Humboldt County Planning Director John Ford Staying on After Telling Staff and Supervisors Last Month He was Resigning
Humboldt County Planning and Building Director John Ford via zoom last fall.
Well, that was a surprise turnaround!
A dizzyingly fast roller coaster ride over the last three weeks had Humboldt County Planning and Building Director John Ford resigning on May 25, the Fort Bragg City Council announcing he had accepted the job of City Manager on the same day, then yesterday afternoon, the Fort Bragg City Council announced that Ford had asked to be released from his contract, and, finally, in the late evening yesterday, Ford admitted to the Humboldt County Planning Commissioners that he intended to stay on in his current position at the Planning Department
About 9:45 p.m., Ford, who as part of his duties attended the Humboldt County Planning Commission meeting, at the end of the gathering, was peppered with a friendly barrage of questions about the change of plans which was announced in Redheaded Blackbelt after the meeting had started.
When asked whether he intended to stay on as Humboldt County Planning Director, Ford smiled and said he was.
The room erupted with happy banter particularly from the members of the Planning Commission who work closely with the Director who is known for being well-informed and calm even during stressful situations.
Earlier:
- Humboldt County Planning Director John Ford Resigns
- John Ford, Hum County’s Former Planning Director, Accepts Offer to Become Fort Bragg’s Next City Manager
- Citing Family Reasons, John Ford, Hum County’s Planning Director Who Recently Resigned, Requests Release From New Contract With Fort Bragg
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This, ladies and gents, is how the world works in small town, old family run government shanty towns.
Well played , Mr Ford, well played.
I do think all government employees need to take a pay cut, or trim the fat.
Nothing is guaranteed in life except death and taxes, until you put the biggest thief back in the bottle.
If he wants to stay, make him tear down his home.
Yeah maybe he can build back better! ? ? ?
The lard is thicker here. Happy banter ?
Ok, bit let him do it with a much delayed building permit, that takes a few years, and let’s just see how he likes that…
Funny someone is allowed to rescind their resignation but fortunate for Ford, it’s not a good time to be unemployed during Biden’s Recession.
Series of non sequiters.
Here’s Johnny!
Sorry to hear the news Humboldt.
Bull S….!!!!
We voted out the only person that would have held him and the B.O.S responsible for their actions. Of course he is staying now. People living really are about to get Fffed
KPD was horrible. She had zero evidence of her accusations, she’s getting sued by the state for her incompetence, and the grand jury report pretty much sums up the whole thing. WE voted the right way on A-C.
Sounds familiar…on a bigger stage, hmmmmm initials DT come to mind…
It seems that the SCO report may vindicate her. We’ll find out in a couple of weeks.
PD AND the County… The State levies fines first, then sorts it out later. Nothing helps a podunk county’s financial problems like a $30,000 fine.
Hmm…the timing IS suspicious. All those bags of cash unaccounted for in the back room of the Building Department…and it did seem like there was a reckoning on the way. Not anymore! Business as Usual!! Everybody take a deep breath and let’s keep doing what we do best- shake the cash out of the local landowners!
I looked into the situation. I’ve forgotten the details but there was a miscommunication between departments. The department receiving the money had clear information on every dollar received (right down to the numbers on the bills of cash payments). However, KPD’s didn’t realize this and the two departments weren’t communicating well.
Yes that is the official statement. They also found that they had unaccounted bank accounts that they were operating out of that were not properly reconcilled. The grand jury also found that code enforcement had used inflated fines to keep themselves funded because they permitting process cost (staff hours etc) more than the cannabis industry was worth. I wonder if people will feel like they made the right decision when code enforcement starts to use abatement fines on homes and buildings of everyday citizens to keep their bloated department funded. That’s what’s next
Sorry im not going to be stoked that the guy that ran the bait and switch permit program and abatement program is going to stay. Im not going to be stoked.
Well…we need to pay the exorbitant price on that satellite program. That money won’t come from a grant or anywhere else. We need to get some fines!! Oh…and the even higher cost of the employees hired to run the satellite and abatement program. That’s A LOT OF MONEY we need to squeeze out of somebody and their unpermitted deck/outbuilding/ etc! And fines/ extortion/threats is how we gonna do it…and John Ford is just the man for the job!!
