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, July 11 , 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 Bilyeu provided the Invocation, and Supervisor Cervantes led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Public Comment

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

County Dept. Reports

The Chairperson announced the County Department Report period.   Mr. Ron Chegwidden, Public Works Director, informed the Board that the State budget had included full funding for Prop 42 and early payback for prior year funding.   Mr. Tom Brooks, Water Director, notified the Board that the check from DWP for FY 2006-07 had been received and deposited.   Mr. Brandon Shults, Information Services Director, updated the Board on the Network project explaining that installation of the cabling and wiring has begun.   He acknowledged the local Courthouse Motel for working with the contractor to provide local long-term lodging for the crew.

CAO-Info. Serv./ Switching Equipment P. O.

Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to approve the purchase of Alcatel data switching equipment (bid ISO601) for the County Network Project from Day Wireless Systems, the apparent low bidder in an amount not to exceed $181,990, and authorize the Information Services Director, Brandon Shults to sign the purchase order.   Motion carried unanimously.

Integ. Waste/ Chemical Toilet Service

Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to approve the Contract between the County of Inyo and   Bishop Waste Disposal for chemical toilet services at the Big Pine Transfer Station and the Bishop-Sunland, Independence, and Lone Pine landfills, in an amount not to exceed $6,336, for the period of July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY 2006-07 Budget; and authorize the Chairperson to sign.   Motion carried unanimously.

Integ. Waste/ Olancha & Keeler Transfer Station Hauling Services

Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to approve the Contract between the County of Inyo and   Bishop Waste Disposal for solid waste hauling services from the Olancha and Keeler Transfer Stations to the Lone Pine Landfill in an amount not to exceed $29,892.72, for the period of July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY 2006-07 Budget; and authorize the Chairperson to sign.   Motion carried unanimously.

Integ. Waste/Big Pine Transfer Station Hauling Services

Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to approve the Contract between the County of Inyo and   Bishop Waste Disposal for solid waste hauling services from the Big Pine Transfer Station to the Bishop-Sunland Landfill in an amount not to exceed $18,548.40 for the period of July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY 2006-07 Budget; and authorize the Chairperson to sign.   Motion carried unanimously.

Integ. Waste/ Darwin Hauling Service

Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to approve the Contract between the County of Inyo and   Bishop Waste Disposal for solid waste hauling services from the community of Darwin to the Lone Pine Landfill in an amount not to exceed $9,043.84 for the period of July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY 2006-07 Budget; and authorize the Chairperson to sign.   Motion carried unanimously.

Parks/Vault Pumping Service

Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to approve the Contract between the County of Inyo and   Bishop Waste Disposal for vault pumping services in an amount not to exceed $10,287, for the period of July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY 2006-07 Budget; and authorize the Chairperson to sign.   Motion carried unanimously.

Parks/Parks and Campgrounds South County Hauling Service

Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to approve the Contract between the County of Inyo and Bishop Waste Disposal for waste disposal hauling services at County parks and campgrounds located in the south County area in an amount not to exceed $11,225.76 for the period of July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY 2006-07 Budget; and authorize the Chairperson to sign.   Motion carried unanimously.

Parks/Parks and Campgrounds North County Hauling Service

Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to approve the Contract between the County of Inyo and   Bishop Waste Disposal for waste disposal hauling services at County parks and campgrounds located north of Independence in an amount not to exceed $11,690 for the period of July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY 2006-07 Budget; and authorize the Chairperson to sign.   Motion carried unanimously.

Coroner/Deputy Coroner and Autopsy Services Contracts

Moved by Supervisor Williams and seconded by Supervisor Arcularius to approve the contracts between the County of Inyo and the following, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY   2006-07 Budget, and authorize the Chairperson to sign: A) Medtox Laboratories, Inc., for toxicology services in an amount not to exceed $3,600; B) Milton R. Jones, M.D. for autopsy services in an amount not to exceed $33,950; C) William D. Stinnett for deputy coroner services in an amount not to exceed $11,840; D) Robert Franke for deputy coroner services in an amount not to exceed $11,680; and F) authorize the Auditor-Controller to pay an invoice as a claim from Dr. Jones in an amount not to exceed $8,500 for services rendered in FY 2005-06.   Motion carried unanimously.

P.W./Owenyo Services Town Water Systems Interim Contract

Mr. Ron Chegwidden updated the Board on the status of the Independence and Lone Pine CSD’s plans to take over the Town Water Systems.   In response to a question from Supervisor Bilyeu, Mr. Chegwidden confirmed that the contract for services provides for a thirty-day cancellation clause.   Moved by Supervisor Bilyeu and seconded by Supervisor Cervantes to approve the Contract between the County of Inyo and Owenyo Services for the operation and maintenance of the Independence, Laws, and Lone Pine Town Water Systems in an amount not to exceed $29,448.32 for the period of July 1, 2006 through August 31, 2006, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY 2006-07 Budget and authorize the Chairperson to sign contingent upon the appropriate signatures being obtained.   Motion carried unanimously.

Planning-Yucca Mt./Transportation Risk Assessment

Dr. Fred Dilger, PhD of Radioactive Waste Management Associates, updated the Board on Task 5, Public Safety Regulatory Review, and Strategy Development for Inyo County as part of the Yucca Mountain Transportation Risk Assessment currently being performed for Inyo County.

