County of Inyo

Board of Supervisors

Public Comment

The Chairperson announced the public comment and there was no one from the public wishing to address the Board.

The Chairperson announced the County Department Report period.  Ms. Jean Dickinson, Director of Health and Human Services updated the Board on a Welfare Director’s meeting she had attended.  Ms. Dickinson highlighted some of the items discussed by the group including IHSS and Financial Elder Abuse reporting, the Governor’s redesign of Medi-Cal, and children obesity programs.

Ms. Jean Dickinson, Director of Health and Human Services, introduced Ms. Breanne Brewer, Account Tech I and Ms. Diane Fortney, Account Tech III, in Health and Human Services, to the Board.

Water/L.P. Well 416 Pump Test

Mr. Arden Wallum, Interim Water Director, reviewed the history of Well 416, explaining that the City of Los Angeles DWP has indicated that they are only proposing the pump test.  He explained that this is one of the wells identified in the Long Term Water Agreement, the well permit was approved by the Board of Supervisors in 2001 with conditions, and that since that time the City and the County have been attempting to establish the protocols for this test.  Mr. Mike Prather, representing the Owens Valley Committee, welcomed the new Board Members and commented on the proposed pumping of Well 416.  The Board and Staff discussed specific areas of the protocols, which were of concern, with Mr. Wallum reviewing the process, which would need to be followed as defined by the Water Agreement.  At the conclusion of the discussion Mr. Wallum recommended that the Board refer the protocols to the Technical Group with direction on specific items, which the Board would like to see contained in those protocols and should the process for the establishment of the protocols fail, the County should proceed to the “Dispute Resolution” process.  Moved by Supervisor Arcularius and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to send the protocols for the pumping of Well 416 in the town of Lone Pine to the Technical Committee, with direction to Staff to have the protocols include the following: monitoring wells, baseline hydrology numbers for vegetation, vegetation monitoring, specific trigger numbers which would require the pumping cease when the trigger is pulled, and a later start date for the test in order to provide for better water table recharge and vegetation recovery. Motion carried unanimously.

E. Health/ Moskowitz Contract

Moved by Supervisor Cash and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to approve the contract between the County of Inyo and Marvin Moskowitz for personal services as the Director of Environmental Health Services, at a monthly salary of $6,300 for the period of March 1, 2005 through February 28, 2006, and $6,500 per month beginning March 1, 2006, contingent upon a satisfactory evaluation, and authorize the Chairperson to sign, contingent upon appropriate signatures being obtained.  Motion carried unanimously.

Resol. #2005-08/ Appt. Officials Salaries

On a motion by Supervisor Cash and a second by Supervisor Bilyeu, Resolution No. 2005-08, entitled “A Resolution of the Board of Supervisors, County of Inyo, State of California, Rescinding Resolution 2005-05 and Setting Salary and/or Terms and Conditions of Employment for Appointed Officials Employed in the Several Offices or Institutions of the County of Inyo,” was adopted: motion unanimously passed and adopted.

HHS-Mental Hlth. Serv./I.D.E.A. Contract

Moved by Supervisor Cash and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to approve the Contract between the County of Inyo and I.D.E.A. Consulting for the provision of consultation services for the period of February 15, 2005, through June 30, 2005, in an amount not to exceed $12,000; and authorize the Chairperson to sign.  Motion carried unanimously.

Planning Dept./ GIS Software

P. O.

P.W./Tecopa Security Fencing Project Specs

Integ. Waste/ Diesel Tractor Truck P. O.

Moved by Supervisor Arcularius and seconded by Supervisor Cervantes to authorize a purchase order to a vendor yet to be determined, for the purchase of one 3-axle diesel tractor (truck) for use in the Solid Waste Program, in an amount not to exceed $10,000 and direct Staff to report back to the Board on the outcome of the purchase and to review the process.  Motion carried unanimously.

Moved by Supervisor Arcularius and seconded by Supervisor Cash to approve the letter of support for Inyo-Mono Association for the Handicapped’s application for Federal Transportation Act Grant (5310) funding; and authorize the Chairperson to sign.  Motion carried unanimously.

