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Facing ongoing budgetary constraints and a dwindling pot of discretionary money from Measure Z, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to cut funding for the county’s Mobile Intervention Services Team (MIST), which serves homeless people experiencing mental health crises, to maintain essential county services. 

Measure Z, the county’s half-percent sales tax intended to maintain and enhance public safety and essential services, currently funds 83 county staff positions and provides money to some outside agencies, including local fire departments. Those funds have dried up in recent years due to a reduction in economic activity across the county, cutting millions of dollars from the county’s projected income.

Back in June, the board formed an ad hoc subcommittee, comprised of Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell and Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson, to come up with a “percentage-based allocation methodology for Measure Z revenues” to reduce county allocations to “no more than 80 percent of ongoing funding (70 percent of all available funding)” by Fiscal Year 2026-27. 

“The ad hoc met several times since its formation and struggled with the decision to cut county allocations … or to by default cut allocations to outside agencies,” the staff report states. “Ultimately, the ad hoc was not able to develop an option that meets the goal set forth by the board … .”

The ad hoc subcommittee came up with three options to address the Measure Z fund’s dwindling balance:

• Option 1 would retain all of the 83 county positions currently allocated to Measure Z – including eight of the 16 new positions allocated in Fiscal Year 2022-23 – but cap funding for larger county departments, such as the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. Specifically, this option would have deallocated funding for the Public Works Department’s brush-cutting crew, forcing the department to seek funding through a potential road tax. This option would have also cut funding for the Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) MIST program beginning in FY 2025-26.
• Option 2 would take the first scenario one step further by cutting funding for MIST at the end of the current fiscal year, reducing Measure Z-allocated positions from 83 to 79.
• Option 3 would maintain the status quo.

(A more detailed description of each of option can be found in the staff report at this link.)

Deputy County Administrative Officer Sean Quincey noted that the four MIST positions that would be cut under Option 2 represent approximately $425,000 in Measure Z expenses in FY 2024-25, and up to $468,000 by FY 2026-27.

First District Supervisor Rex Bohn asked if staff had looked into alternative funding opportunities for MIST. “There always seems to be other funding, especially on the state and federal side,” he said. “Is there anything we can do to push that envelope so we can get those kinds of grants?”

Staff has discussed the issue with DHHS Director Connie Beck and Sheriff William Honsal, Quincey said, but they have yet to identify a new funding source. “That’s part of the reason for the recommendation to fund those positions for a couple of years while they go and continue seeking funding that could replace that program or find some different methods to deliver those services,” he added.

Beck jumped in via Zoom and said she has been looking into the county’s benefits provided by CalAIM (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal) which will be available in January. 

“But because we just did the cut over to CalAIM, I would like to ask that we continue funding the MIST program through June 30, 2024,” she said. “Just know that you don’t have to direct us to look for other funding. We’ve been searching for other funding and know that Measure Z is important to the community and others. We do the best we can to fund our own programs without Measures Z or others.”

Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo advocated for MIST, noting that “it is an incredibly important program.” She felt the alternative revenue streams looked “very promising” but said, “I do think it’s really critical that we ensure that that program doesn’t go away.”

Turning to the issue of brush control, Fifth District Supervisor and Board Chair Steve Madrone said he gets more calls about brush along the side of the road than he does about potholes. 

Madrone

“Even with this road crew … it still presents lots of hazards,” Madrone said. “Given our lack of funding for our roads as a whole, I would really love to think about other ways to raise revenues for vegetation maintenance, rather than taking it away from whatever road tax we might pass in November, which we don’t know where the voters are gonna go with such a thing.”

Public Works Director Tom Mattson expressed concern for “telling people we’re spending their ballot measure money before we even have a ballot measure passed.” 

Mattson asked the board to continue funding the brush-cutting crew for the time being, noting that the county has “already leveraged hundreds of thousands of dollars of CalFire money” on the program. 

“They are really focused on, not just the roadside vegetation, but also fire hazard reduction [and] helping communities save themselves,” he said. “My plea here today is to keep these in Measure Z and [to] not put this on the table for discussion. … I cannot afford these positions right now on the road crew.”

Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal called in to advocate for the sheriff’s office as well, but a poor phone connection made it nearly impossible for the board to hear what he was saying.

Regina Fuller, finance director for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, spoke on his behalf during public comment. She urged the board to maintain the status quo (Option 3), noting that the sheriff’s office is already struggling to fund some of its existing positions. 

“I would like to remind you that in this current fiscal year, the sheriff’s office’s Measure Z funding allocation was not sufficient to cover the operations of the Willow Creek station, which has historically been funded by Measure Z since 2017, as well as two law enforcement positions for a total of $405,000,” Fuller said. “To avoid closing the station and laying off the two employees, your board granted the sheriff’s office one-time funding from the general fund.”

