League of Women Voters to moderate a series of debates
The public is encouraged to attend a series of candidate forums for the June 8 Primary Election. The forums will be moderated by the League of Women Voters of Humboldt County.
Posts Tagged ‘vote’
Humboldt State University provost delays program elimination recommendation
Humboldt State University Provost Bob Snyder has pushed back his decision on which programs to recommend for elimination. Snyder has been mulling his decision since the HSU Academic Senate voted April 6 to recommend the school’s undergraduate
4th District face-off
Eureka voters got their first chance to evaluate candidates for 4th District Supervisor side-by-side Monday night in a debate hosted by the League of Women Voters and the Healthy Humboldt Coalition. Focus centered mostly on the county General Plan Update.
A few things stand out:
Jeff Leonard likes to hear himself talk. He made a point to tell the moderator to count on him always having a 30 second rebuttal. Did he always use one? No. But he got the chance to talk about how he can always burn up the clock with more blah blah blah.
Leonard touted his rhetoric about “putting Eureka on the map” — a non-issue that was settled in 1853 when Eureka won the spot as Humbolt County seat. Incumbent Bonnie Neely further disposed of Jeff’s malarkey by pointing out that Eureka is represented by no less than three supervisors on the board — Mark Lovelace represents Harrison up to Harris on the East side, Jimmy Smith represents Cutten, and Bonnie represents Eureka proper.
All three said they support trails, though Virginia Bass recycled recent campaign line about keeping an open mind about a train she doesn’t believe will blow through Eureka any time soon.
Bass gave a nod to her developer base when she said she opposed Inclusionary Zoning, which was adopted by Supervisors last year. She said the county needs to be “creative” when working with developers. Leonard also opposes IZ, which Neely supported.
Both Leonard and Bass jumped at the chance to blame Bonnie for the slow progress of the General Plan Update. Yet somehow they’ve both missed numerous opportunities to show up to a county Planning Commission meeting and crack the whip and wave a magic wand. Neely said the process has been slowed by the inclusion of new elements in the plan and public involvement, but said policies will be adopted this year.
When it comes to legalization of marijuana, Leonard is “not worried about it.” Bass doesn’t want Humboldt to market the prized herb for tourism, and Neely suggested studies to determine how the county will be impacted.
Access Humboldt will upload the whole debate soon. This post will be updated with a link.
Humboldt County League of Women Voters to honor youth advocate at luncheon
The League of Women Voters of Humboldt County will honor youth advocate Rose Baker and the Humboldt Community Breast Health Project for their civic contributions at the 19th annual State of the Community Luncheon on Friday.
First 4th District Supervisor debate tonight
The race for Humboldt County’s hotly contested 4th district supervisor seat will have its first battle tonight from 7 – 8:30 at the Wharfinger in Eureka.
The debate will be hosted by the Healthy Humboldt Coalition and the League of Women Voters and will focus on the General Plan Update.
Press Release below.
Forum on the General Plan Update
4th District Supervisor Race
The Healthy Humboldt Coalition and the League of Women Voters are co-sponsoring a candidates’ forum focused on the Humboldt County General Plan update. The General Plan is a blueprint for how and where the county will grow. The forum will be held on Monday, April 19th from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at the Wharfinger Building in Eureka. Light refreshments will be provided.
The public is invited to come to the forum and ask questions on a broad range of issues covered in the General Plan, including land use, water resources, protecting agriculture and forest resource lands, trails and transportation, affordable housing and where future development should go. The forum will also be televised live on Access Humboldt, Channel 10 Channel 11.
Questions for the candidates about the General Plan can be submitted before or during the forum by phone at: (707) 633-8478 or by email at: info@healthyhumboldt.org.
The Board of Supervisors is the final decision-making body on the General Plan Update. The final draft of the General Plan Update is currently being heard by the Planning Commission and will be sent to the Supervisors for review and decision later this year. The Board serves as the legislative and executive body of County government.
“Given the importance of the General Plan to the future of our community, and the fact that the Supervisors will be making the final decisions on the Plan, we feel it is important for the voters to understand the candidates’ views on land use planning,” said Elizabeth Conner, Director of the Healthy Humboldt Coalition.
The candidates for the 4th District Supervisor seat are Virginia Bass, Jeff Leonard and Bonnie Neely.
Healthy Humboldt is a coalition of public interest groups working for a County General Plan that provides healthy housing and transportation choices while protecting our resource lands and watersheds. The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee makes endorsements
The Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee voted to endorse several candidates in local races at its meeting Wednesday. Committee Chairman Milt Boyd said Wednesday’s meeting was attended by about 25 voting committee members and about 50
4th District supervisors candidates to weigh in on the General Plan with candidate forum
The Healthy Humboldt Coalition and the League of Women Voters are co-sponsoring a candidate forum Monday focused on the Humboldt County General Plan update, which will set policies for land use decisions for the next 20 years.
