Humboldt Supervisors to Honor Engineer, Make Workforce Appointments

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to meet Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 9 a.m. The agenda’s consent calendar contains several items that, while procedural, carry practical implications for county operations and community visibility.

The board will recognize Tom Mattson as the recipient of the Ed Hanna Memorial Award for County Engineer of the Year. The award publicly highlights the county’s chief engineering functions, signaling continuity in infrastructure leadership and priorities for road maintenance, capital projects and technical oversight that affect residents across Humboldt County.

Also on the consent calendar is a Certificate of Recognition for Hayle Gibson-Stillwell for her 2025 National Finals Rodeo debut. The recognition underscores the county’s role in celebrating local achievement and contributes to community morale by elevating a Humboldt competitor on a national stage.

The supervisors will appoint three individuals to the Humboldt County Workforce Development Board. Jada Brotman, Jared Mumm and Justin Takata are recommended for two-year terms. These appointments affect the county’s approach to workforce training, employer partnerships and employment services at a time when regional labor-market strategies and funding streams require alignment between local government, education providers and employers.

Routine governance items include approval of the action summary from the Dec. 16, 2025 meeting, and the annual assignment of board members to various county boards, commissions and committees for the 2026 calendar year, along with a review of the current ad hoc committee list. Those assignments determine who will represent the board on advisory panels and standing committees that shape policy decisions on public works, health services, planning and other county functions.

Though the consent calendar typically advances multiple items without extended debate, the appointments and recognitions adopted at this meeting will influence who participates in policy discussions and which local accomplishments receive formal acknowledgment. For residents, the outcomes affect oversight of infrastructure projects, local workforce initiatives and the composition of advisory bodies that provide input into county decision making.

The board will open the meeting with roll call and a salute to the flag, and provide time for modifications to the agenda before moving to consent items. Meeting procedures and these routine actions set the administration and representation framework the county will use throughout 2026.