Humboldt County board directs TIF counsel outreach, approves $500 legal support and utility pole work

Humboldt County supervisors voted to pursue outside legal counsel to study and help establish a tax-increment financing (TIF) district, approved a $500 contribution for legal support related to the Carbon Solution pipeline litigation and granted a MidAmerican Energy application to place a single utility pole near Highway 3 and Utah Avenue.

The board directed county staff to approach Dorsey Whitney as the primary firm for TIF work and to contact Ehlers/Cooney as a backup if Dorsey Whitney is unavailable. Unidentified Speaker 1, who opened the TIF discussion, said the county wanted the work handled carefully: “we want it done right.” The board approved the approach by voice vote after amending the motion to name Dorsey Whitney first and Ehlers/Cooney as the alternative.

On the MidAmerican request, Unidentified Speaker 6 summarized the application: “I’ve got 1 item officially for the agenda today that's to approve an application … for MidAmerican Energy to install 1 full near the intersection Highway 3 in Utah Avenue.” Speaker 5 moved approval, Speaker 1 seconded and the board voted in favor. The request covers a single installation near an existing substation; board members said checks were in order before the vote.

Separately, the board agreed to designate $500 in county funds to help pay legal costs tied to the Carbon Solution pipeline court fight. Speaker 1 framed the contribution as consistent with prior joint legal efforts among counties and said the money would be a shared legal expense. The motion to allocate the funds passed by voice vote.

Before adjourning the open session the board voted to enter closed session under a cited provision, listed in the record as “21.51C,” to discuss litigation strategy with counsel. A roll-call vote was taken and members present voted to move into closed session.

Aside from those actions, supervisors received routine operational updates. Public works staff reported equipment status and procurement planning for roadside mowing equipment (the newest mower on record is a 2017 model; two replacement units were discussed with combined bid figures discussed in the transcript), and members debated snow-fence placement to limit drift while avoiding interference with farming operations. Board members also reviewed reports from housing and sanitation committees, including recent local assistance placing two families into housing and a sanitation services arrangement the county pays $50,000 a year to provide testing and inspections.

The board did not set a public date for any TIF decision in the record and did not identify a final contract amount for counsel; the motion authorized outreach to specified firms so the county can compare terms. The meeting record does not list a formal ordinance number for the ‘county ordinance’ referenced when discussing snow pushed across roadways; that reference remains “not specified” in the transcript.

Votes at a glance: • MidAmerican Energy pole application — approved (voice vote after motion and second). • $500 county contribution for legal support on Carbon Solution litigation — approved (voice vote). • Direction to pursue TIF legal counsel (Dorsey Whitney first, Ehlers/Cooney backup) — approved (voice vote). • Motion to enter closed session under cited provision “21.51C” — approved (roll call; recorded as all present voting ‘Aye’).

What’s next: staff will contact the named law firms about TIF work and return with proposals; the board’s contact person for TIF outreach was designated during the meeting (referred to in discussion as Mike). The record shows the board then moved into closed session for litigation strategy.