Peaceful coexistence is the goal

The young black bear recently sighted in Idyllwild made his way here from Banning. He is believed to be a young male and is referred to as the “Rite Aid” bear since a picture of the bear was taken at the Rite Aid in Banning. He joins an existing and varied wildlife population with which Hill residents have learned to coexist.

Since black-bear populations primarily exist north of Interstate 10 in the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains, and have been rare south of the interstate since its construction, the bear likely crossed under the interstate in a river channel or other underground crossing accessible to wildlife, according to Kevin Brennan, wildlife biologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. He noted that once bears have made it south of Interstate 10, they seldom cross back to the north side.

Now that the bear is in the San Jacinto range, it is likely to remain, roaming an average 186-mile-wide territory in search of food. Black bears can move quickly and have been clocked at speeds of over 30 miles per hour. They are inquisitive foragers, with strong memories regarding food sources or caches. They have incredibly strong senses of smell and can detect food at great distances. And since sense of smell is so strong, food within fenced or cooped enclosures can be an attractive and accessible source. Also, small pets in fenced yards could be easy prey if left outdoors with no ability to re-enter the house.

The bears are intelligent and inventive with regard to accessing food. They are adept at climbing, both trees and fences, in order to get to food sources. The more familiar bears are with humans, the more dangerous an encounter with a black bear can become, according to Brennan. Bears begin to identify humans with food sources and are not easily deterred from those sources by intervening humans. Proper outdoor storage of garbage or other food waste is essential in deterring a bear’s investigation of a home or backyard.

As reported in our June 1 edition, Brennan noted that once a bear settles down, it remains within an area of 1 to 3 miles in width with longer excursions to search for food. Brennan estimated the Rite Aid bear is probably 2 to 3 years old and weighs over 200 pounds.

  “We don’t relocate the bears once they are in wildland areas,” said Brennan. “And we don’t destroy a bear unless it is an imminent threat to public safety, and those occasions are relatively rare.”

Brennan noted that bears can be relocated from urban habitats to the nearest wildland area, as was the female black bear sighted in Indio. She was relocated to the Santa Rosa range. Brennan said bears can also be relocated if sighted too close to major freeways where they could pose danger to motorists.

There are, of course, concerns that residents, not accustomed to area wildlife, might have about bears being in the area, after years of relatively few incursions. But the San Jacinto Mountains are also home to mountain lions, bobcats, foxes and coyotes, long-term wild residents that require understanding, awareness and caution from coexisting humans.

A U.S. Forest Service Alaska website gives a good account of bear behavior and proper human interaction:

“Bears are curious, intelligent and potentially dangerous animals, but undue fear of bears can endanger both bears and people. Respecting bears and learning proper behavior in their territory will help so that neither you nor the bear will suffer needlessly from an encounter.

“Avoid surprising bears at close distance. Look for signs of bears and make plenty of noise. Avoid crowding bears. Respect their personal space. Avoid attracting bears through improper handling of food or garbage.

“If a bear remains in your space, identify yourself as a human, make noise, outstretch your arms to seem larger and don’t run. Like dogs, bears will pursue a running animal.”

Brennan said he would consider holding a public meeting, probably at the Nature Center, to answer residents’ concerns about our recent black-bear incursions.

Institutional memory and long-term planning are director goals

The Idyllwild Water District Board of Directors held a workshop with Interim General Manager Jack Hoagland and Chief Financial Officer Hosny Shouman to help relatively new board members better familiarize themselves with district policies, infrastructure, issues and projects.

The workshop was properly noticed and was attended, in addition to press, by residents Sue Nash and Tom Paulek.

In an hour-and-a-half meeting, the board, at the request of Director Geoffrey Caine, sought to gain clarity on what is available and accessible about the district’s past policies, existing infrastructure conditions, plans for current and future projects, possible revision of existing table of organization, and specific goals over a 12-year period that could be prudently and effectively planned for, including completing more projects in house as opposed to contracting them out.

“My goal in requesting this meeting was to give us [the directors] the opportunity to talk with each other without a restrictive agenda that can prevent freer exchanges,” said Caine. “There are so many important and complex issues we are considering and we need to be better informed.”

The district itself is in the process of reinventing itself — few employees have been there longer than two years, the district is operating with an interim general manager on an 18-month contract of which he has already served five, and although institutional memory, in the form of records, exists, it is not easily accessible.

Caine sought clarity on how current stand-alone projects fit into a longer developmental scheme, what the roles are of management and the board, the strategy for finding a permanent GM, and the ongoing problem of having a new board that lacks sufficient information to competently vote on pressing matters at regular board meetings. “I don’t have time to think it through and I don’t have time to talk to my colleagues,” said Caine.