KPD, I guess it’s: just pay the bills, don’t ask questions. See how easy that would have been. There. “service” performed. I’ll send an invoice.
Aren’t you talking about the SQ footage tax payments, and not the abatement fines?
It’s the exorbitant abatement fines that were paid in cash that need to be looked into…
Is Dillingham going to iron that out?
Or will she just launder it?
Don’t forget about those payments…
Those didn’t involve permitted cannabis at all…
So, where is the financial reckoning there?
It’s non-existent.
That’s fraudulent.
Exactly
Noooooooooooo!
This is great news! Having an experienced Planning Director who is informed on County and California laws and policies is a boon for the County. If you are unhappy with how the Planning Commission or Board of Supervisors votes or direct policies, you should direct your ire to those who continuously work to stop development and progress in this County. People are suffering for lack of homes, affordable housing, jobs, cost of living, drugs, etc…and there are those who protest new homes, industry to promote work, because they are virtue signalling about the environment.
It’s not that. He takes back door meetings that lead to the prioritization of certain projects over others. I know many people who have worked there and left. He drives good people away. He treats his employees and the people with less power than him poorly. I have heard allegations of discrimination based on gender and race. Changing the board of supervisors won’t change his philosophy of management or communication style.
The fact that he didn’t communicate with his family about this before making the announcement demonstrates a patriarchal approach and a lack of planning.
Way to throw in the crybaby race card.
You must’ve missed your back door appointment. Lol, anything to drag race into something is the new MO
A common refrain of the ignorant and naive and/or bigots.
??Just to be clear, I totally disagree.
Ford damn sure ain’t a boon, he’s a bust.
Guest = John Ford’s wife ?
This place has had a lack of jobs since the 1960s and it always will. It’s only asset is small size, quaintness and beautiful countryside. That must be preseved or it will no longer be a desirable place to live. So development should concentrate on high quality rather than low quality projects.
… lack of jobs…it’s only asset…
You sound naïve at best. Timber has always been a strong asset here and it still is. Have you driven past Scotia or Schmidt Bauer lately?
If the windfarm, fish farm, fiber optics go through we’re going to need more housing. The bottom falling out of cannabis is a big hole to fill in our economy. We’d better get some development going or there will be contraction.
Just a heads up…there’s a big quaint “storm” on the horizon…I believe it’s called Cal Poly/fish farm, etc etc etc…the Redwood Curtain has officially been pulled back and opened for business! Head for the hills!
Cal poly enrollment down by 3000 students since legalization haha. Fish farm? Has the CEQA report been released? Because last I heard the risk for pathogens being passed to native salmon is a high concern. Off shore wind , the wind seems cheaper elsewhere. But logging yeah that has seen a uptick up in the hills
He publicly blamed his wife and kid for his decision to stay. He wasted a lot of people’s time in applying and being approved by the Fort Bragg city council. Telling his Planning and building staff and community he was leaving and is now staying. What kind of person does this?
A narcissist . They are above decorum and pesky “rules. “
“What kind of person does this?” An A$$hole!!!!
“He wasted a lot of people’s time”
There is no such thing as “wasted time”. Everything is educational to an open mind.
Fort Bragg still has a list of applicants, and possibly some new ones to add to the list.
Maybe The Supervisors can give Ford some more doable direction to smooth out the problems. Then insist on expediency.
Time= money, especially in reference to the planning and building department. I was billed $110 an hour for emails that took only 5 minutes to write. $3185.25 to be exact.
BILL HIM!!
Well… It appears that you got an education. Don’t get mad, get even.
Education for me but not for thee… sounds familiar
I am a reporter for Kym kemp. Please email me at [email protected] if you would like to be included on a story about this matter. Thank you and sorry to hear about this bill!
You’ve never heard of second opinion that might have saved a loved ones life?
This back and forth shows a lack of foresight, and dare I say it, planning. He didn’t think through the ramifications. Wow, he’s in charge of a county office? Sorry, its HumCo, of course he is..
The County is very lucky he changed his mind. No one in their right mind would want the job. It is the hardest job in the County, if not in the entire State of California. He should probably be the highest paid employee in the County. Hopefully he demanded some policy changes from the BOS, specifically Code Enforcement. Again, Mr. Ford carries out and implements the Board’s policies. Don’t bitch about Ford doing his job, bitch to the BOS to make reasonable and responsible change.
