| Click the button below to search for articles... View News Items from prior months... June 2021 July 2020 June 2016 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 July 2013 June 2013 March 2013 February 2013 November 2012 October 2012 August 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 November 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 October 2010 September 2010 February 2010 January 2010 | SIERRA COUNTY BECOMES FIRST CALIFORNIA COUNTY TO LAUNCH ADVANCED FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY PLATFORM Cloud-Based OpenGov.com Enables Sierra County to Engage Residents by Inviting Them to Explore County's Financial Data on the Internet Downieville, CA - January, 30th 2014 - Sierra County and OpenGov.com announced the deployment of a powerful new tool that visualizes the county's financial data. By leveraging the OpenGov open budget platform, citizens and staff can use the web-based software to enhance access, understanding, and analysis of the city's annual budget. Van Maddox, Sierra County's Auditor/Treasurer-Tax Collector, initiated the partnership to make the government administration's finances easily accessible and understandable, and to build trust with citizens in the community. The public is invited to explore the tool on the County's web site, or directly at http://sierracounty.opengov.com. "With the OpenGov Platform, Sierra County residents have a better understanding of where their tax dollars are going and how the money is spent locally. We wanted to be more transparent and this software allows visitors to drill down into the data and view it in a more enticing way," said Maddox. "Sierra County is the first county in the state of California on the OpenGov Platform and is raising the bar for government by bringing its finances to life," says Zachary Bookman, CEO and co-founder of OpenGov. "The county deepens it trust with its citizens and provides meaning to the data by making its finances easily accessible." About OpenGov, Inc. OpenGov offers web-based software for state and local government finances. The OpenGov Platform provides instant access to the budget and visualizes current and historic revenue and expenses-from multi-year trends to object-level details. Government officials and citizens use the platform to understand, analyze, and share the data. Learn more at https://sierracounty.opengov.com/ Published: 01/27/14 Seventy-nine years of monitoring demonstrates dramatic forest change TUOLUMNE, Calif.-Long-term changes to forests affect biodiversity and how future fires burn. A team of scientists led by Research Ecologist Dr. Eric Knapp, from the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station, found dramatic differences in forests today compared to historic conditions prior to logging and fire suppression. The team conducted their research in the Forest Service's Stanislaus-Tuolumne Experimental Forest on the Stanislaus National Forest in the central Sierra Nevada, remeasuring three large historical plots originally established in 1929 to evaluate the effects of different logging methods. Trees were counted and their diameters measured across entire plots and in neighboring unlogged areas with the same fire history. Understory vegetation (tree seedlings, shrubs, and leafy plants) was quantified to determine changes over a 79-year period. They also collected fire scar samples from nearby stumps and dead trees to pinpoint dates of previous forest fires. As in many forested areas in the western U.S., fire is much less frequent than it once was. Results showed that the study area had not burned since 1889. Prior to 1889, the forest burned on average every six years. The forest currently contains 2.4 times more trees than it did in 1929-mostly in the small and intermediate size classes. The excess density was nearly identical in the plots logged in 1929 and plots without a history of logging, suggesting that over the long-term other factors, including fire suppression, may be exerting more influence than past logging on forest density and the current susceptibility to uncharacteristically severe fire. Historical logging removed many of the largest trees and often targeted the most fire-resistant pines. Very large trees were still less abundant than in the old-growth condition in 1929. The forest today also contains more fir and cedar and fewer pines than it once did. Shrubs, which provide food and cover for wildlife, covered 29 percent of the forest floor in 1929. Currently, the same shrubs cover only two percent of the forest floor -a decline that appears to be the result of higher tree density. "The forest changes we found in this study are emblematic of similar changes that have occurred in the absence of fire throughout the western U.S., and help to explain why fires such as the nearby Rim Fire burn as intensely as they now do," said Dr. Knapp. The plots measured in this study are among the oldest known to still exist on Forest Service lands in California, and the historical data showing what the forest once looked like provide valuable information about how to restore greater fire resilience and improve biodiversity in forests today. The full report can be found at: http://treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/45212 Headquartered in Albany, Calif., the Pacific Southwest Research Station develops and communicates science needed to sustain forest ecosystems and other benefits to society. It has research facilities in California, Hawaii and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands. For more information, visit www.fs.fed.us/psw/. Published: 01/24/14 COUNTY MEETS OVER LOYALTON HOTEL DEBRIS THE CITY WAS ABSENT at a meeting held