The new location for Mick Hill Enterprises at 23728 Lake Drive in Crestline was the site for both a festive ribbon cutting by officials and an open house last Wednesday, Nov. 17. County Supervisor Janice Rutherford, many Crestline-Lake Gregory Chamber of Commerce board members and over 50 business owners, friends and neighbors were in attendance.

The Mick Hill Enterprises building houses several businesses that are beneficial for the community, including Mick Hill Excavation and Contracting, Crestline Pumping and The Alpine Mountaineer newspaper.

Supervisor Rutherford attended the ribbon cutting with Mountain Area Representative Lewis Murray; they both later in the day met with members of the Crestline-Lake Gregory Chamber of Commerce and the lake commission.

Supervisor Rutherford is the person responsible for getting the dam and drains at Lake Gregory repaired, after previous supervisors ignored the problem for decades. She has supported numerous mountain projects and organizations and has the local Municipal Advisory Councils keep her informed of mountain concerns. Rutherford appointed Hill to the Lake Gregory Dam Improvement Committee during her first term as supervisor.

Mick Hill Enterprises is the umbrella name for numerous businesses that general contractor Mick Hill owns and operates. Hill is a native of Crestline, having grown up in Dart Canyon, and began his first contracting business in 1969 on the mountain after working numerous jobs while learning the building trade. His company does cement work, paving, whole house construction, framing, demolition and large remodels, plus septic pumping and repair, sewer installation and repair work. Hill’s new “honey dipper” truck is sitting in the parking lot of this new location.

Hill also has the most modern fleet of construction equipment on the mountain, meeting all the new state-mandated air emission controls with each vehicle containing the latest technological advances including upgraded electronic equipment.

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m., Rutherford had time to talk with those in attendance on the changes in the various supervisorial redistricting proposals, including the one submitted just an hour before the deadline, which changes all the district boundaries. It will now also need to be considered along with the ones submitted by the redistricting committee, which went throughout the county receiving input from residents. She spent time with Hill, talking about her future after the next election, and the new wet restrooms for the community he has been advocating, and more.

When asked whether she aspires to run for another public office, when her current term runs out in 2022, Rutherford replied, “I have no future political aspirations. I just want to stay home with my husband and kids, and maybe start a consulting business.” She presented a lovely certificate from the supervisors celebrating the ribbon cutting ceremony at Hill’s new centrally located location.

Also at the ribbon cutting were chamber President Louis Boehle, Mike Johnstone, chamber office manager Nickie Scott and Hill’s office manager, Kathy Creighton, plus chamber members Aaron Creighton, Mike Harris and Crestline Pumping’s Howard Griggs.

For the last decade, Hill was on the Crestline chamber board, having served as president and vice president. This last year Hill was honored by the chamber as the grand marshal of the Jamboree Days parade.

Later in the day, from 4 to 7 p.m., the office hosted an open house to enable more community members to attend. The open house offered the opportunity for networking, with at least five Crestline residents who are running for the Crestline chamber of commerce board attending. Hill offered a catered light dinner from the Stockade, with free turkey and ham and cheese or veggie submarine sandwiches and veggie and dip plates while giving the people a chance to learn all about what the companies that comprise Mick Hill Enterprises have to offer.

Almost all members of the Alpine Mountaineer writing staff were in attendance for community members to discuss past stories and bounce off future stories ideas and talk about the future of Crestline. Over 56 attended during the three-hour open house.

For more information on the vast range of construction, demolition, grading, paving, septic and snow removal services that Mick Hill Enterprises performs, see their website at www.MickHillEnterprises.com or call (909) 338-5432.