There is a lot of dead weight in the Planning Department and the dam Union makes it so difficult to demand performance and accountability. It also doesn’t help that the Planning Commission or at least a few members, at times ignores recognizing that many projects they deny actually comply with the adopted regulations.
He has his priorities right. Family should always be first. It would be very hard on their child to have to up-root and make friends at their age in a new town. I know, I was a kid that was constantly moving from town to town. It was fuked! Fort Bragg is an island, hours from anywhere, accessed by two dangerous roads. Nice place to visit, but would not want to live there.
You must be talking about Mendocino being the “lucky County”, as far as him changing his mind…
He doesn’t seem to be too worried about anybody’s family, other than his own…
That’s some self-centered, self- preserving bullshit right there, folks.
“That’s some self-centered, self- preserving bullshit right there, folks.”
Stereotypical of most department heads in HUMBUG county!!!!
?
I’m getting the impression you built without a permit.
Suspence…
What a bullshit thing to say.
That couldn’t be further from the truth…
I went by the book.
Septic, first and foremost.
From day 1. So, you are quite wrong.
Your handle is pretty ironic..
I waited for my permit to build…
That was the problem.
It took the planning department forever… Years… Nitpicking and nitpicking… Over bullshit that was already checked off to begin with…
Delay after delay.
It was intentional.
The anti so hum attitude.
You know what they say…
Time is money.
The delays cost me a fortune.
And they “took the wind out of my sails”.
If you know what that means…
They broke my spirit.
They converted the energy I had to build my house, into wasted energy struggling uselessly and fruitlessly with them…
The house went nowhere…
While I waited, and waited, and waited, winter after winter, after winter, my young kids with no home, as they got older, and older, and older, same as myself and my wife…
I never caught up from that County interference and obstruction. To this day. And they haven’t stopped doing it, they are doing it even worse to this day.
Like I said, they don’t give a damn about anyone’s families, but their own.
They had no sympathy for mine, don’t expect me to have any sympathy for them or theirs…
And maybe you should brush up on your impressions.
They are very inaccurate.
Backwards even…
I went by the book, and The County of Humboldt made me regret every minute of it.
They still do.
Going by the book? I wouldn’t advise it.
It’s no wonder people don’t…
They’ve got us trained…
I, 100% agree with every thing that you said. In 1981 I applied for a building permit and was put off for various bullshit reasons for months.
I finally went to our Supervisor at the time, Harry Prichard. He called the building department and told them to either issue my permit or give me a damn good reason why not, because I would be back in a week to pick up my permit or to hand the county a lawsuit. That was his idea, but it sounded like a good one.
They gave me my permit and apologized.
I later found out that they didn’t want to issue me a permit because they didn’t like the sub-divider that sold me the property. It had nothing to do with me or my plan to build.
Insist on prompt service.
So, this kind of thing is nothing new.
Thanks, Ernie.
I tried to go by the book.
They threw it at me.
While I waited for my permit, the price of lumber tripled.
That hosed me.
I was just trying to build my family a home.
A difficult enough task as it was…
They’ve done worse to us since.
Much worse.
What Ernie suggests is what I have found that works too. You got to be a squeaky wheel. So go the top (BOS) and get actionable motion. Speak politely at public comment periods. Basically make it tough for you to be ignored. When this hasn’t worked, hire a good attorney that will do as you say and get ready to sue. It hasn’t come to it yet as the county (Trinity in this case) settles or just gives up. Don’t take no for an answer and always be reasonable and polite.
I’ll agree with you on this- he serves at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors. He does their bidding. But he also enacts policies in the Building Department that destroy little people, our neighbors. Not talking about rich mega-growers because I’m not their fan either. Little people who are already struggling. Those extreme civil fines were originally targeted for large, egregious grows but are now leveled at empty outbuildings. That is all him…
Exactly
This exactly, there are issues with the framework underlying our county land use but the site issue is the arbitrary, petty, and inconsistent application of regulation. The farm I work for is a beneficiary of this as we repeatedly received patience and leniency from planning and building department staff throughout the permitting process. It’s the main reason we are still hanging on by a thread.
