El Dorado County approves budget

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors approved $205 million Monday for the 2000-01 budget, an increase of $21.5 million from last year.

The transportation department saw a $3.62 million increase, $1.7 million of which Tom Celio, county deputy director of maintenance, said will go to overlay projects in late spring of 2001.

Celio said the transportation department is compiling a list of the roads that will be worked on with next year's money and expects some Tahoe Basin roads to be on it.

Supervisor Dave Solaro said the board is aware of the need for county road repair in Tahoe and is hoping to see $1.5 million in Federal Forest Reserve Receipts go to next year's overlays.

"I anticipate a lot of road work out here," Solaro said. "I'm really optimistic about next year's paving season."

Celio said Congress has to pass a bill, that it denied last year, which would restore Federal Forest funding back to the highest level the county saw in the '90s, anywhere from $1.3 million to $1.5 million.

The county's Chief Administrative Officer Mike Hanford said he and the board are optimistic the bill will pass.

"We think we might have a lot better chance off seeing the money, because there is more bipartisan support for the bill this year," Hanford said.

The board approved construction contracts for overlays on two Tahoe roads and four West Slope streets Tuesday.

Solaro said there is twice as much road work going on off the hill because of the way the transportation department labels the need.

Solaro said even though some county residential roads are in terrible shape, they may not be the highest priority.

He said the county fixes major thoroughfares and roads with the most traffic first and then considers the degree of dilapidation.

Celio said he anticipates work from last year's overlay allowances to begin on Mandan Street and Tahoe Mountain Road sometime next week. Delta Construction, out of Sacramento, will be overlaying 1.4 miles of the roads at a cost of $172,800.

Celio said the road construction is coming so late in the year because of significant preparatory work that couldn't be done until the summer.