Electoral candidates for Shasta’s District 1 discuss elections, mental health, and the conduct of the county board
Richard Gallardo, Erin Resner, and Kevin Crye answered questions from the public on hot-button issues, outlining their campaign promises ahead of the June primary.
Shasta County voters gathered at the Redding Library community room on April 15, in preparation for a much anticipated election. Supervisor Kevin Crye of District 1 is facing off against Redding City Council woman Erin Resner and commercial driver and election activist Richard Gallardo.
This is not the first time Crye and Resner have run against each other for this very seat. In 2022, Crye beat Resner by a razor-thin margin of just 90 votes. He survived a recall in 2024 by an even thinner margin of 50 votes.
The League of Women Voters hosted the three candidates and presented them with questions submitted by those in attendance. Many of those questions broached political issues that frequently make headlines in Shasta County: a lack of healthcare providers, legal debates over local election law, the county’s mental health infrastructure, approaches to reducing homelessness, and the palpable tension at county board meetings.
Between these varied topics, particular themes emerged for each candidate. Resner expressed repeatedly that she is committed to collaboration, dialogue, and resolution — even with people with whom she may disagree.
“We do not have to agree on everything, we do not have to see eye to eye — honestly, I think that would be a very boring word,” she said. “But when we work together, we listen to each other, it takes down the temperature, and we can solve real problems.”
Resner also took direct aim at Crye for his approach to leadership, noting his combative interactions at public meetings with supervisor colleagues Matt Plummer and Allen Long and reminding the public of Crye’s opposition to a grant proposal for a new behavioral facility in Shasta County.
In turn, Crye cited financial troubles in Resner’s jurisdiction, referring to himself a fiscally-responsible leader and saying his outcomes are more important than the way he may carry himself in meetings.
“The bottom line is, many of you may not like how I say things, but you like the result,” he said.
Gallardo took a consistent approach throughout the question period, blaming nearly every local problem on the California state government, which he characterized as “egregiously tyrannical.” Then, when asked about a lack of healthcare and housing resources, he questioned whether these things were really structural problems in Shasta County at all.
The room was packed with about 150 people, with every seat taken and many more people standing around the perimeter of the space. Moderators urged the audience not to clap or shout in response to the speakers, and the audience remained much more placid than at many county board meetings.
On some topics, candidates found relative agreement. One of those was their shared optimism about the possibility of establishing a local medical school — though Gallardo warned about the danger of relying on state and federal funds, and floated the idea of the medical school including a homeopathic track.
Candidates were also asked about Measure B, a voter-led initiative that would bring a slew of significant changes to local election law, many of which would likely be illegal to implement under state and federal law. Gallardo verbalized strong support for the measure, prefacing his comments with the disclosure that he was directly involved with the initiative. Crye emphasized his belief that “it will pass resoundingly in Shasta County.” And Resner said she inherently supports voter ID requirements, adding “that anybody would be hard pressed to say that you don’t need some sort of election reform.” None of the candidates addressed the fiscal cost of Shasta being sued by the state if the measure passes, as happened in Huntington Beach.
A series of questions about recruiting more healthcare providers and bolstering mental health resources showed the candidate’s stronger divides. “What can the county do to attract medical professionals; how will you engage stakeholders such as community health centers?” one audience member asked via the moderator.
While Crye deferred to the idea of establishing a medical school as a long-term solution, Resner warned about the impact of Google searches on the county’s reputation saying Shasta County’s “circus” has repeatedly made national news and noting how that might dissuade qualified medical personnel from wanting to relocate here.
Building on Resner’s concerns, Gallardo shared his belief that “local alternative media” has a role in how Shasta’s digital footprint is shaped, adding that Google will intentionally show negative results about Shasta based on the search prompt.
Candidates sparred over a question asking about how to deal with the county’s mental health needs. Gallardo again shifted the blame on state policy, and posited that pharmaceutical drugs themselves are too easily accessed by people with mental health needs.
“It says right on the bottle, may cause suicidal ideations,” Gallardo said, asking “how can you get good, effective counseling to somebody when their minds are sideways with all these psychotropic drugs?”
Crye used a metaphor of standing by a river downstream and seeing babies floating in the water. Rather than saving the babies one by one as they float to the end of the river, he explained that he’s focused upstream on childhood interventions. He also shared his support for specific local programs including Visions of the Cross and the Good News Rescue Mission.
