Personnel emphasizes workplace safety, Shasta board votes to represent staff, amid fallout from Curtis investigation
Yesterday, Shasta’s head of personnel reminded the county’s thousands of employees of the commitment to a safe working environment after findings of abusive conduct by election official Clint Curtis. Today, supervisors voted in closed session to represent and indemnify election staff if they’re named in a lawsuit by Curtis.
Shasta County CEO David Rickert used his report to the county board today to highlight a message sent to all county staff yesterday with a reminder of their workplace rights. The email, sent by Support Services Director Monica Fugitt, denounced unlawful discrimination, harassment, retaliation, abusive conduct, and any other disrespectful or unprofessional conduct by any person against county employees.
Shasta County “reaffirms its commitment to providing a safe work environment wherein discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or threats will not be tolerated,” Fugitt wrote. “The County is committed to ensuring a safe and professional workplace and will not tolerate behaviors that compromise the safety of its employees.”
Last week the county released information about substantiated findings of abusive conduct against staff by Shasta election official Clint Curtis. That conduct included threats of violence, verbal abuse and retaliation, the county said, but a board majority did not vote to censure him. Curtis, who’s running to retain his appointed role as county clerk and registrar of voters, has categorically denied the findings and threatened litigation against both his staff and the county.
Today in closed session, county supervisors voted unanimously to represent and indemnify election staff if they’re named by Curtis in a lawsuit related to the investigation. The board briefly brought the matter into open session at Supervisor Kevin Crye’s request so he could emphasize his intent to support county staff to the extent required by law. The supervisor, who’s also running to maintain his seat in the June primary, continued to waffle on whether substantiated findings of abuse by the county are true saying unless he can touch, taste or feel things for himself — he can’t take a stance.
“I’m not saying those reports did or didn’t happen,” Crye said. “What’s really important to me, though, is making sure employees who work for us have the legal representation that they’re due.”
In the email sent yesterday, Fugitt directed staff to a section of the Shasta County Personnel Rules that addresses abusive or retaliatory conduct by any employee or volunteer, encouraging staff to report their concerns to either their department head or directly to personnel.
She also noted the county’s Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, which defines the county’s procedure for reporting, investigating and protecting employees from acts or threats of workplace violence. She said each department is also responsible to maintain a department-specific workplace violence plan to address threats that may uniquely exist in their department.
“Employees are encouraged to immediately report any threats or acts of violence immediately to law enforcement if necessary, then to their supervisor or manager. If further support is needed with these procedures, Risk Management-Loss Prevention can be reached at 530-229-8800.”
Last week, Fugitt recommended that Curtis should work remotely to avoid ongoing interactions with staff in the weeks leading up to elections. He rejected the idea, saying long-term election staffers should be moved to another department instead. Fugitt also suggested that county personnel or administrative staff could be deployed to the election office to help ensure a safe working environment when necessary, noting that the county may have to seek a restraining order against Curtis if threats of violence against staff continue.
Yesterday’s memo to county staff also pointed out the Shasta County Auditor-Controller’s Whistleblower Program, which provides a means for reporting fraud, waste or financial abuse within the county. Reports can be made anonymously, Fugitt said, by calling 530-245-6648, submitting information on an online form or by speaking to staff in person at the auditor’s office at 1450 Court St., Suite 238.
In addition to emphasizing the rights of employees, Fugitt also highlighted the county’s intolerance of abusive conduct against “applicants, interns, volunteers, and independent contractors, clients or customers.”
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A censure does next to nothing. His behavior won’t change with a censure, it will only become inflamed and lead to further harm to the employees. The investigation should be submitted by the Personnel Department, County Executive Office, or the employees themselves to the Civil Rights Department to investigate further and pursue legal actions accordingly. The only way to unseat an elected official is for a law enforcement agency to determine unlawful behavior/activity, or for the voters to vote the elected official out of office.
Oh my! Go back and read the October 7, 2025 Shasta Scout article about the Magrini lawsuit and look at how far we haven’t come.
The County apparently updated harassment policies to deal with claims regarding elected officials. There’s a quote about the system having been “intentionally designed to lead employees to a dead end”. Some things never change.
More and more of our tax dollars hemorrhage to attorneys and investigators and claims payments as Crye keeps the Jones legacy going. But instead of being held accountable they just keep getting away with firing and pushing out people who they don’t like. It’s actually impressive when you think what Jones and now Crye have pulled off.
I love how Crye SO generously says he will support employees to the extent required by law. Don’t hurt yourself trying to follow the law Kev.
Curtis doesn’t have to abide by any rules he doesn’t like and he gets to create any new rules he does like. This magic power is called MAGASIS(MAGA Self Importance Syndrome).
I agree with this article and all of the comments. I only wish that there would be some way to share this in a format that is widely read by people who don’t have time to research politics, but want to wisely vote.
