Animal Control Director Guy Shaw is reminding folks about public hearings on the proposed animal control ordinances.

• Taft – Tuesday October 20
Taft Veterans Building
218 Taylor Street

• Inyokern – Wednesday, October 21st
Inyokern Senior Center

1247 Broadway

• Mojave – Thursday, October 22nd 
Mojave Veterans Building
15580 “O” Street
 
• Bakersfield – Tuesday, October 27
Board of Supervisors Chamber
1st Floor, Administrative Building
1115 Truxtun Avenue

• Lake Isabella – Wednesday, October 28th 
Kern River Valley Veterans Building
6405 Lake Isabella Boulevard

• Lamont – Thursday, October 29th 
David Head Community Center
10300 San Diego Street
 

Gene Roberson is dueling with Chevron over mineral rights access to a housing tract he plans in Oildaoe north of North Hills Drive.

Staff is recommending that supervisors deny Roberson's appeal of Chevron's request to drill data wells on the property to test their access to their mineral rights.

"When this first came up I tried to deal with Chevron. They told me they could do what they want," Roberson said.

He said he woudl give 3.7 acres, but that Chevron wanted 37 acres.

Chevron said they never relinquished mineral rights to the property.

County attorney Steve Schuett said Roberson's case doesn't have standing.

Supervisor Jon McQuiston, who represents the area, said Chevron has proved that they retain surface rights.

"I can't find where the planning commission (action agains Roberson) has erred in this," he said.

Supervisors are debating the issue.

Maben said the deal is too much of an imposition on Roberson.

Schuett is saying that Mr. Roberson's responsibility was to review the title to his property. It's not the county's responsibility to do that, he said.

Maggard asked if the county should put a step into the process where everyone gets on the same page about the title.

Planner Jim Ellis did not ask to waive signatures of mineral rights owners (which are needed to record the development map).

Roberson loses on a 4-1 vote.

We're back to the code enforcement action from last week's meeting where the lady from Sweden attempted

Board members declared a public nuisance and order it cleaned up before January 12, 2010. If the property in the desert isn't cleaned up by then the county will clean it up and charge the land owner for the clean up and penalties.

Doug Landon of Waste Management is presenting a report on recycling - how to get it and what it will cost.

The County is planning for 75 percent recycling by 2020.

That goal won't be a formal policy. It would be a goal to be aimed at given the resoures available.

Some of the top priorities developed by a workgroup include:

residential curbside mandatory

commercial curbside mandatory.

Both programs would recover mixed recyclables and would require a materials separation facility, Landon said.

The biggest interest is in collecting mix recyclables separately from trash and separating them at a special facility.

It would take an additional 384,000 tons of recycling a year to reach 75 percent.

early programs would max out at around 266,000 tons a year.

Next step will be to develop costs estimates and funding plans.

"This has been a frustrating endeavor, only because in the five years I have sat in this chair, we have been talking about doing those same things," said Supervisor Michael Rubio. "Now we have a report back saying that those things we have been saying are the things we should be doing."

He's saying that the report is just another statement about what needs to happen and he hoped he'd see a report about what action the county needs to take to get recycling happening.

"No more planning," Rubio said. "We know what we need to do."

Maggard is making the point that the ultimate solution is to collect all waste and separate out the recycling.

Watson said he supports rubio's standpoint.

But he wants to get more of the cost variables delivered by staff.

Public hearing opened and closed.

One of the key things that had to be tackled is whether to go with the "dirty" full waste stream materials facility or the "clean" recyclable only facility, Landon said.

It sounds like, from what he's saying, is that no government policy makers can pull the trigger on either idea.

Supervisor Jon McQuiston wants to talk about this more and get more reports. More look at the financial solvency. Etc.

Maggard - I'd like to pick a date certain for us to move forward. He's suggesting Dec. 1.

Rubio - Fine. Come back in Dec. But no money for consultants until the county gets its act together.

We're finally on to the merger

Constantine is up.

He's saying a merger of the departments will require a close coordination without too much dependency.

All four departments could use some of the same resources - financial, information technology, gis, etc

Gene Tackett is speaking, on behalf of ambulance company officials, saying they appreciate the hard work Ross Elliott has done on their behalf.

Supervisor Mike Maggard is saying that the county needs to moving away from doing things the way they've always done them.

He said the public will benefit when their health services are delivered "with one mind, one style."

Watson is thanking Constantine for the proposal.

Maben is cheering the idea.

Supes voted unanimously for the merger

We're out. Night all.

Maggard is such a visionary.  The structure, save EMS, is what existed prior to 1989 when Environmental health was removed from Health because of poor leadership.  Back to the future for Kern.  The bright light is a bright leader not a stuffy MD that knows all.