- Joined
- Mar 11, 2001
- Messages
- 70,011
- Reaction score
- 1,003
LAKE SKINNER CHAOS -- Jim Matthews column 23jun04
Is Lake Skinner closing to the fishing public?
Outdoor News Service
Is Lake Skinner closing to public use now that Riverside County has decided not to renew its contract with the Metropolitan Water District to operate the facility after three decades?
No one seems to be able to answer that question right now with certainty.
"We'd like to explore options with the county to see that it remains open," said Bob Muir, a spokesman for the MWD.
An MWD oversight committee met Tuesday this week to discuss what the water agency would do now that Riverside County has decided not to renew its lease to operate the facility. Muir said no decisions were made at the meeting other than to look at other options to work with the county.
While the county pays nothing to MWD for the lease of Lake Skinner, it claims that it loses over $200,000 per year to operate the facility, which includes a marina, a campground, and swimming pool. The county's two-year lease would have expired January 1, but it recently decided to opt out of the contract because of revenue losses at Skinner.
Ken Graff, who works in County Supervisor Jim Venable's office, said the county voted to opt out of the contract as early as July 15 but no later than August 15. By that latter date, Graff said the county would expect to have all of its staff pulled out.
"Both sides want to see it stay open and have a seamless transition. Ideally, the gate key will go from a county guy to whomever Met decides to put in there," said Graff.
Southern California anglers have suffered through Forest Service fire closures and major fishery shutdown (Silverwood and Pyramid) throughout the past year, and the MWD -- already a hero because of the Diamond Valley Lake fishery -- could continue to earn points with anglers if it can keep Skinner open.
Is Lake Skinner closing to the fishing public?
Outdoor News Service
Is Lake Skinner closing to public use now that Riverside County has decided not to renew its contract with the Metropolitan Water District to operate the facility after three decades?
No one seems to be able to answer that question right now with certainty.
"We'd like to explore options with the county to see that it remains open," said Bob Muir, a spokesman for the MWD.
An MWD oversight committee met Tuesday this week to discuss what the water agency would do now that Riverside County has decided not to renew its lease to operate the facility. Muir said no decisions were made at the meeting other than to look at other options to work with the county.
While the county pays nothing to MWD for the lease of Lake Skinner, it claims that it loses over $200,000 per year to operate the facility, which includes a marina, a campground, and swimming pool. The county's two-year lease would have expired January 1, but it recently decided to opt out of the contract because of revenue losses at Skinner.
Ken Graff, who works in County Supervisor Jim Venable's office, said the county voted to opt out of the contract as early as July 15 but no later than August 15. By that latter date, Graff said the county would expect to have all of its staff pulled out.
"Both sides want to see it stay open and have a seamless transition. Ideally, the gate key will go from a county guy to whomever Met decides to put in there," said Graff.
Southern California anglers have suffered through Forest Service fire closures and major fishery shutdown (Silverwood and Pyramid) throughout the past year, and the MWD -- already a hero because of the Diamond Valley Lake fishery -- could continue to earn points with anglers if it can keep Skinner open.
