WawonaNews.com - June 2023
Mariposa Grove Shuttle Service to Resume Late June
Big Oak Flat Road to reopen June 10
Mariposa Grove Road will open tomorrow, May 26, at 9 am to vehicles displaying a disability placard. However, shuttle service will not resume until later in June.
We are also pleased to announce that Big Oak Flat Road (continuation of Highway 120 into Yosemite from the west) will reopen with delays on Saturday, June 10, barring any unforeseen complications or weather delays. Thanks to the Federal Highway Administration and the contractor, who are working seven days per week to open the road as quickly as possible.
Currently, Big Oak Flat Road is closed west of Merced Grove; there is no access to Yosemite via Hwy 120 from the west (except to Hodgdon Meadow and Hetch Hetchy) until June 10. Yosemite Valley and other areas of the park are accessible if entering the park via Highways 41 and 140.
Big Oak Flat Road to reopen June 10
Mariposa Grove Road will open tomorrow, May 26, at 9 am to vehicles displaying a disability placard. However, shuttle service will not resume until later in June.
We are also pleased to announce that Big Oak Flat Road (continuation of Highway 120 into Yosemite from the west) will reopen with delays on Saturday, June 10, barring any unforeseen complications or weather delays. Thanks to the Federal Highway Administration and the contractor, who are working seven days per week to open the road as quickly as possible.
Currently, Big Oak Flat Road is closed west of Merced Grove; there is no access to Yosemite via Hwy 120 from the west (except to Hodgdon Meadow and Hetch Hetchy) until June 10. Yosemite Valley and other areas of the park are accessible if entering the park via Highways 41 and 140.
Mariposa County Launches Short-Term Rental Survey
Mariposa County has launched a Short-Term Rental survey to better understand how residents and businesses are being impacted by short term rentals. This will be part of a comprehensive analysis of vacation rentals in our community. This survey will be open to residents online through June 14th. Residents without access to internet or computers at home are invited to visit one of our library branches to complete the survey.
“This is part of a larger effort,” shared Mariposa County’s Housing Development Specialist Ben Goger. “We will also be hosting community engagement events around the county for in-person feedback that will allow us to dive even deeper into the conversation about short-term rentals.”
For more information about these surveys, please visit: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/1064c6361ceb48bf90d9ef6a29013f2d?portalUrl=https://MariposaCounty.maps.arcgis.com
Source: Mariposa County
Mariposa County has launched a Short-Term Rental survey to better understand how residents and businesses are being impacted by short term rentals. This will be part of a comprehensive analysis of vacation rentals in our community. This survey will be open to residents online through June 14th. Residents without access to internet or computers at home are invited to visit one of our library branches to complete the survey.
“This is part of a larger effort,” shared Mariposa County’s Housing Development Specialist Ben Goger. “We will also be hosting community engagement events around the county for in-person feedback that will allow us to dive even deeper into the conversation about short-term rentals.”
For more information about these surveys, please visit: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/1064c6361ceb48bf90d9ef6a29013f2d?portalUrl=https://MariposaCounty.maps.arcgis.com
Source: Mariposa County
Wawona Rangers will be hosting a meeting on June 19 at 6PM at the Wawona Community Center. We will review evacuation-related planning, procedures, and discussions including:
The intended audience is residents of Wawona who will be affected during an evacuation. Supervisors/Housing: Please share with employees who live in Wawona.
Thank you!
Heidi L. Edgecomb
U.S. Park Ranger
Supervisory Ranger, Wawona District
Yosemite National Park
209-375-9520 x 228 (o)
209-347-3198 (c)
- Emergency alert sign ups
- How to prepare your residence
- What to expect when an evacuation warning or order is issued
- Actions and expectations while Wawona is evacuated
- Re-entry process and requirements for access
- What to do upon returning to your residence
The intended audience is residents of Wawona who will be affected during an evacuation. Supervisors/Housing: Please share with employees who live in Wawona.
Thank you!
Heidi L. Edgecomb
U.S. Park Ranger
Supervisory Ranger, Wawona District
Yosemite National Park
209-375-9520 x 228 (o)
209-347-3198 (c)
WTPAC meeting
message from Cheryl Kanaan - WAPPOA President:
I spoke with Gene Spindler and WTPAC has a quorum so the WTPAC meeting is scheduled for Friday June 2 at the Redwoods Conference room.
I encourage all of you to attend as the MOU with Mariposa County/NPS to provide potable water, a critical issue for Wawona will be discussed.
message from Cheryl Kanaan - WAPPOA President:
I spoke with Gene Spindler and WTPAC has a quorum so the WTPAC meeting is scheduled for Friday June 2 at the Redwoods Conference room.
I encourage all of you to attend as the MOU with Mariposa County/NPS to provide potable water, a critical issue for Wawona will be discussed.
Pine Needles Situation 2.0
One of our homeowners emailed to the County with a complaint about not picking up the pine needle piles this year, and here was the response from Rosemarie Smallcombe this morning:
Thank you for contacting me. I’m not sure where you heard that the County has decided to cancel the pine need disposal. Quite the contrary, the Public Works Road Crew will pick up the pine needles during the week of June 12th and transport them to the NPS yard in the same manner as they have done in the past. Please pass this information along to anyone who may have a different understanding.
Thanks again and best regards,
Rosemarie
Rosemarie Smallcombe
Mariposa County District 1 Supervisor
5100 Bullion St.
Mariposa, CA 95338
Switchboard --209-966-3222
Office — 209-742-1242
Cell — 530-391-0249
rsmallcombe@mariposacounty.org
One of our homeowners emailed to the County with a complaint about not picking up the pine needle piles this year, and here was the response from Rosemarie Smallcombe this morning:
Thank you for contacting me. I’m not sure where you heard that the County has decided to cancel the pine need disposal. Quite the contrary, the Public Works Road Crew will pick up the pine needles during the week of June 12th and transport them to the NPS yard in the same manner as they have done in the past. Please pass this information along to anyone who may have a different understanding.
Thanks again and best regards,
Rosemarie
Rosemarie Smallcombe
Mariposa County District 1 Supervisor
5100 Bullion St.
Mariposa, CA 95338
Switchboard --209-966-3222
Office — 209-742-1242
Cell — 530-391-0249
rsmallcombe@mariposacounty.org
Wawona Fire Drill May 11
Hello YOSE, Fire Management will be conducting a readiness drill in Wawona on 5/11 at approximately 10:15am.
All radio communications will be on Yosemite's Fire Net Repeater. Please do not be alarmed if you hear a page out for a fire response near Camp Wawona.
After conducting the readiness drill, we will continue with the planned prescribed burn in the Studhorse area later in the day.
Thanks
Kelly Singer
Deputy Fire Management Officer
Yosemite National Park
Hello YOSE, Fire Management will be conducting a readiness drill in Wawona on 5/11 at approximately 10:15am.
All radio communications will be on Yosemite's Fire Net Repeater. Please do not be alarmed if you hear a page out for a fire response near Camp Wawona.
After conducting the readiness drill, we will continue with the planned prescribed burn in the Studhorse area later in the day.
Thanks
Kelly Singer
Deputy Fire Management Officer
Yosemite National Park
Pine Needles Situation
I have not received many replles to my email about volunteers with trucks to help pick up the pine needle piles on our lots and take them to the Wawona woodlot. So it seems that everyone is on their own. You need to get the pine needles and debris on your lot raked and put in a pile near the street before June 6. Then you need to figure out how to get them down to the burn pile near the Fire Station.
The Redwoods will not take your pile to the woodlot. The County will not pick up any. The fire inspectors should be coming through around mid-June, and, in the past, give fines to anyone who has not done this. It will be the beginning of fire season, and these piles have to go.
There was a post this morning on the Wawona Community Facebook page, from Dulce Guzman, who wrote this:
"Lewis Yard Services
8h ·
We did a lot clean up yesterday in Sugar Pine. Picked up all sticks, branches, raked the whole lot, and hauled away debris. We do work in North Fork, Oakhurst, Coarsegold, YLP, Auberry, Prather, Shaver Lake, Meadow Lakes, Sugar Pine, Fish Camp, Wawona, Yosemite, Midpines, Mariposa. Scheduling now for the last week of May beginning of June. Can text or call. 559.580.2175. I will get back to you asap."
I called and talked to him.. He has the time available, a truck and a trailer. He does it all manually - no machinery. I asked whether he would be willing to just pick up piles on the street and dump them at our woodlot - no raking - just pick up and dump. He said yes, but would charge approximately $50-$75 per lot.
So you can call or text him if you're interested.
If anyone knows someone else, please let me know so I can pass it along!
Trish Peterson <wappoat1@gmail.com>
I have not received many replles to my email about volunteers with trucks to help pick up the pine needle piles on our lots and take them to the Wawona woodlot. So it seems that everyone is on their own. You need to get the pine needles and debris on your lot raked and put in a pile near the street before June 6. Then you need to figure out how to get them down to the burn pile near the Fire Station.