Only slick, unsubstantiated promises are shown in the many flashy, expensive TV and media ads, that are, of course, mostly paid for by outside interests. What people do is important, not what they say they will do.
“What people do is important, not what they say they will do.”—-Clint Curtis provided a fair, honest, transparent election just like he said he would. Joanna, not so much.
I call bull. C’mon Nickie, no one had any concerns about elections until your boy lost in 2020, to this day perpetuating the Big Lie. You and your comrades goal is to keep people from voting by sowing doubt about election integrity. Trump is living rent free in your head and you don’t know how to evict him. Curtis botched a very simple election and should stay home since he knows nothing about running elections.
” Curtis botched a very simple election”—Please explain how the election was botched.
Hi “Rent Free”. I’m curious, does your usage of “Rent Free” have to do with Shasta Scout living rent free in your head or more to do with your not paying to subscribe to Shasta Scout and therefore living rent free in its comment section? Either way, your use of “rent free” is
not the funny, yuck it up “own”
you seem to think it is. Talk about a phrase that is old, tired and dated; its continual usage says more about a lack of thoughtful, intelligent response than it does about anything else. It’s right up there with “Fake News!”. Critical thinking is dying a slow death because it requires even a modicum of effort.
Well you know, there have been more than a few articles on Shasta Scout about that.
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And also some of the truthful commentary was pretty enlightening.
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I don’t think Brad needs to explain anything. You merely have to read on this site to understand why people say that…
The estimates of damages and legal fees from employee lawsuits against the county must have been eye-popping. This is definitely a shot across the bow of the S.S Clown Curtis. Think he’ll get the hint? I won’t be holding my breath.
Selah
AI generated for sure IMO
If I lived in D-1 and vote for Crye, my vote is FOR workplace violence against low-leverage employees along with confirmation that I support cowardice at the leadership level. Keep trying to straddle that fence, Crye. Had voters heeded the advice of Maya Angelou when they installed Crye or cast an anti-recall vote, none of this would have happened: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
By not taking a position, Mr. Crye is essential turning a blind eye to an open wound. The problem will not dry up and blow away; it needs to be fixed.
Mr. Crye says, “I’m not saying those reports did or didn’t happen…” And THAT’ S the problem! Mr. Crye, two reports substantiated serious misconduct and abuse by the wacko you put in power and are trying to protect at all costs. One was internal, and the other was from a very experienced org that does these kinds of reports. Your denial of substantiated evidence and willingness to believe Mr. Curtis over Support Services Director Monica Fugitt, who has given years of great service to this county, demonstrates the profound risk and harm you have put the people of Shasta County in. But it’s not surprising.
You are the same person who appointed J. Night to the mosquito board to fight those Jewish misquotes you believe are vaccinating us against COVID; who gave hours of costly BOS meeting time to the chemtrail wackos; who had Shasta County Taxpayers pay for you to fly, pray, and stay with Mr. Pillow, a Trumpian BIG LIE wacko you actually communicated with during a supervisor’s meeting, leading you to pronounce that Mr. Pillow would write a check to pay for legal expenses that would result in putting the wacko and illegal ideas promoted by you, L. Hobbs, P. Jones, and P. Plumb into law, (just as you are trying to do with theCrye / Curtis / Hobbs / Jones Measure B.), who arranged to give your extremist secessionist C. Street $ 40, 40,000 in taxpayers’ dollars to make a PowerPoint; and who tried to feed your campaign promoter good-buddy Nigel Skeet a cool million of taxpayer funds to do a tourism website. And we won’t talk much about the two million in opioid settlement funds you tried to give to former far-right extremist Shasta County Supervisor Les Baug for a failed and unwanted 60-bed group home in Anderson.
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Now you say you want to protect Shasta County employees from the far-right wacko ROV you put in power, Clint Curtis, who says it’s not whether he will sue Shasta County, but how many times he will sue. And Curtis has hired Partick Jones to work at the ROV office, the same wacko loser who tried to disqualify Shasta County elections (because he and Hobbs lost… bigly), like Hobbs (Clint’s favorite employee), who has sued Shasta County repeatedly and lost, costing us a ton of money to defend against?
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Mr. Crye, you, P. Jones, L. Hobbs, C. Curtis, and all in your extremist wacko posse have done enough damage. We need to vote the insane and dangerous out and replace you with Safe and Sane elected officials and staff! You all have done enough damage. Leave us alone.
Crye is in self-preservation mode. He can’t admit right out loud that hiring and backing Carpetbagger Curtis has been a disaster. Nor can he swing the other direction and say right out loud that all the accusations against Curtis are a hoax. He’s trying to play the middle ground.
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There’s no middle ground.
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Failing to censure Curtis—given the results of the two investigations—is either cowardice or consent. With Crye, it’s consent—a scumbag having another scumbag’s back. With Kelstrom, it’s spineless cowardice. With Corky, it’s the stupid herd instinct of a lemming following others over the cliff.