Director Peter Szabadi agreed. “We [the board] are still in an inherited stage,” he observed. “What I want to see is a more directed and particularized approach to the matters before us.” Director Steve Kunkle noted the critical need for education. “The board we have now needs to be educated regarding maintenance, projects and personnel,” he emphasized. “The more informed we are the better prepared we are to make decisions.”

Board President Chip Schelly, who moderated the meeting, noted that the board’s education is hampered by the district’s having so little available institutional memory. “Most staff has been here for less than two years,” he said.

Schelly then proposed a forward-looking schedule — one, two, four, six and 12 year markers within which to place stated goals. First on Schelly’s white sheet was a 12-year goal to be at capacity service, with 2,000 meters and 750 sewer connections, then working backward, schedule steps to effectively achieve those goals within specific periods.

Other goals included having all or a specific percentage of existing pipe inventoried and replaced if necessary and within what period in time; and what would the manpower requirement be within the next 12 years and what would be the most cost-efficient use of that manpower. Much more was discussed. The

above is offered as examples of what the board is working through.

In short, the board was seeking two things: better information on where the district is currently positioned with regard to resources, infrastructure, needed repairs and/or replacement, and personnel; and a well-thought-out set of goals and an achievable plan for attaining them in the near and longer-term future.

Szabadi noted the need for standard operating procedure manuals for all aspects of the district’s business. Hoagland observed, “We have the information but it is not organized. Knowing it’s in the files and knowing where it is in the files is the challenge.”

One of the suggestions put forward by Hoagland was to contract with a records manager to come in to organize the district’s records and available operations information.

The meeting was recorded and many of the questions from the board elicited informed and valuable information from Hoagland and Shouman. But more was discussed than can be reported in this article. All who attended, including residents Nash and Paulek, believe it was a very good start.

Even having studies conducted for eventual consolidation of the three boards was discussed. But as Hoagland pointed out, “You can have all the studies in the world but if you don’t have the parties who want to do it [consolidation], studies don’t matter. When we have our own house in order, the other districts may be more disposed to consider consolidation. If the parties want to deal, then all the other issues could be worked out.”

Directors requested a special meeting, which was tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, June 7, time to be determined, to talk further about issues they will be required to vote on at the next regular meeting on Wednesday, June 21.

The Idyllwild Town Crier received word last week that it had garnered three honorable mentions at the California News Publishers Association’s 2016 Better Newspaper Contest.

Awards went to Staff Reporter Marshall Smith for Writing for his story, “Drama in the descent,” a story about the crash of a small plane l. The judge’s comment was, “Solid writing, great detail, awesome reporting.”

Operations Manager Halie Wilson and Advertising Sales Representative Lisa Streeter received an award for Special Section for the Lemon Lily Festival Program. The judge’s comment was, “Jam packed with great event information and creative design touches.”

Former freelance photographer Chandra Lynn received an award for Sports Action Photo for a photograph of Idyllwild School’s Jenna Arnett running the hurdles during the Middle School Track Meet in May 2016. Judges do not always leave comments and did not in this instance.

Wednesday afternoon, May 24, Michael Austin, 46, of Idyllwild, came to the Town Crier office to talk about the incident a few weeks ago wherein he was observed with a BB gun not very far from Idyllwild School. Austin stated he wanted to explain how the incident occurred by way of reassuring people that there was never a danger to anyone because of the incident.

In the ensuing interview with the Town Crier, Austin quietly related that he actually had carried the BB gun around in Idyllwild for weeks before the day of the incident without any problem. He said he carried it with him because, presently being homeless, he didn’t have a safe place to leave it. He stressed he does not hunt with it and does not shoot at animals.

Austin thinks the incident may have erupted on this particular day because, while he was carrying the BB gun, he got into a loud argument with a friend at the storage unit facility near the corner of Highway 243 and South Circle Drive, a block or so northeast of Idyllwild School. He said the BB gun played no part in the argument, but someone may have seen him with it at the time and thought he was threatening. Austin stated that he did not go to the school and had no intention of going there.

As a result of a man-with-a-gun report, Idyllwild School went into lock-down, and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department responded with a patrol unit and a helicopter. Austin said it was a shame that a BB gun resulted in such expensive responses.

Austin said when the deputy sheriff on the scene approached him, he showed the deputy the BB gun and explained as above. The deputy did not arrest him, he said, but he did confiscate the BB gun, giving him a receipt for it and telling him he could pick it up at a later time at the Hemet Sheriff’s Station. Austin stated he had not done so by the time of our interview.

Austin related he has lived in Idyllwild for many years and wants to reassure everyone that he poses no threat to our community.