Votes at a glance: Inyo County Board approves appointments, MOUs and contracts on Jan. 21

At its Jan. 21 meeting the Inyo County Board of Supervisors voted on several administrative and policy items. The board advanced appointments, intergovernmental funding and labor agreements; most items passed with the board vote recorded on the record as "Aye" with no recorded opposition.

Summary of formal actions:

1) Lone Pine Fire Protection District appointments - Motion: Appoint Clark Trowell and Valerie Diggs to the Lone Pine Fire Protection District Board of Directors to restore a quorum so the district can complete its remaining appointments. - Mover: Supervisor (made on the record by a board member during the appointment item). - Outcome: Approved by roll call on the record; motion carried. (Public comment: none reported.)

2) District 5 transient occupancy tax (TOT) funding: Southern Inyo Fire Protection District - Motion: Approve the memorandum of understanding authorizing a $100,000 payment from District 5 TOT improvement funds to the Southern Inyo Fire Protection District for capital and facility needs as previously directed by the late Supervisor Kingsley. - Mover: Supervisor (motion made on the record by a board member representing the district’s interest). - Outcome: Approved; the board recorded the motion and the vote as "Aye; Motion carried." The MOU will be executed and the payment authorized. - Notes: The remainder of the District 5 TOT allocation (for Death Valley Community Center purposes) will return as a separate MOU for future board consideration.

3) Memorandum of Understanding with Inyo County Correctional Officers Association (ICCOA) - Motion: Approve the labor agreement (MOU) with ICCOA covering Nov. 1, 2024–Oct. 31, 2027, including salary adjustments from the Evergreen classification and compensation study (retroactive to the first full pay period in November 2024), increased deductible reimbursement, wellness bonus, addition of Labor Code 4850‑type benefit (48 50 in meeting language) for on‑the‑job injuries, and uniform allowance adjustments. - Mover: County staff recommended approval; board moved and approved on the record. - Outcome: Approved; "Aye" recorded, motion carried. - Notes: The MOU aligns corrections unit pay and benefits with other bargaining units and adds the 48 50 benefit for eligible first‑responders; staff noted one‑time and ongoing budget impacts that will be handled through the regular budget process.

4) Regional housing needs assessment—cost‑share agreement and consultant contract - Motion: Approve the four‑jurisdiction cost‑sharing agreement and contract with BAE Urban Economics to deliver a regional housing needs assessment and market analysis. - Mover: County staff presented; board approved on the record. - Outcome: Approved; motion carried. - Notes: Inyo will contract for the study and invoice partner jurisdictions. Estimated Inyo share approximately $56,000; full contract roughly $222,000.

5) Consent agenda (Items 10–17) - Motion: Approve items 10–17 on a single motion unless any item was pulled. No items were pulled. - Outcome: Approved; board vote recorded as "Aye; Motion carried." Details of each consent item are in the official agenda packet.

Meeting procedure notes: The board’s roll‑call voting comments were succinct; several motions were made and approved with no recorded dissent. When vote counts were not enumerated on the record, the minutes recorded unanimous approval language ("Aye; Motion carried").

Ending: Staff will carry out the administrative steps required to implement the approved MOUs, execute the Lone Pine appointments to restore the fire district quorum, and finalize contracts. The board asked staff to return forthcoming documents (for the Death Valley community center TOT allocation and other follow‑up items) as separate agenda items.