Humboldt County supervisors approve routine business, bridge contracts and budget amendment; several hiring and roadway actions pass

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved routine business, awarded two bridge-replacement contracts, adopted a secondary roads budget amendment and approved county hires and a roadway vacation during its meeting on March 24, 2025.

The board unanimously approved the meeting agenda and minutes from March 17 and certified claims (general claims cited during the meeting as $145,752.53; the transcript reference to drainage claims was unclear). It also approved seasonal hires for the Conservation Department and camp hosts, appointed a member to the Conservation Board, and adopted several resolutions related to secondary roads and a roadway vacation.

Why it matters: The bridge contract awards and the budget amendment affect county transportation projects and contractor selection; the seasonal hires and appointment fill vacancies needed for spring operations; the vacating of a county roadway resolves a long-standing record discrepancy and transfers maintenance responsibility.

Major items and outcomes

- Agenda and minutes: Motion to approve the agenda and the March 17 minutes carried (unanimous).

- Claims: Motion to approve claims carried (unanimous). The meeting audio recorded general claims at $145,752.53; the drainage claims figure recorded in the transcript was not clearly stated.

- Conservation seasonal hires: The board approved hiring two seasonal, part-time conservation workers — John Bridal and Monte Hocus — at $22.75 per hour (motion carried). The board also approved three camp host hires: Kathy Uvin ($400/week), Rhonda Vincent ($400/week) and Wendy Johnson ($350/week) (motions carried).

- Conservation Board appointment: The board appointed Tyler Peterson to fill the remainder of a Conservation Board term through 2029 after the resignation of a long-serving member; the motion carried.

- MidAmerican Energy right-of-way work: The board approved MidAmerican Energy’s application to work in county right-of-way to relocate an overhead line to underground near 2756 200 and Seventieth Street (motion carried).

- Bridge contracts: The board awarded the DROS project on Iowa Avenue (Bridge No. 33) to PCI after competitive bids and awarded BROS project No. 90 on Texas Avenue (Bridge No. 36) to Progressive Structures; both motions carried.

- Seismic testing discussion: County staff reported an existing agreement with a company to perform seismic testing across about 17 miles of county road in the southeast portion of the county and said the company may request a reduction of the originally specified 250-foot setback from subsurface tile to 50 feet; no formal board vote was recorded on changing that set-back during the meeting.

- Secondary roads budget amendment and resolution: Following a public hearing, the board adopted the secondary roads budget amendment for fiscal year 2024–25 (adopted by resolution as recorded) to move anticipated payments and obligations into the current fiscal year; the motion to adopt the resolution carried.

- Fiscal-year budget hearing date reset: The board reset the public hearing on the Humboldt County fiscal year 2025–26 budget to 8:36 a.m. on April 21, 2025 (motion carried).

- Vacate roadway resolution: The board adopted Resolution 2025-3-24 to vacate a portion of roadway in Lake Township (motion carried). The resolution preserves utility and access rights where applicable.

Votes at a glance (selected)

- Approve agenda — outcome: approved (unanimous) - Approve minutes (March 17) — outcome: approved (unanimous) - Approve claims — outcome: approved (unanimous) - Hire seasonal conservation employees (John Bridal, Monte Hocus at $22.75/hr) — outcome: approved (unanimous) - Hire camp hosts (Kathy Uvin $400/week; Rhonda Vincent $400/week; Wendy Johnson $350/week) — outcome: approved (unanimous) - Appoint Tyler Peterson to Conservation Board (fill remainder of term through 2029) — outcome: approved (unanimous) - Approve MidAmerican Energy right-of-way work — outcome: approved (unanimous) - Award PCI contract for Bridge No. 33 (Iowa Avenue) — outcome: approved (unanimous) - Award Progressive Structures contract for Bridge No. 36 (Texas Avenue) — outcome: approved (unanimous) - Adopt secondary roads budget amendment resolution — outcome: approved (unanimous) - Reset county budget hearing to April 21, 2025 at 8:36 a.m. — outcome: approved (unanimous) - Adopt Resolution 2025-3-24 vacating roadway in Lake Township — outcome: approved (unanimous)

What the board did not decide: No formal decision was recorded on changing the seismic-testing setback policy; staff indicated the company will likely request a reduction in setback from subsurface tile from 250 feet to around 50 feet and that staff are researching risks and mitigation steps.

Provenance: transcript excerpts supporting the above actions are drawn from the meeting record.