Humboldt County supervisors voted to hire Melanie Anderson as a county staff member, with a starting wage of $20 per hour and a proposed start date of Monday, Dec. 29, pending completion of background checks.

A staff member who led the interview process told the board the panel interviewed nine of 16 applicants and narrowed the finalists before recommending Anderson, noting her familiarity with real estate and legal documents relevant to the role. Board members confirmed the hiring would follow the handbook’s six‑month probation policy and discussed arranging routine background checks in line with standard hiring practice.

A supervisor moved to hire Anderson contingent on completion of a background check; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The motion recorded that the successful candidate would begin paperwork immediately and that staff would follow up on how to conduct an appropriate background check.

The transcript records procedural follow‑up: staff agreed to contact the entity that performs background checks and to ensure application paperwork includes the necessary signatures. No further personnel details (job title beyond the role discussed, full job description, or benefits) were provided in the excerpt.

Next steps: Staff to complete background screening and onboarding paperwork; the board authorized starting the hiring process and the new hire’s onboarding.