In the media

“Watching the Board of Supervisors’ blasé attitude toward the County’s core function of property tax collection it’s hard to escape the feeling that Mendo is on the verge of imploding and nobody has any idea how to stop it. All the Supes and top staff seem to agree that Mendo isn’t collecting the taxes that are owed in at least three main categories… If the County doesn’t get on top of this most basic function of government soon, they will find themselves spiraling down further, losing more employees, and more staff loss…”

— Anderson Valley Advertiser, 7/9/2023

“David Loy, the legal director of the First Amendment Coalition, said in an interview that, ‘The Supreme Court has specifically upheld the right of public employees to advocate to the governing board… for improvements in their working conditions or for a pay raise or for a contract…’”

— XZYX Mendocino County Public Broadcasting, 6/26/2023

“Mendocino County’s largest bargaining unit has filed a charge of unfair labor practices with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), accusing the library director of threatening employees and violating labor law.”

— MendoFever, 6/25/2023

“Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 1021 filed a formal labor complaint with the California Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) on Tuesday, alleging that the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors and CEO Darcie Antie have engaged in bad faith negotiations with more than 700 county workers.”

— The Mendocino Voice, 6/23/2023

“Union President Julie Beardsley got a big round of applause and approving yelps when she told the Board, ‘If you don’t want to lead, get out of the way. You are bargaining in bad faith…’”

— Anderson Valley Advertiser, 6/21/2023

“The Union has long beseeched the County to fill revenue-generating positions like those at the assessor’s office to make sure taxes are collected before it’s too late... The tardiness of the bills is due to the County’s staffing difficulties.””

— XZYX Mendocino County Public Broadcasting, 6/13/2023

"[Here’s] how Mendo can balance its budget… The situation requires a full-court press, not the kinds of timid, inconsequential nibbling the Supervisors talked about at their Tuesday budget meeting. Unless and until these measures are implemented, the County will continue its downward spiral of reduced revenues, escalating costs, staff loss, delays and reductions in work output, deteriorating facilities, and overall malaise in local government.”

— Anderson Valley Advertiser, 6/9/2023

“Local Union Number 1021 of the SEIU was there to push for a cost of living adjustment in their next labor contract.”

— 94.5 K-Wine, 6/7/2023

"Long-term 20%-30% vacancy rates already have employees stretched thin with significant work backlogs in many departments. Yet there are no near-term staffing improvements in the pipeline as more work backs up… Despite occasional ‘we support our employees’ rhetoric, the Supervisors remain aloof and keep their distance from the problems their own employees are having, letting an expensive San Francisco law firm and their depleted management ranks do the “negotiating,” which so far hasn’t gone anywhere as is obvious from the proposed budget for next year.”

— Anderson Valley Advertiser, 6/7/2023

“Workers with Service Employees International Union Local No. 1021 were also in attendance to advocate for a cost of living adjustment (COLA) in their next labor contract. The bargaining unit represents more than 750 county workers, and several addressed the board during public comment at the top of the meeting, including Mendocino County Chapter President Julie Beardsley.”

— The Mendocino Voice, 6/6/2023