December 30, 1970 (12 pages)

Nellie Kammerer, Nevada County's "dedicated" public. guardian will retire Thursday after 11 years of formal service to the county. . Mrs,.Kammerer was the first person to hold the post in Nevada county, and supervisors decided to put public guardianship under the Social Services Department when her retirement is effective. The board ordered that a resolution of appreciation be directed to Mrs, Kammerer, and that "something be put in about her many years of devoted care to people in need." However, there are some facts that the resolution will not convey because they were history before Nellie received any ‘ pay for her interest in people and their troubles, There are. those who collect stamps or fossilized bones as a hobby, but Mrs. Kammerer collected troubles and hard/ ships and solved them many years before she was appointed to her post. Lacking an official title, she was designated as western Nevada County's "welfare director without portfolio" before she received a paid appointment, Over a span of 22 years before that time, Mrs, Kammerer obtained food, funds, clothing, furniture, bedding, gasoline, or medication for nearly 8,000 people. Hundreds of firemen, police officers, social workers, civic leaders and clubwomen who came upon families in need had one stock comment: "We'd better get in touch with Nellie right away." Often it was 3 a.m., but Nellie arose cheerfully and went into action quickly and effiiently. Mrs, Kammerer hastened to explain that her work never overlapped or conflicted with the functions ‘of regular agencies -in fact she worked closely with them. Her welfare formula prior to the day she became guardian (and afterwards) deviated slightly from the policies of some agencies, It was simple. Cold and hungry people, especially children should be fed and clothed immediately. Questions concerning qualifications could be asked later. Before she became public guardian, she arranged with an earlier board of supervisors for use of a section of the county barn for storage of stoves, chairs, beds, bedding, tables, utensils, dishes, refrigerators and other emergency essentials, "If a destitute family was burned out of its home, we could have obtained shelter and furnished a house in a matter of a few hours," Mrs, Kammerer recalls. When there was need for cash, she had a small drawing fund collected by the Nevada City volent Society. Nellie’s by-word is and was speed. Official agencies often are restricted by red tape requiring days or even months for processing cases. When. she was "guardian without portfolio" she had food on the table and new shoes on the children while other agencies were examining the family’s qualifications. Mrs, Kammerer recalls that one her proudest moments was after she discovered a woman blinded by cataracts did not qualify for one reason or another for surgical aid. By a series of manipulations and exerting pressure at the right places, she had the woman transferred to a Sacramento institution. The cataracts were removed, and the woman regained 20-20-vision. In another. case involving a Polish refugee with four children whose discouraged husband had committed suicide, the woman was established in a modest home which eventually she owned. One important source of strength for Mrs. Kammerer's earlier work came from anonymous donations. The gifts carried simple messages like "carry on," Mrs, Kammerer recalled. The unidentified but liberal doners knew Mrs, Kammerer's "unofficial welfare agency" had no salaries, mileage, office rent, or. heat and light costs. They knew that "'the Nellie administered welfare dollar went 100% for welfare," After she became the public guardian, Mrs, Kammerer was named honorary lifetime president of the California Association of Public Guardians, The statewide honor was awarded to her during a convention of the California Association of Public Guardians, Coroners and Administrators in Santa Cruz some years ago. Mrs, Kammerer was. the first president of the state association and for many years was the only woman guardian. The Nevada City Soroptimist Club in 1958 awarded her an honorary membership based on her "countless acts of kindness and help to others," This award was made in the form of a resume of "This is Your Life," and was narrated by Elsie Nile. Mrs, Nile told of a "woman born in England who moved to Canada at the age of br and to the United States at the age of 18." As Mrs, Nile continued she noted the "good works" of a woman who had helped more than 8,000 people during her 22 years as "guardian without portfolio." Sheriff Wayne Brown, Attorney William Cassettari (then with the district attorney's office), and representatives of the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce Auxiliary, and the Nevada City Women's Civic Club and the press were present the day the Soroptimists honored Mrs, Kammerer, according to a report from The Union of Jan, 16, 1958, THE BEST MOVE YOU EVER MADE 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE Nellie Kraesacar Sierra choice in process All elements of the Sierra College campus are having a voice in the choice of a new president, but the final decis-. ion still will have to be made by the trustees, This was reported to Grass Valley Rotarians Monday by Dr. Harold Weaver, who will retire as Sierra president in June, Because Dr. Weaver didn't want to get too closely involved in choosing his successor, a retired outside educator has been retained to’ give officials direction in the selection. He is Dr. Wallace Hall of West Valley College. Dr. Hall won't pick the new president, however; his task will be to provide smooth procedures and offer professional advice, Just about everyone at Sierra will be represented inthe selection process as two teams have been formed to review applications, They are made up of teachers, ‘students, classified people and administrators, When these teams agree on six names they can recommend, that list will go to the trustees, If the board agrees on a man, he will be hired. Ifnot, theteams will be asked to consider other people, By the middle of last week, :36 people had applied for the job, Dr. Weaver said, Applications will close on Jan, 8, followed by evaluations and trustee action. The process should be completed and a new superintendent hired by mid-March, ‘Dr, Weaver indicated. He proposed the concept of having review teams represent . various aspects of the college life so that when a new man is hired “everyone will be happy, hopefully, who is involved with the district." Dr. Weaver also explored in more detail the reason a "mini campus" cannot be located in the Golden Empire in the immediate future, The reason is money, or rather a lack of it. The district faced a 6 1/2 per cent increase in faculty pay this year, but only a 3 per cent increase in state — support and had 14 per cent more students, he said, The district probably will have to dip into reserves to meet this year's expenses and will be asking instructors to. take a few more students in each class during the spring to reduce unit costs. "Next year we will have to do more of this," Dr. Weaver said, .""We have to reduce unit costs or get more money. We are wringing almost all we can out of you now, I know of no way to get more from the state. The only way to do it is get more kids and more average daily attendance support." His studies of other "minicampuses". indicated they are expensive to operate atfirst with . lower enrollments. and conversely higher unit costs thanthe main campus, Thus, thepresident is unable‘to say whenGrass Valley Nevada City can expect -a college campus, :

Nellie Kammerer, Nevada County's "dedicated" public. guardian will retire Thursday after 11 years of formal service to the county. .. Mrs,..Kammerer was the first person to hold the post in Nevada county, and supervisors decided to put public guardianship under the Social Services Department when her retirement is effective. The board ordered that a resolution of appreciation be directed to Mrs, Kammerer, and that "something be put in about her many years of devoted care to people in need." However, there are some facts that the resolution will not convey because they were history before Nellie received any ‘ pay for her interest in people and their troubles, There are. those who collect stamps or fossilized bones as a hobby, but Mrs. Kammerer collected troubles and hard/ ships and solved them many years before she was appointed to her post. Lacking an official title, she was designated as western Nevada County's "welfare director without portfolio" before she received a paid appointment, Over a span of 22 years before that time, Mrs, Kammerer obtained food, funds, clothing, furniture, bedding, gasoline, or medication for nearly 8,000 people. Hundreds of firemen, police officers, social workers, civic leaders and clubwomen who came upon families in need had one stock comment: "We'd better get in touch with Nellie right away." Often it was 3 a.m., but Nellie arose cheerfully and went into action quickly and effiiently. Mrs, Kammerer hastened to explain that her work never overlapped or conflicted with the functions ‘of regular agencies -in fact she worked closely with them. Her welfare formula prior to the day she became guardian (and afterwards) deviated slightly from the policies of some agencies, It was simple. Cold and hungry people, especially children should be fed and clothed immediately. Questions concerning qualifications could be asked later. Before she became public guardian, she arranged with an earlier board of supervisors for use of a section of the county barn for storage of stoves, chairs, beds, bedding, tables, utensils, dishes, refrigerators and other emergency essentials, "If a destitute family was burned out of its home, we could have obtained shelter and furnished a house in a matter of a few hours," Mrs, Kammerer recalls. When there was need for cash, she had a small drawing fund collected by the Nevada City volent Society. Nellie’s by-word is and was speed. Official agencies often are restricted by red tape requiring days or even months for processing cases. When. she