The following is a column submitted by Mendocino County 3rd District Supervisor John Haschak. The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the Mendocino Voice.
For those who know Laytonville, Jim Shields was behind most all community events. There wasn’t an economic incentive, he wasn’t angling for another job. Jim just wanted to make government work for the people. He was relentless in advocating for those who needed help, whether it was navigating bureaucracy or guidance on how to get something done.
Jim was the publisher of the Mendocino County Observer. His “Political Type” column was a must-read. He always informed the reader of the critical issues of the day and often gave history lessons as background. His knowledge was endless. Jim and I love history. We were both history majors in college. He would often say something to the effect of “Well, of course you studied history and remember the such and such act of 1842.”
My response would be “Jim, could you just remind me a bit about that?” and of course he would.
We also shared a love of basketball. We both played in our younger years. I fondly remember eating dinner and watching a Warriors game with Jim in the old Boomers. His mind was so incredibly sharp.
Jim and I were both union guys. Jim was proud of his involvement in the airlines’ union and had so many tales to tell. I am sure that he was an incredibly effective advocate for his union. He could tell a story of negotiations and then relate it to a current issue as if it happened yesterday. Jim’s recall was exceptional.
Jim cared deeply about local and county government. He called himself an advocate for good government. For many years, Jim had his Saturday afternoon radio show on KPFN. Once a month, he would ask me to be on the show. He was a talking encyclopedia. I had to have my facts straight before going on with Jim. He was opinionated in a positive, constructive, solution-oriented way. Talking with Jim often gave me a new way of looking at an issue.
I talked to Jim the afternoon before his passing. We were working on how to solve a rash of anonymous code enforcement complaints in Laytonville. He had the paper to finish up yet he still had time to talk. It wasn’t self-interest that motivated Jim. He wanted to solve problems for the community. And when we hung up as often happens, we had a coordinated, agreed-upon path forward. I will certainly miss his thoughts, opinions and guidance on so many issues.
Jim was the emcee for the supervisorial debates and redistricting town halls. He served as the chair of the Laytonville Municipal Advisory Council. He and his wife founded the North Polar Toy Express in Laytonville to ensure that kids got at least one present. I could go on and on about his contributions to the Laytonville community and to the county. Jim’s community-oriented activism will have to inspire us all to do more locally because his are big shoes to fill.
There will be a Talk with the Supervisor on Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. in Brickhouse Coffee in Willits. You can always contact me at email haschakj@mendocinocounty.gov or call 707-972-4214.