How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
County of Lake seeks advisory board applicants
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The county of Lake is seeking community members interested in serving on a variety of boards and commissions.
Applications are available at the Lake County Courthouse, Clerk of the Board Office, Room 109, 255 N, Forbes St. in Lakeport, or online at www.co.lake.ca.gov on the Board of Supervisors' Web page.
If you have questions regarding a vacancy on one of these advisory boards, please contact the clerk of the board at 707-263-2368.
The following is a list of the board and commission vacancies. All vacancies are countywide unless stated.
– Animal Control Advisory Board: Two vacancies – Supervisorial District 2 and member-at-large.
– Big Valley Groundwater Management Zone Commission: Seven vacancies – one member-at-large, four agriculture users category, two water district category.
– Building Board of Appeals: Four vacancies – one representative from Supervisorial Districts 1, 2, 3 and 5.
– Child Care Planning and Development Council: Fourteen vacancies – four consumer, two public agency, one community representative, four discretionary appointees and three child care providers.
– Emergency Medical Care Committee: Twenty vacancies – two hospitals (one each for Sutter Lakeside Hospital and St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake), one community college district, one California Highway Patrol representative, two EMT representatives, one private ambulance company, one sheriff’s department representative, five fire departments, two ER-affiliated medical care coordinators, one paramedic representative and four consumer-interested groups.
– Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee: Eleven vacancies, one each from the following categories – fish and wildlife conservation, land conservation, education, agriculture, recreation, ex-officio member, and one member of the general public from each supervisorial district.
– Heritage Commission: Seven vacancies – one representative from each supervisorial district, and two members-at-large.
– In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority Advisory Committee: Four vacancies – two senior consumers, one disabled community representative and one disabled consumer.
– Library Advisory Board: One vacancy – Supervisorial District 3.
– Maternal Child and Adolescent Health Advisory Board: Nine vacancies – general membership.
– Mental health board: Three vacancies – two members-at-large and one family member of a present/past consumer.
– North Bay Cooperative Library Advisory Board: One Lake County representative.
– Parks and Recreation Advisory Board: Five vacancies – one representative from each supervisorial district.
– Planning Commission: One vacancy – Supervisorial District 3.
– Public Defender Oversight Committee: Two vacancies – one member of the general public and one attorney.
– Section 8 Resident Advisory Board: Nine vacancies – general membership.
– Solid Waste Appeals Panel: Two vacancies – one public member and one technical expert.
– Spring Valley CSA No. 2 Advisory Board: Three vacancies – residents.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
Lakeport City Council approves starting process to vacate right-of-way near theater, accepts Carnegie Library report
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lakeport City Council members on Tuesday approved moving forward with a right-of-way abandonment to assist the Soper Reese Theatre's renovations, received a report on potential uses for the city's historic Carnegie Library and approved a lease with the Westside Community Park for the caretaker's home.
Interim City Engineer Mark Akaba went to the council with the proposal to begin the proceedings on the right-of-way abandonment on Martin Street, next to the Soper Reese Theater.
The council agreed to initiate proceedings and schedule a public hearing on abandoning a 5.4-foot strip of right-of-way along the south side of the theater and along one block of Martin Street.
Last July, theater Executive Director Mike Adams had gone to the council to ask for support for the plan, which would allow renovations – including a 750-square-foot addition that would include new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant bathrooms and a ramp – to go forward.
Martin Street, an arterial street, is 60 feet wide with its right-of-way, said Akaba. Vacating the strip of right-of-way would leave 54.6 feet, which is below the 60- to 66-foot right-of-way range required by city code.
However, he said the loss of such a small amount of right-of-way wasn't an issue for staff, despite the reduction making the street a substandard width.
Because of the street's current configuration, improvements and traffic volumes, the small reduction in the right-of-way doesn't appear to be a significant issue and shouldn't affect traffic, according to Akaba.
It also was noted that the block of Martin Street in question is the only area along the street that currently has the specified 60 feet of right-of-way.
On Nov. 12, the Lakeport Planning Commission found that the proposal didn't conflict with the general plan transportation element.
City Councilwoman Stacey Mattina said that, if the rest of the road would have been wider, it would have been an issue. “I don't think it makes any difference at all.”
Referring to the theater expansion plans Adams previously shared with the council – including an art-deco style exterior featuring an outdoor stage and ornate marquee – Mayor Martin Scheel said, “The final result is going to be pretty amazing.”
Mattina moved to approve beginning the proceedings to vacate the portion of right-of-way and holding a public hearing, which the council approved 5-0.
Council receives library reuse plan
Wilda Shock of the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee, or LEDAC, presented to the council the Carnegie Library Reuse Feasibility Study, which has been under way since last April.
San Francisco-based firm Garavaglia Architecture completed the study, which was paid for by a $5,000 grant that the Lakeport Main Street Association pursued and an additional $5,000 match from the city.
“You have received a very comprehensive report,” said Shock, who went over the timeline of work, going back to last spring, when the consultants visited the building and “crawled through every nook and cranny” of the 97-year-old library, including the attic.
Shock said the council was being asked to accept the report and direct city staff on next steps.
She said LEDAC was suggesting that the council hold another public session to get public input. However, even before doing that, she said the city needs to decide what kind of lift or mechanical equipment can be installed to provide public access to the second floor.
While the building is on the National Register of Historic Places, Shock said there is leeway to make the needed upgrades.
