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The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in closed session this morning to meet on Monday, April 4, to consider a censure of Auditor-Controller Karen Paz Dominguez.
The meeting had barely begun before the board adjourned to closed session to discuss potential litigation. The threat of legal action came via a Nov. 3 letter from a group of anonymous department heads, deputy directors, a division director and an untold number of other employees, all of whom expressed concerns about a “severe” and “looming” fiscal crisis allegedly caused by “failures and financial missteps” from Paz Dominguez.
Before heading into closed session, Board Chair Virginia Bass asked County Counsel Jefferson Billingsley for an estimate of how long the board should expect to be behind closed doors discussing the matter. She lightly scoffed when he said 15 to 20 minutes, and sure enough, they were in closed session for close to an hour.
With the board having already passed a vote of “no confidence” in Paz Dominguez back in November, it’s not clear what impact an official board censure would have beyond yet another symbolic expression of their disapproval. The Outpost will follow up with staff to see if they can offer any clarity on the process and implications.
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UPDATE, 4:09 p.m.: The board authorized the release of a report written by county counsel that reveals the findings of an independent investigation into Paz Dominguez. Read more here.
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PREVIOUSLY
- County Employees Threaten Legal Action Over ‘Failures’ of Auditor-Controller; Workforce Board Pursues ‘No Confidence’ Vote
- ‘Something is Broken’: County Staff, Supervisors and Department Heads Confront Auditor-Controller in Collective Airing of Grievances
- Board Narrowly Passes Vote of ‘No Confidence’ in Auditor-Controller as State Prepares to Step in and Complete County’s Delinquent Financial Transactions Report
- State Launches Investigation Into County’s Financial Practices and Reporting
- YESTERDAY in SUPES: ‘Your House is on Fire and It’s Threatening My House’: First 5 Director Pleads With County to Fix Its Financial Mess
- (UPDATED) ‘Extremely Bad News’: Caltrans Sanctions County, Freezes New Project Funding Because of Overdue Audit Report
- Attorney General’s Office Threatens Legal Action Against Auditor-Controller Karen Paz Dominguez Over Failure to Submit Financial Transactions Report
- Paz Dominguez on the Offensive: Auditor-Controller Riles Supervisors, Staff With Allegations of Fiscal Shenanigans
- Attorney General’s Office Confirms ‘Final Notice’ to Auditor-Controller Was Not Sent By Mistake
- TODAY in SUPES: Delinquent Financial Reports are Making County’s Budgeting Process a Challenge, Chief Financial Officer Says
- Fortuna City Council Directs Staff to Send Letter Expressing ‘No Confidence’ in Auditor-Controller Karen Paz Dominguez
- Auditor-Controller Karen Paz Dominguez Blasts Humboldt County Board of Supervisors During Reelection Announcement
- Auditor-Controller Submitted Overdue Report to the State After 10 Last Night; Special Meeting to Present Proof Behind Her Recent Allegations Canceled