Board introduces amendment to county emergency code to align with state law

Humboldt County staff proposed a code amendment to align the countys emergency organization and disaster council rules with the California Emergency Services Act. The Board of Supervisors voted to introduce the ordinance by title, waive further reading and set adoption for June 17, 2025.

Key changes: Staff said the amendment extends the county code requirement to renew local emergency proclamations from 30 days to 60 days and increases the renewal period for local health emergencies from 14 to 30 days to match the state statute. The proposal also updates disaster council membership to include additional department heads and partners involved in response and recovery, reduces required standing meetings from two per year to one, and realigns the line of succession for the director of emergency services so that the emergency services program manager appears after the sheriff and undersheriff.

Why it matters: Staff said the longer renewal periods reduce the administrative burden during longer duration emergencies and bring local policy into conformity with state law. The disaster council is described as an advisory body that reviews plans and suggests policy for the board; staff said the councils work is predominantly planning‑focused rather than only post‑incident.

Board action: The board introduced the ordinance for first reading, waived additional reading and scheduled adoption for June 17, 2025. The motion carried 4–0.

Next steps: Staff said the ordinance will return for formal adoption on the scheduled date and the disaster council will continue to meet (staff noted the council met last June and has a meeting scheduled for July 9, 2025).