Section 5: Statements on Calaveras County Public Corruption

December 10, 2024 - Part 1 - Statement by Christopher Buttner, publisher, Calaveras2026Election.com during General Public Comments - Calaveras County District 5 Supervisor Benjamin Stopper’s behavior violates decorum and demeans civility.

"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.

During the November 26 Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Stopper was caught on video, recorded by Calaveras Public Access TV, engaging in text messaging on a mobile device multiple times while seated upon the dais during the General Public Comments portion of the agenda.

Stopper’s repeated texting throughout the meeting’s agenda was construed as a potential violation of the Brown Act. A public records request was filed with Stopper, County Counsel, and HR and Risk Management, seeking all text messages initiated and received by Stopper during that meeting.

In a particularly egregious instance, Stopper appeared sufficiently engaged in texting for any observer to see that he was distractedly texting prior to the conclusion of a constituent’s General Public Comment statement.

I was the constituent to whom Stopper displayed a profound lack of respect.

Stopper was rudely texting while being addressed by me, a constituent presenting damning facts concerning the State’s scrutiny of his numerous Fair Political Practices Commission violations and his future viability as an elected official. 

Stopper’s disrespect toward a constituent further demonstrates either his denial or his lack of self-awareness concerning his potential legal predicament with the FPPC for his numerous alleged violations of the Political Reform Act.

The responsive document to my public records request confirmed that Stopper was exchanging text messages from the dais with one of his constituents seated in the audience.

That constituent – curiously – had a personal financial interest, and stood to gain benefit, from the Board’s approval of agenda items #18 and #19 (click on links to read each agenda item description) concerning the conversion of his family trust land from Agriculture Preserve to a Williamson Act contract.

Stopper had an ethical obligation to recuse himself from voting on those two agenda items due to his pre-existing relationship with his constituent and the appearance of conflict of interest.

The responsive document received from County Counsel to my public records request further revealed that Stopper and his constituent had exchanged text messages during my General Public Comment.

I’ll share that exchange with all of you now…

CONSTITUENT texted the following: “Buttner says you’re done!!!” [With 3 exclamations !!!]

STOPPER texted in reply: “Yep… His beautiful dome glows so brilliantly”

Seriously Ben? You’re an elected County Supervisor. You’re not some giggling little schoolgirl sneaking an exchange of slam notes with your crush about a classmate’s appearance while the teacher is not looking. Your public behavior upon the dais violates decorum and demeans civility.

Hopefully, you’ll see the wisdom in stepping up to this podium right now and apologize to your colleagues seated upon the dais – and to all of your constituents, myself included – for the disrespect you’ve demonstrated to your elected office.

My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com."

December 10, 2024 - Part 2 - Calaveras District 5 Supervisor Benjamin Stopper - Abuse of Office Revealed: Brown Act Violation. Formal Complaint Against District 5 Supervisor Benjamin Stopper. Request for Modification of November 26, 2024 Meeting Minutes. 

"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.

I respectfully request that the meeting minutes of the November 26, 2024 Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting be amended to reflect the following facts before being voted upon for acceptance by the Board:

• District 5 Supervisor Benjamin Stopper was video recorded text messaging on a mobile device – on multiple occurrences – while seated upon the dais; a potential violation of the Brown Act.
• It is corroborated by County Counsel’s responsive document to my public records request for all of District 5 Supervisor Benjamin Stopper’s digital communication during that meeting, that District 5 Supervisor Benjamin Stopper exchanged text messages with a constituent seated in the audience who had agenda items #18 and #19 coming before the Board for a vote during the meeting. Notably, the constituent had a significant personal financial interest in the outcome of the vote.
• District 5 Supervisor Benjamin Stopper had an ethical obligation to recuse himself from voting due to his pre-existing relationship with this constituent; failing to recuse from the vote and failing to disclose his pre-existing relationship.
• District 5 Supervisor Benjamin Stopper exhibited extraordinary disrespect for his constituents and colleagues – inclusive of his personal denigration of a constituent – me – with Stopper having stooped to a sardonic, ad hominem attack about my shaved head, texting his constituent that “His beautiful dome glows so brilliantly.”

One further point, Ben, in case you’ve been wondering about the status of my open Fair Political Practices Commission complaint filed against you, number 09092024-02978, the FPPC Enforcement Division notified me yesterday, in writing, that the complaint I filed against you for your multiple violations of the Political Reform Act remains under review for opening of an investigation. 

My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com."

