Shasta County supervisors meeting once again shut down due to disruptions

Chaos reigned again at a Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting.

A woman was carried out of the meeting Tuesday by sheriff's deputies after refusing to leave the meeting after it was closed down due to disruptions from audience members who yelled and raised a ruckus.

The meeting was suspended and the room cleared before the board was to take a vote on whether to appoint Benjamin Nowain to the Shasta County Elections Commission. Supervisor Tim Garman nominated Nowain to the panel.

Supervisors Kevin Crye and Chris Kelstrom had recused themselves from voting on the nomination, so the remaining three board members were set to vote to appoint Nowain to the commission. Supervisor Patrick Jones said he would vote no. Supervisors Garman and Mary Rickert voiced support for Nowain.

Supervisor Garman asked County Counsel Joseph Larmour how many votes were needed to approve Nowain. Larmour told Garman that they would need three votes.

After the meeting, Nowain told the Record Searchlight that he like many thought just a simple majority would be needed for his appointment. So when Larmour said three votes were needed, Nowain said, "that's when the temperature changed in the room."

Jones told everyone in the room that he would be voting "a hard no" because Benjamin Nowain wanted to disband the commission. Both Nowain and his wife, Jenny Nowain, said that is not true.

After that, Nowain's supporters — sensing which way the vote was going to go — started yelling at Jones from their seats.

Garman, too, was upset with Jones. Garman's nomination of Nathan Pinkney also was voted down 3-2 by the board's hard-right majority on July 2.

"That's not how the spirit of appointees work. We appoint people's pick on commissions in the county. This is disgusting, disgraceful and it's a shame you guys will not allow me to pick my appointee. I supported your nominee and I do not agree with them any less than you do not agree with Mr. Nowain," Garman said.

Supervisor Rickert said the commission should be a representation of the entire county.

"Everyone's political views are important. And I think by having a diverse commission only makes it representative of the people of Shasta County," she said. "I think this is another example of one personal political agenda being foisted on the rest of the citizens in Shasta County and it has to stop."

Jones countered that "this has nothing to do with the political affiliations. This has everything to do..." Jones said before he was interrupted by Benjamin Nowain supporters yelling at him from their seats.

Jones, who took over temporarily as chair of the meeting, asked for order, but audience members continued to speak from their seats. Jones eventually had security guards clear the room.

Jenny Nowain sat on the floor of the chamber and said she would not leave until Jones apologized to her for saying her husband wanted to abolish the elections commission.

She said Jones' behavior was uncalled for. "He wasn't willing to listen and be corrected. He just wants to say what he wants to say," she said.

Two sheriff's deputies came to the room and attempted to persuade Jenny Nowain to leave. Later, a sheriff's lieutenant came into to speak to her.

When she still refused to leave, Lt.  Bryan Sancibrian said he would go and talk to Jones and ask the supervisor if he planned to apologize. Sancibrian returned and told Jenny Nowain that Jones would not apologize.

She was asked again if she would leave and when she would not, two deputies carried Jenny Nowain out of the board chambers to a nearby parking garage and issued her a citation for disrupting the meeting.

The meeting was shut down for nearly two hours before it was resumed soon after Jenny Nowain was carried away by deputies and cited.

The board came back and voted 2-1 not to appoint Benjamin Nowain.

Tuesday's chaos inside the supervisors' chamber is nothing new. Board meetings have been suspended for disruptions several times during the past year.

Benjamin Nowain told media covering Tuesday's meeting that he has never publicly stated he wants the elections commission to be disbanded.

"I have privately had those discussions, but it was something that Tim (Garman) said last meeting where they discussed this," Nowain said. "He was stating now that we have (Registrar of Voters) Tom Toller who may not follow the laws…that we may end up needing a watchdog or somebody who is willing to keep an eye on…what the commission is doing. I feel like I could fit that role."

Meanwhile, Supervisor Rickert told the Record Searchlight on Tuesday she now plans to nominate Shasta County realtor Brad Garbutt to the elections commission.

After Susanne Baremore, Rickert's original appointment, resigned in April, Rickert said she would not appoint another person to the panel.

But Rickert said there was an item on the July 16 board agenda, an amendment to the chairman's appointments and liaison assignments, that got her attention. Crye chairs the board.

"I want to be able to select a commissioner and I have that right as a supervisor to select my own commissioner," Rickert said.

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on X, formerly Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Disruptions again shut down Shasta County supervisors meeting Tuesday