06.07.2012 - Idyllwild Town Crier

Page 10 - Idyllwild Town Crier, June 7, 2012
Hurkey Creek bridge project outlined
By Marshall Smith
Staff Reporter
Caltrans plans to replace
a 1930s-era bridge over Hurkey
Creek in a project estimated
to cost $2,237,000.
The planned three-year
project begins this month
with overall project and
environmental document approval,
and concludes when
construction is completed
in July 2015. The affected
area on Highway 74 is from
mile marker 62.5 to 62.3 in
Garner Valley, just north of
Lake Hemet.
A Wednesday, May 31,
presentation at the Nature
Center by Caltrans project
personnel drew few area
attendees. The public presentation
had been designed to
answer questions about the
project from area residents
most likely to be affected by
bridge construction.
The bridge, only 23 feet
wide from side railing to
railing, is too narrow for the
present use by many larger
and higher speed vehicles
according to Shelli Lombardo,
Caltrans District 8 public
information officer. The replacement
will nearly double
bridge width to 43.5 feet.
At the meeting project
planners presented a timeline
for the five phases of the
project: project approval and
environmental document,
June 2012; begin design, July
2012; award project, May
2014; begin construction,
July 2014; and end construction,
July 2015.
At the meeting the project
was described as: “remove
the existing Hurkey
Creek Bridge; construct a
two span, 43.5-foot wide, 50-
foot long and 5-pile bridge;
re-grade creek slopes nearest
the bridge abutments
for placing rocks for slope
protection; construct four
retaining walls at the bridge
sides and install bridge approach
railings; remove only
trees within the new bridge
path: and apply architectural
treatments to minimize visual
and cultural impacts.”
Planners said that part of
the project would include
planting trees and vegetation
appropriately once the bridge
is constructed.
Project Manager Daniel
Ciacchella noted that
though the bridge had not
yet been designed, based
on prior bridge replacement
projects he estimated the
Hurkey Creek Bridge would
be constructed one lane at a
time. There would be oneway
bridge traffic for about
Trivia test
Art: An eisteddfod — a festival of music, literature
and performing arts — is held in which country
a three-month period out
of the estimated one-year
construction period commencing
in July 2014.
During that same period,
heavy truck traffic would be
rerouted so as not to impact
the construction site.
Public comments regarding
the project can be filed
through June 18 with Kurt
Heidelberg in support or
opposition to proceeding
with a mitigated negative
environmental declaration
and initial project study. File
comments with Heidelberg
at 464 W. 4th Street, 6th
Floor, MS 820, San Bernardino,
CA 92401, or by email at
kurt_heidelberg@dot.ca.gov.
M a r s h a l l S m i t h
c a n b e r e a c h e d a t
marshall@towncrier.com.
Proposed bridge aesthetics.
Photo courtesy of Caltrans
Supervisors face layoffs and salary raises
Proposal to raise pay for elected officials
By J.P. Crumrine
Editor
On Tuesday, the Riverside
County Board of Supervisors
will review proposals
to raise the compensation
of the county’s elected officials,
e.g., sheriff and district
attorney, as well as senior
career management who
are not represented by any
labor association. Supervisors’
salaries are not part
of any of these proposals.
Jay Orr, the county’s new
executive officer, has sub-
mitted the proposed 2012-
13 budget to the board.
A hearing is planned for
June 11. The budget proposal
assumes more than
200 employees will be laid
off in order to balance the
budget.
Meanwhile, the district
attorney and sheriff would
receive 12.5 percent raises
next year and cumulative
30.6 percent over the fouryear
period. The other three
elected officials, assessor,
auditor, and tax collector,
would receive 10 percent
and 27.7 percent raises for
the same periods.
Subordinate managers in
these departments would
receive raises between seven
and 15 percent.
The county’s Human
Resources’ Director Barbara
Olivier submitted the
recommendation for the
board’s approval. She offered
two reasons for taking
the action now.
In the past several months,
Riverside County completed
renegotiating several labor
contracts, including with the
Riverside Sheriff Association
and others. While the county
has negotiated significant
savings in pension costs, it
has granted these employees
pay raises. Consequently,
employee salaries are approaching
senior management
levels.
Secondly, Olivier surveyed
the salary levels of five
neighboring counties and
found Riverside’s elected
officials were 9 percent less
than the median salary of
similar officials in those
counties.
Riverside County official salaries
Official 2011-12 2012-13 % increase 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 % increase
4 years
Assessor/County clerk $165,727 $182,300 10.0% $190,985 $200,084 $211,671 27.7%
Auditor-Controller $165,727 $182,300 10.0% $190,985 $200,084 $211,671 27.7%
District Attorney $223,166 $251,062 12.5% $263,023 $275,554 $291,512 30.6%
Sheriff $223,166 $251,062 12.5% $263,023 $275,554 $291,512 30.6%
Treasurer-Tax Collector $165,727 $182,300 10.0% $190,985 $200,084 $211,671 27.7%
Answer: Wales
Jesse Wilkerson
Lic.# 971868
P.O. Box 3519, Idyllwild, CA 92549
(951) 587-7578
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