Resner prefaced her answer by saying that issues related to mental health are extremely complicated and can’t be summed up succinctly, emphasizing that collaborating with other rural counties is key to demanding resources from the state for more rural areas. She accused Crye of giving people “his version of reality,” while criticizing him for supporting a proposal for youth behavioral health services which has elicited widespread community concern.
Perhaps the candidate’s most succinct answers came in response to a simple question: in your opinion, what are the biggest challenges facing Shasta County? Crye said “it starts with the economy and our taxes,” prioritizing fiscal responsibility first, followed by public safety and healthcare. Resner answered, “mental health, mental health, mental health,” expressing her belief that mental health inequities touch almost every family in Shasta County, spilling over into public safety concerns. Gallardo said he’s concerned about crime, mental health and public health but noted that it all starts with finances as money drives everything.
“And I’m not gonna repeat what I said earlier about the federal government being broke. They’re broke. They’re broke, folks,” Gallardo repeated. “We have to get the community engaged at all levels to help fix all problems in Shasta County.”
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I’m curious if it is a major conflict of interest if Sheriff Michael Johnsons wife is the senior loan officer at the downtown Wells Fargo Bank? I used to see Larry Lees Shasta County CEO come into the bank as well. I guess that’s one of the banks the county uses.
Shasta County is in a precarious position when it comes to finances. While still on the board, I would often speak about the poor financial decisions being made. I was the lone 4-1 vote on the tribal agreement, something that is projected to cost the county $200m over the next 30 years. Now the county is appealing Judge Baker’s decision when he ruled the agreement was illegal. More legal fees. And then there is the Kropholler case, again I voted no to award $2.65m to a disgruntled employee because he claimed discrimination. Which, by the way, was declared not a big issue in the Ellis Report when an investigation was held on the same claims from that disgruntled employee. I could go on and on. And Nick Gardner, check your hearing aids. I spoke frequently about the concerning financial situation of the county during board meetings and poor decisions that were being made.
Does anyone trust Kevin Crye anymore??
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Anecdotal evidence, I suppose, but I don’t know a single person who trusts him.
That table needs to be longer.
Now that Erin has secured the endorsement of Delores Lucero I wonder how Kevin will survive.
Now that Crye has received an endorsement from Nikki ( who has a man crush on Kevie), I wonder how will will survive.
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After all, people trust you, Nik, because of your honesty and non- partisan approach.
Nick…
I wonder how you, a window washer by trade, can afford the 2000 dollars plus to have your little radio show on KQMS? Who pays for that? They in my opinion are sure not getting their money’s worth to be sure
I believe Carl Bott Kicked you and Kevin Crys ridiculous radio shows off the air because he is a staunch supporter of Erin Resner!
Dishonest again.
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You need to get over your man crush.
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You aren’t fooling anyone, Nik.
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Who is paying you money to campaign for these people? If you want talk about honesty, come clean about who it is that it’s giving the money for this.
Delores endorsed Erin at the last city council meeting—public comment
He cleans windows for a living. That is the extent of his transparency.
I thought Kevin Crye had a Militia friend that was recently busted?
“Michael Kamfolt, a friend of far-right county Supervisor Kevin Crye, was arrested on suspicion of multiple felony weapons charges.”
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-01-26/secret-bunker-weapons-found-at-maga-activists-california-home
And the quality Shasta County employees chased away is just staggering.
And who can forget his travels to visit the “My Pillow Guy”
And even though Kevin Crye claims to be an expert on homelessness, only Erin Resner recognized the connection of Mental Health and Homeless issues.
I believe Crye is rude, arrogant, and self-serving.
I believe he ran off Gail Gustafson, at one time she supervised Shasta County’s APS social workers… a true friend to elderly and homeless.
In one case she went out far into the Masonic canyon to save a homeless woman’s life with mental issues.
Hill Country crisis intervention is a total failure, Gail Gustafson told me to call her and not them when as a homeless advocate I discovered grievous cases of homeless people suffering and dying on our streets.
And one must REALLY examiner why Crye is so adamant about a local medical school that graduates would certainly leave the area upon graduation to far more financially lucrative areas
Ive been by the Grace of God feeding and standing up to for the Civil and Constitutional rights of the homeless when Kevin Crye was still a snot nosed kid at Anderson High School, and would be happy to collaborate with Erin Resner on homeless issues.
