43 - January 14, 2025 - Christopher Buttner, Publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com, Delivers Blistering New Year Endemic Calaveras County Government Corruption Statement During General Public Comments to the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors. Go to Video.
44 - January 14, 2025: Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com, delivers Opposition Statement to the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors on Agenda Item 16: Sheriff's Department appointment of a Family Member candidate pursuant to County Code Section 2.64.645: January 14, 2025. Go to Video.
45 - January 14, 2025: Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com, delivers opposition statement in the matter of Agenda Item 17: District Attorney's Office appointment of a Family Member candidate pursuant to County Code Section 2.64.645: January 14, 2025.
46 - January 28, 2025: Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com, delivers General Public Comments on District 5 Supervisor Ben Stopper's attempt to have portions of Mr. Buttner's public statement stricken from the published record.” Go to video.
47 - January 28, 2025: Christopher Buttner’s Opposition Statement of to Consent Agenda Item 5. Appointment of applicants to serve on various Committees, Commissions, Advisory Boards, Special Districts, and County Service Areas. E. 2025 F&G EHolt. Go to video.
48 - January 28, 2025: Christopher Buttner’s Opposition Statement to Regular Agenda Item 14: Receive a presentation from the Calaveras Visitors Bureau. Calaveras Visitors Bureau Executive Director Martin Huberty Called Upon to Resign. Go to video.
The Flipside of Incompetence is Corruption.
"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.
This first Regular Meeting of the newly-composed (Calaveras County) Board of Supervisors represents an orchestrated stress test, by the four incumbent Supervisors, of Supervisor Andahl’s susceptibility and willingness to join her four new colleagues in their established, corrupt voting block and pattern.
CEO Hitchcock, thus far you’ve been largely spared from my interrogations.
This is partly because your Board of Supervisors has provided a perpetual flow of malfeasance – and it is partly because you’ve been given fair and ample opportunities to put your stamp upon this government as you near completion of your second year of service.
As an observant citizen, my two-year grade of your performance and your demonstrated competence in the role of CEO is a D- and plummeting.
How is it that you sat beside Stopper during the November 26th meeting and did not advise him or insist that he stop texting like a teenager from the dais during open session?
Teresa, it’s now time to exercise the exit clause in your employment contract.
At your annual salary of two hundred and twelve thousand dollars, Calaveras citizens deserve a County Executive Officer that provides disciplined leadership and oversight of the elected governing body.
Now that three of the four returning Supervisors – Huberty, Folendorf and Tofanelli – are under open and pending California Fair Political Practices Commission cases for a range of violations of the Political Reform Act, including failure to file factual and timely campaign finance statements, failure to disclose conflicts of economic interests, and in the State’s open case investigating Folendorf, the disposition of almost eighty five hundred dollars in missing union campaign contributions to her 2020 campaign, your turn is coming Ben (Stopper - District 5).
I anticipate that the FPPC complaint I initiated against you will soon be a publicly visible State case.
At that time, all four incumbent Supervisors – Huberty, Folendorf, Tofanelli and Stopper – would be under open and pending FPPC cases for the previously cited violations of the Political Reform Act, potentially paralyzing this government and requiring immediate State intervention to provide some manner of interim provisional governance.
Additionally, Ben, if an investigation of allegations of your conflict of economic interests for unreported business activities with one of your favored constituents proves accurate, you’ll be the respondent to a sworn complaint for a violation of California Government Code Section 1090.
The absurdity of Huberty and Stopper having just been respectively elected as 2025 Chair and Vice-Chair, reflects the ethical bankruptcy of this government which will lead to its inevitable reputational and financial bankruptcy.
My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com."
"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.
The following statement is to be entered, in whole, into the public record and become part of the official minutes of this meeting, with me identified by name, Christopher Buttner, as having registered my opposition to the board’s approval today of Action Item 16 - Human Resources (ID #8351) Approve appointment of a candidate in the Sheriff's Department pursuant to County Code Section 2.64.645 - Employment of Family Member. Item 16 was moved to Items Removed from Consent Agenda.
