FORGET MAGA, HOW’S MMGA?

Published in the May 23, 2026 issue.

It was right before the first and only candidate forum for Inyo County District 3. 

I walked in. Scott Marcellin was already seated at the podium. We shook hands. And then he sort of launched forth in an aggrieved way. 

“You know, it’s not just the Board meetings,” he began. “I sit on 15 different commissions.” 

The implication being, “This job’s a whole lot of work. You have no idea.”

And the underlying subtext being, “Why did you decide to run against me? What have I done wrong? I haven’t done anything wrong!” 

Of course, not doing anything wrong does not mean that one is doing anything right, or even anything at all. 

15 commissions. Makes me think of that Springsteen song. “57 Channels (and Nothin’ On).” 

There’s just a palpable that sense that four years have passed and the county is a little shabbier, in a little worse shape financially, and that if we reelect both Orrill and Marcellin and run back the same board, four years from now we’ll just be even shabbier and more in the hole. And the Inyo Board will shrug its shoulders and keep saying that this is due to “forces beyond our control.” 

No one wants to work for an organization like that. If an organization has lost its desire to be great, everyone within that organization knows it. It’s demoralizing. When that happens, a person stops thinking about the team, the collective, and worries more about what he/she is getting paid, time left until retirement, the next vacation … 

A person needs more than that. 

There is not one person at The Sheet who mails it in, who doesn’t care, who isn’t still fully invested. Now granted, part of that may be due to fear, because they know I won’t tolerate it. But the greater part is due to constantly reinforced sense of mission and purpose – because it’s impossible for me, for us, to do anything half-ass. 

Deadlines certainly help. We have to produce. We don’t have the latitude to say, “Sorry folks, just didn’t come together this week.” Or, “We just didn’t feel like it.” Or, “My house burned down so I’m feeling overwhelmed and need some personal time.” 

That’s happened twice – homes burning down. And no, I didn’t lean on any crutches to shirk my responsibility. The paper must publish. The show must go on.

The County’s got plenty of talent. That talent just needs some reasons to believe. 

For starters, MMGA. Make Millpond Great Again!

The Sheet turned 23 on May 14.

When we published our first issue in 2003, the other candidate for Inyo Supervisor in the 3rd District, Steven Orihuela, was ten years old. 

He’s clearly a bright, young guy who is adept at tossing masterful word salad answers back at every question. But he has no work experience in the private sector (at least according to his LinkedIn profile), and in his career to date, has had just one employer (the Bishop Paiute Tribe). 

He also seems to have some issues regarding his attendance record at various meetings. Maybe Marcellin should have given his 15 commission spiel to Orihuela instead. 

He’s young and energetic, but lacks experience. 

Marcellin has experience, but lacks oomph. 

That leaves this guy Carleton as the Goldilocks candidate. Energy plus experience plus being someone accustomed to getting stuff done. 

Plus someone who can listen. And be spongy and creative. And won’t defer to or hide behind a consultant or a study every time a decision needs to be made.