The Inyo County Board of Supervisors introduced several new employees at their latest meeting, extending a welcome to Isaiah Lopez, an appraiser for the Assessor’s Office; Stacey Simon, attorney for County Counsel’s Office; Joshua Vega, program supervisor with Health and Human Services; Sheriff Deputy-Trainee Jorge Fierro Vazquez; and James Mills, research specialist for the Water Department.
Public Works Director Mike Errante briefed the Board on various county projects, noting the HVAC replacement at the Inyo County Courthouse is nearly complete. He announced the completion of the Whitney Portal Road emergency culvert repair, with the road now fully accessible. Additional roads such as Onion Valley, South Lake, and Rock Creek are open for the season. Horseshoe Meadows Road is expected to open by the week’s end, while North Lake Road and White Mountain Road will remain closed due to snow. The Walker Creek Bridge Road project is set for completion in June.
In light of recent hantavirus-related deaths in Mono County, Environmental Health Director Jerry Oser emphasized awareness and prevention efforts against the disease, which has had 100 recorded cases since the 1980s, with 34 being fatal. He said, “It’s also preventable.” Oser pointed to home and work as common infection sites and urged those dealing with rodents to contact Environmental Health for consultation at (760) 878-0238 or visit the California Department of Public Health website for specific prevention tips.
The Board also made several appointments, including Lynne Bunn as an alternate for the Southern Inyo Airport Advisory Committee, with a term lasting until June 1, 2027. Billy Eichenbaum was appointed to the Emergency Medical Care Committee for the Southern Inyo Fire Protection District, while Jacinda Thomsen and Chief Carl Bursell were reappointed to represent the Northern Inyo Healthcare District and Lone Pine Volunteer Fire Department, respectively, until December 31, 2026. Ally Few will complete a term on the Tecopa Cemetery Board of Trustees ending February 22, 2026.
A special board meeting will take place next Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the Tecopa Community Center, where the Southern Inyo Fire Protection District will provide updates.
