Loading your audio article
Thanks to Superior Court Judge Ann Moorman’s Feb 25th decision to dismiss the felony prosecution/persecution cases of Mendocino County Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector Chamise Cubbison and former Payroll Manager Paula Kennedy, Cubbison made her first appearance in front of those responsible, the Board of Supervisors, who illegally suspended her 17 months ago.
This past Tuesday, March 11, Cubbison gave a short report to the BOS, and only Chairman John Haschak spoke to her. He said, “Welcome” as she began her 4-minute report, and once she concluded her very business-like two-week recap of her official activities, interwoven with conciliatory comments directed to the Board and other county officials, he uttered “thank you” as she left the speaker’s podium.
Haschak’s four colleagues remained mum during Cubbison’s brief appearance, as did CEO Darcy Antle, who claims her office “found evidence of misappropriation of funds in September 2022.” Of course, Judge Moorman ruled no such evidence ever existed.
Both the public record for the past two years, as well as evidence introduced at the dismissal hearing, clearly establish that District Attorney Dave Eyster orchestrated (with a big assist from CEO Antle and the Supervisors), the sham investigation and prosecution of Cubbison and Kennedy. It goes without saying that the D.A. was nowhere to be found at the March 11th BOS meeting.
In her closing remarks, Cubbison said, “I look forward to meeting with one or two Board Members where we can discuss any concerns or requests of the Board. I look forward to a productive relationship between myself and the Board in the future.” Cubbison showed a lot of class and forgiveness for the very people who tried to get her convicted on non-existent, bogus criminal charges that could have led to her imprisonment. Of course, the Supes gave no thought at all to issuing the two women a public apology for their roles in this sordid affair, solely brought about because they failed miserably to do their jobs.
Here is the brief report Cubbison made to the Supes:
“I returned to my office on Wednesday, February 26, having been out of the office for nearly 17 months. First let me express my appreciation for the hard work that the staff in the Auditor’s office the Tax Collector’s office have done to continue many of the tasks we had begun prior to my absence, and other projects initiated without me. I recognize that the last couple of years have been very stressful and often challenging. I appreciate the patience and support of the board, other county department heads, county employees, and the public as I endeavor to learn about what has been done in my absence. This includes changes already implemented, changes that are in process and operations that may need to be on the list for further evaluation and change. It is my sincere hope that my staff, with the cooperation of other county departments, will be able to continue moving these things forward without losing momentum. In the last two weeks, I’ve been working with IT to reestablish my access to county systems, and technology equipment. I’ve met individually with some of my staff. I attended the Northern Area Regional State Association Of County Auditors meeting in Colusa last week and submitted next year’s department proposed budget, largely relying on information provided by Sara Pierce and other department employees. In the coming days I will be reviewing the report prepared by Regional Government Services, meeting with RGS and Chandler Asset Management, the treasury pool asset management consulting firm. My aim is that we continue to make positive progress on the various ongoing improvement projects.
“To ensure that we have the resources to make that happen I plan to bring forward an amendment to the Regional Government Services agreement to extend that agreement through December of 2026. In addition, I ask that the Board fund budget appropriation requests that are deemed to be necessary to continue the important work of the Auditor’s office and the revenue collection efforts of the Treasurer-Tax Collector offices. Also, in order to avoid delays or any need to pause many tasks while I research and revisit all of the areas evaluated while I was out of the office, we could use the help of other departments. It would be especially helpful if the Chief Executive Officer continues to provide access to essential CEO staff, including Sara Pierce so that my staff can obtain necessary transition information and efficiently continue our work. It would be a shame for some of that to be lost, or for the county to have to pay for the services again, or to lose out entirely on the information gained. I look forward to working with one or two board members where we can discuss any concerns or requests of the board. I also look forward to a productive relationship between myself and the board in the future. My staff and I are dedicated to moving forward in order to continue serving the public with fiscal leadership and financial integrity. I will have more to report in the coming weeks. Thank you.”
***
Regarding Cubbison’s comments about CEO Antle providing “access to essential CEO staff, including Sara Pierce so that my staff can obtain necessary transition information and efficiently continue our work,” it’s noteworthy that Antle, who spoke subsequent to Cubbison’s remarks, was unresponsive to her request. It appears that we’re not quite yet at the “bury the hatchet” stage.
I recently had a conversation with Haschak where I asked him if the Supervisors are planning to send Cubbison and Kennedy public letters of apology given Judge Moorman’s dismissal ruling, buttressed by her scathing reproach of the conduct and performance of bullying high-ranking county officials and their criminal justice counterparts who were hell-bent on prosecuting/persecuting two innocent women. He politely declined comment.
When I stated, “I’m assuming you can’t reply because that’s counsel’s advice,” he responded in the affirmative.
Regardless of what their incompetent attorneys are telling them, they owe Cubbison and Kennedy public apologies, as well as the citizens of this county. To do so is called doing the right thing, as in it’s the decent thing to do.
But obviously that’s expecting and asking too much of a Board of Supervisors who spinelessly capitulated to their CEO, staff, and DA in all out assault to rid “their” county of a fellow elected official who was just doing her job when she opposed the imprudent consolidation of two separate financial departments and also rejected the DA’s re-imbursement claim for a holiday party he hosted at a local steak house.
It seems as if the only place where you find this kind ongoing dysfunction is right here in Mendocino County.
Over and out.
Jim Shields is the Mendocino County Observer’s editor and publisher, observer@pacific.net, the long-time district manager of the Laytonville County Water District, and is also chairman of the Laytonville Area Municipal Advisory Council. Listen to his radio program “This and That” every Saturday at noon on KPFN 105.1 FM, also streamed live: http://www.kpfn.org