The agenda item Discussion/Summary states that - QUOTE - Every effort was made to recruit for the position of Deputy Sheriff I/II, in which the family member is being employed. - END QUOTE.
“Every effort” is a vague, yet declarative and hyperbolic statement.
It needs to be substantiated with hard facts and documentation for review, otherwise it is just fluff concealing nepotism.
Prove it.
Prove that QUOTE - EVERY EFFORT WAS MADE TO RECRUIT. - END QUOTE.
That documentation needs to be provided for review by the five members of the Board of Supervisors prior to their vote to determine whether, in fact, QUOTE - EVERY EFFORT WAS MADE TO RECRUIT - END QUOTE.
The agenda item Discussion/Summary states that, QUOTE - The candidate is an experienced lateral hire and will not have to attend the academy. - END QUOTE.
In what department within Calaveras County government is this “lateral hire” family member currently working, and what prior experience as a Deputy Sheriff I/II does this individual have that they will not have to attend the academy?
That is a reasonable question to be asked and answered.
What is their name?
That, too, is a reasonable question to be asked and answered.
Continue Agenda Item 16 for further consideration, once the questions I’ve presented here have been adequately and transparently addressed for the public.
The majority of the members of this (Calaveras County) Board of Supervisors are now individually under active State investigations for numerous allegations of financial impropriety with their campaign finance filings, with Supervisor Gary Tofanelli as the newest member joining the Open and Pending FPPC Case Club for numerous violations – allegedly – of the Political Reform Act…
This would be a good time for this board to open its eyes – collectively – and realize that you folks better start playing by the straight and narrow right now.
Full transparency would be a great start of this 2025 new year.
Let it begin today.
My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com."
Agenda Item 16 passed with a 5-0 vote.
"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.
The following statement is to be entered, in whole, into the public record and become part of the official minutes of this meeting, with me identified by name, Christopher Buttner, as having registered my opposition to the board’s approval today of Item 17. Approve appointment of an extra-hire candidate in the District Attorney's Office pursuant to County Code Section 2.64.645 - Employment of Family Member. Item 17 was moved to Items Removed from Consent Agenda.
The agenda item Discussion/Summary states that - QUOTE - This is an urgent placement and will be filled on a temporary basis by an extra hire. - END QUOTE.
“Urgent Placement” is a declarative statement of an immediate need having arisen, therefore, this urgency for placement must be substantiated with hard facts and documentation for review, otherwise, as noted in my opposition to Agenda Item 16, it is more fluff concealing nepotism.
Prove that this placement is urgent.
Substantiate the urgency and the reason or reasons for it.
Is District Attorney (Barbara) Yook under pressure to establish a public integrity unit in her office to investigate endemic Calaveras County government corruption?
Is this “urgent placement” in response to District Attorney Yook having numerous new sworn complaints filed in December against her and her office with both State and Federal law enforcement agencies for negligence of oath of office, breach of the public trust, quid pro quo corruption, selective law enforcement, civil and constitutional rights violations, as well as abuse of discretion?
Is this “urgent placement” in response to District Attorney Yook anticipating time and resource consuming interactions with any or all of the following agencies?
The 2024-2025 Calaveras County Grand Jury, State Bar of California, California Attorney General, California Civil Rights Department, the US Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the Fair Political Practices Commission.
And, in what department within Calaveras District Attorney’s Office will this family member currently work?
...and what prior experience does this person have to meet this urgent requirement for placement?
...and what is this individual’s name?
All are reasonable questions that need to be transparently answered.
Continue Agenda Item 17 for further consideration, once the questions I’ve presented here have been adequately and transparently addressed for the public.
As noted in agenda item 16, this would be a good time for you folks to realize that you’d better start playing by the straight and narrow right now.
My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com."
