Dollar General appeal, veteran services officer appointment on board agenda

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week will once again take up an appeal of a major use permit for a new small box store in Nice and consider appointing a new veteran services officer.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 24, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport. TV8 will broadcast the meeting live.

At 9:45 a.m., the board will continue a discussion that it began at its June 10 meeting regarding the appeal by three Northshore store owners – Avtar Singh, Jagtar Singh and Mohammed Sadiq – of the Lake County Planning Commission's May 8 approval of a major use permit for a new Dollar General store, to be built at 3539 and 3577 Highway 20 in Nice.

In an untimed item, the board will consider a staff recommendation to appoint Saul Sanabria, assistant veteran services officer, as veteran services officer effective July 1.

If appointed, Sanabria will succeed Bob Penny, who retired earlier this year.

Also on Tuesday, at 9:30 a.m., the board will consider a request from Health Services to allow the five Lake County fire districts a 90-day extension of their current ambulance permits in order for them to complete the formation of a joint powers agreement and receive approval from county counsel to act as a single permittee.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

7.1: Approve minutes from the Board of Supervisor meeting held June 10, 2014.

7.2: Approve a special meeting of the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, July 1, 2014, at 6 p.m.              
7.3: (a) Approve waiver of County Policy and Procedure, Section 15 - Travel Policy - Section 1.4 F Claiming Requirements; and (b) Authorize reimbursement of $89.25 (Jim Isherwood $17.16 and April Giambra $72.09).              

7.4: Waive 900-Hour limit for extra help employees: Deputy Sheriff Hart Gall and Asst. Emergency Services Coordinator Willie Sapeta.         

7.5: Approve amendment four to agreement with MGI for FY 13-14 background services, an increase of $10,000, and authorize the chair to sign.         

7.6: Adopt resolution approving right of way certification for the purpose of upgrading existing warning signs and pavement markers on Soda Bay Road and Butts Canyon Road - Federal Project No. HRRL-5914 (086) and authorize the hair to sign.              

7.7: Approve agreement between Cintas Document Management and Lake County Department of Social Services for FY14/15-FY16/17 master shredding service in the amount of $3,718 per year and authorize Social Service director to sign.              

7.8: Adopt resolution amending Resolution No. 2009-41, increasing the Special Districts Administration Operating Change Fund by $300 and authorize the chair to sign.     

TIMED ITEMS

8.2, 9:15 a.m.: (a) Presentation of Tobacco Education Program; and (b) consideration of resolution approving the county of Lake Health Services Department's request to become a smoke-free department and authorizing the Health Services director to establish and implement a departmental policy.

8.3, 9:30 a.m.: Consideration of Health Services requests of board approval allowing the five Lake County fire districts a 90-day extension of their current ambulance permits in order for them to complete the formation of a JPA and receive approval from county counsel to act as a single permittee.

8.4, 9:35 a.m.: The Board of Supervisors adjourns and convenes as the Lake County Housing Commission Board of Directors. Consideration of (a) Revised Lake County Housing Commission Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Budget for FY 13/14; (b) Lake County Housing Commission Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Budget for FY 14/15; and (c) Section 8 Administrative Plan Update of May 6, 2014.

8.5, 9:40 a.m.: Adopt resolution authorizing submittal of an application to the California State Department of Housing and Community Development for Funding Under the CalHome Program; and authorize the Social Services director to execute the agreement.    

8.6, 9:45 a.m.: Carried over from June 10. Consideration of appeal (AB 14-02) of the Planning Commission's approval of major use permit (UP 13-09) for Dollar General Store, 3539 and 3577 State Highway 20, Nice (APNs 032-262-30 & 31); appellants are Avtar Singh, Jagtar Singh and Mohammed Sadiq.

8.7, 10 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement for 15230 May Hallow Road, Lower Lake (APN 122-012-18 - Ronald Shanko).

UNTIMED ITEMS

9.2: Update and consideration of recommendations from the Space Committee related to the Lower Lake Bank Building and proposed expansion at Social Services' Anderson Ranch facility.

9.3: Consideration of options for the Lucerne Castle Swimming Pool.

9.4: Consideration of request to add PSA 26 Area Agency on Aging to the county's liability policy as an additional covered party.

9.5: Consideration of agreement with Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard and Smith, LLP for retention of specialized services – coverage counsel.

9.6: Consideration of EAP/Wellness Coaching Program for Employees.

9.7: Consideration of staff recommendation to appoint Saul Sanabria, assistant veteran services officer, as veteran services officer effective July 1.

9.8: Consideration of (a) ordinance adding Article XI to Chapter 15 of Lake County Code Regulating Permitted Events in County Parks; and (b) regulations on the use of county property for special events/activities.

