County of Inyo

Board of Supervisors

The Chairperson announced the public comment period.  Mr. Walter Rosenthal, representing the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center, presented the Board with a proposal on the organization and requested grant funding in the amount of $5,000 to help the center get established.  The County Administrator indicated that the proposal would be added to the Grants-in-Support Applications for consideration during budget hearings.  Supervisor Cervantes read into the record a letter from the Lone Pine Lions Club thanking the Public Works Department for the replacement of their roof.  Supervisor Cervantes also read into the record a letter from the owner of the China Ranch Bed and Breakfast asking that the strobe light located on the Sheriff’s Communication Tower in the China Ranch area of the County be turned off. 

Sheriff Dan Lucas updated the Board on the results of recruitment efforts, highlighting deputy and correction officer academy graduations and noting that the DSA has agreed to extend the period allowed under the MOU for temporary assignment of deputies to the jail.  The County Administrator noted that the Public Service Announcement (PSA) regarding potential flooding due to high run-off is being aired.

Integ. Waste/ Ridgecrest Sanitation

Moved by Supervisor Bilyeu and seconded by Supervisor Cervantes to approve the Contract between the County of Inyo and Ridgecrest Sanitation for the transport of solid waste from Homewood Canyon Transfer Station to the Ridgecrest landfill, in an amount not to exceed $7,453.32, for the period of July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY 2005-06 Budget; and authorize the Chairperson to sign, contingent upon the appropriate signatures being obtained.  Motion carried unanimously.

Integ. Waste/ Barker Contract

Integ. Waste/Peek Contract

Integ. Waste/ Morris Contract

Parks/L.P. Park Asphalt Bid

E. Health/Water Testing Supplies

Moved by Supervisor Bilyeu and seconded by Supervisor Cervantes to declare IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., as the sole-source provider of certain water testing laboratory supplies for FY 2005-06 and authorize a blanket purchase order for water testing supplies to IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $14,000.  Motion carried unanimously.

HHS-Calworks/ Learning Disability Services Contract

Moved by Supervisor Bilyeu and seconded by Supervisor Cervantes to approve the contract between the County of Inyo and the Inyo County Superintendent of Schools for CalWORKs Learning Disability Services, in an amount not to exceed $3,500 for the period of July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY 2005-2006 Budget, and authorize the Chairperson to sign.  Motion carried unanimously.

HHS-Hlth. Serv./ Immunization Outreach Contract

Sheriff’s Dept./In- Car Video Systems for Bishop P.D.

Recess/

Reconvene

Resol. #2005-36/ Certifying EIR on Tract Map 239/ Walters (Whitney Portal Development Project

The Chairperson reopened the public hearing, which began on June 7, 2005, at 10:05 a.m., to consider the appeal by Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP, on behalf of the Save Round Valley Alliance (SRVA) of the April 27, 2005, Planning Commission decision to approve Tentative Tract Map No. 239/Walters.  The Assistant Clerk submitted a letter from Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger, responding to the Staff Report and it was marked Exhibit S.  Ms. Tanda Gretz, Associate Planner, reviewed the Staff report, reiterating Staff’s recommendation that the Board certify the EIR and approve the Tentative Tract Map.  At the conclusion of her remarks Ms. Gretz requested that the Staff Report and all attachments be entered into the record and they were Marked Exhibit T.  The Board and County Counsel discussed other correspondence, which had been received that were general in nature and did not specifically speak to the issues identified in today’s Staff Report.  The Chairperson did not receive the correspondence into the record and reiterated to the audience that today’s hearing was limited to taking information on the Staff Report and the two documents included with the Staff Report.  The Applicant, Mr. Jim Walters, addressed the Board to support Staff’s recommendations and to submit a letter briefly explaining who he is, for the record.  County Counsel briefly explained how documentation could be accepted into the record, while not being accepted into evidence, which would then preclude the documentation from being considered during the Board’s decision-making process.  The Chairperson asked that the letter, from Mr. Walter’s be marked as Exhibit U, for the record and not entered into evidence.  There was no one from the public wishing to address this item and the Chairperson closed the public hearing at 10:50 a.m.  The Board discussed the proposed Whitney Portal Development and the Tentative Tract Map.  Supervisor Williams indicated a desire to ask Mr. Marvin Moskowitz for clarification on the Environmental Health Report which was included as an attachment to the Staff Report.  County Counsel clarified that if the Board wanted to consider Mr. Moskowitz’ verbal responses to questions in their decision making process, the Chairperson would need to reopen the public hearing.  The Chairperson reopened the public hearing at 10:51 a.m.  The Environmental Health Director, Mr. Marvin Moskowitz, responded to questions from the Board regarding the comment in the Report that the “…fire well be constructed first, and a better aquifer test be conducted on this well, as a Final Map approval condition.”  Mr. Moskowitz indicated that this comment was a suggestion to allay fire safety concerns and to help lot owners determine water depth in the future.  He also confirmed that he feels current ground water models are adequate in reflecting that there should be sufficient water to sustain development.  There was no one else wishing to address this item and the Chairperson closed the public hearing at 10:55 a.m.  The Board continued to discuss the appeal of Tract Map 239/Walters.   