The Redwoods will not take your pile to the woodlot. The County will not pick up any. The fire inspectors should be coming through around mid-June, and, in the past, give fines to anyone who has not done this. It will be the beginning of fire season, and these piles have to go.
There was a post this morning on the Wawona Community Facebook page, from Dulce Guzman, who wrote this:
"Lewis Yard Services
8h ·
We did a lot clean up yesterday in Sugar Pine. Picked up all sticks, branches, raked the whole lot, and hauled away debris. We do work in North Fork, Oakhurst, Coarsegold, YLP, Auberry, Prather, Shaver Lake, Meadow Lakes, Sugar Pine, Fish Camp, Wawona, Yosemite, Midpines, Mariposa. Scheduling now for the last week of May beginning of June. Can text or call. 559.580.2175. I will get back to you asap."
I called and talked to him.. He has the time available, a truck and a trailer. He does it all manually - no machinery. I asked whether he would be willing to just pick up piles on the street and dump them at our woodlot - no raking - just pick up and dump. He said yes, but would charge approximately $50-$75 per lot.
So you can call or text him if you're interested.
If anyone knows someone else, please let me know so I can pass it along!
Trish Peterson <wappoat1@gmail.com>
Prescribed Burning at Studhorse to Continue
Hello Yosemite Fire Interest Group,
Fire management is preparing to continue prescribed burning operations in the coming days on the Studhorse unit which is south of the Wawona Hotel. Previous firing operations took place mid to late April 2023 and burned approximately 90 acres of the 260 acre unit. Conditions permitting, ignitions plan to take place at approximately 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 11, 2023 and throughout the day on Friday, May 12, 2023 and target approximately 115 acres in unit #5 (map attached for reference). No active ignitions are planned for the weekend however, firefighters will remain in the area; please watch for firefighters and equipment along the roadway. The remaining 55 acres of the unit will be burned at a later date when conditions are favorable.
Smoke will be visible along the Wawona Road (Highway 41) during and after burning operations. Air quality information can be found online at https://fire.airnow.gov/
Thank you for your continued support,
Yosemite Fire Information
yose_fire_info@nps.gov
go.nps.gov/yosefire
Facebook @YosemiteFire
Twitter @YosemiteFire
Instagram @YosemiteFire
Hello Yosemite Fire Interest Group,
Fire management is preparing to continue prescribed burning operations in the coming days on the Studhorse unit which is south of the Wawona Hotel. Previous firing operations took place mid to late April 2023 and burned approximately 90 acres of the 260 acre unit. Conditions permitting, ignitions plan to take place at approximately 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 11, 2023 and throughout the day on Friday, May 12, 2023 and target approximately 115 acres in unit #5 (map attached for reference). No active ignitions are planned for the weekend however, firefighters will remain in the area; please watch for firefighters and equipment along the roadway. The remaining 55 acres of the unit will be burned at a later date when conditions are favorable.
Smoke will be visible along the Wawona Road (Highway 41) during and after burning operations. Air quality information can be found online at https://fire.airnow.gov/
Thank you for your continued support,
Yosemite Fire Information
yose_fire_info@nps.gov
go.nps.gov/yosefire
Facebook @YosemiteFire
Twitter @YosemiteFire
Instagram @YosemiteFire
WAPPOA General Meeting Minutes
April 15, 2023
Cheryl Kanaan, President, called the meeting to order at 9:10 A.M. welcoming all of those in attendance. She thanked The Pine Tree Market for providing the coffee. Cheryl introduced the WAPPOA Board members Marty Cerles-Vice President, Teresa Cosgrove-Treasurer, Katy Jacobson-Secretary, Trish Peterson-Accountant/Communications, Wayne Heringer, Joe Iacino, Carol Coyle, Ed Mee, Beki Simon,and Gene Spindler. Cheryl asked for a moment of silence in memory of WAPPOA members who have passed away: Pierce Loberge-previous WAPPOA President, Larry Cosgrove-previous WAPPOA Treasurer, Forest Robertson, Les Arnet, and June Sloan. Cheryl then introduced the Speakers which followed with their presentations.
Presentations
Teri Austin, Deputy Superintendent, Yosemite National Park
The Park has been dealing with snow issues for some time now and working on fixing snow damage especially addressing road repairs from snow. She estimates about $15 million in funding has been programmed between roads and structures for storm damage repair; and, high-country facilities have not been inspected yet. At the recent quarterly Yosemite Gateway Partners meeting there were great photos shown of snow conditions. Badger Pass had 20 feet snow drifts. As a result, there is going to be a delayed opening of Glacier Point Road and Tuolumne Meadows. The Valley will be super crowded into July because other areas are closed. Mariposa Grove has road damage and large equipment has fallen through the road. It is open to pedestrians and a lovely walk if you go. Wawona Hotel is open and their summer barbecues will resume. An interesting summer is predicted with trails and river crossings impacted by storms. Please carry tracking devices and do not cross high rivers or go past closed signs because there are real safety issues. Please be cognizant of these conditions.
A high chance of flooding is predicted in the Valley around Memorial Day so please plan to avoid the valley during the Memorial Day weekend. It is nice that the Park is generally so wet which makes it a good time to do pile burning. It is also an ideal time to do defensible space and brush clearing. Audience members asked about the opening of Glacier Point Road and Ms. Austin said there was not a date certain yet. It was asked if any flooding is expected in Wawona and she responded that there was not. She was asked about the schedule for resuming shuttle bus to Mariposa Grove. Shuttle service will not resume in 2023 until late May or more likely later because of road damage.
A meeting participant stated that their guests/visitors had been denied entry into the park and told by Gate staff that there is no privately owned property and they had to pay the fee. Ms. Austin responded that it seems like some more training is needed. It was noted that if you have visitors you have to sign a form to say they are visiting. In response to a query about plans being made for extra crowds she advised that Park will bump up hiring for entry staff and other staff for those kinds of reasons.
The conditions for the Park closing if the Valley were to flood were outlined. Wastewater treatment plant functionality is a primary consideration. If the Valley flooding impacted the Waste Water Treatment Plant, then Park will evacuate the Valley. Trish Peterson will forward all information on to the community as soon as it is received. It was asked if there is a plan to facilitate passing through south gate. YARTS was recommended for anyone staying in the Valley. There has been a north lot added to the Visitor Center right outside the welcome center. The Visitor Center in Valley is undergoing changes as the Park plans to transition the welcome center to visitor orientation and to transition the Visitor Center to a science learning center. This will be a great place for people to learn about things happening in the Park. A meeting participant asked if there is any consideration about shuttle buses to Valley. Response: It would definitely help but there is no funding capacity to start a local bus. YARTS does operate from Wawona to Valley several times a day. Last bus during the summer season hits the Grove at 8:30 P.M. She estimates that single lane road repair issues will be likely prioritized and estimates are July and September for work on these sections. Patience and kindness are the key message due to projected congestion, and potential for summer road rage.
Heidi Edgecomb, U.S. Park Ranger-Operations Supervisor Wawona District
The Mariposa Grove shuttles are not running due to significant undercutting of road. Park tried temporary repairs but was not able to pump the water around. The Park is not even taking emergency vehicles up there. The Wawona road has 3 areas of damage with temporary stop lights operating. Please be patient, as there have been multiple accidents already for those that attempted to go around. Glacier Point Road is not paved due to the active construction project so they cannot plow it. When it opens there will be delays and traffic pilots. No reservation system will be implemented this year so expect long lines and avoid 10:30 to 2:00 time period. Ms. Edgecomb shares that Park employees are frustrated with delays too; and, we are all in the same boat. Local ranger office is still suffering from job vacancies. Ranger staff is doing what they can but she advised attendees that they may not be able to help with some things. There is one seasonal and one permanent staff and Park is trying to bring people in from other parks. Please use 911 for emergencies and the regular number for other things. It takes days some times to respond to voice messages. The non-emergency line for dispatch is the best option. Last place to call should be a ranger’s cell phone. Go through dispatch and office line to leave messages--209 379-1992. Dispatch is the fastest way to a ranger--209 375-9520. There are voice-mail prompts for each staff member.
Wawona tends not to have any flooding issues. Culverts are neither the County’s nor NPS’s responsibility and those would likely be the cause of any problems. The Washburn fire scar has held up with no major issues from storms. Blocked culverts and mudslides are the main issues we are having. Pile burning is allowed, however, follow the County Burn number for burn days and burn protocols. Let rangers know when burning so they know it is not a fire starting. When clearing brush, you can talk to Parker Bevington and he will review and outline what you can and cannot remove. Clear brush 100 feet from your house. An attendee asked if there is a property that has not been cleared is it possible to have the Park contact a neighbor where there is a lot of downed timber. It was recommended to call your friends and neighbors to reach that owner. Mention Melinda Barret if you can reach them, then encourage them to use that program--209 966 1200. Snow clearance was focused on clearing fire hydrants and clearing roads. Cheryl thanked rangers for all of their help.
