Shasta board removes Kerns as planning commissioner amid contentious debate
County Counsel Joseph Larmour said Planning Commissioner Steve Kerns was being removed without cause. Supervisors who attempted to delve into what was behind Kerns’ removal received pushback from the county’s attorney.
After becoming the subject of much county discussion in recent weeks, Planning Commissioner Steve Kerns took to the board chambers dais yesterday to speak for himself. When asked whether he wanted to be removed from his seat, Kerns made his position clear.
“I’ve never mentioned to anyone my interest in stepping down,” the soft-spoken biologist told the board. “I don’t have an interest in stepping down.”
Kerns explained that he wanted to continue to serve out the more than two years remaining on his term because he believes that a diversity of backgrounds is important on the planning commission, which makes decisions related to land management.
“Jim Chapin and I come from a resource management background, and our other commissioners come from development and construction backgrounds, and I think that’s really, really healthy,” Kerns continued. “We need to continue that, to give a real, balanced approach to the questions that may come before the planning commission.”
Despite his plea for the seat, moments later, Kerns was voted out. The vote to remove him was split, with Board Chair Chris Kelstrom and Supervisors Corkey Harmon and Kevin Crye agreeing to do so, while Supervisors Matt Plummer and Allen Long opposed the vote.
Before the final decision, both Plummer and Long attempted to discuss the reasoning behind Kerns’ removal, referencing public comments made by Kelstrom last week indicating that he wanted to replace the commissioner because of his pushback on the environmental review process for a Manton-based solar project. Kelstrom said in an interview with Shasta Scout last week that he viewed Kerns’ pushback on the project, which was later withdrawn, as not “pro-growth,” saying that was why he was supporting his removal.
But a staff report given to the board provided no reason for the removal and County Counsel Joseph Larmour shut down Plummer and Long’s attempts at discussion yesterday, claiming that the decision to remove Kerns was “without cause.”
Kelstrom also tried to end the discussion, telling Long his comments about planning commission history didn’t have anything to do with the decision on Kerns. Plummer pushed back on Kelstrom, then Crye pushed back on both Plummer and Long, saying the discussion should come down to something simple.
“Do you think a supervisor should pick their person or not? That’s it,” Crye claimed.
“No, I think it’s more complicated,” Plummer responded.
“You make it more complicated,” Crye shot back.
“Well, actually, the rules about how this works make it more complicated,” Plummer retorted, “in that we get to vote on another supervisor’s appointee. We don’t blanket approve it. If we did, then they would just allow the supervisor to appoint, without giving the rest of the board a vote.”
Amid the argument, Crye falsely claimed that he has supported the appointees of every other person on the board.
When Long tried to take up his discussion of what might have led to Kerns removal again, he was interrupted by Larmour a second time, with the attorney referring to the discussion as “a grey area” under the law.
“I will stop my line of questioning,” Long responded, turning off his microphone.
Harmon, who instigated the removal of Kerns last month, had claimed publicly that Kerns had said he wanted to step down. He apologized to Kerns yesterday ”for any miscommunication.”
“It had nothing to do with everybody making it sound like I was firing him because that is not what happened,” Harmon claimed, before voting to remove Kerns mid-term without cause.
Harmon hopes to gain board support to appoint civil engineer Kevin Butler to the commission at the board’s next meeting.
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Harmon is a liar and always has been, can’t wait to vote him out!! Crye,Harmon and Kelstrom need to go
Thanks, Shasta Scout, for covering this strange story.
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I’m pretty sure there’s a backstory here involving balgerent loser Crye, pancake-breakfast Kelstorm, Corky, who’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, and some well-known outside influencer. From there, I guess the trail is a mystery for now, but if it involves the local cast of usual suspects, the story will most likely come out eventually.
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Hopefully, with Crye gone, Corky and the soon-to-be-replaced as chair, Kelstorm, if he doesn’t lose his supervisor seat, that is, will be forced to use their power fairly and transparently. Right now, they’re miles from that.
I hope the next board chair is selected after the two new members of the board are seated. Yes, I’m being presumptuous. Corkey would be a disaster if appointed.
We’re all watching you Jones. . .
Steve Kerns committed the one unpardonable offense for a Shasta County political appointee.
Competence.
100% correct! Competency, honesty and integrity are prohibited in Shasta County government by a majority of the Shasta County board of supervisor.
It’s time for a change!
The crazy train of cry, kelstrom and Harmon railroaded this public servant off the commission. Just one more unethical backroom deal by the maga majority.
Let’s see how soon jones’ gun range raises it’s ugly head again.
Jones is under court order to do a full EIR, and he has publicly acknowledged he doesn’t have the money. I don’t see any possibility that he gets any kind of favorable ruling on his gun range anytime soon. Also, Crye must be feeling better, he’s back to doing his petulant toddler routine.
Selah
Time is of the essence while Crye, Kelstrom and Harmon form the majority vote if they are going to help their friend get his gun range. It’s why it is important to vote Kelstrom out in November. Self dealing while in office is becoming unpopular among the voters. It truly makes the removal of Mr. Kern with Mr. Butler more suspect. Harmon understands his orders.
