Photos by Catherine Stachowiak
Three officers from Forest Service visited Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce at their general meeting, Wednesday, November 13. The three, Eric Lundgren and Billy Brown, who are both recreation staff officers and Brian Block who is acting district Ranger, all sat together during lunch, before Block spoke to the chamber.
Block, who is only acting as Ranger for the interim, said, “I am the acting district Ranger right now. Al Watson was the Ranger prior. He was here for about 11 or 12 years. And has now moved on to Dillon, Montana as forest Supervisor up there, on to bigger and
better things. I am stepping in his place momentarily for about 4 months, to fill in the gap, until we can get a permanent district Ranger in place.”
Block has already filled two of the four months. Therefore he really only has two months more to serve in the valley. His goal is to keep projects moving forward and making sure special events get signed. The Forest Service is also attempting to get more firefighter staff, in place, according to Block.
After introductions Block fielded questions from the chamber. In answer to questions about the fish hatchery Block explained that the Kern River Fish Hatchery is going through analysis, to get paperwork in place, so that SCE can complete an SCE repair project. The goal is to provide water to the Kern River Fish Hatchery. The project is under control of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. If the option to re-open the hatchery did not look favorable, they would not be attempting to get water, to the fish hatchery.
Answering questions about the Visitor Center, Block said, the project is a US Army Corps of Engineers project. The USACE has a plan for the building. According to Ranger Block there is no scheduled ground breaking date for the building. Ranger Block said that the Isabella Dam is a higher priority to USACE. However the plan is still scheduled to be at the old Bank of America site at the corner of Lake Isabella Boulevard at Nugget Avenue. Ranger Block thinks that either the KRV Chamber of Commerce, the Bureau of Land Management, or the Forest Service were under consideration to be located at the Visitor Center for visitor information.
The Nuui Cunni Native American Intertribal Cultural Center was next in conversation. Block said, “the center is still under permit right now, and is struggling to keep it going, and the Forest Service is attempting to figure out how to manage the permit, so it can continue to be a Native American Cultural Center.”
People asked about the Kern Valley Golf Course property and building, which has been out of operation. Ranger Block said that part of the golf course building, and the entire golf course patio, is located on Forest Service property. However the clubhouse itself is private property. The part of the property, which belongs to the Forest Service, is under a special use permit and has to be re-permitted. Block said that if he is still here, when the permit expires, at the end of 2024, he plans to push the permit forward faster.