Park is assessing if there is a way to implement weight limits on roads. Mariposa Grove Road is in the worst condition and of the highest concern which will be heightened if we get another big storm and a significant rain. Chowchilla road is closed. Park will remove downed trees and clear it as soon as it can. It is projected to be open in June most likely. Wawona Meadow Loop is a mess and the Park does not know when it will be cleared and restored. Usually, it is pretty quick and clears in late May or early June because there is a small amount of flood damage. But this year has seen more significant flooding. Do not hike it now. All seasonals are coming in now. Stud horse trail between Wawona and the Grove is closed due to the Washburn Fire.
Kyle Pina Assistant Fire Captain-Wawona Yosemite National Park
Nancey Phillipe, Yosemite Fire Information
Captain Pina is currently the acting captain with Wawona Fire since Parker Bevington was promoted to Battalion Chief. He hopes to become the permanent Captain soon. He will be helping out as an unofficial advisor for Fire Wise. Engine 32 is fully staffed with 5 positions which is the same as last year, plus Parker Bevington who is still working out of the Wawona office. Staff is doing prescribed burning at Stud Horse so expect to see a lot of resources located in the area and smoke in the air for a bit. Pile burning for them is not on schedule. It is projected to happen in fall.
Nancy Phillipe updates the attendees that most of seasonal folks are returning for a 10-person hand crew. There is a contract helicopter; but, no engine out of Hodgson area. There will be 150 acres burn in Stud Horse next week. If you did not receive a notice, please send her an email. Trish Peterson, states that WAPPOA sent it out to everybody. An invitation to Earth Day celebration in Valley on April 22nd was extended. There will be 10 to 12 booths, special activities and walks. A junior ranger wildfire book has been produced to hand out to children. Nature Bridge is going to do a walk designed around the connection and relationship between art and nature. She has been in Yosemite over 20 years; and, her current responsibilities are making sure the Wawona community is kept up to date. The question is asked: do we know what caused the Washburn Fire. Response: Yosemite Park staff are waiting for the outcome of subpoenas, records and data from the labs.
Ms. Phillipe reviewed how medical emergencies are handled when 911 is called. She was a dispatcher. When 911 is called for an emergency medical response, the El Portal Dispatch office receives the call as the primary answering point. Once they understand the location of the emergency, they will dispatch the resources closest to you for response. If you call in you should never get a busy single on 911. The priority focus for El Portal dispatch is any emergency response and all staff receives that training. It is important to be patient and recognize that these are amazing professionals trained to be there to be there for your worst day. Whether cell phones call, text or landlines use 911 and they will come. 911 requests connect to Verizon’s tower if you do not have cell service. Fire has paramedics that roll with the trucks. Fire staff are EMTs and “Park Medic” is a Park hybrid emergency responder without the cardiac training. For ambulance, first Wawona responds and then there is a secondary response from Sierra Ambulance.
Jill Connors, Wawona Interpreter, Yosemite National Park
Jill Connors is the new Wawona Interpretive Supervisor and has been here for 5 days. Starting next week, the community will see more of her. She has 3 seasonals coming back in 9 days and 2 seasonals for which she is still waiting for an update. They are in a temporary office--last year it was a trailer and this year they will be housed at 8073 Chilnualna Falls Road—"so pop in”. Programming should be starting. Interpretive staff are hoping for an information tent to be open on weekends. She reiterates the need to pay attention to red lights on Wawona road as someone ran a red light and she almost got in a bad accident. An audience member asks about the Campfire program? Her plan is to have campfire programs at the Wawona campground in the old NPS style. She is hoping to work out other ideas with the Redwoods and Pine Tree Market. Barn dances will have to be the responsibility of the Wawona community including insurance and hosting, which was the decision of Ephraim Dickson, Branch Chief Museum and Media, Yosemite National Park. She was complimented by an attendee about the new Chinese Laundry exhibit.
Rosemarie Smallcombe, Supervisor District 1, Mariposa County Board of Supervisors
Supervisor Smallcombe describes that ambulance bay funding activities have been like the Groundhog Day movie. The County’s D.C. lobbyist has been meeting with Padilla and Feinstein to ensure that the County’s request for funding to build an ambulance bay near the Fire Station is approved. The community is encouraged to call Feinstein and Padilla urging them to please make sure this appropriation request makes it into the Appropriations Committee budget considerations the 3rd time. She advises the community to email, write or call our federal representatives to request that the federal budget request includes the funding when it goes to the Appropriations Committee. This is the 3rd time and she is hopeful that it will go through.
Fire Wise is an opportunity to reduce insurance premiums. It is a carrot to reduce fuels around homes. The CA Insurance Commissioner is very interested in communities becoming Fire Wise certified and aligning that with reduced premiums. The County developed a wildfire prevention plan which provides that each community has their own community specific plan for fire. The County has found that in asking for input from each community, it requires a high level of expertise. So, they have found that for communities like Wawona the County will leverage heavily off the NPS plans. She looks for Wawona property owners and residents to engage with community members including Gary Wuchner. She urges community members to talk to resources and learn from them. Yosemite West was the first in the County to achieve the Fire Wise status. The County will move forward to create the County-wide plan. For roads, the Director of Public Works has been working with the County Engineer to survey all roads in the County and has put together a priority list. 30 contracts will be going out to independent contractors to complete needed work. Embankment collapse or a “not passable” condition is the highest priority.
Supervisor Smallcombe identified that there is an MOU between the National Park Service and County which implements how the local and federal agencies jointly operate under equal, shared jurisdiction. The MOU is being renewed and updated and she provides the following status:
Supervisor Smallcombe discussed the assistance available to private property owners that experienced damage to structures as a result of storms. If you sustained damage and did not complete a survey, she encourages you to do that. A disaster recovery center will be in the area this weekend asking if you did sustain damage. If not through that program the next fallback is FEMA and FEMA is working to stand up two disaster resource centers. One in Greely hill and it may have mobile units in Wawona and Fish Camp areas. She outlined the concept of disaster resource centers. If you filled out a form and have not heard then contact the center and they will help you in any way they can: FEMA-1 800 621 3362 or www. Disaster assistance.gov. Key point of contact is the disaster number. If you contact FEMA, they know the ground rules and can help you faster. Small Business Administration (SBA) is also giving out loans and can loan up to $200,000 to renters and homeowners and up to $40,000 to replace personal property including automobiles.
Supervisor Smallcombe shares that with regard to trash pick-up, there is a new Deputy Director of Public Works that started last May. Solid Waste Program is a tangled mess and getting out of that fully will take a $4.0-8.0 million fix. However, there is only $1.8 in solid waste closure account. County has signed a contract for a consultant to look specifically at operations, financing and recommend options for the County more broadly. If there is a potential for increasing revenue that the County could pursue then the consultant will identify the costs and markets. Bottom line is the County intends to align timelines for bidding YNP, County Wawona, YNP concessionaire etc.... to see if the County receives more bids and can achieve economies of scale. County has been working with Recology off and on. The contract will go out in June; then, we have to follow a 218 process (meaning that the County is prohibited from imposing increases without a thorough review and vote by the people in the affected communities). She hopes to get good rates through bid process. After the County completes that it will come back out and say this is what we can offer in terms of rates. At WTPAC meeting the County learned some property owners were not paying rates for pick-up. County reached out to 16 property owners that were getting free pick-up in Wawona and they got some acknowledgement of people cheating. This is getting corrected but the focus is completing the Request for Proposal and 218 process. It is unlikely that the current revenue will cover the pine needle or bulky item pick up. So, community will need to look at other options. Cheryl Kanaan comments that Wawona property owners were hoping and willing to pay more to include pine needle pick-up. There is no revenue to cover it so County will not do it this year. Wawona owners will have to look at timing and other options. Normal pine needle and bulky items pickup is in time window where there is no funding. The Supervisor responded to questions about scofflaws that County has a new way to catch people and make sure everyone is paying.
The following questions were posed by attendees:
A Code Compliance Advisory Committee was established and given a charge by the Board of Supervisors to develop a process so that the County knows and public knows when someone builds without a permit. Now the process is to send letters and get no response or take someone to court. There seems to be a lot of controversy around this. Another topic of consideration recently is that the County has 55 organizations on the books and staff and County officials cannot keep on top of it. County has trouble populating them. County hopes to consolidate those and make them more efficient. There will be an item on the agenda next Tuesday at 2:00 P.M. if the community would like to make any comments about code compliance or lack thereof. They are looking for input.
In terms of the next WTPAC, she will reach out to Gary, Gene and Ed about next meeting. Gary Wuchner says with regard to code compliance, there needs to be a way for communities to check in with processes and about what is and is not working. Supervisor Smallcombe discussed that she came from San Mateo and the building department there was great to work with and more collaborative. Whereas Menlo Park was more difficult to deal with. But this is Mariposa and if you have an issue and for example elderly have issues then the County wants to work with you. So, staff has been sending letters in order to initiate a cooperative way of addressing issues. If a resident refuses, then the County needs a stick; and, it will charge you a fine if you don’t clean up junk or marijuana, or are building without a permit. Audience asks what about downed lumber on property? The Supervisor stated she has been thinking about a vegetation management ordinance involving clearance. At this time County does not have a way from a code standpoint to get downed fire fuels cleared. Potentially depending on how an ordinance is written County could do it and then send a bill to owner.
