ROSEBUD

Following in the checkered footsteps of William Randolph Hearst … 

I am running for Inyo County Supervisor – District 3. Seriously. 

And not because I lost a bet.

I was sitting in the Inyo Supervisors meeting a few weeks back – it was during the board member reports. And Scott Marcellin casually mentioned the board’s upcoming junket to Washington, D.C. for the National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference. 

All five went. *Mono County sent three plus the CAO – hardly better. 

And I thought to myself, that’s it, I can’t take it anymore. The outcome is preordained. They’ll come back and talk about all their productive meetings and all the important people they saw. Such a critical conference, etc. 

And that’s the last you’ll ever hear of it. Thirty grand down the toilet. Or more. I walked out of the board chambers and into the county clerk’s office and told them I wanted to run for office. 

You know what the marketing wonks would say. The return on investment for that trip was ~ 99.9%. Not ~100% because they all came home with some complimentary Lincoln Memorial paperweights. 

If I’m elected and go on a taxpayer-funded trip to D.C., you wouldn’t even have to recall me. I’d resign in disgrace. 

I’m sure the ROI for a trip to Sacramento is a lot better – but not quite as glamorous. 

Unfortunately, tossing thirty grand into the wind has been a running theme of late. 

When the Inyo Supervisors terminated former CAO Nate Greenberg last September, for reasons never explained (You did what we told you! And then people criticized us for it. Need a convenient fall guy. Walk the plank!),  they made the curious decision to pay him more severance than his contract called for. Why? 

Further, they made this deal in closed session. No public vote. 

I made a public records request to County Counsel John Vallejo asking what gives. 

His reply: The separation agreement with Mr. Greenberg and direction to staff regarding the offer of the separation agreement was properly considered in closed session.  The discussion and direction to make the offer for the separation agreement was approved in closed session on September 23.  Immediately after Mr. Greenberg entered into the separation agreement, the fact of Mr. Greenberg’s employment separation was disclosed to the public via press release on or about September 30, 2025, (attached) and the separation agreement itself (also attached) was released shortly thereafter in response to a public records act request made by a different news outlet.”

The severance agreement placed Greenberg on paid administrative leave through May 15, 2026, giving him approximately 50 more paid days than the six months provided for in his contract. 

Doesn’t seem like much until you consider the guy was making $20,000/month. Giving him 50 days is essentially handing him about $35,000. Never mind 50 days of additional benefits, even 50 more days upon which to accrue, you got it, more paid leave! 

Putting him on administrative leave versus a straight termination also ensures his salary for his final year reflects the huge raise Supervisors had recently approved for the CAO. For retirement purposes, this is a nice windfall. 

What Mr. Vallejo did not mention in his response was that the reason the Board had to reaffirm its decision in December was because District Attorney Dana Crom had submitted a letter in November alleging a Brown Act violation. 

  She disputed Board Chairman Marcellin’s declaration that ‘no action was taken in closed session’ on September 26, 2025 as the severance agreement was executed by Marcellin (on behalf of the Board) on the 26th and Greenberg on the 29th. 

She also contended that the action mandated a public report of the vote. 

Further, modification of a contract must also occur in open session. 

Supervisors remedied this at their December 9 meeting. The vote was 4-1 to move forward with the severance agreement. Supervisor Roeser cast the dissenting vote. 

Contrast how Inyo Supes handled Greenberg’s termination with how the Eastern Sierra Community Housing Board (ESCH) handled the recent resignation of Executive Director Patricia Robertson. 

At its regular meeting on Monday, the Board ironically had to vote on a merit pay increase for Robertson which would be retroactive to her last performance review in September.

The Board voted to give her cost-of-living-adjustment only versus showering her with money on her way out of Dodge. 

After 13 years with ESCH, Robertson left to take a job with Mono County as a Housing Management Analyst. 

Alright, so back to the campaign trail. 

After collecting the requisite 20 legal voter signatures from people in my district (I collected 25 to be on the safe side), I then paid a fee, filed a Form 700 (disclosure of potential monetary conflicts of interest), and then paid the $260 to include a statement in the Voter’s Guide. 