December 10, 2024 - Calaveras District 2 Supervisor-Elect Autumn Andahl Sworn In. Assures “absolute transparency, honesty and integrity.”

"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.

Concerning the results of the canvass for the November 5, 2024 California Presidential General Election, the voters selected an enthusiastic political newcomer as their District 2 representative.

The District 2 election was particularly nasty, with the eventual victor, Autumn Andahl, having withstood a challenge to her “transparency, honesty and integrity,” following an orchestrated attempt to impugn her reputation, executed by Carrie Biggs-Adams – a District 2 representative for the Calaveras County Democratic Central Committee - and an avid Trevor Wittke supporter.

Andahl handled those attacks with dignity, exhibiting grace under pressure, as well as exhibiting the qualities of “transparency, honesty and integrity” that she had been alleged to have lacked by Carrie Biggs-Adams.

Congratulations to Supervisor-elect Autumn Andahl.

As for Supervisor-elect Andahl’s opponent, Trevor Wittke, and his supporter Carrie Biggs-Adams having cast aspersions upon Andahl, and having suggested nefarious campaign finance activity occurred, and having exploited Andahl’s rookie mistake and inexperience as a political novice with her FPPC campaign filing violations for Wittke’s short-term political gain – well, that was an embarrassing bust for them that backfired on Wittke.

Carrie Biggs-Adams conflated an unfortunate sequence of non-intentional filing errors on Andahl’s required FPPC campaign documents into a specious implication of intentional lack of “transparency, honesty and integrity.”

In her letter to the editor, Carrie Biggs-Adams is quoted, “I want a Supervisor who understands how to fill out common forms and knows what it means to say they will act with ‘absolute transparency, honesty and integrity.’”

I suggest Carrie Biggs-Adams refocus her ire concerning violations of the Political Reform Act, and express her ire and desire that all Calaveras Supervisors be required to understand and execute their legal requirements for correctly and timely filing their FPPC forms, and to know what it means to act with “absolute transparency, honesty and integrity.” 

(Read: Four Calaveras County Supervisors Are Under FPPC Scrutiny). 

Carrie Biggs-Adams, and Trevor Wittke too, might consider voicing ire where it appropriately belongs – at four incumbent Calaveras Supervisors – Folendorf and Huberty – both of whom have FPPC cases open and pending against them, and Tofanelli and Stopper, both of whom the FPPC Enforcement Division notified me yesterday, in writing, that the complaints I filed against both, respectively, for multiple violations of the Political Reform Act, remain under review for opening of investigations.

My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.

And Autumn... “absolute transparency, honesty and integrity.”

"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."   

"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.

Today’s comments to each of you begins with me reading to you the definitions of three words –  irrational… rational… and… responsible – that you’ll easily find in Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law.

Please listen carefully… Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law defines irrational – an adjective – as “not governed by reason, mental clarity, or understanding… not governed by a fair consideration of facts or evidence.”

Conversely, Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law defines rational – an adjective – as “having reason or understanding… relating to, based on, or guided by reason, principle, fairness, logic, a legitimate state interest, or a consideration of fact.”

I’ve read to you the definition of irrational… and rational… now I’ll finish with the definition of responsible.

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law defines responsible – an adjective – as “liable to be called on to answer… liable to be called to account as the primary cause, motive, or agent… liable to legal review or in case of fault to penalties… characterized by trustworthiness, integrity, and requisite abilities and resources… able to choose for oneself between right and wrong… marked by or involving accountability.”

Sheriff Rachelle Whiting, who is usually here in the back of the room right now, has spent an inordinate amount of her taxpayer-compensated time focused upon one particular individual in this community who has freely exercised their freedom “... to petition the government for a redress of grievances,” as provided by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.

On August 13, 2024, Sheriff Rachelle Whiting, in her statement before taking her oath, said, “I believe in upholding the Constitutional Rights of our citizens,“ and, “I take the expectation of accountability and transparency seriously.”

She then swore a solemn oath to bear, “true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California,” and to “well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am upon to enter,” and for “upholding the Constitutional Rights of our citizens.”

Each of you will be hearing considerably more – in the coming weeks and months – about those three words –  irrational… rational… and responsible.

My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com."

"My name is Christopher Buttner. I am a Murphy's homeowner and my family’s life savings are invested in Calaveras County.

This community – and several nearby wildland urban interface communities in the dense timber belt of the four-county South Central Sierra Subregion – are under an extraordinary new threat of a catastrophic fire, of manmade origin and negligence, erupting twelve miles to the east of here – in Arnold – behind Meadowmont Center. 

