|
|
|
|
Inyo County Board of Supervisors Meeting, March 23rd, 2004Our Presentation on Hummingbird FRC Operation of the Tecopa Hot Springs Park and CampgroundCOUNTY
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING ALTERNATIVES Reduces
or eliminates county operation deficit. Yes.
We have provided an analysis of county figures with sound recommendations for
any Park operator. We are offering to contribute 2% of gross revenue to the
county each year. Provide
a professional and financially stable operator. Yes.
See our professional qualifications, budget and development plan. We maintain
staff programs, advanced accounting and project oversight techniques. However,
as this is the end of the camping season and Parks is evicting all long-term
campers next week, there is no viable income source until next October, or legal
option for existing experienced campers to stay on as hosts. It seems unlikely
that the county or anyone else could operate the park under existing
circumstances, and as the hiring freeze continues, the county could not reopen
with seasonal employees in the fall. Ability
to reduce/resolve liability concerns. Yes.
We offer solutions to current concerns, and prevent future ones that the county
may not have thought of. Our insurance covers campgrounds, volunteers and
workman’s compensation, but given the loss of long-term campers and lack of
timeline on essential repairs, we can’t calculate reasonable estimates without
more information. Provide
immediate facility improvements. Yes.
We will immediately improve the appearance of most park infrastructure, using
visuals in keeping with our theme of local history. However, we believe that the
county should fulfill its overdue commitment to make essential repairs with Prop
40 funding. Millions have been spent on other parks in recent years. However,
with proper planning, we can contribute thousands of dollars in manual labor in
November, and additional help and ongoing maintenance throughout the year. Maintain
a county presence in the area. Yes.
We already have a daily working relationship with existing staff. In
addition, our proposal supports the role of local government.
We
ask the county government to work with us for six months to a year to affect a
smooth transition. HOT SPRINGS CENTRAL THROUGHOUT TECOPA HISTORY
1775-
First recorded white visitor for a stopover was Father Garces. 1830-
New Mexican horse traders opened up the Old Spanish Trail, formerly a major
Native trade route. They stopped at Yaga for water, home to 70 people at the
time. 1845-
General John C. Fremont recorded an April stop at nearby Resting Springs. 1851-52-
California Natives signed 18 treaties with the federal government. They were
never ratified but placed under a Congressional order of secrecy until 1905, the
year Chief Tecopa died. It is unknown whether the Tecopa Treaty was one.
However, oral tradition has kept the ‘traditional use’ agreement firmly
alive for 100-150 years. 1860’s
on- Gold, silver, lead and later talc, gypsum, iron and more brought a
population that has fluctuated from the thousands to the hundreds and in
between. 1872-
By then, the mining camp had been named Tecopa by J.B. Osbourne for the Paiute
Pakwinavi, or Spokesman, for the entire region, an extraordinary man who helped
keep the peace during the dangerous years of intense immigration by miners which
led to wholesale slaughter elsewhere in California and Nevada. One story states
that his famous top hat was given in lieu of the $200 he asked for the use of
his name. 1881-
A surveyor establishing Inyo County surprised everyone by finding Tecopa to be
inside the line by a matter of feet, and it was reassigned from San Bernardino. 1907-
the Tonapah and Tidewater (T&T) Railroad finally made it through the
Amargosa Canyon, and somehow attained the rights to the springs for water
supply. Late
1920’s- For $10, Jim Francis, owner of the Snake Room Bar, and Harry Rosenberg
obtained the right from J.B. Johnson, T&T President, to build the first
public bathhouse for community use at the hot springs. 1930-
President Herbert Hoover signed an Executive Order on June 4th,
withdrawing Tecopa Hot Springs from private use for all time to protect access
to the hot spring. 1961-
Inyo County signed a 20 year lease with the BLM, renewed in 1981, “for a
campground, community center, and public bath houses and related facilities”. 1974- Hurlbut-Rook Community Center was built, with much labor and materials donated by local people. Earl Hurlbut was the first County Director of Tecopa Hot Springs, and County Supervisor from 1928 to 1952. Carl Rook was a long-time Road Department supervisor.
Campground cost and income provided by Inyo Parks Dept. Figures for actual operation of Community Center, requested by us for 5 years, (including Freedom of Information Act requests) were finally included in Inyo County recommendation to the Board received on March 6th. We have deducted these amounts to isolate actual campground expense. We also removed solid waste cost, as Inyo has a sales tax for that purpose, and charging a fee would be double-billing. True Park 'deficit' was about $21,624 last year. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The
Native village surrounding the hot springs was Yaga, the largest of 20-25
villages from the Panamint to the Kingston Ranges. In the Coso mountains, petroglyphs
show a bent man with a stick entering the healing springs and then emerging
erect, his stick abandoned.