Returning to the trash pickup topic: the community may need to come together as a group and opt out of what County is doing and contract with an independent hauler. County cannot charge rentals different than residents because there is no legal basis for doing that.
For anyone interested in housing and homelessness there is an initiative launched recently by local governments looking to bring state policy into a better more coherent approach to building housing. Write a letter to CSAC to support whatever this group is doing to reduce homelessness.
Melinda Barrett, Resource Conservation Fuels Reduction-District 1
Thank you for help with getting forms back. There were additional CEQA exemptions necessary because our contractor is taking the downed wood to biomass and selling it. This revenue roles back into funding the program so they can continue their efforts. Please send CEQA forms back--the more the better. 150 people have; but, please continue to send those. In April they will finish clearing Forest Drive, the road behind the Hotel and 1/8 mile of Wawona road. In May through July, they will start on the private lots. Staff is trying to figure out pine needles pickup; but, cannot do that this year like last year. The contractor is not set up to do that. She met with expert from the UC system to consult about the program. The main cause of fire is embers going through vents and flammable materials 0 to 5 feet around the foundation of the structure. She would like to install ember screens on top of existing vents and do vegetation clearance in that zone. Fences that are attached and wood furniture up against a house pose fire risk. Once the program removes fuels you can take it to the wood pile. They are starting next week and sign ups continue for participation. Darren Mills from PGE and he said he is willing to work to reduce vegetation in our community and that is a great thing to have PGE support for the community. Home hardening: you will get an assessment with things to do; and, we prioritize getting screens done first.
Last, website testing, being funded by Governor’s Office of Planning and Research and Cal Poly, is in process to create a marketplace for biofuels. In most cases it is too expensive to truck fuels so the state is trying to create a market place to link owners with companies using biomass. This will be subsidized and run by a joint power’s authority and grant funds. The program will be online and users will provide estimates of biomass and be connected to a company that can use it. It is just a test and it is not really live or happening right now. There are 3 or 4 biomass companies participating. A question is asked if the homeowner needs to be present for home hardening. She responds that staff prefers the owner to be there but right-of-entry allows assessment if you are not going to be there. There is a separate form providing consent for taking vegetation and installing screens. Contractors are working Monday to Friday. The program does not have a large amount of funding and needs to secure more. Wawona is high risk according to hazard assessment. She would love to link with Fire Wise movement
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Jeremy Herber, General Manager Recology Mariposa
Mr. Herber was running Recology services in Crescent City. He specializes in rural communities which are a huge challenge. Not many people around in the region; so, the Company asked him to delay his planned retirement and move to this area to get things restructured. Business did not function well. They have a large state presence and have a large composting operation. He took over January 1st and the main concern is getting the office connected and adding phone response staff. There are a lot of driver staffing issues. For Wawona it has been hard and the Company just completed a new routing schedule for Wawona providing for Wednesday pickup of the organics container. The contract was developed a long time ago and is not well written. As the local staff make changes, if Wawona needs something he wants to help. He was in the military, is very structured and has run a business for 18 years. Now the focus is on how can we perform better for individual communities. One frequent issue is the road equipment and so access and roadway conditions weigh in—if a resident can’t get in then their drivers cannot get in. They had a driver not doing a good job and so new driver is now assigned. They are developing new route system. Recology is working with NPS on ensuring users are keeping containers closed and clipped--so fixing clips. He wants communication and wants to do it well. Recology provides services not listed in the contract-- recycling and organics. Containers need replacing and they ordered replacement parts and have new welders. They are entering a contract for repair and painting. He has 6 drivers for whole County. He is hoping to build up reputation again and he put out his cards with email information.
Yuli Gotsev, Marketing Manager, Redwoods
Mr. Gotsev wished everyone--no floods, no fires, all road fixes be completed. They are open 7 days a week and you can ask anyone for help. Audience thanked him for how Redwoods helped the community during storms. Everyone was on phone about clearing roads and use of equipment and County was able to get an agreement done with the Redwoods to use its equipment. They will get exchange students again this year.
Supervisor Smallcombe adds to the remarks by describing how the County differentiates private roads versus County roads. A road must be accepted by the County for it to be maintained by the County. Staff is trying to post mile marker book that identifies what is private or public and she will get that to Cheryl and Trish. State provides money from gas tax for roads based on what County has accepted. Private roads are responsibility of property owners. One idea is to set up a zone of benefit or road maintenance district. Let her know if the community wants to pursue this.
Breezy Jackson UC Field Station Director
Ms. Jackson runs the Field Station and projects. She predicts a super busy summer. They manage season interns, leadership program, adventure risk challenge for highschoolers and conduct research. Research going on involves Monkey Flower evolution, redwoods and pine. Native pollinator garden was installed. There is a new program for U.C Merced students called field curious—for those that have no research experience but want to learn. It provides weekend immersive experiences and takes people to introduce them to the basics of field work. The Field Station needs donations for warm footwear and boots, mostly they need men’s—and they need warm layers too. Next weekend is Earth Day including Shakespeare in Yosemite production of Romeo and Juliet.
She is asked about the webcam as it has not been available. The camera is not working and so she has been working with IT. They are trying to get it back up. An audience member asks: are we through with the bark beetles, pine borers. She responds that there is a lot of work on beetles attacking the sugar pines and there is a novel beetle attacking the redwoods. Colorado State is investigating and researchers are seeing some results that they can colonize in tree canopy. These are native beetles that co-exist with this kind of forest. She predicts we are going to see a lot of different emergent diseases in our forests. Supervisor Smallcombe adds that the Forest Service conducted an aerial survey and we have 900 thousand dead trees in mariposa. The County is talking about a task force for tree mortality. Up north in Nevada County, they counted 1.4 million new dead trees. No one knows what this record snow season means.
Stacy Boydstun, Teacher Wawona School
The students went to Channel Islands on field trip and it was amazing. One of the descendants of a ranching family did a presentation and they went to art museums. They are next going to Pinnacles Park. Kids made beautiful mosaics with a visiting artist. The school is trying to jump start the garden. A participant from the community states that the mosaics completed by students are amazing. School is still taking donations for garden project. Outdoor education grants come from the Yosemite conservancy. Kids wrote artist bios for themselves. The school will be open until 4 pm today.
Marty adds that WAPPOA is taking donations for gift for celebration of Burrell’s anniversary.
Brief Recess is called.
General Meeting
Call to Order: Cheryl Kanaan, President, called the General Meeting to order at 11:46 A.M.
There was brief memoriam for Wawona Community members recently passed away.
The October 8, 2022 General Meeting Minutes were approved.
Treasurers Report: Trish Peterson presented the Treasurers report as Teresa Stiegler could not attend. The report was on a board and is attached to the minutes. Dues have been received from 175 members which is in line with prior years. Club Express hosts the WAPPOA online presence and charges fees per active member. Current charges for that are about $90 to $100 per month. Mailing costs due to increases in postage run about $445.00 per mailing. WAPPOA is therefore trying to go in a more digital direction aiming for most communication to be just digital. We still have $15,000 for normal projects like Hooting Owl and picnic catering. Other donations include a camera for the Wawona school and Wildland Firefighters Foundation. The Wildland Firefighters Foundation takes care of firefighter’s families during times when a firefighter is injured or passed away. We used to budget $600 for Barn Dances but currently have budgeted $1,600 since the NPS will not be sponsoring them, and we will be asking for donations. The cost of the band alone is $600. WAPPOA is trying to put it together to continue the Barn Dances and we hoped Aramark might help. We are trying to help with Burrel’s anniversary party. There is still $6,000 for unidentified projects so budget is in great shape.
President’s Report: Cheryl Kanaan presented the WAPPOA strategic agenda priorities for the coming year:
Fire Wise Community-Adar Emken, Fire Wise Yosemite West
There is a flyer available to fill out and sign if you are interested in participating in securing a Fire Wise designation. Ms. Emken owns a lot in Yosemite West and acts as the Fire Wise coordinator for that area. Yosemite West was the first in the County to receive Fire Wise designation and she states it is community led and voluntary. The Community takes lead in outlining what you want to do and how. There are some benefits to becoming Fire Wise. It is comprised of 4 or more people or hotels etc.., elected officials and a resident leader is required to submit all the paperwork. It is good to have someone interested and vocal. To secure this designation you need to get a committee together and then define the neighborhood by drawing a boundary that includes everyone in the community (all the dwellings). Then you complete a risk assessment including roofs, defensible space, topography--all the salient facts. The committee paints a picture or description of the community. The local fire department should send a fire official to walk through and identify any hazards while you do your risk assessment, i.e., pine needles or clearance. There is a template and the risk assessment needs to be completed every 5 years. Once you identify risks and what you are going to do to address those particular risks (like downed trees) then you have to define solutions and steps. This identifies what you are going to do and how you are going to do it--how you are feasibly addressing the risks. Then you apply and will need a liaison to upload data every year. The community has to demonstrate a base level of fire prevention activities, one hour per structure or volunteer hour or someone pays to have something done on property. 100 hours of work annually is required so participants have to report their hours to you. One outreach or education event per year is required. It is tailored to the community so determine what is the priority in your community and it gives you a reason to do outreach. What she did:
Insurance commissioner is making an effort with insurers to have fire insurance premiums reflect what communities have done. Cheryl says we are ready to apply and Marty Cerles, Gary Wuchner, Kyle Pina Yuli Gutsev, Cheryl Kanaan and Melinda Barrett will be involved. Signup if you want to participate.
