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Auditor-Controller Karen Paz Dominguez posted a video to her campaign YouTube page April 3 mocking a 2018 investigation that sustained hostile workplace allegations against her, in part, because the report was heavily redacted and contained spelling errors.
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A Symbolic Censure
Supes reprimand auditor-controller as tensions continue to mount
By Thadeus Greenson
thad@northcoastjournal.com
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to censure Auditor-Controller Karen Paz Dominguez during a special April 4 meeting after an outside investigation sustained findings that she engaged in “retaliatory, harassing and/or bullying behavior,” and made financial decisions that “resulted in increased staff workload and financial losses to the county.”
The board’s 5-0 vote on the auditor-controller kicked off a meeting that also saw the board consider an ethics complaint against Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell, revamp its complaint process and huddle in closed session to discuss “anticipated litigation” from a group of environmental nonprofits challenging the board’s recent approval of a large subdivision in Cutten.
The censure of Paz Dominguez is purely symbolic, a public expression of “disapproval,” as the board has no power to discipline a fellow elected official or remove them from office, though some supervisors indicated they plan to consider removing some duties — like payroll services — from the Auditor-Controller’s Office at a future meeting.
County Administrative Officer Elishia Hayes said the investigation was launched in June based on seven separate employee complaints, and a final investigative report was received by the county last month and presented to the board in closed session. A staff report prepared for that March 22 closed session discussion says a prior outside investigation conducted in 2018 — which Hayes said was based on three employees’ complaints — “reached similar conclusions.”
After the board’s vote, the Journal reached out to Paz Dominguez, who did not attend the April 4 meeting, and she released a statement decrying the censure as an act of “political theater.”
“I welcome constructive feedback and I work to address it when it is fair, well-informed and openly communicated to me,” she wrote. “The Board’s censure vote today was none of those things. What occurred at today’s Board meeting was political theater on the public’s dime with the intent to influence an upcoming election as evidenced by the discriminatory proceedings held for me in my absence compared to the cordial and civil proceedings held for a member of the Board who is accused of behaviors for which there is actual evidence.”
While Paz Dominguez notes the censure discussion occurred in her absence, it’s unclear what would have prevented her from attending the meeting, which was publicly noticed three days earlier and at which Board Chair Virginia Bass mentioned looking for the auditor-controller, both in board chambers and online, seemingly hopeful she would be there to respond to the allegations and address the board as it mulled her censure.
A day prior, on April 3, Paz Dominguez posted a campaign video to YouTube mocking the 2018 investigative report after she’d received a copy that had been redacted to protect the identities of the complainants. In the video, Paz Dominguez said the document was redacted to the point that it was impossible to understand some of the allegations. She also said the “most horrible” accusation against her yet comes on page 16 of the 59-page report, which she said describes a staff member being disappointed to return from lunch to find the pizza and soda Paz Dominguez had bought for staff who helped move office furniture was all gone.
The staff report summary of the 2018 investigation’s findings alleges Paz Dominguez “fostered an atmosphere of hostility, retaliation and bullying,” while demonstrating a “lack of leadership” and blaming “her errors on her subordinates.” The North Coast Journal has submitted requests under the California Public Records Act for both the 2018 and 2021 investigative reports and the county has
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