An update to yesterday’s post. I had resent my questions, highlighted in green for easy reading, to Supervisor Kirk after I’d received a notice that Kittrell would not be in his office until next Tuesday. He responded,
With regard to your question in green. The matter approved by the Board of Supervisors was related to patients in our Psychiatric Health Facility which is an inpatient, acute psychiatric hospital (16 beds). This facility is run by my department and is funded with State realignment dollars we receive from the State as part of the department’s total budget – most of it Federal and State monies. This is a Medi-Cal eligible facility so we also receive some Medi-cal reimbursement for Medi-Cal clients. The particular agency that oversees County Behavioral Health Departments is the California State Department of Healthcare Services. Also, you inquired about documents or reports. The staff report related to this particular item that went before the board is available at the Board of Supervisor’s website, as well as video of the BOS meeting. I have included a link for your convenience.
http://buttecounty.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=296&meta_id=48717
With regard to your questions regarding law enforcement. I did inquire to the Chico Police and at this time there does not seem to be movement towards a substation. I would recommend getting in touch with their department for any further details.
Okay, there’s the answer. This is a move to get more money from the state and feds. Kittrell says it won’t cost the county any more – like so many public workers he plays ignorant to the fact that we pay the state and federal taxes too. The report does not include any dollar amounts.
As for my question about the substation, he never really listened to what I was asking. I sent him the link to the interview with “Police Department Business Support Team” leader Jack Van Rossum. I told him the police claimed they spent so much time with drunks and mentally ill people brought in off the street they needed a special room where they could sit and “fill out reports.” They were also asking for special communication equipment because, they say, their cellphones will not work in the hospital. Meanwhile Kittrell was claiming that BH staffers are sent to Enloe to collect these patients. That sounds like a disconnect between the Behavioral Health department and the cops. I’ve asked Kittrell one more time, how long does it take for a staffer to get to Enloe to relieve the cops of these patients, we’ll see if he gets back to me. He just seems to be avoiding the question, because, as he told me in a previous e-mail, ” I have been working with the new Chief of Police and it has been helpful to have a collaborative relationship with his department.”
Yes, they collaborate like a string quartet – fiddling while Chico burns.
Chico Taxpayers Association 
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