We drove past Meadowmont Center twice yesterday during our Calaveras Big Trees State Park road trip.

This threat of catastrophic fire has a name.

Electric. Vehicle. Charging. Station. EVCS. Tesla Supercharger.

A rationally sited EVCS would have been a very desirable addition to Arnold.

Unfortunately, this is not it. 

The EVCS site selection process – and its construction at this precarious location – was irrational and irresponsible.

I’ve been advised this week, by the leadership of SNC, that the agency “has no authority to take any action on the project described in my letter.”

I respectfully request that SNC reconsider that position and examine its core mission more closely.

SNC, a State agency, is tasked with building resilience in California’s Sierra-Cascade region, inclusive of improving the environmental, economic, and social well-being. That should include doing everything possible in SNC’s power, as a State agency, to ensure our region is not reduced to ash from a 100% preventable and forewarned man-made calamity.

The seed of a potential fire-bomb – capable of laying waste to communities in the four-county South Central Sierra Subregion – was negligently sited in a vulnerable location – in distressingly close proximity to a densely forested neighborhood, large capacity propane tanks, and unregulated traffic with limited ingress and egress.

Regardless of how rapidly fire officials claim they are capable of effectively responding to the scene of a potential EV fire at this location, it is unlikely fast enough to suppress the potentially devastating effects of thermal runaway.

Here are some recent catastrophic fires you are all familiar with: Lahaina, Pacific Palisades, Rim, Butte, Paradise, Eaton, Tubbs, Caldor, I can go on. 

I urge SNC today to reconsider its position on my request for action.

SNC not having authority to take any action on the project described in my letter does not preclude SNC channeling my valid and grave concern to the proper State agency that does have the authority to take action on the project described in my letter.

Please recognize the urgency of this concern and take action immediately to protect the Stanislaus National Forest, Calaveras Big Trees State Park and our forest communities from this forewarned and preventable disaster.

Thank you. My name is Christopher Buttner."

"I am Lynette Smith-Covey, I own 4 Horse Ranch of Valley Springs with my husband, Jeremy.

We are trying to build a non-profit 501C3 business that offers horse breeding, training, riding lessons and trail rides. Our clientele would be primarily foster children and families with special needs children - 40% Calaveras residents / 60% tourists from all over the world. 

4 Horse Ranch has been subjected to, we allege, institutionalized Calaveras county-sanctioned conflicts of economic interests, cronyism and exclusionary collusion through the willful suppression of entrepreneurialism and innovation in favor of select support of legacy and politically-connected personalities and businesses through the advocacy of individuals entrenched in a range of both Calaveras governmental and business bureau leadership positions.

4 Horse Ranch comes before the Calaveras Planning Commission on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 9 am, for a conditional use permit hearing, case CUP 2024-013. 

We’re here today to request the assistance and support from:

• District 1 Supervisor Gary Tofanelli, who is also a Board member of the Valley Springs Area Business Association and former board member of the Calaveras Chamber of Commerce; 
• District 3 Supervisor and Board Chair, Martin Huberty, who is also the Calaveras Visitors Bureau executive director, and the former Chamber of Commerce executive director, 
• District 5 Supervisor Benjamin Stopper, 
• Calaveras Office of Economic and Community Development Director, Kathy Gallino, 
• Calaveras Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rachel Sparks and President Sherri Reusche. 

Over the past two budget cycles, at the insistence of D1 Supervisor Tofanelli, D5 Supervisor Stopper and former D2 Supervisor Jack Garamendi, the Calaveras Chamber of Commerce has received 100,000 dollars from transient occupancy tax revenue - 50,000 dollars per annual budget cycle - to ‘fund the promotion of tourism to the west end of Calaveras County.’ 

4 Horse Ranch, in spite of repeated requests, has never received any substantive support from the Calaveras Chamber of Commerce, the Valley Springs Area Business Association, the Calaveras Office of Economic and Community Development or the Calaveras Government. 

4 Horse Ranch is an exemplification of the west end Calaveras county tourism promotion business the T.O.T-funded Calaveras Chamber of Commerce is supposed to be developing, supporting, and promoting. 

We respectfully request that you all speak on the behalf of 4 Horse Ranch at the conclusion of Thursday’s Planning Commission meeting, as 4 Horse Ranch has been designed to meet and exceed all criteria set forth by the Calaveras Planning Department and Commission to safely, professionally and respectfully ‘promote tourism to the west end of Calaveras County.’

I am Lynette Smith-Covey, I own 4 Horse Ranch of Valley Springs with my husband, Jeremy."