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Supervisors to consider final Visitor Information Center closure
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKEPORT, Calif. – This week the Board of Supervisors will consider approving the county's Visitor Information Center this week and look at options for providing public defender services.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport. TV8 will broadcast the meeting live, with the video available online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Boards/Board_of_Supervisors/calendar.htm .
In an untimed item, county administrative staff will ask the board to consider closing the Historic Courthouse Museum on Sundays and on Labor Day and to permanently close the Visitor Information Center in Lucerne effective 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31.
The board voted earlier this year to approve closing the Visitor Information Center after staff proposed that county marketing funds could be spent more effectively elsewhere.
Also in an untimed item, the board will consider a variety of options for providing public defender services.
In a timed item, the board also will honor longtime county employee Donna Howard for her years of service. Howard has worked at the Visitor Information Center.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT ITEMS
7.1: Adopt proclamation commending Donna Howard for her years of county service.
7.2: Approve minutes of the Board of Supervisors meetings held Sept. 9, 2014, and Oct. 21, 2014.
7.3: Authorize the county administrative officer to sign the grant award acceptance for FY 2014-15 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program from the US Department of Justice in the amount of $15,246 to fund an extra help law enforcement record technician in the sheriff's office.
7.4: Adopt resolution approving the application and certification statement for the State Department of Health Services, CMS Branch's Child Health and Disability Prevention Program and Health Care Program for Children in Foster Care Renewal Grant for FY 2014/2015, in the amount of $239,610, and authorize the board chair to sign said certification statement.
TIMED ITEMS
8.2, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation commending Donna Howard for her years of county service.
8.3, 9:30 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien in the amount of $2,842.20, for 16560 Rose St., Lower Lake, CA (APN 024-342-16 - Steven M. Gerstmann).
8.4, 9:35 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien in the amount of $6,465.81, for 2840 Lakeview Drive, Nice, CA (APN 031-181-38 - Eldon Gomes and Linda Gomes).
NONTIMED ITEMS
9.2: Consideration of staff recommendation to close the Historic Courthouse Museum on Sundays and on Labor Day (first Monday in September) and to permanently close the Visitor Information Center in Lucerne effective 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, 2014.
9.3: Consideration of options to provide public defender services and request for staff direction.
9.4: Consideration of agreement between the county of Lake and Pacific Legacy Inc. for archaeological services for the Soda Bay Road at Cole Creek Bridge Replacement Project near Kelseyville.
9.5: Consideration of approval of the implementation of the company nurse telephone triage program.
CLOSED SESSION
10.2: Public Employee appointment title: Behavioral Health director.
10.3: employee Grievance Complaints (5): (Gov. Code Sec. 54957).
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City of Clearlake closes remaining Thompson Harbor boat ramps
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- Written by: Denise Rockenstein
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – All ramps at Thompson Harbor Boat Launching Facility in Clearlake are now closed as a result of low water levels.
The three ramps that had remained opened since the facility's partial closure in late August were closed to public access on Friday.
“We've been monitoring (the facility) and it's to the point where it's time to shut it down,” Clearlake Public Works Director Doug Herren said, citing conditions at the facility present safety as well as liability concerns.
He said recently a boater struck a piece of equipment owned by an area water company while coming into the facility.
“From a liability standpoint, we need to close the ramps down,” City Manager Joan Phillipe said before the Clearlake City Council Thursday evening.
Herren said the timing of the closure is good as a multi-year facility rehabilitation project moves forward.
The project, which is in its third and final phase, will ensure Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, enhance parking lot and boat launching facilities and improve the safety of the park.
The project, which is grant-funded through California Boating and Waterways, includes lengthening one boarding dock, replacement of two suspended boarding float docks, replacement of two other boarding floats, additional security lighting in the parking lot area and on the boarding floats, dredging in the area of existing boarding floats, rehabilitation of existing parking lot paving and restriping, and installation of a new project sign.
Coastland Civil Engineers' conceptual design work on the project was approved in June.
In September, Argonaut Constructors received the contract for construction of the third phase, the majority of which includes rehabilitation and repaving of the parking lot.
Additionally, Argonaut Constructors will replace and extend two boarding docks, extend another and install lighting on them. Herren said this will complete the project.
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Clearlake City Council gets update on cloud computing conversion, approves KUSD rental agreement
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- Written by: Denise Rockenstein
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The city of Clearlake's financial system is moving to the cloud, according to a report given to the Clearlake City Council on Thursday night.
The cloud is an Internet-based computing system in which several remote servers are networked to allow centralized data storage and online access to computer services and resources.
Finance Director Chris Becnel provided the city council with an update Thursday of the process to bring the city's financial system up-to-date.
The current system is 9 years old, equivalent in computer life, he said, to being “brought over by Columbus.”
“Thank you for all your hard work and bringing us into the 21st century,” Vice Mayor Gina Fortino Dickson said.
The city currently uses Affiliated Computer Services Inc. New Vision Financial Software. Becnel said the software is five update versions behind.
The system server was purchased in 2005; the operating system is out-of-date, which Becnel said limits integration with other systems.
