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Hard issues, soft opening stress Blue Lake Council
By Matt Kapko
Eye Correspondent
The Arcata Eye
07-02-2002
Driving around their usually peaceful hamlet has become quite a nuisance for residents of Blue Lake. The city’s streets resemble an obstacle course of street signs, trenches, and construction vehicles.
Along with the city’s improvement of roads, truck traffic from the Blue Lake Casino and the 35 contractor companies it’s hired has been at its peak over the past two weeks.
Many residents voiced their frustrations at last Tuesday’s City Council meeting. One resident complained about the dust and soot generated by the construction and casino traffic.
City Councilmember Alex Ricca expressed his sympathy but pointed out that no one is enjoying this transition and said there was little if anything that could be done to alleviate it.
Other residents, looking into the future, voiced fears of growing commercialization of the city and the subsequent traffic that would accompany.
City Councilmember Brian Julian proposed serious traffic studies to be conducted after the casino’s opening to determine what needs to be done.
Being present at the meeting proved a success for Scott Oberlies. Julian proposed to appoint him for the planning commission and wait to decide on which of the absent incumbents would serve the remaining seat.
“I feel odd throwing incumbents overboard,” Ricca said, disagreeing with the proposal.
“I think incumbents should be held to the same standard as others,” replied City Councilmember Sherman Schapiro.
In the end Oberlies was appointed to the planning commission with a 4-to-1 vote.
Both Schapiro and Ricca are set to step down from the city council, leaving two seats be filled. All those interested in running should submit their papers by July 15.
Eventually the meeting shifted back to concerns between the city and the casino.
The casino’s plans were a major concern to the city council. Schapiro wanted clarification on the casino’s “soft opening” last Thursday and the date anticipated for a grand opening.
Casino Chief Financial Officer Eric Ramos tried his best to explain what exactly a “soft opening” entailed and the many steps involved in a casino’s opening. For the “soft opening” the casino was to open its doors to customers for food and beverage but not advertise as being open for business.
Before the casino can officially open, the table games, slot machines and appliances have to be tested. The casino is currently doing coin tests, which are not going well and could delay the opening date, said Ramos.
The “soft opening” is intended to train more than 300 employees at the casino and test the casino’s equipment. Ramos couldn’t give an exact grand opening date but did say that their hope was to open sometime in August.
After Ramos shed light on the “soft opening,” some residents voiced concerns over alcohol being served and asked what the city was doing to prepare for the possibility of drinking and driving.
City Manager Duane Rigge informed residents that the city does not have 24-hour police protection and that the hours of operation would likely decrease with next year’s budget.
Some residents were appalled to hear that no safety measures were in place to deter drinking and driving and demanded that the casino do something, to which Ramos replied it was not the Rancheria’s responsibility.
Ricca reminded residents that if a crime wave were to occur, the Blue Lake Rancheria could be assessed for funds to help with the impact.
Many of the issues set to be discussed involving the relationship between the city and the casino went unaddressed.
An agreement with the Blue Lake Rancheria on possible odors from the city’s operation of its wastewater treatment facility and main sewer lift station was postponed because documents and studies had not been completed. The casino backs up to the facility.
However, the city was able to approve connection of city water and sewer services to the casino.
For the meantime, it appears that residents of Blue Lake will have to sport a bandana and sunglasses to avoid exposure to the dust from the various construction projects going on around town.
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