Supervisors updated on Klamath dams agreements

by Dale Andreasen, Siskiyou Daily News 12/4/09

Yreka, Calif. - Siskiyou County Counsel Thomas Guarino presented an update to the board of supervisors at its Tuesday meeting regarding the status of the county’s involvement in the ongoing negotiations concerning the Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA) and the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA).

Both agreements are aimed at examining and/or pursuing removal of the four hydroelectric dams owned by PacifiCorp and currently in operation on the Klamath River.

The county has been told by federal and state negotiators that, in order to approve the hydro agreement, the KBRA must be signed. The KBRA has been negotiated by a coalition of 26 non-elected, non-governmental organizations representing environmental concerns, some fisheries organizations, some tribal interests, a group of farmers on the Klamath Project near Tulelake and others.

Guarino explained that meetings will take place concerning these proposed agreements on Dec. 9 and 10 in Portland, Ore., and on Dec. 15 and 16 in Sacramento. He said that a final decision on whether the county will sign the agreements is supposed to be made by Jan. 14.

“However, there can be no decision until the board has had a chance to review the final KBRA document,” Guarino said.

He pointed out that the board received a copy of the KBRA on Nov. 13, the day after the last public meeting. Then, he continued, the board received another, further revised, copy on Tuesday, just prior to the board meeting.

Guarino said he understands that further revisions are still being made.

“There is no final document as of yet,” he said.

He explained that a “final, final” document is expected to come out a few days before Christmas.

“The board will have less than 10 working days to make a decision,” he added. Guarino said he has made it clear that the supervisors need 60 days to consider a final document and to hold another public hearing.

“The truth of the matter is that they will not change the final date to accommodate the board and the citizens of Siskiyou County,” Guarino said.

In a somewhat-related matter, the supervisors voted unanimously to earmark $30,000 for salmon enhancement in the Klamath Basin.

The money would help fund a salmon propagation and restoration program proposed by the Alaska Resource and Economic Recovery team. ARED visited the county in September of 2008 and presented several workshops on its unique methodology, which has been used with great success in Alaska, according to County Natural Resource Policy Specialist Ric Costales.

Committee to explore options for auditor replacement

The county’s finance committee, which was formed to look into problems in the auditor’s office earlier this year, was instructed by the board to explore options for replacing the auditor/controller.

Auditor Leanna Dancer submitted a letter of resignation last month and has presented a signed “notice of irrevocable resignation” to county clerk Colleen Setzer.

Dancer’s resignation becomes effective Dec. 30. The position will be on the ballot in the November 2010 general election. March 12, 2010, is the final day for prospective candidates to file papers to run for the position. Qualifications for the office are available at the county clerk’s office.

An appointee to the position would serve the remaining 12 months of Dancer’s term of office.

The board decided earlier this year to remove the recorder’s functions from the auditor’s office and to assign those tasks to the county assessor, effective in January of 2011. On a motion by supervisor Jim Cook, it was decided to move that effective date up as early as possible in 2010.

The finance committee is composed of supervisor Ed Valenzuela, board chair Michael Kobseff, county administrator Brian McDermott and county counsel Guarino.

In other actions: • Assistant auditor Jennie Ebejer presented a recommendation to the board to purchase software and installation services to automate the county’s accounts payable system. The proposal called for the purchase of software priced at $57,407 from ACS Enterprise Solutions and for the purchase of imaging software and installation services priced at $64,850 from SSD Technology Partners.


The purchases were voted on separately and narrowly passed on votes of 3-2 on each item. Supervisors Kobseff and Valenzuela voted no on both purchases.

Ebejer explained that the electronic system would allow the auditor’s office to work “much more efficiently, which is necessary due to employee cutbacks.”

The county’s Department of Child Support Services is providing funding for the purchases.

• A hearing and second reading of a proposed ordinance to adjust fees charged by the assessor’s office took place, with the board approving the ordinance by a vote of 5-0. The first reading took place at the Nov. 3 board meeting.

• Captain Doug Uhlik, new commander of the California Highway Patrol Yreka area office, appeared before the board during the public comment period to introduce himself. The next meeting of the board of supervisors takes place on Dec. 8 at the county courthouse in Yreka. Most meetings begin with a closed session at 9 a.m., followed by the open session beginning at 10.