Well-drillers in California too busy to do government drought-relief work, county official says

Shasta County has been approved for about $2.4 million in state drought relief money.

It’s money that could help residents whose wells have dried up due to the third year of California’s historic drought.

The problem is finding a company to drill a new well, Public Works Director Al Cathey told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

“We have contacted all the local (well-drillers) in the Redding area and they are so busy they don’t need the government work, is what they are telling us,” Cathey said.

Cathey added that the county also has contacted well companies from outside the area. The response has been “crickets.”

“I think everybody has plenty of work to do and they don’t want to get entangled with the government right now,” he said.

Supervisor Joe Chimenti asked if the county could provide incentives to well-drilling companies — kick in extra money to get them to work in Shasta County.

“The well-drillers are not even calling us back to haggle,” acting County Executive Officer Patrick Minturn said.

Supervisor Mary Rickert, who is a majority owner of Prather Ranch with her husband, Jim, said this is not unique to the North State.

“Wells are going dry everywhere and so well-drillers are not able to fulfill all the needs. … It’s a real serious problem,” she said.

County Resource Management Director Paul Hellman said they received word from the state that they had been approved for the grant money in early July, but they are still waiting for the funds to be disbursed.

Regardless, the county started water bottle deliveries to affected residents in late July. The county also has been delivering larger quantities of water to residents who have storage tanks.

Also at Tuesday's supervisors meeting:

Struggle to recruit

A number of people holding high-level positions in Shasta County have either left or have been fired in 2022.

Former county Executive Officer Matt Pontes and former Health and Human Services Agency director Donnell Ewert resigned last spring.

In May, the board’s new majority voted 3-2 to fire Health Officer Dr. Karen Ramstrom, who had drawn the ire of many who protested mask mandates, vaccination requirements and other COVID-19 measures.

The preferred candidate to replace Ramstrom rebuffed the county's offer in late August, so the process to find her successor was restarted.

Support Services Director Shelley Forbes gave supervisors an update on recruitment efforts.

The job posting period for a health officer will close Nov. 28, Forbes said

"Upon closing of this job posting, the county will screen the applicants and coordinate interviews for the qualified candidates," Forbes said.

The county has decided to recruit from within for a new Health and Human Services Agency director. The posting period for the job closed Monday. A recommendation could come to the board on Nov. 1, Forbes said.

Supervisors have already decided to conduct interviews for a new CEO in January, when a new board will be seated. Minturn's contract as acting CEO runs through January.

"We are hiring an outside consultant who is going to conduct this recruitment and then we'll be bringing that consultant to meet with the board in December to talk about how we're going to proceed with that recruitment in greater detail," Forbes said.

Forbes said there is a struggle to recruit employees across the country.

The latest on the new jail

Publics Works Director Cathey said the county will soon sign an architectural design agreement for a 256-bed jail.

Nichols Melburg & Rossetto Architects of Redding and the DLR Group, which has locations across the country, have submitted proposals.

"Hopefully in a few weeks we will be able to have an architect on board to start all the preliminary work," Cathey said.

In August, the Board of Supervisors supported Sheriff Michael Johnson’s proposal to build a new 800-bed jail, a project estimated to cost at least $400 million. They also voted to build a 256-bed facility — a project costing an estimated $125 million — next to the current jail while the new jail is constructed outside of downtown Redding.

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 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: Well-drillers too busy for government drought-relief work in Shasta Co.