CAO-Budget/Year End Adjustments

The Deputy County Administrator provided the Board with further information and clarification on the request to amend last year’s budget.   He explained that the requested action was not necessary in that prior to the close of last fiscal year the Board had granted the authority to make adjustments needed to balance the budget to the Auditor-Controller and County Administrator.   He explained that the information provided by Staff regarding the status of several budgets was done in the spirit of maintaining the transparency of government.   He also clarified that the funds identified in the Probation Budget were needed as a result of revenue not being realized which was no longer the case because the revenue had been received from the State in the past week.   Mr. Jim Moffett, Chief Probation Officer, addressed the Board to provide additional clarification on the delay of the State funding, explaining that because of a change in the program the initial funding had been delayed and that he did not expect a like occurrence next year.   No action was taken by the Board concerning the request to amend the FY 2005-06 County Budget as follows: increase appropriations in the General Fund Budget Units identified and in object codes determined by staff by a total not to exceed $173,683 and reduce General Fund Contingencies Budget Unit 087100, Contingencies (Object Code #5901) by $74,070 and (Object Code #5902) by $99,613.

Public Defender/ Contract Amendments

The County Administrator reviewed the contract amendments with the four remaining Public Defenders, with Assistant County Counsel, Mr. Randy Keller, reading into the record the paragraph in the amendments which clearly defines that the increase in the contracts is for the remainder of 2006 only and as a result of additional workloads associated with the resignation of the fifth Public Defender.   Moved by Supervisor Arcularius and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to ratify and approve the Amendments to the Contracts between the County of Inyo and the following Public Defenders increasing the monthly amounts from July 1, 2006 through December 31, 2006, contingent upon the Board’s adoption of a FY 2006-07 Budget and authorize the County Administrator to sign: A) Gerard Harvey by $2,150 per month; B) Elizabeth Corpora by $2,150 per month; C) Dana Crom by $1,700 per month and D) Victoria Campbell by $1,300 per month.   Motion carried unanimously.

BofS/Minute Approval

Moved by Supervisor Cervantes and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to approve the minutes of the June 20, 2006 Board of Supervisors Meeting.   Motion carried unanimously.

Fish and Game/ Eastern Sierra Quail Unlimited Expenditure

Moved by Supervisor Arcularius and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to approve an expenditure of $1,250 towards the purchase and installation by Eastern Sierra Quail Unlimited of two solar powered water systems for wild game birds to be paid by a warrant upon the submittal of certified invoices by Mr. Pete Wood of Eastern Sierra Quail Unlimited.    Motion carried unanimously.

District/So. Inyo Hospital Election Consolidation

Moved by Supervisor Cervantes and seconded by Supervisor Bilyeu to consolidate the Southern Inyo Healthcare District’s general election with the statewide general election to be held on November 7, 2006.   Motion carried unanimously.

Recess/

Reconvene

The Chairperson recessed the regular meeting at 9:55 a.m., to reconvene at 10:05 a.m., with all Board Members present.

Ord. 1116/Elected Officials Salary Increase Excluding Board of Supervisors

On a motion by Supervisor Cervantes and a second by Supervisor Williams Ordinance 1116 entitled “An Ordinance of the Board of Supervisors, County of Inyo, State of California, Amending Section 2.88.040 of the Inyo County Code to Increase the Salary for Certain Elected County Officials, Excluding Members of the Board of Supervisors,” was adopted: motion unanimously passed and adopted.

Water Dept./LORP Update

Mr. Tom Brooks, Inyo County Water Director and Mr. Brian Tillemans, LORP Project Manager, updated the Board on the progress of the LORP project.  

Ag. Comm./2005 Crop Report

The Agricultural Commissioner, Mr. George Milovich, presented the 2005 Annual Crop and Livestock Report, highlighting Inyo County information and statistics.  

Board Members and Staff Reports

The Board Members reported on their activities during the preceding week, including a Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District Board Meeting, an upcoming Sierra Nevada Conservancy meeting, an upcoming Lone Pine Town Hall Meeting, a Mental Health Board Meeting, a report on the Independence Fourth of July Celebration, and a report on the Special Meeting held with California Department of Fish and Game representatives on July 7, 2006.

Closed Session

The Chairperson recessed the regular meeting at 11:20 a.m., to convene in closed session to discuss Agenda Items No. 22.   CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EXISTING LITIGATION (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(a) – California Farm Bureau Federation, et al., v. California Wildlife Conservation Board, et al., Third District Court of Appeal Case No. C047165; No. 23.   CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL ANTICIPATED LITIGATION (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(a)(c) – Decision whether to initiate litigation. (One Case); and No. 24. 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 .   Supervisor Arcularius briefly left the meeting at 12:15 p.m., returning at 12:20 p.m.   The Chairperson recessed closed session at 12:45 p.m., to reconvene in open session.

Report on Closed Session

County Counsel reported that with regard to Agenda Item No. 22.   CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EXISTING LITIGATION (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(a) – California Farm Bureau Federation, et al., v. California Wildlife Conservation Board, et al., Third District Court of Appeal Case No. C047165, which is an action brought by the California Farm Bureau and the County of Colusa alleging that the California Wildlife Conservation Board has failed to comply with requirements of CEQA with regard to their acquisition of agricultural land for wildlife habitat, the Board of Supervisors in a unanimous four-to-zero vote, with Supervisors Cash, Williams, Bilyeu and Cervantes voting yes and with Supervisor Arcularius absent, directed the Office of County Counsel to draft an Amicus Brief supporting the position of the California Farm Bureau and the County of Colusa.

Adjournment

The Chairperson adjourned the regular meeting at 12:35 p.m., to 9:00 a.m., July 18, 2006, in the Board of Supervisors Room, at the County Administrative Center, in Independence.