How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This week, the Board of Supervisors will review how federal funding cuts in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” are affecting local social services and health programs, and consider a five-year proposal from Special Districts to raise sewer fees, including in the area affected by the recent multimillion-gallon sewer spill.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 24, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8, online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and on the county’s Facebook page. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.
To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.
The meeting ID is 865 3354 4962, pass code 726865. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,86533544962#,,,,*726865#. The meeting can also be accessed via phone at 669 900 6833.
At 9:05 a.m., the board will consider a state legislative update and recommendations regarding bills that the county should consider supporting and opposing. Geoff Neill of Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross and Leoni, the county’s legislative advocate firm, will present the report.
The item also has a second component: a presentation on the “damaging” local impact of H.R. 1 in Lake County, jointly brought up by the county’s departments of Social Services, Public Health and Behavioral Health.
Since 2025, a series of federal events including funding freezes, government shutdowns, rapid policy changes and ongoing litigation have caused “significant instability” in social programs, according to the staff memo.
H.R. 1, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4 – half a year into his second term – includes “significant changes” to social programs and funding, the staff memo noted.
Programs impacted include:
• Medi-Cal Partnership health plan, federally known as Medicaid.
• CalFresh EBT food, federally known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
• Covered California health plan marketplace subsidies and advanced premium tax credits, federally known as the Affordable Care Act and often referred to as "Obamacare."
In the meantime, the staff report noted, the governor’s proposed 2026-27 budget, released Jan. 9, “does not adequately address the burden of federal changes, proposing to pass unsustainable costs directly to counties.”
“As it stands, Lake County Social Services will not be able to maintain our current level of services,” the staff memo said. “Vital safety net programs for the most vulnerable in our community, the elderly, disabled, veterans, and children, are threatened.”
“Our local economy will be damaged,” it continued. “Access to healthcare for all Lake County residents will be reduced.”
At 1:30 p.m., the board will consider a proposal from Lake County Special Districts to increase sewer rates over the next five years in the Lands End/South Lakeport Sewer and Southeast Regional systems.
The fee studies propose increases across 17 fee types in both service areas.
The Southeast Regional system includes the area impacted by the recent Robin Lane sewage spill, which released approximately 2.9 million gallons of raw sewage, leaving 164 homes without safe well water and contaminating the underlying aquifer.
For this service area, which includes the city of Clearlake, the proposed fee increases include charges associated with the splash pad, rising from $72.56 to $1,310.94 in 2026–27 and to $1,719.01 by 2030–31.
The monthly rate for single-family residential customers would increase from $36.28 to $54.04 in the next fiscal year and to $70.86 within five years.
For Lands End, the study proposes to increase the monthly base rate for single-family residential customers from $72.93 to $126.03 – a 73% increase – in the next fiscal year.
Within five years – by 2030–31 – the rate would rise by 135% to $171.46 per month per household.
If approved, projected revenue from sewer service charges in the Lands End area would increase from about $238,325 in the current fiscal year to $393,368 in 2026–27, a 65% increase, according to the fee study.
The fee studies were conducted by Lechowicz & Tseng Municipal Consultants hired by Special Districts in November.
The county is required to notify affected property owners at least 45 days before holding a public hearing on proposed fee changes, according to the staff memo.
“The rate increases are subject to majority protest,” the memo states. The increases cannot be adopted if more than half of affected ratepayers submit written objections.
Once it gets direction from the board, Special Districts intends to proceed with the mailing notices.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1, Adopt resolutions to participate in the Prohousing Designation Program and Incentive Pilot Program, approve homeless encampment summary, and authorize related signatures.
5.2, Approve amendment No. 1 to MOU between Behavioral Health Services and Lake County Continuum of Care and authorize Chair to sign.
5.3, Approve update to Big Valley Advisory Council (BVAC) bylaws.
5.4, Approve 2026-2027 Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant Plan.
5.5, Authorize Probation Department to apply for Prop 64 Cohort 4 funding and designate Chief Probation Officer to sign.
5.6, Authorize Interim Public Works Director to sign purchase order up to $401,125 for John Deere motor grader.
5.7, Approve modified agreement between Lake County Sheriff’s Department and U.S. Forest Service for 2026 operations and authorize signatures.
TIMED ITEMS
6.1, 9:02 a.m.: Public input.
6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the week.
6.3, 9:05 a.m.: State legislative update and presentation on H.R. 1.
6.4, 9:30 a.m.: Presentation of semiannual employee service awards.
6.5, 10:15 a.m.: Hearing on account and proposed abatement costs for CalRecycle grant properties (Nice, multiple APNs).
6.6, 10:30 a.m.: Hearing request for 4258 and 4270 Lakeshore Blvd., Lakeport.
6.7, 1 p.m.: Public hearing – Presentation of 2025 General Plan Housing Element Annual Progress Report and 2025 General Plan APR.
6.8, 1:30 p.m.: (As Lake County Sanitation District Board) Presentation on sewer rate studies for LACOSAN – Lands End/South Lakeport and Southeast Regional.
NON-TIMED ITEMS
7.1, Supervisors’ weekly calendar, travel and reports.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1, Public employee evaluation: Librarian.
8.2, Public employee evaluation: Air Pollution Control Officer.
8.3, Public employee evaluation: Behavioral Health director.
8.4, Public employee evaluation: Health Services director.
8.5, Public employee discipline/dismissal/release.
8.6, Conference with labor negotiator: Deputy County Counsel Association.
8.7, Conference with legal counsel—Significant exposure to litigation, three potential cases.
Lingzi Chen is a staff reporter at Lake County News and a 2024-2026 California Local News Fellow. Email her at lchen@lakeconews.com.
