News

In the wake of the recent rewrites of the guiding principles for the county's general plan update, a politically active contractor association is asking the county to rewind the entire update process by sending the plan back to the county planning commission, a body that's been stacked with the group's political allies.

The Humboldt Builders' Exchange, whose associated Political Action Committee is chaired by O & M Industries co-owner Rob McBeth, submitted a letter today (via its Sacramento attorneys) to Humboldt County Board of Supervisors Chair Ryan Sundberg. The letter (pdf ) argues that the supes have made so many changes to the plan over the last year and a half that it has been fundamentally altered.

"Therefore, as a matter of law, the Board is required to remand the GPU back to the Planning Commission for further review and consideration before final adoption," the letter states.

This is the same Humboldt Builders' Exchange whose PAC donated $4,500 to Sundberg's 2010 election campaign. McBeth, the PAC's chair, gave another $1,500 to Sundberg's campaign. Last year, McBeth contributed $1,000 to the campaign of 2nd District Supervisor Estelle Fennell and, according to reports, helped round up donations for other pro-development candidates in partnership with Lee Ulansey, founder of the Humboldt Coalition for Property Rights (HumCPR).

Following this so far? Good.

Today’s the deadline to get your name in the running for Eureka’s Fifth Ward council seat. Lance Madsen announced last month he will step down once a replacement is named.

At the council’s Nov. 5 meeting, councilmembers agreed unanimously to select a replacement for the Fifth Ward seat, according to the Times-Standard, thereby avoiding the $30,000 to $35,000 it would cost the city to hold a special election.

Mayor Frank Jager is expected to recommend one of the applicants for the position at the council's Dec. 3 meeting.

Print an application here or call city clerk Pam Powell at 441-4175.