LUCERNE >> The Central Region Town Hall (CeRTH) members discussed the prospect of a special joint meeting with the Eastern Region Town Hall advisory board on April 9 to work on updates for updates to the Area Plans for the regions represented by both groups.
Atlas Pearson, CeRTH recorder explained Lake County Community Development staff is excited to propose a kickoff for all eight needed Area Plan updates as well as revision to the General Plan, an opportune moment to progress with regional policy structure. “If possible, we’ll combine the meeting with her (Denise Loustalot, ERTH president), and the regular CeRTH meeting said Pearson. CeRTH member Rebecca Schwenger questioned how well CeRTH’s business could accommodate an extended meeting. Peason and Vice chair Austin Pratt said they were eager to proceed with the plans. Pratt noted ERTH wanted to use the CeRTH facility because it is the best location. “If we agree let’s let CDD know next week and it would be in the evening to my understanding if that works for everybody.”
But Schwenger noted if the Lucerne advisory board rescheduled the public works update on road pavement plans, a joint Tuesday night meeting could prove awkward. Schwenger then suggested a tentative meeting at the CeRTH facility and posting the two agendas, one for a regular CeRTH meeting, Apr. 8 and another for the joint meeting, Apr. 9. It will be brought up at the next Monday board meeting,” Schwenger said.
The Area Plan update is expected to dominate the agenda. But ERTH has said they think the CeRTH facility is the best location. “The CDD is saying CeRTH meetings are more regularly attended in regards to this (update Area Plan) than other issues,” Pearson said. “If we can agree I can let the CDD next week know.” A motion to have the regular CeRTH meeting on April 8 and the Joint meeting April 9, passed unanimously.
District 3 Supervisor Ed Crandell proposed another Community Clean Up date but informed the council that Michele Goodman will be out of town the next couple of weeks, so she needed a date in May before Memorial Day. Schwenger questioned if May 18 was a date needing confirmation from Goodman. Pratt asked about flyers and informed the audience items such as tires, lawn and garden waste were not acceptable items, so people are informed in advance these items are not acceptable. Crandell noted he would inform Goodman that an alternative date of May 11 was selected.
Crandell broached the topic of dead tree debris and the biochar program as the means to remove them. Biochar is a charcoal-like product that contains no petroleum, according to Utah State University . It is made by heating biomass such as herbaceous or woody crop residues, non-salvageable timber and slash, in a contained system. There are many potential uses including water treatment, land reclamation, and carbon sequestration. It may also be used as a soil amendment to improve plant health and to store carbon. It is predicted that at least 50% of the carbon in any piece of waste turned into biochar becomes stable, locking away that carbon for a period of several to hundreds of years, offsetting its contribution as a greenhouse gas in the form of carbon dioxide. Local representatives are lobbying for federal grants, noted Crandell but did not disclose if funding will be forthcoming. One important aspect with biochar is to assure permits and a place to incinerate it for carbon credits.
Crandell also offered kudos for the fairly new Data Ticket electronic ticket processing system for its speed, and convenience for processing code violation fines. “It will help with all the administrative (work), ensuring people are held accountable and hold people accountable for the violations for which they were citied,” he said.
