This 
month’s HCAOG (Humboldt County Association of Governments) meeting started out with Board Members (acting as the Policy Advisory Committee) facing a Sophie’s Choice scenario: give $25k to provide services for people with developmental disabilities or give $30k to provide free bus rides for homeless children.
The free bus rides to after school programs is a pilot program in the city of Eureka that would serve homeless children up to the age of ten. “Focusing on youth is one viable place to start breaking the cycle [of homelessness],” said Charles Roecklein, who was there as a representative of the city and serves on the HCAOG Technical Advisory Committee.
The other group seeking funding was HCAR, (the Humboldt Community Access and Resource center). Their website defines them as “a private nonprofit agency that serves citizens with developmental disabilities by promoting individual independence, community inclusion and family unity through a wide variety of services and supports.”
Board/PAC committee members were wary about people abusing the free bus ride program as well as a lack of clearly defined expenditures from HCAR.
It was resolved that each entity would receive partial funding and The Board/PAC committee would revisit the matter at a later date for further funding based on their progress.
A New Sales Tax in Humboldt ?
Speaking of $30k, the Board (once again acting as the Policy Advisory Committee) discussed a proposal to allocate up to $30k for a county-wide poll in order to gauge public sentiment for a countywide sales tax increase of .25 to 0.5 percent for local transportation needs.
The last poll for a transportation tax was conducted in 2008 where 59% were in favor of a sales tax increase, 31% against, with 10% undecided. Today it’s a much harder sell, especially with all the backlash towards the 0.5 percent countywide sales tax increase in 2014, otherwise known as Measure Z.
First to speak out against the poll was Eureka Mayor, Frank Jager, who said the public is weary of a new tax. Don Hindley, Mayor of Ferndale, said he didn’t need a poll to tell him how people felt, “People are mad about Measure Z” and added that at least 67 percent of his constituents would vote against the hike.
Marcella Clem, Executive Director of HCAOG, said support for a tax increase could possibly be higher than seven years ago, especially if voters are educated in the needs of the county. HCAOG Board Chair and Arcata City Councilwoman, Susan Ornelas, agreed saying the county can’t wait 10 years for the feds to get their act together in regards to America’s crumbling infrastructure, but cautioned that voters “need specifics, not just a new tax. We need to educate the public.”
County Supervisor Ryan Sundberg pointed out that negative public sentiment towards a new sales tax increase wasn’t a problem of education, but rather that people are weary of another tax increase, “I think people know what the problem is. It’s a huge, huge ask,” he said.
Current Mayor of Arcata and Humboldt Transit Authority representative to HCAOG, Michael Winkler, noted that other sources of revenue, besides a sales tax increase, have been considered. Alternatives include, an increase in property tax, a gas tax or DMV and developer fees.
In a bit of refreshing candor, Robert Class, Arcata Public Works Director, (who was there to speak in support of a new poll) pointed out that all HCAOG needs to do is get the increase on the ballot and then the private firms who stand to benefit from new construction can oversee the promotional and educational aspect for getting voter approval.
The issue was deferred until the following meeting (Oct. 15) after members have had a chance to discuss the matter with their respective governing bodies.
So Humboldt, what do you think? Take our poll.
http://vote.pollcode.com/62681369
$100,000 to Fund Overtime CHP Patrols
on SR 36 & 96
While on the subject of money, Captain Adam Jager of the California Highway Patrol (and brother of Eureka mayor Frank Jager) attended the meeting seeking an additional years’ worth of funding in the amount of $99,969 for patrols along State Routes 96 and 36 where there are no call boxes and cell phone service is limited or non-existent.
A potential hurdle, for which Jager apologized, was the fact that this years’ funds have not yet been fully spent. “The fires got us,” said Jager. In a follow-up email with The Witness, Jager explained that due to the monster fires closing down both State Routes this summer, his department was not able to schedule patrols on highways.
Also, potentially controversial, is the fact that officers who provide the extra patrols do so on overtime shifts.
Fortuna City Councilman, Doug Strehl, said the extra patrols were working and that “people who live along 36 have noticed [the difference]. Speeds seem slower.”
Jager’s numbers from the “officers working this Grant” include 148 citations on SR-36 and SR-96, 101 verbal warnings, 8 arrests (5 for DUI) and 116 “motorist services.”
Except for one fatal collision at Swimmer’s Delight this year, there have been no fatalities on either State Route. Last year there were four fatal collisions (two each on 36 and 96), one being a quadruple fatal crash and previous to that, in 2013, there were eight fatal accidents, seven on 36 and one on 96.
In the end the motion was approved. If the funds aren’t all used, the remainder goes into the call box fund.
Sick Days for HCAOG Staff Compared to “Cashing Out” as County Continues Struggle to Fund CalPERS
Rounding out the business end of things, HCAOG staff asked the Board to change their sick day policies and not “be treated differently from city and county employees.” As Clem explained in a follow up email to The Witness, “We represent the region, all of the cities in addition to the county. We are still a local government though as HCA
OG was formed under a Joint Powers Authority in the late 1960’s.”
HCAOG staff members were seeking to earn one day of sick leave for one month of work (12 days a year). Those who had not used their sick days would be reimbursed financially rather than miss work, because why not take a paid day off if you’re just going to lose it anyway?
Arcata City Councilwoman, Susan Ornelas, said she supported sick leave, but didn’t like the idea of “cashing out” when leaving or retiring from HCAOG and feared people would take advantage of the new policy. “People are going to game it, that’s just how they are,” she said.
Ornelas apologized to the staff and explained that CalPERS, the California public employee pension, was already a burden to the county and cities and they must make cuts where they can. In her case, she explained that in Arcata, the Council can’t make as many cuts as needed due to unions and contracts, “we had to finagle in order to pay past employees without stealing from the future.”
Rio Dell City Councilman, Gordon Johnson, who after almost 30 years as a civil engineer receives retirement payments from Cal PERS said when he retired, his sick days were added to his time-worked portion of his pension.
After first declaring that “sick leave is not a retirement plan,” Mayor of Ferndale, Don Hindley, agreed that adding the number of sick days to an employees’ retirement plan was preferable to cashing out.
The matter was held for further discussion.
Miles Traveled to replace State Gas Tax?
The evening concluded with staff reports, one of which invited people to join a pilot program funded by the state where the state gas ta
x would instead be based on the number of miles traveled. With more electric and hybrid vehicles on the road, state coffers are taking in less taxes from gasoline and law makers are looking for alternative revenue streams.
Besides keeping track of the number of miles traveled via GPS or some other means, other suggestions include a flat rate and using the DMV to note mileage on the vehicle’s odometer.
Federal gas taxes (so far) will still be based on gasoline consumption.
Humboldt Communities Receive Grants
to Improve Safety
Finally, several Humboldt communities received funding from the Safe Routes to School program, a national program that is geared “to create safe, convenient, and fun opportunities for children to bicycle and walk to and from schools.” Recipients did not need to contribute matching funds.
The awards were as follows:
Hoopa- $1.3 million
Fortuna- $893,000
Trinidad- $714,000
Rio Dell- $1.5 million
Arcata- $526,000
Hum. Co. (Manilla) $1.7 million
* Note: HCAOG also approved Local Transportation Fund claims (LTF) for Blue Lake and Ferndale. Ferndale received $44, 170 for city streets and maintenance, while Blue Lake received $43,062 for bus service and a bus shelter. The funds were drawn from Humboldt’s local transportation fund.
Monday Sept. 28, 2015
bly (2006–2012), was in town for a small business/nonprofit seminar that while not overt, was geared toward cannabis growers.
The Humboldt Witness 