Even with some recent snow, severe drought continues throughout California. At today’s Inyo Supervisors meeting, Water Department officials want direction from the Board on how to engage with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power on a list of water matters.

Officials said that in addition to management of groundwater pumping, issues that may be addressed include irrigation and stock water use, water management effects on private wells, Owens Lake planning, multi-year plans for drought mitigation and recovery, development of annual pumping plans and water supply for mitigation projects. Water officials want to know what areas the Supervisors want to emphasize.

When the Inyo-Los Angeles Standing Committee meets Friday at 1pm in the Board room, that agenda also includes the County’s proclamation of a Local Drought Emergency among several other water issues. The drought proclamation, with some wording changes was set for final approval today as item number 22.

Item number 21 deals with salaries of elected officials. This discussion started when Assessor Tom Lanshaw asked for a raise, pointing out he had not had one for a number of years. The Board asked their staff to review and suggest policy for compensating elected officials.

Recommendations include cleaning up legal points, modifying the current elected and appointed officials compensation adjustment policy or adoption of a new elected officials policy. This could include the review of salaries every four years. The County Administrator also says the Supervisors could consider what’s called term pay. In addition to longevity pay of 2% at five-year intervals, term pay would be additional raises of 2.5%, 5% and 10% each time an official is elected to another four years.

This item has already stirred some behind-the-scenes controversy considering the fragile financial condition of County government which looks at amore than a $2 million shortfall next fiscal year and more after that.