By Kathryn Reed

El Dorado County Board of Supervisors waited until the last possible date to give its blessing to Measure R, and even then the discussion nearly spun out of control.

The board – whose approval is necessary for R to be valid if approved by voters on Tuesday – voted 5-0 Nov. 1 to agree to amend the original Measure S recreation initiative approved in 2000.

Because Board of Supervisors meetings are not available to be seen except in person, Lake Tahoe News did not receive a copy of the meeting to review until Nov. 7 – thus the reason for the timing of the story.

Supervisor Jack Sweeney brought up the issue of refinancing the bonds. Supervisor Norma Santiago was adamant, and correct, when she said refinancing and Measure R have nothing to do with one another.

Still, tied to the motion to approve support of Measure R was that a letter needs to be sent to the JPA board that oversees Measure R (of which Santiago chairs) to let it be known the county wants input on any refinancing.

Santiago said the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities Joint Powers Authority has not received a letter from the city indicating its desire to refinance the bonds.

County Auditor-Controller Joe Harn at the meeting said instead of finding another way to spend the taxpayers money going from S to R, the money in the kitty could be used to pay off the debt early. He also said this would not help property owners until years down the road.

Then Supervisor Ron Briggs took the conversation on another tangent by saying he believes the Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District should become a community services district. The Tahoe Paradise park is the third party to the recreation JPA along with the county and city. But he didn’t have an reasons to back up his thoughts.

Santiago said the Tahoe Paradise people have no problem being one of four resort districts in the state.

Supervisor Ray Nutting said for eight years he was the county’s rep to the Tahoe Paradise board and that he sees no reason to twist that board’s arms to be something it doesn’t want to be.

Finally, the discussion came back to the actual agenda item – supporting an amendment to Measure S to make Measure R viable.

Sweeney said, “I think it’s righteous to put money in the ground.”