Bountiful rainfall means lower water rates for some
The Russian River Flood Control District voted earlier this week to restore its water rates to what the district was charging in 2008.
Ukiah Unified board votes to cut more jobs next school year
Ukiah Unified School District trustees voted Tuesday night to eliminate more classified positions from next year’s school budget to cope with the deficit.
How to buy a Bass appointment
In the contentious race for 4th District Supervisor, Virginia Bass supporters accuse donors to Bonnie Neely’s campaign of buying favor from the longtime Supervisor and Coastal Commission Chairwoman. They claim Neely’s future votes are bought and paid for.
But a 2006 campaign disclosure from the Bass for Mayor campaign gives a peek into how Virginia operates (click to enlarge):
Following a donation of “office rent” to the campaign valued at $4,500, Bass appointed Kneeland resident Lee Ulansey to the Eureka Planning Commission. The situation was fraught with weirdness, as we noted at the time:
One wonders what makes a “rural lifestyle” podium-pounder from Kneeland suitable for the Planning Commission in Eureka — the city where all hill folk will be rounded up and forced to live like rats in cages following the [county] General Plan Update, according to his supporters.
Ulansey owns a few properties in the rat’s-nest-by-the-bay, maybe that’s a sufficient qualification.
To make room for Ulansey, Bass pushed aside qualified commissioners who wanted to continue to serve, justifying the unusual move with an inarticulate defense about new blood.
Yet for other board appointments she followed normal procedure and re-appointed longtime members who wished to continue their positions.
The appointment was shot down when Bass failed to get a 4/5 vote required to approve an appointment from outside the city limits.
Ulansey’s name is written on the campaign statement form to replace Kramer Investments, which is crossed out.
In the current election cycle, Ulansey has donated $1500 to the Bass campaign.
So what can those developers slash HumCPR supporters expect from their generous monetary support to the Bass campaign if she wins?
Favors, apparently.
County to raise fees 5% to 1,060%
A list of fee hikes for county services ranging from 5 percent to 1,060 percent was approved in a 3-2 vote by the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors Tuesday.
School administrators to take furlough days
Some of the highest paid Ukiah Unified School District employees may see a drop in their salaries for the coming year as the board voted last week to implement five furlough days for the remaining school year and an additional five days for the next.
Grand Jury slams Supervisor salaries
The Humboldt County Grand Jury released a report Tuesday criticizing salaries paid to the county Board of Supervisors.
The BoS voted themselves a pay raise in September 2008 in a 3-2 vote with Jimmy Smith and Johanna Rodoni dissenting.
The GJ found Humboldt Supes are paid 29% higher than counties with similar populations, and “78% higher than the average salary of the surrounding and regional counties with similar economies and governance structure.”
The report also targeted additional longevity pay, which is currently earned by just one member of the BoS, Bonnie Neely.
The GJ recommends the supes:
- decrease their salaries for the 2011 fiscal year,
- do away with longevity pay,
- allow a third party such as the Grand Jury to determine salaries.
At least two members of the Grand Jury are supporters of Neely challenger Virginia Bass. Secretary Lee Ulansey and member Robert Morris each donated $1,500 to the Bass campaign.
Board vacancy on fire protection district
There is a vacancy on the board of directors of the Albion-Little River Fire Protection District. The remaining members of the board request that residents of the district who are registered to vote consider volunteering to serve on the district board.
Republicans draw Dems to dinner
[Guest post from Tokyo Rose.]
There were a number of Democrats at the Republican Central Committee’s Annual Dinner on April 10th, honoring Muriel Dinsmore. Some of them clearly came in support of the Republican of the Year, while others seemed to be more interested in promoting themselves.
Current Eureka Mayor, Virginia Bass, presented a proclamation to Muriel and praised her as a classy and gracious lady. The other supervisorial candidate, Jeff Leonard, and his dad, were also present, though noticeably uninterested in Virginia’s presentation of the City of Eureka proclamation.
Current Supervisor Jimmy Smith came with a proclamation for Muriel and was warm and gracious to all.
Kathleen Bryson, one of the four Democratic candidates for District Attorney, was also in attendance. She, like both the Leonards, spent most of the evening working the room for money and votes.
The only notable Republican candidate was some earnest young guy, whose name I can’t remember, challenging Congressman Mike Thompson.
Rob Arkley gave the keynote speech. It was moderate in tone and he actually praised Nancy Pelosi for her political skill. Though he doesn’t support the health insurance reform bills, he acknowledged her success in getting them passed. Give him credit for being willing to recognize talent.
