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CalTrans District 10 Director Kome Ajise, along with Julie Dunning were at the Board Meeting to discuss the Ferguson
Rock Slide Permanent Restoration Project and to discuss the options it has on building the bypass. Mr. Ajise noted that
comments are still being accepted to January 4, 2008.
Email: Contact- District 10 PIO.
He said that there was a high level of general interest and that most respondents with their comments favored "S". Also in
the comments some people wanted the existing radius fixed on the lower bridge allowing larger vehicles to then use that
bridge, some also wanted the Rock Shed alternative brought back. The third bridge that will be installed was also noted that
this bridge will be built to help facilitate the traffic on the 140 not for construction use as the rumors have circulated.
After they gather all the comments and work through the Wild and Scenic River Act, CalTrans hopes to begin work next summer.
The Environmental Review is taking place right now. Kome commented that the River Act is new to them and if there is a problem
how can they then mitigate the problem, also that the Clear Water Act could hinder year round construction. Supervisor Dianne
Fritz noted that there is a desperate need to bring the buses back into Mariposa County for the businesses. Julie Dunning
noted that CalTrans is working with the tourism industry so they can tell them exactly when the new bridge will be ready so
the industry can get the word out to the world that the 140 will be back open for tour buses. The Board voted unanimously to
sign a letter recommending "S" as the chosen alternative, to Caltrans.
On the Web: Ferguson Ultimate Project DED
A representative from Tourism Involves Everyone (TIE) thanked the Board of Supervisors for adopting and
supporting a resolution for the Altamont Realignment to the Central Valley High Speed Rail Project. The representative noted
that the Pacheco Pass route will go through a wildlife corridor and that air quality concerns were not addressed. Resident
Ruth Sellers commented that there has to be traffic relief on the Altamont Pass.
Tourism Director Leroy Radanovich presented to the Board a six month progress report on how the private tourism
bureau is doing. Mr. Radanovich said that several candidates have been chosen to be interviewed for taking over his position.
He noted that the hotels, motels have been holding on very well even though the bridges do not allow the buses. A better
indicator of the economy is through the sales tax as that represents the day user and that day use for Yosemite is down. Mr.
Radanovich said that some of the industry has multi year contracts with the tour operators but that the operators are trying
to get out of the contracts because of the long drive around and fuel costs, also that no school tours are coming through
Mariposa into Yosemite. He also said that the Indian Casinos are impacting the lodging around Yosemite more and more as
they expand and give alternative deals to the tour operators. He also noted that the 140 entrance has almost always came in
third place against the other entrance numbers and that the park figures have to be watched for accuracy. Leroy noted that
there are over 122 individual lodgings in Mariposa County and that the industry is coming up with a 1% Business
Improvement District Fee that will be levied on them. The collected money will go to advertising the industry.
Around $750,000 or more will be collected from the BID. The Tourism Bureau will be back before the Board in January for
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County CAO Rick Benson led a forum on developing a combination grant for Housing, Job Training along with a Fire
Component. Housing was rated number one then fire and lastly jobs in order of importance. The Board will know the dollar
amount of the grant in January or February 2008. Supervisor Janet Bibby noting that the allocated money should be fair
to everyone was highly concerned that one housing project could get $44,000 to hook up a well that has already been drilled
for 16 families in the county who have to boil their water as the water is contaminated with E-Coli Bacteria and why the
county is paying the Section 8 money for this housing project. Mariposa Resident Ruth Catalan was appalled that the housing
authority would let this go on in the county and keep paying the vouchers to the landowner while he is supplying his tenants
with bad water. Some of the loans will be 0% loans while other types will have a percentage to borrow the money that will be
loaned up to eight years. After a negative comment from a citizen about the jobs training in the county a Mother Lode Jobs
Training Representative stood up and noted some of their success stories over the years as they help individuals get back on
their feet.
On the vote for approving of this grant Supervisor Bibby was the only one opposed to it.
On approving a lease agreement with Tolley and/ or Shelley Gorham for additional office space for Social Services it
was noted that the building does not have enough parking spaces for the employees. There is space for two and eight
employees will be working there. The Board was told that this was just a stop gap measure and they would be looking for
other locations as they came up.As the Board was ready to sign a contract with the County Employees Unions it was
noted that not all the paper work was in, so the Board decided to come back with the contract when everything is in order.
It will be a three year contract with yearly 4% raises. CAO Rick Benson noted that Mariposa County treats their employees
better than the county he came from. (Kern County). Supervisor Lyle Turpin was highly concerned about the future with PERS
and was assured by the CAO that the Unions and the County will be working on this.
The Supervisors also approved a Letter in Reference to the BLM Sierra Resource Management Plan/ Environmental Impact
Statement of August 2006. Supervisor Lyle Turpin was noting that some roads will not be maintained and that some leases
will not be renewed if this plan goes through as written.
Karen Robb, Farm Advisor along with Anne Lombardo, a Program Representative from the University of California had a
Power Point presentation on a Wildfire Management and Forest Stewardship program by the U.C. along with other agencies in
the Sierra Nevada.
Anne discussed the Pacific Fisher and it's habitat as areas are cleared of fuel loads. The project will take place in the
Fish Camp, Nelder Grove area. For more information on this project visit the web site :
SNAMP
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