Agenda Item 17 passed with a 5-0 vote.
"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.
Ben (Stopper), during the January 14, 2025 Board of Supervisors meeting, you attempted to have portions of my public statement stricken from the published record of the meeting because my statement included — quoting you — “allegations of malfeasance or whatever,” and that you “didn't hear… burden of proof.”
For the record, County Counsel was compelled to verbally advise you – in real time, publicly – of the fallacy of your attempt to suppress official acceptance of my comments, in whole.
Let’s examine your concerns.
Was it “allegations of malfeasance or whatever,” when I stated you were officially warned of potential fines in 2019 due to your 2018 campaign finance violation of the Political Reform Act, with you having been classified by the Fair Political Practices Commission as a Campaign Non-Filer in their Case Number 2019-00576?
Was it “allegations of malfeasance or whatever,” when I stated I had irrefutable evidence to submit a formal complaint to the FPPC about your persistent violations of the Political Reform Act as a Campaign Non-Filer, despite you having been warned in 2019 by the FPPC – of the potential for consequences, including hefty fines?
Is it “allegations of malfeasance or whatever,” when I state that all four of last term’s continuing incumbent supervisors are now subjects of concurrent, open and pending, FPPC cases for an assortment of campaign finance violations of the Political Reform Act?
Since I last addressed this board two weeks ago, the FPPC published case number 2025-00042.
That’s the FPPC’s newly opened and pending case filed against Supervisor Stopper.
Was it “allegations of malfeasance or whatever,” when I stated you’d been caught on video, by Calaveras County TV during the November 26, 2024 livestream of the Board of Supervisors meeting, surreptitiously texting with one of your constituents who was seated in this room?
Or that I had acquired evidence of your text message exchange from County Counsel by public records request?
Or that your constituent had a matter with beneficial property tax implications coming before this board in two agenda items later in that meeting?
Or that you - ethically - should have recused from voting due to an appearance of conflict of interests stemming from your constituent relationship?
My fact pattern reveals I’ve repeatedly met your burden of proof.
You now realize you face – potentially – tens of thousands of dollars in fines, for multiple flagrant campaign finance violations of the Political Reform Act.
The FPPC explicitly warned you, Don’t Do This Again!
You did, I caught you.
My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com."
"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.
During the January 14, 2025 Board of Supervisors Meeting, District 1 Supervisor Tofanelli stated the D1 position on the Calaveras Fish and Game Commission had been, “...empty for a while.”
I’ve since learned this Calaveras Fish and Game Commission position was vacant for eight years, and after a prolonged gap and neglect, had attracted a well-qualified candidate for the County’s consideration for appointment.
The appearance of a dark horse candidate for the position, announced by Tofanelli during the last Board of Supervisors Meeting, took attentive observers by surprise.
Improbably – after eight years vacant – this position suddenly attracted attention and candidacy from a second individual at the eleventh-hour – on January 14, 2025 – from applicant Erik Holt, Director of the Calaveras Office of Emergency Services.
This matter serves as a valuable civics lesson in participatory local government, providing an example and examination of the intentional lack of transparent administrative practices by this Calaveras government.
Any extra time Holt may have for another position would be better spent serving the unmet needs of Calaveras citizens, hardening the County’s built and natural infrastructure against potential man-made and natural disasters, and focusing on preparing and maximizing critical resources required and anticipated for the County’s inevitable response and recovery efforts.
Perhaps Holt, in his role as Director of OES, might invest any extra available time toward mitigating the unnecessarily elevated risk of a catastrophic fire posed to the community of Arnold – and the surrounding inhabited and uninhabited areas within the Stanislaus National Forest – by the new Tesla Supercharging Station that was inexplicably approved for installation, and is now operational behind Meadowmont Center.
Need I remind you that Calaveras is in the TOP TEN of California’s most wildfire-prone counties, having the unfortunate distinction as one of the top four counties in America with the highest cancellation rates of homeowners insurance?
