County Counsel Defends Legality of $10,000-a-Day Abatement Fines

Cannabis abatement letter Humboldt County

Notice to abate. Photo posted in RHBB on June 24, 2018.

In an ongoing series of interviews aimed at gaining an understanding of the unpermitted commercial cannabis cultivation abatement program, Humboldt County’s County Counsel Jeff Blanck responded to questions raised by a community conversation with attorney Patrik Griego.

Griego spoke with community members on August 3 about the Notices to Abate a Nuisance that Humboldt County Building and Planning’s Code Enforcement Unit have been sending to rural residents supected of unpermitted commercial cannabis cultivation. He said Humboldt County probably lacks the necessary authority to set its abatement fines over $1000 per day. And that evening some Community members present alleged they had felt intimidated not to enter complaince agreements, and that charges that had been remediated, or had been untrue, could not be eliminated from the costly compliance agreements.

In a phone interview afterward, County Counsel, Jeff Blanck gave more information on the County’s reasoning and denied the need to threaten anyone.

When a landowner receives a Notice to Abate a Nuisance, each nuisance listed on the notice carries an independient fine. Unpermitted cannabis cultivation carries a fine of $10,000 a day as does unpermitted grading and unpermitted structures. Ergo, if a landowner received a notice to abate grading, cannabis cultivation and greenhouses, the fine beginning after the tenth day would be $30,000 a day. At the end of thirty days, a property owner would owe .9 million dollars.

Humboldt County’s County Counsel, Jeff Blanck explained the authority and justification of $10,000 a day fines,

The Board [of Supervisors] was looking at ‘the fines need to be a deterent.’ With the cannabis industry, if you fine someone a hundred dollars a day, that’ll just be the cost of doing business. It won’t do anything. So, that’s where it went up to the $10,000 a day.

Referencing government code. §36901, entitled Fines; Imprisonment; Penalties; and Forfeitures, which reads,

The city legislative body may impose fines, penalties, and forfeitures for violations of ordinances. It may fix the penalty by fine or imprisonment, or both. A fine shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). Imprisonment shall not exceed six months,

Blanck said,

The authority is kind of in the negative. There’s a statute that limits the fines for cities to $1,000 but not counties. We looked at that and said that if it doesn’t apply to counties, then that expressly means that counties can have a higher fine because the statute didn’t include counties or all legislative bodies.

Blanck said this means, “[T]here is no restriction on the fines that can be set by the counties. There are restrictions on cities.”

However, in an email received after KMUD News aired the interview with Mr. Blanck, Patrik Griego cited California Appellate case People v. Minor 96 Cal. App. 4th 29, Government Code Section 25132 and Penal Code Section 19. Griego writes, the court reasoned,

These statutes do the following: First, they create a default classification of misdemeanors for code violations; second, they authorize counties to classify the violations as infractions if they choose to do so; and, finally, they set the respective punishments for both infraction and misdemeanor code violations..

The court continued, stating

We must conclude that counties – unlike cities – do not presently have the power to ‘fix’ fines, penalties and forfeitures for criminal violation of their ordinances, but are relegated to the fines and penalties set by general statutes, except where the Legislature has expressly bestowed on the counties the power to impose additional penalties.

The amount of the abatement fines will be a matter for the courts to decide as landowners move to argue the fines that have been set to compel landowners to cease and desist commercial cannabis cultivation in the absence of a permit.

Compliance Agreements

85% of the Notices to Abate a Nuisance list three or more violations, generally these are unpermitted commercial cultivation, unpermitted structures, and unpermitted grading. Compliance agreements give landowners more time to abate the nuisances listed. To enter into a compliance agreement, a landowner must agree to pay the first day’s fine on the nuisance or nuisances listed in the agreement. In this abatement program, one nuisance in the Compliance Agreement would cost $10,000 to enter, where three nuisances would raise the price to $30,000.

When Griego spoke on August 3rd, allegations arose that landowners are frequently able to resolve two out of the three listed problems before the end of the ten day period, but that the planning department was crafting the Compliance Agreements with all the original nuisances included.

In the phone interview, Blanck responded,

If there were three things that needed abatement and they did two within ten days, a lot of these compliance agreements give them months to comply… some of them might even be a year.

When asked to clarify what would happen if the landowner “got rid of two” nuisances within the ten day period before entering a compliance agreement, Blanck responded,

What you just said is ‘they got rid of two,’ so they had [the nuicanses.] So they were in violation….There’s a penalty for violations. If you don’t want to be subjected to $10,000, then don’t do a violation.

When asked if he was saying that the fines applied to violations that were corrected before the end of ten days after notice was served, Blanck replied: “I’d have to talk with Planning to be sure, but I’m pretty sure that if there were three violations, that’s $30,000, I think the two would go away and there’d be the one that wasn’t done.”

When asked to confirm, as County Counsel, what the law supports, Blanck said,

Compliance agreements are site specific and case by case, but generically, if you got this notice…if it says ‘if you abate in ten days, you won’t be fined,’ great, the things you abate, you won’t be fined on, the things you don’t [finish] you will be [fined on.]

Feelings of Intimidation

Next, Blanck responded to assertions in which people have said they’ve felt threatened with further enforcement action if they chose not to enter a compliance agreement. Blanck said,

We’re not doing that. There’s no need for us to, if they don’t want to sign a Compliance Agreement, the fines just run. They can run for 90 days and then we can file an action to start the process to collect the money and potentially get the property. So there’s no reason to threaten anyone.

Blanck talked about those who fail to act when they receive an abatement notice,

With the potential of the fines accumulating at that rate, it could mean they could lose their property, [so] you are going to get somebody to take action.
If it was nothing, it could be written off as the cost of doing business, and it wasn’t going to do any good at all.
And this is assuming the land owner even responds because there’s going to be…some that don’t even respond at all.

Blanck, describing the due process the county must undergo before taking a property, said, “Due process is significant before you can actually take properties. The county cannot do that at an administrative level.”

A community meeting has been arranged by the Civil Liberties Monitoring Project for Thursday the 23rd of august. Supervisor Fennell, Director Ford and representatives from Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Waterboards are scheduled to be included.

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Tell The Truth
Guest
Tell The Truth
5 years ago

Where is the fine for Estell’s unpermitted house and sewage disposal system? Let’s see if the Kym lets this stay up. This is public available knowledge available to anyone at the building dept.

Joe dirt
Guest
Joe dirt
5 years ago
Reply to  Tell The Truth

There was a lot of good information on the public side of the meeting I do not believe that it will change things much I sure do hope so though I am still calling down judgement on the County Council the planning department and the Board of Supervisors and whoever else is responsible for these stupid ordinances you are breaking God’s law be good to each other simple if we live by this law we would be living in Paradise still when you break God’s law you can lose everything even your soul ordinance fire containment imminent

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Joe dirt

Notwithstanding the limitations on civil penalties set forth in ****, civil penalties for violation of this Article of shall be assessed as follows:
(1) A fine equal to three times the total of the permit fees; or
(2) A fine $1,000 per violation per day, whichever is greater.
(3) In any event, the maximum annual penalty per violation per year is $25,000.

