James Rohde reappointed as mental health commission member

At the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors’ meeting May 13, James M. Rohde was reappointed as the District III member on the Mental Health Commission through July 1, 2010. Rohde is chairperson of the board and the board advisory on Drug and Alcohol Problems liaison.

The Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board consists of a diverse membership, each member of which is appointed by a member of the board of supervisors. The advisory board consists of concerned community members with representation from law enforcement, persons in recovery, family members of those in recovery, professionals and educators. Advisory board members visit contracted programs to ensure quality of service and assist the department in making funding decisions by participating in a review process for funding as well as make recommendations to the board of supervisors for funding allocations.

The Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board meetings are open to the public. They are held the first Monday of the month from 4-6 p.m., normally at Frederico’s restaurant in Buellton. Check with the Alcohol and Drug Program office to confirm the date and location by calling (805) 681-5440.

 

New Dodge Charger for DARE program made possible through Edgecombe Foundation

At the regularly scheduled board of supervisors meeting May 13, the board approved the request of the sheriff’s department for the purchase of a Dodge Charger Daytona for the DARE program using a $30,000 cash donation received from the Edgecomb Foundation.

The vehicle will be used by the DARE deputies visiting local schools to present the DARE program, and it will be outfitted with DARE insignia, emergency lights and radio for a show piece to highlight drug and alcohol abuse prevention.

The DARE program is taught by two sheriff’s deputies, one in North County and one in the south. Numerous schools throughout the county are participating in the program. In addition to DARE, the deputies also teach lifeskills classes.

This vehicle will be accounted for as an operating-cost vehicle, which means that all expenses incurred in the operation and maintenance will be directly charged to the department. The department anticipates it will cost about $1,500 per year to operate, an amount that is covered by the existing budget as it replaces an existing operating-cost vehicle that will be going out of service.

 

Roadwork completed at East Camino Cielo

At the regularly scheduled Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting May 13, the board accepted the notice of completion for the work performed by Souza and Petersen Construction of Nipomo and reviewed and approved the statement of final quantities for work performed and materials supplied for this project by the contractor in the amount of $336,906.87.

The board awarded the contract to construct a tieback retaining wall in order to restore the damaged asphalt concrete roadway and shoulder width on East Camino Cielo Road 1.3 miles west of Highway 154, including construction of a retaining wall and rebuilding a portion of roadway lost during the 2005 storm events.

The project consisted of setting steel piles in drilled holes with concrete backfill, placing tiebacks in the embankment to retain the piles, placing timber lagging between the piles and backfilling behind the wall with previously excavated material.

Cable railing and metal beam guard-railing were also installed along the restored pavement and shoulder.