The board of trustees of the Kern River Valley Public Cemetery District (KRVPCD) held its meeting Tuesday, July 9, at which time there were notable changes within the facilities, the staff had initiated, including room in the meeting area for visitors, as the Grand Jury Report specified the district needed.
During public Comments Jerry Moffat gave the board of trustees a letter from Laura Kyt, the district’s former office administrator, expressing that she thought district administrative employee, John Blythe could be censured saying that he provided misinformation in the official record of the KRVPCD, during a meeting, which was recorded during minutes. Her letter was not read aloud during the meeting that day. Her letter reads as follows:
Dear Board of Trustees,
This letter is sent to address the minutes of June 11, 2024 specifically on page 3 where in the Administrative Update John Blythe writes in the official record of the district and I quote, “Mr. Blythe also addressed areas of misinformation in last week’s edition of the Kern Valley Sun (6-5-24). He will refer to Mr. Brown if there have been any improprieties of monies collected/expensed from services between the district and the local mortuary.” I have read the June 5th publication of the Kern Valley Sun and there was no mention of improprieties in any article on that date. Therefore, this is a misleading or should I say misinformation statement to be included in the official record of the Kern River Valley Cemetery District. The sentence underlined above that was inserted in the statements of the administrative assistant John Blythe should be struck from the official record. When words are intended to cause harm to another or a local business there should be some oversight to protect the public from misleading information. There should also be some proof of the impropriety. I ask that the Board of Trustees censor Mr. Blythe from writing statements that could cause the public to assume that there is impropriety between the district and the local mortuary when there is no such proof and you will never find any such proof of impropriety. Please set the record straight. I request and expect that this letter become part of the district minutes as my public comment for today’s meeting.
Kindest regards, Laura Kyt
During district manager, Orion Sanders report to the board, Sanders suggested the district sell off some equipment it’s not using, such as a truck and tractor taking up space and he suggested that the district would need another operable truck to haul tree limbs.
Staff has been getting storage areas organized and cleared the offices and meeting room functioning with furnishings so visitors can comfortably attend board meetings and offices are more spacious.
Blythe said told the board that the CPA would be returning to reconcile fiscal year 2017-2018 as well as fiscal year 2018-2019 for the auditor. Blythe said the district still needed to get the site updated with bios and contact information on each trustee.
Sanders agreed that there needed to be contact email addresses for each trustee of the board listed on the district website. He said there were 5,000 unread emails in the district’s email he was recently going through.
Sanders said staff found some of the maps but they were still digging through files at the offices for a map of a portion of the rose garden.
Sanders told the trustees that the board doesn’t have specific responsibility overseeing staff, leaving the responsibility to the staff. Sanders recommended they assign a secretary of the board and a treasurer. The secretary would oversee if staff typed and posted minutes, and the board treasurer would oversee the financial budgets. Sanders said that ultimately the responsibility of following of the Brown Act falls on the board of directors and not on the staff.
Trustee Michael Ryan said the board cannot actually do the job of finances and secretary though they can oversee it. Blythe agreed with Ryan, explaining to Sanders that rule was Blythe’s reason for resigning the board to work at the district because trustees cannot do staff work.
Board member Kathy Agapiou said the trustees should have received a handbook of their responsibilities and the Brown Act from the Kern County Board of Supervisors. She said that she never received an actual description of her duties. “This has really been a struggle for me,” she said. She had every intention of helping. But wasn’t instructed regarding her office. Sanders pondered whether the county had instructions or training for the board.
Trustee Esteban Olivares said that board members only received training on a couple things. Chairman Harry Schutstz said he thought there wasn’t enough dialogue between the board and the Kern County Board of Supervisors.
Agapiou stated, “I’m trying to keep myself out of trouble. I’m trying to cover my tail. And I want to do the best job I can possibly do.” She came on board with time, desire, and willingness to participate in a public entity to the best of her ability. She said, “My hands have been tied to a degree because I have not had the training. Going to that seminar in San Diego was great, it was very helpful. More information than you can even imagine. I appreciated that opportunity. But honestly I feel like, to do the best job, I need the training, I need the backup, the knowledge.” She also said she needed a manual or instructions in writing to refer to.
Olivares said “As far as what I can tell the board would just be overseers as to what is happening with boots on the ground.” Blythe said he previously advocated for the board having bylaws. Sanders agreed it would be helpful to have bylaws describing the oversight needed. Blythe suggested they elect officers in August or September, assuming they decide to create those positions. Once they had a fifth trustee, in January, they would have a new chair, and they could have a new assistant or vice chair.
During director comments period board trustee Michael Ryan said, “Through the process that the board has gone through, and the pressure behind the scenes that was put on the board, that none of the public realized the full extent of, and the ramifications that could have developed and didn’t; because of the actions of the board, and especially with the new manager and secretary, and grounds person, that Blythe was bringing past due, California state required records…” He thanked new staff and Blythe for bringing everything up to date.
Olivares said in the last month there’s been more progress than in a year previous. “I love the self initiative that our new team has,” he said. He thanked the new team for being honest and transparent. “I’m happy with the team that we have right now,” he said.
Chair Harry Schutstz welcomed the new staff to the district and complimented their communication. “We all have the same goal to make the district the best it can be. You guys are remarkable and I thank you.”
The next regular scheduled meeting of the district was planned for August 13 at 1pm.
