Lassen County Office of Education - Lassen County Government

Lassen County Government

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Lassen County is one of California's 58 counties. It is the fifth largest in size. The county was created in April 1, 1864. County government provides services like: fire protection, law enforcement, road building and repair, animal control, tax collecting, child protective services, and running elections for local offices as well as elections for national offices like President of the United States.

Our county is governed by five people, called Supervisors. They are elected from the districts where they live. This group of Supervisors is called the Board of Supervisors. The districts are as follows:

District: 1
Name: Bob Pyle
Location: Westwood, Eagle Lake (Spaulding and Lake Forest), Richmond/Gold Run

District: 2
Name: Jim Chapman
Location: Susanville

District: 3
Name: Larry Wosick
Location: Johnstonville, Janesville, Milford, eastern Susanville

District: 4
Name: Brian Dahle
Location: Big Valley (Bieber), Eagle Lake (Stones), northern Susanville

District: 5
Name: Jack Hanson
Location: Doyle, Herlong, Madeline, Standish, Litchfield

The five Supervisors are elected for a term of four years. Elections are only in even numbered years. The terms are staggered so usually only two or three Supervisors are up for election at any one time. Each year, the Supervisors elect who will serve as Chairman, or main spokesperson for the group.

The Board of Supervisors is responsible for governing the entire county except for Susanville. The Supervisors meet three or four times a month. They create a budget which tells how money is spent. They also decide how land is used and administer state programs like welfare and medical aid. The County provides a public defender, a lawyer, for those who can't afford to hire one.

There are other elections to help govern the people living in Lassen County. These people are elected for four year terms.

Office: Sheriff/Coroner
Name: Dean Growdon
Responsibilities: hires deputies, investigates crimes and deaths, maintains the jail

Office: Clerk/Recorder
Name: Julie Bustamante
Responsibilities: runs elections, records births and deaths, assists the Board of Supervisors

Office: Auditor
Name: Karen Fouch
Responsibilities: manages the county budget and writes checks for payments

Office: Assessor
Name: Kenneth Bunch
Responsibilities: determines property value and property lines

Office: Tax Collector
Name: Richard Egan
Responsibilities: collects taxes and makes sure everyone pays

Office: District Attorney
Name: Robert Burns
Responsibilities: prosecutes people who may have broken laws

Office: Superior Court Judges (There are 2 of them)
Name: Michele Verderosa and F. Donald Sokol
Responsibilities: responsible for managing trials of suspected criminals, handle divorces, civil suits, and juvenile cases

Lassen County's offices exist to help its residents. It provides guidelines so all are treated fairly and a process to complain if people believe they have not been treated fairly. It provides law and order for the areas outside of Susanville.

Information presented on this page was researched and contributed by:

Holly Azevado
Marilyn Chapman
Heather Cluck

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