On a motion by Supervisor Cervantes and a second by Supervisor Cash, Resolution No. 2005-36 entitled “A Resolution of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Inyo, State of California, Certifying and Adopting the Final Environmental Impact Report and Statement of Overriding Considerations, and Approving Tentative Tract Map No. 239/Walters (Located 4 Miles West of Lone Pine: APNS 023-270-10 and 023-270-11) and Denying the Appeal of the Planning Commission’s Approval of That Tract Map,” (the Whitney Portal Development Project.), was adopted as amended to include a condition that a fire well be drilled and a water storage tank be filled and maintained for Fire Department purposes as a condition of the Final Map approval and prior to any development: motion unanimously passed and adopted.

Moved by Supervisor Cash and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to approve the Contract between the County of Inyo and Mono County for the mutual provision of vector control services, in an amount not to exceed $4,000 for Inyo County and $8,000 for Mono County, for the period of July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY 2005-06 Budget; and authorize the Chairperson to sign.  Motion carried unanimously.

Ms. Jean Dickinson, Director of Health and Human Services, Ms. Tamara Cohn, Clinical Services Director and Ms. Sue Stoutenburg, Program Manager, provided information on the services which may be impacted by this most recent State reduction in HHS funding.  Moved by Supervisor Bilyeu and seconded by Supervisor Cash to approve Amendment #1 to Master Agreement No. 04-35351 and MOU No. PREV 04-14, between the County of Inyo and Department of Health Services for HIV Prevention, decreasing the grant by $115,552.00 ($57,776.00 per year) to a total amount not to exceed $102,248 for the period of July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2007 and authorize the Chairperson to sign.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Board Members reported on their activities during the preceding week, including a Mammoth Housing Authority Meeting, notification that the Governor had blue lined several items in the Fish and Game budget, including money for the hatcheries, and a request for an item regarding support of AB 7 for hatchery funding to be agendized for next week.

Reconvene

The Chairperson recessed the regular meeting at 12:00 p.m., to reconvene at 1:00 p.m., in closed session with all Board Members present.

The Board met in closed session to discuss Agenda Items No. 16.  CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EXISTING LITIGATION (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(a) - Sierra Club v. City of Los Angeles, Department of Water and Power, Inyo County Superior Court Case No. SICVCV01-29768; and No. 17.  CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR  [Pursuant to Government Code § 54957.6] - Instructions to Negotiators re: wages, salaries and benefits - Employee Organization:  ICEA - Negotiators:  CAO Ron Juliff.

The Chairperson recessed closed session at 4:00 p.m., to reconvene in open session to receive a report on closed session.  County Counsel reported there were no items discussed in closed session, which were required by law to be reported on in open session. 

The Chairperson adjourned the regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m., July 19, 2005, in the Board of Supervisors Room, at the County Administrative Center.