Nevada county maximum fines…so, yeah.. Humboldt fines are extremely exssive..

Ted Kraft
Guest
Ted Kraft
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Well, you could move to Nevada!

Johnny Rotten
Guest
Johnny Rotten
5 years ago
Reply to  Joe dirt

There was an interesting question that came up last night at the clmp abatement meeting Estelle Fennell was asked if her partner was somehow involved with a commercial grow and the way it was answered was a little bit sketchy in my opinion I wonder if anybody in the Kym Kemp commenting section has any further information

Johnny Rotten
Guest
Johnny Rotten
5 years ago
Reply to  Johnny Rotten

Quite a few new abatement letters went out to check on them in the time standards yep right here in southern Humboldt right after your supervisor shows up to tell us how she doesn’t give a fuk about our economy and the livelihood of many people

Kevin
Guest
Kevin
5 years ago

I wish Jeff would describe the process used to decide the $value of the fines. How did they arrive at the numbers 10,000 or 20,000? What are their values based on? Those are nice round numbers. Why not something like $9,672.44 or $23,179.88?

warrens buffet
Guest
warrens buffet
5 years ago
Reply to  Kevin

Like because $9,672.44 or $23,179.88 is freaking stupid.

Even Iowas has rounded of the weed files:
Cultivation or Distribution
50 kg or less Felony 5 years $ 7,500
More than 50 – 100 kg Felony 10 years $ 50,000
More than 100 – 1000 kg Felony 25 years $ 100,000
More than 1000 kg Felony 50 years $ 1,000,000
Involving a minor Felony 5* – 25 years $ 100,000
To a minor within 1000 feet of a park, elementary or middle school, or school bus Felony 10 years* $ 100,000

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  warrens buffet

The Corn Lobby 🌽🌪💰 clearly doesn’t want the competition. It’s all those damn Elite Iowans in office who were members of 💀 Skull & Corns at the prestigious University of Iowa🌽! (The middle class kids have to settle for Iowa State. 😢😭😢😫)

Now THEY are spraying our pot crops with ☠️ carcinogenic corn-laced 🌾 aluminum aerosol fire accelerants. 🔥🌪🔥🌪🔥😫🔥🌪🔥🌪🔥🌪

Or so says Bud “The Radio Dud” 🎙📻 Rogers, who claims he was Naval Intelligence. 🏝🏖⚓️🚢⛴🛳🛥🚤

Dude
Guest
Dude
5 years ago

This is criminal, 30k a day or we take your property, burden of proof all on you. How is this legal.. what happened to the Constitution. Allowing counties to recklessly fine and abate is going to lead us down a dark road

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Dude

We’re already down a dark road. A private male masquerading as Sheriff (Not elected) wouldn’t know law if he found it in his sock drawer. Makes one wonder who’s giving the orders? Probably Ford, the hired-hand from San Diego.

It’s semantic deceit to create fraud -nothing more. Same as it ever was.

Blanck. What a lying [edit]. “Due process . . . blah, blah, blah” Pfft! Due process boys and girls would have to prove evidence for the claim. Phony warrants ain’t gonna do it.

What you’re looking at is a (@Legal@) corporation stealing the rights and wealth of the people. What you’re delusionally seeing is lawful government. . . . like frogs in a pot of water.

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Central HumCo

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EZTMKfTP6P0

How Much Criminalization Will You Tolerate From Your Government?

Thought you might like this guy.

Legal advice
Guest
Legal advice
5 years ago
Reply to  Dude

http://janssenlaw.com/blog/responding-humboldt-county-nuisance-and-abatement-actions

Responding to Humboldt County Nuisance and Abatement Actions

Y
Guest
Y
5 years ago
Reply to  Dude

It’s not like you just forgot to mow the lawn in a neighborhood regulated by cc&r’s. You’re doing something illegal on a large scale.

john
Guest
john
5 years ago

Its a shakedown, pure and simple.

LBH
Guest
LBH
5 years ago
Reply to  john

John, this is not ‘Nam. This is bowling. There are rules. The county and state need to clean up the scene for the legal guys otherwise, soon enough, the feds will come knocking and ruin the party for the legal people.

Remember the Cole Memo, before Sessions pissed all over it? It was up to the states and locals to clean house and and keep it clean. Every time a grow bro’s bambala chacha shows up out of state you potentially {edit} it up for everyone playing by the rules. Doesn’t help matters when the bros are holding weed, blow, scag, and guns.

Ullr rover
Guest
Ullr rover
5 years ago
Reply to  LBH

The county has rules as well. If we don’t hold them to those rules they will ignore those rules. Can you imagine the outrage if the county aggressively pursued abatements on Costco tarp tents or steel carports? Technically these require permits. “Well, if you pay the first day’s fines we’ll talk…”

“Building without a permit violations (up to $10,000 fine per day, per violation)”

Testes, testes, one two...three?
Guest
Testes, testes, one two...three?
5 years ago
Reply to  Ullr rover

EXCELLENT point. Monitor Costco, Target, Safeway, Bayshore Mall etc. for violations daily and witness the phenomenal double standard.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Ullr rover

What I would like is an easier online system to look up building codes, fines, appeals, etc. I can find Federal codes online easily. Same with State codes. I can find the codes of many other counties online. But not Humboldt Co, which must make it a requirement for all pages of information to lead you immediately back to the same page of address and phone numbers without passing through any pages of real information.

Silverlining
Guest
Silverlining
5 years ago
Reply to  Ullr rover

In one case it was for tents.

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  LBH

You’re right LBH there are rules to this game, and EVERYONE must follow them, including the county jackboots and thugs. There is something called the Constitution and the Bill of Rights which happen to be the supreme law of the land and protect us ALL from the GOV’t. As soon as we let the gov’t piss all over our rights, the Bill of Rights, in the name of upholding less important laws, we WILL lose everything. Grobro, Christian, criminal, good samaritan, we are all protected by the same set of rules and laws. We are all losing that basic protection and our basic rights at with each abatement notice

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago

They have been pissing on it for decades, accelerated after 9/11 happen. Have any of you ever looked over the Patriot Act or the National Defense authorization Act? Both literally gut the Constitution, although that’s completely illegal because the Constitution and Bill of Rights protect rights that the government cannot take away from us.
Here is the Patriot Act PDF
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-107hr3162enr/pdf/BILLS-107hr3162enr.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjwlrXepIfdAhVDVd8KHXTOCwwQFjAAegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw1Z4rMiSfknmVlQ6SSHDmxZ
And the National Defense authorization act PDF
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20171113/HRPT-115-HR2810.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiBitn0pIfdAhUwVd8KHQ2UCNgQFjAAegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw0p8egc03-Aoirs9kEB3YjW

Steve
Guest
Steve
5 years ago
Reply to  john

Then complying with the law is just,or lose it all. The hell with all the growers,and the slaughter of juvenile steelhead and salmon, they are at the tipping point.