To fully fund all of the Sheriff’s Office’s allocated positions, including “essential” deputy overtime, the county would need to put up another $660,000. “I know it’s believed that larger departments have the ability to take care of these shortages with vacancies. Our office has been doing that for over four years now and we have nothing left to give,” she said. 

Bushnell

Bushnell expressed concern for the sheriff’s office as well but emphasized that the “status quo does not leave any money for fire” service. She advocated for dedicated funding for local fire districts, noting that “they don’t have a set amount of money that they get, so they’re not able to apply for grants or match grants because they always have to apply for the funding.” 

Wilson advocated for local fire districts as well, noting that volunteer fire departments are often the first to respond to emergencies, especially in rural communities.

“It’s true the sheriff’s office is stretched thin by budget and personnel [but] we’re not the only place that’s like that,” he said. “There’s just so much that the community relies on with relationship to that volunteer network, and I want to make sure that we do what we can to keep that network alive and thriving. I think it’s also beneficial to the sheriff’s department. I mean, they need those people there to be to supplement and help law enforcement.”

Lon Winburn, the Fire Chief Association representative for the Measure Z Citizens Advisory Committee, reminded the board of the critical need for emergency services funding that led to the creation of Measure Z.

“I think that the voters, you know, saw the need and I think they supported the need,” he said during public comment. “I just hope that you will keep that in mind as you move forward with these decisions. I know we’re not a county entity, I get it. You’re not responsible for fire [services]. I get that too. But we’ve always had a great partnership. And I’d really, really like to see that continue.”

Also speaking during public comment, Glenn Ziemer, former chair of the Measure Z Citizens Advisory Committee, criticized the Board of Supervisors for failing to listen to the committee’s recommendations over the years. 

Ziemer

“The staff response to our committee and our report was that we were being overly alarmist,” he said. “The reality was that the significant salary increases and the resulting increases in benefit costs was accelerating the rate at which the county was dominating the [Measure Z] fund and the county share cost was outpacing any growth in the fund revenue. The straw that broke the camel’s back was the board’s stunningly short-sighted decision last year to use a one-time funding windfall to create a range of new county positions that will result in even higher ongoing county expenditures from the fund.”

Ziemer asked the board to eliminate the county positions that were created last year and to eliminate the 22 vacant Measure Z-funded positions previously identified by the CAO’s Office.

“Elimination of a significant portion of these vacancies can begin to restore some balance to the fund,” he said. “The board also needs to establish a hard cap on the county share of the fund expenditure. I have no doubt this will seem to be a radical proposal from your perspective, [but] nothing less will address the problem the fund is experiencing.”

After two hours of deliberation on the matter, Bohn somewhat reluctantly made a motion to approve Option Two, to deallocate funding for MIST. Bushnell offered a second.

Arroyo said she would support the action, but emphasized the importance of the program.

The motion passed 5-0.

The board came up with a second motion to revisit the subject in January and discuss the future of the Measure Z Citizens Advisory Committee’s role going forward. The motion passed 4-0, with Bohn absent due to a previous engagement.

Upcoming Board Appointments

Bohn

The end of the year comes with several housekeeping items for our Board of Supervisors, including the appointment of board chair and vice-chair for the new calendar year. In keeping with the board’s tradition of having its vice-chair succeed the current chair of the board, Bohn was appointed to the position of board chair and Bushnell to vice-chair.

The board also went over list of appointments to various other boards, commissions and committees for 2024. This process can be a little touchy, as some board members become quite attached to their assignments and are reluctant to fork over the duties to another, potentially better-suited board representative. 

The appointment process was relatively painless, but quite dull. The board spent about an hour and a half going over the list of 36 appointments and agreed to switch up a few of assignments among its members but kept most positions as is. No hurt feelings this time around!

Letter Addressing Groundfish Fisheries Closure

During the board’s review of the consent calendar, Wilson drew attention to a draft letter, brought forth by Bohn, to California Department of Fish & Wildlife Director Charlton Bonham declaring the county’s opposition to the state’s closure of the nearshore groundfish fishery earlier this year. 

The entire fishery was closed in the Northern Groundfish Management Area due to declining numbers of quillback rockfish, according to the letter. “In our view, it would have been more prudent for CDFW to isolate the nearshore closure strictly to the quillback rockfish … but allow other non-threatened rockfish to be pursued.”

