Supervisor Richard Anderson, who is currently running unopposed for reelection in District 5, was the only supervisor to oppose the “emergency” ordinance that bans outdoor cultivation of medical marijuana and limits indoor grows to 12 plants.
Anderson refused to jump on Sheriff Keith Royal’s bandwagon at January’s kick-off rally for the passage of Measure W…I mean, the Board of Supervisors meeting…and suggested instead that all sides be brought together to seek a compromise.
“Bring in the HOAs, the growers and the public and consider their wisdom,” he said in January. “Let’s try and reach a middle ground.” He reiterated his opposition earlier this week, calling the ordinance a “textbook example of regulation to benefit government. It’s hard to argue this is the wisest approach.”
So Anderson is a staunch opponent of Measure W, right? Well, not exactly–he told The Union he is taking no public position on W.
Why the timidity? Has he been getting static from his constituents over his “no” vote? Is he afraid the other supervisors will cut-off District 5’s share of the political patronage included in the new budget? Does he want to become board chairman, a position that was denied him the last four years but given to the board’s junior member, Smilin’ Dan Miller?
Maybe he just doesn’t want to rock the boat. Whatever the reason, Anderson is no candidate for a profile in courage.
Don’t they just rotate the Chair duties?
The supervisors don’t rotate the chair position, just as the Nevada City Council doesn’t rotate the mayor position. Steve Cottrell served more than 10 years on the council before he became mayor.
Anderson may have to serve a similar number of years before he becomes chairman. According to Nevada County Scooper, Miller thinks he’s a Commie: https://www.ncscooper.com/county-supervisors-announce-plan-to-attract-old-white-men/
I don’t know about the Supes, but Nevada City finally made the Mayor chair a rotating position during Cottrell’s reign.
Well I guess the board does have a right to name their own Chair but it seems kind of counter-productive to deny it to Supervisor Anderson when one considers the historic tensions between the eastern and western County and the need to minimize them, Richards demeanor on the Board as a pretty calm and rational voice, and the fact that having him Chair could allow them to find the 80% of things that they could all agree on and have him champion some of this things from a bi-partisan perspective. It’s not that they don’t her the right in my mind its that it is bad politics. It appears rather petty and ham handed and might help explain why Truckee regularly votes counter to trends in the rest of the county.
With Measure W crashing in flames and a tree hugger replacing Beason, the rest of the board may have a change of heart.