CODE ENFORCEMENT UNIT INSPECTIONS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED

EUREKA -- After hearing a day full of often anguished and angry
testimony, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to
suspend all but court-ordered Code Enforcement Unit inspections for
45 days pending review of policies and procedures and created a task
force to review related actions.

The approved task force will include three representatives of the
Redway-based Civil Liberties Monitoring Project, or CLMP, a
representative from the County Administrator's Office, two
supervisors and three at-large members.

It is charged with investigating the issues aired Tuesday, examining
the code enforcement manual and evaluating coordination between
Community Development Services, county counsel --which oversees code
enforcement -- and the district attorney's office.

Second District Supervisor Roger Rodoni and 5th District Supervisor
Jill Geist agreed to serve on the task force.

Supervisors also established a separation between civil code
enforcement actions and criminal matters under an amendment to
Rodoni's motion offered by 4th District Supervisor Bonnie Neely.

Throughout the day, speaker after speaker aired their suspicions that
Sheriff's deputies accompanied code enforcement to look for marijuana grows.

The 4-0 vote, 3rd District Supervisor John Woolley was out of town,
came after more than 60 people spoke about their recent experiences
with code enforcement officers and Sheriff's deputies. Some said they
found themselves looking down the barrel of a gun. One speaker told
of returning home to find a beaten and bleeding pet dog.

Tuesday's session followed a similar session Friday at the Veteran's
Hall in Garberville when county officials including Sheriff Gary
Philp, District Attorney Paul Gallegos and Code Enforcement Unit
representative Jeff Conner listed to some three hours of testimony
and 27 speakers, according to CLMP representative Robie Tonorio.

In the northern version, the crowd filled the Fifth Street-side lobby
while every seat and several leaning-against-the-wall spots were
taken in the supervisors' chambers. A sound system was set up to keep
the lobby crowd in the loop -- which was clear as intermittent
applause overtook the proceedings despite several requests from Geist to stop.

Liz Davidson of Elk Ridge said on the morning of Feb. 25, she saw
Sheriff's Department trucks came in her yard before turning around
and heading back down the road, past a neighbor's house where the
dogs were howling.

Davidson said she bristled at earlier accounts that a warrant wasn't
necessary because the neighbor, which she described as an addict in
recovery, was on probation. She said the county was trying to
criminalize someone who is trying to turn their life around.

Charlie Custer, Davidson's husband, said officers trespassed with no
cause and set up their neighbor as a scapegoat. He said the code
enforcement officer was backed up with armed deputies, in addition to
his own two weapons, as well as a Taser when they arrived.

"This is how he suits up to come sniff our septic," Custer said.
"Please take care of it right away."

Ed Smith, who described himself as a retired Foreign Service officer
and lawyer by training, said at least five properties in the area
were "invaded" by a Code Enforcement Unit officer, which included
visits from armed deputies. The only warrant they had, Smith said,
was for the property above him.

Several residents of "Yee Haw," a settlement in the Trinidad area
told similar stories of armed law enforcement officers accompanying
code enforcement personnel. Some broke into tears as they recalled
the visits. Other Titlow Hill Road residents said they've paid
property taxes for years on structures the county is now saying are illegal.

The property owners expressed frustration with the difficulties
they've faced in attempting to bring unpermitted structures into
compliance -- much of that doing with a lack of funds to acquire the permits.

Again and again, speakers said they suspected that the accompanying
deputies were looking for marijuana grow operations.

Second District supervisorial candidate Estelle Fennell weighed in,
saying that many residents are fearful and suspicious about the
county's true agenda. Others agreed.

"We want and expect a moratorium on code enforcement raids," said
Kneeland resident and Humboldt Coalition for Property Rights Chairman
Lee Ulansey.