A 30-year intergovernmental agreement made in July of 2023 between Shasta County and Redding Rancheria has been ruled illegal by a judge. The impact fee agreement to cover public safety costs was made in anticipation of the construction of a sprawling casino and entertainment complex next to Interstate 5 south of Bonnyview. When the contract was drafted, county staff compared the numbers with those negotiated by some other counties and tribes, showing that the Shasta County deal fell far short of the others, and could cost the county around $200 Million over the course of the 30 years. Administrative staff recommended rejecting the agreement, as did the Sheriff, the District Attorney, the Fire Chief and the County Counsel. The agreement passed 4 to 1, with Mary Rickert opposing. The California Land Stewardship Council sued and last month Shasta County Judge Stephen Baker ruled the board had broken the law on three counts: by failing to notify the affected departments, ignoring opposition expressed by those departments and failing to have the agreement reviewed by the County Counsel and risk management. The judge has ordered the agreement to be set aside. A status conference is set for Friday. The tribe is apparently waiting to see if the county files an appeal.
-Steve Gibson