By Mike Gervais
Register Staff
6-30-2009

Inyo County is now receiving its reimbursement from the state of California for money spent during the Oak Creek flash flood and mud slide in July of 2008.
The state, through the California Emergency Management Agency, is expected to cover 75 percent of the expenses the county incurred due to the flooding. The county will be paying the remaining 25 percent.
With the reimbursement money beginning to roll in, Sheriff Bill Lutze, who has been working with County Administrator Kevin Carunchio and other county staff members on the state reimbursements, recommended that the Board of Supervisors create a separate account that will help officials track the funds.
In the wake of the July 7 mud slide, the county has spent $155,356 in repairs to North Oak Creek Road; $6,092 on Onion Valley Road; $17,781 on Saline Valley Road; $6,006 on Whitney Portal Road; $18,000 on South Oak Creek Road; and $21,000 on emergency response and recovery.
The county also spent money on repairs to Shabbell Lane, Death Valley Road, Nine Mile Canyon Road, Cerro Gordo Road ($37,275) and Old Fort Independence Road.
The county is expecting approximately $268,276 from CalEma. “However, due to several calculations that take place on the state level – this is only an estimate,” a staff report to the Board of Supervisors states.
To date, the county has received $49,917 from CalEma as reimbursement; $14,670 was received for work on Saline Valley Road and $35,247 was received for Shabbell Lane, Death Valley Road, Nine Mile Canyon Road and Cerro Gordo Road.