Regarding the request to seek more public input, Shock explained. “There may be some folks out there who may be willing to take on doing something with the building once it's accessible to the public.”
Councilman Marc Spillman asked about the process of narrowing down potential uses for the building. Shock said there could be one use or several which wouldn't be mutually exclusive.
Spillman noted how surprised he had been that the building didn't have more damage.
“It's held up amazingly well,” said Shock.
She said it would be wonderful if something could happen with the building by the time of its centennial in 2018.
Shock said LEDAC members have noted in their study of the subject that many Carnegie Library buildings across the United States are now being used as art centers, in conjunction with meeting space.
“I think we need to hear from our local community and see who has ideas,” she said.
Carolyn Ruttan, a founding member of the Clear Lake Environmental Research Center, said the group wants to have the building as an educational center.
Scheel said the report gives the city some guidelines to follow. He said there will be some limitations due to resources.
Referring to a picture in the report that showed that library when it was first built – sitting all by itself in what is now Library Park – Mattina said, “You realize it's such a treasure.”
Mattina moved to accept the study and direct staff to coordinate a workshop, with Spillman seconding and the council voting 5-0.
Caretaker lease approved; council gets fiscal report
In other business, the council accepted a master lease with the Westside Community Park nonprofit for the existing residence on the park property.
The nonprofit intends to lease out the home at a reduced rate to a person who will help take care of the property.
“Having someone out there would be very beneficial,” said Public Works Director Mark Brannigan.
City Manager Margaret Silveira said there are planned repairs at the residence, which will be carried out by the Lakeport Kiwanis and the city, plus volunteers.
Also on Tuesday, Finance Director Dan Buffalo presented the comprehensive annual financial report for the year ended June 30, 2014.
“I am happy to report that we were on target with our budget estimates,” Buffalo said.
He said revenues – including sales tax and property tax – are up, with the general fund having a $388,000 budgetary surplus.
Buffalo said water and sewer operations and maintenance budgets are up 14.4 and 21.5 percent, respectively, with the city strengthening its capital reserves.
The council also approved the recognized obligation payment schedule for the city's redevelopment successor agency for the period of July 1, 2015, as presented by Buffalo.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Clearlake Planning Commission postpones parks master plan review
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Planning Commission postponed a workshop review of the city's parks master plan on Tuesday in light of the absences of two commissioners.
The workshop review was rescheduled to the commission's regular meeting of Feb. 3. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
City Manager Joan Phillipe said review of the parks master plan is a lengthy, detailed process that should include the participation of all members of the planning commission.
“If we proceed with the review now, we will have to go through it again with the other commissioners,” Chairman Carl Webb said in response to Phillipe's recommendation to postpone the discussion. “It will be double the work if we do it without everybody here.”
The 95-page document examines the current parks and open space resources in the city and surrounding areas, determines the current and projected park needs of the community, and recommends a strategy for implementing the plan.
It includes an assessment of the various parks and recreational resources in the city and adjacent area and discusses park standards and includes an evaluation of current and future park needs.
The master plan also describes funding sources the city may want to pursue in the future.
Phillipe said the current parks master plan was adopted by the city council in January 2003.
“It really hasn't had much review since it was adopted 11 years ago,” she said.
Phillipe said review of the document will assist the planning commission in reestablishing the Parks and Recreation Committee, as it was recently directed by the Clearlake City Council.
The parks master plan is available for public review at Clearlake City Hall during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
The document also can be seen below.
Email Denise Rockenstein at
Clearlake Master Parks Plan 2003-13
- Details
- Written by: Denise Rockenstein
Clearlake city manager plans to retire; council to consider extending contract until end of June
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – With Clearlake's city manager announcing her intention to retire this summer, the city is preparing to begin a recruitment for her successor.
In a letter dated Jan. 15, Joan Phillipe gave the Clearlake City Council formal notice of her plans to retire at the end of June. She said she had informally advised them of her plans previously.
Phillipe – who joined the city in the fall of 2011 – has been in public service since 1978.
“There have been many changes in the years since then that have affected the way business in the public sector is done,” she wrote. “Most of these changes have been for the better and have certainly shaped and molded the way I have approached serving communities.”
Before arriving in Clearlake, Phillipe worked as interim general manager for the Foresthill Public Utility District in Placer County, and had held city manager jobs in Colfax, Colusa and Loomis, as well as having served as executive director of the California State Sheriff's Association.
“I have been fortunate to enjoy the challenges and successes in each of the cities and organizations that I have worked with but serving the City of Clearlake has been an especially rewarding experience,” Phillipe wrote.
“This is an exciting time for the city with the promise of greater strides in economic development that will move the city closer to being fiscally healthy,” she said.
“The work done over the last few years has set the stage for that success and I am hopeful that the city stays the course and achieves its vision. I am confident that it will do so,” said Phillipe.
In the months to come, as she finishes her tenure, Phillipe said that work to move toward the goals set by the council will continue, “and recruitment for my replacement will be at the forefront.”
She concluded, “It is an important time for the city and I look forward to being a part of the process in transitioning both the city's and my next steps into the future.”
Phillipe's contract with the city expires April 24.
As part of the council's consent agenda items for its Thursday meeting, the council will receive Phillipe's letter and also consider approving the extension of her contract with the city until her June 30 retirement date.
“This will provide time to recruit for a new city manager and provide for transition,” Phillipe said in a separate memo to the city council.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson