Press Democrat Reporter Phil Barber's Spouse Serves as Key Decision Maker on Napa County Commissions While Platinum Advisors is Contracted to Lobby for Napa County
Napa County Planning & Airport Land Use Commissioner Kara Brunzell has served as the taxpayers' representative on commissions while Press Democrat Owner Darius Anderson is a contracted lobbyist
In 2023, Napa County Supervisors chose to appoint Ms. Kara Brunzell to the County’s Planning Commission despite the apparent conflict of interest regarding her spouse’s employer. Her husband, Mr. Phil Barber, is a seasoned reporter who has been employed at The Press Democrat (PD) since 2003, over half of my lifetime.
The PD is owned by Mr. Darius Anderson, real-estate mogul, lobbyist and Newsom Appointee to the California Fish & Game Commission. The County has been contracted with Anderson’s business, Platinum Advisors as their lobbying firm since 2021.
Ms. Kara Brunzell, Principal/Architectural Historian, Brunzell Historical has served on the Napa County Planning Commission since March 13, 2023.
According to her 2023 assuming office statement of economic interest (SEI), her clients which generated over $10k in annual revenue included: Ace Environmental LLC, BCR Consulting LLC, Montrose Environmental, NCE and Preservation Sacramento.
Her SEI included additional income for her spouse, Press Democrat Reporter Phil Barber.
The 2024 annual SEI included the following clients for Brunzell Historical:
Ace Environmental LLC, BCR Consulting LLC, ICF, Montrose Environmental, NCE, SWCA and Weller Associates.
On March 16, 2023, The Napa Valley Register shared the following article:
Brunzell has lived in Napa County since the 1990s. She runs Brunzell Historical and is an architectural historian, according to her résumé. Among her recent tasks was evaluating the 1911 Prairie-style Monroe Ranch in Kenwood for National Register of Historic Places eligibility. Her work in land use planning gives her a strong understanding of municipal government functions and planning regulations.
And, as a homeowner and business owner, she understands the perspective of project proponents and landowners, she wrote in her application. “I am experienced at brokering win-win compromises and as a planning commissioner would be oriented toward environmental protection, maintaining our water supply for the future, equity and maintaining an environment that allows agriculture to thrive sustainably,” she wrote.
She is married to Phil Barber, a reporter with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
“I’m just thrilled to welcome her to the county and nominate her,” Gallagher said. Six people applied for the two Planning Commission slots. Gallagher and Cottrell thanked all of the applicants. Brunzell and Phillips will join Megan Dameron, Andrew Mazotti and Dave Whitmer on the Planning Commission.
Ms. Brunzell was initially appointed by District 1 Supervisor Joelle Gallagher. Supervisors Gallagher, Pedroza, Cottrell, Gregory, and Ramos voted unanimously in favor of the appointment on March 14, 2023.
She simultaneously serves as the Planning Commission’s non-voting liaison to the Napa County Airport Advisory Commission and as a Commissioner to Napa County’s Airport Land Use Commission.
On November 16, 2021, the Napa County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement with K&L Gates, LLP and Platinum Advisors DC, LLC for the term October 27, 2021, through June 30, 2024, for a maximum annual amount of $180,000 for Federal Legislative & Regulatory Advocacy Services.
On June 27, 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved Agreement No. 240065B with Platinum Advisors, LLC for one year commencing July 1, 2023, with two automatic one-year extensions to provide specialized state advocacy services for a maximum of $25,000 annually on an as-needed basis.
Mr. Darius Anderson, Founder and Chairman of Platinum Advisors is also the owner of Sonoma Media Investments, the umbrella company which includes The Press Democrat within their portfolio.
On October 8, 2024, Los Angeles Times shared that Gavin Newsom hosted Tim Walz for a fundraiser at his Sacramento home. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and U.S. Rep. Ami Bera joined the party along with lobbyist Darius Anderson, California Medical Assn. Chief Executive Dustin Corcoran, Jason Kinney, a lobbyist and friend of the governor, and dozens of other guests.
Mr. Anderson has been a longtime lobbyist for Governor Newsom who owns large-scale wineries under the PlumpJack Group within Napa County.
Aside from lobbying for the County of Napa, Platinum Advisors includes the Napa Valley Vintners and Napa County Transportation & Planning agency within their portfolio.
Platinum Advisors is listed as a ‘friend’ of the Association on their website.
The Association Board is comprised of established vintners within Napa County.
On April 16, 2024, The Wine Spectator published an article titled Napa Valley Versus Napa Valley - A growing number of Napa winemakers are confused and frustrated at county officials who won’t let them do business—even when they follow the rules.
Some of the following excerpts were pulled from the article:
Multiple parties have filed lawsuits over use permits and water rights. Many small winery owners are grumbling of grievances with the county government, including approvals for new construction and wastewater treatment upgrades. There’s also a federal investigation over possible corruption in the permitting process.
For his Vida Valiente wines, Hayes Drumwright has proposed a winery and tasting room on rural St. Helena’s Crystal Springs Road. In December 2023, after five years of working through all the necessary measures to get approval to build, he had checked all the boxes required by the county. But the Napa County Planning Commission voted against Drumwright’s project.
“We’re trying to abide by every rule. We did traffic and water studies we didn’t need because we wanted everything buttoned up,” said Drumwright. He noted that two commissioners opposed the winery because of its location along a rural road in a wildfire-prone area; Crystal Springs Road is not far from where the 2020 Glass Fire originated. Yet the public works agency and fire marshal approved the project.
“I’ve got five years and a million dollars baked into this,” said Drumwright. “So, I called all the county commissioners and asked them to visit the property. Two did. But one commissioner, Kara Brunzell, didn’t return any emails or phone calls. I tried four times to get ahold of her.” (All Wine Spectator requests for comment from Napa officials were forwarded to Bordona.)
Drumwright said that when it came time to present his case, several neighbors claimed that two cars couldn’t pass each other on the road near where Drumwright aimed to build. “But we’ve spent thousands on traffic surveys!” he lamented. Drumwright said in the end, Brunzell claimed she was uncomfortable with the project, citing too much traffic and potential water usage. Another commissioner, Megan Dameron, cited a letter from a Crystal Springs Road resident that claimed an inability for cars to pass and concerns about safety.
“The head commissioner stopped the hearing,” recalled Drumwright, “And he said, ‘I can’t believe this is happening. We need to trust the experts. If the rules don’t matter, then what are we doing?’”
On August 20, 2019, the Napa County Board of Supervisors approved the appointment of former Meadowood Executive Ann Marie Conover to serve on the Unincorporated Napa Valley Tourism Improvement District (NVTID) Governing Committee with the term to commence immediately and expire on June 30, 2023.
Her spouse, Mr. John Conover, is the Managing Partner for Governor Newsom’s Plumpjack Group. I was unable to locate her SEI, so have requested this from staff.
Before I begin requesting records and revealing the dots I have connected, is it possible that Commissioner Brunzell’s decision making has been influenced by her clientele or those of her spouse’s employer?
‘Indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples.’ -Habakkuk 2:5
I’ve heard of price fixing but “wine fixing” is a new layer to California’s unfair business practices.