County of Inyo

Board of Supervisors

The Board of Supervisors of the County of Inyo, State of California, met in regular session at the hour of 9:00 a.m., on Tuesday, November 8, 2005, in the Board of Supervisors Room, County Administrative Center, Independence, with the following Supervisors present:  Chairperson Ted Williams presiding, Linda Arcularius, Susan Cash, Jim Bilyeu, and Richard Cervantes.  Supervisor Bilyeu provided the Invocation, and Supervisor Williams led the Pledge of Allegiance.

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

The Chairperson announced the County Department Report Period and announced that the Board was canceling their December 6, 2005 meeting because the County Administrator and County Counsel would be in mediation proceedings with the ICEA over recently declared impasse.  Ms. Leslie Klusmire, Planning Director, updated the Board on Yucca Mountain AULG funding.  She informed the Board that California Counties, i.e. Inyo County, has been allocated 7.5% of the AULG appropriated funds on a yearly basis, that the Congress has directed DOE to discontinue their input on how AULG funding is spent and that this year’s Yucca Mountain Funding was allocated at $7.5 million.  Ms. Tamara Cohen, Health and Human Services updated the Board on local avian flu pandemic preparedness.  Ms. Margaret Peterson, Health and Human Services, updated the Board on the SACPA Program and its funding.  Mr. Chuck Hamilton, Deputy County Administrator, informed the Board that a Household Hazardous Waste Event was scheduled for this weekend at the Big Pine Transfer Station from 9:00 a.m., to 12:00 noon.  Mr. Ron Chegwidden, Acting Public Works Director, informed the Board that the County had been granted an extension on the Darwin CDBG Project to December 31, 2006.  He indicated that the Department would proceed with moving this project forward.  Sheriff Dan Lucas updated the Board on the jail population situation, explaining that for the past year the jail has operated at full capacity and recently has been in a situation where early parole releases were being conducted.  The Sheriff also informed the Board that his Department was in the process of evaluating alternative detention methods like work release and electronic monitoring programs. 

Moved by Supervisor Bilyeu and seconded by Supervisor Cash to ratify the Contract between the County of Inyo and Olive Vista Center for the provision of mental health placement services for the period of July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006, in an amount not to exceed $55,000; and authorize the Chairperson to sign.  Motion carried unanimously.

Moved by Supervisor Cash and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to amend the FY 2005-06 HIV/AIDS Master Grant Budget Unit 641805 by increasing estimated revenue in State Grants (Revenue Code #4498) by $57,776 and increasing appropriations as recommended by Staff by $57,776.  Motion carried unanimously.

Moved by Supervisor Cervantes and seconded by Supervisor Cash to A) amend the FY 2005-06 County Budget by increasing appropriations in Special Aviation Budget Unit 150200, Maintenance of Structures (Object Code #2680) by $2,680, from unappropriated reserves; and B) approve the purchase of materials to repair the pump house at the Eastern Sierra Regional Airport from High Country Lumber in an amount not to exceed $2,680.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Board and Lt. Steve Rogers discussed the Department’s Taser Use Policy, training and reporting.  Moved by Supervisor Bilyeu and seconded by Supervisor Cash to A) amend the FY 2005-06 Sheriff General Budget Unit 022700 by increasing estimated revenue in Citizens Option Public Safety (Revenue Code #4488) by $24,475 and increasing appropriations in Office and Other Equipment (Object Code #5232) by $24,475; and B) declare ProForce Law Enforcement Marketing of Brea, California a sole-source provider of Taser devices and authorize the purchase of 20 Taser X26 devices and related equipment from ProForce Law Enforcement Marketing in an amount not to exceed $24,475.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Board and the Treasurer discussed the public auction process.  Moved by Supervisor Cash and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to authorize the Treasurer-Tax Collector to (a) conduct a public auction to offer for sale to the highest bidder certain tax-defaulted parcels of land that are subject to the Tax Collector’s Power to Sell and (b) in the event that any parcel does not sell at the stated minimum price offer any parcel at a reduced amount.  Motion carried unanimously.

Ms. Monika Watterson, Transit Program Director, provided additional information on the buses, which are being requested.  She explained that the new vehicles would replace aging buses in Inyo County’s fleet.  Moved by Supervisor Cervantes and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to A) amend the FY 2005-06 Inyo-Mono Transit Budget Unit 153101, by increasing estimated revenue in State Grants (Revenue Code #4498) by $125,000 and increasing appropriations in Vehicles (Object Code #5674) by $125,000; and B) approve the purchase of two buses from Creative Bus Sales, Inc. of Fountain Valley, California, via State of California Contract #1-03-23-16 in an amount not to exceed $127,202.  Motion carried unanimously.

Supervisor Cash requested that the Budget Hearing Minutes be amended to reflect the correct spelling of Georgan Stottlemyre and Lynn Cooper in the Grants and Support Budget discussion.  Moved by Supervisor Arcularius and seconded by Supervisor Cervantes to approve the minutes of the Board of Supervisors Meetings as follows: A) Budget Hearings of September 12 through 20, 2005 as corrected; B) Regular Meeting of October 11, 2005; C) Regular Meeting of October 18, 2005; and D) Regular meeting of October 25, 2005.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Chairperson recessed open session at 10:40 a.m., to convene in closed session, with all Board Members present to discuss Agenda Items No. 10.  PERSONNEL – [Pursuant to Government Code §54957] Public Employee Performance Evaluation, Title:  Acting Director of Public Works; No. 11.  PERSONNEL – [Pursuant to Government Code §54957] Public Employee Performance Evaluation, Title:  Director of Planning; and No. 12.  CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR [Pursuant to Government Code §54957.6] Instructions to Negotiators re: wages, salaries and benefits, Employee Organization: ICEA, Negotiator:  CAO Ron Juliff. 

Reconvene