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Mono County public asks for debris-removal plan as state aid for Pacfire remains uncertain
Summary
Property owners and supervisors pressed the county Thursday for a clear timeline and contingency plan for Phase 2 debris removal after the Pacfire, as Cal OES/CDAA approval remains uncertain; county staff will present options, including a county-run program, at the Feb. 3 board meeting.
Residents who lost homes in the recent Pacfire pressed Mono County on Jan. 20 for a clearer debris-removal timeline and contingency plans if state funding does not materialize.
"If the state does not approve or release funding, what is the county's plan?" asked Andrea during the public-comment period, requesting regular communication on funding requests, decision points and contingency options so homeowners can start work as spring approaches.
Tom Beveridge, a property owner who said his house on Gregory Lane was destroyed, described seeking modular replacement housing and structural engineering and urged expedited county assistance to allow rebuilding to begin.
Assistant CEO Christine Bouchard told the board the county has been working with Cal OES but that, as of her latest conversations, state approval for CDAA (California Disaster Assistance Act) funding "was not likely." She said CDAA approval is discretionary and that the state evaluates factors such as number of destroyed structures, estimated debris-removal cost, environmental risk and whether state involvement is cost effective. The state also considers whether cleanup could reasonably be managed privately by owners.
Bouchard said the county will bring a Feb. 3 item that would ask supervisors whether to support and fund a county‑run debris-removal program. That proposal, she said, would include contracting arrangements requiring property owners who participate to sign over insurance proceeds so the county can apply funds to uncovered removal costs. Bouchard also said staff will send a notice to property owners and begin weekly public updates as information becomes available.
Supervisors and staff discussed the difficulty of meeting state threshold criteria designed for larger, urban disasters and indicated they are pursuing legislative and advocacy routes (included in the county's proposed legislative platform edits) to press for rural‑sensitive disaster recovery rules.
The board did not take immediate action on a county-funded debris program at the Jan. 20 meeting; staff said a clearly scoped item with cost estimates and legal analysis will be presented Feb. 3 so supervisors can weigh whether to proceed.
What happens next: staff will present a staff report and formal options at the Feb. 3 board meeting; property owners will receive a county notice with updates once it is finalized.