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All three lack any sense of accountability or moral clarity.
Thank you Christian Gardinier for your historical, and factual assessment of why Mr. Crye and his cronies must be voted out. I would suggest that this comment be published where it will get more general voters to read. I Shasta County people have been suffering for years due to the unethical actions of our BOS. Finally, I hope it is becoming public knowledge. I didn’t know that P. Jones, (who supports Crye and this chaos) is back to join forces with L Hobbs and C. Curtis, who should have been censured) to administer an election have personal stakes in. For once, I am concerned about the veracity and safety of June’s election.
Mr. Curtis is not suited for this line of work and the pressure is getting to him. He should find other employment either by the request of the voters or the Board. Last week, Mr. Crye called the two investigations into Curtis’ behavior, a “witch hunt”. Crye protects his friends but goes after anyone else. Case in point, his anger about the investigation into Wilson, on display this morning.
I believe as far as safety goes metal detectors should be in place at the entrance to the Shasta County Supervisors chambers. I also believe there is an individual that regularly attends those meetings purposely trying to inflame and anger individuals to the point that they will attempt to physically retaliate so he can pull his gun. I also believe this individual SHOULD NEVER HAVE RECEIVED A CONCELED Weapons permit in the first place. Antagonizing and insulting speakers, he should be banned from attending future meetings. A frequent poster of comments here, I bet nobody would have a problem guessing who it is!
It’s District 1 BOS candidate Glitchy (vs. Crye and Resner), who lost his gum’mint job for being a reckless policy-ignoring gun-humper.
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And yeah, Glitchy is a good argument in favor of metal detectors and tighter restrictions on concealed weapon permits. Dude is several bubbles off plumb.
WHEN WORKPLACE SAFETY BECOMES THE ISSUE, LEADERSHIP CAN NO LONGER HESITATE
Shasta County has crossed a critical threshold. What began as allegations of managerial misconduct and workplace dysfunction within the elections office has now escalated into something far more serious: a formally acknowledged workplace safety concern. When a public agency charged with administering elections reaches the point where employee safety is under discussion at the governing level, the issue is no longer political—it is institutional, legal, and urgent.
The recent actions of the Shasta County Board of Supervisors underscore this reality. By moving to support and represent staff while emphasizing safety considerations, the Board has effectively recognized that the situation presents potential risk to employees. Yet this acknowledgment sits in tension with its earlier refusal to impose even symbolic discipline following substantiated findings of misconduct. Such inconsistency raises a fundamental governance question: can a public body recognize harm while declining accountability?
Under California law, public employers have a non-delegable duty to provide a safe and non-hostile workplace. This duty encompasses protection from intimidation, credible threats, and retaliatory conduct. When personnel officials elevate safety concerns to the Board level, the legal implications are unmistakable. Failure to act decisively in such circumstances can expose the county to liability under employment law doctrines, including negligence in supervision, hostile work environment claims, and retaliation frameworks.
This is the environment into which Joanna Francescut seeks election. And it is precisely why her response must now evolve from measured commentary to unequivocal leadership. The situation no longer permits ambiguity. A candidate for County Clerk/Registrar must demonstrate not only awareness of the crisis, but a clear, legally grounded plan to restore order, protect employees, and reestablish institutional credibility.
Francescut should immediately articulate a comprehensive response anchored in administrative law and best governance practices. This includes calling for an independent operational audit, a formal workplace safety and compliance review, preservation of all relevant records, and the implementation of anti-retaliation safeguards. Additionally, she should outline a post-election departmental reorganization strategy designed to eliminate structural vulnerabilities and reinforce professional management standards.
Equally important is the need to restore confidence among employees. An elections office cannot function effectively if staff operate under fear, uncertainty, or diminished morale. Public administration principles are clear: institutional performance depends on a workforce that is secure, respected, and able to perform its duties without intimidation. Addressing workplace conditions is therefore not ancillary—it is central to election integrity itself.
The broader political implication is equally stark. Voters are now witnessing not just controversy, but a test of leadership. A candidate who responds with clarity, specificity, and resolve will be seen as prepared to govern. One who remains overly cautious risks appearing disconnected from the urgency of the moment. In a climate shaped by documented findings and acknowledged safety concerns, neutrality of tone can be mistaken for neutrality of purpose.
Shasta County does not need further hesitation. It needs leadership grounded in law, accountability, and administrative competence. Joanna Francescut now stands at a decisive crossroads: continue with careful positioning, or step forward with the clarity and authority the situation demands. When workplace safety is at stake, the path forward is not optional—it is imperative.
This is a well-articulated summary and worth a good read. Well thought out and presented. I concur.
I agree the County needs leadership. But you are placing that responsibility on the wrong person. The Board appointed Curtis and the Board refused to censure him. The Board needs to correct itself. That might have begun. However, Mr. Crye still plays word games. He and Curtis are linked together, if one goes down, the other might as well. They are both dirty.