You get 200 words. I used all but 5. $1.33/word! This was my submission: 

“I am the founder (2003) and publisher of The Sheet News, a weekly newspaper covering Inyo and Mono counties. In that time, I’ve covered enough boards and politicians to understand what separates the wheat from the chaff.

You’ve got to be able to manage money. You’ve also got to be able to say no. This hasn’t happened in the past four years. Inyo County’s General Fund budget has swelled 39% in that time. Salaries and benefits have increased 36%. The county is on the hook for more than $80 million in unfunded pension liability. 

Meanwhile, county parks (Millpond) have withered, and Supervisors have dithered in addressing the Emergency Medical Services issue. Change is happening fast. An SOS (Same Old Supes) isn’t going to get it done.

I started my small business and grew my newspaper during an era when industry revenue nationwide fell 80%. I know what it takes to succeed in a tough economic environment. 

My family moved to Bishop in 2015 after our home was destroyed in the Round Fire 20 miles north of town. 

My eldest daughter graduates from Pepperdine University this spring. My youngest is an 8th grader at Home Street.”

I then received word back that I would have to make some edits. 

According the Inyo Clerk’s office, my statement was in violation of Election Code 13307, which states, “This statement … shall be limited to a recitation of the candidate’s own personal background and qualifications and shall not in any way make reference to another candidate for that office or to another candidate’s qualifications, character, or activities. Platform commentary that is not in reference to your qualifications is not allowed.”

“We do allow soapbox complaints or opinions,” wrote the Clerk (whom I have no issue with. Just doing her job.)

I then wrote back (just doing my job), “Inyo County’s General fund budget, salaries and benefits and unfunded pensions are facts. My education as a journalist makes me know facts.

Knowing facts and having curiosity about them represents a key part of my qualifications … I totally understand the spirit of EC 13307. But I don’t believe my statements to be either capricious or inflammatory. Facts can sometimes just be very inconvenient. And sometimes facts need to be invoked to amplify one’s qualifications.”

I then dashed off a second statement. 

Kept the start and the finish. Inserted this in-between. 

“In my capacity as a journalist, I’ve also learned to follow the numbers. 

Inyo County’s General Fund budget has swelled 39% over the past four years. Salaries and benefits have increased 36%. The county is on the hook for more than $80 million in unfunded pension liability. 

These are big numbers. 

And sometimes big numbers are not sustainable.

In any business, you’ve got to be able to manage money. You’ve also got to be able to say no. 

I started my small business and grew my newspaper during an era when industry revenue nationwide fell 80%. I know what it takes to succeed in a tough economic environment.”

This morning I was informed I was closer, but some edits were still necessary. 

So then I thought that maybe I should change things up. I’ve got 24 hours to come up with something else, what if I list some other accomplishments?

23 years owning a newspaper and never been sued (knock on wood). 

The current staff has not threatened unionization and seems satisfied with their jobs. 

During my time as Mammoth Lakes Lions Club President, I slashed dues by $25!

My daughter had a sleepover for her birthday last year and there were a total of eight girls at my house and I survived it. And made them breakfast in the morning. 

Between both daughters, I have patiently sat through at least 15 productions of Missoula Children’s Theater. 

I’m not very good at golf, which demonstrates that I’m too busy working hard to indulge in serious improvement.

I adopted a dog last year. And bring poop bags on our walks. 

I still produce four or five newspaper issues per month, depending upon how the dates fall, as opposed to the current supervisors, who used to meet three times a month minimum and now can hardly be bothered to meet twice. 

As to elections, the filing deadline is this Friday for many positions. 

In Mono County, Supervisor Jennifer Kreitz and Assessor Barry Beck have turned in their papers. 

Supervisor Lynda Salcido is expected to seek reeleection, as is Mono County School Superintendent Tammy Nguyen. 

No challengers have emerged in any of those races. 

In Inyo, the race for Supervisor in District 1 features a rematch between incumbent Trina Orrill and Carl Hoelscher. 

In District 3, it’s yours truly, Ted Carleton, incumbent Scott Marcellin and Bishop Paiute Tribal Chairman Steven Orihuela.