Well I seenothing has changed.
Something funny smells here…a lot of people sense Patrick Jones trying to get a favorable range vote installed on the planning commission. Corky is simply simple and cannot make any decision where his strings aren’t pulled. I thank Mr Kern for serving. Let’s watch this game of thrones move like hawks.
The Planning Commission already recommended approval of Jones’s project back in 2023 by a unanimous vote, so I don’t think shuffling the PC deck is necessary. I assume Kearns recused himself since he did the biology studies supporting the project’s CEQA document. The Board of Supervisors then approved it 3-1, with Jones recusing. The locals sued, and Judge Hanna threw out the CEQA document as inadequate.
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The project is basically out of the hands of both the Planning Commission and the BOS for now. In order for the project to proceed, Jones needs to come up with the cash to do an Environmental Impact Report that addresses the shortcomings of the County’s original Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration. He’ll likely need a sugar daddy to foot that EIR bill. I’m sure he’s gone groveling to his previous source, and the lack of any movement suggests Anselmo’s answer was: “No way in Hell, you rube loser.”
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If Jones can’t come up with the money for an EIR, the project is deader than fried chicken. If he comes up with the money to fund the County preparing an EIR, only then would it go before the PC and the BOS again.
This move was one more moronic message from the triad that selected ROV Curtis – (Kelstrom, Crye, & Harmon) – all but ignoring common sense, good judgement, and the best interests of Shasta County.
Hopefully, a new day will be dawning after the November elections with Chris Kelstrom joining Kevin Crye as a former supervisor, and Harmon becoming irrelevant.
YES! And they wonder why they can’t keep competent employees!
Was thinking about all sorts of things to say about this stupid situation and I realized it basically all boils down to one question:
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Are you guys ready to recall Corky yet?
Corky is my supervisor. There is no way he’s going to get recalled. Our district is so MAGA, the whites of peoples’ eyes out here have turned red.
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That said, almost all of the local Trump and MAGA flags have disappeared. A competent old-school Republican like Mary might stand a chance against Corky in the next election, but it’s more likely that a usurper to Corky’s chair would be another hair-on-fire MAGA/MAHA/M4L mental midget.
Corkey is my Supervisor too and watching him attempt to express his positions on anything tells you everything about his abject incompetence as our Supervisor. Corkey has no clue what he is doing and any motion he makes was hand fed to him by Crye or Kelstrom. Someone with the technical skills needs to take a few clips of Corkey in action and share them with the public through social media. The public just don’t comprehend how far Corkey is in over this head in being an elected official.
Harmon looked like a total idiot asking “wait don’t I get to appoint Butler now?” at the board meeting. Kelstrom had to explain to him that would occur in the next board meeting. District 3 has to be so proud to have such an imbecile representing them. Seriously a recall is in order for someone who cannot or will not learn protocol to be in the position of county supervisor. The excuses Kelstrom tried to present as far as each supervisor being able to assign their commission choice was weak and suspect since all agreed Mr. Kerns has served the county well over the years.
Steve Kerns did not deserve this treatment. He served District 3 as my appointee. I knew Steve would do an admirable job as a Planning Commissioner and his track record speaks for itself. I’ve known Steve for 45 years and had complete faith in his ability. I believe this to be another political maneuver by the BOS majority. Eventually we will see what they have in mind. It’s true to form for every decision they make there is an outcome that will benefit them and their friends. Cronyism once again.
Disgraceful behavior by board majority yet again!! Might be another law suit brewing soon.
They deserve a lawsuit!
What’s all the uproar?
Planning commissioners in Shasta County do NOT earn a regular salary, as it is an uncompensated public advisory role.
THEY ARE APPOINTED COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS rather than full-time public employees, and they do not draw a regular income or monthly base pay for their service.
Steve Kerns should permanently step away from public service and focus on his personal life following his removal from the Planning Commission.
ADVICE for the upcoming Planning Commissioner: The Shasta County Civil Grand Jury has the explicit legal authority to audit and investigate any county department, board, or commission for inefficiency, code violations, or mistreatment of public processes, publishing their findings in an annual public report.
Gerard sez: “Steve Kerns should permanently step away from public service and focus on his personal life following his removal from the Planning Commission.”
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How about you mind your own goddamned business and let Kearns mind his? I doubt he needs life coaching from you.
Yes, Planning Commissioners do serve without a salary. The issue was that Harmon stated Kerns was doing a “great job” but was thinking of resigning. Kerns said he never wanted to resign nor said so to anyone at the County. Kelstrom stated in an interview with Shasta Scout was that the reason he was being removed was because of his vote on a solar project in Manton and he wasn’t “pro growth.” Basically it appears Kerns was removed because of his vote on a project. This sends a message to all Planning Commissioners that they could be removed from office if they oppose a project.
The uproar is that it was stupid and there’s no good reason why this was done.