Supervisor Smallcombe said FEMA might be out to talk to you about damage as a result of storms. They were in the meeting at that time so she advised attendees to talk to them about damages from storm.
WAPPOA Outreach: Club Express is being managed by Marty and Trish with a goal of getting into the 21st century. Website was done last year. The goal this year is to get everyone in as a member. As you pay dues you become a member. Those that paid should have account information. You have access for one year and when you pay again your membership is extended. Treasurer is going to start looking at payment methods. Once you are on the membership portal you will have access to the minutes and documents that are being uploaded-but this will take a while. At the end of year there should be more information and they will explore with Breezy Jackson about having the web camera link. They are working on how to make it a family account and still testing that; however right now it is an individual account. Family and friends are not on Club Express as active members. There is only one member per parcel, which paid the dues. Others can get courtesy emails but they don’t have access to the private side of the website. We are seeing if it can work to broaden access but we don’t want to pay more in fees.
Trish Peterson explained to the audience how to navigate to find meetings. Please email to Trish or Marty for help unless it is a question about the website’s functioning. A question is asked about links to Wawona news, road conditions and weather. Website emails of urgent nature are still being sent directly by Trish. www.WAPPOA.com is the site address.
Cheryl Kanaan reports that we are still working on proposed dates for Barn Dances and booking the band.
Burrell’s anniversary celebration is on June 24th.
June 3rd and October 7th are the next meetings.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:29.
April 15, 2023
Cheryl Kanaan, President, called the meeting to order at 9:10 A.M. welcoming all of those in attendance. She thanked The Pine Tree Market for providing the coffee. Cheryl introduced the WAPPOA Board members Marty Cerles-Vice President, Teresa Cosgrove-Treasurer, Katy Jacobson-Secretary, Trish Peterson-Accountant/Communications, Wayne Heringer, Joe Iacino, Carol Coyle, Ed Mee, Beki Simon,and Gene Spindler. Cheryl asked for a moment of silence in memory of WAPPOA members who have passed away: Pierce Loberge-previous WAPPOA President, Larry Cosgrove-previous WAPPOA Treasurer, Forest Robertson, Les Arnet, and June Sloan. Cheryl then introduced the Speakers which followed with their presentations.
Presentations
Teri Austin, Deputy Superintendent, Yosemite National Park
The Park has been dealing with snow issues for some time now and working on fixing snow damage especially addressing road repairs from snow. She estimates about $15 million in funding has been programmed between roads and structures for storm damage repair; and, high-country facilities have not been inspected yet. At the recent quarterly Yosemite Gateway Partners meeting there were great photos shown of snow conditions. Badger Pass had 20 feet snow drifts. As a result, there is going to be a delayed opening of Glacier Point Road and Tuolumne Meadows. The Valley will be super crowded into July because other areas are closed. Mariposa Grove has road damage and large equipment has fallen through the road. It is open to pedestrians and a lovely walk if you go. Wawona Hotel is open and their summer barbecues will resume. An interesting summer is predicted with trails and river crossings impacted by storms. Please carry tracking devices and do not cross high rivers or go past closed signs because there are real safety issues. Please be cognizant of these conditions.
A high chance of flooding is predicted in the Valley around Memorial Day so please plan to avoid the valley during the Memorial Day weekend. It is nice that the Park is generally so wet which makes it a good time to do pile burning. It is also an ideal time to do defensible space and brush clearing. Audience members asked about the opening of Glacier Point Road and Ms. Austin said there was not a date certain yet. It was asked if any flooding is expected in Wawona and she responded that there was not. She was asked about the schedule for resuming shuttle bus to Mariposa Grove. Shuttle service will not resume in 2023 until late May or more likely later because of road damage.
A meeting participant stated that their guests/visitors had been denied entry into the park and told by Gate staff that there is no privately owned property and they had to pay the fee. Ms. Austin responded that it seems like some more training is needed. It was noted that if you have visitors you have to sign a form to say they are visiting. In response to a query about plans being made for extra crowds she advised that Park will bump up hiring for entry staff and other staff for those kinds of reasons.
The conditions for the Park closing if the Valley were to flood were outlined. Wastewater treatment plant functionality is a primary consideration. If the Valley flooding impacted the Waste Water Treatment Plant, then Park will evacuate the Valley. Trish Peterson will forward all information on to the community as soon as it is received. It was asked if there is a plan to facilitate passing through south gate. YARTS was recommended for anyone staying in the Valley. There has been a north lot added to the Visitor Center right outside the welcome center. The Visitor Center in Valley is undergoing changes as the Park plans to transition the welcome center to visitor orientation and to transition the Visitor Center to a science learning center. This will be a great place for people to learn about things happening in the Park. A meeting participant asked if there is any consideration about shuttle buses to Valley. Response: It would definitely help but there is no funding capacity to start a local bus. YARTS does operate from Wawona to Valley several times a day. Last bus during the summer season hits the Grove at 8:30 P.M. She estimates that single lane road repair issues will be likely prioritized and estimates are July and September for work on these sections. Patience and kindness are the key message due to projected congestion, and potential for summer road rage.
Heidi Edgecomb, U.S. Park Ranger-Operations Supervisor Wawona District
The Mariposa Grove shuttles are not running due to significant undercutting of road. Park tried temporary repairs but was not able to pump the water around. The Park is not even taking emergency vehicles up there. The Wawona road has 3 areas of damage with temporary stop lights operating. Please be patient, as there have been multiple accidents already for those that attempted to go around. Glacier Point Road is not paved due to the active construction project so they cannot plow it. When it opens there will be delays and traffic pilots. No reservation system will be implemented this year so expect long lines and avoid 10:30 to 2:00 time period. Ms. Edgecomb shares that Park employees are frustrated with delays too; and, we are all in the same boat. Local ranger office is still suffering from job vacancies. Ranger staff is doing what they can but she advised attendees that they may not be able to help with some things. There is one seasonal and one permanent staff and Park is trying to bring people in from other parks. Please use 911 for emergencies and the regular number for other things. It takes days some times to respond to voice messages. The non-emergency line for dispatch is the best option. Last place to call should be a ranger’s cell phone. Go through dispatch and office line to leave messages--209 379-1992. Dispatch is the fastest way to a ranger--209 375-9520. There are voice-mail prompts for each staff member.
Wawona tends not to have any flooding issues. Culverts are neither the County’s nor NPS’s responsibility and those would likely be the cause of any problems. The Washburn fire scar has held up with no major issues from storms. Blocked culverts and mudslides are the main issues we are having. Pile burning is allowed, however, follow the County Burn number for burn days and burn protocols. Let rangers know when burning so they know it is not a fire starting. When clearing brush, you can talk to Parker Bevington and he will review and outline what you can and cannot remove. Clear brush 100 feet from your house. An attendee asked if there is a property that has not been cleared is it possible to have the Park contact a neighbor where there is a lot of downed timber. It was recommended to call your friends and neighbors to reach that owner. Mention Melinda Barret if you can reach them, then encourage them to use that program--209 966 1200. Snow clearance was focused on clearing fire hydrants and clearing roads. Cheryl thanked rangers for all of their help.
Park is assessing if there is a way to implement weight limits on roads. Mariposa Grove Road is in the worst condition and of the highest concern which will be heightened if we get another big storm and a significant rain. Chowchilla road is closed. Park will remove downed trees and clear it as soon as it can. It is projected to be open in June most likely. Wawona Meadow Loop is a mess and the Park does not know when it will be cleared and restored. Usually, it is pretty quick and clears in late May or early June because there is a small amount of flood damage. But this year has seen more significant flooding. Do not hike it now. All seasonals are coming in now. Stud horse trail between Wawona and the Grove is closed due to the Washburn Fire.
Kyle Pina Assistant Fire Captain-Wawona Yosemite National Park
Nancey Phillipe, Yosemite Fire Information
Captain Pina is currently the acting captain with Wawona Fire since Parker Bevington was promoted to Battalion Chief. He hopes to become the permanent Captain soon. He will be helping out as an unofficial advisor for Fire Wise. Engine 32 is fully staffed with 5 positions which is the same as last year, plus Parker Bevington who is still working out of the Wawona office. Staff is doing prescribed burning at Stud Horse so expect to see a lot of resources located in the area and smoke in the air for a bit. Pile burning for them is not on schedule. It is projected to happen in fall.
