Board of Supervisors Discusses County Issues in Loyalton

LOYALTON — The first Loyalton meeting of the Sierra County Board of Supervisors took place on Tuesday, January 21st. The following topics were among those discussed by members of the Board, except Supervisor LeBlanc, who was absent.

Sheriff Gives Wildlife Update

Sheriff Mike Fisher gave the Board an update on the status of various wild predator activities on both sides of the county, specifically the recent events involving mountain lions. He reported on the group of three mountain lions in Downieville, one of which killed a dog on upper Main Street, and the sighting in Loyalton of one which had killed a house cat near the Loyalton Elementary School, both of which were covered in last week’s edition of The Mountain Messenger. A sighting was reported in Sierra City, and Supervisor Paul Roen added that one had been seen in Sierraville.

Fisher reviewed the various actions taken by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), one of which was collaborating with a federal trapper from the US Department of Agriculture who brought hounds to find and haze the mountain lions. Fisher says that communication between his office and CDFW has been “phenomenal.”

Supervisor Sharon Dryden explained that the community has always cohabitated with predators, but population increases in bears, mountain lions, and wolves have been concerning. Specifically, she worries about the wolf pack near Sierra Brooks, which ranchers, in particular, have voiced concerns about, reporting losses of livestock for which they struggle to be reimbursed. Dryden says the population also worries her when simply walking her dog, a fear she never had in the past and that she expects will worsen as wolf numbers increase.

Still, both Roen and Dryden report having good working relationships with CDFW members, including new Senior Regional Biologist Libby Ehlers, who is based in Portola, and Axel Hunnicut, statewide Grey Wolf Coordinator. The Sheriff’s Department hopes to continue working closely with CDFW in the future.

New Leadership for Plumas National Forest

The Plumas National Forests recently gained a new permanent Forest Supervisor, Rick Hopson. While Hopson settles into his new position, activity has been limited on both the Plumas and Tahoe Forests, with conditions being too dry for burning on the east side and too wet on the west side of the county. However, another phase of the North Yuba Landscape Resilience Project on the Tahoe National Forest is coming up for review, with public meetings scheduled in North San Juan on January 28th and Camptonville on January 30th. More information is available at tinyurl.com/4p9b8sr6.

Caltrans Sierra City Speed Zone Study Goes Over Poorly

Caltrans conducted an Engineering and Traffic Survey on Highway 49 in Sierra City to determine whether speed limits should be updated. Because of a low rate of accidents, they plan to generally increase the limits, reducing the area of the 25-mile-per-hour zone and moving the beginning of the 35 zone on the east side to well after Wild Plum Road for westbound traffic.

Two Sierra City business owners on opposite sides of the town, Craig Hamilton of the Yuba River Inn and Glenn Haubl of Sierra Pines Resort, spoke out against the proposed changes. They say that because no pedestrian facilities such as sidewalks exist, increasing traffic speed could pose a serious risk, particularly to families and children walking to school.

Recent California law changes allow local jurisdictions to hold public hearings and even issue an ordinance to keep current speed limits in place. On Tuesday, the Board directed staff to begin the process of setting up a public hearing, noting that if that hearing proves unsuccessful in changing the Caltrans recommendations, an ordinance will be pursued.

Frustration Over Liberty Utilities Rate Increase

Liberty Utilities, which provides electricity on the east side of the county, will increase rates by 19% for residential customers and 50% for business customers. The changes come after previous increases just months ago. According to Supervisor Roen, the rates are creating significant hardships for locals, with one reporting a power bill of around $850 per month even before this proposed increase. Roen and Dryden consistently receive complaints about electricity rates. They will explore potential mitigating solutions, including establishing a public utility district or community services district.