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City leaders consider projects |
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Thursday, 13 August 2009 |
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By Mike Bodine
Register Staff
8-13-2009 There was good news about the long-term lease for the Bishop City Park and other updates at Monday’s Bishop City Council meeting.
Keith Caldwell, community services director and acting city administrator for the vacationing Rick Pucci, said the much anticipated 40-year lease for the park is back in the spotlight of the land owner, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
There had been some worries by the city that the lease may have gotten lost in a pile of paperwork in Los Angeles somewhere, but the lease is back on top of the stack.
Caldwell explained that he was informed Friday, Aug. 7 that the lease proposal is being shuffled through the respective channels and the item is to be put on the Los Angeles City Council agenda by September.
Caldwell continued with other park business, asking the council for an “emergency” request to purchase a new “brain” for the park pool.
The Aquatic Intelligence Filter, which controls the entire water system of the pool, needs to be replaced before the pool can reopen. The cost of the brain is $12,704.20, which Caldwell hopes can be repaid to the General Fund with incoming grant money.
Caldwell’s update was part of the now-regular department head updates at council meetings.
Fire Chief Ray Seguine reported the city’s volunteer fire department responded to 25 calls in July and is averaging one a day for August. He explained some of these calls were lightning-caused fires and some were fireworks related.
Seguine also wanted to get the word out about the department’s golf tournament fundraiser Oct. 17, and mentioned that hole sponsors are needed.
Police Chief Kathleen Sheehan said the biggest item to report is that students will return to school in Bishop on Aug. 19. She is asking the driving public to be on the lookout and slow down for the sometimes hard-to-see youngsters as well as the sometimes frantic parents getting their kids to school for the first time.
Sheehan said she’s working with crossing guards and collecting suggestions for improved safety in preparation for the new year.
To commemorate the new school season, the Bishop Police Department is sponsoring a “Back to School Bicycle Safety Day” at the city park on this Saturday, Aug. 15.
She explained there will be free bike registration for anyone and free helmets for the first 150 kids ages 12 and under. The helmets and snacks are being generously donated by Tom DeLeo of State Farm Insurance, the Paiute Palace Casino and Tribe and Lis and Kevin Mazzu of McDonald’s.
To make the day even better, the council approved waiving park pool fees, so everyone swims free on Saturday.
Director of Public Works Dave Grah told the council he and Sheehan will be working on a press release describing the Safe Routes to Schools pathways – which is, primarily, a course for the safest way for students to get to school, walking or riding bikes, and crossing busy Line and Main streets.
Grah also gave updates on the other Public Works projects. He said that work on Grove Street is nearly complete and the replacement trees for that project are ready for pickup by homeowners.
He explained that there are two lists of trees to choose from as residents on one side of the street are under power lines and must have shorter trees. These homeowners will have first shot at the selection of shorter trees. Residents on the other side of the street can get taller trees or short trees.
Grah added that Public Works is experimenting with lighting on McIver and Spruce streets. There is too much light on Spruce and not enough on the new extension of McIver. The plan is to shut off every other light on Spruce to test if there is still sufficient light. If there is, Grah said some of those extra street lights could be used on McIver.
The city has to pay for that very expensive lighting, even though Edison International manages it.
Grah had other good news saying the city had recently received money owed from the state. A check, not an IOU, for $670,000 came in and another for $270,000 was “in the mail.”
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 29 September 2009 )
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