AUTHORIZATION to hire a full time Solid Waste Attendant to replace the two (2) part time extra help positions that currently operate the Ramshorn and Sierra City Transfer Stations, and change the days of operations to allow a single person to operate both sites was discussed during the Board of Supervisors’ meeting held Tuesday in Loyalton. Public Works Director Bryan Davey explained they’d had several personnel changes and it’s become evident they can’t continue to fill these part time positions. He felt a full-time benefited position would be easier to fill and was their best path forward. Auditor Van Maddox stated the position would not increase the budget because it will combine other positions into one. Davey stated they aren’t increasing the budget but increasing cost to the two sites by expanding hours and days of operations.
The new proposed operations schedule is:
Ramshorn: Thursday 11-6, Saturday 9-4, and Monday 9-11.
Sierra City: Friday 11-6, Sunday 9-4 and Monday 2-5.
This item is being be held over to the next meeting on September 5th in Downieville to give the public a chance to weigh in. Direction was given by the Board to allow the Director to fly the position and a resolution will be brought back to the next meeting.
PROHIBITING OPEN FIRES on public and private property within the unincorporated area of Sierra County due to the potential of extreme fire danger was discussed during the Board of Supervisors’ meeting August 15th in Loyalton. Supervisor Lee Adams stated he put this item on the agenda because of the recent actions taken by the Forest Service with Stage 1 fire restrictions. He found out if the Board were to take action it would not take effect until October unless the Governor calls a State of Emergency. Adams suggested putting something together this winter so when the Forest Service starts restrictions next year, Sierra County can too. An adhoc committee was set with Supervisors Lila Heuer and Adams who will work with the Forest Service and County Counsel.
FOREST SERVICE UPDATE was given to the Sierra County Board of Supervisors at its regular meeting held August 15th in Loyalton. Sierraville District Ranger Rachel Hutchinson reported the District received a number of lightning fires the day before, all less than one acre. They were going to continue monitoring the situation as more lightning was expected. Hutchinson stated they had been getting a lot of work done on the District. In the last couple weeks, they finished 11 miles of mastication and hand removal on some key priority roads. She expects at the end of the fiscal year in September to be half way through the planned miles which would be around 50 miles of the 115 miles planned. Hutchinson said they are implementing three other projects for fuels reduction; Independence Fuels Project, Sierra Valley Fuels Reduction Project in Calpine which is almost done and Carmen Valley Fuels Project. The Bear Valley section of the Roadside Fuels Project is almost completed and are moving over to other areas.
Beckwourth District Ranger Mike Rahe stated they received a couple lightning fires. All were kept small and have been using critical fire patterns to staff appropriately. Rahe gave a National Forest Foundation update stating they had an industry field meeting with over 20 contractors and received good feedback. He said they’ve had a couple public meetings for Protect Projects for communities. The District has prepped 900 acres for fall burning when its permissible. Rahe spoke on Frenchman Lake Culvert Replacement which has started just around the paved roads. He stated there will be public impacts during the week where the road will be closed with a 45-minute delay and on the weekends they are trying to minimize that. Rahe has reached out to businesses in Chilcoot to let them know about that project. A range fencing project to replace the burned fences will start August 28th.
Yuba Deputy District Ranger Andrew Mishler reported the Hot Shot crew will be back in a few days from Canada. National Forest Foundation hired two field staff to help monitor projects on the North Yuba Landscape. Mishler stated the Yuba Pass Campground has about two or three weeks left of cutting hazard trees. Downed lodgepole in Chapman Campground will stay there. He has been encouraging people to cut that for firewood. People can cut 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (check woodcutting restrictions) to be courteous to campers. Loganville is now open as of last weekend. Mishler said it has quite a bit of oak that is available for woodcutters using the same cutting hours as Chapman.
Sierra County PUBLIC WORKS Director Bryan Davey reported on the two bridge projects on Gold Lake Road during the Board of Supervisors’ meeting August 15th. He said Salmon Lake Road will be closed for approximately 6 hours, Thursday, August 24th. He explained the detours are so close it would make a significant safety issue to keep it open. He let the resort owners know and it will be posted.
DURING THE FOREST SERVICE UPDATE at the Sierra County Board of Supervisors’ meeting held Tuesday, August 15th in Loyalton, Supervisor Paul Roen asked Beckwourth District Ranger Mike Rahe what the status was at Gold Lake. He had been receiving complaints regarding the amount of trash and the broken boat ramp that’s been unuseable all summer.
This newspaper has been getting complaints as well, with a subscriber sending the above photos after trying to recreate in the area recently.
Rahe stated the boat dock has six wheels that are currently damaged. He reached out to the concessionaire, Outdoors in Plumas LLC, who told him they don’t have a date when it would be fixed. He added the concessionaire has one year remaining on its contract and the District is exploring other options in hopes of finding another company to run the campground next year. Roen said he’s hearing about significant garbage issues. Rahe said they are aware of the situation and have been finding the public using it for their own use, not just recreational use. Roen said their concern is people will haul it to Bassetts’ dumpsters.
THE DOWNIEVILLE COMMUNITY CENTER REMODELING PROJECT was discussed during the Sierra County Board of Supervisors’ meeting held Tuesday in Loyalton. Supervisor Lee Adams gave the bad news that the construction company pulled its interest in the project. He commended Public Works Director Bryan Davey in trying to get the project negotiated. He stated he wanted to see if the Board was interested in bifurcating parts in this project. Adams felt the real problem was the exterior part of the building and hoped to get approval from the grant entities to use some funding to just reroof, and get new siding before winter. Davey explained the problem was the remodel amount was significantly over budget. He was currently in negotiations with another contractor. The project didn’t get any bids when they originally went out to contract. Since the County received no bids they could negotiate a contract directly. Davey stated they may have to go back out to bid, since scope of work may change if they split out the project. He felt they could use funding received that wasn’t part of the grant. Davey reported the biggest structural issue is the roof. He said painting is a significant problem too because it’s lead based. Board gave direction for the Director to see what options they have and bring back to the next meeting on September 5th.