“As a rural coastal community, many residents of Humboldt County are reliant on the local marine fishery for their livelihood such as charter boat owners, fishing supply stores, and seafood restaurants,” the letter states. “Sport ocean fishing is a major attractant for visitors to our community and many sectors of our economy rely on this tourism such as grocery stores, gas stations, motels, RV parks, restaurants, etc. The effect on the individual fisherman and small business owners has been and will continue to be devastating.”

Wilson said he’d support the letter but asked for it to be fact-checked before being sent. “There are just sentences in here saying we did things … and I don’t want people to misconstrue [our involvement.]”

Bohn admitted that he “basically plagiarized the hell out of” Del Norte’s letter to CDFW and said he would be fine with any changes Wilson had in mind.

The suggested modifications to the letter were approved by the board, along with the rest of its consent calendar, 5-0.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On 12/5/2023, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received numerous telephone calls throughout the school day regarding separate threatening reports. The different reports included a male subject on campus with a gun, a male subject who placed a bomb in the back parking lot, and a male subject who was going to start shooting. The high school went on lockdown on each occasion and remained in lockdown while law enforcement conducted a protective sweep and subsequent investigation. Deputies searched the school (interior and exterior) but were unable to locate anyone with a gun and/or anybody who looked suspicious. It was determined the school was safe and the school came out of lockdown after each occasion. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for their assistance.

Similar calls indicating an active threat to McKinleyville High School were received by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday 11/28/2023 and Wednesday 11/29/2023.  Each call initiated a prompt and complete law enforcement response with a thorough canvassing of the premises, internally and externally concluding there was not an active threat.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the source of the threat(s) and working closely with the FBI to bring safe resolution to these reported incidents.  

This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251. 

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Press release from the City of Eureka:

Jarvis

At last night’s Council meeting, City Manager Slattery announced Chief Todd Jarvis retirement from the City of Eureka’s Police Department. Chief Jarvis will be leaving the department on January 4, 2024, two years after he started his position, originally as Interim Chief, on January 3, 2022. Manager Slattery stated, “Chief Jarvis and his wealth of experience saw our City and the Police department through a very tumultuous time in the City’s history. His forward leaning leadership during the last two years will leave a lasting legacy in Eureka.”

Manager Slattery also announced that Assistant Chief Brian Stephens will promote to the position of Chief of Police effective with Chief Jarvis’s retirement. Chief Stephens began his career at Eureka Police Department in February of 1999 as an officer. Prior to beginning his law enforcement career, Chief Stephens served 5 years in the United States Army as a Military Police Officer. For the past 25 years, Chief Stephens has worked his way through the ranks of Eureka Police Department serving as a Field Training Officer, Instructor of Defensive Tactics and Chemical Agents, and a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics team. After spending more than 4 years as a Special Agent with the Humboldt County Drug Task Force, Chief Stephens returned to EPD and promoted to Sergeant. In November of 2014, he was appointed Captain and in October of 2022 promoted to Assistant Chief.

Chief Stephens holds a California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Management Certificate, graduated from the FBI National Academy in June of 2018 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. City Manager Slattery stated, “Chief Brian Stephens commitment and dedication to the community has been unwavering during his career with Eureka. I look forward to working with him as our new Chief of Police and watching him continue to move Eureka Police Department forward.”

Mayor Bergel commented “It is with a grateful heart that I to say goodbye to Chief Jarvis. I appreciate Chief Jarvis stepping in during a difficult time for our City. His forward thinking and guidance have moved our department to a new level. It is bittersweet to goodbye; however, I am so happy for our City to welcome Chief Stephens. I have worked with him on many levels and am excited to work with him in his new role as Chief. I know that he will continue to serve our community with respect and empathy as our new Chief of police. Congratulations Chief Stephens!”

The Eureka City Council will confirm the City Manager’s appointment of Brian Stephens as Chief of Police at the December 19, 2023 regular council meeting.

Pop quiz: What does your state senator do?

And for extra credit: Which Assemblymember represents you?

You’d be forgiven for not knowing. Despite the hundreds of laws that legislators pass each year, many Californians aren’t always aware of what their representatives do, or how their decisions impact their lives.

That’s partly why Republican Assemblymember Josh Hoover hosted a fall “Meet Your Representatives” event in the relatively new Folsom Ranch neighborhood. Inside the sparkling clean cafeteria at Mangini Ranch Elementary School, about two dozen residents gathered to hear what city, county and state elected officials do for them.

Most of the audience questions were focused on local issues: What is the city doing to attract bigger businesses? Why aren’t dogs on leashes?

But one resident asked the state lawmakers about school safety: Were they planning to introduce any bills to deal with the problem of mass shootings?

