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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.16


NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT, NO SHARES OF THE BANK'S
STOCK SHALL BE ISSUED PURSUANT HERETO UNLESS THE BANK'S 1991 STOCK OPTION PLAN
SHALL HAVE FIRST BEEN APPROVED BY THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THE BANK HOLDING NOT LESS
THAN A MAJORITY OF THE OUTSTANDING SHARES OF THE BANK'S COMMON STOCK REPRESENTED
AND VOTING AT A MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS AND BY A MAJORITY OF THE DISINTERESTED
SHARES REPRESENTED AND VOTING AT THE MEETING.

                                   PLUMAS BANK
                      NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

        THIS AGREEMENT, dated the 19th day of November, 1997, entered into by
and between Plumas Bank (the "Bank"), and Daniel E. West ("Optionee");

        WHEREAS, pursuant to the 1991 Stock Option Plan of the Bank (the
"Plan"), a copy of which is hereto attached, the Board of Directors of the Bank
(or the Stock Option Committee, if authorized by the Board of Directors) has
authorized granting to Optionee a stock option to purchase all or any part of
Two Thousand Five Hundred (2,500) authorized but unissued shares of the Bank's
Common Stock for cash at the price of Seventeen and 375/100 Dollars ($17.375)
per share, such option to be for the term and upon the terms and conditions
hereinafter stated;

        NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed:

        1. Grant of Option. Pursuant to said action of the Board of Directors
(or the Stock Option Committee) and pursuant to authorizations granted by all
appropriate regulatory and governmental agencies, the Bank hereby grants to
Optionee the option to purchase, upon and subject to the terms and conditions of
the Plan, which is incorporated in full herein by this reference, all or any
part of Two Thousand Five Hundred (2,500) shares of the Bank's Common Stock
(hereinafter called "stock") at the price of Seventeen and 375/100 Dollars
($17.375) per share, which price is not less than 100% of the fair market value
of the stock as of the date of action of the Board of Directors (or the Stock
Option Committee) granting this option.

        2. Exercisability. This option shall be exercisable as to 500 shares on
November 19, 1998; 500 shares on November 19, 1999; 500 shares on November 19,
2000; 500 shares on November 19, 2001; and 500 shares on November 19, 2002.
This option shall remain exercisable as to all of such shares until November 19,
2007 (but not after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date this option
is granted) unless this option has expired or terminated earlier in



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accordance with the provisions hereof. Shares as to which this option becomes
exercisable pursuant to the foregoing provision may be purchased at any time
prior to expiration of this option.

        3. Exercise of Option. This option may be exercised by written notice
delivered to the Bank stating the number of shares with respect to which this
option is being exercised, together with cash in the amount of the purchase
price of such shares. Not less than ten (10) shares may be purchased at any one
time unless the number purchased is the total number which may be purchased
under this option and in no event may the option be exercised with respect to
fractional shares. Upon exercise, Optionee shall make appropriate arrangements
and shall be responsible for the withholding of any federal and state taxes then
due.

        4. Cessation of Employment or directorship. Except as provided in
Paragraphs 2 and 5 hereof, if Optionee shall cease to be employed or cease to be
a director of the Bank or a subsidiary corporation for any reason other than
Optionee's death or disability, this option shall expire 90 days thereafter.
During the 90 day period this option shall be exercisable only as to those
installments, if any, which had accrued as of the date when the Optionee ceased
to be employed by or ceased to be a director of the Bank or the subsidiary
corporation.

        5. Termination of Employment or Directorship for Cause. If Optionee's
employment or directorship with the Bank or a subsidiary corporation is
terminated for cause, this option shall expire immediately, unless reinstated by
the Board of Directors within thirty (30) days of such termination by giving
written notice of such reinstatement to Optionee at his last known address. In
the event of such reinstatement, Optionee may exercise this option only to such
extent, for such time, and upon such terms and conditions as if Optionee had
ceased to be employed by or to be a director of the Bank or a subsidiary
corporation upon the date of such termination for a reason other than cause,
death or disability. Termination for cause shall include, but not be limited to,
termination for malfeasance or gross misfeasance in the performance of duties or
conviction of illegal activity in connection therewith.