Additionally, Becnel said the payroll system has significant limitations and limited access to the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) module.
“PERS is a significant portion of our payroll costs,” he said.
Becnel said purchase and replacement of the server and software for the current system would cost about $55,000.
Alternatively, he said moving to a cloud-based system, which would provide off-site backup services and support, would not require purchase of either.
“(Affiliated Computer Services) incurs the cost of the entire system, including software updates,” Becnel said.
Becnel said conversion to the cloud-based system will result in an additional cost of $3,724 annually for the next six years.
However, he said estimated labor savings in backup and formatting tasks should more than offset the additional costs.
The benefit to having a remote server, Becnel said, is in the event of a disaster the city won't be completely inoperable.
“Within an hour, with a modem, we will be up-and-running in an hour,” he said.
Additionally, he said, the city always will be operating on the most-current software version. There also will be greater flexibility and ease of use in management reports and data entry will be simplified, he said.
The conversion project is scheduled Nov. 13 through 16, while city offices are closed. Becnel said he will be available to technicians throughout the process.
The system is expected to go online Nov. 17, he said.
In other business, the council directed staff to proceed with a rental agreement with Konocti Unified School District for use of the city-owned building located at 4700 Golf Ave., adjacent to the center operated by Lake County Youth Services.
The location is to be used as classroom space for students of Blue Heron, an alternative education program serving students in ninth through 12th grade.
According to Konocti Unified Superintendent Donna Becnel, there are 24 students enrolled in Blue Heron, which currently is housed at the Konocti Education Center, formerly Oak Hill Middle School.
Beginning in January, the Health Occupations Magnet High School will hold classes at Konocti Education Center, creating a need for additional classroom space, the superintendent explained.
The rental fee is to be $1 per year in exchange for repairs and maintenance of the building, which is currently in need of rehabilitation.
The term of the lease is to be for five years with an option to renew upon review.
Also on Thursday, Clearlake Police Chief Craig Clausen told the council that the department is on the verge of purchasing body cameras for personnel.
Funds to purchase the cameras were garnered through several fundraising efforts led by local business owner Sam Polo.
“We have the funds. We are on the eve of purchasing that equipment,” Clausen said.
Clausen said the department is working with information technicians at Taser International for the purchase.
He said all videos produced by the department are required, by law, to be retained for no less than a year.
The city's conversion to the cloud-based computing system will assist in maintaining those records, he said.
Clausen expects the equipment to be operating in about 30 days.
However, he said a meet and confer between the city and employee bargaining units must take place prior to the cameras being put into use.
The council also attended to actions in line with the dissolution of the Redevelopment Agency concerning the transfer of bond proceeds issued in 2006.
Transfer of the bonds requires additional steps involving the oversight committee and state Department of Finance.
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Lake County supervisors vote to protect Berryessa Snow Mountain region
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Visitors and residents alike enjoy the scenic views, wildlife and vast recreational opportunities offered by the federal public lands of the Berryessa Snow Mountain region.
On Tuesday, the Lake County Board of Supervisors voted to support permanent protection for the federal public lands of the Berryessa Snow Mountain region as a national conservation area or national monument.
“The federal public lands of the Berryessa Snow Mountain region are an escape for many. A National Monument designation will ensure the continued use and enjoyment of this wild and scenic landscape, and help our local economies by driving tourism,” said Supervisor Anthony Farrington.
The Berryessa Snow Mountain region includes federal public lands in Solano, Mendocino, Lake, Napa and Yolo counties.
The Solano County supervisors voted on Oct. 7 to support efforts to permanently protect these public lands.
In Lake County, the public lands are managed mostly by the Bureau of Land Management, including Cache Creek Wilderness, and the Bear Creek Unit bordered by highways 16 and 20.
“I hope President Obama will respond to these local efforts to permanently protect this scenic landscape,” said Ed Robey, former Lake County Supervisor. “There are few other places so close to Sacramento and the Bay Area where you can enjoy such a wide variety of outdoor recreation. This landscape is truly an outdoor wonderland.”
This stretch of public lands spans nearly 100 miles from the shores of Lake Berryessa to the flanks of Snow Mountain in the Mendocino National Forest.
The region is part of California’s biodiversity hotspot, making it one of the most biologically diverse, yet least known regions in the state.
Many visitors take delight in the annual spring wildflower displays, and rare plants seen nowhere else on the planet.
The region also is inhabited by many of California’s iconic wildlife including tule elk, river otters, osprey, black bears and one of California’s largest populations of wintering bald eagles.
The Berryessa Snow Mountain region also provides ample opportunities for recreation.
Many residents and visitors alike enjoy the scenic hikes, horseback riding, hunting, camping, fishing, bird watching, riding motorized vehicles on designated routes, motorized and nonmotorized boating, water recreation and much more.
“People use this area a lot,” said Bob Schneider, Tuleyome’s senior policy director, who was in attendance during the Lake County Supervisor meeting. “Permanent protection of this area will provide well-managed recreation opportunities, safeguard the area’s natural beauty, sensitive areas, wildlife and rare plants, and ensure continued use and enjoyment for future generations.”