Hoover took that question: “There was an effort this year to defund school resource officers, school police officers. That effort was stopped at the state level,” he said, with veiled criticism of Democrats. But he deferred specifics to the school board member in attendance.

The conversation highlighted the role state lawmakers play: partisan politicking, working with other levels of government and introducing bills on specific policies that impact the lives of Californians.

But the actual job description for state lawmakers is not that prescriptive. Instead, it’s modeled after what federal lawmakers do, in response to specific needs, or based on how legislators interpret the principles of representation.

Given the lack of strict requirements — and as we near the start of the next session in early January — how do we measure how well a lawmaker is performing?

For Dan Schnur, a politics professor at UC Berkeley, USC and Pepperdine University, being an effective legislator means fulfilling three essential responsibilities: “Representing the interests of their district through constituent services, representing their districts through the passage of legislation, and representing their district through oversight and implementation of that legislation.”

What state lawmakers do

The oath of office each legislator takes is simple: To support and defend the U.S. and California constitution (“against all enemies, foreign and domestic”) and “faithfully discharge” their duties. They also swear that they aren’t part of any party or organization that advocates overthrowing the U.S. government or the state of California by force, violence or other unlawful means.

California’s Constitution also lays out some rules the Legislature must follow: When the session starts, how it’s organized, plus some prohibitions, such as accepting money for making speeches.

And since Proposition 25 was adopted in 2010, if legislators fail to pass a state budget by the June 15 constitutional deadline, they forfeit their pay and expense stipends for each day beyond the deadline.

Other than that, there are no strict guidelines dictating what individual state lawmakers must do.

Assemblymembers can introduce as many as 50 bills a year, and state senators as many as 40 — but they’re not required to. They can vote on bills by other lawmakers — or not. They can also choose to serve on committees to shape bills through the process.

So can a lawmaker pass zero bills per session? Can they abstain from all votes?

Technically, yes. But should they?

That’s where the democratic process kicks in. As Schnur notes, for lawmakers who aren’t in their final term, their re-election campaign begins the day after they take office. During and at the end of each year, lawmakers point to their accomplishments, such as bills passed and money secured for their district.

How well lawmakers do their job

In a September survey by the Public Policy Institute of California, just 48% of 1,600 likely voters approved of the way the Legislature was handling its job. (In comparison, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s approval rating was 56%.)

But how do you measure how well a lawmaker is performing?

That might depend on whether you see their primary role as representing people who live in their district, the state as a whole, a specific issue, or their political party.

Most lawmakers campaign on platforms that speak to the needs of their district — because that’s who elects them.

Take Celeste Rodriguez, the mayor of San Fernando who is running for state Assembly in 2024. In launching her campaign, she wrote: “Our community needs resources and for Sacramento policies to meet families where they are. I am proud to step forward to serve as a voice for the Northeast Valley and am honored and humbled that so many Valley leaders and stakeholders are uniting behind my campaign.”

And if they want to get re-elected, they’re likely to continue trying to appeal to the voters who supported them. “But the best legislators are those who are able to look beyond the needs of their own districts at a broader statewide set of goals,” Schnur said.

They might also point to scorecards issued by many interest groups, such as the California Chamber of Commerce, and state chapters of Planned Parenthood and the Sierra Club, or to their relationships with local government groups or unions.

And while a lawmaker’s duty is to their constituents, they might also have to carry out the will of their political party — which, occasionally, is at odds.

In March, for example, Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains was stripped of a committee assignment by then-Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon after she voted out of step with the Democratic Party, which holds a supermajority in the Legislature, on a bill to penalize oil producers for “windfall profits.”

Bains represents Kern County, which is heavily dependent on the oil industry and is a key contested battleground for both parties. She was reinstated to the influential Business and Professions Committee in May.

“Unlike places like Los Angeles, Kern County does not have dozens of members in the Legislature to represent our interests,” she said in a statement at the time. “We need to make sure Kern is at the table to make our point of view heard.”

Another part of representing the district: After Newsom and legislative leaders cut a deal on the state budget in June, Bains quickly took credit for bringing money to the county, including $21 million to boost public safety and $11 million to address the fentanyl crisis.

For some Republican lawmakers, representing largely GOP districts in a majority Democratic state, being effective means staying true to the party platform, regardless of how their bills fare. For others, it means trying to balance getting bills passed, but possibly compromising on some principles.

State Sen. Roger Niello, center, talks to residents during a community meeting in Folsom on Sept. 19, 2023. Photo by Rahul Lal for CalMatters

At the Folsom event, GOP Sen. Roger Niello of Roseville shared some of the issues he’s focused on: business regulation, taxation, school choice and homelessness. He was one of five legislators who requested an audit of how the state has spent billions of dollars on homelessness — a bipartisan effort.