Fruitytutti
Guest
Fruitytutti
5 years ago

Thanks for the free ass wipe Humboldt planning department I realized I had no tp when I got to my gate. Next time send more fines so I have more sheets to wipe

CB
Guest
CB
5 years ago

Hey Dude is that the same constitution the rest of us follow, where as citizens we abide by the rules? As in no unpermitted commercial cultivation, unpermitted structures, and/or unpermitted grading.

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  CB

Oh yeah, i see the word commercial all throughout the Constitutions. Water and oil.

That’s why “The County” in commerce Counsel LOVES the word @Legal@ and repeats it, and repeats it.
Because none of the cartoons in a cartoon graveyard know zip about law. The law of the land hasn’t changed. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been taught for decades.

Begging for permission to exercise your rights is no way to go thru life.

~oh Humboldt. 🙁

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  CB

The Constitution makes no mention of structures, grading, or cultivation. Maybe try reading it some time CB. Funny thing, did you know the Constitution was written on hemp? Wonder where the forefathers got that from? 😏😆

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  CB

I think you’re confusing the Constitution with something entirely different dude.

Perhaps you should actually read the Constitution

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript

Rewdood Dan
Guest
Rewdood Dan
5 years ago

Stating that you will take someone’s property in 90 days if they don’t agree to your terms is a pretty straightforward threat in my opinion. How did they arrive at such numbers?$10,000 $20,000? What was the thought process? How were those values determined? They are very round numbers. Why not $9,765.43 or $19,599.75?

No Tiny Violins For You
Guest
No Tiny Violins For You
5 years ago

We’re not doing that. There’s no need for us to, if they don’t want to sign a Compliance Agreement, the fines just run. They can run for 90 days and then we can file an action to start the process to collect the money and potentially get the property. So there’s no reason to threaten anyone…………. And there it is. The county is salivating at the thought of confiscating all that land. They are making a stand. For those that played the game up until this point, but didn’t go legit this is your payback. The county knows you made thousands if not millions of dollars illegally. Now you have to pay or close up shop. It’s your own fault for getting greedy & replanting this year even though you had no permit. Now you need a state permit to grow. The 20,000 plant bust this week just goes to show that being in the county program isn’t enough. You need state licsense now. The county is going to make a ton of money. About time! You greedy ass growers never give back to the community & are only out for yourself. I say clean up the place. Run the bad actors out of town & let the new robust marijuana economy begin. It’s a new age. Either get on the legal bus or get the F@ck out of Humboldt! No world’s smallest violin for the criminals!

Tavistock
Guest
Tavistock
5 years ago

Just because it’s been codified, does not make it Just. Slavery was codified at one time as well. Women used to be second class citizens as well. Doctors recommended smoking, etc.

Are we going to address the corruption within the ranks of those task to enforce these codes? Collateral damage means nothing to these people.

Then what?
Guest
Then what?
5 years ago

In the long term though, there’ll be no property taxes paid on a seized property. Then would the County be responsible for the mitigation efforts they are listing as mandated in there enforcement notices? Just like a grower is fined for legacy problems, like a culvert installed by a timber company before subdivision, wouldn’t the County now also be obligated to pay for the fix they mandated?
Then, after seized, who would buy those parcels from the county? would you now be able to start fresh and grow on them? would they be limited to grazing river pooping grass eaters?

Ullr rover
Guest
Ullr rover
5 years ago

Nusiance abatements require due diligence to notify the parcel owner and gives s/he 10 days to resolve the nusiance BEFORE any penalties can be levied. Notice require direct notification of parcel owner or newspaper notice AND notice placed in a “conspicuous place” on the parcel.

2005 California Government Code Sections 38771-38775 Article 6. Nuisances

“(b) … If the owner of record, after diligent search cannot be
found, the notice may be served by posting a copy thereof in a
conspicuous place upon the property for a period of 10 days and
publication thereof in a newspaper of general circulation published
in the county in which the property is located pursuant to Section
6062.”

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Ullr rover

I’m not sure that ordinances specifying remedies for graffiti removal apply to building code violation or environmental violations. Not to mention environmental violations. Not to mention Clean Water Act violations.

crazie eddie
Guest
crazie eddie
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Clean Water Act laws are federal.

Ullr rover
Guest
Ullr rover
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

(a) The board of supervisors, by ordinance, may establish a procedure for the abatement of a nuisance. The ordinance shall, at a minimum, provide that the owner of the parcel, and anyone known to the board of supervisors to be in possession of the parcel, be given notice of the abatement proceeding and an opportunity to appear before the board of supervisors and be heard prior to the abatement of the nuisance by the county. However, nothing in this section prohibits the summary abatement of a nuisance upon order of the board of supervisors, or upon order of any other county officer authorized by law to summarily abate nuisances, if the board or officer determines that the nuisance constitutes an immediate threat to public health or safety.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=25845

Humboldt’s ordinance:

§ 351-1 TITLE III – LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION 5 PUBLIC NUISANCES, ABATEMENT AND PENALTIES CHAPTER 1 PUBLIC NUISANCES AB – Humboldt …
PDFHumboldtgov.org. › View

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
5 years ago

What it boils down to in Humboldt is if you want to grow weed and sell it on the black market, (because there’s no track and trace) you better make damn sure the County gets their cut first or the revenue agents will be paying you a visit.

SparkleMahn
Guest
SparkleMahn
5 years ago
Reply to  Life is Good

Not just in Humboldt.

Snoaked
Guest
Snoaked
5 years ago

Where is the meeting going to be held?

ED Denson
Guest
ED Denson
5 years ago
Reply to  Snoaked

The Mateel, tonight 6pm (Thursday Aug 23). It will be broadcast on KMUD, too.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

Is that before or after the latest Murder Music Homophobic Freak Show at the Mateel?

Norville Rogers
Guest
Norville Rogers
5 years ago
Hahahaha
Guest
Hahahaha
5 years ago

Or these fools can return to guerilla growing, if they want to overwork themselves for low wages that bad.

zookeeper
Guest
zookeeper
5 years ago

You know….the fines AND SEVERITY OF ENFORCEMENT had darn well better match similar fines/enforcement for other local types of industrial pollution and environmental violations (like logging). If not, they are tiptoeing on the very fine line of extortion. Yes, I said extortion. “Pay up or we take your property. Just YOUR occupation is bad for the environment!” While others go off with nary a slap on the wrist, doing the same exact things to the environment, or worse…

For example, just one example of thousands in the logging industry locally, I was working on a remote cabin one day, and right in the headwaters of a key watershed/salmon spawning creek (redwood creek) I spy a crew spreading out all over a clearcut. Just feet away from me too in some margins. On an unprotected and badly graded slope of hell, typical of a slash and run clearcut in any logging outfit, here comes a troop of Mexican slaves with huge backpacks of roundup and sprayers (you know, the chemical just found by the courts to cause cancer in people and animals). They were spraying the crap out of all the brush that had sprouted up in the year after they slashed the place to the ground in an area of about 40 acres. The workers were unprotected. No masks. Mists of roundup were swirling around in the air all around them and nesting sites for raptors, fishers, grouse. I made a makeshift bandana and wrapped it around my nose and mouth as I was painting the cabin and the winds were shifting my way. The slope led right next to a steeper slope (one of those oh my God don’t slip! angles) that went straight down into the headwaters of Redwood Creek.

