Engineer's contract raises issues

By Kent Thompson
Additional scrutiny of the Humboldt County Engineer’s Office was asked by a local citizen and by two members of the County Board of Supervisors on Monday at the Board’s regular weekly meeting at the courthouse.
The subject came up in relation to the Humboldt County Engineer’s contract and agreement for fiscal 2017.
The Board unanimously approved the contract, which will include a 3 percent increase for County Engineer Paul Jacobson, beginning his 16th year in that capacity for the county. The salary increase will bring Jacobson’s annual pay to $100,000.
Supervisors Rick Pedersen and Bruce Reimers, both of Humboldt, met with Jacobson to discuss issues of concern regarding county projects and communication between the engineer and the board. Reimers and Pedersen asked for a bi-monthly or monthly accounting of county road projects and work, to better explain to their constituents what is being done, where and why. Jacobson responded that he is at the Supervisor Board meetings nearly every week, conducts regular work sessions with the Board and added that his door is always open for individual meetings, or to answer questions.
“If something needs to be changed, that’s the Board’s prerogative,” Jacobson said. “You set it and we implement it,” he remarked.
Delana Township farmer Kevin Tellier had serious concerns about the county’s secondary road operations and told the Board in no uncertain terms what he thought.
“If this contract is accepted, I sincerely hope and pray that there is extensive review of the policies and procedures of this department, and if need be, oversight in the future,” Tellier said. He has had issues with a portion of 150th Street being torn up since early in the spring. He was told the county will be rocking the road, but it may be mid or late July before it is completed.
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