(PRESS RELEASE FROM MONO COUNTY)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: August 16, 2013 Contact: Jim Leddy – County Administrative Officer
Mono County Provides Prescriptive Building Designs To Reduce Costs and Time for Projects
Building Department has five designs now available for the public
Mono County, Calif. – Mono County is pleased to announce the completion of five different types of pre-engineered, prescriptive designs now available in the County Building Department and online. Pre-engineered designs have been engineered by a local design professional for minor residential type projects in order to speed these projects through the permitting process.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Byng Hunt commented, “The Board continues to seek ways to help stimulate and invest in our local economy and this is just another great example of our commitment to both the taxpayers and local businesses of Mono County.”
These types of projects have become more common in recent years, and are usually engaged in by local homeowners and builders. The purpose of these designs is to aid both homeowners and contractors with the time and costs associated with code required engineering for smaller projects. The 5 designs have variations that include different applications in addition to three distinct snow load regions. The following designs are now available as handouts at both the Bridgeport and Mammoth Lakes Building Department Offices, as well as on our website (http://monocounty.ca.gov/building):
– Exterior decks – Outbuildings (detached storage structures and garages) – Ground mounted solar photovoltaic systems – Porch roofs (protective covers at entrances, patios, and walkways) – Pedestrian and vehicular bridges
In addition, a roof mounted solar photovoltaic design is currently being finalized, and should be available soon. We anticipate that the completed designs will be available for several years to come, and will provide a substantial cost savings for our local building permit applicants.
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I’m surprised KSRW allows such personal attacks on a man’s family to be posted. Stick to his performance, not his home life.
If you bothered to talk to him, you’d know he plans to move his family here. Give him a call.
Sonoma is nice however it’s no match for June Lake; of course he’s moving his family here.
Who wouldn’t!
I’d say he’s committed to Mono County
Fact: School has already started here
Q: Why aren’t the CAOs kids enrolled by now?
Fact: A fair barometer as to how a person handles his business, job, etc. is how he handles his personal affairs.
Fact: I’ll believe it when I see it (family moving here anytime soon) otherwise, it would appear we have another politician blowing smoke until the time comes when something better comes along. ie., a triumphant return to Sonoma County.
It saddens me to see that the discussion on the blog has become a conversation about personal family decisions and the health and well being of our children. It was important to our sons that they were able to attend 6th grade in Sonoma County. We worked to make that happen. This action is allowing our family to get to know Mono County, understand the school system in Mono County and start to learn about each community in Mono County. Our sons are looking forward to living in Mono County and are looking forward to meeting new friends and learning new things. I am hopefully that the community will embrace us as we get to know Mono County over the next year and be willing to get to know us when we move to Mono County full time.
Mrs. Leddy, Thank you for your thoughtful response.
Sincerely,
Benett Kessler
Dear Mrs. Leddy,
Of course you and family will be welcomed and embraced by we who have been born and raised inThe Sierra. Kindly let us know when you will be moving here to see for yourself that you will be welcomed with open arms. Please understand the very real concerns of we citizens from our very small Mono County who have known each other for years have families and friends who have been employed by the county their entire lives, also the real differences between our county and Sonoma County. We have witnessed three different administrators mysteriously come and go in rapid succession and know of families whose lives have been disrupted and ruined in the process. Please understand the genuine fear a lot of us have wondering where the axe is going to fall next and what services we might expect to dwindle and or disappear. Until we know for certain the long-range commitment of our new CAO, please understand our concerns.
Help me out here. I don’t recall three come and go administrators.
Benett
Dave Wilbrecht – 13-year resident of Mono County who left the county in the black, attracted the attention of the Mammoth Council, named person of the year and ultimately ousted by another administrator from another county.
Jim Arkens – Left under “mysterious circumstances” (quoting the Mammoth Times)
Lynda Salcido – Filling in for Arkens
Marshall Rudolph – Filling in for Arkens
New CAO – Whose wife confirmed they might be moving to Mono County (when they get to know the county better and understand the school system in Mono County and start to learn about each community in Mono County)
Mrs. Leddy,
We’re excited to have you here!