This type of practice goes on all the time in logging, with a complete pass from Forestry officials and Fish and Game. They know it’s happening and turn a blind eye. “Chemical thin and release” so the desired tree species will pop up above the underbrush for later harvest. (None of the straight-out-of-Mexico workers spoke a lick of english, but that’s a story for another day). Chemical thin and release saves subcontracting gypo contractors cash because it’s cheaper to hire a small throng of illegals for one day’s quick spraying than it is to hire citizens to go in and hand clear the brush before replanting. Hey, there’s money to save/be made by the gypo bosses!

So, if one industry is being held to the fire and others are given a complete pass for same/similar violations, then what we have is at least favoritism but at worst, extortion. Given that there is an easy sledgehammer hanging over pot growers’ heads in the form of fear because of the quasi-legal status of the markets, holding fear over someone’s head for cash is the legal definition of extortion. So If I was a member of any City Council, County Office or even Federal Office engaging in arbitrary exorbitant fining of pot growers for the same type of violations, giving a pass to loggers, I’d be sweatin’ in my skivvies right about now.

I mean, someone was going to call this bullshit out eventually. You know, like a lawyer or a team of them. Best to knock it off while the County still has money. When these people prevail in court, they’re going to kick all of us in the groin when we as a County have to pay them their awards in court from the general fund. How dare the officials put our general fund at risk like this??!

lilithx
Guest
lilithx
5 years ago
Reply to  zookeeper

WELL SAID Zookeeper!

Walter
Guest
Walter
5 years ago
Reply to  zookeeper

WELL SAID Zookeeper, even if it if mostly incorrect. No masks at a logging site? You suppose these busted grow scenes and well trained labor pools are following proper chemical handling guidelines.

The crybaby “look at what they are doing over there!” defense is worthless in all endeavors. Yall turning into a community of narcs, and nobody give a &^%$ who or what you’re narcin’ ’bout. Follow the rules, county and state, or get a letter. Or worse, get your plants shredded. No body is holding a sledgehammer over anyone’s head They are called rules. Follow them or face the consequences. Fuck it, lets go bowling.

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Walter

It’s a fact that glyphosate, first registered as an industrial pipe cleaner, for its mineral stripping properties, is found in water table of California in increasing levels. So much that California had to raise the allowable limits.

Let’s not be blind to the destruction of our health and safety at the hands of big corporations, which in turn are protected by the same corporate governance.

Monsanto just hit with record judgement

https://www.npr.org/2018/08/10/637722786/jury-awards-terminally-ill-man-289-million-in-lawsuit-against-monsanto

To big to jail.

lilithx
Guest
lilithx
5 years ago

Show up at the town hall meeting tonight at the Mateel folks, and speak your mind! IT STARTS AT 6pm. Sign the petition to recall Supervisor Estelle and help to get organized around removing Ford and Blanck next. These officials cannot get away with destroying their constituents lives. We are paying these corrupt officials to represent and serve US. Dont forget that. This is not the time to be coy or silent. SPEAK UP!

future land auction bidder
Guest
future land auction bidder
5 years ago
Reply to  lilithx

give ’em the ole ’cause law don’t go around here’ speech. go in hot with an attitude an all. since all you need are a few signatures from criminals to get an elected official removed. my friends are avoiding this meeting like a rabid raccoon. whoever speaks loudest will be on the raid list for next week.

zookeeper
Guest
zookeeper
5 years ago

That sounds just like something an extortionist would say to quiet his victims and keep them submissive to the ongoing extortion. See my last post.

SparkleMahn
Guest
SparkleMahn
5 years ago
Reply to  zookeeper

Or our President. Any news he don’t like is fake.

Rule of Law not Leftists
Guest
Rule of Law not Leftists
5 years ago

Or you could just be Honeydew Farms and buy your elected official in to do your direct bidding without recusal. Looking at you Supervisor Bhonehead.

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  lilithx

Where can we go to sign the petition for recall?

Gazoo
Guest
Gazoo
5 years ago

Good read. Thank you for the clarification
I have friends that are going to lose their property’s because they are stubborn and think they can get past this. One just got raided and faces these fines. He’s trying to fix it within the ten days. This is for real and it’s gonna hurt

zookeeper
Guest
zookeeper
5 years ago
Reply to  Gazoo

If they take his property for the same type of violations that logging companies get to KEEP their lands while doing, your friend will not only keep his property, but will also own the shorts of those extorting him. Show up for the meeting folks. The bullshit has gone on long enough. I for one don’t want my taxes to go to paying you guys for the land officials took “on my behalf” as a taxpayer, along with other awards WHEN (and not “if”) you prevail in court on the arbitrary and exorbitant issue of the fines. Our officials are so god-damned sloppy that they are going to bankrupt our County. Their actions are simply reckless.

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  zookeeper

I believe it’s called waiving your rights via a contract

Thatsmybike
Guest
Thatsmybike
5 years ago
Reply to  Gazoo

Taking your property and $10000 a day per violation, once again scare tactics. Scare tactics that are working amazingly well I might add. Sure, they will take whatever you give them, and if you sign an agreement, that’s basically a done deal. But what they are doing isn’t legal, of which they are well aware, and if you stand up for yourself they fold immediately. This is happening in greater and greater numbers right now. A class action at some point is imminent, of which the county cannot win, but also cannot pay when they lose. Unfortunately standing up for yourself is not cheap either, you 100% need an attorney, a real one (that means not local if you are new to the game). You will spend $25k but then you can run a clean grow again on your property and thumb your nose at this foolish foolish local county govt
With its head so far up its own…

zookeeper
Guest
zookeeper
5 years ago
Reply to  Thatsmybike

If you sign an agreement under duress, with someone who is extorting you, it’s even worse for the extortionist, not you. These are all things even garden variety lawyers know. As I said, the recklessness on behalf of officials has reached new heights. I don’t want to pay you folks out of MY/our general fund because the good old boys wanted to pick the last bits off the MJ carcass before the bones are bleached and barren.

Walter
Guest
Walter
5 years ago
Reply to  zookeeper

Could you explain how signing an application for a county permit could be done under duress?