“We need to make friends with the Democrats,” Niello said. “That’s how we get things done.”

But Republicans’ disadvantages highlight an imperfect way of measuring a legislator’s effectiveness: How many bills they author, or get passed.

Veteran lobbyist Chris Micheli, who writes often about the legislative process, noted that Rendon didn’t introduce any bills for most of his seven years as Assembly speaker. Helping to shape and shepherd significant bills forward can be a more significant contribution.

“I sometimes rail against the bill-making factory of this place … because I’m not sure that every public policy problem needs a bill — and I think we have way too many bills, anyways,” Micheli said. “How well do they deal with their constituents? How responsive are they? … Are they seen and heard in their district so that their constituents know that they are, in fact, working on their behalf?

“There’s a lot that lawmakers can do to show their value and to provide service to their constituents beyond just authoring bills.”

Another misleading measure: Fundraising. It’s one of the few tangible measurements available, so something the Capitol tends to fixate on, said Schnur. “But that doesn’t necessarily translate into effectiveness.”

A changing population

While California’s population has grown since it became a state in 1850, its representative government hasn’t kept pace.

The first Legislature had 16 state senators and 36 Assemblymembers to represent about 92,000 citizens. In 1879, when the state’s population had grown to 865,000, the number of lawmakers was increased to today’s number: 40 senators and 80 Assemblymembers.

That means each Assembly member now represents 495,000 people, and each senator close to 1 million. And that means California legislators have the most constituents of any state.

State senators in Texas, the second most populous state, represent nearly as many people, but its state House members serve an average of 194,555 residents. Also for comparison, California’s 52 U.S. House members each represent an average of 761,000 people.

California’s large state Senate districts make it “impossible to provide any representation in the traditional sense,” Schnur said. “But it’s hard to imagine voters ever deciding that the answer to their problems is more politicians.”

Case in point: Michael Warnken, a libertarian activist, has argued that the ratio means the executive branch gets more power. He was part of a group that sued to add more legislative seats, but that case was dismissed in 2009. And in 2011 and 2013, former gubernatorial candidate John Cox backed unsuccessful efforts to change state districts into smaller neighborhood districts.

Residents attend a community meeting hosted by Assemblymember Josh Hoover in Folsom on Sept. 19, 2023. Photo by Rahul Lal for CalMatters

But how many constituents a state lawmaker represents doesn’t tell the whole story of representation.

You can also look at how well the Legislature reflects the diversity of California. Historically, it has fallen far short, according to the Public Policy Institute for California. But the redistricting after the 2020 Census helped transform the Legislature into the most diverse it has ever been. It produced a record number of majority-Latino districts, one more majority-Asian American Assembly district and two new congressional districts with sizable Black populations, according to the institute. The new political lines also helped elect a record number of women to the Legislature, though not in parity to the population.

But while increased diversity has some impact on the legislative agenda, it’s only the first step.

Leadership roles within each chamber and on committees matter, too. That’s why, when Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas issued new committee assignments late last month, the lack of Black lawmakers in the chamber’s leadership drew some criticism — including from Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, who had served as majority leader for five months.

Why does it matter?“It brings more perspectives and experiences to the delivery of services and the development of policies,” Jennifer Paluch, research associate with the Public Policy Institute of California, wrote in 2020. “It is also important to inspire future leaders and change-makers who see themselves in the faces of their representatives, so that diverse viewpoints and ideas continue to enrich public debate and produce better-informed policies.”

Out in the field

While lawmakers typically draw more focus for what they do inside the Capitol, they each also have a constituent services office — one of the more direct ways they represent their voters.

District office staff take calls on bills, problems in the community, or issues with state departments — helping people deal with delays in unemployment payments or finding the right agency to address their concern.

A sign promotes district offices at a community meeting hosted by Assemblymember Josh Hoover in Folsom on Sept. 19, 2023. Photo by Rahul Lal for CalMatters

The district offices developed as the Legislature shifted to a full-time operation in 1967. Before that, lawmakers spent more time in their districts rather than in Sacramento, according to Alex Vassar, communications manager with the California State Library.Today, district offices boast robust operations, including a software system that helps track the comments and requests they receive. Lori Brown, constituent services director for Sen. Brian Jones, a Republican from San Diego, prints out every email and makes sure she speaks by phone to every individual who contacts the office.

“We can’t help everybody, but we do tell them we’ll look into the matter, we’ll try to find an answer. We do a lot of referrals to other offices,” Brown said. “We have a whole process to make sure they’re handed off and not just saying, we’re just sending you off to another office.”

