House of Burgess

RB: What is your position on the Harris Quarry project?
MD: I will be sitting in judgment on that project so I can’t give a decision today without seeing all the information that is presented and hearing from the public their position and their feelings on the project. I will say that I have consistently reminded the board that when we make policy decisions it is critical that we look at the economic impacts of those decisions. We talk about the need for jobs and for infrastructure improvements. When we make policy decisions we need to keep those impacts in mind.
RB: What has been your proudest achievement on the board?
MD: There’s a lot that I’ve done that I’m proud of. I would say more recently getting the community actions plans for Redwood Valley and Potter Valley funded and complete. Particularly the Potter Valley plan. The top priorities were maintaining the water supply and coming up with a community facility and that started as a vision that another parent and I had at a Little League game in Potter. And within a very short period of time it is now becoming a reality. And to have a community facility that will house rodeo grounds, indoor riding area, ball fields, a community center, a youth center and a county park, the first county park in Potter Valley, is, to me, a tremendous achievement.
RB: What about your biggest regret?
MD: The biggest regret would be not having the resources available to truly meet all of the needs of the citizens of this county. The needs are tremendous. Whether it’s new roads or repairing existing ones, water infrastructure, communication infrastructure, mental health services. All of the needs that are out there and not having the financial ability to meet them all is a huge challenge and it’s a challenge that every local government faces. It’s not unique to Mendocino County.
RB: What is an issue that is important to you that you feel isn’t being talked about in this campaign?
MD: A critical issue that is not getting as much attention is that of our water supply. Water has been a priority for me since I first got on the board and it continues to be more so today. I have been working with local leaders and representatives of the Round Valley Indian tribes and the Sonoma County Water Agency and state and federal officials on a proposal that will bring back some of the water that we lost in the (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) decision reducing the flows from the Potter Valley project. That’s huge. And that has a potential to restore a considerable amount of water in the spring and summer and late fall in Lake Mendocino. That’s critical.
RB: Is it easier or more difficult to run as an incumbent, like yourself, or a newcomer?
MD: Clearly, the experience and knowledge that I have on the issues facing Mendocino County gives me the ability to better address those problems. This job requires somebody who has developed relationships in the county, in Sacramento and in Washington that can get the results to move Mendocino County forward. This is not the time for on-the-job training.
RB: What is the future of marijuana in Mendocino County and what do you think the board should do about it during the next few years?
MD: The board has spent a considerable amount of time discussing and debating the marijuana issue. Supervisor Wattenburger and I spent over a year on the Criminal Justice Committee listening to folks on both sides of the issue and bringing the myriad aspects of the problem back to the board for debate and decision. The board is made up of diverse interests and opinions on the marijuana problem. It is a problem. I drafted Measure B and was able to get the board to put it on the ballot. I’m proud of that. I am not a supporter of the abuses that are occurring in the marijuana arena. I’m concerned about where we might be going if the board changes. I see a tremendous amount of support from known growers for my opponent and the positions of others. This board has gone a long way to rein in the problem, but we need to go further. The culture today is not condusive to a healthy and safe environment for our communities and for our children.
RB: When I asked your opponent this next question she said that you “should have taken a leadership role quite some time ago on this issue.” Is the current board to blame for the high amount of debt the county now faces and what would you do about it if re-elected?
MD: The board put in place years ago a structured plan to reduce the debt. The debt is not unusual amongst local governments. The board took a responsible position of structuring payments and creating reserve funds to address the needs as a responsible business would do and that is the leadership that we have taken to address the issue. It is imperative that we be vigilant to maintain the schedules of payment and continue to reduce the debt. The Teeter debt is not owed to anyone. The Teeter debt is an accounting practice on our own books. We owe ourselves. It’s not a payment that needs to be made to another party. That’s a misconception by many that it’s money that the county actually owes to someone or something and that’s simply an internal accounting procedure.
RB: This year’s budget hearings were extremely contentious and many different suggestions for a solution were thrown out at the 11th hour. Is this healthy and how should the board do things differently in the future?
MD: The budget process was actually a year-long process. We had numerous budget meetings and workshops throughout the year. Every quarter we received reports, we gave direction and what we discussed and debated in the final budget hearings was basically the crumbs of a $225 million budget. So the bulk of the work had been done. What we were discussing at the end of the period was ‘how do we make some of the policy decisions that have budgetary implications?’ The budget was balanced and each of have a different idea of how we would balance that on our own, but collectively, working together, again, throughout the year we were able to have a balanced budget that met the bulk of our needs.
Another part on that: the county has gone through six CEOs in almost as many years. It’s critically important to have continuity from one budget year to the next in developing that document. Because of the constant turnover we have not had that luxury of consistent management by our CEO.
RB: The results in your race in the June primaries were exceedingly close. How do you account for that?
MD: We had a very low turnout for the June primary. Folks were coming off of a February primary a few months before and with very little on the ballot other than Measure B. Obviously, the turnout will be much greater with the historical presidential election before us.
RB: How would you sum up your platform for potential voters?
MD: The priorities that I have and have always had are public safety, our water and infrastructure needs and economic development. My record is very clear on my achievements in those areas as well as many other areas. This is a job that requires somebody to work with their colleagues, work with other leaders in the county and in Washington and Sacramento. The relationships that are developed over time are critical to making things happen here locally. I have that ability. I have developed those relationships over time and they have paid great dividends for us here. We need to continue to ensure that our communities and neighborhoods are safe, they’re free from crime associated with illegal drugs and our children are safe to walk or ride their bikes to and from school and we need to know that we have deputies that are available to respond to any call. We need to know that we have the adequate water supplies to meet our needs of our homes, our businesses and our agriculture and without it our businesses can’t grow, our crops can’t grow and our children are going to have to grow somewhere else. And when we make decisions on the board we need to be cognoscente of the economic impacts of those decisions made and to continue to create the jobs and the environment here that is condusive to business development both new business and expansion of existing businesses.
RB: Is there anything else you’d like to add that I didn’t ask you about?
MD: We have a very diverse county. It’s diverse geographically. It’s diverse culturally. It’s diverse philosophically. And that diversity is represented on the board. The board works well together to bring those varied interests to the table and makes decisions that best represent the county and its citizens. I have represented my district extremely well and I am proud of the record I have over my tenure on the board. It is critical in these times to have the experience and knowledge and leadership to bring us through. These are tough times and proven leadership is going to be critical to move Mendocino County through this and into the future. I’m proud to have been elected to represent the 1st District and I will be humbled and honored to have that opportunity once again to continue the successes we’ve achieved.