Nancy Phillipe updates the attendees that most of seasonal folks are returning for a 10-person hand crew. There is a contract helicopter; but, no engine out of Hodgson area. There will be 150 acres burn in Stud Horse next week. If you did not receive a notice, please send her an email. Trish Peterson, states that WAPPOA sent it out to everybody. An invitation to Earth Day celebration in Valley on April 22nd was extended. There will be 10 to 12 booths, special activities and walks. A junior ranger wildfire book has been produced to hand out to children. Nature Bridge is going to do a walk designed around the connection and relationship between art and nature. She has been in Yosemite over 20 years; and, her current responsibilities are making sure the Wawona community is kept up to date. The question is asked: do we know what caused the Washburn Fire. Response: Yosemite Park staff are waiting for the outcome of subpoenas, records and data from the labs.
Ms. Phillipe reviewed how medical emergencies are handled when 911 is called. She was a dispatcher. When 911 is called for an emergency medical response, the El Portal Dispatch office receives the call as the primary answering point. Once they understand the location of the emergency, they will dispatch the resources closest to you for response. If you call in you should never get a busy single on 911. The priority focus for El Portal dispatch is any emergency response and all staff receives that training. It is important to be patient and recognize that these are amazing professionals trained to be there to be there for your worst day. Whether cell phones call, text or landlines use 911 and they will come. 911 requests connect to Verizon’s tower if you do not have cell service. Fire has paramedics that roll with the trucks. Fire staff are EMTs and “Park Medic” is a Park hybrid emergency responder without the cardiac training. For ambulance, first Wawona responds and then there is a secondary response from Sierra Ambulance.
Jill Connors, Wawona Interpreter, Yosemite National Park
Jill Connors is the new Wawona Interpretive Supervisor and has been here for 5 days. Starting next week, the community will see more of her. She has 3 seasonals coming back in 9 days and 2 seasonals for which she is still waiting for an update. They are in a temporary office--last year it was a trailer and this year they will be housed at 8073 Chilnualna Falls Road—"so pop in”. Programming should be starting. Interpretive staff are hoping for an information tent to be open on weekends. She reiterates the need to pay attention to red lights on Wawona road as someone ran a red light and she almost got in a bad accident. An audience member asks about the Campfire program? Her plan is to have campfire programs at the Wawona campground in the old NPS style. She is hoping to work out other ideas with the Redwoods and Pine Tree Market. Barn dances will have to be the responsibility of the Wawona community including insurance and hosting, which was the decision of Ephraim Dickson, Branch Chief Museum and Media, Yosemite National Park. She was complimented by an attendee about the new Chinese Laundry exhibit.
Rosemarie Smallcombe, Supervisor District 1, Mariposa County Board of Supervisors
Supervisor Smallcombe describes that ambulance bay funding activities have been like the Groundhog Day movie. The County’s D.C. lobbyist has been meeting with Padilla and Feinstein to ensure that the County’s request for funding to build an ambulance bay near the Fire Station is approved. The community is encouraged to call Feinstein and Padilla urging them to please make sure this appropriation request makes it into the Appropriations Committee budget considerations the 3rd time. She advises the community to email, write or call our federal representatives to request that the federal budget request includes the funding when it goes to the Appropriations Committee. This is the 3rd time and she is hopeful that it will go through.
Fire Wise is an opportunity to reduce insurance premiums. It is a carrot to reduce fuels around homes. The CA Insurance Commissioner is very interested in communities becoming Fire Wise certified and aligning that with reduced premiums. The County developed a wildfire prevention plan which provides that each community has their own community specific plan for fire. The County has found that in asking for input from each community, it requires a high level of expertise. So, they have found that for communities like Wawona the County will leverage heavily off the NPS plans. She looks for Wawona property owners and residents to engage with community members including Gary Wuchner. She urges community members to talk to resources and learn from them. Yosemite West was the first in the County to achieve the Fire Wise status. The County will move forward to create the County-wide plan. For roads, the Director of Public Works has been working with the County Engineer to survey all roads in the County and has put together a priority list. 30 contracts will be going out to independent contractors to complete needed work. Embankment collapse or a “not passable” condition is the highest priority.
Supervisor Smallcombe identified that there is an MOU between the National Park Service and County which implements how the local and federal agencies jointly operate under equal, shared jurisdiction. The MOU is being renewed and updated and she provides the following status:
- With respect to operations at library, there is a new Librarian, Mat Johnson, and his approach encourages everyone to view the library as a hangout.
- Medical response modifications have been approved by parties.
- On fire protection specific provisions, the County Chief is waiting for input from the NPS.
- The overarching and fundamental MOU provisions requiring NPS to provide water and sewer utility services to Wawona (which the Yosemite National Park staff has recently proposed to change) will be dealt with at WTPAC. She indicates this is not resolved and wants a back-up. She has been completing research and talking to resources. Additionally, she talked to congressional representatives. County strategy at local level is to reach out to CA Integrated Water Management about making water available and CA Department of Water Resources (DWR) and State Water Resources Control Board. She has asked for expertise and assistance from Art Baggett, prior District 1 Supervisor, Mariposa County. He has a lot of expertise and connections and she is consulting with him as an advisor.
Supervisor Smallcombe discussed the assistance available to private property owners that experienced damage to structures as a result of storms. If you sustained damage and did not complete a survey, she encourages you to do that. A disaster recovery center will be in the area this weekend asking if you did sustain damage. If not through that program the next fallback is FEMA and FEMA is working to stand up two disaster resource centers. One in Greely hill and it may have mobile units in Wawona and Fish Camp areas. She outlined the concept of disaster resource centers. If you filled out a form and have not heard then contact the center and they will help you in any way they can: FEMA-1 800 621 3362 or www. Disaster assistance.gov. Key point of contact is the disaster number. If you contact FEMA, they know the ground rules and can help you faster. Small Business Administration (SBA) is also giving out loans and can loan up to $200,000 to renters and homeowners and up to $40,000 to replace personal property including automobiles.
Supervisor Smallcombe shares that with regard to trash pick-up, there is a new Deputy Director of Public Works that started last May. Solid Waste Program is a tangled mess and getting out of that fully will take a $4.0-8.0 million fix. However, there is only $1.8 in solid waste closure account. County has signed a contract for a consultant to look specifically at operations, financing and recommend options for the County more broadly. If there is a potential for increasing revenue that the County could pursue then the consultant will identify the costs and markets. Bottom line is the County intends to align timelines for bidding YNP, County Wawona, YNP concessionaire etc.... to see if the County receives more bids and can achieve economies of scale. County has been working with Recology off and on. The contract will go out in June; then, we have to follow a 218 process (meaning that the County is prohibited from imposing increases without a thorough review and vote by the people in the affected communities). She hopes to get good rates through bid process. After the County completes that it will come back out and say this is what we can offer in terms of rates. At WTPAC meeting the County learned some property owners were not paying rates for pick-up. County reached out to 16 property owners that were getting free pick-up in Wawona and they got some acknowledgement of people cheating. This is getting corrected but the focus is completing the Request for Proposal and 218 process. It is unlikely that the current revenue will cover the pine needle or bulky item pick up. So, community will need to look at other options. Cheryl Kanaan comments that Wawona property owners were hoping and willing to pay more to include pine needle pick-up. There is no revenue to cover it so County will not do it this year. Wawona owners will have to look at timing and other options. Normal pine needle and bulky items pickup is in time window where there is no funding. The Supervisor responded to questions about scofflaws that County has a new way to catch people and make sure everyone is paying.
The following questions were posed by attendees:
- Composting is not working why? Response: Mechanical machine not working
- How about an online payment option for trash, has County thought about a better way? Response: New technology applications and systems may be able to allow on-line payment--21st century
- Tracking and processing payments is a mess and needs improvement? Response: Moving into software-based systems for permitting of all sorts and that may help with this.
A Code Compliance Advisory Committee was established and given a charge by the Board of Supervisors to develop a process so that the County knows and public knows when someone builds without a permit. Now the process is to send letters and get no response or take someone to court. There seems to be a lot of controversy around this. Another topic of consideration recently is that the County has 55 organizations on the books and staff and County officials cannot keep on top of it. County has trouble populating them. County hopes to consolidate those and make them more efficient. There will be an item on the agenda next Tuesday at 2:00 P.M. if the community would like to make any comments about code compliance or lack thereof. They are looking for input.
