I noticed on one of the many blogs in SB County that someone asked a question? “What are my greatest accomplishments as a County Supervisor?” That is a difficult question as so many things have been so ignored in the 3rd District for so long.
First, our snow plowing system in the Mountains was a proven disaster after the December 2008 storms. Over a period of three months, I and my office fixed the failed system to provide better service and accountability.
During that same storm, I was introduced to Cedar Glen, which had burned down during the 2003 fires, five years before. Over 40 chimneys still stood, some up to 30 feet high, waiting to fall on some young adventurous boy who would climb it. Cedar Glen still looked like Hiroshima. I and my staff, with County departments cleaned it up at a cost of approximately $4,000 per lot. $56,000 less per lot than my predecessor cleaned up the Slide and Grass fires of 07.
I led the charge to eliminate a $20,000 plus benefits package the BOS had approved without any public discussion in 07. A Campaign Promise I kept!
In January 2009, Special Districts approached me to discuss the Moonridge Animal Park, an alpine rescue zoo operated by the County in Big Bear. Negotiations with the Forestry Service to lease property on the North Shore had fallen apart for the 3rd time. I instructed Special Districts to investigate the purchase of property in Big Bear (due to declining property values). The County ended up purchasing 10.5 acres around the corner from the existing site near Bear Mountain resort for $2.1 million. This is less the a 15 year lease on the North Shore that would have required $3 million in grading and another $1 million to get utilities to the proposed site.
The County is set to break ground in May on the new facility which will likely increase revenues 3 fold and finally get a new zoo for the benefit of both the animals, and the public!
We reopened Bear City Park in Big Bear for public use.
We provided a $300,000 bridge loan to Rim of the World Parks District to help them stabilize their finances…they are paying back as agreed and back on their feet. (Thanks to the elected leadership there!)
We will soon begin construction on a new pipeline to Pioneertown to bring clean water to the people there. How would you like to have Uranium and Cyanide in your water supply. My predecessor dilly-dallied for years…I got the project moving while attaining support from environmental organizations in the region. The Wildlands Conservancy is providing property for tanks and pump stations for the new route.
This is just the beginning of the things we have accomplished….To Be Continued
Neil Derry