was "guardian without portfolio" she had food on the table and new shoes on the children while other agencies were examining the family’s qualifications. Mrs, Kammerer recalls that one her proudest moments was after she discovered a woman blinded by cataracts did not qualify for one reason or another for surgical aid. By a series of manipulations and exerting pressure at the right places, she had the woman transferred to a Sacramento institution. The cataracts were removed, and the woman regained 20-20-vision. In another. case involving a Polish refugee with four children whose discouraged husband had committed suicide, the woman was established in a modest home which eventually she owned. One important source of strength for Mrs. Kammerer's earlier work came from anonymous donations. The gifts carried simple messages like "carry on," Mrs, Kammerer recalled. The unidentified but liberal doners knew Mrs, Kammerer's "unofficial welfare agency" had no salaries, mileage, office rent, or. heat and light costs. They knew that "'the Nellie administered welfare dollar went 100% for welfare," After she became the public guardian, Mrs, Kammerer was named honorary lifetime president of the California Association of Public Guardians, The statewide honor was awarded to her during a convention of the California Association of Public Guardians, Coroners and Administrators in Santa Cruz some years ago. Mrs, Kammerer was. the first president of the state association and for many years was the only woman guardian. The Nevada City Soroptimist Club in 1958 awarded her an honorary membership based on her "countless acts of kindness and help to others," This award was made in the form of a resume of "This is Your Life," and was narrated by Elsie Nile. Mrs, Nile told of a "woman born in

England who moved to Canada at the age of br and to the United States at the age of 18." As Mrs, Nile continued she noted the "good works" of a woman who had helped more than 8,000 people during her 22 years as "guardian without portfolio." Sheriff Wayne Brown, Attorney William Cassettari (then with the district attorney's office), and representatives of the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce Auxiliary, and the Nevada City Women's Civic Club and the press were present the day the Soroptimists honored Mrs, Kammerer, according to a report from The Union of Jan, 16, 1958, THE BEST MOVE YOU EVER MADE 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE Nellie Kraesacar Sierra choice in process All elements of the Sierra College campus are having a voice in the choice of a new president, but the final decis-. ion still will have to be made by the trustees, This was reported to Grass Valley Rotarians Monday by Dr. Harold Weaver, who will retire as Sierra president in June, Because Dr. Weaver didn't want to get too closely involved in choosing his successor, a retired outside educator has been retained to’ give officials direction in the selection. He is Dr. Wallace Hall of West Valley College. Dr. Hall won't pick the new president, however; his task will be to provide smooth procedures and offer professional advice, Just about everyone at Sierra will be represented inthe selection process as two teams have been formed to review applications, They are made up of teachers, ‘students, classified people and administrators, When these teams agree on six names they can recommend, that list will go to the trustees, If the board agrees on a man, he will be hired. Ifnot, theteams will be asked to consider other people, By the middle of last week, :36 people had applied for the job, Dr. Weaver said, Applications will close on Jan, 8, followed by evaluations and trustee action. The process should be completed and a new superintendent hired by mid-March, ‘Dr, Weaver indicated. He proposed the concept of having review teams represent . various aspects of the college life so that when a new man is hired “everyone will be happy, hopefully, who is involved with the district." Dr. Weaver also explored in more detail the reason a "mini campus" cannot be located in the Golden Empire in the immediate future, The reason is money, or rather a lack of it. The district faced a 6 1/2 per cent increase in faculty pay this year, but only a 3 per cent increase in state — support and had 14 per cent more students, he said, The district probably will have to dip into reserves to meet this year's expenses and will be asking instructors to. take a few more students in each class during the spring to reduce unit costs. "Next year we will have to do more of this," Dr. Weaver said, .""We have to reduce unit costs or get more money. We are wringing almost all we can out of you now, I know of no way to get more from the state. The only way to do it is get more kids and more average daily attendance support." His studies of other "minicampuses". indicated they are expensive to operate atfirst with . lower enrollments. and conversely higher unit costs thanthe main campus, Thus, thepresident is unable‘to say whenGrass Valley Nevada City can expect -a college campus, :