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County, city and recreation groups seek long‑term funding to keep Everett Memorial Highway and Castle Lake open
Summary
Siskiyou County officials warned ongoing plowing of Everett Memorial Highway and Castle Lake is costly and resource‑intensive; county staff asked the city and local partners to consider funding, joint procurement or other long‑term arrangements to ensure timely seasonal openings for tourism.
Siskiyou County public‑works officials told the Mount Shasta City Council Jan. 13 that plowing Everett Memorial Highway and Castle Lake has become a recurring fiscal and operational strain and that the county needs partner funding or operational help to maintain reliable seasonal access.
District 2 Supervisor Ed Valenzuela and County Public Works Director Tom Deeney said the county spends roughly $200,000 a season on the two routes and that plowing them is low priority compared with residential and commercial streets. “We spend in excess of $200,000 on average to plow both roads,” Valenzuela said, and Deeney added that the routes are often the last the county can service during major storms because residential safety is prioritized.
Deeney described operational constraints: extreme drifts, rock slides buried by snow, breakdowns of snow‑removal equipment and long staff hours. He said the county recently purchased a new plow, but that snow‑removal work “is the hardest thing you can do with any public road or public works equipment” and that equipment and staffing are stretched.
Councilmembers and business representatives said timely openings are important for Mount Shasta’s tourism economy, especially holiday weekends and ski‑season peaks. Several councilmembers pressed county staff for concrete cost estimates for partial city contributions; Deeney said county finance staff are preparing scenarios and he expected to report back with numbers. Supervisor Valenzuela encouraged creative options, including a joint powers agreement, a city contribution to hire extra seasonal operators, pooled equipment purchase or a public‑private funding approach.
Representatives of local recreation and business groups told the council they would join a stakeholder meeting to explore funding and operational options. Renee Kasterlein of the Siskiyou Outdoor Recreation Alliance said SORA is “really invested” in helping find long‑term solutions. Community members at public comment suggested ideas including a nonprofit to chase grants, modest user fees or volunteer support; several urged shared responsibility rather than pointing fingers at a single jurisdiction.
County officials said they will convene a stakeholders meeting (tentatively Feb. 12) that will include the county, city, forest service, business representatives and recreation groups to vet funding scenarios and equipment options. Deeney said the county will provide a projected cost schedule for various intervention levels so partners can evaluate the fiscal tradeoffs.
Councilmembers emphasized the economic stake for Mount Shasta and asked for clear budget scenarios before pledging city funds. No formal council commitment to new funding was made at the meeting; the council asked staff to participate in the Feb. 12 stakeholder meeting and to evaluate options for a potential city contribution.
