Albrecht And Wivell To Advise On Coordination

Sonora, CA – The Tuolumne County Supervisors have appointed Mike Albrecht and Ty Wivell to a committee that will revise the land use/coordination plan.

The two will work with county staff to revise two competing plans designed to help the county have more of a voice on state and federal land use decisions.

District Three Supervisor Teri Murrison got the ball rolling by recommending Albrecht and Jerry Jensen. Albrecht is the President of Sierra Resource Management, and a past President of TuCare, the Tuolumne County Alliance for Resources and the Environment. Jensen, a retired Forest Service employee, has been a part of multiple organizations including the Resource Advisory Committee and the Society of American Foresters.

District Five Supervisor Dick Pland then recommended Albrecht and Wivell. Wivell, a long time community member, has served as a leader on numerous county committees over the years, and has been an active member in local organizations.

District Four Supervisor John Gray seconded Supervisor Pland’s call for Albrecht and Wivell.

District Two Supervisor Paolo Maffei then praised both Albrecht and Wivell, but stated that the committee was designed to offer opposing views on land use and environmental matters, and feels that Albrecht and Wivell both have “conservative views” on this issue. Supervisor Gray countered that members representing what is considered the traditional environmental community were given adequate time to apply for a seat, but chose not to. Roughly a dozen community residents applied for the position.

The final vote appointing Albrecht and Wivell was 3-2, with Supervisors Pland, Gray and Murrison in favor, and Maffei and Board Chair Liz Bass in opposition.

The committee will have the task of merging two competing plans for land use planning and coordination. One is an 80 page document submitted by Supervisor Teri Murrison and the second is a 20 page document put together by Community Development Director Bev Shane and staff.