        6. Nontransferability; Death or Disability of Optionee. This option
shall not be transferable except by Will or by the laws of descent and
distribution and shall be exercisable during Optionee's lifetime only by
Optionee. If Optionee dies while employed by or while being a director of the
Bank or a subsidiary corporation, or during the 90 day period referred to in
Paragraph 4 hereof, this option shall



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expire one (1) year after the date of Optionee's death or on the day specified
in Paragraph 2 hereof, whichever is earlier. After Optionee's death but before
such expiration, the persons to whom Optionee's rights under this option shall
have passed by Will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution or the
executor or administrator of Optionee's estate shall have the right to exercise
this option as to those shares for which installments had accrued under
Paragraph 2 hereof as of the date on which Optionee ceased to be employed by or
ceased to be a director of the Bank or a subsidiary corporation. If the Optionee
terminates his employment or directorship because of a disability, the Optionee
may exercise this option to the extent he or she is entitled to do so at the
date of termination, at any time within one year of the date of termination, or
before the expiration date specified n paragraph 2 hereof, whichever is earlier.

        7. Employment. This Agreement shall not obligate the Bank or a
subsidiary corporation to employ Optionee for any period, nor shall it interfere
in any way with the right of the Bank or a subsidiary corporation to reduce
Optionee's compensation.

        8. Privileges of Stock Ownership. Optionee shall have no rights as a
stockholder with respect to the Bank's stock subject to this option until the
date of issuance of stock certificates to Optionee. Except as provided in the
Plan, no adjustment will be made for dividends or other rights for which the
record date is prior to the date such stock certificates are issued.

        9. Modification and Termination by Board of Directors. The rights of
Optionee are subject to modification and termination upon the occurrence of
certain events as provided in Sections 13 and 14 of the Plan.

        10. Notification of Sale. Optionee agrees that Optionee, or any person
acquiring shares upon exercise of this option, will notify the Bank not more
than five (5) days after any sale or other disposition of such shares. No shares
issuable upon the exercise of this option shall be issued and delivered unless
and until all applicable requirements Of California and federal law pertaining
to the issuance and sale of such shares, and all applicable listing requirements
of the securities exchanges, if any, on which shares of the Bank of the same
class are then listed shall have been complied with.

        11. Notices. Any notice to the Bank provided for in this Agreement shall
be addressed to it in care of its President or Chief Financial Officer at its
main office and any notice to Optionee shall be



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addressed to Optionee's address on file with the Bank or a subsidiary
corporation, or to such other address as either may designate to the other in
writing. Any notice shall be deemed to be duly given if and when enclosed in a
properly sealed envelope and addressed as stated above and deposited, postage
prepaid, with the United States Postal Service. In lieu of giving notice by mail
as aforesaid, any written notice under this Agreement may be given to Optionee
in person, and to the Bank by personal delivery to its President or Chief
Financial Officer.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement.

OPTIONEE                                  PLUMAS BANK

By  /s/ DANIEL E. WEST                  By  /s/ JERRY V. KEHR
    ----------------------                  ------------------------------------
    Daniel E. West                          Jerry V. Kehr Chairman of the Board


                                          By  /s/ ROBERT SCHOENSEE
                                            ------------------------------------
                                             Robert Schoensee, Vice Chairman
                                             Of the Board



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                       FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE PLUMAS BANK
                          1991 STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT


This First Amendment to the Plumas Bank 1991 Stock Option Agreement is entered
into by and between Daniel E. West ("Optionee") and Plumas Bank on December
5, 2000 for the purpose of amending the option agreement ("Option") by and
between Optionee and Plumas Bank entered into on November 19, 1997.

WHEREAS, the Plumas Bank 1991 Stock Option Plan ("1991 Plan") previously only
allowed for stock option exercises by the payment of cash, and has since been
amended to allow the exercise of stock options by the delivery of existing
shares of Plumas Bank stock held by the option.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Optionee and the Bank agree to the amendment of the Option
as follows:

1.   AMENDMENT OF SECTION 3. The first sentence in Section 3 shall be amended in
     the entirety to read as follows:

          This option may be exercised by written notice delivered to the
          Bank stating the number of shares with respect to which this option is
          being exercised, together with the purchase price in cash or subject
          to applicable law, with Bank common stock previously acquired by the
          optionee and held by the optionee for a period of at least six months.

2.   AMENDMENT OF SECTION 3. A new sentence shall be added after the sentence in
     the aforementioned amendment to read in the entirety as follows:

          The equivalent dollar value of shares used to effect a purchase
          shall be the fair market value of the shares on the date of the
          exercise.


PLUMAS BANK                                     OPTIONEE

/s/ W. E. ELLIOTT                               /s/ DANIEL E. WEST
------------------------------------            ----------------------
William E. Elliott, President & CAO             Daniel E. West





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