By Mike Bodine
Register Staff
3-26-2009

The first full session of the new Bishop City Council since the March 3 election was long, more than two hours long, compared to the usual half-hour sessions.

Aside from lengthy discussions on trees, the agenda included proclamations, updates of projects, public nuisances, new hires and old businesses that are becoming new.

A special, last-minute request was made to the council from the owners of Imperial Gourmet restaurant for some time leniency so it could open for business.
The remodel of the old Western  Kitchen, formerly Ben’s Broasted Chicken, where Imperial Gourmet relocated after the lease at its former locale, Cottonwood Plaza, went sour, is complete and the restaurant is ready to open. However, some required pavement and parking work needs to be completed before it can be opened per city code, but the cold, unpredictable weather prevents that type of construction.
Imperial Gourmet asked for a Conditional Use Permit to allow the restaurant to open without the necessary parking lot repairs, for now. The permit requires Imperial Gourmet to post a cash bond with the city that will be revoked and the restaurant charged with the cost of the city having to do the work, if the restaurant does not complete the work within six months.

The council approved the special request and Imperial Gourmet was open for lunch and busy the next day.
Another change for business in Bishop is new ownership for the Upper Crust  Pizza restaurant. Council was asked to review, as information only, an application from the new owners for an Alcoholic Beverage License.
Other council business dealing with local employment was a request by Bishop Police Chief Kathleen Sheehan to lift the hiring freeze to fill the vacant communications officer, or dispatcher, position.
“(It’s) a vital position,” Sheehan told the council, and it approved the reprieve from the freeze.
Sheehan also gave the council updates on abandoned vehicles declared public nuisances, one at 515 and one at 537 N. Third Street. Sheehan said the parties have been contacted and have verbally agreed to deal with the vehicles within a reasonably short time frame, or the vehicles will be towed away and impounded and possibly scrapped, all at the owners’ expense.  
Another noteworthy local hire is the approval of a contract with Bishop-based Triad/Holmes Associates to design the plans for the Seibu to School Bike Path project.
Council also approved the reappointment of Kammi Foote to another four-year term on the City Planning Commission.
 City Administrator Rick Pucci and Public Works Director Dave Grah gave an update on street and infrastructure projects, current  and proposed for the future, and a presentation on the processes needed to undergo a Public Works job.
First, Pucci explained that for such a small city as Bishop, the bulk of funding for these projects comes from outside sources. One of these sources, which Pucci said looks promising, is President Barack Obama’s stimulus package money and the buzzword that has been going along with it –  “infrastructure.”
At the state level, Pucci explained that there’s also money available for infrastructure work, both above and below ground, but not for parks and recreation, for example.
Before reading off an exhaustive list of projects in the works or soon to be, he explained that public comments on these projects “are always welcome” yet there have been few, if any, public comments on these projects thus far.
Grah emphasized the importance of public input on these projects while they’re in their infancy so the comments can be incorporated into the project design and necessary adjustments can be made.
A list of some of the 40 projects totalling more than $100 million include; the current Well Assessments of the primary drinking water sources for the city; the South Second Street project expected to be complete in May, nearly $300,000 under budget; the Grove Street, Sneden Street and Warren Street improvement projects; the Pine to Park and the Seibu to School bike paths; and connections to other local water and sewer districts. Some major projects set for the distant future include replacement of the East Line Street bridge and the extension of Wye Road all the way to the Bishop Airport.
Grah also explained the details of funding grant specifications. He explained that grant money from gas taxes, for example, cannot be used for sewer repair.
Essentially, the city gets grant money, and spends very little out-of-pocket, or at least from local taxpayers exclusively, but the money does go into the General Fund.
On more routine agendized matters, the council approved budget adjustments and transfers for Fiscal Year 2008-09, received an update on the progress of the City of Bishop Housing Element Update, and it approved the request to change zoning requirements from commercial to residential at 151 E. South Street.
Also at the meeting, council proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Child Abuse Prevention month in the City of Bishop. Proclamations were given to   Lynne Rands and Laurie Hodge of Wild Iris. Throughout April, Wild Iris will sponsor events to raise awareness which the community is encouraged to attend.