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  Walter

A compliance agreement and signing up for a permit are two different things. You CHOOSE to sign up for a permit, and you are coerced/threatened into a compliance agreement.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
5 years ago
Reply to  Walter

US Mendocino had a case wherein the cabin owner believed that all he had to do to avoid the County Bulldozers was to buy a building permit. United Stand defended, with side-ways discussions of extortion. The Juries heard us, we won.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

The fact is that there is a difference between someone homesteading in the hinterland and subsistence farming and those illegal growing pot for profit. Something that seems escape the attention of so many posters. It’s the same idea that zoning for residential or timber or means that you can’t simply put up a heavy steel manufacturing plant there. And the proposition legalizing pot did so only if it met regulations which included “preventing environmental damage resulting from illegal marijuana production.”

Unlike the disingenuous remarks about pot being treated like other crops, the law authorizing it specifically states it was not like other crops. I doubt there is any law about “illegal carrot growing” anywhere on earth. Maybe zoning on commercial farming, but not about the crop. Pot is treated differently because the law says it’s different. And as long as it’s still not legal Federally, good luck on getting that changed without dire side effects.

Calvin Cordozar Broadus Sr
Guest
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Sr
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

“illegal carrot growing” is a thing. If you live in an uptight residential housing plan good chance you are not permitted to grow vegetables anywhere on your property, especially the front yard.

But I can grow carrots in a garden AND take them across state lines.

farce
Guest
farce
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Yes, you are correct! It certainly was a “wonderful” “legalization” proposition that all the sheeple flocked to vote for! I hope they are all feeling “safe” and “free” now! It was never truly legalized. It was “legalized” for corporate purposes. Enjoy your 6 plants you peons! Anything more is not for you, not anymore…and our county rulers agree.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
5 years ago
Reply to  farce

Amen to that!

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Re guest: You annoy me and I disagree with you mostly but you have a point. I see most of these comments as whiny and not realizing the fact that these are illegal grows. That’s the reason they are getting letters. I have a parcel right next to where a lot of these letters went out, I’ve got illegal structures, ponds, crossings u name it, but no plants. And guess what, they don’t care. No plants, no problem. The planning dept is being way smarter than the sheriff dept in going after these scenes.
I give these guys props for cleaning out the mess that we have here in this county. It needs to be done.
As always the smart will survive and figure out work arounds, and consider this another risk to business.

Steve
Guest
Steve
5 years ago
Reply to  Gazoo

Yazoo ,good hope it hurts bad!

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve

Salem witch trials….

Divide and conquer.

First they came for the growers, but I was not a grower, so I didn’t speak out.

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  Sam Bennett

Yep

kelley
Guest
kelley
5 years ago
Reply to  Gazoo

GAZOO: after the meeting i asked John Ford what their projections are for fines and for liens. he said they plan on putting liens on “zero” properties.
he said his department is reaching out to the 18 landowners that have not yet responded. 8 have contacted him and he hopes the other ten will as well.
it seems that even as late as the 8 were, their compliance agreements were for the first days fines.

ed denson and patrik griego both encourage people to talk to an attorney before they sign agreements, but they also say ‘do not ignore’ these abatement letters. both attorneys advise that ignoring the letters really can cost landowners their very home.

Cy
Guest
Cy
5 years ago

It’s Counsel, not “Council” in the context being used in this article. County Council implies an elected group, the County Counsel is its lawyer.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Cy

Or it’s “Councel” if you’re Trump tweeting 🐥. 🐁🌈🐓🐄👑👙🙆🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

Hammertime
Guest
Hammertime
5 years ago

I have to say Blanck is either a poor Attorney or a liar regarding the amount of the fines. He is correct that Section 36901 of the CGC does apply to Cities. However, Section 25132 applies to Counties. The fine amounts are identical. Note both Sections 36901 and 25132 do not say per day, but per violation. His speaks with forked tongue…”… if it’s a violation it’s $10,000 a day” WRONG! You have ten days to abate the violation. The BOS should listen to this interview, then fire Mr. Blanck! Code Enforcement is based on fear, lies, coercion and intimidation. The Grand Jury should immediately begin an investigation.

NTA’s… do not include all of the legally required elements of the Ordinance. All owners, beneficial owners and occupants are not “Noticed” as required. In regards to publishing the Notice in the paper, I’m not sure the Times-Standard is a newspaper of general circulation in southern Humboldt. Delivery service was eliminated years ago and I’m not even sure if you can by the TS in Southern Humboldt. Apparently it doesn’t matter if Notice is not provided as required. Section 351-6(b), basically states the failure to receive the Notice does not invalidate or not affect the abatement proceedings and administrative civil fine of up to $10,000 per day per violation.

Chatty Cathy
Guest
Chatty Cathy
5 years ago

government of the attorney , by the attorney, for the attorney

Native Humboldt
Guest
Native Humboldt
5 years ago

It sure is funny that over the last 20 years these fine amounts were unheard of! All the crap the county let happen now carries a heavy fine. This bullshit government now has there hand in the pot and doesn’t want to lose a dime. They would prefer to spend more money policing the golden ticket than working on the real problems humboldt faces. The supervisors need to get removed along with our bullshit sheriff ! This county has gone to hell in just a few years. I love the area but the politics suck!

Nevetrustacop
Guest
Nevetrustacop
5 years ago

I think it’s a great and relevant point that fines are applied totally unequally to other industry in the area including logging,non pot farms,etc. Much respect to the people who speak up as good community members and Americans who care about the rights of others should and dont let hate and descrimination cloud their judgement right into chains.

Brian
Guest
Brian
5 years ago

Yea I agree, this was a good read.

Obvioisly the fimes ate egregious.

Either that or people on 5-40 acre lots are somehow monetarily equivalents to the entire county of LA or Santa Monica.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/23483450/ns/us_news-environment/t/cities-face–a-day-fine-beach-waste/

10,000 a day fines have only been applied to entire cities or counties as far as I can tell.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Brian

http://www.capitalpress.com/content/TH-permits-051410-photos–infobox
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/9/wyo-rancher-facing-20m-epa-fines-claims-victory/
https://www.opb.org/news/article/hot-springs-owner-pleads-guilty-to-water-pollution/

And a bazillion more. This sort of stuff has been going on quite awhile, although it radically accelerated under the Obama Administration. Who, remember, wanted to expand the Clean Water Act authority to ditches, seasonal ponding and run off by calling them navigable waterways. They had those regulation in place until the recent change in administration. Boy think what fines could be added based on that.

hmm
Guest
hmm
5 years ago

I despise environmental degradation as much as anyone, but this is extortion.

Steve
Guest
Steve
5 years ago
Reply to  hmm

Whatever it takes!

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve

I think we could both agree that egregious pollutants and harm to our local environment is important to safeguard. The trouble is the precedent is going to be enforced on everyone according to the clean cities initiatives which will force you to live like a slave on your land, in your house…..oh wait. …

Killapotomus
Guest
Killapotomus
5 years ago

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

It’s illegal plain and simple.
The 8th amendment folks .

Tavistock
Guest
Tavistock
5 years ago
Reply to  Killapotomus

Apparantly some people believe the same about tax collection on the work of the peasants instead of the profits of a corporate transaction…are we humans beings with inalienable rights or are we that corporate fiction that removes those rights reserved?