But many of our friends and neighbors did not receive that same level of accommodation. Where we, at times, almost felt like the county wanted our business to survive, many other people that I know felt like the county wanted nothing more than to see their business fail.
I don’t know the reason this dichotomy exists. My boss is a local, but so are many others. Perhaps my boss paid some sort of bribe, but that’s never been even hinted at to me. Perhaps it’s just luck of the draw and we have happened to come across the desks of amicable or happy staff where others have encountered grumpy or vindictive staff.
In any case, there is a problem with uniformity of treatment and equal application of the rules coming from the department he heads. Everyone should have received the treatment we received (or better!) instead of it being rare. There’s something wrong at the management level and the fact that the man running the show is so bad at communicating with him own family and/or thinking things out ahead of time that he took a new job many hours away before ensuring that his family would be able to move with him or support his extended absence says a lot about exactly why there might be issues over there between H and I
It politics and like ability. They can make all the difference in a small county from my experience.
I think your post rather closely resembles something Mr. Ed “left behind”!!!
Life is a bitch and then you die. Too bad, so sad.
Shame on anyone who supports warrantless satellite surveillance.
Bingo!
And very succinctly stated. Well done!
Like the whole world’s governments? Google Earth has invaded everyone’s lives, let alone the planning department.
It’s straight out of a dystopian novel.
Great. Does this mean we can still fire him?
Lying Bait and Switch A$$h0(3
Psssyyych!
That’s pretty funny…
I’m sure Ft Bragg is much more relieved than we are…
No! That fucker resigned. He’s destroyed numerous local communities
Im happy for the fort Bragg community that they won’t have to deal with the cockroach. Sad for us,
I’ll never get used to that weird grill…
It’s weirder than the Edsel’s.
.
SMH…
John, meet Edsel.
FYI, anyone can file a code complaint against anyone with no proof what so ever, and code enforcement has to investigate. This info comes directly from personnel at code enforcement. Since there is no dwelling anywhere in existence that some code violation cant be found, perhaps Ford’s home should be put to the test
So, there are still 800 buildings and homes to be torn down through abatement, at extremely high cost. Now 1400-1800 legal farms are going bankrupt, and they will
Also be required to tear down buildings and homes that we’re allowed while they paid 10’s of thousands in permit fees. They are
Bankrupt but to add insult to injury the engineers and planners want more outrageous money to tear down what they have left. There is a Department within Planning, Called CODE ENFORCEMENT. They are staffed at a level never before seen.
Armed with Satellites and Illegal Extreme Fines and no due process. They are a self fulfilling Department, they can create enough work to work forever, in the process,
Tearing what’s left of the fabric of the community apart. They don’t care about families, Homes, Suicides, Homelessness, Drug Abuse. They will add greatly to these problems already rampant in our
Community. Are there enough bushes for people to move into. Housing is non existent and extremely unaffordable already, what happens when you take thousands of previously employed, Housed, rural residents who are broke, and ask them to pay another couple hundred thousand to permit or tear down their homes. Code Enforcement should focus on clear and present danger to Health and Human Safety and the Environment. Anything else in this Depression Bound local economy should be left alone. This requires 2-4 people not 10 plus. The County BOS needs to shift gears, like all of us, And focus all energy on affordable homes. Not scavenging the bones of the carcas of rural Humboldt. If you notice, I haven’t condemned John Ford here. This is a decision he will make, with the Board, and an outcome the County will live and breathe.
It’s more fun to pick the bones clean, which is what will be done here. We have a history of it. It’s what we know. We are good capitalists.
ACT like a slave, get treated like a slave.
They don’t fear the people, they extract your money under the force of law, and you will pay.
Funny! I don’t believe his stated reason for backing out of Fort Bragg job. Could it be that he came back cuz of Paz Dominguez getting thrashed in her primary?
He should conduct a public review of permitting and abatement policies asap or a least a good poll. He should then have the BoS review the results and amend or confirm policy in detail. The BoS needs to take responsibility for its policies.
Ford is a predatory extortionist, he’s destroyed my neighborhood ,all small mom and pops that have been neighbors for thirty plus years. One neighbor in her seventies is unhooking her small solar system , and reverting to oil lamps because she cant afford permitting fees. She cant afford to grow a few plants. Ford is destroying a stable community of long term residents and wreaking economic havoc on retirees all for the sake of garnering fines and fees to fill his slimy pockets. Ford needs to go.
