Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/lisa-bartlett/)
Orange County Fire Authority Chief Jeff Bowman stepped down after a group of managers called for his resignation. It’s unclear what their concerns were, and an effort is underway to bring Bowman back.
Fire Authority officials say they’ve been performing air rescues for over 20 years and are well-equipped for the job, but that in recent years sheriff’s helicopter crews have been racing to the scene and taking control.
The latest campaign finance disclosures filed with the county Registrar of Voters show Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who is challenging District Attorney Tony Rackauckas for his seat in 2018, leading in fundraising with more than $1.29 million in his campaign coffers at the end of June.
In a public rebuke, one of Supervisor Andrew Do’s colleagues said Do has been pushing for the takeover because the health plan’s board refused to elect him chairman.
CalOptima provides health care for nearly 800,000 disabled, elderly and low-income Orange County residents. County supervisors are moving to expand their power on its board of directors, but state legislators are moving to block that effort.
The top county officials are moving in a new direction to address the county’s growing homelessness, authorizing new housing and support services in a unanimous decision this week.
A glitch in procurement policy shows why it’s important for the public to stay focused on something county supervisors increasingly don’t handle well: details.
“There is not a board majority at this time” to support a permit for the restrooms, Spitzer told Voice of OC. He said he hopes to introduce an alternative idea Wednesday.
Two supervisors claimed Sacramento is using misleading statistics to justify a shift of prisoner parole and probation responsibilities to counties. Orange County appears to be the only large county in California to withhold the data.
Supervisor Shawn Nelson said homelessness should be treated as an emergency and directed staff to research ways to quickly provide a bed for every homeless person in Orange County, even creating campgrounds on county-owned properties.