Elko
Daily Free Press
http://www.elkodaily.com/articles/2003/10/10/news/local/news1.txt
USFS cleans Jarbidge outhouse
By ADELLA HARDING, Staff Writer
ELKO - A helicopter is on the job today cleaning out
the outhouse in Jarbidge that the Shovel Brigade was
planning to pump out during a work party Oct. 18,
Ranger Bill Van Bruggen said today.
Van Bruggen also said he would be at a 7 p.m. Shovel
Brigade meeting today at Stockmen's Hotel & Casino
to explain why the U.S. Forest Service is using a
contractor rather than taking up the brigaders'
offer.
"I will go to the meeting to answer questions ...
and talk about what other plans could be arranged to
do something that mutually benefits us," he said in
a telephone interview.
Assemblyman John Carpenter, R-Elko, said this
morning he heard the Forest Service was cleaning the
outhouse, but he wanted confirmation. He was out of
cell-phone reach later in the morning after the
Forest Service confirmed the work was under way,
however.
Carpenter invited Van Bruggen earlier this week to
attend Friday's meeting to talk about the brigade's
proposal to do the work.
Shovel Brigade President Demar Dahl said late this
morning that he had heard about the helicopter, and
he thought "the Forest Service will have some
explaining to do."
He said he had talked with the Nevada Division of
Enviromental Protection, and they simply wanted to
be sure the outhouse wasn't leaking into the river
at Jarbidge, "and a lot of people volunteered to do
the work for nothing."
Van Bruggen said the decision to use Enviro Clean
out of Idaho came from Humboldt-Toiyabe National
Forest Supervisor Bob Vaught, who announced this
morning that the licensed septic tank pumping
service was hired to do the job.
He said the Shovel Brigade's offer to do the work
for free on Oct. 18 with licensed experts advising
the brigaders and all the proper equipment was
considered, but Vaught didn't choose the brigade.
"No contractor should make plans until selected.
That's all I can say," Van Bruggen said.
He said the contract for Enviro Clean is for $9,800,
and the company is hoping to complete the job today. |