Mendo Local Candidates Forum: Board of Supervisors District Five

Three candidates. Six questions. Two-minute answers. Sponsored by Mendo Local Public Media and the Independent Coast Observer.

Three candidates vying to represent District 5 on the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors — Kevin Evans, Ted Williams, and Todd Lyly — participated in an election forum Monday, April 6, sponsored by Mendo Local Public Media and the Independent Coast Observer. The candidates addressed issues ranging from economic development and how to generate more and better-paying jobs to housing, public safety, and equitable uses of taxpayer funds.

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INTRODUCTIONS

The forum opened with each candidate giving a brief statement about their background and their motivation for running for office. Each candidate was given two minutes for introductions and two minutes to answer each question that followed.

Kevin Evans
Kevin Evans said he is running out of concern for the county’s financial future following a recent state audit, emphasizing the need for better tracking of revenue sources to ensure sustainable funding for essential services like housing, roads, and public safety.

Ted Williams
Incumbent Ted Williams highlighted his experience and institutional knowledge, arguing that effective leadership requires understanding the limits of the Board of Supervisors’ authority and building relationships across independently elected departments to achieve progress.

Todd Lyly
Todd Lyly emphasized his lifelong local roots and business experience, saying he entered the race in response to community frustration with high permitting costs, slow processes, and concerns about water and development policies driving residents and businesses out of the county.

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QUESTION ONE

What specific actions would you, as the District 5 supervisor, take to bring more jobs to the district, and which sectors would you prioritize?

Kevin Evans
Kevin Evans said he would prioritize sectors like agriculture, tourism, and healthcare while advocating for reduced permit fees and a streamlined process for workforce housing.

Todd Lyly
Todd Lyly called for the revitalization of traditional industries, such as timber harvesting and manufacturing, to create a stable tax base for the county.

Ted Williams
Ted Williams emphasized the opportunity created by the General Plan update to create conditions where people are willing to invest, hire, and build. He spoke about aligning zoning, reducing uncertainty, and allowing the public to shape growth in order to preserve the character of the coast. He said one practical step forward would be to allow licensed professionals to self-certify certain permits like other counties do.

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QUESTION TWO

What’s your thinking on balancing the development of more affordable housing for locals versus preserving a robust visitor housing supply?

Ted Williams
Ted Williams argued that the visitor economy and affordable housing must be viewed together as balanced needs and suggested that investing in infrastructure like water and sewer systems is the best way to lower development costs.

Kevin Evans
Kevin Evans supported existing short-term rentals but expressed concern about an influx of outside investors. He warned that existing short-term rental operations could become oversaturated while the cost of affordable housing increases, and he noted the impact on emergency and healthcare facilities. He proposed a formula to prioritize long-term workforce housing development.

Todd Lyly
Todd Lyly contended that a stable base of year-round jobs is the most important factor, as tourism alone cannot sustain the services the county requires.

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QUESTION THREE

What is your position on low-impact camping and short-term rentals?

Todd Lyly
Todd Lyly declined to take a specific position on these ordinances, stating that he had not yet had the opportunity to research their actual impact on the local economy.

Ted Williams
Ted Williams supported a regulated, legally defensible approach that protects neighborhoods while recognizing that tax revenue from these activities currently funds volunteer fire districts. He noted the difference between local residents renting part of their home for extra income and large-scale commercial operators.

Kevin Evans
Kevin Evans said he supported the rights of property owners to develop their properties as they see fit. At the same time, he said he opposed uses that negatively affect the quality of life for neighborhood residents or place an undue burden on emergency services or county staff responsible for enforcement.

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QUESTION FOUR

A lot of attention is paid to the Potter Valley dam decommissioning, but District 5 has its own challenges with water. Should the county pay more attention to water scarcity in District 5, and if so, what would you suggest as solutions?

Todd Lyly
Todd Lyly suggested that the county explore the use of desalination plants and increased storage capacity to meet future water needs.

Kevin Evans
Kevin Evans noted that District 5 is facing significant water issues along both its coast and inland areas, primarily due to drought and resource management challenges. He recommended that the county act as a “pipeline” for state and federal funding to assist independent local water districts with infrastructure projects.

Ted Williams
Ted Williams said District 5 water needs deserve more attention given limited storage, aging systems, and seasonal variability. He added that the most effective solutions will require local leadership. He noted there has been discussion about countywide taxes to support needs related to the Potter Valley Project but said it would not be appropriate for coastal communities to subsidize commercial agricultural water use elsewhere when they have their own unmet needs.

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QUESTION FIVE

Healthcare policy is determined primarily by the California Legislature and the federal government and often doesn’t reflect the needs of rural counties. What can the Board of Supervisors do, if anything, to change that?

Kevin Evans
Kevin Evans advocated for the county to fund its share of social programs like SNAP and IHSS while acting as a local advocate within the framework of state and federal regulations.

Ted Williams
Ted Williams noted that the county can improve care by ensuring county policies do not make it more difficult to deliver services and by coordinating with providers to avoid duplicating services. He also said health care access follows economic stability, so improving local health care means strengthening the local economy.

Todd Lyly
Todd Lyly argued that building a stronger local tax base is the best way for the county to address healthcare needs.

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QUESTION SIX

Mendocino County spends a disproportionate amount of resources on public safety, addressing activity that tends to be concentrated in discrete areas geographically remote from District 5. Is there a way to reallocate resources so that District 5’s property taxes are spent proportionately on the district’s actual needs?

Ted Williams
Ted Williams contended that public safety resources must be allocated based on countywide need. He noted that even if resources were distributed disproportionately, other supervisors would be unlikely to support reducing funding in their own districts.

Todd Lyly
Todd Lyly reiterated the need for a strong economy and the importance of helping the hamlet of Potter Valley (District 1) address the consequences of the Potter Valley Project decommissioning.

Kevin Evans
Kevin Evans argued that District 5 disproportionately funds the county through taxes and called for a more proportional distribution of funds, specifically mentioning the need to support rural fire districts.

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CLOSING STATEMENTS

Todd Lyly
Todd Lyly called for a collaborative approach in which the unique benefits and resources of each district are developed to support the county as a whole, specifically highlighting tourism, water, and timber harvesting.

Ted Williams
Ted Williams said there are easy answers that sound good, but governing requires understanding constraints, building consensus, and delivering results. He advocated for surfacing the truth, even when it is unsettling.

Kevin Evans
Kevin Evans highlighted his 30 years of municipal government experience and pledged to bring transparency and professional management to the supervisor’s office.