The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved several key items on the April 22 meeting, including the Measure O spending plan for roads and transit, revocation of multiple cannabis cultivation permits for nonpayment, Measure Z and TOT funding recommendations and a county letter of opposition on Assembly Bill 770.

Measure O: The board adopted a five-year spending framework for Measure O revenue by a 5-0 vote. The plan sets an annual baseline revenue projection of $24 million, directs about 85% to county road work and about 15% to public transit (Humboldt Transit Authority), establishes a $3 million contingency and defines an annual allocation and reporting cycle. The board approved staff language allowing HTA to carry forward obligated funds and set rules for how surplus revenue above projections will be prioritized toward the county's road fund and reducing a negative roads fund balance.

Cannabis permits: The board voted 5-0 to revoke a group of cannabis cultivation permits that remained unpaid after repeated notices. Staff presented that a total outstanding balance for the listed permit holders was $111,157.81 and recommended revocation for permits whose holders failed to pay or indicate intent to pay. The board removed several applicants from the revocation list during the hearing after staff reported payments or active payment plans; the final motion revoked 21 permits and allowed staff to work with applicants who presented reconciliations at the hearing.

Measure Z/TOT and other fiscal actions: The board approved Measure Z one-time awards and ongoing allocations recommended by the Measure Z committee (vote 5-0 related to the committee's ranked projects and a related motion to move $407,000 into next year's application pool). Separately, the board approved staff recommendations to hold TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax) allocations at the same FY 24/25 levels and to transfer the HCVB (Humboldt County Visitors Bureau) line in the TOT budget to the county's Economic Development Division for Project Trellis administration, with remaining Measure J reserve funds directed to general-fund stabilization; that motion carried 5-0.

Assembly Bill 770: After discussion, the board voted 4-1 to approve a letter of opposition to Assembly Bill 770 (bill language as discussed during the meeting), the dissenting vote noted by one supervisor.

How the votes moved next steps: Staff was directed to implement the adopted Measure O spending rules, to proceed with the cannabis permit revocations as adopted (while working with permit holders who pay or enter payment plans), to carry forward the Measure Z and TOT actions as directed, and to work with the Economic Development Division on the HCVB transition and Project Trellis administration. The board asked staff for annual reporting and for the creation of an auditing/oversight process for Measure O spending.