You have my vote…
Well let me ask you Shasta County, have you been happy with the last 2 years?
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Don’t we all deserve something better?
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If you really think that you and your children deserve something better in this life, then reconsider voting for the same people who have made our lives this way.
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That means Crye. And Gallardo, you’d earned nothing but my scorn and contempt.
Too bad there was not enough time to review Crye’s long list of disastrous decisions that have cost the county millions. From eliminating impact fees to back room deals that resulted in costly litigation to is self-dealing for his own benefit or hiring or giving contracts to his friends. Erin will check her ego and politics at the door while failed Supervisor Crye uses both front and center in his manner of governance.
Brad can’t Count, just like Charlie. I wonder why Shasta County has a balanced budget and Redding doesn’t.
Crye is lucky the election is just before the annual county budget reviews. County reserves are low and going lower. Supes will be cutting many programs and services to avoid deficit spending. Take the rose colored glasses off Nick, and stop with your alternative facts.
Crye is a failed businessman who lined his pockets with public funds during Biden’s term. He has meddled in every local pie he can put his thumb in.
On Crye: “Rather than saving the babies one by one as they float to the end of the river, he explained that he’s focused upstream on childhood interventions.”
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Upstream of being a baby? So, in vivo, intrauterine intervention? Leave it to Crye to come up with an idiotic metaphor. Also, does anyone doubt that Crye’s “childhood interventions” primarily involve grants to fund private gym involvement?
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On Gallardo: “…he claims ‘local alternative media’ has a role in how Shasta’s digital footprint is shaped.”
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He’s alluding to Shasta Scout and ANC, skipping over his role as one of the leading nut jobs those media and others report on. Apparently, voters should be kept in the dark regarding his role as an antagonist of rational governance and impartial elections.
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Lucky for us, Crye and Gallardo will be splitting the hair-on-fire Christo-fascist MAGA nut-job vote.
Kevin Crye is the only candidate who answered all the questions and gave examples of successes he has obtained on the Board. Erin Resner dodged most questions and if she referred to he successes on the City Council, I missed it.
Truth is the county is in wonderful financial shape largely because of Kevins leadership while Redding is bankrupt with Erin voting for many of the polices that led to it’s bankruptcies.
If you mean “fiscal accountability” regarding Sup Crye, why are you dismissing $40K of taxpayer dollars to hire attorney Cross? We taxpayers got absolutely nothing from Cross. His report was plagiarized from the work of Dr. Danika and other health professionals. Apparently Sup Crye owed the lawyer money and found a way to fleece us.
The County is in wonderful shape? Do you think HHSA is in better shape than it was when Crye helped put Burch and Coleman in charge? The biggest county agency is drowning, even with millions borrowed from the general fund thanks to the inexperienced, unqualified leadership appointed by Crye and his cronies…our elections are costing more and taking longer to complete and are more chaotic than needed thanks to his appointment of Curtis – also inexperienced and unqualified. And then there’s the inept county counsel who keeps driving away staff and is inexperienced and unqualified. Crye appoints “leaders” who, like him, lack the experience and aptitude. What a mess, fiscally and administratively.
County is in great financial shape, huh?
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What would CEO Rickert say?
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And what would any of the board members say?
I challenge you to have a board member approve and back up what you were saying. Pick one. Anyone.
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C’mon, whatcha got??
Oh Nick. Do we have to remind all of these nice readers that you are a Crye lapdog. Erin has ran successful businesses while Kevin has a history of bankruptcy until he started grifting public funds. Kevin has a huge track record of non successful business. Public funds are the ONLY way he has been financially surviving.
It is ironic to claim fiscal conservancy on the one hand and invite astronomical legal expenses on the other by supporting a measure that is universally recognized as illegal.
Our Supervisors are elected to represent the people, measure B is the peoples decision.
Nick we all are feeling the shift away from the right as the voters dislike the heavy hand this second Trump term has been dishing out. Basic pattern recognition shows how the midterms also generally swing away. That ripples all the way down. Politics is a pendulum. The overall panic you see from your beloved Crye supporters come from these waters. I suggest you buckle up.