American Legion, Bishop Elks Club, Knights of Columbus, Bishop Lions, Bishop Rotary – both Sunrise and Noon, Altrusa, Bishop VFW, Masons, Daughters of the American Revolution…..

 After all is said and done, and after much time and effort has been spent on communicating with CalTrans and DWP on this sign removal project for the community organization welcome sign near the old Bishop Vet Hospital on southbound Hwy 395, there is no reprieve!

 We must take our organization signs down before November 1st!!

 The agencies will raze the sign that date as part of the highway widening-sidewalk improvement program.

 We will not be able to put a replacement welcome sign on DWP property.  There is a glimmer of hope for a location on the fairgrounds, but slim.

The Bishop Lions are supposedly the responsible party for all of this due to a circa 1976 agreement for the original welcome sign project back then, with cooperation from community organizations and DWP and CalTrans, but I’ve never see the documentation.  In any event the current structure will come down Nov. 1st……………

Several people and county officials and Mike with the Fairgrounds have tried to intervene and find a suitable solution.  Over a month ago I reached out to the Bishop Paiute Tribal organization and explained with e-mail and messages that maybe the sovereign nature of Tribal lands could provide an alternate welcome sign site.  To date no response, but we shouldn’t give up.

 It was also suggested that maybe a fee property with an available mural surface might be found, so the welcome message could be placed on it.  So far to no avail.

 There has been a fair market appraisal conducted to establish the value of the sign and an estimate for cost to remove and replace.  There is a pending contract wending its way through CalTrans and DWP which will indicate Bishop Lions officers Steve Cupp (President) and Jen Krafcheck (Treasurer) as recipients of a one-time payment for the benefit of all the involved organizations so they are reimbursed equal portions of whatever that settlement is – to date I have no details on the appraisal, the contract or the proposed payment amount.

 The funds could be used to replace the sign if a location is found that is suitable for all organizations.

 This is a special alert to your organization to remove your sign from that particular welcome sign before November 1st.

 No communication has been forthcoming so far regarding the south Hwy 395  northbound welcome sign which is in serious disrepair, or the welcome sign on Hwy 6 near the new Bishop Veterinarian site.  We are aware Laws RR Museum recently received its alert letter regarding this sign removal project and we have been told by DWP other notices have been sent or will soon be sent to other sign users in the project zone. 

 I have asked CalTrans and DWP if the deadline of November 1st could be pushed back but have been told that is the firm project commencement date.

 Any questions you might have please contact me and I’ll give you the officials to call at DWP and CalTrans.

Stan Smith

Bishop Lions

760-873-7826