Board of Supervisors Agenda Breakdown
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

Board of Supervisors Agenda Breakdown

Don't have time to read a 265 page agenda packet? We do. Here's a quick guide to the key decisions, presentations, and public hearings before the Board this week.

This week's meeting includes decisions on housing, road and bridge projects, labor agreements, and a public hearing involving eminent domain. We've highlighted the items that could have the biggest impact on Tuolumne County and explained what they mean in plain English.

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The Anatomy of a Controversy
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

The Anatomy of a Controversy

The High School Road project started as a proposal to build eight storage buildings in Jamestown. It eventually became one of the most closely examined development projects in recent Tuolumne County history.

In Part 3 of our Civil Grand Jury series, we break down the timeline in plain English. We look at the permitting process, the county’s new conflict of interest policy, Amador County’s involvement, questions surrounding the fire hydrant, and the Grand Jury’s findings.

This article is not about politics. It is about process. It is about understanding how government works, how decisions are made, and why public trust matters.

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Behind the Devastation
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

Behind the Devastation

The Community Development Department touches nearly every resident of Tuolumne County. Whether you’re building a home, opening a business, remodeling a kitchen, or filing a code complaint, chances are you’ll work with CDD. A new Civil Grand Jury report paints a troubling picture of what happened inside the department during 2025, describing staffing losses, declining morale, budget cuts, and a loss of institutional knowledge that continues to affect county government today.

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07/07 BOS AGENDA EXLPAINED
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

07/07 BOS AGENDA EXLPAINED

After last week’s budget meeting, this Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors agenda is much shorter—but there are still several important issues on the table.

We’ll break down the Groveland fire assessment, proposed changes to the County’s tourism agreement, ambulance fee updates, and more. We’ll also explain how you can use Oral Communications to ask the Board questions about the recent Grand Jury reports.

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The Grand Jury Just Told the County It Has a Trust Problem
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

The Grand Jury Just Told the County It Has a Trust Problem

The Tuolumne County Civil Grand Jury didn’t investigate one bad decision. It investigated how our county government operates. Its findings raise serious questions about ethics, transparency, conflicts of interest, public records, and accountability. Here’s what the report says, why it matters, and what every resident should know.

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June 30 BOS Agenda Explained
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

June 30 BOS Agenda Explained

$340 million.

That’s how much the Board of Supervisors is expected to approve on Tuesday.

Where does it go? Who gains? What changes? What questions still haven’t been answered?

From Emergency Services and road funding to staffing changes and millions in capital projects, we’ve broken down the budget into a quick, easy read so you know what to watch before the meeting.

Because budgets aren’t just numbers. They’re, as one supervisor would put it, “a priority”.

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The Budget Is Coming!
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

The Budget Is Coming!

On June 30, the Board of Supervisors is expected to approve the budget that will guide county spending, services, and priorities for the coming year. Public safety, roads, parks, senior services, emergency preparedness, and countless other programs all depend on decisions made in this document. Yet with just seven days remaining, many residents still have more questions than answers. This week, we take a closer look at why transparency matters and why now is the time to pay attention.

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June 16 Board of Supervisors Meeting?
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

June 16 Board of Supervisors Meeting?

From concerns over a new four-way stop planned at Highway 49 and Shaws Flat Road to updates on homelessness programs, road funding, and the appointment of a new County Counsel, here’s a quick look at what happened and why it matters. AND Anaiah Kirk was absent from the meeting again.

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Who Do They Think They Work For?
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

Who Do They Think They Work For?

A woman cried while talking to me recently. Not because of an election. Not because her side lost and someone else’s side won. She cried because she felt unheard.

As she talked, it became clear that she wasn’t upset about a single vote or a single policy. What she was describing was something deeper. She felt like her voice no longer mattered. Like decisions had already been made before the public ever walked into the room. Like participating in local government had become a strange ritual where we line up, speak into a microphone for three minutes, and then watch the train continue down the tracks exactly where it was already headed.

The uncomfortable truth is that many of us know exactly what that feels like. Over the last year, I’ve spent more time paying attention to local government than I ever intended, and one question keeps coming back to me: Who exactly do our elected officials think they work for?

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What Is Actually On This Week’s Board of Supervisors Agenda?
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

What Is Actually On This Week’s Board of Supervisors Agenda?

