The San Benito County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 for the temporarily closure of unmaintained county roads in the U.S. Bureau of Land Management Clear Creek Management Area at Tuesday's meeting.
County Administrative Officer Susan Thompson said there is approximately 25 miles of roads the county owns that will be immediately closed due to the state's mitigation of asbestos levels. Supervisors Don Marcus and Anthony Botelho voted against the closure.
Marcus said he sees the roads being closed and proper signs being placed - and the roads never opening again. No one will can get rid of the asbestos completely, he said.
Botelho said he would like to keep the area open. He said he was hesitant to support the resolution Tuesday.
"We have to do what we have to do," Botelho said.
Supervisor Pat Loe said she agrees that the road should be closed, but a letter should be sent to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to make sure it's a temporarily closure.
Faultline Power Sports Owner John Ortiz spoke at the meeting and said the closure would have an impact on businesses. It would cost a lot of jobs, he said. He added that people won't have a reason to come back.
With the possibility of asbestos within the 31,000 acres, Supervisor Reb Monaco said that there is a tremendous amount of liability. Monaco doesn't see another alternative except to temporarily close the roads, he said.
The Clear Creek Management Area is set to be closed for two years.
Supervisors also approved an ordinance to allow the board members to get a pay increase when the Superior Court judges are granted hikes. County Administrative Officer Susan Thompson said that the supervisors' increase should never exceed what employees get.
Before this ordinance, the supervisors could have given themselves a raise by just raising the county employees' pay. Currently, the supervisors' monthly income is $3,720.
Thompson said there is a cap on the increase of pay and it coincides with whichever increase is the lowest between the Superior Court judges or county employees.
Kristen Tolleson Kristen Tolleson covers San Benito County and education for the Free Lance. Contact her at ktolleson@freelancenews.com or (831) 637-5566, ext. 335.
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