News Briefs from April 15
Board of Supervisors Meeting

MILESTONES RECOGNIZED
The Inyo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday recognized the following employees who reached service milestones during the first quarter of 2025:
• Administration: Hayley Carter, 10 years
• Assessor David Stottlemyre, 10 years
• HHS: Katy Bowlan, 5 years; Jessie Wilkinson, 5 years
• Probation: Sarah Simpson, 15 years
• Public Works: Chris Preter, 10 years; Sergio Cruz-Hernandez, 5 years
• Sheriff’s Office: Kimberly Geiger, 30 years; Chris Connolly, 20 years; Cianna Martinez, 5 years

FEES SET FOR MOBILE VENDING PERMITS
The Board held a public hearing on and ultimately approved a fee schedule for mobile vending permits being made available so entrepreneurs can ply their wares on County property and rights-of-way, such as parks and parking lots.
The permit program was first approved in September and staff, in the intervening months, conducted an analysis of County costs that would potentially be associated with issuing the permits, such as staff time for processing the paperwork, conducting site inspections, and increased waste disposal and maintenance. Deputy CAO Meaghan McCamman said the good-faith estimate staff arrived at keeps the fees as low as possible for vendors while also covering the County’s costs.

The schedule approved Tuesday is as follows:
1-7 days vending: $30
8-14 days vending: $60
15-21 days vending: $90
More than 22 days of vending: $120

There will also be a one-time $50 fee for new permits, which will be valid for three months. Subsequent permits issued to the same vendor will be valid for up to a year.
“People are already interested in the permits and we’re excited to see more economic development on County property,” McCamman told the Board.

CYCLISTS RETURNING TO SOUTH COUNTY
The Board approved a request on Tuesday for the temporary closure of Onion Valley Road and East Market Street in Independence on April 27 to accommodate the return of the Whiskey Tango Fondo (WTF), a Gran Fondo sanctioned by U.S. Cycling, LLC.

A Gran Fondo, which translates to “big ride” or “big endurance” in Italian, is essentially a long-distance, large-scale, semi-competitive road cycling event where riders – either competitive or recreational – can participate at their own pace. The WTF features three distance options: a 50-mile route, 70-mile route, and 100-mile route. The latter includes a 10,544-foot elevation gain and takes riders from the starting line at the Inyo County Courthouse, to Lone Pine and De La Cour Ranch and Whitney Portal, and back to the courthouse in Independence.

For more information, visit https://www.whiskeytangofondo.com/.

BUSINESS CENTER HITTING ITS STRIDE
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday heard an encouraging report on the operations of the Business Resource Center (BRC) the County helped open in December. Meryl Picard, BRC director, reported an increase in both the use of the center and the resources it is providing.

“Small businesses are the number one non-governmental employer in the Eastern Sierra, which is why it is imperative to ensure their success,” she said. “The entire mission of the Small Business Resource Center is to provide free or low-cost services to help these businesses start, grow, and thrive so they can contribute to the prosperity of our community.”

Through an agreement with Inyo County, Sierra Business Council staffs the BRC and equips staff with knowledge and expertise on rural economy development.

According to Picard, since its opening, the BRC has engaged with more than a dozen small business owners, offering a wide array of services such as employee handbook development; guidance on financing projects; assistance with branding strategies; support in establishing an online web presence through website development; advising on the purchase of existing businesses; and creating a business plan.

She also noted the start of the Empower Hour lunch-time program where speakers cover a specific business-related topic. The first, “Empower Your Business: Staffing & Payroll Solutions,” attracted more than 10 business owners, who also provided feedback on future topics they’d like to see, Picard said.

The BRC also hosts partner meetings – such as one recently with local nonprofit entities to discuss the potential creation of an Eastern Sierra Community Foundation – and will be the site of an upcoming procurement workshop to help local builders and contractors understand and meet the requirements to bid on government contracts such as those from Inyo County, the City of Bishop, school districts, Caltrans, and others.

The space is also being used by various entities for their own events and meetings

The BRC is located at 269 N. Main St., Bishop. Appointments are recommended: (530) 562-4975.