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Lakeport Police logs: Saturday, Jan. 10
Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026
00:00 EXTRA PATROL 2601100001
Occurred at Lake County Law Library on 3D....
Supervisors to discuss proposed policies to help rehome Valley fire animals, honor LEAP volunteers
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week will honor a volunteer group that assisted with animal rescues during this year's wildland fires and consider proposed policies to assist with finding new homes for animals impacted by the Valley fire.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 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 and online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Boards/Board_of_Supervisors/calendar.htm . Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.
At 9:10 a.m., the board will offer a proclamation commending Lake County Animal Care and Control and Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection, or LEAP.
The board is honoring the volunteer group – which works under the auspices of Lake County Animal Care and Control – for its animal rescue efforts during the recent wildland fires. The county reported that the volunteers and Animal Care and Control helped nearly 4,000 animals.
On Oct. 15, Animal Care and Control and LEAP received the 2015 Governor’s Volunteering and Service Award for Governmental Agency of the Year for its efforts during the Rocky fire, as Lake County News has reported.
At 9:12 a.m., the board will discuss several recommendations from Animal Care and Control staff related to helping animals impacted by the Valley fire.
In particular, Animal Care and Control Director Bill Davidson's report to the board suggests reducing adoption fees for fire animals.
“The number of fire related animals remaining at the shelter is minimal, approximately 10 dogs and 25 cats. All the other fire related animals at the Lakeport shelter, have been reunited with their owners,” he wrote in his memo to the board.
Davidson said all animals that Animal Care and Control has received from any of the fire areas have been and will be held for the purpose of returning them to their owners through Wednesday, Oct. 28, which he pointed out is 30 days past the lifting of the last evacuation order.
“Most surrounding agencies have agreed that this is a generous amount of time to offer for owner redemption,” he said.
As of Thursday, Oct. 29, any animals from the fire area that haven't been redeemed will be available for adoption, Davidson said.
“Many local community members have shown an interest in these animals and we would like to help facilitate their immediate rehoming with a reduced price offering,” he said.
In addition to waiving the adoption fee as already approved by the Board of Supervisor for special events, Davidson is recommending waiving all the remaining fees, with the exception of the spay or neuter cost.
As such, Davidson recommended that adoption fees for fire-related animals would be as follows:
– Male dogs: $80;
– Male cats: $55;
– Female dogs, 60 pounds or less: $90;
– Female dogs, 60 pounds or more: $105;
– Female cats: $65.
Davidson said Merck, the microchip provider for his agency, has generously donated a couple hundred microchips for fire-related animals, so each animal offered for adoption would receive a free microchip as well.
“As these animals have been displaced from their homes for some time, we would like to help them return to a normal a life as soon as possible,” Davidson said. “Reducing our normal adoption fee will help facilitate this process.”
The shelter's Web site features galleries of the dogs and cats found in the wake of the fire that are waiting to be reclaimed or rehomed.
The full agenda follows.
CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER
5.1: Contract Change Order #1, sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors, Seigler Creek Pipeline Replacement and Hitch Improvement Project, Bid No. 15-07, Pacific Underground Services.
CONSENT AGENDA
7.1: Approve minutes of the Board of Supervisors meetings held Sept. 3, 2014 (FY 14/15 Budget Hearing), Sept. 2, 1015 (FY 15/16 Budget Hearing) and July 28, 2015.
7.2: (a) Waive the competitive selection process; and (b) approve agreement between the county of Lake and This is Crowd USA Inc., for online advertising campaign creation, monthly management, optimization and reporting, amount not to exceed $14,640 and authorize the chair to sign.
7.3: Adopt proclamation commending Lake County Animal Care & Control and Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection (LEAP).
7.4: Adopt resolution to establish Agency Fund 660 “Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection (LEAP)” and provide for the administration of the fund.
7.5: Adopt resolution amending Resolution No. 2015-119 to allow temporary transfers from fund 151 to Fund 1.
7.6: Adopt resolution amending Resolution no. 2015-119 to amend the FY 2015-16 Adopted Budget by canceling obligated fund balance in the Building and Infrastructure Reserve to provide interim financing to BU 8476, Paradise Valley, CSA#16, to complete a water system project.
7.7: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and Redwood Community Services for the Lake County WRAP program Specialty Mental Health Services for Fiscal Year 2015-16, in the amount of $550,000, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.8: Approve budget transfer from Account 770.01-11 - Salaries and Wages to Account 770.62-79 Prior Year, BU 7011- Parks, in the amount of $19,582, to cover the cost of a John Deere commercial mower, approved by your board in June FY14-15, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.9: Approve Cooperative Law Enforcement Agreement between the Lake County Sheriff’s Office of the USDA Forest Service Mendocino National Forest, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.10: Approval of the FY 2015/16 support services agreement with SunRidge Systems Inc., in the amount of $29,445, for the support of its law enforcement software suite.
TIMED ITEMS
8.2, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation commending Lake County Animal Care and Control and Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection (LEAP).