Forget the trolls. They’re just going after the personal stuff because they can’t find anything in his professional life to go after.
Welcome to Mono County, Mrs. Leddy. You will find that most of the people who live and work here are friendly and welcoming. But you’ll have to get used to the few cowards who hide behind anonymous names and attack anyone they can. They obviously are insecure and use Sierra Wave to prove to the rest of us that they are an ass. Don’t take them seriously.
Bennet, perhaps you should start requiring actual names when posting these types of blog comments. It would offer some perspective, for example, if we knew whether this poster was an unhappy former employee of Mono County or a disgruntled former supervisor who was voted out of office by his district. I think the current Board is showing great integrity and honesty in setting policy direction and Mr. Leddy should be given a chance to show what he can do in the CAO position before we start “casting stones”….
I would have to agree, but others bring up their concerns.
Benett Kessler
Thank you Benett for posting the legitimate concerns of we constituents.
(I wonder which County Supervisor “Michael” is?)
A major flaw in the system is our elected officials know full well that they answer to no one. They know how rare and time-consuming recalls are (almost non-existent) and for the most part the constituents don’t really care who the CAO is.
But then there are watchdogs (like yourself) who when smelling something fishy, do some research and uncover things that may effect their fellow constituents and indeed the future of service the County is supposed to provide.
This format is a terrific example of what might be the ONLY method to voice our concerns and keep the politicians who have a tendency to have their heads up their ****s honest.
Attending public meetings and voicing concerns directly to officials is really the best method.
Benett Kessler
Unfortunately most people only voice their concerns directly when it directly affects them personally.
Meanwhile, elected officials go merrily on their way doing whatever they want until the next election.
And lots of serious damage can be done during their tenure.
Don’t think for a moment that they aren’t aware of this.
So, what are you doing to change this?
BK
Benett, to answer your question: “What are you doing to change this?”
(drawing attention to a broken political system), I sadly have to admit that posting on blogs such as this is about the only thing a person can do.
I understand morale amongst Mono County is at an all-time low. And instead of hiring a CAO with the customary complicated management experience and who holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, they have opted for a guy who likes to write eloquent-sounding letters and whose degree is in Sociology and insists Mono County be run the way Sonoma County is run. (Resulting in a $48 million deficit and good people losing their jobs.
You’ve made your point.
BK
What hypocrites !
Now, that’s a pretty good stretch there “Michael” insinuating a legitimate concern must be coming from:
“…an unhappy former employee of Mono County or a disgruntled former supervisor who was voted out of office by his district.”
I think Bennet is entirely ethical in posting EVERYBODY’S concerns. Especially in these times where politicians in general are viewed as hypocritical and self-serving scumbags. Or have you not noticed?
Slinging lightning bolts at the new CAO after only 3 months on the job seems petty and personal rather than a “legitimate concern.” Come back to this blog in August 2014 and perhaps your “bolts” will be taken seriously.
Please cite your source of information. You have made a rather serious accusation.
Benett Kessler
They can’t sight any sources because they have no facts. If you want the truth go to the source. Contact Jim Leddy directly at Mono County and I’m certain that he will meet with you and answer any questions.
We do welcome Jim, his lovely wife and his two sons!
Allowing his two sons to finish their last year in grade school just proves what a thoughtful and loving father he is.
Our county is in tougher times than most want to believe. Previous administrations have hidden the truth from the Board (at the time) and the public. Moving funds to make thing look rosier than the are. Educate yourself by viewing previous budgets. They are available from the Finance Director in Bridgeport.
The turnover in CAO positions in California is on a record-breaking high.
I am quite sure those interested in the CAO position thus (padding their personal political resume) are fully aware of this high turnover rate.
A quick google-check in this case, reveals some of those CAOs bounce around a bit in their careers dabbling in politics, school board positions … whatever.
This does not necessarily reflect a person’s total and unswerving commitment to the taxpayers and the area he or she are supposed to be serving.
Hatchetmen positions seem to be prevalent in today’s dog-eat-dog world.
Insofar as our new Mono Co. CAO, I say let’s take a cautiously optimistic approach and see how he pans out.
I don’t think anybody wants another Here today – gone tomorrow person.
Defenders of the state’s fiscal status quo routinely argue that bankruptcy and deep fiscal problems are not a statewide threat — that they only are a problem in poorer, terribly managed cities such as Stockton, Vallejo, San Bernardino and the like. That ignores the major problems in wealthy San Jose and San Diego. And it ignores what Reuters revealed about the lovely Sonoma wine country. According to the report released today,
“Sonoma may be known for its wine, and for a burgeoning artisanal food scene, and for its lush, rural landscapes and great weather – all of which have attracted growing numbers of retirees, long-distance commuters and international tourists. But Sonoma County is struggling with the same type of government financial crisis that has driven California cities such as Stockton and San Bernardino into bankruptcy. Here, too, a toxic combination of wreckless financial decision-making and the 2008 housing market crash and subsequent recession have stripped that financial cupboard bare.”
As Reuters further explains, services are struggling as roads and sidewalks crumble. And the pension and pay packages for public employees in wealthy areas such as Sonoma are almost hard to believe. A few true progressives see the connection between public-employee greed and the provision of public services. In liberal bastions of Northern California, eventually voters will need to choose between their love of government services and their support for all things union.
In Mono County, no concessions are even being considered from the union employees who appear to have a stranglehold on we taxpayers. This is not right and our elected officials are doing nothing about this travesty.
Maybe you should move where you can work for Wal-Mart or McDonald’s- then you too can have a lavish retirement.
In Detroit the average lavish retirement amount is $19,000 per year! That’s really hard to believe- Wow!
@ Roger –
If you have not saved for retirement, please don’t be upset with those who have.
Mono County now has a fast-talking new CAO whose wife and kids live in Sonoma County while he lives here (I wonder how long that can last?)
Enamored with the guy, when the board was sold on how he wants to run Mono County like they do in Sonoma County (his previous workplace), he neglected to tell them how Sonoma County is doing starting two short years ago.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100316/articles/100319559
Excuse me, but with a $48 million shortfall in Sonoma County, I think the new CAO can learn from how they do it in Mono County.
As a concerned taxpayer and constituent of Mono County, I have to ask my Board of Supervisors: “What in the h*** were you bozos thinking in hiring the present CAO?”
I’m sure the new CAO of Mono County is a nice guy and doing what he believes he must do to further his political climb (including the stress of living apart from his wife and family while he makes his political climb). Unfortunately, in situations where the man calling the shots has no investment in the community he resides in, (he lives in June Lake, his family lives in Sonoma County) what ultimately happens is a deterioration of morale in the organization and quality of service to we constituents who remain the county after this CAO moves on. And believe me, he is moving on after his resume is padded the way he wants it. (review his resume below and see just how woefully unprepared for the CAO position his is).
See for yourself what the man’s political ambitions are. He must have forgotten to mention on his resume that he once ran for a state councilman job (and lost).
Meanwhile, I feel for those who must now experience the managing-by-the-seat-of-his-pants style of administration. And sorrier still for we constituents who had no say in the hiring of this politician on the move who has no interest whatsoever in living here. Boy do we miss the 13 years when Dave Wilbrecht kept the county in good financial shape and one of the best hands-on people person our county ever had.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jim-leddy/7/884/bb8
Isn’t that their job?
Yes, in some ways it is. But as a person who has dealt with a similar field, they are providing these as a way to help the non-construction/design field be better prepared to present the design in a way that will streamline the process. If it keeps a common issue from popping up, making the public unhappy in spite of the issue being something that could create an unreasonable risk to safety. I still remember the time I told someone that their jerry-rigged solar/battery array was unsafe and started trying to explain why. After the “what? what are you talking about?” storm happened and he calmed down to where i could walk him through the why, he realized that I was trying to save him from having to replace his batteries often at the best to possibly burning down his garage at the worst, it was easy going.
So why not create these designs for the public? What is wrong with sending out a press release to try and let people know they exist? What is up with the snarky comments when people are trying to do their jobs AND have a better relationship with the public in what, unfortunately, can seemingly turn into an “us versus them” situation? There is nothing wrong with better communication. There is almost always something wrong with not taking the moment to try and understand peoples intentions and meanings without a kneejerk response.