Mountain Democrat, Monday, July 12, 2021

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clear intentions

The awards to go to ...

UC Davis researchers keeping an eye on Lake Tahoe clarity.

Several local businesses earn accolades from the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce.

Inside, A4

Good Living, B section

170

C a l i f o r n i a ’ s O l d e s t N e w s pa p e r   – E s t. 18 51

th

Volume 170 • Issue 81 | 75¢

mtdemocrat.com

Monday, July 12, 2021

City Council: Managed homeless camps ‘the best option’ Andrew Vonderschmitt Staff writer The Placerville City Council is requesting El Dorado County leaders use American Rescue Plan Act funds to construct managed camps or emergency shelters in three supervisorial districts. Placerville would contribute property within the city limits toward the effort. The City Council held a special meeting June 29 to discuss the ramifications of homeless camps throughout the county and consider options to alleviate the homelessness crisis in the city of Placerville. At the top of the meeting Housing El Dorado Board Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian of Directors Vice President An American flag hangs at a homeless camp on upper Broadway in Placerville. Frank Porter and Upper Room

Executive Director Charlie McDonald gave a presentation to the council on their research into homelessness. “Being in the trenches and seeing this on a daily basis we encounter people that are fresh on the streets,” said Porter. “If we can get them off the street, we can skip them out of homelessness.” He explained that the longer a person is homeless, the more difficult it is to get them back to being housed. He said the problem is how to act in the present to create pathways for people experiencing homelessness and suggested that establishing managed camps would be a good first step. Housing El Dorado and

its fiscal sponsor, El Dorado Community Foundation, are collaborating on a housing survey for the Western Slope. McDonald complimented City Council and staff for work to bring affordable housing to Placerville. “That is ultimately the solution,” he said. McDonald suggested creating focus groups of homeless camp residents to get their input on the process of transitioning to the managed camp model. City Manager Cleve Morris offered some clarifying information. “I’ve been doing this for about 30 years now and throughout my career I’ve always been able n

See homeless camps, page A2

Tahoe Daily Tribune photo by Bill Rozak

Bijou Golf course, which didn’t open this summer, is operated by the city of South Lake Tahoe.

SLT considers future of Bijou Golf Course Tahoe Daily Tribune SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — Bijou Golf Course in South Lake Tahoe will not open this summer and South Lake Tahoe city officials are discussing its future. The course never opened in 2020 because of the pandemic. Now, despite the popularity and affordability of the golf course, the city is not planning on opening it this summer. “Generally speaking, as we began coming out of COVID, staffing up to support the golf course was not a priority,” said Lindsey Baker, assistant to the city manager. As for the future of Bijou, city officials are PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE

considering what to do with the course. There are two items in the strategic plan for the city to address. The items include updating the master Plan for Bijou Park and evaluating the option to include that plan as part of the scope of work for the Bijou/ Al Tahoe Area Plan update and exploring alternative uses for the golf course to reach the highest community and environmental benefit. “We expect to embark on those this coming fiscal year and they will help the city address future use of the golf course,” Baker said. The average cost to operate the course for a full season is about $300,000, although that depends on spring snowmelt. The course usually makes an annual profit of about $20,000. “The number of rounds played has progressively decreased over the last 10 years from 19,107 in 2009 to 6,188 in 2019,” said Baker. Since the course last operated management of the course changed from public works to parks and recreation. “The Parks and n

See Bijou, page A5

Courtesy photo

A Doug Veerkamp Engineering crew member assists with site preparation of the Monument Garden in downtown Placerville, which will feature landscaping and benches and incorporate the Vietnam memorial as well as the Bell Tower’s original bell.

Monument Garden

comes together Andrew Vonderschmitt Staff writer

T

he Placerville Community Pride Committee is overseeing a final phase of refurbishment to the Monument Garden at Main Street and Bedford Mountain Democrat photo by Andrew Vonderschmitt Avenue in downtown Placerville. The work Cary Friar of First Impressions Design and Landscape prepares will include installing gravel for paver stone installation at the Monument Garden. a community space Tower bell at the that has undertaken with park benches, more than 20 projects Monument Garden, ADA compliant paving since its inception in which was being stored stones, a replica 1990. by the county while of a Studebaker The Monument Caltrans widened wheelbarrow, Garden project at a Bedford Avenue decorative granite gateway to historical during a Highway 50 boulders, lighting, downtown Placerville improvement project. trees and a colorful has been years in the In 2017 the low-water landscape. making. committee installed a Community Pride memorial monument In 2016 the is an all-volunteer at the garden to house committee reinstalled committee formed by 21 plaques honoring the original Bell the city of Placerville

local soldiers who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. “(The) community space will welcome people to Placerville and allow the public to stop, pay respects and enjoy a beautiful environment that truly reflects our thanks, as well as our community’s history,” said Kathi Lishman with Community Pride. Cary Friar of First Impressions Design and Landscape came onto the project and has been working closely with Lishman on design and implementation. “This project would have never happened without Kathi’s hard work,” he said. The two have been the driving forces n

See Garden, page A8

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