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Wildfire danger, sewer fines from the state, highway projects, growth challenges and a tough economic road are among the issues that will confront the Nevada County Board of Supervisors in the near future.
Alan Kilborn and Ed Scofield are running for the District 2 seat representing the southern part of the county, being left by Sue Horne.
Scofield, manager of the county fair for the past 25 years, grew up in Nevada County and has served on both the Grass Valley City Council and Nevada County Chamber of Commerce. He sees the economy, growth initiatives on the Grass Valley ballot and stalled housing projects such as Dark Horse and Saddle Ridge as the biggest issues facing the district.
Kilborn, a veteran and businessman who grew a multi-million dollar utility company from his garage, has lived in the county for 20 years and said he will watch carefully how the county conducts its business.
Kilborn considers fire danger the most important issue facing the county, especially for residents living in forested neighborhoods such as Alta Sierra.
“We lose homes and lives every year. We really need to get behind firefighters and a fire protection plan and get some meat into it,” Kilborn said.
Scofield commended the current board for finally adopting a county fire plan, though it has been criticized by the county’s grand jury for lacking “teeth,” because it makes compliance with state requirements for defensible space around homes a voluntary matter.
“Yes, it is watered down, but I don’t know that I would do it any differently,” Scofield said.
Other priorities for Kilborn include widening the two lanes of Highway 49 to make it a safer corridor and attract new business; addressing sewer and septic woes for homeowners; and meeting ever-tighter state requirements for wastewater treatment plants — and the hefty fines that come with the county’s failure to comply.
Cutting the budget
With national and state economies reeling from a mortgage and banking crisis, a continuing state deficit, an edgy population hit hard by layoffs, high food and fuel costs, rural counties such as Nevada County are bracing for the worst next year.
Property tax grabs from the state and less income to pay for established programs are likely if the economic situation doesn’t improve.
“It’s going to filter down and affect the county budget. I think it’s going to hit on every level,” said Scofield, who considers economy and growth the top two issues facing supervisors.
“The national economy will pretty much affect us all. We have a lot of retired people. Their portfolios are being hit right now,” Kilborn said.
At a forum Sept. 30, Scofield praised the current county staff and said department heads could be relied on to trim the budget rather than the board of supervisors.
“I think we have fine people. They know best. I think you have to rely on that,” Scofield said.
Kilborn said he would get out from behind the desk and go on ride-alongs with county workers.
“You can’t manage from sitting in the Eiffel tower,” Kilborn said.
Shopping locally
Many people living in southern Nevada County work and shop in Auburn, Roseville and Sacramento. The two men were asked how they would encourage district residents to spend their dollars up the hill rather than drive to big box stores.
“With gas prices the way they are, it shouldn’t be too hard to shop locally,” said Kilborn. He would not encourage such businesses to come into the county, he added. “It would bring tremendous revenue, but would degrade our county.”
Instead, Kilborn said he would like to see job growth coming from companies such as Thomson Grass Valley in a way that blends in with the trees and “fits into the community.”
Any new businesses should build needed traffic infrastructure to support it, Kilborn added.
“It’s going to be difficult to compete with those big stores down there,” Scofield said, admitting he shopped down the hill himself.
By providing more basic services, such as a Belair market planned for the region, local dollars would be kept home and air quality would improve from fewer cars funneling into the valley, Scofield said.
Plans for development
Growth should center in and around developments already on paper such as Dark Horse, Saddle Ridge, Loma Rica Ranch and around the towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City, Scofield said.
Agricultural areas west of Highway 49 should be watched carefully to preserve farmland, Scofield added.
Kilborn agreed.
“I think we should stay away from developing any farmlands,” said Kilborn said, who watched farmlands in his birthplace of Imperial Valley paved over and turned into subdivisions.
Wineries and other farm-based businesses within the district could be tapped to attract tourist dollars and support the local economy, Scofield said. Area chambers of commerce are working on a collaborative Web site that will focus on all of the county as a destination place for tourists.