So should everyone countywide be allowed to have non-permitted construction? Everyone knew the rules and risk of non compliance
Should permitted construction break your balls, your back, your bank, your spirit, and your time frame?
Should it make you go grey?
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday…etc., etc., etc…
That’s how long it takes…
Who’s got that kind of time and energy to blow? Not to mention funds.
Why do you think that people build without permits?
Do you think it’s because the county makes it easy?
It’s because they literally make it fucking impossible, mlr.
And that’s coming from me, mlr.
And I am pretty damn persistent, if you haven’t noticed…
I don’t give up easy, and I was no match for the Humboldt County “anchor”.
They wouldn’t budge.
My project went nowhere slow, at their pace, not mine. It was maddening.
They discouraged home builders like me, just to decrease their workload.
They damn sure weren’t going to try hard, to increase their own workload by encouraging people like me to get permits and go through the process, by making it easy…
That would mean they had to work more, not less…
Maybe you’re just not as familiar with the way the County operates as I am…
Ever tried to build a house through the Humboldt County Planning Department?
I don’t advise it.
Fuck that.
I went through it…
Never again!!!
They taught me good!!!
I thought you were conservative, opposed to the overreach of government into citizens lives and property. Half the properties in the county have stuff without permits, own by rich and poor, loggers, ranchers, growers, nurses, teachers etc.
The point is to have safe buildings, not to see if you can finance the building dept. “Compliance” should make sense. Look at the requirement for $15,000 asphalt aprons between your single-family residence, and the bombed out tar sands they call a county road. In Trinity county if the county wants a driveway apron they pave it on their way by…as they pave the actual road.
Ford is not a good fit for Humboldt. During the general plan update the former planning director was working with a coalition of citizens to come up with reasonable regulations for composting toilets and gray water for rural residents. It was shaping up into something that would have been great for the county. When Ford came on board he flatly said, ” not going to happen” and undid years worth of work.
This is our county , not Ford’s county. The dude has forgotten he works for us, not his good ole boy network
Composting toilets and reuse of gray water are great for saving water and a great match for rural residents
Ford’s planning department operates like Honduran drug cartels that shake down bus drivers, and corner store proprietors on a biweekly basis
Wow that’s quite a turnaround
The more I think about it, the more I think this was just a way to manipulate a raise from Humboldt County.
He probably demanded a raise that was initially denied, so he went through the motions of resigning, without the intent.
Maybe it paid off, maybe it didn’t…
But somehow we- the people who actually pay it- aren’t allowed to know. I see a big problem here and maybe some tea getting thrown in the harbor…
Looks like his total pay & benefits came to $175,028.00 in 2020, per Transparent California.
They don’t have numbers up for 2021.
It looks like maybe I was right…
I just listened to the video of Ford announcing to the planning commission his intention to remain in Humboldt…
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2022/jun/17/heres-moment-when-planning-commission-learned-john/
In it, Chairman Bongio states, ” However you worked that out, I hope you got a big pay raise…”
A big pay raise for resigning?
How does that work?
Threatens to leave, unless he gets a raise, doesn’t get it, resigns, then gets it, so he returns…????
What Bullshit!!!
Who rehired him???
Who gave him a raise???
Why didn’t he have to reapply?
Was he simply reappointed???
Was his resignation, rescinded?
If so, we deserve to know…, “by whom?”
All of it.
You know how in the old days the only winners in a bust were the defense attorneys? Well now the only winners in the modern busts (abatements) are the engineers and conSuLtants who you are forced to turn to.
And of course all the lame extortionist agencies who will pile on you like vultures, picking over your bones until there’s nothing left.
Bankruptcy lawyers… too
If he resigned, it seems to me it should be binding.
If he wants to reapply for the job. Let him throw his hat into the ring with any other applicants.
And then the applicants need to be weighed carefully.
Who rehired him, without putting the job up for grabs like it should have been?
That’s what I’d like to know.
That is a very good point. He needs to reapply
Sounds reasonable, whoever heard of anyone “unresigning”?
Ford probably cards an incredibly low golf score.
But who ever heard of being allowed a Mulligan, on a resignation?
I’d say he’s O.B.
He should be disqualified.