Given the rash of Public Safety Power Shut-offs in the past months, checking generator
viability is a good idea. That was Mono County’s Parks and Facilities Superintendent Joe
Blanchard’s job. What he found was $47,500 worth of generators was necessary to keep critical
functions functioning. His report was presented at Tuesday’s County Board of Supervisors’
meeting.
The Supervisors put the purchase of a $25,000 generator for the jail, which also houses
the 911 operation, at the top of the list, directing Blanchard to get that done.
The good news: All 20 of the County’s generators were put to use during a recent
extended PSPS. The less than good news: “weaknesses were exposed,” according to
Blanchard’s report.
“The goal,” Blanchard said, “is for County offices to run normally.” To do that generators
were needed for Annex 1 and 2, at a cost of $12,000; one in Probation, $8,000; a $2,500 unit for
the Medic 1 garage and additional units at the County’s Sierra Center offices and Social
Services, both in Mammoth.
Mono has a $153,000 grant to deal with PSPS’s, but Janet Dutcher, auditor/controller
explained there were some strings attached, including coordination with the Town of
Mammoth and the preference for clean energy.
The Supervisors okayed the jail generator. Supervisors Fred Stump and Jennifer Kreitz
both pushed for generator support at other facilities, since they all delivered essential services
or could be used as shelters during power shutdowns or other emergencies.

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