To contact Staff Writer Laura Brown, e-mail lbrown@theunion.com or call 477-4231.
Alan Kilborn and Ed Scofield are running for the District 2 seat representing the southern part of the county, being left by Sue Horne.
Scofield, manager of the county fair for the past 25 years, grew up in Nevada County and has served on both the Grass Valley City Council and Nevada County Chamber of Commerce. He sees the economy, growth initiatives on the Grass Valley ballot and stalled housing projects such as Dark Horse and Saddle Ridge as the biggest issues facing the district.
Kilborn, a veteran and businessman who grew a multi-million dollar utility company from his garage, has lived in the county for 20 years and said he will watch carefully how the county conducts its business.
Kilborn considers fire danger the most important issue facing the county, especially for residents living in forested neighborhoods such as Alta Sierra.
“We lose homes and lives every year. We really need to get behind firefighters and a fire protection plan and get some meat into it,” Kilborn said.
Scofield commended the current board for finally adopting a county fire plan, though it has been criticized by the county’s grand jury for lacking “teeth,” because it makes compliance with state requirements for defensible space around homes a voluntary matter.
“Yes, it is watered down, but I don’t know that I would do it any differently,” Scofield said.
Other priorities for Kilborn include widening the two lanes of Highway 49 to make it a safer corridor and attract new business; addressing sewer and septic woes for homeowners; and meeting ever-tighter state requirements for wastewater treatment plants — and the hefty fines that come with the county’s failure to comply.
Cutting the budget
With national and state economies reeling from a mortgage and banking crisis, a continuing state deficit, an edgy population hit hard by layoffs, high food and fuel costs, rural counties such as Nevada County are bracing for the worst next year.
Property tax grabs from the state and less income to pay for established programs are likely if the economic situation doesn’t improve.
“It’s going to filter down and affect the county budget. I think it’s going to hit on every level,” said Scofield, who considers economy and growth the top two issues facing supervisors.
“The national economy will pretty much affect us all. We have a lot of retired people. Their portfolios are being hit right now,” Kilborn said.
At a forum Sept. 30, Scofield praised the current county staff and said department heads could be relied on to trim the budget rather than the board of supervisors.
“I think we have fine people. They know best. I think you have to rely on that,” Scofield said.
Kilborn said he would get out from behind the desk and go on ride-alongs with county workers.
“You can’t manage from sitting in the Eiffel tower,” Kilborn said.
Shopping locally
Many people living in southern Nevada County work and shop in Auburn, Roseville and Sacramento. The two men were asked how they would encourage district residents to spend their dollars up the hill rather than drive to big box stores.
“With gas prices the way they are, it shouldn’t be too hard to shop locally,” said Kilborn. He would not encourage such businesses to come into the county, he added. “It would bring tremendous revenue, but would degrade our county.”
Instead, Kilborn said he would like to see job growth coming from companies such as Thomson Grass Valley in a way that blends in with the trees and “fits into the community.”
Any new businesses should build needed traffic infrastructure to support it, Kilborn added.
“It’s going to be difficult to compete with those big stores down there,” Scofield said, admitting he shopped down the hill himself.
By providing more basic services, such as a Belair market planned for the region, local dollars would be kept home and air quality would improve from fewer cars funneling into the valley, Scofield said.
Plans for development
Growth should center in and around developments already on paper such as Dark Horse, Saddle Ridge, Loma Rica Ranch and around the towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City, Scofield said.
Agricultural areas west of Highway 49 should be watched carefully to preserve farmland, Scofield added.
Kilborn agreed.
“I think we should stay away from developing any farmlands,” said Kilborn said, who watched farmlands in his birthplace of Imperial Valley paved over and turned into subdivisions.
Wineries and other farm-based businesses within the district could be tapped to attract tourist dollars and support the local economy, Scofield said. Area chambers of commerce are working on a collaborative Web site that will focus on all of the county as a destination place for tourists.
To contact Staff Writer Laura Brown, e-mail lbrown@theunion.com or call 477-4231.
