After the Mammoth Town Council spent closed session time Wednesday night on the massive Town lawsuit debt of $42 million, Sierra Wave spoke with Mammoth’s Financial Consultant, Marianna Marysheva-Martinez. She said the Town Council gave direction on a counter offer which Martinez planned to send to Mammoth Lakes Land Acquisition on Thursday.
Martinez said the Council also talked a lot about organizing questions and answers on the MLLA situation for the public. Martinez said this kind of information may go public as a posting on the Town website or at a public meeting of the Town Council where citizens could ask questions and get answers. This may take place as a special meeting or as an agenda item at a regular meeting. Nothing will happen until early January.
The situation now – Town officials will wait for a response from MLLA to the Town’s latest counter offer and discuss it at a December meeting. Officials have declined to reveal details of negotiations. They point to a confidentiality agreement signed by both sides.
Asked about earlier reports that Mammoth Mountain CEO Rusty Gregory said he would be open to some kind of lift ticket surcharge to help the debt-strapped Town, Martinez said that this has not been pursued so far. She said a surcharge would be a tax and have to go to a vote of the people. The Town Council could place it on the ballot or an initiative could lead to a vote.
Martinez called this a timing issue. A lift ticket surcharge measure would have to be finalized by early February to go on the next election ballot in June. Martinez said she believes the mood of the public is for the Town to get its act together and explore options before taxing the people. “We appreciate the willingness of Mammoth Mountain and others on this issue,” said Martinez, “but it is not the first thing we would consider.”
Charles – I like your comments. I might be wise of the town and the mountain to survey the local families to see what would enhance the town and mountain to draw more tourist families here. Personally speaking, there is limited, reasonably priced or free things for families to do… Read more »
I don’t generally comment on much when it comes to the Mammoth Ski Resort, although I often hear my sons comment on how expensive it is getting to come to Mammoth to snowboard. They only are able to do it through the season pass, which they feel is getting too… Read more »
You are right on about the real purpose to keep money in motion with real estate and I fear your predecision about going from bad to worse will come true in 2012
Another pass the hat strategy, attempting to penalize people who had absolutely nothing to do with the basis for this lawsuit. The thieves that prosper by under reporting sales and payroll taxes should be the ones financing this settlement if there is to be one. The counter offer should have… Read more »
Mammoth is a nice mountain, but not that nice. Adding to the ticket price will make a lot of people quit going there, they will price themselves out of existence. I agree if Rusty wants to take a portion of the existing price and give it to the town. A… Read more »
Skier, excellent point, but you need to keep up with the times. Mammoth dinging out of town skiers to pay for its internal blunders is in keeping with the increasingly kleptocratic ethics of too many Americans, both in the 1%, to be sure, but also in the 99%. Measure S… Read more »
One thing to remember is that Mammoth Mountain’s real purpose is to attract buyers for MMSA’s holding companies condos and other properties and for it’s vacation packages. It’s what is called a loss leader where you advertise something at below market value so that the customers that come into your… Read more »
Barely break even? I doubt it. The amount they charge for everything vs. the amount they pay the employees, I doubt it. $9 for a Coors tall can? $4 for a hotdog? $16 to ride the zip line in the summer? Look up lift prices at Heavenly or other high… Read more »
“Martinez said she believes the mood of the public is for the Town to get its act together.”
You think?
And how much is she paid to come up with these brilliant conclusions?
GGW
MMM is paid $4000.00 A WEEK. Plus we pay for her transportation costs to and from her other residence, and I believe we supply her lodging and also cover expenses. I am assured that this is a very fair arrangement, that some negotiators in such situations get thousands more per… Read more »
Sure more taxes for all of us who find it hard to pay our bills and buy food… smart move by our OVERPAID leaders.
Thanks for the debt load Rusty, I hope you are enjoying the good life while the rest of us suffer!
“A lift ticket surcharge measure”
What is Rusty feeling guilty about something?.
That would make a lift ticket 200 dollars
Call is a TOT on a Lift ticket
OMG Our government has gone NUTS
“Martinez said she believes the mood of the public is for the Town to get its act together and explore options before taxing the people.” Yeah, right… In other words, we’re going to get taxed AGAIN! Prop R. Measure U. And the soon to be Shmoo tax that you’ll have… Read more »