Supervisors take on MLPA

By Donna Tam, Eureka Times-Standard
December 8, 2009

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors will consider supporting the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District's grant application to develop alternatives to the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) today.

The board is scheduled to hear a presentation on the MLPA application at 10 a.m.

The Marine Life Protection Act calls for designating some areas off limits to fishing and other extractive activities. The North Coast is the last region being addressed by the initiative, which has proved particularly controversial.

According to a staff report, the Harbor District's workgroup -- comprised of tribes, sport and commercial fishermen, conservationists and other interest groups -- is looking to develop alternatives.

Jacque Hostler from the Trinidad Rancheria -- as well as other workgroup members -- will be on hand for the presentation.

Also on the supervisors' agenda is a request to identify qualified developers for a supportive housing program for adults with severe mental illness who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. A state housing program created by the Mental Health Services Act has allotted about $1.9 million to the county to develop permanent supportive housing.

The county Department of Health and Human Services' Mental Health Branch is looking for developers with which it can form partnerships.

In another matter, the District Attorney's Office is asking for the formation of a trust fund for a Titlow Hill property related to an ongoing case concerning illegal subdivisions.
As a part of a plea bargain that the District Attorney's Office is offering local lawyer Kenneth Bareilles -- who has pleaded guilty to a felony of unlawful land sales transactions -- the trust would be funded by a $283,000 settlement. Bareilles has not yet accepted the plea deal and is scheduled to appear for a sentencing hearing at the end of January, District Attorney Paul Gallegos said.

The trust funds would be reserved for the correction of the land's ownership issues. Bareilles illegally subdivided his property about 20 years ago. The county has since collected taxes on those parcels.

Gallegos said he is asking the board to approve of the fund in case Bareilles accepts the plea bargain.

”We're asking them to set up the account so that if that happens there's a place for that check to go,” he said.

In closed session, the board will consider the appointment for the personnel director position.