In terms of the next WTPAC, she will reach out to Gary, Gene and Ed about next meeting. Gary Wuchner says with regard to code compliance, there needs to be a way for communities to check in with processes and about what is and is not working. Supervisor Smallcombe discussed that she came from San Mateo and the building department there was great to work with and more collaborative. Whereas Menlo Park was more difficult to deal with. But this is Mariposa and if you have an issue and for example elderly have issues then the County wants to work with you. So, staff has been sending letters in order to initiate a cooperative way of addressing issues. If a resident refuses, then the County needs a stick; and, it will charge you a fine if you don’t clean up junk or marijuana, or are building without a permit. Audience asks what about downed lumber on property? The Supervisor stated she has been thinking about a vegetation management ordinance involving clearance. At this time County does not have a way from a code standpoint to get downed fire fuels cleared. Potentially depending on how an ordinance is written County could do it and then send a bill to owner.
Returning to the trash pickup topic: the community may need to come together as a group and opt out of what County is doing and contract with an independent hauler. County cannot charge rentals different than residents because there is no legal basis for doing that.
For anyone interested in housing and homelessness there is an initiative launched recently by local governments looking to bring state policy into a better more coherent approach to building housing. Write a letter to CSAC to support whatever this group is doing to reduce homelessness.
Melinda Barrett, Resource Conservation Fuels Reduction-District 1
Thank you for help with getting forms back. There were additional CEQA exemptions necessary because our contractor is taking the downed wood to biomass and selling it. This revenue roles back into funding the program so they can continue their efforts. Please send CEQA forms back--the more the better. 150 people have; but, please continue to send those. In April they will finish clearing Forest Drive, the road behind the Hotel and 1/8 mile of Wawona road. In May through July, they will start on the private lots. Staff is trying to figure out pine needles pickup; but, cannot do that this year like last year. The contractor is not set up to do that. She met with expert from the UC system to consult about the program. The main cause of fire is embers going through vents and flammable materials 0 to 5 feet around the foundation of the structure. She would like to install ember screens on top of existing vents and do vegetation clearance in that zone. Fences that are attached and wood furniture up against a house pose fire risk. Once the program removes fuels you can take it to the wood pile. They are starting next week and sign ups continue for participation. Darren Mills from PGE and he said he is willing to work to reduce vegetation in our community and that is a great thing to have PGE support for the community. Home hardening: you will get an assessment with things to do; and, we prioritize getting screens done first.
Last, website testing, being funded by Governor’s Office of Planning and Research and Cal Poly, is in process to create a marketplace for biofuels. In most cases it is too expensive to truck fuels so the state is trying to create a market place to link owners with companies using biomass. This will be subsidized and run by a joint power’s authority and grant funds. The program will be online and users will provide estimates of biomass and be connected to a company that can use it. It is just a test and it is not really live or happening right now. There are 3 or 4 biomass companies participating. A question is asked if the homeowner needs to be present for home hardening. She responds that staff prefers the owner to be there but right-of-entry allows assessment if you are not going to be there. There is a separate form providing consent for taking vegetation and installing screens. Contractors are working Monday to Friday. The program does not have a large amount of funding and needs to secure more. Wawona is high risk according to hazard assessment. She would love to link with Fire Wise movement
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Jeremy Herber, General Manager Recology Mariposa
Mr. Herber was running Recology services in Crescent City. He specializes in rural communities which are a huge challenge. Not many people around in the region; so, the Company asked him to delay his planned retirement and move to this area to get things restructured. Business did not function well. They have a large state presence and have a large composting operation. He took over January 1st and the main concern is getting the office connected and adding phone response staff. There are a lot of driver staffing issues. For Wawona it has been hard and the Company just completed a new routing schedule for Wawona providing for Wednesday pickup of the organics container. The contract was developed a long time ago and is not well written. As the local staff make changes, if Wawona needs something he wants to help. He was in the military, is very structured and has run a business for 18 years. Now the focus is on how can we perform better for individual communities. One frequent issue is the road equipment and so access and roadway conditions weigh in—if a resident can’t get in then their drivers cannot get in. They had a driver not doing a good job and so new driver is now assigned. They are developing new route system. Recology is working with NPS on ensuring users are keeping containers closed and clipped--so fixing clips. He wants communication and wants to do it well. Recology provides services not listed in the contract-- recycling and organics. Containers need replacing and they ordered replacement parts and have new welders. They are entering a contract for repair and painting. He has 6 drivers for whole County. He is hoping to build up reputation again and he put out his cards with email information.
Yuli Gotsev, Marketing Manager, Redwoods
Mr. Gotsev wished everyone--no floods, no fires, all road fixes be completed. They are open 7 days a week and you can ask anyone for help. Audience thanked him for how Redwoods helped the community during storms. Everyone was on phone about clearing roads and use of equipment and County was able to get an agreement done with the Redwoods to use its equipment. They will get exchange students again this year.
Supervisor Smallcombe adds to the remarks by describing how the County differentiates private roads versus County roads. A road must be accepted by the County for it to be maintained by the County. Staff is trying to post mile marker book that identifies what is private or public and she will get that to Cheryl and Trish. State provides money from gas tax for roads based on what County has accepted. Private roads are responsibility of property owners. One idea is to set up a zone of benefit or road maintenance district. Let her know if the community wants to pursue this.
Breezy Jackson UC Field Station Director
Ms. Jackson runs the Field Station and projects. She predicts a super busy summer. They manage season interns, leadership program, adventure risk challenge for highschoolers and conduct research. Research going on involves Monkey Flower evolution, redwoods and pine. Native pollinator garden was installed. There is a new program for U.C Merced students called field curious—for those that have no research experience but want to learn. It provides weekend immersive experiences and takes people to introduce them to the basics of field work. The Field Station needs donations for warm footwear and boots, mostly they need men’s—and they need warm layers too. Next weekend is Earth Day including Shakespeare in Yosemite production of Romeo and Juliet.
She is asked about the webcam as it has not been available. The camera is not working and so she has been working with IT. They are trying to get it back up. An audience member asks: are we through with the bark beetles, pine borers. She responds that there is a lot of work on beetles attacking the sugar pines and there is a novel beetle attacking the redwoods. Colorado State is investigating and researchers are seeing some results that they can colonize in tree canopy. These are native beetles that co-exist with this kind of forest. She predicts we are going to see a lot of different emergent diseases in our forests. Supervisor Smallcombe adds that the Forest Service conducted an aerial survey and we have 900 thousand dead trees in mariposa. The County is talking about a task force for tree mortality. Up north in Nevada County, they counted 1.4 million new dead trees. No one knows what this record snow season means.
Stacy Boydstun, Teacher Wawona School
The students went to Channel Islands on field trip and it was amazing. One of the descendants of a ranching family did a presentation and they went to art museums. They are next going to Pinnacles Park. Kids made beautiful mosaics with a visiting artist. The school is trying to jump start the garden. A participant from the community states that the mosaics completed by students are amazing. School is still taking donations for garden project. Outdoor education grants come from the Yosemite conservancy. Kids wrote artist bios for themselves. The school will be open until 4 pm today.
Marty adds that WAPPOA is taking donations for gift for celebration of Burrell’s anniversary.
Brief Recess is called.
General Meeting
Call to Order: Cheryl Kanaan, President, called the General Meeting to order at 11:46 A.M.
There was brief memoriam for Wawona Community members recently passed away.
The October 8, 2022 General Meeting Minutes were approved.
Treasurers Report: Trish Peterson presented the Treasurers report as Teresa Stiegler could not attend. The report was on a board and is attached to the minutes. Dues have been received from 175 members which is in line with prior years. Club Express hosts the WAPPOA online presence and charges fees per active member. Current charges for that are about $90 to $100 per month. Mailing costs due to increases in postage run about $445.00 per mailing. WAPPOA is therefore trying to go in a more digital direction aiming for most communication to be just digital. We still have $15,000 for normal projects like Hooting Owl and picnic catering. Other donations include a camera for the Wawona school and Wildland Firefighters Foundation. The Wildland Firefighters Foundation takes care of firefighter’s families during times when a firefighter is injured or passed away. We used to budget $600 for Barn Dances but currently have budgeted $1,600 since the NPS will not be sponsoring them, and we will be asking for donations. The cost of the band alone is $600. WAPPOA is trying to put it together to continue the Barn Dances and we hoped Aramark might help. We are trying to help with Burrel’s anniversary party. There is still $6,000 for unidentified projects so budget is in great shape.
President’s Report: Cheryl Kanaan presented the WAPPOA strategic agenda priorities for the coming year:
- MOU between NPS and County-WAPPOA is lobbying against NPS proposal to extinguish Wawona property owner’s entitlement to receive water and sewer utility services (currently provided in the MOU).
- Short term rentals-County is assessing limitations on vacation rental permit program. WAPPOA will monitor, keep community informed and lobby as necessary.
- Lead efforts to secure Fire Wise designation (Kyle Pina and Gary Wuchner will help support).
- Golf Course restoration to playable condition-continue to communicate with the parties responsible for restoration of the Course (We are thinking about using a consultant to summarize the required improvements).
- Barn dances-efforts to continue them under our sponsorship.
