County OKs All-Male Security For All-Male Bohemian Grove Event

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a contract for the sheriff's office to provide security outside the Bohemian Grove in Monte Rio for the annual men-only, two-week encampment, but not before the female majority of the five-member board objected to providing security for a club that excludes women. The county sheriff's office has contracted to provide security at the site since 2004, and the estimated cost for the encampment this July 10-28 is $151,127. The Bohemian Club reimburses the county for direct and indirect staff and vehicle costs.

Supervisor Shirlee Zane last week objected to the club's "blatant discrimination" when the contract was on the June 4 agenda, and Supervisors Lynda Hopkins and Susan Gorin also balked at approving it last week.

Hopkins, Zane and Gorin called for a legal opinion by the county counsel's office on the whether the county can legally contract with the Bohemian Club given the club's male-only membership.

"The discussion is legitimate," Gorin said last week.

Board Chair David Rabbitt last week favored approving the expense rather than unexpectedly postponing it, while Supervisor James Gore agreed to the postponement.

"This is a tough one," Rabbitt said.

Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick last week pressed for approval.

He said without a contract, the sheriff's office would still be required to respond to public safety calls at the Bohemian Grove and taxpayers would pay for it.

Without the contract that provides for four deputies at the grove, the sheriff's office would have to call upon deputies on patrol elsewhere to respond to law enforcement calls at the site, Essick said.

"We need approval today," Essick said last week. "This is just a way to be compensated for our service."

The annual summer encampment has previously drawn protests against the wealthy anonymous politicians, celebrities and businessmen inside.

On Tuesday, the board unanimously approved the contract that was revised by the County Counsel's Office.

The County Counsel's Office said the Sheriff's Office's authority to provide supplemental services only relates to law enforcement duties to enforce and investigating public offenses and does not extend to the club's private rules or policies unrelated to public offenses.

The contract the board was considering on June 4 authorized the Sheriff's Office to enforce trespass laws which are public offenses. That authorized sheriff's deputies to act as agents for Bohemian Grove when enforcing their rules and policies and enforcing trespassing offenses.

"The references to the Club's rules and policies in this context was strictly meant to relate to trespass rules on the encampment grounds," the County Counsel's Office said.

The County Counsel's Office recommended removing the reference to Bohemian Grove's rules and policies entirely.

"That way it is clear that the Sheriff's Office is only authorized to act as agent for Bohemian Grove to enforce trespass laws," the County Counsel's Office said.

"In addition, the agreement specifically requires compliance with all anti-discrimination laws with respect to hiring and treatment of employees," the County Counsel's Office said.

— Bay City News Service