The Plumas County Board of Supervisors has approved a payment of up to $35,000 for confidential investigations related to an unnamed civil rights case. This decision follows a series of similar payments for internal investigations, predominantly involving workplace issues originating in the human resources department. The discussions about these cases have been conducted in closed sessions, with potential litigation cited as the reason for confidentiality.
This recent action is linked to a closed session held on March 4, where the board anticipated litigation. The funds are allocated to Boucher Law, PC, a Berkeley-based firm specializing in labor and employment law, which began the investigations on March 1. The investigations involve the social services department, which is primarily funded by the state, ensuring no impact on the county’s general fund.
Supervisor Mimi Hall referred to the case as a “discrimination complaint to a civil rights unit.” The county has been without a permanent HR director since November 2023, following the administrative leave of HR Director Nancy Selvage due to felony charges. Debra Lucero, who was appointed interim HR director, also faced workplace complaints and is on administrative leave.
Over the past 15 months, the supervisors have authorized $123,000 in legal fees:
- $20,000 in January 2025 for workplace investigations by attorney Mark A. Wasser.
- $18,000 in February 2024 for a hostile workplace complaint investigation, which found no support for the claims.
- $50,000 in December 2023 for consulting and grievance investigations by Municipal Resource Group, Inc.
Interim County Counsel Josh Brechtel has defended the closed-session discussions, stating they are common and necessary to protect legal strategies. Kevin Goss, Board of Supervisors chair, emphasized the need for external legal assistance due to the lack of a permanent HR director.
Plumas County is also dealing with other legal challenges, including a $1.6 million attorney’s fee award from a sexual harassment case and a $265,000 attorney fee lawsuit by the county’s Treasurer/Tax Collector, Julie White, following a performance review dispute. The board has been handling these matters in closed sessions as well.
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