Perhaps Holt might – in any extra available time – accompany a County engineer on periodic structural inspections of our aging local tourist attractions such as our three local caverns – long-cherished internationally-renowned attractions, where visitors from around the world arrive with an expectation of Calaveras public safety vigilance.
Diluting Holt’s primary job as Director of the Calaveras Office of Emergency Services by adding the responsibility for representing District 1 on the Calaveras County Fish and Game Commission – I respectfully argue – may jeopardize public safety.
My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com."
"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.
In previous appearances before the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors, while addressing matters specifically related to the Calaveras Visitors Bureau being the recipient of public funds sourced from County transient occupancy taxes, I’ve been critical of the CVB’s persistent misportrayal of its economic benefits to the county, and its statistical manipulations employed to sidestep facts behind the County’s annual tourism revenue stagnation.
The CVB’s repeated boasts of having produced outstanding economic value and returns, relative to the County’s TOT investment, appear to routinely minimize or dismiss annual inflationary impacts that would otherwise be calculated utilizing the federal government’s Consumer Price Index for inflationary adjustment.
The Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget cycle will soon take center stage during several springtime Board of Supervisors meetings.
According to ledger reports I’ve received from County Counsel in response to my public records requests, cumulative TOT contributions disbursed from Calaveras County’s treasury to the CVB far exceed $2 million dollars since mid-2019, when current Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Chair Martin Huberty assumed the role as CVB’s Executive Director.
It is unacceptable that Martin (Huberty) has been holding two full-time positions; one is fully funded by taxpayers and the other partially funded by taxpayers.
I intended to be standing at this podium requesting Martin (Huberty) provide written evidence of a very specific statement appearing in the July 10, 2024 CVB Board of Directors meeting minutes
That statement, I’m now quoting, is… 'Visit California says inflation does not affect those numbers.' (Refer to Page 3, Item B: 2024/25 Budget discussion. Last sentence).
Instead, I just want to hear Martin announce today that he’s resigning as the Executive Director of the Calaveras Visitors Bureau so that he may focus his full attention on the demands of the role of 2025 Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Chair.
Notably, one of those demands is the daunting reality that all four of last term’s continuing incumbent supervisors – with Martin (Huberty) leading the charge – are now under State scrutiny, having all concurrently become the subjects of open and pending Fair Political Practices Commission cases for an assortment of campaign finance violations of the Political Reform Act.
My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com."
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District 1 includes the communities of Circle XX, San Andreas, Valley Springs, Campo Seco, La Contenta, Camanche, Burson and Wallace.
Phone: (209) 286-9002
Term Info:
Elected 2020
Re-elected 2024
Current Term Expires December 31, 2028
District 2 includes the communities of Mokelumne Hill, Paloma, West Point, Wilseyville, Glencoe/Rail Road Flat, Sheep Ranch, Mountain Ranch, and Calaveritas.
Email Autumn Andahl
Phone: (209) 286-9003
Term Info:
Elected 2024
Current Term Expires December 31, 2028
District 3 includes the communities of Douglas Flat, Murphys, Brice Station, Forest Meadows, Hathaway Pines, Avery, Arnold, White Pines, Dorrington, Camp Connell, Cottage Springs, Skyhigh, Tamarack, Sherman Acres and Vallecito.
Email Martin Huberty
Phone: (209) 286-9007
Term Info:
Elected 2022
Current Term Expires December 31, 2026
District 4 includes the communities of Angels Camp, Altaville, and Copperopolis.
Email Amanda Folendorf
Phone: (209) 286-9050
Term Info:
Elected 2020
Re-elected 2024
Current Term Expires December 31, 2028
District 5 Includes the communities of Milton, Jenny Lind, Rancho Calaveras, and Salt Spring Valley.
Email Benjamin Stopper
Phone: (209) 286-9059
Term Info:
Elected 2022
Current Term Expires December 31, 2026
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