Corrupt extortionist rip off turncoat politics
Guest

Stay down zookeeper your a truth teller who sees things the way they are.these permit bitches comments are driven by greed.what they fail to see is there next.

Corrupt extortionist rip off turncoat politics
Guest

I say we as the residents file a class action lawsuit against the county just for having to live in fear of extortion and for invasion of privacy from there little 200,000 thousand a year satellite program.and against the company providing the service

Ivan B. Nobody
Guest
Ivan B. Nobody
5 years ago

Estelle you will NEVER get my VOTE again…You are allowing EXTORTIONIST to DESTROY Humboldt co. — THANKS to YOU!

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  Ivan B. Nobody

Estelle politically cut her own throat, she’s through. I would love to know how to sign the recall petition?

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Ivan B. Nobody

You can’t beat somebody with nobody.

For Christ’s sake, the so-called challenger to Estelle last time was Bud freaking Rogers! Who’s going to run against Estelle in 2020? Prophet Mark? Dale Mensing? Andy Caffrey? Kanye? 🖕🏿 Jill Stein? Roseanne Barr?

Joe dirt
Guest
Joe dirt
5 years ago

yes Bud Rogers would be pretty good he’s more caring about what’s going on here and you think that he’s not a real person he would get my vote

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Joe dirt

“What’s going on here?”

LEGALIZATION. Deal with it.
The vote wasn’t even close.

If you want to live somewhere where weed is illegal, move there.

Joe dirt
Guest
Joe dirt
5 years ago

Already have but still know that this sht not right is legal in Humboldt county now just got to wait till the dust clears you’ll see

SoHum Local
Guest
SoHum Local
5 years ago

So, I would like to know where the f@$# all this money is going. Seems like paving the same stretch of road over and over again. Some mental health for the county would be nice…..just saying.

zookeeper
Guest
zookeeper
5 years ago
Reply to  SoHum Local

Research oversight agencies and ask they audit the County. I think there’s a reason they didn’t want Paz as Auditor/Controller.

Corrupt extortionist rip off turncoat politics
Guest

And donate the proceeds to a civil liberties trust to protect from it ever happening again.stealing of water rights,invasion of privacy,stealing of property rights,terror and fear campaign

Corrupt extortionist rip off turncoat politics
Guest
Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago

The million-a-month Measure Z scam pays for their daily destructive joy rides, and the “investment” revenue these sorry-ass Order Followers bring in, is hidden away in Redwood Coast Energy Authority accounts. Why do you think the Supes. are on both county and RCEA board of directors?

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago

Three words for THE State Water Board . . . Orville Dam Collapse.

Question for the rest of the droids – Where’s your Oath and Bond to cover you lie-ability?

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
5 years ago

Bullshit how they are going for parcels with cannabis only. I know a parcel that received an abatement notice and his neighbor next door not only has multiple outbuildings, he has built himself a huge house complete with garage, all off grid. Grading, electrical, plumbing, pouring concrete, the whole package with all without 1 single permit.

farce
Guest
farce
5 years ago
Reply to  Perspective

So what? I applaud a guy like that. Our county was built by rebels. No permit you lose real estate equity. Must be sold “as is” and most banks won’t finance. Plus if the guy is a jerk then somebody might turn him in. Complaint- driven policy. I’m more concerned that they are using the excuse of some plants or even a greenhouse full of tomatoes to rake people over the coals- with no complaint ever registered. And in some cases people are losing their homes because the fines are so astronomical. And…we know how little they care about us all now. Don’t be surprised when the huge fines for a small cannabis grow are soon applied to places w/o cannabis at all. The county doesn’t give a crap about anybody not in their group of friends. It’s apparent now. Best we all stand together- even non-grower people in non-code homes should be alarmed. And don’t forget- they got rid of Class K just before this all hit. We fought hard for Class K.

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago
Reply to  farce

Hell yes. Good one Farce I agree.. let’s not let this county turn into LA or SF or even Napa. That’s what this is really about, trying to get everyone to conform and it is a very slippery slope to where we will have to have a permit for every little gd thing you can think of. Let’s keep this place a little piece of heaven and not let the county pencil pushers start eroding our way of life.

I left my tolling motor in El Segundo
Guest
I left my tolling motor in El Segundo
5 years ago
Reply to  Emily

Good luck! Its heaven as long as you can ignore the federal laws, county ordinances, state regulations, not pay ALL your taxes, hire illegal workers, shit on the environment, and let the other residents pay your share. One of these days the salamanders are going to wake up and eat every one.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Emily

And for another chorus of “Me, Me, Me, Me.” About time someone some started the “Big Pharma” or “Big Corporations” diversions. The logging diversion has already been started.

For a group of people so clearly ignorant of the burden of rules and regulations others have lived with in the last couple of decades, they seem convinced everyone is picking only on them. It took fines this large actually applied in conjunction with frequent raids to get the industry past its love affair with scofflaw values. And of course they think everyone is equally on the take as they are because any appearance of honesty must be an act. They phrase their outrage in terms of being ripped off, extortion, theft because that is what they live.

Hello. Most people try very hard to avoid being brought to the attention of government. Mostly by avoiding as much as possible violations of the law.

sam walton
Guest
sam walton
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

“my neighbor built a garage without a permit”
Competition and jealousy can turn people into obnoxious rats. waaa, waaa, what about the ugly junkyard. The good neighbors who turned a blind eye to the blown up pot scenes will get a dime dropped on them. The county rat line is probably ringing off the hook.

such victms
Guest
such victms
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Guest nailed it!

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  farce

First they came for the growers. ..

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Sam Bennett

No. first they came for the loggers,then the ranchers, then the fishermen, then those who used water from the creek, then those who have a well. And those who built a house from their own milled lumber, and those whose lands didn’t perk for an old fashioned septic system. And those who had get a soils report, an archeological evaluation, an endangered species report, a plant inventory. Maybe coastal permit. Then had submit a plan for ameliorating all of the issues thus found. Along with getting a pond permit if that applied.

And none of that was on an illegal business from the get go. Why should pot growers get a pass on all that fun?

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Just trying to emphasize your point. Thank you! The larger discussion at hand needs addressing.

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Sam Bennett

Oh btw, the concept of selective enforcement can be added to your point as well.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

No, first they came for the natives. Then they killed them. 🖕🏿🔥🇺🇸🔥🖕🏿

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  farce

The abatement notice pictured in this article was served on a piece of property with no plants on it!

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Perspective

Class K?

Swine
Guest
Swine
5 years ago
Reply to  Perspective

Sweet be a snitch then

Pike Mortar
Guest
Pike Mortar
5 years ago

Get legal and stay legal, then it won’t matter if the fine is a million dollars a day.

It’s like complaining about the cost of a speeding ticket. If you don’t speed, then who cares what the other asshole has to pay when he does?

