Del Norte Employees Association President Norma Williams accused county supervisors on Tuesday of being stingy when it comes to increasing salaries for rank and file employees. | Screenshot

Norma Williams said she didn’t begrudge anyone a raise, but she criticized a proposal to increase department managers’ pay by 5 percent.

Williams, president of the Del Norte County Employees Association SEIU 1021, accused the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday of being “pretty damn stingy” when it comes to increasing pay for rank and file employees — those who do the bulk of the work and interact with the public the most, she says.

“We’re the ones the public sees … when they walk up to a reception desk over at Health and Human Services when they’re coming in for aid or when they go to Behavioral Health when they’re in a mental health crisis,” she said. “Far be it for me to say no to those higher up than us. However, they’re not the ones doing what we’re doing and, yet, when it comes to negotiating for salary increases, we’re being told to wait because of a salary analysis, which we all know is going to tell you the same thing — we’re underpaid.”

District 4 Supervisor Joey Borges was absent. Among the items discussed at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting:

CDBG Application: Del Norte County will pursue a total of $600,000 in Community Development Block Grant dollars to allocate to CASA of Del Norte and the Del Norte Senior Center’s nutrition program. Four members authorized Administrative Services Manager Toni Self to submit the CDBG applications to the California Department of Housing and Community Development.

According to Self, HCD announced in August that $34 million was available through the federally-funded CDBG program. HCD began accepting applications on Oct. 29 and will announce award recipients next spring, Self said.

Though California’s election results aren’t certified yet, Del Norte’s representative in the State Assembly urged supervisors to build a relationship with his successor as early as possible.

During what was likely his final presentation to the Board of Supervisors before a new assemblyman is sworn in on Dec. 2, Jim Wood urged supervisors to make a list of priorities, work with similar counties to build a coalition and reach out “sooner rather than later.”

“I’m not sure if my Assembly seat’s been called, but the numbers favor Mr. Rogers — not the guy in the sweater, but a different Mr. Rogers,” said Wood, who represents California’s 2nd Assembly District and was Speaker pro tempore during the 2023-24 year. “It’s important that a relationship begin as early as possible. I hope he meets with all of you. If he [doesn’t] I’m going to find out and make sure he does.”