Brown also follows up with the agencies she refers people to to make sure the issue has been addressed.

In the last legislative session, according to the 23 senators’ offices that responded to a CalMatters survey:

• They logged an average of 466 cases, about 100 on the lower end and, on the higher end, 1,570 cases. But some count every call, while others only log those that aren’t immediately resolved.
• Two of the most common state agencies called about were the Employment Development Department and the Franchise Tax Board, on unemployment or stimulus payments. Other top topics included workers compensation issues with the Department of Industrial Relations, and traffic congestion or road maintenance issues with Caltrans.
• Other key policy areas for cases included rent relief and tenant-landlord disputes.
• District offices also coordinate community events; many reported about 100 a month. Some counted only events attended by the senator, while others included any event where staff was present.

Still, while constituent services are a form of representation, the number of cases is small compared to the number of people in each district.

The district offices also field “constituent correspondences” — comments on bills — and log them into their database.

“Before the Senator votes on a bill, he can see how many people have called him support and opposition,” said Nina Krishel, communications director for Jones’ office. “We can pull the comments that they’ve left, and we record all of that in our system — - and he really does take it into account.”

For Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of good government group California Common Cause, there’s no all-in-one-metric that can help determine if a legislator is representative of their constituents.

Instead, Mehta posed a set of questions: “Do they share experiences with most of, or a large number, of their constituents? Do they represent the views of a large number of constituents? Are they accountable to and responsive to those constituents?”

For Micheli, the answer lies in the U.S. Constitution.“Since the start of our country, one of the principal duties of elected officials has been to meet with constituents, and hear not only their concerns on policy issues, but on how the government can help them,” he said. “The Constitution talks about, in the First Amendment, the right to petition government for the redress of grievances. It’s not just, ‘There ought to be a law.’ But it’s also hearing concerns of constituents that they’re having with the government that affects their daily lives.”

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Joseph Kurtz
November 25, 1942 - November 22, 2023

The man in motion now has a new heavenly address. The athletically driven Joseph Kurtz was example to all for living life to the fullest with great passion.

Joe was born in Compton, Calif., to Edward and Myrtle (Bigelow) Kurtz. He lived his formative years in the small community of Happy Valley, Calif. Those were the glory days, being raised on 30 acres, with five siblings that thrived on being free-range kids. Using dynamite as a kid to blow up trees, to clear the acreage, was always one of the favorite stories.

Joe attended Anderson High School graduating in 1960, and honored with being the Male Athlete of the class. He was a three-sport athlete participating in football, wrestling and baseball. Joe was the very first AHS wrestler to go to a California State Championship.

In 1962 Joe joined the Air Force. He took his wrestling ability to new heights by winning against all the other services.

In 1966 he set up his own hay hauling company. In the summer heat of the Redding area and Round Valley, Modoc County, he set mental challenges daily to manually move more bales of hay than he did previously.

Joe had a need to be back in a gymnasium. He found employment at Seattle Pacific College. He was getting paid to coordinate all athletes needs and he got free workouts, when the wrestling coach noticed him. Say no more, back on the mat he went, now as a student. At age 29, 190 lbs, he out wrestled those youngsters, making it all the way to fifth in the nation!

While at SPC, and on his way to church, he met his future bride, Doreen. They were married in a small chapel on campus two years later. Joe had a firm foundation in his belief of knowing Jesus as the Son of God.

Joe called Eureka home for 47 years, working for Simpson Timber Co. in Korbel, pulling the green chain and tallyman.

Joe passed on his passion for sport to his two daughters, Lesley and Jovonnie, encouraging (no, demanding) them to shoot 100 baskets each day and lift weights.

Joe found absolute delight in retirement by riding his bicycle 100s of miles each week. Then he added pickleball! When Joe wasn’t on the pickleball courts in Humboldt County, he enjoyed RVing and exploring the world alongside Doreen and their travel companions, the Davises and the Sweets. Their adventures ranged from wintering in Palm Springs and Arizona to sailing through the Panama Canal, Europe, Bali and Australia.

His competitive spirit ran deep his entire life. He only lost one battle, and that was against sepsis.

Joe is survived by his wife of 51 years, Doreen Malloy Kurtz.; daughters Lesley Kurtz Silvestre and Jovonnie Kurtz Gilsvik; son-in-laws Garry Silvestre and Jacob Gilsvik; grandchildren Tyler and Chase Silvestre, Ryker and Roen Gilsvik, all of Sacramento.