It’s a deterrent to keep people on the side of legality.

zookeeper
Guest
zookeeper
5 years ago
Reply to  Pike Mortar

Define “legal”. Would that include extortion? I get that the County wants a way to curb the massive production that’s killing the County $economy in the end, but setting up the General Fund for draining via simple lawsuits to win is not the answer.

zookeeper
Guest
zookeeper
5 years ago
Reply to  zookeeper

I mean if you really wanted equal application and enforcement of all laws, citizens of SoHum could post abatement signs at County, State and Federal agencies requesting the abatement of extortion or face fines in civil suits. I think they call that officially a Notice to Cease & Desist. Y’all have enough money down there to pool and hire and attorney to serve these notices.

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Pike Mortar

How are those never ending wars all over the globe, treating us? Average of 8.3 million an hour spent on the US military just over the last ten years.

Pawns in a larger chess game.

It’s a numbers game.

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Pike Mortar

Stop and frisk

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Sam Bennett

Don’t forget “Stand Your Ground”…
💀🖕🏿🐊🐬🌴🌊🏌️‍♂️🔫

Farce
Guest
Farce
5 years ago

Everybody- Show up at The Mateel tonight. It starts at 6 pm- don’t be too late! They need to hear directly from all of us. Even if all you do is come by to sign Estelle’s recall petition…..I have not liked the greenrush or the greedrush. I hate what the Mega-grows did to our rivers, forests and community. I have advocated for regulation ie. busting of huge grows for over a decade. Yet…what the county is now doing is disgusting and unjust. Screw Estelle- let’s send her packing. Screw John Ford- let’s send him packing also. There is a need to get a handle on the biggest and baddest grow scenes. It’s called…Busting them. Chipping up their profits. And perhaps those Fish and Wildlife fines in the most egregious situations. But the county has chosen a terrible and immoral strategy. Now every greenhouse structure welcomes a letter that will roll up impossible fines resulting in losing your home?! It’s time we push back on these bums, hypocrites and liars. They deserve zero power. And they deserve lawsuits against their own personal financial security. We have done it before when we stood up and it’s time again we let them know that we see them for what they are and we will not be treated unfairly and abused.

zookeeper
Guest
zookeeper
5 years ago
Reply to  Farce

Ach! Except as they’ve always done, they’ll line up to protect each other and mash it all under “County jurisdiction”, venting any legal awards over to drain the General Fund and not their own personal accounts. Unless you file to hold each individual responsible accountable. I guess that would mean pictures when they show up and taking names? Dunno how that works. But it’s all stuff a lawyer can figure out. I just don’t want the Keystone Kops to keep fucking up and screw us all over. We need that money in the Fund to develop tourism and pave roads, not patch up another of their bungles while they still eat at steakhouses and hire whores. Our economy is at stake folks.

Just as a slap to growers out there. Realize that you are in a dead-end industry. You’re growing yourselves into obscurity with giant greedy grows. Take one class of basic economics: supply & demand. It’s the reason they’re doing this to you. For all of us this is time to wake up and smell the tourism. It’s our only way of recovering a thumbnail of what Humboldt used to privately acknowledge as the mainstay of our economy. Gone, of course, with the zeal you folks all got behind: “legalize it!” This is why stoners (or bungling law enforcement) shouldn’t be making economic decisions for the rest of us.

Corrupt extortionist rip off turncoat politics
Guest

Future land auction bidders a believer in the price going up for him and the elite permit club

Firefighters rule
Guest
Firefighters rule
5 years ago

It’s funny that some cry some complain, no matter what side your on this has gotten completely out of control over the years and it’s about time for it to get back to a manageable level! The times are a changing good luck good people and good luck Mother Nature! And I was born in sohum I know

Ford weenie roaster
Guest
Ford weenie roaster
5 years ago

@Firefighters rule. Firefighters do rule! Be safe and keep up the great work.

Firefightersrule
Guest
Firefightersrule
5 years ago

Copy that!

Cove-ite
Guest
Cove-ite
5 years ago

@kym it’s “counsel” not “council”!!!

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Cove-ite

Nope, you’re wrong. Good thing you didn’t sign your real name.

“A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state or national level are not considered councils.”

“While counsel, council, and consul sound alike, they are different words with different meanings. Counsel can be used as a verb or a noun, whereas council and consul are nouns. Counsel as a verb means to advise; as a noun, it means the person doing the advising (such as an attorney) or the advice itself”

However, if you know that something is wrong enough to correct, don’t you already know what they meant?

Is this meeting going to be live broadcast on KMUD?

onrust8
Guest
onrust8
5 years ago

Ernie – Your explanation does not address the issue. A council is usually a group of people whereas a “counsel” is usually one. County counsel is a lawyer for the county. County council is a group empowered by the county to accomplish something.

Potmation
Guest
Potmation
5 years ago

By the definition you posted, it is counsel.

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Potmation

Nope, you are wrong also. Council is a noun, as in a group, or council of people that counsel other people. Get it?

The phrase was “Humboldt County’s County Council Jeff Blanck responded to questions raised by a community conversation with attorney Patrik Griego.”

I hope that I’m not wrong again, because that would mean that the County Council’s office would have to change all of their stationery.

We don’t even speak the same language that we spoke before all of the Enlgish majors came to correct us. It’s funny that we WERE able to communicate very well.

On a more humorous note: to those of us who watch the news ,I find it hilarious that a “Pecker” got Donald Trump in trouble again…. (sorry)

Potmation
Guest
Potmation
5 years ago

“The Office of the County Counsel is the legal advisor to the County of Humboldt. The Office provides legal advice and representation to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, County Elected and Appointed Officials and departments. The Office serves the Board of Supervisors and works to understand and further the needs and goals of the Board. The Office provides legal guidance and support, crafts legal strategies, gives training, drafts and reviews legal documents, analyzes legislation and represents the County in litigation. Upon request, the County Counsel’s office also acts as legal advisor for the Humboldt County Grand Jury and various Special Districts. Government Code sections 26529, 27640 et seq.; and Humboldt County Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 931, adopted in 1956, established the Office of the County Counsel.”

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Potmation

“Needs and goals of the board ”

Selective enforcement

ED Denson
Guest
ED Denson
5 years ago

Sorry, Ernie. I think County Counsel is an office – i.e. a noun – in this case. Jeff B is the holder of that office, hence Counsel. He may have other lawyers on staff but they work in the County Counsel’s office. The county might appoint the several people to review the laws and be the County Council (on Laws). And if we could have a foreign policy we could send a Consul to Costa Rica.

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

Oh my gosh, you folks are right! I should never argue the English Language. It would be nice to be back in Shakespeare’s England where there were no rules for english. Shakespeare supposedly even made up some words as he needed them.

Thanks for the counsel!
Ernie

kelley
Guest
kelley
5 years ago
Reply to  Potmation

oh my gosh. i’m a poor speller. i’ll go fix it.

Corrupt extortionist rip off turncoat politics
Guest

This is our duty as American citizens to stand up against tyranny by the government whether it’s at a local or national level ,it will grow like cancer if not stopped

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago

How long until i see my four comments post Kym? Before noon? After noon?

