Shasta Public Health Director Robin Schurig is latest administrator to leave Shasta County

Shasta County is losing another top administrator.

Health & Human Services Agency Director Laura Burch confirmed to the Record Searchlight that Public Health Director Robin Schurig is leaving the county to take a job in the nonprofit sector.

“Robin did resign to take a leadership position at a local nonprofit where she is excited to impact health on a regional level,” Burch said in a text to the Record Searchlight.

Schurig is the latest among at least 10 departures of top county staff since 2022 and it was a topic of conversation during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

Burch told the Record Searchlight that she is sorry to see Schurig leave.

“She is a very dedicated professional whom I enjoyed working with and having as part of our senior leadership team,” Burch said of Schurig, who has been public health branch director since 2020.

Schurig declined an interview with the Record Searchlight.

Schurig is taking a leadership position with the Health Alliance of Northern California (HANC), said Amy Koslosky, supervising community education specialist for Shasta County Health & Human Services Agency. HANC is a federally qualified network of health centers.

Schurig’s last day is Feb. 16, Koslosky said.

During Tueday's meeting, Dawn Duckett, who sits on the Shasta County Elections Commission, spoke during public comment for an agenda item on plans for the 2024 county employee appreciation day. She said it’s time for the board and other county leaders to do something about the exodus of top staff.

“It appears to the public that technical experience is leaving these departments. What are you going to do about it? It’s going to take more than just an employee picnic,” Duckett said.

Administrators who have left the last two years include former County Executive Officer Matt Pontes; former Health and Human Services Agency Director Donnell Ewert; former Director of Adult Services Paige Green; former Support Services Director Shelley Forbes; and former Director of Public Works Al Cathey.

Mary Williams, a former deputy county CEO and acting CEO, quit her job last June. She told the Record Searchlight it was getting more difficult to do her job when she feels some of the work "is something that I don’t believe in and things I don’t feel are best for the community.” She wasn’t more specific.

In May 2022, supervisors fired by a 3-2 vote former Health Officer Dr. Karen Ramstrom.

Her dismissal came around the time that public health workers were reporting threats and leaving their jobs due to the stress from the COVID-19 pandemic. Ramstrom's firing received statewide attention and might have played a role in the county's inability to quickly hire her replacement.

Tuesday’s supervisors meeting also saw another change, this one in the county counsel seat, which has already had four attorneys assume the role since Rubin Cruse Jr. retired as county counsel to take another job last April.

More: Options considered for Registrar of Voters Darling Allen's successor. What the law says

Alan Cox took over for Gretchen Stuhr, who had been interim county counsel the last several months, taking over for Matt McOmber. Cox’s title is acting county counsel and he is expected to stay on until April 8, when Joseph Larmour starts his job as new Shasta County Counsel.

Cox has worked in the Shasta County Counsel office for nine years.

Stuhr is still in the county counsel office, returning to her job as senior deputy county counsel, county public information officer David Maung said.

However, McOmber has resigned. His last day with the county was Feb. 2, Maung said.

During her supervisor report, Mary Rickert, who represents District 3, reminded the audience that McOmber is the third attorney that has left the county in the past year, joining Cruse and James Ross, who took over for Cruse and then quit last July, a month earlier than planned.

McOmber helped lead the county’s legal fight with California over the Fountain Wind renewable energy project planned for eastern Shasta County, Rickert said.

“We just didn’t have that kind of turnover in past years and this is something that everyone should be concerned about,” Rickert said. “We need to make sure contracts and all the services, especially for those that are the most vulnerable here in the county, that they continue to receive their services.”

District 1 Supervisor Kevin Crye, who chairs the board, accused Rickert of politicizing the situation, saying he was going to take a “less political stance” before bringing the topic up during his supervisor report.

“We can talk all we want about, ‘Oh, god forbid we lose services.’ Well, that was what was going to happen. We are over six, nearly seven months behind on contracts. I don’t care how much experience you have. When that freight train is barreling down the tracks and going off the tracks, corrections have to be made,” Crye countered. “We can pontificate all we want about the importance of delivering services. At the end of the day, decision have to be made to make sure children and the most vulnerable that need those services, those contracts do not lapse.”

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 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Shasta County is losing another top administrator, as exodus continues