His siblings: Audrey Duffy (Flushing, N.Y.), Marian Bohumil (Lee’s Summit, Mo.), Ralph Kurtz (Cedar City, Utah), Kathy Gullixson and Phillip Kurtz (both Eureka). He is also survived by seven nieces and nephews in whom stories of Uncle Joe will live on.

Service will be held in the gymnasium at First Covenant Church, 2526 J Street, Eureka, on January 3 at 2 p.m. In honorarium of Joe, contributions can be made to Triumphant Life Camp, P.O.Box 7156, Eureka, CA 95502.

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Born Aug. 6, 1928 and passing gently on Nov. 30, 2023 in Eureka, Millie was one of ten children born and raised in Minnesota. She gave birth to eight children who were the pride of her life.

She was a lifelong Democrat and advocate of good citizenry. She was known for extensive sewing talent, which all who knew her benefited from. She worked in and outside the home, notably at pharmacies. She had considerable knowledge of medicine and health.

Mille was pre-deceased by parents Geoffrey and Margaret Gilman; sons Paul and Charles Steinmetz; and three husbands.

She was survived by children Margaret F. Romero of St. Paul, Minn.; Ann P. Steinmetz (Bruce) of Waveland, Miss.; Jean Holly of Shingletown, Calif.; John Steinmetz (Carol) of Gardnerville, Nev.; Gloria Brooks (Bill) of Eureka; Joan Dahlke of St. Cloud, Minn.; grandchildren Ralph Winstead; Reies Romero; Lee & Russell Dahlke; Kahley, Ava and Grace Steinmetz; and two great-grandchildren, Riley and Braelyn.

No services are planned at this time. Internment this summer at Gillman Family Cemetery in Stanchfield, Minn.

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PREVIOUSLY

• Sheriff Honsal is Refusing to Allow a Dying Man’s Organs to Be Donated. Parents and a Donor Organization Say He Won’t Explain Why.
• Honsal Makes About-Face, Will Allow Donation of Organs From Man On Life Support

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Clyde and Jeanine Matilton don’t understand why their son Eric had to spend more than two weeks on life support before Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal agreed to let his organs be donated, but three days removed from his death, they felt pride and relief this morning when they learned that Eric’s passing likely saved the lives of at least three other people. 

Eric Matilton’s liver and both kidneys were recovered during an autopsy on Saturday, and they’ve been successfully transplanted into three organ donation recipients, according to Robynn Van Patten, chief legal and administrative officer/executive vice president of Donor Network West, a nonprofit organ procurement organization. 

“I’m in awe of how much strength they had in the face of everything they’d gone through,” Van Patten said of the Matiltons. “Their strength and courage of conviction got the message about [the importance of] organ donation out, so who knows how many other lives have been saved or will be saved because of what they did.”

She also said that, despite the frustrating delays, she grateful to Sheriff Honsal, who maintained for 14 straight days that protocol precludes the possibility of organ donation when someone dies while in custody at the county jail — only to reverse course at the 11th hour. (In a press release issued Friday afternoon, his department said that after speaking with county counsel, the District Attorney, a forensic pathologist and subject matter experts, Honsal agreed that organ donation could, in fact, proceed without violating protocol.)

“And who knows how many more lives will be saved because the sheriff is revisiting this policy and has a new understanding?” Van Patten said.

Clyde Matilton said he gets that. “But I’m still really, really pissed about the whole thing,” he added. “Why did this have to happen? Why did we have to do this?”

Matilton with two of his kids, Kaydon and Cam.

Eric Matilton, a 38-year-old Hoopa Valley Tribe member and father of three, allegedly hanged himself in his jail cell at the Humboldt County Correctional facility on Friday, Nov. 17. His parents said they were in the Bay Area when they were informed the next day that their son had sustained non-survivable injuries and was on life support at St. Joseph Hospital. 

Over the next two weeks, they said, they were unable to reach Honsal directly, but they heard from a number of people who had, including sheriff’s deputies, employees of Donor Network West and Hoopa Valley Tribal Chairman Joe Davis, that Honsal was steadfast in his refusal to allow organ donation. 

Davis sent them a text he’d received from Honsal about the matter, which read, “Thank you for reaching out. Since Eric is considered an In Custody Death, we have a protocol that mandates a full criminal investigation, which includes an autopsy. Organ donation cannot be considered. We have told the organ donation people many time [sic] but they don’t want to listen. It is unfortunate, but there is no other way.”

Clyde and Jeanine believe Honsal only changed his mind due to public outcry after they went to the media, and they’re convinced that the two-week delay prevented a successful donor match for their son’s heart. 

“I mean, that door was open the whole time,” Clyde said. “All [Honsal] had to do was walk through it and he wouldn’t. … By him not working with the donation team or me or anybody and wasting 15 days, my son was unable to give somebody else life. … It’s painful for me, but it also makes me mad.”

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Van Patten said it’s difficult to say with any certainty whether Eric’s heart could have been successfully donated if things happened sooner.

“There’s a super nuanced, interdependent ecosystem in donation,” she said. “There are many factors that play into that process. … When you are a transplant surgeon and a transplant recipient, there are so many factors that go into play in order for you to be able to receive a heart, and some of it has to do with your immune system, your antibodies, your blood type, your tissue match. There’s a lot of different elements that we look into to find the optimal candidate to make sure that it’s a successful transplant and that your body is less likely to reject it.”

The heart, in particular, is a delicate and intricate organ, and much of its viability for donation depends on the condition of the donor.

“In Eric’s case, he was being kept alive on a ventilator helping him to breathe, have circulation, etc. But he was not declared brain-dead,” Van Patten said.

That fact actually complicated the donation process. When a potential organ donor is declared brain-dead, medical staff know that the patient will die as soon as they’re taken off life support. In fact, they’ve typically already been declared dead, which means that organ recovery can proceed immediately after that patient is taken off of the ventilator.

In cases like Eric’s, on the other hand, where some degree of brain activity remains, doctors must wait after pulling the plug to see if the heart can still keep the body alive. 

“They do wait a full five minutes [after the heart stops beating] before we would even begin any kind of procedure, because the heart can sometimes spontaneously resuscitate,” Van Patten explained. “And when that happens, obviously all of us are on the team of, ‘Hey, you can save this person; save this person.’ … Obviously we would never want to cut anyone’s life short.”

That’s true even when the person’s injuries have been declared non-survivable, as in Eric’s case. His was a scenario called “donation after circulatory death,” or DCD, which always involves a bit of uncertainty.

The question, Van Patten said, becomes, “Will this person pass in time so that the organ will remain viable? The heart doesn’t maintain viability for very long.”

When someone in Eric’s condition is pulled off of a ventilator, there’s an immediate reduction in the amount of blood and oxygen traveling through the body, and this lack of circulation can damage the organs.

Van Patten said Eric’s organs remained in good condition throughout his extended time on life support. 

“He was a strong guy, a strong young man, which makes this all even more sad in some ways,” she said.

But for the organ recipient and their physician waiting in Los Angeles, the normal uncertainties associated with a DCD were compounded by the bureaucratic red tape here in Humboldt County. 

“They were ready to go — all things great — but now, wait. It’s been how many days and [the patient] and their family are waiting for this heart on pins and needles: ‘Will this person pass in time?’” And in this case, Van Patten said, another question arose: “Will the sheriff even allow this to happen?”

During this period of uncertainty — “miraculously,” Van Patten said — another compatible heart became available for the patient in Los Angeles, and while she can’t say for sure, it’s possible that the other donor passed away via brain death, which would have simplified the donation process.

“I don’t know whether [Eric’s heart] was a better overall match than this new one, but they decided to go with the other one because it was more certain,” Van Patten said. 

She understands the Matiltons’ frustration. “There’s no question that unnecessary delays in an already incredibly delicate ecosystem can create a problem,” she said. “But I want to be clear that I appreciate the fact that the sheriff’s department is looking into changing its policy, that they ultimately were sufficiently educated to understand that we could still preserve evidence and recover organs so that we can save someone’s life in accordance with Eric and his family’s wishes. And that I hope we will never face this issue in Humboldt County again.”

The Outpost reached out to Honsal via email this morning to ask why it took so long to speak directly with the Matiltons, to county counsel and to the subject matter experts he eventually contacted. We had not received a reply before publication time. We’ll update this post if we get a response.

Eric Matilton and his son Kaydon.

Meanwhile, Clyde and Jeanine Matilton said they think the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and the Coroner’s Office should be separate departments, as they were prior to 2016, to avoid conflicts of interest. And they’re annoyed by online comments celebrating Honsal.

“This thing could have worked from day one but he was hard-core ‘no,’” Clyde said. “Public pressure got to be too much. For me and my family it took 15 days, and going to the press was like the last thing we could do.”

“It was an unusual circumstance,” Van Patten said. “I’m sorry that in this case [Eric’s]heart could not be used. But we know that the other three transplants were successful and his life saved three other lives.”

She said she’s grateful to the Matiltons for their perseverance, and she’s also grateful to the community in Humboldt County for joining the fight.

“They brought it into the public light,” she said, “and there is no question in my mind that their bravery and courage and conviction is going to save even more lives because they’ve made the issue of donation really vivid in the public eye.”