How to spend $550,000?

Next year’s budget is projected to generate $550,000 in available cash and the Town expects to generate that amount annually going forward. The Town may use that cash to leverage a bond to settle the judgment with Mammoth Lakes Land Acquisition. On Wednesday night, June 6, Marysheva Martinez said that was only one of several possible scenarios, and that while the $550,000 surplus is to be wholly dedicated to the MLLA judgment, how it will be used is yet to be determined.

A public hearing on and adoption of the proposed budget is planned for June 20 in Suite Z at 6 p.m.

In other news, Council voted 4-1 (Wood dissented) to hike the Medical Marijuana Cooperative permit application fee from $300 to $1,209. Police Chief Dan Watson cited underestimating the amount of hours required to process permits as the reason.

The initial grading contract was awarded for beginning work on the Whitmore Track Project. Still $193,000 short of being fully funded, hopes are that a Measure R application being reviewed by Council, and other measures being evaluated by High Sierra Striders and Town staff can be worked into the next phase of the project to make up the deficit.

Council delayed eliminating the Airport and Mobility Commissions, and merging them into a single Transportation Commission pending a clearer picture of who will reapply for any open seats on the 5- or 7-member body. “There’s lots of talent [on the Airport Commission] and I’d hate to lose that,” commented Mobility Commission Chair Sandy Hogan.

Councilmember Rick Wood mentioned the delays in getting the Lakes Basin trash and restrooms, and some of the camping open sooner, given the early summer season. Wood said he is working with the Forest Service to bring control of those facilities back to Mammoth. Currently, reservations, and restrooms, trash and barricade openings are dictated by schedules set in either out of county or out of state locales.