What are you gonna do when they come for your posessions, for you guns, for your children, for you?

Try and communicate with the psychopaths?
Run.
Stand.

Those are the only three choices. Think hard before you choose, and choose wisely.

Tavistock
Guest
Tavistock
5 years ago
Reply to  Central HumCo

For Most….It Will Be Muscle MEMORY.

Keep your head down, focus on tryin to save money for your kids to have a fighting chance in hell to avoid going off the treacherously high altitude road of a narrowly defined life that keeps poverty the fastest growing segment of the population.

We are too house trained and brought up too comfortable, unlike the childhood of the founding fathers/mommas, which was fraught will struggle and death from day one.

We are too far removed from those people born 300 years ago, and the courage will have to be revisited through a new dark age.

Keep shining that light In the dark CentHumco

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago

ATTORNEY REPUDIATES HIS US CITIZENSHIP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=25&v=YTyvL2kZDlo 31:54 July 22

High Frequency Radio 1 month ago
I am going to post a lot more stuff from attorneys so that the haters can chew on it. You know they like to call you crazy so I will allow them to attack their own. More and more people are finding out the truth and they are getting nervous.

What is interesting is that these people really believe that their lies can stand the test of time. One thing that I came to understand is that the one thing they can never go against is NATURAL LAW (God’s Law), that is why they give it little attention in their legal books. Let them continue to rage and continue to give thumbs downs, call people idiots, post sovereign citizen videos, and the plethora of other disinformation tactics that they attempt to use hoping that the American people are as dumb as they think they are.

This is their weakness…they think the American people are stupid. This will be their downfall.

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago

pdf version of YouTube’s ATTORNEY REPUDIATES HIS US CITIZENSHIP

https://anticorruptionsociety.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/citizenship-repudiation-stamper1.pdf

Anon
Guest
Anon
5 years ago

Can someone explain simply and factually how this is directly Estelle’s fault?

ED Denson
Guest
ED Denson
5 years ago
Reply to  Anon

Estelle was a backer of the Measure S tax, and of Ordinance 2575(?) which illegally revised it to get millions in taxes from permit holders. Likewise for Ordinance 2576(?) which proports to give the county the authority to fine pot growers $10,000 a day. She has heard presentations of the damage these ill-considered ordinances have done to the county’s rural population, and the businesses and charities that depend on that population. That population includes most of the people she was elected to represent. . She has not used her position on the Board of Supervisors to correct or mitigate the damages caused by her votes on the Board, instead defending them and championing them. That’s a start.

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

“Surprise surprise surprise ”

Always appreciate your time, Ed.

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago

county governments are the public nuisance

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  bearjew

The heavy hand of government

Corrupt extortionist rip off turncoat politics
Guest

The times are a changing. ” The roll over permit club campaign slogan of greed

onrust8
Guest
onrust8
5 years ago

Ernie – Your explanation does not address the issue. A council is usually a group of people whereas a “counsel” is usually one. County counsel is a lawyer for the county. County council is a group empowered by the county to accomplish something.

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  onrust8

Tomato

Toemahtoe

It’s called, people need to work harder for less money if you are on the receiving end.

The inverse is true for those who do the bidding.

Geoffrey davis
Guest
Geoffrey davis
5 years ago

?

Geoffrey davis
Guest
Geoffrey davis
5 years ago

? what about all the rat infested / oil l leaking junkyards around the countyside?

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Geoffrey davis

Call to complain. Especially if they aren’t legally permitted to run a junk yard business but are selling stuff. Of course, there are lesser issues with someone who just a few junkers sitting around. Hmm… better look up the regs on that to see if it constitutes a public nuisance since having crap in your yard is not intrinsically illegal.

See some difference yet between violating the law in pursuit of profits and being a bad neighbor?

5age The G3mini
Guest
5age The G3mini
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Call to complain. Like they did when they caught onto your weed garden? Fucking rats suck.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago

That’s what’s Trump said. 🐀🇷🇺🐀

# SAD 😢🏌️‍♂️

Stating what everyone is thinking
Guest
Stating what everyone is thinking
5 years ago

F*** Humboldt County!!!

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
5 years ago

This is nothing short of Mendocino’s aborted plan to eradicate the hippies via heavy-handed building codes. (1974-1980) Resist. Resist. Resist.
Once before, we learned to strangle these effing government screw-balls in their own Red Tag Tape; those lessons are easily reviewed and reactivated. Hit the history books!

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

This wouldn’t be the same government that is the subject of constant insult because they don’t provide complete healthcare, housing, education, etc for all free of charge? Or enforce social values down to who you must share a bathroom with? Boy can’t please some people.

“An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.” – Confucius

Trouble is that once you turn over power to government to control the behavior of those you don’t like, that power is out of your control when it comes looking for you. This is no longer the 1980s when more people at least had a vague idea of what republic meant.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Fear not, Guest! Our Constitution is alive and well; what it did for us once it can do again. Keep the Faith.

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

Last words heard as they were loaded on box cars to the concentration camps.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
5 years ago
Reply to  Sam Bennett

I didn’t say “Suck it up.” I counseled using our Constitution to actively and vigorously defend.

farce
Guest
farce
5 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

Anon- Right on! Most of us get what you’re putting down here. I remember the code wars and the aerial spraying of phenoxy herbicides in Mendocino and then the building department’s code enforcement war up in Humboldt pretty recently. Humboldt County Planning Department sent out thugs to rattle people- they held a woman and her children at gunpoint for a code violation! They only stop when we stand up and make them. They count on us taking their crap but we will not do it. I believe this is also reaching a turning point and we will send these brute dogs back to their city offices. Nearly all of us want something done about the outrageous mega-grows but….How dare they use this as an opening to again attack the small rural homesteader?!! They cannot be trusted with any power at all. They are proving it again.

Tavistock
Guest
Tavistock
5 years ago
Reply to  Sam Bennett

The lessons of the past need to get brought up and the art of war studied. The idea that the general population is divided, makes it easier to conquer. Those marginalized people who were put on box cars may or may not have known their fate, yet they apparantly went. Whether the camps were only work camps for the corporate military industrial complex , the larger picture and game plan has yet to be understood by the masses, at least on par with the Hollywood propaganda machine.
This is all part of a much larger and sinister program.
Most dictators are/ were pawns in a more complex game of control, manipulation, consolidation.
Follow the money. Qui bono.
Look at Agenda 21, there is a massive campaign to make people living rural , persona non grata. What we are witnessing is the consistent push for more control is fewer hands.

This is blunt force trauma delivered by your overseers.

There is nothing new under this beautiful sun, even if it doesn’t quite shine the same way it did in the past.

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Only tigers I’ve seen are behind bars…at the zoo.

We are the animals kept in the zoo…

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Sam Bennett

That makes no sense at all.

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Reply to the statement of Guest … pointing out confusion in confucius

An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.” – Confucius

Wild Animals are kept in cages for the benefit of whom?