The new proposed operations schedule is:
Ramshorn: Thursday 11-6, Saturday 9-4, and Monday 9-11.
Sierra City: Friday 11-6, Sunday 9-4 and Monday 2-5.
This item is being be held over to the next meeting on September 5th in Downieville to give the public a chance to weigh in. Direction was given by the Board to allow the Director to fly the position and a resolution will be brought back to the next meeting.
PROHIBITING OPEN FIRES on public and private property within the unincorporated area of Sierra County due to the potential of extreme fire danger was discussed during the Board of Supervisors’ meeting August 15th in Loyalton. Supervisor Lee Adams stated he put this item on the agenda because of the recent actions taken by the Forest Service with Stage 1 fire restrictions. He found out if the Board were to take action it would not take effect until October unless the Governor calls a State of Emergency. Adams suggested putting something together this winter so when the Forest Service starts restrictions next year, Sierra County can too. An adhoc committee was set with Supervisors Lila Heuer and Adams who will work with the Forest Service and County Counsel.
FOREST SERVICE UPDATE was given to the Sierra County Board of Supervisors at its regular meeting held August 15th in Loyalton. Sierraville District Ranger Rachel Hutchinson reported the District received a number of lightning fires the day before, all less than one acre. They were going to continue monitoring the situation as more lightning was expected. Hutchinson stated they had been getting a lot of work done on the District. In the last couple weeks, they finished 11 miles of mastication and hand removal on some key priority roads. She expects at the end of the fiscal year in September to be half way through the planned miles which would be around 50 miles of the 115 miles planned. Hutchinson said they are implementing three other projects for fuels reduction; Independence Fuels Project, Sierra Valley Fuels Reduction Project in Calpine which is almost done and Carmen Valley Fuels Project. The Bear Valley section of the Roadside Fuels Project is almost completed and are moving over to other areas.
Beckwourth District Ranger Mike Rahe stated they received a couple lightning fires. All were kept small and have been using critical fire patterns to staff appropriately. Rahe gave a National Forest Foundation update stating they had an industry field meeting with over 20 contractors and received good feedback. He said they’ve had a couple public meetings for Protect Projects for communities. The District has prepped 900 acres for fall burning when its permissible. Rahe spoke on Frenchman Lake Culvert Replacement which has started just around the paved roads. He stated there will be public impacts during the week where the road will be closed with a 45-minute delay and on the weekends they are trying to minimize that. Rahe has reached out to businesses in Chilcoot to let them know about that project. A range fencing project to replace the burned fences will start August 28th.
Yuba Deputy District Ranger Andrew Mishler reported the Hot Shot crew will be back in a few days from Canada. National Forest Foundation hired two field staff to help monitor projects on the North Yuba Landscape. Mishler stated the Yuba Pass Campground has about two or three weeks left of cutting hazard trees. Downed lodgepole in Chapman Campground will stay there. He has been encouraging people to cut that for firewood. People can cut 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (check woodcutting restrictions) to be courteous to campers. Loganville is now open as of last weekend. Mishler said it has quite a bit of oak that is available for woodcutters using the same cutting hours as Chapman.
Sierra County PUBLIC WORKS Director Bryan Davey reported on the two bridge projects on Gold Lake Road during the Board of Supervisors’ meeting August 15th. He said Salmon Lake Road will be closed for approximately 6 hours, Thursday, August 24th. He explained the detours are so close it would make a significant safety issue to keep it open. He let the resort owners know and it will be posted.
DURING THE FOREST SERVICE UPDATE at the Sierra County Board of Supervisors’ meeting held Tuesday, August 15th in Loyalton, Supervisor Paul Roen asked Beckwourth District Ranger Mike Rahe what the status was at Gold Lake. He had been receiving complaints regarding the amount of trash and the broken boat ramp that’s been unuseable all summer.
This newspaper has been getting complaints as well, with a subscriber sending the above photos after trying to recreate in the area recently.
Rahe stated the boat dock has six wheels that are currently damaged. He reached out to the concessionaire, Outdoors in Plumas LLC, who told him they don’t have a date when it would be fixed. He added the concessionaire has one year remaining on its contract and the District is exploring other options in hopes of finding another company to run the campground next year. Roen said he’s hearing about significant garbage issues. Rahe said they are aware of the situation and have been finding the public using it for their own use, not just recreational use. Roen said their concern is people will haul it to Bassetts’ dumpsters.
THE DOWNIEVILLE COMMUNITY CENTER REMODELING PROJECT was discussed during the Sierra County Board of Supervisors’ meeting held Tuesday in Loyalton. Supervisor Lee Adams gave the bad news that the construction company pulled its interest in the project. He commended Public Works Director Bryan Davey in trying to get the project negotiated. He stated he wanted to see if the Board was interested in bifurcating parts in this project. Adams felt the real problem was the exterior part of the building and hoped to get approval from the grant entities to use some funding to just reroof, and get new siding before winter. Davey explained the problem was the remodel amount was significantly over budget. He was currently in negotiations with another contractor. The project didn’t get any bids when they originally went out to contract. Since the County received no bids they could negotiate a contract directly. Davey stated they may have to go back out to bid, since scope of work may change if they split out the project. He felt they could use funding received that wasn’t part of the grant. Davey reported the biggest structural issue is the roof. He said painting is a significant problem too because it’s lead based. Board gave direction for the Director to see what options they have and bring back to the next meeting on September 5th.
