Bushnell Responds Ahead of Tuesday’s Board Vote on Possible Censure and Removal as Chair

Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell officiated the first wedding at the Little Red Schoolhouse on Halloween. [Photo by Ryan Hutson]

When the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors meets this Tuesday, November 4, members will consider whether to publicly censure and remove Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell as Board Chair, following sustained findings that she violated the Board’s Code of Conduct.

We spoke to Bushnell Saturday by phone. She told us she takes full responsibility for her actions but disagrees with part of the investigation and how the process was handled.

A staff report from Human Resources outlines the sustained findings and notes that an independent investigation by Kramer Workplace Investigations was initiated after two complaints were filed in May 2025. Bushnell said the two complaints stemmed from the same incident.

She described the situation somewhat vaguely to us because she didn’t want the employees involved to be identified, explaining, “I don’t want anybody else to feel more uncomfortable than everybody already does.”

Bushnell told us,

“I agree with the…finding that there was an incident that happened in May of…this year, between two employees and myself, and I got upset and emotional and overreacted…I said the F word several times– many times–slammed a door, and pretty much got pretty emotional and overreacted.”

Bushnell said she accepts full responsibility for becoming upset during an interaction with staff but believes that one of the investigation’s conclusions was inaccurate. She emphasized that she never intended to sue but hired an attorney only to help her navigate the process, since there was no formal avenue for appeal.

She said that the second finding by the investigation was factually wrong. According to Bushnell, that finding was that she said something to one of the employees, “when in actuality, I didn’t say it to that employee, I said it to the boss, and so I disagreed with that finding.”

However, there isn’t a process to appeal a finding. “I ended up getting an attorney because I didn’t feel the process was equitable,” she told us. “However, I 100% take responsibility for overreacting and getting emotional. Nobody should ever have to feel uncomfortable in a workspace. And I created that situation.”

Bushnell said she wishes there were a way to appeal the one finding she disagrees with and hopes the county will make the process “more equitable” in the future not just for her but for other County personnel who face similar situations.

Under the Board of Supervisors Code of Conduct, the only possible action is formal public censure, which requires a two-thirds vote of the Board.

However, Bushnell said that Supervisor Steve Madrone has requested further action and added a separate item to Tuesday’s agenda.

“Supervisor Madrone, has brought a different item that is the board initiated item, which isn’t part of the investigation, but he feels that, because I sought an attorney…he has brought an item that they will talk about whether to remove me as Chair, remove me from boards and commissions, turn me into the Grand Jury…There’s a whole slew of things.”

Bushnell said most of the proposed actions would not affect her ability to represent Southern Humboldt, but she is unsure what a Grand Jury referral could mean.

Redheaded Blackbelt reached out to Supervisor Steve Madrone by email and by phone on Saturday for comment regarding the additional agenda item he placed for Tuesday’s meeting. As of publication time, he has not responded.

According to the Staff Report on Madrone’s requested action:

In addition, Supervisor Bushnell has raised concerns regarding due process under the Code of Conduct framework. While the Board is confident in and committed to following the policies and procedures currently in place, it recognizes the importance of maintaining public confidence in the process. Accordingly, it is recommended that this matter be referred to the Grand Jury for independent review and to request evaluation of the Code of Conduct for potential changes or clarifications. It is recommended that two members of the Board of Supervisors be appointed to draft and transmit a formal request to the Grand Jury.

Bushnell said those additional actions could include removing her as Chair and from committees, but she does not believe they would prevent her from continuing to represent her district. “I will still continue to do my job,” she said. “I work for the people.”

Mostly, she said, she feels badly that attention and energy given to this “takes away from the really good work the Supervisors do.”

As the Board weighs whether further action is necessary, Bushnell said she has been working personally to prevent similar incidents in the future. The Supervisor said she has sought counseling and support to prevent future situations where emotions run high.

I sought out some mental support counseling for me that I feel I need for different reasons, but that also will help me with seeking not to get so emotional and so upset…I just need to do better, and I recognize that.”

Bushnell said she feels remorse for the impact of the incident but emphasized that she continues to serve her constituents diligently. Asked why she believes she’s been a strong representative for Southern Humboldt, Bushnell pointed to her community involvement and her record of being responsive to the concerns of people in the Second District. She pointed to her work at bringing a nitrous ordinance before the Board, the her involvement in Measure O–which is a 1% sales tax measure that will fund road and public safety improvements–and her current efforts to clear the homeless camps north of Redway by working with non-profits, law enforcement, and activists to help find beds for those inhabiting the area. In addition, she said, “I try to help…with the cannabis ordinance, the economic drop, things that really affect people, and I fight hard for them,” she said.

Bushnell added that she works long hours to stay available to the people she represents. She said that no matter what happens Tuesday “I’ll just do my job for my district like I always have…[I]t’s a painful process for everyone, and created because I got emotional and upset…I created this. I’m sorry for it, and I will own it.”

The Board of Supervisors meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the County Courthouse in Eureka, with the Code of Conduct discussion scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

UPDATE: Bushnell Loses Board Chair Role After Censure for Outburst