Supes Get Details on Successful Rescue of Missing Woman in Lakes Basin

Last weekend, the Search and Rescue folks were a lot busier than suits Sheriff Mike Fisher. On Friday night, a citizen who had injured a leg in a fall was fetched back to civilization from the back side of the Sierra Buttes. With the help of Downieville Fire and Nevada County, that work proved relatively straightforward, as an emergency signal included a specific location. The rescue consumed a 12 hour shift, and by two the following morning, all was well.

That proved to be merely for practice. Later that morning, a 69 year old woman, who had been camping with family near Goose Lake was reported missing. Exhibiting all the fearful signs of age, and severely underdressed for conditions, her safety was an immediate priority. Sheriff Fisher mobilized the world: eventually involving a CHP helicopter, eventually a Washoe County helicopter, a state of the art National Guard bird, drones, dogs, Nevada County, our Road Department, dive teams, and even Marin County Search and Rescue. Over the next two days, several dozens of people and expertise became involved. Feeding that labor force was an immediate of several Sierra County responsibilities.

By a usual fluke, the crew of the National Guard helicopter caught a glimpse of the woman in a blocked drainage, mistaking her for an animal. Told such animals don’t exist in this area, the bird took another look, when the woman sat up, Aside from suffering dehydration and some hypothermia, the woman was quickly taken to safety, and a Reno hospital.

Joking that he was considering an emergency order banning camping in Sierra County, Fisher lauded the phenomenal response. Having only recently been given the responsibilities of the Office of Emergency Services, Fisher explained that crew had met the test with flying colors.

Forest Service Gets Busy

Keeping our supervisors in the loop, Forest Service officials broadly described several projects commencing in Sierra County and environs. Having finally realized wildfire as a greater threat to the public than pine tunnels described as scenery, several fuels reduction projects along county roadways are being prepared. 126 miles of roads in both the Sierraville and Tahoe Districts will soon be treated, with clearings 100 feet from the roads. Cooperating with the Nevada Irrigation District, complementary projects are being prepared for the Jackson Meadows area. Burning in the Lakes Basin has been started in the Beckwourth District of the Plumas Forest, 170 acres involved.

Elsewhere several projects are proposed for the western County, including Saddleback, above Downieville, and several in the greater Camptonville area. Work in the summer home tracts are also slated for attention; a significant change of policy from yesteryear. Officials are optimistic the huge North Yuba Project’s environmental paperwork, a million dollar chore, will prove to be sufficient to begin actual work on the ground.

Supervisor Adams found himself frustrated the Forest Service has evidently dropped the ball at promised attention to Packer Saddle Road. That road is important to both the general mountain biking industry, as well as the mid-July Downieville downhill bike race That road is currently clogged by snow, and Adams had been given to believe the Forest Service was interested in helping area businesses by considering clearing the road.

Race organizers are currently optimistic God will successfully remove the problem, and the Forest Service made vague promises to have engineers inspect the area. The fate of several west County campground remained a mystery to the Forest Service official.

Chris Alexander, Glue of HHS Empire, Feted at Retirement

After years of honest work, Chris Alexander took a job with Health and Human Services in 2003. He became Plant Manager in 2006, and eventually Facilities Manager of all HHS facilities. Problems evaporated given his mastery of all the construction trades.

Friday, June 23 is his last day. The terror of retirement looms.

Many of his co-workers came to the supes’ meeting as he received a Resolution of Appreciation from the County, which noted the high esteem in which he his held.

That revolution did not mention his role as a consultant to his alleged bosses, often offering common sense for situations that, given government, were often politically or socially fraught.

Although he introduced his replacement to the supes, there is some uneasiness in losing Alexander’s many talents.

“We don’t know what we don’t know,” explained one of his bosses. If he’s done a good job training his successor, they may never have to know.

We offer our regret to Sierra County for losing a good man.

No Changes in Solid Waste Fee

Public Works Director Bryan Davey proposed a budget for the Solid Waste system that results in no changes in the current fees, The supes unanimously approved. The cost of a year’s disposal remains at $367, plus whatever may be charged by private enterprise for haulage. The cost for non-residents also remains at $20.38 per loose cubic yard.

