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Bilyeu to retire at end of term |
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Wednesday, 27 February 2008 |
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By Mike Gervais
Register Staff 2-26-2008
Candidates are checking in for the upcoming June 3 local elections, but one name that won’t appear on this summer’s ballot will be that of current Fourth District Supervisor Jim Bilyeu.
“I have decided to retire in 2009; therefore I will not file for or run for another term as Fourth District supervisor,” Bilyeu said.
Bilyeu’s announcement further opens the field for candidates vying for the Fourth District seat, who have until March 7 to take the necessary steps to get on the ballot.
Bilyeu’s predecessor, Butch Hambleton, who was unseated by Bilyeu in 2004, has taken all necessary steps to become an official candidate for the Fourth District seat. Marty Fortney, owner of Aberdeen Resort, has taken out a Petition in Lieu of Filing Fees that may be returned along with other paperwork to get him in the race.
As for Bilyeu, he is planning to spend more time relaxing, traveling with his wife, Sandee, and taking some time to “enjoy other interests,” once his current term expires at the end of this year.
“I have enjoyed serving on the Board of Supervisors and will continue to do so until my term expires this coming December,” Bilyeu assured his constituents through a district-wide letter.
Bilyeu is planning to ease into retirement at a time when there are many unfinished projects and unresolved issues looming in the Fourth District. “There are many difficult issues ahead for Inyo County and I ask you to carefully select someone for this position who has the best interest of the communities at heart with a belief that he or she works for the people and not the other way around,” Bilyeu asked his constituents. “Inyo County and the Fourth District have many needs and finding funds to take care of those needs will not be easy,” he said.
Bilyeu expressed concerns over one of his district’s long-standing projects and urges the public to consider that when selecting his successor in June.
“I believe that one of the most critical projects is finding funds to either demolish the old Big Pine Care Center ($550,000 estimate) or restore and find a use for it ($1 million plus estimate),” he said.
But finding funding for that project isn’t the only hurdle the next Fourth District supervisor must overcome. “First, this must become a priority for (all) the supervisors,” Bilyeu said.
In Independence, Bilyeu points out, the old Inyo County Office of Education building “sits vacant.” He noted that he has supported moving the Inyo County Water Department and Yucca Mountain programs back to Independence, and housing them in the old Office of Education building, saying that “the majority of their work lies in the south end of the county.”
It is projected that the water department and Yucca Mountain staff will be relocating from Bishop to the old Office of Education building this summer, before Bilyeu’s term expires.
Throughout his career as Fourth District supervisor, Bilyeu has overseen many maintenance projects on county-owned facilities in his district, including roofing repairs at the Eastern California Museum, but he foresees more issues on the horizon.
“There is still too much deferred maintenance on all county buildings,” he said, noting that this will be a task for the next supervisor to tackle.
According to Bilyeu, throughout his four-year term as supervisor, he has supported many positive changes in his district, from road projects and park improvements to the construction and opening of a new public library in Big Pine.
Bilyeu was also a member of the Inyo County Board of Supervisors when the county was able to secure, “at least temporarily,” the future of the Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery through a community effort.
But he is also hoping to complete more before his term is expired.
“The first phase of Dehy Park is complete,” he said of improvements to the Independence park. He also noted that “new toilets are funded and scheduled for Mendnhall Park in Big Pine (hopefully by May 2008).”
“The Independence-Manzanar Four-Lane was funded by the CTC (California Transportation Commission) and may start in 2008, and in conjunction, the Independence Historic Lighting Project will be funded by Caltrans” and the funds for the environmental phase of the Olancah-Cartago Four-Lane project were programmed. The work on the Olancha-Cartago project is expected to begin shortly.
Bilyeu has lived in Independence and Bishop for the last 33 years. He and Sandee have been married 44 years and raised three children here.
From 1959-70, Bilyeu was a responsible engineer on the Minuteman III Computer Missile System for North American Aviation.
From 1970-78, Bilyeu was a deputy sheriff, attaining the rank of sergeant of detectives, detective commander for the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department. He was one of the instrumental founders of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association.
From 1982 until his election to the Inyo County Board of Supervisors almost four years ago, Bilyeu was a small business owner and a licensed private investigator and certified polygraph examiner.
He plans to spend his down time in retirement traveling and pursuing other interests.
“I thank all my friends and supporters for placing their trust in me for this position,” he told his constituents when he announced his retirement.
Local residents who wish to run for Inyo County Board of Supervisors districts 2, 4 and 5, Superior Court Judge, County Central Committees or County Board of Education Trustees for areas 2 and 4 have until Friday, March 7 to declare their candidacy and turn in necessary paperwork to Inyo County Clerk Mary Roper.
For further coverage of upcoming candidates, see Thursday’s edition of The Inyo Register.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 31 March 2008 )
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