Water battle, roads and cannabis will keep Stanislaus supervisors busy in 2017

Supervisors will swear in three board members Tuesday, leading into 12 months that look hardly routine for county leaders.

Former state Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen will recite the oath of office along with Supervisors Vito Chiesa and Jim DeMartini, who are beginning new terms. The ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m., with a reception to follow and the regular board meeting at 9 a.m.

The county is marching into a new year with a voter-approved tax to generate funds for road repairs and expressway construction. In addition, it is embroiled in the battle against a state plan to increase unimpaired flows in the Merced, Stanislaus and Tuolumne rivers.

It has less than 12 months to develop local controls over legalized marijuana, while the Sheriff’s Department gears up for a gradual opening of a Public Safety Center expansion.

As a health services provider for the poor, the county could face turmoil if Republicans in Congress follow through with a repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Chiesa, who begins a third term, is expected to take over as board chairman for what could be a pivotal year. In addition to dealing with transportation and water issues, Chiesa wants to work with the nine cities on a uniform policy for control of marijuana sales and commercial cultivation under Proposition 64.

Legalized pot was approved by 57 percent of California voters in November. Local jurisdictions have not decided what approach to take with marijuana but must have rules in place by Jan. 1, 2018.

Pay raise for supervisors

Supervisors are getting a 3.75 percent raise this month to $78,360 a year and $87,768 for the chairman.

County leaders don’t need to take a vote to increase their pay. An ordinance makes them eligible for a 3.75 percent increase each year if their salaries are more than 20 percent less than the average supervisor’s pay in Fresno, Kern, Madera, Merced, Monterey, Sacramento and San Joaquin counties. A second criterion for an increase is growth in the value of county property assessments over the previous year.

Olsen, who replaces Bill O’Brien in supervisoral District 1 (Riverbank and Oakdale), will earn 32 percent less as a county supervisor. The salary for the former 12th District Assembly member peaked at $115,124 when she served as minority leader. Newly elected 12th District Assemblyman Heath Flora will be paid $104,118 a year, thanks to a 4 percent raise given to state legislators in December.

Olsen is poised to follow O’Brien as the county’s representative on the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District board. In other committee assignments that could be approved Tuesday, Supervisor Terry Withrow and Chiesa will serve on the Stanislaus Council of Governments’ executive committee. Dick Monteith and Olsen will oversee county projects on the Capital Facilities Committee.

Chiesa will succeed O’Brien on the Stanislaus Regional 911 commission, which has dealt with contentious issues among its member agencies.

DeMartini and Withrow will continue as county representatives on the Local Agency Formation Commission, with Olsen serving as an alternate.

Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony at 8:30 a.m. and the 9 a.m. regular meeting will be held in the basement chambers of Tenth Street Place, at 1010 10th St., in downtown Modesto.

This story was originally published January 7, 2017 at 5:52 PM with the headline "Water battle, roads and cannabis will keep Stanislaus supervisors busy in 2017."