Fire Wise Community-Adar Emken, Fire Wise Yosemite West
There is a flyer available to fill out and sign if you are interested in participating in securing a Fire Wise designation. Ms. Emken owns a lot in Yosemite West and acts as the Fire Wise coordinator for that area. Yosemite West was the first in the County to receive Fire Wise designation and she states it is community led and voluntary. The Community takes lead in outlining what you want to do and how. There are some benefits to becoming Fire Wise. It is comprised of 4 or more people or hotels etc.., elected officials and a resident leader is required to submit all the paperwork. It is good to have someone interested and vocal. To secure this designation you need to get a committee together and then define the neighborhood by drawing a boundary that includes everyone in the community (all the dwellings). Then you complete a risk assessment including roofs, defensible space, topography--all the salient facts. The committee paints a picture or description of the community. The local fire department should send a fire official to walk through and identify any hazards while you do your risk assessment, i.e., pine needles or clearance. There is a template and the risk assessment needs to be completed every 5 years. Once you identify risks and what you are going to do to address those particular risks (like downed trees) then you have to define solutions and steps. This identifies what you are going to do and how you are going to do it--how you are feasibly addressing the risks. Then you apply and will need a liaison to upload data every year. The community has to demonstrate a base level of fire prevention activities, one hour per structure or volunteer hour or someone pays to have something done on property. 100 hours of work annually is required so participants have to report their hours to you. One outreach or education event per year is required. It is tailored to the community so determine what is the priority in your community and it gives you a reason to do outreach. What she did:
- Walked all of Yosemite West
- Listed troubled lots then went after them for downed trees using a variety of methods to find a contact- 80% of lots applied for downed tree removal program
- Approached owners as Fire Wise coordinator--it helped communication.
- Next was home hardening, she provided contacts for people to call and a network to get stuff done.
- Collects the hours worked on fire safety. You don’t have to make it too hard you can match to available programs. But it does take effort to get people to report their hours. We used to do hard copy forms. NPS has not offered any support.
Insurance commissioner is making an effort with insurers to have fire insurance premiums reflect what communities have done. Cheryl says we are ready to apply and Marty Cerles, Gary Wuchner, Kyle Pina Yuli Gutsev, Cheryl Kanaan and Melinda Barrett will be involved. Signup if you want to participate.
Supervisor Smallcombe said FEMA might be out to talk to you about damage as a result of storms. They were in the meeting at that time so she advised attendees to talk to them about damages from storm.
WAPPOA Outreach: Club Express is being managed by Marty and Trish with a goal of getting into the 21st century. Website was done last year. The goal this year is to get everyone in as a member. As you pay dues you become a member. Those that paid should have account information. You have access for one year and when you pay again your membership is extended. Treasurer is going to start looking at payment methods. Once you are on the membership portal you will have access to the minutes and documents that are being uploaded-but this will take a while. At the end of year there should be more information and they will explore with Breezy Jackson about having the web camera link. They are working on how to make it a family account and still testing that; however right now it is an individual account. Family and friends are not on Club Express as active members. There is only one member per parcel, which paid the dues. Others can get courtesy emails but they don’t have access to the private side of the website. We are seeing if it can work to broaden access but we don’t want to pay more in fees.
Trish Peterson explained to the audience how to navigate to find meetings. Please email to Trish or Marty for help unless it is a question about the website’s functioning. A question is asked about links to Wawona news, road conditions and weather. Website emails of urgent nature are still being sent directly by Trish. www.WAPPOA.com is the site address.
Cheryl Kanaan reports that we are still working on proposed dates for Barn Dances and booking the band.
Burrell’s anniversary celebration is on June 24th.
June 3rd and October 7th are the next meetings.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:29.
Three of them not very "neighborly" (at the end of the video)
NPS photo of firefighters in the El Capitan Picnic Area igniting multiple burn piles.
Pile Burning in Wawona
Hello Yosemite Fire Interest Group,
Fire crews spent this week burning piles in Yosemite Valley around the El Captain Picnic Area as well as some piles along Southside Drive. Approximately 200 piles were complete and are in a patrol status now.
Beginning Monday, May 8, 2023 fire crews plan to start burning piles along Forest Drive in the community of Wawona. Weather conditions permitting, burning may resume again in the Studhorse unit as well; this is the area south of the Wawona Hotel. The previous firing operations that took place on April 19, 2023 burned approximately 90 acres of the 150 acre unit. Weather is one of the key factors in determining the right conditions for a safe and productive burning operation. Fire management will be monitoring conditions and more information will be shared next week.
Thank you for your continued support,
Yosemite Fire Information
yose_fire_info@nps.gov
go.nps.gov/yosefire
Facebook @YosemiteFire
Twitter @YosemiteFire
Instagram @YosemiteFire
Hello Yosemite Fire Interest Group,
Fire crews spent this week burning piles in Yosemite Valley around the El Captain Picnic Area as well as some piles along Southside Drive. Approximately 200 piles were complete and are in a patrol status now.
Beginning Monday, May 8, 2023 fire crews plan to start burning piles along Forest Drive in the community of Wawona. Weather conditions permitting, burning may resume again in the Studhorse unit as well; this is the area south of the Wawona Hotel. The previous firing operations that took place on April 19, 2023 burned approximately 90 acres of the 150 acre unit. Weather is one of the key factors in determining the right conditions for a safe and productive burning operation. Fire management will be monitoring conditions and more information will be shared next week.
Thank you for your continued support,
Yosemite Fire Information
yose_fire_info@nps.gov
go.nps.gov/yosefire
Facebook @YosemiteFire
Twitter @YosemiteFire
Instagram @YosemiteFire
Volunteers Needed to Help With Pine Needles
Mariposa County informed us in mid April that they will not be picking up any pine needle piles to take to the burn pile. The Redwoods will rake their lots but not pick the piles up. It's too late to get work done under the umbrella of the grant from Melinda Barrett, so we (the Community) have to get the pine needle piles to the Wawona burn pile sometime the week of June 5. This is important to get done before fire season.
So our plan is to ask for volunteers who have a truck or a trailer and some time the week of June 5. Please reply to this email if you can help. Peter Mark (from the Wawona Hotel) will help and he's volunteered Joe Edgecomb. After I get replies, I will send an email out to all of the volunteers and we'll figure out how to cover most of the lots in Wawona. We're thinking something along the lines of the Firewise Community plan of having neighborhood captains, who oversee their own neighborhood and people they know. I've just talked to Parker Bevington, and have the OK for everyone to take their piles to the Wawona woodlot.
Please help, if you can! Many many thanks!!!
From: Trish Peterson: wappoat1@gmail.com
Mariposa County informed us in mid April that they will not be picking up any pine needle piles to take to the burn pile. The Redwoods will rake their lots but not pick the piles up. It's too late to get work done under the umbrella of the grant from Melinda Barrett, so we (the Community) have to get the pine needle piles to the Wawona burn pile sometime the week of June 5. This is important to get done before fire season.
So our plan is to ask for volunteers who have a truck or a trailer and some time the week of June 5. Please reply to this email if you can help. Peter Mark (from the Wawona Hotel) will help and he's volunteered Joe Edgecomb. After I get replies, I will send an email out to all of the volunteers and we'll figure out how to cover most of the lots in Wawona. We're thinking something along the lines of the Firewise Community plan of having neighborhood captains, who oversee their own neighborhood and people they know. I've just talked to Parker Bevington, and have the OK for everyone to take their piles to the Wawona woodlot.
Please help, if you can! Many many thanks!!!
From: Trish Peterson: wappoat1@gmail.com
STATE ROUTE 41 PAVING AND REHABILITATION PROJECT
SCHEDULED TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK IN MADERA COUNTY
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), along with Cal Valley Construction, announces the scheduled project to pave and rehabilitate nearly three miles of State Route 41, between Avenue 15 and State Route 145, in Madera County.
The following will occur:
Caltrans reminds you to drive with extra care and allow additional time while travelling near construction zones. Please be alert for construction personnel and remember to “Slow for the Cone Zone.”
Larry Johnson
Public Information Officer
Caltrans – District 6
Office : (559) 444-2518
SCHEDULED TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK IN MADERA COUNTY
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), along with Cal Valley Construction, announces the scheduled project to pave and rehabilitate nearly three miles of State Route 41, between Avenue 15 and State Route 145, in Madera County.
The following will occur:
- The project, covering nearly 3 miles, is scheduled to last 225 working days.
- Crews will be paving both northbound and southbound lanes of State Route 41 between Avenue 15 and State Route 145.
- Crews will also be widening the shoulder of the highway in both directions.
- The project is scheduled to begin on Monday, May 8th.
- Both day and night work will be done during this project.
- All planned lane closures will take place during the over-night hours between the hours of 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- During lane closures one-way traffic control will be in place so commuters can expect short delays.
Caltrans reminds you to drive with extra care and allow additional time while travelling near construction zones. Please be alert for construction personnel and remember to “Slow for the Cone Zone.”
Larry Johnson
Public Information Officer
Caltrans – District 6
Office : (559) 444-2518
