The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors convened on May 5, 2025, to address several key agenda items, including employee compensation and public concerns. The meeting commenced with a motion to approve the agenda, which was unanimously accepted.

Following the approval of the agenda, the board reviewed the minutes from the previous meeting held on April 28, which were also approved without opposition. The board then opened the floor for general public concerns, during which a comment was received from Bruce Hefty regarding Rutland Dam. The board acknowledged the comment and directed Hefty to the appropriate channels for further discussion.

The primary focus of the meeting was a proposal regarding additional vacation days for employees in lieu of raises. The board discussed the implications of providing three additional vacation days for nonunion employees, as all elected officials and union employees were not affected by the proposed changes. The rationale behind this decision was to reward employees for their dedication without impacting the county's budget.

The board deliberated on the logistics of implementing these additional days, considering whether to classify them as Paid Time Off (PTO) rather than traditional vacation days. This classification would help differentiate the new days from regular vacation time and ensure proper tracking of usage. The board agreed that the additional days would need to be used within the fiscal year, specifically from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

After thorough discussion, a motion was made to grant three additional PTO days for nonunion employees, which was seconded and passed unanimously. The board concluded this segment of the meeting, moving on to drainage issues as the next agenda item.

Overall, the meeting highlighted the board's efforts to address employee compensation creatively while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The next steps involve implementing the approved PTO days and continuing discussions on drainage matters in future meetings.