January 8th at Sierraville School to discuss disposal of debris from Loyalton Hotel. Present were Sierra County Sheriff John Evans, County Planning Director Tim Beals, Ricky and Richard Ross of Intermountain Disposal, Terry LeBlanc of Solid Waste, Craig Morgan, Principal Engineer of Avalex Inc., Dennis Marsh of County Planning and Building, County Supervisor Jim Beard, Supervisor Chairman Paul Roen, Realtor Bonnie Jessee, Mountain Messenger's Don Russell, Sierra County Detective Mike Fisher, County Counsel Jim Curtis and County Environmental Health Specialist Elizabeth Morgan. Sierra Valley Fire was represented by Chief Dan Wentling and Richard Maddalena along with taxpayer, John Roen. Beals found it "startling" no one from the City was in attendance and owners of the Loyalton Hotel, Joan and Bud Carroll had been expected but were not there. Fisher said they were neither coming and Beals responded, "Wow." He called it "an incredibly serious situation developing" and he stated it necessary those participants directly involved take responsibility. He recommended they proceed in the interest of the taxpayers and county to handle the situation properly. According to Mayor Brooks Mitchell, the City did not attend on advice of its risk manager and legal counsel. Beals told of the December 14th fire at Loyalton Hotel and the demolition and clean up "hasty and quick and very accelerated" to get the site cleaned up and hauled off. The dilemma at the landfill is it was to be stored temporarily, kept at an isolated site and they are now dealing with a class of waste and issues within the immediate future are a big concern, such as clearance from law enforcement and fire services. Beals told of "incredible quickness" and an official of an agency would isolate the site, with protection of the public and conduct tests qualifying the matter, issue notifications and make demands of the owner on what intent is for the property. He told of a need to move forward, potential exposure, hazardous material and enforcement for improper handling. He questioned any local declaration of emergency and told there had been none. There are 800 yards of fire demolition within gates on the County property and 100 yards of steel taken on site. Contact with the owner was they were upset and had concern with no notification and decisions about their property without their input. Beals told of 800-yard piles of material, due diligence with Avalex Inc. sampling, and no one taking charge which should be the hauler, City and the property owner. The material, according to Beals, has tested positive reporting levels of asbestos in the ash pile. The County is rejecting acceptance of the loads which need to be relocated under proper authorization permits and by a licensed contractor to a proper location such as Kettleman City or to Idaho. Best management with waddles, signs to stay away have been used and it was discussed how best to remove the material and keep away from employees and the public. Landfill required reporting has been given the County Health Department, the Water Quality Control Board, CAL Recycle, and the Department of Toxic Substances Board, federal and state agencies. Beals stressed need of the property owner's intentions. He said they got a full account from Quincy's fire which involves six different insurance agencies and it's all still there with insurance companies "battling it out," and until resolved, someone has to cover costs. He "hated to think the level of numbers we're talking; a lot of money," he said and called it "a big deal." Without the City and property owner present, Beals said he felt like "teaching a class with nobody in it." Craig Morgan of Avalex, Inc. said waste cleanup is not complete and there is a metals concern with toxic surfaces and heavy metals; one hurdle they couldn't get over. If not metals, they have more options and he didn't know if Lockwood would take it. Terry LeBlanc told of having hauled asbestos shingles to Lockwood. Elizabeth Morgan said it's not permitted and she has to start citing the County. Richard Ross gave cost of acceptance at Lockwood as $14/yard. Beals urged the need to have the material moved but one test, although valid, is not indicative of what's throughout all the yards. Craig said it's not the County's job to figure out how extensive it is but is an asbestos consultant's, a licensed very narrow field of expertise. Ricky Ross stated on scene, the City was in total control and Mayor Brooks Mitchell had wanted to get it out and told to haul. The fire chief had cooperated. Folchi was called by the City at 5 a.m. with two excavators and Joy Engineering was retained by McHenry to haul from the sewer plant to fill holes. They formally billed the City and a tipping fee $15.59/yard. Beals questioned the holes and what caused that and was told they were from the old boilers. County Counsel Jim Curtis called it a "unique and volatile relationship with parties." He told how they treat asbestos very seriously. He call potential for issues "very huge" and mentioned a court order to get it properly removed. More parallels to Quincy were given. The condition of the property as it sits today was called another burden. Sheriff John Evans stated they'd been done with the scene as evidence and released the scene and had nothing to do with knocking down walls which were unsafe. Their only role was "who done it?" Beals stated to plan a letter in the form of a demand to expect a response with planning a timeframe to be served personally to the City and property owner and copied to all applicable State agencies. As far as the investigation status on the fire, Detective Mike Fisher stated it was human caused. Published: 01/09/14 |