Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wildlife Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sierra County approves wildlife services contract, forms ad hoc committee as wolf depredations rise
Summary
The Board authorized an agreement to reinstate county participation in USDA APHIS wildlife services and created an ad hoc committee after officials reported about 60 livestock kills this spring and summer.
The Sierra County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize county participation in a contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services, and directed staff to form an ad hoc committee to coordinate the county response to rising wolf depredations.
The action — introduced at the Aug. 11 meeting — reinstates the county’s wildlife damage management activities that had been paused after a prior lawsuit, and directs the agriculture commissioner to serve as the county’s authorized representative under the contract.
Board members said the move was driven by mounting reports of livestock losses. “We’re at approximately 60 kills in the valley since spring,” Supervisor Rowan said during the discussion, adding that he personally witnessed a calf taken by wolves on Newman’s Point. Rowan requested formation of an ad hoc committee made up of supervisors from the most-affected districts to work with ag services and state and federal partners.
Supervisor Dryden and others said the county would pay a share of the service cost; the board discussed a 20% county contribution and the expectation that state and federal partners would supply the remainder. County staff said the county’s share would be covered from an existing line in the proposed fiscal-year budget, and that a follow-up memo would spell out the funding source.
County counsel and staff emphasized legal and procurement details. Public works staff and the county counsel warned volunteer work on mitigation projects could trigger prevailing-wage rules if the county contracts for private work, and suggested liability waivers or a board resolution would be needed to enroll volunteers under the county’s workers’ compensation umbrella.
The board approved the resolution by roll call and appointed Supervisors Rowan and Dryden to the new ad hoc committee; the motion passed on a majority vote. Board members also reported an informational meeting planned at Sierra City School for the evening where supervisors and staff expected to gather further community input.
The board’s action reinstates a direct county role in coordinated wildlife response by contracting with APHIS Wildlife Services and creates a mechanism for elected officials and staff to coordinate field response, funding and community outreach as depredations continue.