Mr. John Gervers, Inyo County Consultant for national nuclear waste affairs, updated the Board on the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository Project.

Reconvene

County Counsel announced that closed session Agenda Item No. 18. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION [Pursuant to Government Code § 54956.9(a)] - Sierra Club v. City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and County of Inyo, Inyo County Superior Court Case No. SICVCV01-29768, had been pulled and would not be considered.  The Chairperson proceeded to recess open session at 10:35 a.m., to convene in closed session with all Board Members present, to discuss Agenda Items No. 14.  CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6) - Instructions to Negotiators re: wages, salaries and benefits – Employee Organization – ICEA – Negotiators – County Administrator and Personnel Analyst; No. 15.  CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6) - Instructions to Negotiators re: wages, salaries and benefits – Employee Organization – Deputy Sheriff’s Association (DSA) – Negotiators – County Administrator and Personnel Analyst; No. 16.  CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6) - Instructions to Negotiators re: wages, salaries and benefits – Employee Organization – Law Enforcement Administrators’ Association (LEAA) - Negotiators – County Administrator and Personnel Analyst; and No. 17.  CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6) - Instructions to Negotiators re: wages, salaries and benefits – Employee Organization – Elected Officials Assistant Association (EOAA) – Negotiators – County Administrator and Personnel Analyst.  The Chairperson recessed closed session at 11:35 a.m., to reconvene in open session, with all Board Members present.

Captain Carson of the California Highway Patrol Bishop Office, addressed the Board to support the Sheriff’s request.  He said that the additional burden that will be placed on the CHP if they are required to transport their detainees to Bakersfield would result in fewer officers being available for patrol and there are additional concerns regarding officer safety. 

The Board, Staff and the Sheriff went on to discuss in detail the request to support legislation to change the Correctional Officer positions to Correctional Deputy positions.  The Board and Staff continued to discuss the issues surrounding the Jail staffing including training requirements of both the Deputies and the Correctional Officers.  Moved by Supervisor Arcularius and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to support pending legislation to place Inyo County Correctional Officers under 830.1 of the California Penal Code changing Correctional Officers to Correctional Deputies.  Motion carried unanimously.

After further discussion it was moved by Supervisor Arcularius, with no second, to A) authorize the equity adjustment for the position of Correctional Officer in the Sheriff’s Department from ranges 52, 56, and 59 to Range 64 ($2,846 - $3,460); and B) fund through AB443 grant funds a recruitment incentive of $1,500 for new Correction Officers who successfully complete existing probation requirements.  The motion failed on a one-to-four roll call vote, with Supervisor Arcularius voting yes, and with Supervisors Cash, Williams, Bilyeu and Cervantes voting no.

The County Administrator reviewed the Board’s options explaining that the Board could (a) unilaterally implement the change and let the chips fall where they may; (b) they could open negotiations with the union to address this issue in the current MOU; or (c) address this issue in the upcoming negotiations and in the next MOU.  The Board expressed a desire to continue to explore their options with the County Administrator indicating that he would re-agendize the request for equity adjustment for Corrections Officers for next week’s Board Meeting, including the appropriate closed session announcement to provide the Board with the opportunity to give directions to their negotiators. 

Moved by Supervisor Cash and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to approve the minutes of the Board of Supervisors Meetings of A) February 4, 2005; and B) February 8, 2005.  Motion carried unanimously.

Mr. Andrew Remus, Yucca Mountain Project Coordinator, presented the Board with the proposed letter opposing the redistribution of AULG funding. The Board and Staff discussed the proposed letter to the DOE stating Inyo County’s opposition to the proposed redistribution of Yucca Mountain Funds (reducing Inyo County’s share and Increasing Nye County’s share) by the State of Nevada’s Affected Units of Local Government, led by Nye County.  Moved by Supervisor Cash and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to approve the letter as presented by staff and authorize the Chairperson to sign.  Motion carried unanimously.