The June 16 Board of Supervisors agenda may not look particularly exciting. There are no major public hearings, controversial development projects, or high-profile policy debates. Instead, the meeting is focused on the nuts and bolts of county government. Roads, public safety partnerships, employee policies, behavioral health services, wildfire preparedness, and the appointment of a new County Counsel. These are the kinds of decisions that rarely make headlines but help determine how effectively county government functions.

As always, some items deserve a closer look.

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What Happened at the June 9 Board of Supervisors Meeting
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

What Happened at the June 9 Board of Supervisors Meeting

The June 9 Board of Supervisors meeting was relatively short and focused primarily on routine county business, but several discussions provided insight into the County’s priorities moving forward. From wildfire preparedness and firefighter recruitment to recreation planning and future grant opportunities, the meeting highlighted the long-term projects and partnerships shaping Tuolumne County’s future. One notable detail was the absence of Supervisor Anaiah Kirk, leaving the remaining four supervisors to conduct the meeting and approve agenda items on unanimous 4-0 votes.

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Where We Live
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

Where We Live

What began as a simple staycation after the election became a powerful reminder of why we love this place. From Pinecrest and Strawberry to Long Barn and Mi-Wuk, we spent a weekend surrounded by friends, local businesses, stunning beauty, and the kind of community that is becoming harder to find. Win or lose, if you live here, you’ve already won. And that is a lesson worth remembering.

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06.09.26 BOS Agenda Explained
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

06.09.26 BOS Agenda Explained

The June 9 Board of Supervisors agenda is a relatively light one, but it includes several items that affect everyday life. Veteran transportation services and firefighter internships, wildfire recovery funding, maternal health programs, and the future rollout of Pioneer Community Energy, here’s a quick 3 minute breakdown of what’s coming before the Board next Tuesday.

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6/2/26 BOS Meeting Explained
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

6/2/26 BOS Meeting Explained

The June 2 Board of Supervisors meeting wasn’t filled with major controversies or headline making votes, but it offered a snapshot of the everyday work of county government. From election updates and elder services to state budget concerns and community resource programs, here’s a quick look at what happened and why it matters to Tuolumne County residents.

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6/2/26 BOS Agenda Explained
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

6/2/26 BOS Agenda Explained

Most people don’t have time to sift through more than a hundred pages of agenda materials before each Board meeting, so every Friday before a board meeting I’ll be breaking down what’s happening at the county in plain English.

The June 2 agenda may not contain major controversies, but it includes important decisions involving behavioral health services, mobile home rent control procedures, bridge replacement projects, Sheriff boat patrol funding, elder abuse awareness, and homelessness planning. These may not make headlines, but they represent the day-to-day work of county government and have a direct impact on the services, infrastructure, and quality of life that residents depend on every day.

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One Week Left
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

One Week Left

We deserve more transparency, more communication, and more leadership that listens. As we enter the final week of this campaign, I’d like to share what that means to me and why I’m asking for your vote on June 2.

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What Kind Of Leadership Do We Want?
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

What Kind Of Leadership Do We Want?

This election is about more than a name on the ballot. It is about what kind of leadership District 3 deserves.

With June 2nd almost here, I’m asking voters to choose full time focus, clear communication, open discussion, and representation for all of us.

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More Than Just a “Business Owner”
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

More Than Just a “Business Owner”

“Business Owner” is what appears on the ballot, but Tim McCaffrey’s story is rooted in decades of community work, local business, youth mentorship, tourism, nonprofit service, and volunteer leadership.

I may not talk about it often, but the experience is there.. From Dodge Ridge to local newspapers, at risk youth programs, Strawberry Music Festival, Twain Harte Homeowners, and countless community projects, his work has always been about service, connection, and helping District 3 thrive.

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Before the Vote Is Called
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

Before the Vote Is Called

This election is about more than who holds the seat. It is about what kind of leadership we expect from the person sitting in it.

With ballots arriving today, this week’s we look at full time commitment, transparency, public safety, emergency preparedness, and why decisions should be made openly with the people of Tuolumne County in mind.

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Breakdown of Michael Roberson’s Questions
Tim McCaffrey Tim McCaffrey

Breakdown of Michael Roberson’s Questions

Former Tuolumne County employee Michael Roberson is asking the Board of Supervisors direct questions about transparency, budgeting, staffing, fire services, OES, and public trust. These are questions every resident deserves to understand.

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