###
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday once again addressed financial reporting matters at the center of a conflict between the County Administrative Office and the office of Auditor-Controller Karen Paz Dominguez.
Today’s discussion was a sequel of sorts to a special board meeting back in November when supervisors Virginia Bass and Rex Bohn sounded the alarm over “operational gaps” in the county’s fiscal reporting. These gaps, according to staff, had placed the county at risk of losing more than $14 million in state and federal reimbursement.
A staff report from today’s meeting says there are still “outstanding financial transactions” that could wind up costing the county millions, and it asks the board to “authorize” Paz Dominguez to post the transactions in question.
TODAY in SUPES: COVID Hospitalizations at All-Time High, Cannabis Growers Blast County’s Marketing Efforts and a Permanent Hemp Ban is Passed
Screenshots from Tuesday’s meeting (clockwise from top left): Supervisor Rex Bohn, Supervisor Michelle Bushnell, Supervisor Mike Wilson, Supervisor Virginia Bass, Health Officer Ian Hoffman and Supervisor Steve Madrone.
###
Another big day for the Humboldt County Board of supervisors. Let’s get right to it, shall we?
COVID-19 Update
In his latest COVID-19 update, Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Ian Hoffman said that while he expects the county to remain in the state’s purple tier, denoting widespread virus, for the coming weeks, he’s hopeful that we’re moving “over the top of that plateau” and can look forward to declining case counts. That’s what’s happening at the state level, and we tend to follow a bit behind statewide trends, he said. (Tuesday’s new-case count was just five.)
Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Ian Hoffman. | Screenshot from Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
###
At Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, everyone seemed to have the same question for Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Ian Hoffman: What’s the plan for getting the public vaccinated?
More than 10 months after the first county resident was diagnosed with COVID 19, Humboldt’s case count is skyrocketing, nearly two dozen residents have died, and the local economy remains hobbled by virus-triggered restrictions. Everyone is desperately reaching for the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel.
But it hasn’t even been a month since the FDA authorized emergency use of two COVID vaccines, and on Tuesday Hoffman said it’s just not possible to lay out a concrete timeline at this early stage.