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Humboldt County board continues budget hearing, corrects special-district line item and approves follow-up for lighting districts
Summary
At a June 9 budget hearing the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors continued the public hearing and approved adjustments to a special-district budget line, set final budget adoption for June 24 and directed staff to work with community service districts on lighting needs. The board voted 5-0 on the package of items.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on June 9 continued the public hearing on the proposed county and special-district budgets, approved a staff-recommended correction to county service area (CSA) fund 3970 and asked staff to follow up with community service districts (CSDs) on lighting requests. Chair Bushnell said, “Before your board today is the public hearings on the proposed county budget and special district budgets for fiscal year 25, 26.”
The correction involves Fund 3970 (CSA No. 4), which staff said was inadvertently left as a placeholder in the draft budget. County staff recommended a revised budget for Fund 3970 with $212,500 in revenue (an increase of $1,720 over the placeholder) and $200,000 in expenditures; staff said those expenditures are for fire services for CSA 4. Jessica Maciel, deputy CAO, told the board this adjustment would increase the total special-district budgets to $1,996,972, a net rise of $63,473 over the prior year attributable primarily to increased expenditures for one fire protection district.
Board members also asked for additional information about special-district fund balances, particularly lighting districts. Supervisor Bone and others raised that many lighting districts have healthy balances and asked staff to follow up with local CSD boards and utilities about opportunities to add lighting where needed. Maciel summarized the direction as staff working with CSDs to “look into adding lighting” and returning with information to the board.
After closing public comment, the board moved the matter toward adoption. Supervisors conducted a roll call and the motion to set the final budget adoption hearing for June 24 and to make the proper adjustments to Fund 3970 carried 5-0.
Why this matters: the hearing is the formal step that leads to the county's annual appropriations and sets the spending plan and contingencies that departments will use next fiscal year. Adjustments to special-district budgets and direction about lighting affect local public-safety services and small, volunteer-run districts that rely on county oversight or accounting.
Board action and next steps: the board directed staff to (1) amend Fund 3970 as described, (2) work with CSDs and PG&E where useful on lighting requests and return with fund-balance and implementation information, and (3) set June 24, 2025, as the date to adopt the county and special-district budgets.
Funding and clarifications: staff said the CSA 4 increase is limited to the $212,500 revenue and $200,000 expenditure figures presented; several supervisors asked staff to return with fund-balance schedules for special districts and lighting districts at final adoption so requests can be matched to fiscal capacity. The board did not change tax rates or levy amounts at this hearing.
Ending: The board recessed after approving the procedural steps and asked county staff to return on June 24 with the final budget documents and follow-up information about special-district balances and the requested lighting assessments.