8.3, 9:12 a.m.: Consideration of (a) staff's recommendation to reduce adoption fees for animals related to wildland fires;. and (b) board direction regarding a variety of policies addressing cats who survived the wildland fires.
8.4, 9:15 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of Lake County Planning Commission's recommendation to approve a two-year extension for a tentative subdivision map SDX 15-03, previously approved by Subdivision SD 05-04; Rezone RZ 15-04 and Deviation DV 06-03; and re-adoption of a mitigated negative declaration based on Initial Study IS 05-70; applicant is John Van Eck; project located at 3640 Lakeview Estates Drive, Kelseyville (APN 009-008-10).
8.5, 9:30 a.m.: Status reports/updates of response and recovery efforts from county departments, assisting agencies and/or community groups consequent to 2015 wildland fires.
UNTIMED ITEMS
9.2: Consideration of board appointment to CSAC Board of Directors.
9.3: Consideration of resolution amending Resolution No. 2015-28 to correct a typographical error and to request direct state assistance in debris removal operation related to the Valley Fire.
9.4: Sitting as the Lake County Air Quality Management District Board of Directors, request to authorize the APCO to sign and submit the FY 14/15 Year-End Financial Report and FY 15/16 subvention applications.
CLOSED SESSION
10.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54956.9(d)(1): Lakeside Heights HOA, et al. v. County of Lake.
10.3: Conference with legal counsel: Decision whether to initiate litigation pursuant to Gov. Code Sec. 54956.9(d)(4): One potential case.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Lake County Fire Protection District debate set for Oct. 29
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – This week the Lake County Fire Protection District will host a candidates' debate for its upcoming board election.
The debate will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
Retired Judge Richard Freeborn will be the event's moderator.
The public is invited to attend.
Three positions are available, according to Russell Perdock, a former board member and current city councilman who helped organize the forum.
Incumbents John Spriet, Michael Dean and Jacqueline Snyder are seeking reelection, with another candidate, Bud Moore, also joining the field.
The vote for the three board positions will be part of the Nov. 3 General District Election, according to Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley.
The November election is not a countywide election, with only three districts – the Lake County Fire Protection District Board, the Upper Lake Union Elementary School District and the Clearlake Oaks County Water District Board – on the ballot for specific parts of the county, Fridley said.
Editor's note: A previous version of the story identified Perdock as a current fire board member. He resigned after being elected to the Clearlake City Council.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Supervisors continue fire and drought emergency declarations, get fire cleanup update
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week approved several Valley fire-related items of business, including extending emergency declarations and the concept for a grant to assist Behavioral Health offer services to those impacted by the disaster.
At the Tuesday meeting, county Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait took to the board the extension of a proclamation of a local health emergency due to the fire.
She said the board needs to revisit the proclamation every two weeks.
Tait suggested the board continue the proclamation throughout the debris removal process, “which is really the basis for proclaiming the health emergency.” The supervisors unanimously approved Tait's request.
County Administrative Officer Matt Perry also requested the board continue emergency declarations for the ongoing drought and wildfire conditions.
Regarding the drought, the board first approved that emergency proclamation in March 2014, while the board ratified the emergency proclamation for wildfire conditions on Aug. 4 after the Rocky fire broke out. That fire followed by the Jerusalem and the Valley fires.
Perry said the board needed to continue the wildfire state of emergency to allow the state-led debris removal program to continue.
Perry also received the board's unanimous approval of a memorandum of understanding with CalRecycle for management and coordination of the Rocky and Jerusalem fires' debris cleanup. He said the formal agreement was necessary due to certain state regulations.
As a followup on the CalRecycle agreement item, Lake County Environmental Health Director Ray Ruminski gave the supervisors a quick progress report on the Rocky and Jerusalem fire debris cleanup.
As of Tuesday, 41 property owners signed up for the cleanup program and cleanup was completed on 15 of those properties, he said.
Ruminski said that work was done by two crews that had been working since the middle of September.
Those two crews have since been moved to the Valley fire cleanup, with another contractor mobilizing six crews as of Monday, Ruminski said.
The remaining properties that need to be cleaned up after the Rocky and Jerusalem fires are expected to be done within two weeks, he said.
Ruminski added that he is allowing people to continue to sign up for the program through the end of next week. Those interested can contact Lake County Environmental Health at 707-263-1164.
The board also approved, in concept, Behavioral Health's proposal to enter into a contract with the state Department of Health Care Services in order to fund a crisis counseling assistance and training program. The matter is expected to be brought back for final approval at the board's Oct. 27 meeting.
Behavioral Health Director Linda Lovejoy said they are currently working in the Middletown schools to screen students to identify those who need assistance in coping with the impacts of the fire.
Other steps in the process include coping, skill and resilience building, and treatment in cases where intervention is needed, she said.
In the Middletown Unified School District, the majority of children having more serious emotional trauma type symptoms are those who already were under stress before the fire, Lovejoy said.
