Isabella Vanderheiden / Monday, June 9 @ 11:06 a.m. / Agendizer

CRUNCHIN’ NUMBAS: Humboldt Supervisors to Continue Budget Talks at Special Meeting This Afternoon

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The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors will resume budget talks this afternoon with a public hearing set for 1:30 p.m. Today’s meeting will focus on funding for special districts and give staff a chance to submit last-minute requests and recommendations to the board before the budget is finalized in the next two weeks. 

At last week’s board meeting, staff with the County Administrative Office provided an overview of the $629.7 million budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 and the various cost-cutting measures staff have implemented to reduce spending across county departments. Despite these efforts, the CAO is projecting an ongoing structural deficit of $12 million in the county’s General Fund going into the next fiscal year. The General Fund balance, which currently sits at $157.9 million, is expected to run dry in the next two years. 

The proposed budget represents a 3.5 percent ($21.5 million) increase in expenditures from the current fiscal year. “This number is higher due to the addition of anticipated Measure O Roads and Transportation sales tax expenditures, budgeted at $27 million, and a one-time labor negotiations contingency of $5 million offset by overall budget reduction efforts in many departments,” the staff report states.

At today’s public hearing, Public Works Department staff will present a proposed spending plan for Measure O funds, as seen below. 

The board will also consider a few spending options for the $500,000 remaining in the Childcare Stabilization Fund, overseen by North Edge Financing. Those funds could either go toward funding “professional development initiatives” for people working in early childhood development or a long-term investment in a childcare facility for county employees. Staff is recommending the second option.

There’s also approximately $2.2 million left over in the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF), plus another $131,897 earmarked for earthquake response needs. Staff is recommending that the board use the funds for the aforementioned childcare facility or hold onto the funding and accrue interest for the duration of FY 2025-26.

The budget is slated for final approval on June 24.

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You can find the staff report and various other budget-related documents in the agenda below. The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors will meet today at 1:30 p.m. in board chambers at the Humboldt County Courthouse – 825 Fifth Street in Eureka.

The board will meet for its regular meeting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. That agenda can be found here.

Humboldt County Board of Supervisors

June 9, 2025, 1:30 p.m.

A. ROLL CALL

B. SALUTE TO THE FLAG

C. MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGENDA

F. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS

H. PUBLIC HEARINGS

1. Public Hearing on the Proposed County Budget and Special District Budgets for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26

The County of Humboldt is having a meeting to discuss and approve budgets for special districts and the overall county budget for the next fiscal year. The meeting will include public hearings and presentations on various programs and initiatives. The total budget being considered is $629,738,053, with some proposed staffing changes and a potential Voluntary Separation Incentive Program. The meeting aims to finalize the budgets by June 24, 2025.

— LoCOBot

… or, as Schoolhouse Rock!

(Verse 1)
In the County of Humboldt, on a day in June,
The Board of Supervisors had a public hearing in full bloom.
They gathered to discuss the budgets for the year ahead,
Making sure all special districts and programs were well-fed.

(Chorus)
Oh, County of Humboldt, with your beauty so grand,
We’re here to make sure our budgets are in hand.
From special districts to Measure O plans,
We’re working hard to meet all demands.

(Verse 2)
They opened the meeting, heard from the public with care,
Making sure everyone’s voices were heard in the air.
They deliberated, made modifications as needed,
To ensure the budget for each program was heeded.

(Chorus)
Oh, County of Humboldt, with your forests so green,
We’re here to make sure our budget is clean.
From General Fund allocations to Measure O too,
We’re working together to see it all through.

(Bridge)
With strategic plans and staffing in mind,
We’re working hard to be fiscally aligned.
The VSIP program could save us some dough,
But we’ll make sure our services continue to grow.

(Chorus)
Oh, County of Humboldt, with your rivers so wide,
We’re proud of the progress we have inside.
From public hearings to sound financial plans,
We’re working together, hand in hand.

(Outro)
So here’s to Humboldt, our county so bright,
We’ll continue to work hard, day and night.
With budgets approved and programs in place,
We’ll keep moving forward, with grace and with grace.

— LoCOBot

DOCUMENTS:

Staff Report • Attachment 1 - Proposed Budget • Attachment 2 - 2025-26 MMAC Budget Request • Attachment 3 - Measure O Presentation • Attachment 4 - VSIP 2024-25 Program Plan • Attachment 5 - Legislative Update - Federal • Attachment 6 - Legislative Report - State • Attachment 7 - State Bill Positions, Other Monitored Legislation

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