9.9: Consideration of amendment one to agreement between the county of Lake and GLASS ARCHITECTS for Facility Design Services for Behavioral Health Clearlake Facility Expansion in Clearlake and authorize the chair to sign.

9.10: Consideration of staff recommendation to implement credit card payment processing at Special Districts and authorize Special Districts administrator to sign contact with Paymentus Corp.

CLOSED SESSION

10.1. Conference with Labor Negotiator: (a) county negotiators: A. Grant, L. Guintivano, S. Harry, M. Perry, A. Flora and C. Shaver; and (b) employee organizations, Deputy District Attorney's Association, Lake County Deputy Sheriff's Association, Lake County Correctional Officers Association and Lake County Safety Employees Association.

10.2. Conference with Legal Counsel: Significant Exposure to Litigation pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54956.9 (d)(2) (e) (3) – Claim of MSP Communications/Delta Sky Magazine.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

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Written by: Elizabeth Larson

Published: 23 June 2014

County announces increase in landfill rates

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Landfill fees are about to rise, Lake County Public Services reported on Friday.

Pursuant to a multi-year fee schedule adopted in 2011 by the Board of Supervisors, gate fees at the Eastlake Landfill will be going up starting July 1 to offset the costs of landfill operations and increasing and costly compliance regulations, the agency reported.

The tonnage rates will go up 6 percent from $48.22/ton to $51.12/ton. Volume rates for loads up to 5 cubic yards will go up from $6.85/cy to $7.75/cy.

The minimum gate fee will remain at $5, and prices will not change for individual materials such as couches ($10), mattresses ($10-15 depending on size), 30-gallon bags or cans ($2 each), 55-gallon cans ($4 each), and 96-gallon cans ($6 each).

Even with the approved increase, Public Services said the Eastlake Landfill will have considerably lower rates than surrounding landfills which charge tipping fees in the $60-75/ton range.

Landfill rates will be passed through by the franchise haulers to their curbside residential and commercial customers, Public Services reported.

Beginning in July 2014 residential customers can expect to see a slight increase to pass through the new landfill increase on their billing statement (about 1 percent increase) for a standard 32-gallon service in the unincorporated areas.

Commercial customers will see about $3 to $4 per monthly increase for a 4-cubic yard bin picked up weekly for the pass-though cost of new landfill increase.

Customers' total charges depend on the location, size and frequency of service.

The transfer station operated by Lake County Waste Solutions in Lakeport also will pass through the landfill increases.

Lakeport Transfer Station rates

• Tonnage rate: $ 59.80/ton
• Volume rate: $ 8.10/cy
• Mattresses/couches: $15 each
• 30-gallon cans/bags: $2.50 each
• 55-gallon can: $4.50 each
• Minimum fee: $6.25

At the same time the multi-year rate increase was approved in 2011, the Board of Supervisors approved a five-year contract with Solid Waste Solutions (SWS) to bring about 65 tons per day of refuse beginning in January 2012 from the Ukiah transfer station which they operate for the city of Ukiah.

This contract generates approximately three transfer trucks per day Monday through Saturday traveling from Ukiah via Highway 29 and Highway 53.

The money produced by the five-year contract allows the county to return to the same level of disposal and income that was produced in 2006, Public Services said, and replenishes the solid waste reserves that are required for the planned expansion of the landfill into adjacent property already owned by the county.

That design process must begin in the next couple of years. The cost for this expansion is estimated at $3 million to $5 million.

Increased revenue will also provide funding for a state mandate that requires all landfills to install a landfill gas system for monitoring and potential conversion of gas to energy at an estimated cost of $3 million.

The revenue from the five-year import contract removes the burden on the local residents and businesses to cover these compliance and expansion costs, Public Services said.

With the import option approved, local ratepayers will see a gradual increase in rates as outlined above to cover only the $500,000 annual shortfall for normal operations. Had the import option not be approved, the impact on local ratepayers would have been significantly higher, Public Services reported.

To achieve the same level of revenue that will be brought in by import, rates would have had to go up by 95 percent immediately, an option that neither staff nor a majority of supporters supported in the fragile economy.

Once the initial five-year contract period has expired, the smaller local increases that were implemented in the previous five years will place the county in a better financial condition to cover its operational and compliance costs and allow the county to determine if an additional five-year import extension is in the best interest of the county.

For more information on landfill rates, please contact Caroline Chavez at the Public Services Department at 707-262-1760. New rate sheets are being distributed to customers at the Eastlake Landfill.

For more information on curbside rates, contact your franchise hauler.

More information on county franchise haulers, programs and recycling opportunities can be found on the county’s recycling Web site at www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us .

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Written by: Lake County News reports

Published: 21 June 2014

Veterans receive long-overdue high school diplomas in Wednesday ceremony

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Decades ago, in the face of war, many young men – still teenagers – left their homes, families and schools to head to the battlefield.

