The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved sending a letter to the Texas judge overseeing the Pacific Lumber Co.’s bankruptcy proceeding to make sure county residents’ interests are heard.

The letter was approved by the board Tuesday with only minor changes after considerable wrangling.

In the letter to Judge Richard Schmidt, the supervisors stated they have not taken a particular position on any of the three reorganization plans recently sent out to be considered by PALCO’s creditors, but rather laid out the five principles they believe are important in considering which proposal will be chosen during plan confirmation in April.

Those principles include “maintaining the Pacific Lumber Co. forests in a single ownership as working commercial forest lands;” “fulfill all commitments associated with the Habitat Conservation Plan that accompanied the Headwaters Agreement;” “maintain the skilled work force;” “acknowledge the standards of environmental stewardship with certification of quality practices” and “continue the operations of the Scotia Mill.”

Second District Supervisor Roger Rodoni was unsuccessful in pitching an amendment to add Sustainable Forestry Institution certification as a standard of environmental stewardship alongside the Forest Stewardship Council certification that was in the draft letter.

Both were scrapped in favor of endorsing only general environmental standards.

Supervisor John Woolley was unsuccessful in adding a paragraph that gave support for whatever plan that would best allow county residents to have an ownership stake in PALCO’s timberlands.

Board chairperson Jill Geist reigned in the amendments to the letter regarding what she said has been a “lighting-rod issue.”

Without hearing presentations on all of the prospective reorganization plans, Geist said she didn’t want to allow the board to endorse one plan over another in a “back door” manner.

“That I can’t support,” Geist said.

Also on hand to support their efforts in the bankruptcy proceeding were several members of the Community Forest Team, which has expressed an interest and is negotiating with PALCO’s creditors to possibly purchase PALCO’s timber lands if they become available for sale.

Community Forestry Team David Simpson told the board he was advocating for nonprofit ownership, stability and control.

“The possibility of community ownership is something we can’t afford to ignore,” Simpson said.

Second District Supervisor candidates Estelle Fennell and Clif Clendenen, who are opposing Rodoni in his bid for re-election, have both called on the supervisors in recent weeks to play a stronger role in the bankruptcy proceeding.

In a statement released Tuesday, Fennell indicated she fully supports the efforts of Supervisors Bonnie Neely and Woolley who asked the board to authorize a letter.

“I fully agree with and am on record supporting the points they stress in their letter,” Fennell stated. “It is unfortunate that the voters of the Second District cannot rely on their own supervisor’s proactive leadership here.”