The Mitzelfelt Memo is a periodic electronic newsletter from the office of Brad Mitzelfelt, First District Supervisor for the
County of San Bernardino. If you would like to subscribe to the Mitzelfelt Memo, please click here.
| In This Issue... | September 17, 2009 | ||||||
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County Mourns Loss of Local Firefighter County, City Break Ground on High Desert Government Center and Hesperia Police Station Phelan Memorial Library Opens to the Public Supervisors Approve Senior Home Repair Program Mitzelfelt Appointed to BLM California Desert District Advisory Council Environmental Science Day Camp Receives Funding
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County Mourns Loss of Local Firefighter
The County of San Bernardino is mourning the loss of a Los Angeles County firefighter who resided in San Bernardino County. Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Tedmund "Ted" Hall, 47, of Oak Hills, died Sunday, August 30 along with Firefighter Specialist Arnaldo "Arnie" Quinones, 35, of Palmdale, when their vehicle went over a mountain road while fighting the Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest. "Captain Hall was our neighbor and he was a hero. I am deeply saddened by his loss, and my heart and prayers go out to his family," said San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt, speaking on behalf of the Board of Supervisors. "These tragic deaths serve as a reminder of how much danger our firefighters face every day, and how much we as a society owe them for their bravery," Supervisor Mitzelfelt said. Flags at all San Bernardino County Fire facilities were flown at half-mast in honor of Capt. Hall and Firefighter Specialist Quinones. County, City Break Ground on High Desert Government Center and Hesperia Police Station
On August 17 Supervisor Mitzelfelt joined 150 dignitaries and community members to break ground on the new High Desert Government Center and Hesperia Police Station. Among those attending the ceremony were Hesperia Mayor Thurston "Smitty" Smith, San Bernardino County Sheriff Rod Hoops, Fifth District Supervisor Josie Gonzales and numerous other local leaders. "By working together, the City of Hesperia and the County are saving millions of tax dollars, and improving service," said Supervisor Mitzelfelt. "We will have a one-stop facility for High Desert residents who won't have to search for the appropriate County office and will not have to drive to San Bernardino." The 67,000-square-foot building will be constructed on 4.42 acres of land donated by the City of Hesperia adjacent to its new City Hall and library and is being built in conjunction with the construction of a new city police station. "Not only are we improving service to High Desert residents, but we're also creating badly needed construction jobs," added Mitzelfelt. "And we're paying cash for the building with reserves we set aside during healthier economic times." The new government center will house several County departments, including: Agriculture/Weights and Measures, the Board of Supervisors, the Recorder, Fire Marshal, Human Resources, Land Use Services, Public Health - Environmental Health Services, the Assessor, Public Works, Registrar of Voters, the Treasurer/Tax Collector, and Veterans Affairs. Supervisor Mitzelfelt, who served on the California Seismic Safety Commission, also insisted that the building be constructed with features that will ensure higher earthquake survivability so that the building will continue to function following a major earthquake. "It is a benefit to the taxpayers when two public agencies work together for the public good," said Mayor Smith, who added that the County and City have a history of strong cooperation. "This is a benefit to the entire High Desert Community." The City is planning several street improvements in the area that will improve traffic flow and access to the new center, which is expected to complete the downtown civic center and spur economic activity in the area. Construction is expected to be complete next year. Phelan Memorial Library Opens to the Public
Supervisor Mitzelfelt on August 22 joined community leaders before a crowd of more than 300 people for the grand-opening of the Phelan Memorial Library. "This is an exciting day for the residents of Phelan and the surrounding communities. The opening of the Phelan Memorial Library is another example of how the High Desert is growing and maturing," said Supervisor Mitzelfelt. "A full-service library is an important community resource. I would like to thank the residents of Phelan for their enthusiastic support, as well as all of the County staff and contractors who worked so hard to make this a reality." Construction on the 8,400 square-foot building began in January 2008. Phelan Memorial Library will serve as the first stand-alone public library in the area. Previously, San Bernardino County provided library services at a 5,000 square-foot shared facility located at Serrano High School. The $1.65 million library is located near the intersection of Lindero Street and Clovis Road in downtown Phelan. The library is dedicated to veterans and Supervisor Mitzelfelt offered special thanks to local veterans at the grand opening ceremony. He honored Army Cpl. Jeffrey Roberson of Phelan who was killed in Afghanistan in 2006, and Staff Sgt. Jarod Behee, who was severely wounded in Iraq in 2005, but now volunteers at the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center in Loma Linda. "The funding of the new facility by Supervisor Mitzelfelt has allowed the County Library to greatly expand the services to the Phelan community," said Ed Kieczykowski, County Librarian. "In addition to a larger facility, we will be able to offer a larger collection of materials, more computers for public use, greater hours of service and space for community events. I think most residents will be pleased with our efforts and the results." The new library features a 750 square-foot meeting room, which is available for community use, a 600 square-foot computer