Tahoma Notes

Bear Casualty- a local bear, ambling along the shore @Homewood beach, was shot and killed early this week by unknown shooter(s). The carcass was taken to DFG lab for examination. What's disturbing is the fact that the circumstances of the take down are unknown. More later.

Annual Meeting
Saturday, August 4th, the Tahoe Cedars Property Owners Assoc. will hold their annual meeting at Marie Sluchak Park, to be followed by a neighborhood picnic lunch in the park. The usual suspects will speak on various topics and issues.
Hopefully, it will be well attended. Seems participation has been declining over the last few summers due to different reasons, not the least the price of gas, etc.
Perhaps the subject of Meeks Bay Fire District directors benefits will be discussed. This topic will certainly raise eyebrows when it becomes widely known that Ed Miller and company are taking compensation in the form of extravagant health benefits for their limited activity /participation on the local board. Really, does anybody deserve compensation to the tune of $9,000/year for 10-12hours of board meetings? I think not, given that Meeks Bay Fire Dist. is one of the smallest districts in California(pop. and parcels). They have slipped under the local radar for years because of the number of absentee owners/vacation ,2nd home owners who generally don't get involved with local issues beyond snow plowing/road clearing.

Gas lines and Road Constructions
The summer road repair scenario has taken a new turn this summer. The west side of Hiway 89 has been the scene of continuous activity all summer. The new pipeline(s) have already reached Homewood. The dual pipes-water drainage and natural gas lines will continue southward for quite a few more miles. This project will be ongoing for a number of years until the entire West Shore has an upgraded infrastructure that improves utility services for all residents and affected parcels, commercial and residential. This is good news for all residents and businesses that have had to endure propane delivery and service issues forever. It seems nobody wanted to make the effort to lobby for those whose properties were located beyond the service delivery areas. Perhaps the idea of a major commercial venture in Homewood prompted the contractor perhaps the stimulus package filtered down to Lake Tahoe(thank you, Bill Clinton).
The timetable is not certain, but it seems to be a major project; and it seems that it has a high priority given that work crews are on the job evenings and weekends(except Saturdays). Yes, there is some inconvenience-20+minute delays in both directions near Homewood).
Nonetheless, it will be a huge improvement to the local infrastructure and eliminate the problems surrounding the use of propane,e.g.-frozen drains, tank locations, tank access, tank fires, heating issues, reduced dependence on wood fires w/ smoke and creosote. Perhaps one of the best results will be a savings across the board as the price of natural gas continues to fall! This will save many dollars for all locals and make vacations in the winter months more affordable- an economic boom! Can't wait.