Supervisor, District 5· 2023-01-02 - 2027-01-04
Benjamin Stopper
Calaveras County
No biography on file yet.
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 5
- Total speaking time
- 23:29
- Avg per meeting
- 4:42
- Segments
- 473
Want every word Stopper has said?
The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Stopper said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.
Top issues during term (20)
Fire District Funding Reductions
About $512,500 total restored to fire districts from one-time reserves; the county's structural deficit sits at $4.86 million.
Cannabis cultivation tax reduction extension
About $400,000 in new annual revenue if adopted.
Gann Fire Local Emergency
About $7.1 million in structural losses plus roughly $330,000 in government costs, with reimbursement expected to take two to three years.
Data center development moratorium extension
West Point library services
$59,000 in restored staffing hours; a one-year bookmobile position funded privately.
FY 2026-27 county budget adoption
About $2.63 million in staffing savings, with an $8.7 million deficit bridged by one-time funds.
Foothill Terrace affordable housing / SRHA agreement
$1.75 million in REAP 2.0 grant funds, plus about $330,000 in remaining funds, are in play for local housing.
Justice-behavioral health collaborative grant
PATH funds must be obligated by end of 2026 or returned to the state; the lease includes ADA improvement costs.
District 5 road resurfacing and Pennsylvania Gulch sidewalk
SB 1 funds are committed, but paving all of Baldwin could require more money than budgeted.
Transient occupancy tax distributions to Chamber and Visitors Bureau
Roughly $50,000 in county TOT funding supports the chamber's programs.
Repeal of Chapter 20.10 — Lake Tulloch regulations
Potential litigation costs and loss of reservoir protections; Tri-Dam warns the Tulloch FERC license itself could be at risk.
New Animal Services Facility Financing
Up to $10 million borrowed, roughly $605,000 a year for 30 years at 4.39% — potentially $23 million total over the life of the loan.
SR 26 / Olive Orchard Road Intersection Safety
No county cost — the plan is designed to win grants that fund the projects.
National 4-H Week and youth development
Proposed Double Springs battery energy storage system
Suicide prevention and recovery awareness
County Workforce Vacancies and Recruitment (AB 2561)
No salary changes, but heavy HR staff time to rewrite policies.
County Archives Funding
Roughly $340,000 in repair needs identified, with no funding decision yet.
property acquisition for Foundry Lane infrastructure project
While the exact purchase price isn't highlighted, investing in this infrastructure should eventually pay off by boosting local business and property values.
Building department fee restructuring
Up to about $808,000 in additional cost recovery if fees are set at full cost recovery.
Decisions during term (279)
Recorded while Stopper was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.
Consent agenda (remainder)
Adopt FY 2026-27 county budget (Item 8)
TOT distribution to Calaveras Chamber of Commerce — $50,000 (Item 13)
TOT distribution to Calaveras Visitors Bureau — $350,000 (Item 14)
Behavioral health grant application — up to $3 million (Item 17)
Extend 60% cannabis cultivation tax reduction through 2030 (Item 18)
Position control list changes for FY 2026-27 budget (Item 31)
Extend data center development moratorium (Item 32)
Proclamation — National 4-H Week, October 4-10, 2026 (Item 3)
Proclamation: September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Proclamation: September as Recovery Happens Month
Proclamation: Red Cross and volunteers for GAN fire service
Consent agenda (Item 6 pulled)
Ordinance rescinding Chapter 20.10 (Lake Tulloch) — continued
Consent Agenda (items 3-10, 12, 14, 15)
Traffic Order No. 333 — California Street one-way extension (Item 11)
Caltrans Cooperative Agreement — SR 26/Olive Orchard Road intersection (Item 13)
Ratification of Gann Fire Local State of Emergency (Item 19)
Health FSA Limit Increase (Item 16)
Cannabis Cultivation Tax Rate Ordinance (Item 18)
Voting record (214)
Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.