County says Saxon's boat ramp stalemate with tribe, state delays fix; county highlights liability
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Summary
Supervisors said the Saxon's boat ramp is owned by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and that community access and safety concerns remain unresolved after tribal objections stalled a previously approved grant. The board called for renewed coordination with state agencies to resolve access and liability issues.
Supervisor Darren Howard raised a long‑running dispute over Saxon's Boat Ramp, saying repairs and access improvements have stalled because of competing claims and a request from a tribal entity that prompted withdrawal of a previously approved grant.
"That Saxons Boat Ramp is owned by the state of California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the county has been nice enough over the last almost 50 years maintaining that boat ramp," Howard said. He said a grant that had been written and approved was pulled back after the Tallahawadene (spelled in the record several ways) nation objected and sought potential ownership.
Howard said the ramp is heavily used, that elderly residents use it for boat launching and that the current condition poses a liability. He urged renewed coordination with state agencies to get access and repairs completed.
Board members noted the ramp is state owned, which limits the county’s ability to act unilaterally; the board asked staff to continue discussions with state and tribal partners. No formal action or funding allocation for repairs was taken at the meeting.
