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Lakeport City Council to consider proposal for equestrian center at Westside Community Park
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council this week is due to consider a proposal to develop an equestrian center at Westside Community Park.
The council will meet for a closed session at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, to discuss two potential cases of litigation and labor negotiations before convening in open session at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
During public presentations, the council will meet the new Lakeport Police records supervisor and a new Finance Department intern, and get an update from the Seaplane Splash-In Committee regarding this year's event.
Public Works Director Mark Brannigan will take to the council the proposed development of a portion of Westside Community Park's Phase III into an equestrian center.
Brannigan is asking for the council to determine if it supports the proposal; if it does, there are plans to move forward with a market assessment and financial feasibility study.
His report to the council explains that the Lake County Horse Council took the proposal to the Westside Park Committee last fall. Horse council and committee members have since taken the idea to city staff and on June 5 presented it to the city's Parks and Recreation Commission.
The Parks and Recreation Commission unanimously passed a motion to send a minute order recommending that Lakeport City Council “consider the concept and direct staff to work with the Westside Community Park on the concept and feasibility of the Equestrian Center as part of the Phase III Westside Community Park,” Brannigan reported.
He said in his report that the city's plan for Phase III of the Westside Community Park provides for an equestrian center.
“There is a lot of work and cost ahead in the planning, design, engineering, construction, and operation and maintenance of the facility. Staff is not sure at this time if the market assessment and financial feasibility will allow for this project to move forward; but if the City Council is still interested in having an equestrian center as part of Phase III, this is an opportunity to potentially make it happen,” Brannigan wrote. “If the City Council does not believe that an Equestrian Center is appropriate for Phase III, staff requests that the plan be re-evaluated and brought back to Council for consideration.”
In other business, City Manager Margaret Silveira will take to the council an annual update from the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee, or LEDAC, and seek direction for staff regarding the proposed business route designation for Highway 29.
The council will consider a concession agreement with Mendo-Lake SUP for a stand-up paddleboard rental during Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 29 through Sept. 1.
There also will be public hearings for the adoption of proposed changes to the 2009 Housing Element and to adopt the housing element update of the general plan.
Other items on the Tuesday agenda include a proposed resolution changing the city's bank signatories to the city manager, administrative services director, city clerk, and two council members and remove prior staff members as authorized signatories for any and all city-related accounts; a first reading of a proposed purchasing ordinance; and a proposed resolution to extend the terms of the planning commissioner terms to Dec. 31 of the year in which they are due to expire.
On the meeting's consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; July 14 and Aug. 6 warrant registers; minutes of the council's regular July 15 and special July 16 and Aug. 5 meetings; approval of Application No. 2014-017, with staff comments, for the Lake County Fair annual opening day parade to be held Thursday, Aug. 28, from 5 to 6 p.m.; consideration of the League of California Cities resolution packet and determine the city’s position on the resolution in order to provide direction to the city’s voting delegate to represent the city’s position at the annual League of California Cities business meeting at its annual business conference to be held Sept. 3-5, 2014; and authorization for Silveira to sign a purchase order in the amount not to exceed $12,416.46 for a John Deere HPX Diesel Utility Vehicle.
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Final fall city council races set
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The filing periods have closed for the city council races for Clearlake and Lakeport, with the makeup of the fall election fields now set.
The councils have two seats each up for election in the fall municipal elections.
The filing periods were extended from last Friday to the end of business on Wednesday due to the nonfiling of two candidates: Jeri Spittler in Clearlake, who is in a runoff with incumbent Jeff Smith for the District 2 seat on the Board of Supervisors, and Lakeport Councilman Tom Engstrom, who announced that he was not seeking a second term.
In Clearlake, a large field of seven has formed for the seats currently held by Spittler and Councilman Joey Luiz.
Luiz has signed up to run for a second term, according to City Clerk Melissa Swanson.
Also running for a council seat in Clearlake are Quincy Jackson, Russell Perdock, Michael Pesonen, Bruno Sabatier, Michael Walton and Andre Williams, Swanson reported.
In Lakeport, a smaller field has formed to fill the two seats up for election in November.
Lakeport City Clerk Janel Chapman told Lake County News that Robert Balentine, incumbent Stacey Mattina and Mireya Gehring Turner have all qualified to appear on the ballot.
The election is Nov. 4.
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Supervisors continue drought emergency declaration
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday morning to extend a local emergency declaration due to the drought conditions.
It was the fifth time the emergency has been extended since it was first passed March 4. By law, the board is required to revisit the declaration every 30 days.
During the discussion, Lake County Emergency Services Manager Marisa Chilafoe gave the board a report on the Aug. 7 meeting of the county's newly formed Drought Task Force.
Chilafoe, who chairs the task force, told the board that more than 30 local water agencies and purveyors had members in attendance at the meeting.
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Hajik gave the group a report on the situation for agriculture, she said.
“We ask the board to continue the proclamation of emergency,” said Chilafoe, adding, “Conditions have not changed.”
“They've gotten worse,” said Board Chair Denise Rushing.
Chilafoe's written report to the board noted that, despite the county receiving some rainfall this spring, “annual rainfall levels remain well below average and the severity of drought conditions will continue to worsen in the summer and fall months.”
She said Tuesday that the declaration is needed by the county as it pursues grant funding to address the drought.
Following a brief discussion, Supervisor Jim Comstock moved to approve continuing the local emergency, with the board voting 5-0.
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Fields forming in city council races; deadline to file is Wednesday afternoon
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Several candidates have so far come forward to file for seats on the city councils for Clearlake and Lakeport.
The filing period ends at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13.
The filing deadlines for both councils were extended from last Friday due to one incumbent on each of the councils not filing to seek reelection.
Two seats are up for election on each of the councils this Nov. 4.
In Clearlake, Councilwoman Jeri Spittler did not file for a second term, City Clerk Melissa Swanson confirmed to Lake County News.
Spittler is in a fall runoff with incumbent Supervisor Jeff Smith for the District 2 seat on the Lake County Board of Supervisors. She came in second to Smith in the June primary.
In Lakeport, Councilman Tom Engstrom had announced earlier this year that he would not seek a second term, and City Clerk Janel Chapman confirmed he did not file to run again.
Swanson told Lake County News that she has received filings from four candidates: Quincy Jackson, Russell Perdock, Michael Pesonen and Bruno Sabatier.
Councilman Joey Luiz also reported that he has signed up to seek a second term.
The last update from Chapman was that three candidates had qualified for the Lakeport City Council.
They are incumbent Stacey Mattina, seeking a second term; Robert Balentine; and Mireya Gehring Turner.
For those still wanting to enter the races, the deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday, but several steps must be completed before that deadline, including picking up the filing packet and getting at least 20 – but no more than 30 – nominating signatures from registered voters.
For information or appointments, call Swanson at 707-994-8201, Extension 106, or email her at
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