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, September  12,  2006, in the Board of Supervisors Room, County Administrative Center, Independence, with the following Supervisors present:   Chairperson Susan Cash presiding, Linda Arcularius, Ted Williams, Jim Bilyeu, and Richard Cervantes.   Supervisor Cervantes provided the Invocation, and Supervisor Arcularius led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Public Comment

The Chairperson announced the Public Comment Period and there was no one wishing to address the Board.

County Dept. Reports

The Chairperson announced the County Department Report period.   Deputy County Administrator, Mr. Chuck Hamilton, advised the Board of a situation with the lease to relocate the sewage lagoon at the Tecopa Hot Springs Park and Campground.   Mr. Hamilton provided the Board with copies of a lawsuit pertaining to the property owned by Ms. Amy Noel and on which the County, through the lease, was going to relocate its Tecopa sewage lagoon operations.   He explained that there appears to be a sale agreement on the property, which limits Ms. Noel’s ability to rent any of the properties, including that proposed for the lagoon, for a period of no longer than 25 days.   Mr. Hamilton informed the Board that the lease had not been finalized and that the County would not pursue a lease for the property until the litigation was settled.   He also advised the Board that the potential new owner had indicated that the cost for the County to lease any of the property would be at a much higher rate than that negotiated with Ms. Noel.  

Post Agenda/ FAA Grant L.P. Airport

Mr. Ron Chegwidden, Public Works Director, explained that the County had received grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the Lone Pine Runway Rehabilitation Project after the Agenda for the September 12, 2006 Board of Supervisors Meeting was posted and the FAA is requiring that the Public Works Director’s signature on the agreement be ratified prior to the next regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors Meeting.   Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to make the findings necessary regarding approving the Grant Agreement between the County of Inyo and the FAA for the Lone Pine Runway Rehabilitation Project, and add this item as Agenda Item No. 5A.   Motion carried unanimously.

Post Agenda/Out of State Travel

Mr. Kevin Carunchio, Deputy County Administrator, explained that as a result of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Workshop conducted at Whiskey Creek last week, he had received a scholarship to attend the Institute’s National Policy Dialogue on Designing Land-use Dispute Resolution Systems to be held in Boston on September 20 th and 21 st.    Mr. Carunchio explained that in order to make appropriate travel reservations the Board would have to take action on the request for out-of-state travel as required by the County’s travel policy prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting.   Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to find that the need to authorize out-of-state travel for the Deputy County Administrator arose after the Agenda for the September 12, 2006 Board of Supervisors Meeting was posted and there is a need for the Board to take action on this item prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting, therefore, this item is added as Agenda Item No. 5B.   Motion carried unanimously.

HHS-Inyo First 5 Comm./ Appointments

Ms. Jean Dickinson, Director of Health and Human Services, reviewed the Staff recommendations for appointment to the Inyo First Five Commission.   Moved by Supervisor Arcularius and seconded by Supervisor Cervantes to make the following appointments to the Inyo First Five Commission:   Ms. Andrea Tordoff to complete an unexpired term ending February 1, 2009, representing the recipient of services category and Dr. Charlotte Helvie to complete an unexpired three-year term ending December 1, 2006 and a new three year term ending December 1, 2009 representing the local medical, pediatric or obstetric associations or societies.   Motion carried unanimously.

Planning-Yucca Mt./Dr. Dilger Contract

Ms. Rennie Holland, Project Analyst, provided additional information and further justification to contract with Dr. Fred Dilger for Yucca Mountain Consulting Services.   The Board expressed a desire to have the scope of work further clarified regarding the notation that the contract optionally provides for four studies to be conducted.   Of particular interest was the impact assessment process and the reference to socio-economics in the area.   The Board felt they were the entity responsible for identifying socio-economic areas of concern in the County, which would need to be addressed.   Additionally, the Board questioned whether the “option” to perform the studies was included in the Contract price.   The Board directed Staff to renegotiate the contract with Dr. Dilger for Yucca Mountain Oversight Consulting Services to amend the scope of work to include the “option” and bring the new version back for their consideration. (Note:   Prior the Board’s discussion a motion was made to approve Dr. Dilger’s contract as recommended.   The motion was withdrawn prior to direction to Staff to renegotiate the terms of the Contract.)

Water Dept./ Garlon and JLB Oil P.O.

Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to approve the purchase of (a) 250 gallons of Garlon 4 herbicide from Target Specialty Products in an amount not to exceed $21,850, plus tax and (b) 750 gallons of Improved JLB Oil Plus with dye and light pine scent from Silverado Ranch Supply in an amount not to exceed $7,912.50 plus tax.   Motion carried unanimously.

P.W.-L.P. Airport/ FAA Grant

Moved by Supervisor Cervantes and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to approve the grant agreement between Inyo County and the Federal Aviation Administration for the Lone Pine Airport Runway Rehabilitation Project in the amount of $150,000 contingent upon the appropriate signatures being obtained and ratify the Public Works Directo’s signature on the Grant Agreement.   Motion carried unanimously.

CAO-Econ. Dev./ Out-of-State Travel

Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to authorize the Deputy County Administrator/Economic Development Coordinator to travel out-of-state for the purpose of attending a National Policy Dialogue on Designing Land-use Dispute Resolution Systems to be held in Cambridge, Massachusetts on September 20 and 21, 2006.   Motion carried unanimously.

Board Members and Staff Reports

The Board Members reported on their activities during the preceding week, including the Unified Command Meeting, the Freedom Walk update, and the Lincoln Institutes Land Use Seminar.

Closed Session

The Chairperson recessed open session at 10:10 a.m., to convene in closed session, with all Board Members present to discuss Agenda Items No. 6.   CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL ANTICIPATED LITIGATION (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(a)(c) – One Case – Decision whether to initiate litigation; and No. 7.  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, and Personnel Analyst Sue Dishion.

Recess/

Reconvene

The Chairperson recessed the regular meeting at 12:00 p.m., to reconvene at 4:00 p.m., at the conclusion of the Budget Hearings, to receive a report on closed session.

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.  

Adjournment

The Chairperson adjourned the regular meeting at 4:00 p.m., to 9:00 a.m., September 19, 2006, in the Board of Supervisors Room, at the County Administrative Center, in Independence.