More (Complicated) Alternatives to Quill Pens

IT honcho Jeremy Miller received yet another death threat from Sheriff Mike Fisher. Miller is evidently so unimpressed by Fisher’s marksmanship, or so confident in arranging other solutions, that he appears not to lose sleep over those idle promises.

It was Fisher’s bad luck to have greeted new computer protocols just as his world erupted during the Lakes Basin searches.

Our readers are warned this reporter is not a reliable source on this issue. This writer barely prefers the telegraph to smoke signals. He here tries, however, to translate what Sheriff Fisher told him into the written word. It seems that something called Multi-Factor Authentication is now required for electronic communication. The gist of it is that to convince the computer you are who you say, a secret code is sent to the owner’s cellphone, which is required to operate the computing device.

Given that hackers are pretty smart, privacy has become a critical issue for those holding private information or secret communication. Fisher’s bad luck came on a fluke: for reasons we’ll not live long enough to understand, the transition to the new secrecy had to happen on a Friday afternoon, leaving geezers and the uninitiated at sea.

Hence the death threat, which evidently worked. In no time Miller had Sheriff Fisher up to speed, able to communicate with the many various agencies involved in the searches. According to Fisher this MFA thing is old hat in the real world. Given the average age in Sierra County, Mr. Miller has probably got job security forever.

In our previous reportage on the historic benefits of the quill pen, we blamed erstwhile Treasurer Cindy Ellsmore for computerizing this horse-and-buggy county. We were evidently mistaken, and are at a loss why anyone else would demand the blame. Erstwhile Clerk-Recorder Sandy Loving now demands her original sin of putting a computer into that office be recognized. OK. We suppose we should admire a retired politician honest enough to admit to the mistakes they made in office, but Ellsmore has pretty broad shoulders and we generally don’t like her politics, anyway.

Finally, Something That Can Pass for Controversy

The state of California is entertaining legislation to enact a special tax on short-term rental receipts, allegedly to pay for affordable housing projects. Several counties’ bean counters have their knickers in a knot about this proposition, as the state tax would be in addition to counties’ transient occupancy tax. That combined tax rate would destroy that cottage industry, they believe.

Short-term rentals are not the only industry besieged by taxes. The greater portion of liquor price is taxation, but people still go into the bar business. And of course, the County has no idea of how many short-term-rentals operate as moonshiners.

Sierra County has recently regulated short term rentals, imposing several terms and conditions to operate such businesses, locally deemed as a discouragement.

It is apparent the enthusiasm for short term rentals has driven up property values in this neighborhood, making housing too expensive for teachers, cops and other working stiffs.

The County is now asked to write a letter of opposition to the proposed state tax. Of course, being a Republican county, any tax is an enemy of the people. The supes will likely draft such a letter.

Supervisor Lee Adams, however, will likely be an opposing vote, he preferring to remain mum on the issue. “I think it is hypocritical for us to agree to discourage short term rentals, then oppose other discouragements,” Adams opined. He has some experience with that situation, finding his house among some short term rentals. “I didn’t build my house to be next to a Motel 6,” he explains.

We expect this issue will generate some heat. There are those who believe the owner may do whatever they will with private property. They will confront those who believe the whole purpose of planning is to protect the value of private property. Enjoy the fun: it is not likely that Sierra County’s 3,000 people will have much effect in the State’s decisions.

Beals, Again, Ruffles the Schedule

Tim Beals has retired from overseeing Sierra County, Nevertheless, the supes will reschedule its next meeting in deference to that worthy. It seems Beals’ coworkers have scheduled his retirement/farewell party for July 5, the day of the supes’ next confab. The supes now propose to begin their meeting later in the afternoon, so they can adjourn straight to the shin-dig. The Clerk will schedule the meeting when she has an idea of the issues to be addressed.

Aside from food and mockery and abuse, Beals’ farewell will include an honorary visit from the walking ethical vacuum who purports to represent us in the House of Representatives. There will likely be no more impact on the festivities than any slime trail: Beals has had previous experience with Republicans. One, a supervisor, sued him, claiming to be intimidated by Beals competently doing his job. At the time, we were appalled. Now, we get it.