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Previously:

• Following Billboard Vandalism, BLM Demonstrators Take Rally to Harbor, Plan Further Action

• Billboard Complaints Reach Harbor District

• Protesters Speak Out Against Roger Gitlin Following 'Racist Bigoted' Facebook Posts

• Gitlin on Equality, Accountability Proclamation: 'I Am Present, That's My Vote'

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Two California Endowment-funded billboards continued to generate debate at the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors level on Tuesday.

Though she didn’t mention the billboards, and the“Black Lives Matter” and “End Racism” messages they contain specifically, Del Norte Republican Central Committee Chair Karen Sanders read a July 21 proclamation from the party into the record.

The Republican Central Committee’s proclamation calls for “policies and best practices that foster good public behavior and decorum by government, law enforcement, residents and guests.”

Also on Tuesday two county residents and District 1 Supervisor Roger Gitlin called the billboards intolerant and divisive. Board of Supervisors chairman, Gerry Hemmingsen made a statement defending Gitlin’s right to his opinions, though, Hemmingsen said, those opinions don’t reflect the opinion of the Board of Supervisors as a whole.

“While myself, Supervisor Howard and Supervisor Cowan clearly indicated our disagreement with his statements and actions, there was sentiment that we should somehow stop Roger from continuing his divisive ways,” Hemmingsen said, referring to his colleagues Chris Howard and Lori Cowan. “Roger has a legal right to say and post his personal position. That’s his right under our Constitution and I agree and support that 100 percent. However, he does not speak for this Board and certainly does not represent the opinion of others who sit on this Board.”

Hemmingsen also explained how the Board of Supervisors’ rules interpret a “present” vote Gitlin cast in response to a July 14 proclamation “in support of equality and accountability.” Gitlin’s “present” vote is equivalent to a “no” vote, Hemmingsen said.

“While this board cannot remove Roger from his elected position, we can and I am stating my opposition to his divisive actions and hurtful comments,” Hemmingsen said, pointing out that Gitlin will be leaving office at the end of the year. “Since I realize it’s highly unlikely that Roger will step down, I hope the residents of our community see (what) the majority of the Board stands for and focus on the positive work that’s being done by our Board and our employees.”

The California Endowment has paid for billboards like the ones at the Crescent City Harbor and near South Beach off U.S. 101 throughout the Golden State, according to Geneva Wiki, senior program manager for Building Healthy Communities, a 14-community initiative the endowment funds. They urge Californians to wear masks to help stop the spread of COVID-19, Wiki said in an email to the Wild Rivers Outpost on Tuesday.

“The billboards are located in urban, suburban and rural areas of the state,” she said. “We have not experienced any pushback on the messages with the exception of Del Norte.”

The California Endowment has previously paid for billboards including people to vote, promoting the efforts of Building Healthy Communities, which has operated in Del Norte County since 2010, Wiki said. Previous California Endowments have also contained information about the U.S. Census and public school funding, she said.

Local pushback against the billboards include someone spray painting over the “Black Lives Matter’ mask on the sign at the harbor.

Opposition also includes two Facebook posts from Gitlin who pointed out that the signs don’t have a reference to “European-American inclusion,” denounced the “racist mindset of the California Endowment” and said they were exclusionary and polarizing.

On July 28, though he urged people to send their complaints to Wiki, Gitlin discouraged people from vandalizing the billboards.

“I absolutely and emphatically condemn anyone who would deface or destroy the displays,” he said. “That misguided gesture is unhelpful and simply wrong.”

Other local actions regarding the California Endowment’s billboards include the Crescent City Harbor District Board of Commissioners rejecting asking the organization to remove the billboards.

Following the billboard's vandalism, demonstrators held a “Black Lives Matter” rally at the harbor on Sunday.

In a Monday letter to Gitlin, California Endowment CEO, Dr. Robert K. Ross, acknowledged his first amendment rights "to express an opinion about these signs."

Ross listed BHC programs and efforts in Del Norte County, including helping the Crescent City Harbor District find funding to rebuild after the 2011 tsunami. He said the billboards' messages reflect the Endowments' belief that "all peopel deserve the best chance to live a long and healthy life.":

"...when residents come together around values of equity and belonging with a belief all people deserve the best chance to live a long healthy life. We believe our billboard messages are just about that. It is unfortunate you have chosen to spread messages of hate and divisiveness at a time when we demand our elected leaders foster greater understanding and ope. We are saddened by the letters of vitriol we have received from your supporters who are emboldened by your actions.

The California Endowment stands with Del NOrte leaders: Elected, youth, Tribal, immigrants, refugees and residents, who have denounced your hate speech."

Gitlin continued to express his disapproval of the billboards on Tuesday, though he said he appreciated their message urging people to "mask-up" to prevent COVID-19 from spreading.

“The fact is, all lives matter, folks, including black, white, yellow, red, brown, and any pigment of one’s skin color,” he said. “It’s disheartening that the California Endowment has closely associated itself with Black Lives Matter, which negates all the good it has done in Del Norte County over the past two decades.”

The Del Norte Republican Central Committee’s proclamation references George Floyd, an African American man whose May 25 death after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for roughly eight minutes sparked nationwide protests.

The proclamation also references the COVID-19 lockdown, saying it has “created a perfect storm for domestic terrorists, anarchists and common criminalsal to take advantage of the situation to create mayhem and fear.”

During public comment, county resident Susan Kozak said catagorizing Gitlin’s comments regarding the billboards as divisive “depends on who you are.”

Calling the billboards divisive, Kozak said she contacted Outfront Media, who owns the billboards, and informed her that they approve their design and messaging and “there can be nothing political” on them.

“(That) is pretty strange to me because that billboard down there is definitely political,” Kozak said, adding that she disagrees with vandalizing the signs. “I just found out that Del Norte County traditionally votes Republican, so there are more registered Republicans in this town than there are Democrats, and I guess, you know that billboard is very divisive.”

Del Norte County and Yurok tribal lands are one of 14 communities chosen to receive California Endowment funding as part of its $1 billion Building Healthy Communities Initiative. Locally, BHC has spearheaded candidate forums, literacy symposiums and has supported organizations like First 5 Del Norte and the Community Food Council.

Documents:

• Letter to Roger Gitlin from The California Endowment

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