Considering the community as a whole, Lovejoy noted, “We are looking at the whole broad picture of what people might actually end up needing.”
The board also voted to offer a letter of support for a Valley fire survivor benefit concert that is proposed to be held at Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa in Kelseyville.
In other news, the board approved Sheriff Brian Martin's request to submit the Emergency Management Performance Grant application for fiscal year 2015. The $138,552 grant has a 100-percent county match.
Martin additionally received approval from the board for an application for a $140,489 State Homeland Security Grant.
Also on Tuesday, Martin and District Attorney Don Anderson presented donation checks of $10,000 each to the Animal Coalition of Lake County and the SPCA of Clear Lake from an asset forfeiture case.
Agricultural Commissioner Steve Hajik gave the 2014 crop report and the board approved a policy allowing Juvenile Hall employees who are terminated to buy back vacation and sick leave to avoid a break in service.
Juvenile Hall employees are being laid off, as the county is entering into an agreement with Mendocino County to house juvenile inmates at a lower overall cost – and with better services – than the local facility has been able to offer, according to county officials.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Highlands Park Master Plan expected to be presented to city council in November
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The process to create a Highlands Park Master Plan continues as consultants draft a conceptual design utilizing city direction and public input.
Foothill Associates anticipates presenting a draft of the conceptual design to the Clearlake City Council during its regular meeting on Nov. 12.
Consultants met with city staff in August to initiate the process, incorporating into the conceptual draft details compiled through the Clearlake Vision Task Force and Lakeshore Corridor Plan.
Concepts discussed included redesign of the parking lot and added amenities such as horseshoe pits, bocce ball courts, beach access, shade structures, walking paths, picnic areas and other details such as restroom facilities, lighting, fencing, safety and security. Irrigation-friendly options for ground coverings are also included in the concept.
City Manager Greg Folsom said in August that public opinion would weigh heavily on the design of the park.
“We want the participation of the community. We want to know what the citizens want to put here. We want a usable park and we want to see people out here,”Folsom said.
An open house to solicit public comment on the draft design was held earlier this month. The interactive event provided the public with information describing the current state of the park and potential improvements.
Participants were asked to share ideas on what they thought the park should offer resulting in responses such as walking paths, serenity, comfort, activities, water amenities and other suggestions.
“The open house provided a good opportunity for citizens to provide input on what we are going to do with the park,” said Adeline Brown, city assistant planner.
Participants also were invited to identify their preferences among two conceptual designs that included improvements such as marina amenities, bus stop shelters and pedestrian paths.
A survey to gain public recommendations also was presented. The survey is currently available through the city's Web site at www.clearlake.ca.us or at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HighlandsPark .
Survey results will be collected through Oct. 28, officials said.
“The information you provide will be used to help in the future direction and development of a master plan for Highlands Park, so your input is very important to us,” said Jared Barnes, Foothill Associates consultant.
Barnes said the Nov. 12 presentation will include a review of the community's input to date, the preliminary master plan and estimated costs of proposed improvements. Input received at the meeting will be used to develop the final Highlands Park Master Plan.
The park, which is approximately 2.3 acres, is located on Lakeshore Drive, the city's main thoroughfare, near the center of town.
It is bounded by abandoned commercial buildings to the east, the lake to the south, a single family residence to the west, and Lakeshore Drive to the north.
Adjacent or nearby businesses include real estate offices, tire center, thrift store, appliance store, donut shop, an industrial fasteners company and motel accommodations.
The visual character of the park is defined by mature oak trees, which provide shade, a vantage point of Clear Lake, surrounding hills and Mount Konocti.
Park features include an unpaved parking lot, Americans with Disabilities Act access, picnic tables, benches, barbecue grills, portable toilet and a 1940s house that is being renovated to accommodate the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce and Lake County Visitors' Center.
Along the water's edge, small beaches provide opportunities for sunbathing, swimming and wading, and hand boat launching.
Emergent aquatic plants along the shoreline provide vital fish and wildlife habitat and environmental benefits. An elevated viewing area is often used for recreational fishing.
Current maintenance of the park is minimal. According to Barnes, observations and comments from city residents indicate that the park is generally not well-used during the day.
Events, such as the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce's farmers' market, which was held throughout this past summer, Barnes said, has excellent potential to increase park visitation and usage on a regular basis.
Barnes cited the park as having good overall surveillance from the road. However, he said, high stone retaining walls near the foreshore and existing building obstruct views of the water's edge and the back of the park, concealing potential hiding places.
He said the adjacent abandoned buildings and lack of lighting within the park contribute to an unsafe feeling at night, though it is not intended for such use.
“With its central location along Lakeshore Drive and valued site assets, Highlands Park has latent potential to be a high quality public open space that functions as an activity hub, economic driver and cultural link for the community,” Barnes said.
Folsom said the process to develop the master plan is expected to take about six months and will require the approval of first the planning commission and then the city council.
The process will include additional opportunities for public comment, officials said.
Email reporter Denise Rockenstein at