training lab, a 600 square-foot children's area, and a 450 square-foot young adult area. The facility can support up to 30 public-access computers. Staffing levels have been increased and the new library features $100,000 worth of new materials. Most significantly, the library will be open 48 hours per week instead of 27 hours per week, as was the case at the high school location. Supervisors Approve Senior Home Repair Program The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on August 25 entered agreements with 10 cities to have the County implement the Senior Home Repair Program, which provides repair services for low and moderate-income seniors. "Seniors are sometimes unable to afford to repair a roof, fix their plumbing or make other necessary repairs," said Supervisor Mitzelfelt. "This program will provide much needed assistance to our seniors who deserve a helping hand." The County worked with cities to restructure the program, which is funded through the federal Community Development Block Grant program. Countywide, the total funding for the program this fiscal year is $888,140. The County and cities agreed to fund the program at that level for the next three years. The agreements call for the County to operate the program in Barstow, Needles, Twentynine Palms, and Yucca Valley, in addition to Big Bear Lake, Colton, Grand Terrace, Highland, Loma Linda and Yucaipa. Each supervisorial district received an allocation to operate the program in unincorporated areas of the County as well. The program will employ private contractors to make the repairs, providing private sector jobs during a time of high unemployment. Previously, county employees had done the repair work. To be eligible, seniors must be 62 or older, own their home or mobile home, and have an income of no more than 80% of the area's median income. The income limits are: household of 1, $37,300; household of 2, $42,650; household of 3, $47,950; household of 4, $53,300. For information on the program, call (909) 388-0925. Mitzelfelt Appointed to BLM California Desert District Advisory Council Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar on August 27 appointed Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt to the Bureau of Land Management's California Desert District Advisory Council. Supervisor Mitzelfelt will participate on the Council starting tomorrow representing local governments during a three-year term of appointment. "I would like to thank the Interior Secretary for the opportunity to serve on this vital panel," said Supervisor Mitzelfelt. "I look forward to working with the Council to address the critical issues involving local government and the federal land management agencies including renewable energy development, road systems, solid waste disposal, law enforcement and emergency services." The Council was established by Congress through the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. Mitzelfelt received the written nominations from U.S. Representatives Jerry Lewis and Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, who noted that Mitzelfelt's First Supervisorial District has one of the largest areas of Federal public lands within any jurisdiction in the United States. "Supervisor Mitzelfelt's long record of service brings a wealth of experience involving public lands to the Council," wrote Representative McKeon. "The Supervisor's understanding of the views from local governments throughout the California Desert Conservation Area will be reflected in the experienced input he will offer to the BLM." Fifteen representatives from various agencies and groups comprise the Bureau's Desert District Advisory Council. Council members advise BLM field office managers in Ridgecrest, Needles, Barstow, Palm Springs, El Centro and the desert district office in Moreno Valley on management of the California Desert District. The California Desert District covers portions of eight counties and includes over 10 million acres of public land, including the California Desert Conservation Area. Supervisor Mitzelfelt's other formal leadership activities in the area of public lands include his vice-chairmanship of the Quad State Local Governments Authority and his membership on the Public Lands Steering Committee of the National Association of Counties and the multi-agency Desert Managers Group. Environmental Science Day Camp Receives Funding The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on August 18 secured a $60,000 grant to support the Environmental Science Day Camp, which provides memorable outdoor educational experiences for elementary school students at Mojave Narrows Regional Park. "This innovative program provides a unique learning opportunity in which students get to experience the outdoors firsthand," said Supervisor Mitzelfelt. "I would like to thank our Regional Park staff for their enthusiasm in implementing the Day Camp, and I would especially like to thank The Wildlands Conservancy for this generous grant." The County provides the day camp as a fieldtrip for elementary school children aimed at stimulating their interest in the environment and science, as well as encouraging outdoor physical activity in a natural setting. Under the guidance of an experienced naturalist, students explore several habitat areas in our regional parks and learn about wildlife, geology, botany and a cultural study of Serrano Indians, who were indigenous to San Bernardino County. Teachers are provided with pre-lesson plans to prepare students for their day in the park, as well as with post-lesson plans to promote continued conservation and environmentalism in their after-trip lessons. The program recently won an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties. In three years, the Day Camp has served more than 17,000 students. The funding from The Wildlands Conservancy will be used to increase staff hours, as well as for supplies and other needs. The Wildlands Conservancy, based in San Bernardino County, is a privately funded non-profit organization that promotes conservation and education about the natural world. |
