from the statement:
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Statement: Stephen Jackson Date: 4-27-2021
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________________________________________________________________________________________ May 22, 2020
The following information is provided for the citizens of this county. I request this board grant an additional 2 minutes of time as may be necessary to allow this matter to be fully read into the public record.
In 2010, Butte County was sued in federal court for discharging pollution into Hamlin Slough. This county settled that lawsuit via consent decree, designed to prevent the county from polluting again. In Aug 2018, Butte County hired a technician (a retired military veteran) to monitor and inspect the county landfill on a weekly basis and ensure the county was meeting its storm water requirement not polluting.
On Feb 14, 2019 (and again on Feb 27, 2019) In Feb 2019, the technician observed/reported to managers that pollution was being pumped from the county landfill into a preserve, discharging into Hamlin Slough and Butte Creek. County managers failed to take the actions they were required by law to take AND tried to keep the pollution from being reported accurately, in violation of state/federal laws. In July 2019, the technician reported these pollution events as criminal activity to the local, state, and federal authorities, and advised the county that he had done so, thereby becoming a "whistle-blower".
In Aug 2019, in response to the activity the whistle-blower reported, the Regional Water Board issued a "Notice of Violation" against the county, acknowledging managers inaccurately reported the pollution events and were responsible for discharging pollution in violation of the permit and state regulations.
In Oct 2019, the State Water Board, having primary jurisdiction over these events, assigned investigators to investigate this matter. On Oct 15, 2019, state investigators met with the whistle-blower. Later that same day, county managers removed the whistle-blower from his job in violation of state/ federal law. On Oct 22, 2019, this county's Board of Supervisors (knowing or not) approved the resolution to remove the whistle-blower's job position entirely from the landfill.
In Jan 2020, the State Water Board investigators released their initial findings that confirm county landfill staff had contaminated 24,000,000 gallons of storm water with "leachate" (a generic term to describe the hazardous liquids). This pollution was discharged from the landfill into Hamlin Slough/ Butte Creek and is well- documented by the technician that was removed from his job.
The District 4 Supervisor (where this pollution originated) has been aware of the pollution issues and the retaliation against the whistle-blower since Aug 2019, and yet there has been has taken no action taken against those county personnel that committed the actual pollution events. The county has responded by dealing harshly with the whistle-blower for his willingness to stand firm against the pollution activities and those in local government that would seek to "pretend" it did not happen. That these events have been kept hidden from the public is shameful. The State Water Board has determined this county to be accountable for fines of $10,000 per day AND $10 per gallon of discharged pollution - an amount that could exceed $240 million.
Regrettably, Supervisor Lambert's legacy for his time in office will not be remembered for what he's accomplished, but rather for "what he didn't" – he looked away from the pollution issues in his district when he should’ve taken a stand for what’s right.
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Statement: Stephen Jackson Date: 4-27-2021
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Supervisor Lambert lacked the courage to correct the pollution issues within his district and he complicated matters by trying to hide them from the people he served. Each of you was given a copy of that public comment. Each of you had the opportunity to inform the members of your district, yet none of you did so. Instead, this statement was hidden AND kept off the public record. In so doing, this board violated section 54959 of the previously read code and committed a crime punishable by up to one year imprisonment. This statement remained hidden from the public and was only restored upon promise of legal action against this board. Supervisor Kimmelshue, these issues occurred before your time on this board, but now you are aware of what this board has done AND the gross pollutions issues within your district.
It appears to us, that this board has lost their way both ethically and morally. God tells his children to pray for those in positions of authority – each of you has been prayed for. What has been given to you can be taken away. There are unfortunately many other examples of behavior like this to shine a light on. Others and I will continue to visit this board and confront the actions of bad governance until such time as you represent the people responsibly OR until you are recalled by the people. The citizens of this county are putting you on notice that this type of behavior will NOT be tolerated any longer.
/s/
S. JACKSON
Command Master Chief
(Enlisted Surface and Aviation Warfare Specialist Qualified) United States Navy (ret.)