Anderson delays rejoining SHASCOM

The Anderson City Council unanimously moved forward on naming John S. Blacklock as interim city manager as it searches for a permanent replacement for City Manager Dana Shigley, who is taking a similar position in American Canyon near Vallejo.

A former District Coordinator for then-State Senator Jim Nielsen from 1983 to 1990, Blacklock spent nearly nine years as Chief Administrative Officer of Butte County, retiring in September 2001, states a resume he offered to the Anderson council.

Since then, Blacklock has served as Interim Chief Administrator of Tehama County for seven months, Interim City Manager of Red Bluff for eight months and is currently serving since August 2011 an appointment as Interim County Administrator in Lassen County.

However, on a 4-1 vote with only James Yarbrough dissenting, the council decided to postpone rejoining SHASCOM (Shasta Area Safety Communications Agency), a joint dispatching center in Redding, until a permanent city manager can examine the issue and city staff provides more detailed information about the impacts such a merger might have on police department employees and procedures as well as the city’s operating budget.

The council’s decision followed nearly an hour of public testimony and numerous responses to questions posed primarily by Council Member John Day and Vice Mayor Melissa Hunt.

The search for a permanent city manager could take as long as six to eight months, noted Shigley, whose last day is Dec. 20.

Assistant City Manager Jeff Kiser will take over the city manager duties for 11 days until Blacklock can start work, Mayor Norma Comnick reported at the end of a 40-minute closed session held prior to the 7 p.m. regular council meeting.

Members of the public speaking in favor of Anderson rejoining SHASCOM were the agency’s Director Joy Willis and Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko, who also serves on SHASCOM’s board of directors.

Those opposing included two former Anderson councilmen, William “Butch” Schaefer and Rodney Jones, Anderson Police Officers Casey Day and Regina Collier, Lead Dispatcher Debbie Beckman, business women Kim Chamberlain and Samantha Shaeffer, Rob Lein of Premier Towing of Anderson and at least two former dispatchers, Laura Ferguson and Sarah Bennett.

Anderson’s council chambers were packed nearly to overflowing by every off-duty dispatcher and police officer and more than a few family members after a letter signed by Robert Modine, president of the Anderson Police Officers Association (APOA), was made public.

In his letter, Modine writes that the APOA “vehemently opposes” rejoining the joint dispatch service proposal and characterized it as a failed experiment in the mid 1990s that cost the city “a large amount of money,” endangered uniformed officers and caused citizens to report “feeling a disconnect when reporting crimes and requesting assistance.”

Following the meeting, Modine said, “APOA is extremely happy that the council has agreed to reconsider this item and wait for more information.”

Sarah Bennett, representing Teamsters Local 137 members including Anderson’s four dispatchers, reacting Wednesday to the council’s decision, said, “We are glad that the interests of the public were heard and that our members’ jobs are saved. We are also glad that the new city manager’s voice will be heard.”