Lobos send Pirates packing

Basketball team back on track in a resounding win against Alameda

BY COREY NEUMEIER CONIFER HIGH SCHOOL

Conifer’s boys basketball team pulled o a 63-28 win against the Alameda Pirates on Jan. 27, its second consecutive win, which brought the team to 5-9 on the season.

Standout performances included 16 points by Mason Pratt on 71% shooting from inside and 11 blocks from center Noah Bishop.

“I feel great,” Bishop said. “I’m proud of the team e ort. I think that our defensive game today was just outstanding.”

Defense has been a problem for the Lobos. Getting into transition and slowing teams on fast breaks had been a major concern a few games ago.

“ at part of our game was good tonight,” head coach John Ra said.

“We recovered on defense much better than we had been and matched up a lot quicker. All the way around, it was very good. We held (Alameda) to 28, which is a little below their average.” e defense was much improved, holding Alameda’s top scorer, Eddie Dwazo, to a slightly below-average 9-point performance. Turnovers still perpetually haunt the Lobos, averaging 24.8 a game, a stat that may haunt them in the Jan. 27 game against Standley Lake.

“I’m nervous,” Bishop said. “ ey are 2 and 10, but they’re good. ey’ve been playing 5A schools. ey’re going to be a good team.” e pieces are tting together better every game. e Lobos are averaging ve more points per game than the rst ve games of the season on signi cantly better e ciency. e team is slowly but surely rolling out kinks on both sides of the ball, seeing turnovers drop signi cantly and defensive rebounds sharply increasing.

“It’s an improvement game,” Pratt said. “We’ll be ready to go.” favored the three re departments consolidating, and when the survey provided additional information on what consolidation would mean, those percentages increased slightly.

Favoring moving forward

Inter-Canyon board member Natalie Arnett said at the Jan. 11 board meeting that she was happy with Inter-Canyon’s survey results.

“We have such strong support from the community that I have a bit of a strike-while-the-iron-is-hot attitude,” Arnett said. “I fully support working on a communication plan.”

Inter-Canyon Fire Chief Skip Shirlaw added that the survey showed that residents trusted the department, so it appeared it was “headed in the right direction.”

Inter-Canyon board President Mike Swenson called the communication plan a massive project.

“I’m a strong supporter,” he said. “We need a professional organization that has the ability to deliver the content and guidance we need.”

At the Elk Creek Fire board meeting on Jan. 12, board President Greg Pixley said the departments were at an exciting point in the consolidation decision-making process.

“ is is the beginning of the beginning,” Pixley said. “We are working toward the possibility of what consolidation may or may not look like. … e community is interested in our e orts to pursue consolidation.”

Elk Creek board member Sharon Woods said she was encouraged by the survey results, especially how much support the department has from a wide swath of people — male, female, di erent ages and di erent political groups.

North Fork Fire Chief Curt Rogers said the North Fork Fire board at its Jan. 18 meeting was in favor of moving forward with a communication/education program because it bene ted all three re departments, noting that the plan had to be done, so the departments know whether to ask voters about consolidation.

Reasons to not hire the consultant

Inter-Canyon board member White wondered whether the departments were spending money on something they didn’t need because of overwhelming support.

“If we were at 50% (in favor of consolidation), then it would be

North Fork 240 square miles with 80% on federal land

3 fire stations

Population: 1,700

2 paid sta ; 30 volunteer firefighters

Elk Creek 98 square miles

4 fire stations

Population: 17,000 21 paid full-time responders, 2 part-time; 36 volunteer firefighters

Inter-Canyon 52 square miles

5 fire stations

Population: 5,250

3 paid responders; 24 volunteer firefighters clear that a large amount of education needs to be done, and we need to spend the money,” White said.

“With 80% (in favor), do we need to spend taxpayer dollars when they are seemingly in favor of consolidation?”

She suggested the re departments could conduct informational meetings to spread the word.

In addition, White said the three boards haven’t reviewed a budget or consolidation project plan.

“Is 16 mills enough?” White asked about the proposed property tax that the survey suggested would be needed to pay for consolidation.

“We need to have the proper time to view the nancials. Before we spend any money on Turn Corps, I’d like to see more conversation about consolidation and make sure our ducks are in a row, and we don’t have to backtrack.”

Against consolidation

Elk Creek’s Newby said he saw a huge imbalance among the districts in terms of resources, personnel, facilities, apparatus and more.

“I see my obligation as protecting the interests of the residents of Elk Creek,” Newby said. “I have to put blinders on in that regard, so I represent the interests of (Elk Creek) constituents. Until the three re chiefs can present to this board and the community a very compelling case for consolidation, as I see it, consolidation between Elk Creek, North Fork and Inter-Canyon would run a signi cant risk of diminishing the level of services for Elk Creek residents.

“By law, we are duty bound to protect the interests of Elk Creek residents without respect to the pop- ulation of Inter-Canyon and North Fork. I cannot with good conscience vote yes on this motion (to hire Turn Corps).”

Survey results

A survey of residents in each of the re districts found overwhelming support for consolidation and a property tax increase to help fund the district. e survey was conducted by Magellan Strategies between mid-November and mid-December, and survey data was weighted to be representative of voter turnout demographics for odd-year elections in each district.

e three districts are using an increase in property taxes to 16 mills to equalize taxes for everyone in all three districts. However, since the districts have not completed a budget for a consolidated department, they don’t know exactly how much taxes would need to increase.

e survey to North Fork residents said taxes would increase about $124 for a home valued at $500,000, and 69% of respondents said de nitely yes or probably yes when asked whether they would vote for con- solidating the districts and the tax increase. e survey to Inter-Canyon residents said taxes would increase $67.84 for a $500,000 home, and 80% of respondents said they de nitely or probably would vote for consolidation and the tax increase, while the Elk Creek survey said taxes would increase about $121 on a $500,000 home, and 80% of respondents said they would vote in favor. e survey then went through a series of questions, explaining the reasons the districts are considering consolidation:

• It would allow the consolidated re protection district to hire more re ghters, EMTs and paramedics;

• It would cover increased costs for re safety equipment and medical instruments to better serve the population and have better response times;

• e newly consolidated district could provide more training opportunities to both paid sta and its volunteers;

• e 400 square miles in the consolidated district are at high risk for wild re.

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