Page 2: Fireworks over fireworks

Councilmember Matthew Lehman kicked off Council reports at the Dec. 15 Town Council meeting with an announcement that the Fourth of July fireworks show at Crowley Lake will proceed as scheduled this year.

After meeting with Interim Town Manager Dan Holler and Recreation Manager Stu Brown several days ago, he said, “We made a decision last week, based on the funds that we’ve raised, that we have enough funds and enough resources that we can now commit to Fourth of July for 2014.”

Lehman, Holler and Brown are part of a larger group that has been drumming up donations for the event, which could find funding neither through the Town nor the County.

Lehman, John Eastman, Rick Elkus, Paul Oster of Re/Max Mammoth, MMSA CEO Rusty Gregory, the law firm of Liebersbach, Mohun, Carney and Reed, Darin Kaylor of the investment firm Oram and Kaylor, The Sheet and the Mammoth Times among others have already made significant private donations. $12,500 has been raised. The goal is $25,000.

The Sheet believes this is an excellent opportunity for those firms and individuals who are not subject to paying into the TBID to contribute their fair share to the community by voluntarily making a contribution to the fireworks fund.

However, what began as a signal of hope for the summer season quickly turned into an opportunity for Councilmember John Eastman to vent steam. Eastman referred to the Mono County Board of Supervisors’ denial of any funding to the Town to pay for the Fourth of July fireworks show at Crowley, other than to offer the Town an opportunity to apply for a $5,000 grant.

Holler explained that the Town never chose to apply. “In discussions with the County, they were trimming that [amount] back, and for us to go in and compete with other County agencies coming in, most likely we wouldn’t have competed well,” he said.

Eastman’s reply: “I can’t understand why our supervisors, especially those that represent the community of Mammoth Lakes, [and] were elected by the people of Mammoth Lakes, would not fall over themselves and support a menial distribution of $5,000 to support a County function that’s held in the community of Crowley Lake.

“If I were a voter in Mammoth Lakes, and for that matter, if I was a voter in Crowley Lake or Tom’s Place, I would be upset with my supervisors for playing what I see as a game,” Eastman said. “I think it’s a direct slap in the face to the citizens of and visitors to Mammoth Lakes, as well as citizens of Crowley Lake.”

Eastman found no dissent on the Council. “I think they forgot again that we’re also County residents,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Jo Bacon.

Concluding his remarks, Eastman speculated as to why supervisors elected by Mammoth and Crowley residents fail to consider the interests of Mammoth and Crowley.

“There’s a saying for many years in Mammoth Lakes, and that is that the community of Mammoth Lakes elects representatives to the Board of Supervisors, [and when] these supervisors get elected, they go to their first meeting in Bridgeport, and a lobotomy is performed,” Eastman said. “From then on, our supervisors have a difficulty in representing the community of Mammoth Lakes.”

Mayor Rick Wood reminded the audience of upcoming elections in June, noting that two Supervisor seats will be opening up. “Word to the voters: voters can and do make a difference,” he said.