Residents think Shasta is heading in the wrong direction, county-led survey says
The findings come from a strategic plan survey conducted recently to gauge the opinions of residents so that county goals can be identified.
Residents say Shasta is heading in the wrong direction, according to the results of a county-led strategic plan survey.
Shasta supervisors chose local business leader Hope Seth as a consultant earlier this year to help the county determine which strategic goals to prioritize over the next five years. Since then, she’s led a series of community meetings across the county to gauge Shasta residents’ priorities and facilitated a countywide survey to gather the public’s opinions.
Seth presented the findings from the survey at yesterday’s Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting. For the month that the survey was open, she said it received almost 1,900 responses. And a series of four community meetings garnered nearly 200 attendees. She said she also conducted interviews with county leadership, department heads and community organizations to gain more insight for the strategic plan.
According to the survey findings, about 63% of residents think the county is either strongly or somewhat on the wrong track when asked if Shasta is heading in the right direction.
“People really do care deeply about our county,” Seth said at the meeting. “They choose to live here. They’ve raised families here, they built their businesses … When people care really deeply, they also speak candidly.”
The survey was also able to pinpoint the top five themes that Shasta residents want the county to focus more on, which were mental and behavioral health/substance abuse treatment, housing and homelessness prevention, transparency and communication in county government, economic development and job creation and safety and emergency services.
When it comes to residents’ thoughts on mental health services, several of them cited shortages of providers, long wait times and high costs. They also advocated for more detox and rehabilitation facilities and prevention programs for people addicted to methamphetamines, opioids and alcohol. Additionally, they linked homelessness with mental illness and substance abuse, “urging supportive housing and integrated treatment instead of punitive measures,” according to the presentation.
A majority of respondents wanted the county to focus more on investing in housing and homelessness prevention, calling for more affordable housing and investments in shelters, supportive housing and job training. But residents also indicated that they’re frustrated by homeless camps in public spaces and want stricter enforcement to keep those areas clean.
Survey results show that Shasta residents want better communication with the county, suggesting respectful dialogue among county leaders, town halls with department heads and more county outreach as potential solutions.
For jobs and economic growth, respondents once again brought up housing — especially for entry level and middle incomes — indicating that they’d like increased employment opportunities in the county and asking for efforts to be made to attract and retain more businesses in the area, among other priorities.
When it comes to public safety, the survey found that residents want an increase in fire mitigation and prevention efforts and additional law enforcement services and custody facilities. Only about half of respondents said they feel safe in the county.
After Seth’s presentation, the board of supervisors discussed their thoughts on the findings. Supervisor Kevin Crye said while he appreciated the work put into the recommendations for the plan, he feels the results aren’t representative of the residents of Shasta County since only about 1% of the population completed the survey.
Supervisor Allen Long pushed back on Crye’s comment, asking him how many people it would take to answer the survey for Crye to honor the results and emphasizing how much time he and other county leaders spent on this project. Crye didn’t provide an answer.
After a unanimous vote by the board yesterday to move forward towards goal-setting, an ad hoc committee will consider the findings and come up with five broad goals that could shape the county’s five-year strategic plan for supervisors to discuss and vote on at an upcoming meeting.
After those goals are selected by the board, working groups will be utilized to develop them into specific strategies and projects for the county that’ll include timelines, budgets and performance measures. If progress remains on track, those action plans will be finalized in spring of next year for integration into a county strategic plan.
You can see Seth’s presentation to the board here. A report with additional data is expected to be shared in January, Seth said.
Do you have information or a correction to share? Email us: editor@shastascout.org.
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They would have more funds for this type of planning if they weren’t wasting money every day, such as cell phones. It takes up to six months to disconnect a cell phone line or landline. Those six months are from the time accounting staff notify IT to shut them down. It is absolutely ridiculous and you have the billing all screwed up; mental health is being charged for public health numbers and visa versa. If the county can’t keep track of cell phones, how much other funds are being wasted?
Kevin Crye just openly and flatly insulted the people who took their time and responded to a well-intended survey. He owes us an apology.
Before I started reading the article I thought, “They’ll just question the methodology.” Sure enough! These losers are so predictable.
I think that Crye will understand what the will the people is when he is voted out at the next election.
Perhaps you should share facts instead of your thoughts
LMAO
Pot meet kettle.
Hahahaha
That’s funny Nick, because that’s all you ever do is share your thoughts and opinions without any facts.
Comedy gold!
Crye “feels the results aren’t representative of the residents of Shasta County since only about 1% of the population completed the survey”.
…
There is this thing called statistical sampling were you only need to take a small sample of a population size to get accurate results.
As long as it was a truly random sample, and not a sample from a pre-selected group of people, then chances are that statistical sample is accurate.
It’s just that simple.
But hey don’t take my word for it, Mr Crye. Do your own research on statistical sampling and see why and how it works.
Or could it be that you just don’t like the results of the survey, Mr Crye? Hmmm …
Crye, who didn’t know what the Shasta County Board of Supervisors (SCBOS) was before running for office, ran a divisive two-year stunt as Chair of the SCBOS, and in his typical abusive and divisive fashion, decided to go out in flames yesterday. The County Engagement Survey, while perhaps a bit lacking in sample rate, was well done and citizen-focused, but it clearly gave the county government, as in the Crye-led BOS, a D- grade, with 63% of the respondents stating the county is headed in the wrong direction, and 76% not trusting the county to make a decision in their best interest. Instead of asking how to do better, Crye tried to discredit the survey and the public, saying, “I just realized, the majority of the people don’t pay attention to anything,” and calling the survey meaningless. Maybe, after all, there’s clear evidence that under Crye, and Jones before him, this county has been subjected to millions of taxpayer dollars flushed down MAGA’s propaganda toilet. So, it’s a valid question; are you paying attention? Crye is connected to the sewer of the Mr. Pillow, ROV, and Election Commission lies, COVID, Jewish vaccine mesqutios, and chemtrail conspiracy theories. With Crye’s supporters, like New California Secessionist Patty Plumb, who thinks a secret reptilian race is running the show, and Laura Hobbs suing the county and losing time after time (the new case starts this Monday, the 22nd, in the 3rd District Court of Appeals), we might not be paying attention. And with Crye’s illegal gift to his campaign contributors, the Redding Rancheri to provide services at a loss in the millions, again, Crye might be correct; we aren’t paying attention! But wait: Thanks to Trump, after the new year, in just 15 days, thousands of Shasta County residents will start to lose Enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) health care subsidies, Medicaid, and food stamps, so I would expect Health Director Coalman to return to the board, perhaps monthly, to request healthcare funds… for years! So pay attention now, vote Crye and his Cronies out, or pay later, we’re not even mentioning the June 2, 26 Hobbs ballot initiative to make our election completely illegal will cost us millions after millions to fight in court, should you pass it. The wave is just starting to crest.
“The County Engagement Survey, while perhaps a bit lacking in sample rate, was well done and citizen-focused, but it clearly gave the county government, as in the Crye-led BOS, a D- grade, with 63% of the respondents stating the county is headed in the wrong direction, and 76% not trusting the county to make a decision in their best interest.”
I was at the meeting for my district and never once was the question asked if our county was heading in the right direction nor were we asked if we trusted our the county to make a decision in our best interest.
Nick: The survey is different than the community engagement meetings. Two different formats and data sets.
Thank you for making that clear for Nick, Annelise.