Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Government Oversight topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board suspends Aviation Advisory Committee, forms ad hoc to redesign panel
Summary
The Board of Supervisors voted to suspend the county Aviation Advisory Committee after an internal review found its charter outdated and its work largely operational. Supervisors created a two-member ad hoc to redesign the panel's role and bring recommendations back before a new aviation director is hired.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted to suspend the county’s Aviation Advisory Committee after a board review concluded the panel’s resolution and role were outdated. The board directed staff to form a short-term ad hoc group of supervisors to work with the committee members and the soon-to-be-hired aviation director on a restructured charter focused on economic development and strategic planning.
The board’s action followed a staff review requested earlier this year. Clerk of the Board Tracy Dimico told supervisors the committee’s founding resolutions predate the county’s current aviation department structure and that the panel had not consistently reported to the board. Interim aviation director Karen Clauer, who has attended recent meetings, said the group had spent substantial time on day‑to‑day operational matters and should be recast to help recruit airline service, guide destination-tourism strategy and advise on airport-related land use and revenue opportunities.
The board agreed to suspend the committee after the panel’s April meeting and to create a two-member ad hoc comprised of Chair Steve Bushnell and Supervisor Wilson to meet with committee members and the interim director. The motion carried 3–1, with one supervisor absent. The board instructed staff to set a special follow-up meeting so supervisors can present direction and then return with a streamlined resolution defining the advisory group’s membership, reporting cadence and scope.
Members of the advisory committee and staff said the panel is passionate and experienced, and that the county could benefit from a retooled advisory structure. Board members said that, as an advisory body, the committee should focus on strategic, long-term projects — for example, airline recruitment and maximizing airport assets — rather than acting as an operational oversight group directing staff day-to-day.
Clerk Dimico and interim director Clauer also told the board that three committee members’ terms are due to expire June 30, 2025, and recommended a timely restructuring so appointments could be aligned with the new charter. Supervisors asked staff to draft new bylaws and a resolution that captures the board’s expectations and to return with an implementation schedule once the county hires a new aviation director.