In the process, some of those young soldiers didn't get the chance to receive their high school diplomas and, instead, simply moved on with life once they returned home from the war.

During a Wednesday afternoon ceremony, the Lake County Office of Education gave some of those men their long-overdue diplomas and thanks for their service as part of the annual “Operation Recognition.”

It's the second year that the Lake County Office of Education has presented the diplomas for veterans through the program.

Last year, three vets were honored. This year, the number doubled to six, with one of the diplomas awarded posthumously.

“This is a thrill,” said Lake County Board of Education Chair Dr. Mark Cooper.

Shelly Mascari, the Office of Education's spokeswoman, sang the national anthem and Superintendent of Schools-elect Brock Falkenberg welcomed the group.

Of the six men honored, two were in attendance: Thomas J. Moore, who served in World War II from 1943 to 1944; and Donald “Bill” Merriman, who served in Vietnam from 1958 to 1964.

One of the honorees, Richard Charles Engle, who served in the Korean War from 1951 to 1955, received his diploma posthumously.

The three other honorees who did not attend included Darrel James Bittle, Vietnam War, 1969 to 1971; Brian Patrick McKinnie, Vietnam War, 1972 to 1978; and William Sam Sereni, Korean War, 1950 to 1951.

To be eligible for their diplomas under the Operation Recognition program, the men had to show proof of military service and honorable discharge, must have been attending high school at the time of enlistment and they – or surviving next-of-kin – had to be current or former Lake County residents.

“I'd like to thank you for your service and your sacrifice,” Falkenberg said.

Supervisor Jim Comstock, who served in the US Navy during Vietnam, also lauded the men for their willingness to serve their country.

“This is a very special day,” said Comstock.

When Merriman and Moore were asked to come forward, both received from Superintendent of Schools Wally Holbrook not just a diploma but other honors, including certificates of recognition from the California State Legislature signed by Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada and special recognition certificates from the US House of Representatives signed by Congressman Mike Thompson.

Both men were delighted with the recognition, and thanked the Office of Education for the honors.

“He's so thrilled,” said daughter Pam Moore Hershey, who was at her father's side along with sisters Trena Pauly and Marilyn Marchetti.

Moore, who turned 87 on Tuesday, found out about the diploma over the weekend.

“We surprised him with it Saturday night,” said Hershey.

She and her sisters dressed her father up in cap and grown and gave him the news. They said he was determined to come to the ceremony.

Moore, an Indiana native, said he entered the Army at age 15, lying about his age. He was assigned to the 29th Infantry Division.

Marchetti said her father was a fast runner and so was used as a scout.

When his father reported to Army officials that Moore was underage, Moore was shipped home until he turned 16, and then returned to service in Europe.

In the interim, he missed the D-Day invasion in June 1944, during which his comrades in the 29th Division were amongst the first wave of Allied troops to land at Omaha Beach, sustaining massive losses.

He would later come home from the service, raised four daughters and one son in the Bay Area, and worked in management at Lockheed.

Merriman, 73, went into the military at age 17, when he was a junior in high school in Fremont, and would serve eight years in Vietnam.

He received his GED while in the service, but when he came back home, Merriman didn't return to school. “I should have, but I didn't.”

Instead, he came to Lake County, eventually became a contractor and served on the Lake County Board of Supervisors, representing District 5, from 1993 to 2001.
 
“Lake County is my home. I truly love it here,” he said.

He remains active in the community, including the American Legion Post 109 in Kelseyville.

For more information about the program, call the Lake County Office of Education at 707-262-4100.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

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Written by: Elizabeth Larson

Published: 19 June 2014

Future uses, upgrades for Carnegie Library discussed at workshop

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Community members gathered at Lakeport City Hall on Wednesday evening to share ideas about how the Carnegie Library can be used and preserved in the future.

About two dozen people took part in the two-hour-and 40-minute “visioning workshop” hosted by the city of Lakeport and San Francisco-based Garavaglia Architecture.

The firm, which has experience dealing with historic buildings, was hired earlier this year and tasked with doing a feasibility study for new and best uses for the 96-year-old building.

The study – which is to cost no more than $10,000 – is funded half by a $5,000 grant won by the Lakeport Main Street Association and another $5,000 contributed by the city.

Preservation architect Mike Garavaglia and Jacqui Hogans, an architectural conservator, led the discussion after introductions by City Manager Margaret Silveira and city economic development consultant Wilda Shock.

Silveira said of the building, “It's a great asset to our community.”

In May, Garavaglia's team visited the city, met with city officials and gave the building a thorough inspection as a first step to the study. He explained that the visioning workshop was the next step, which will lead to a summary report that will be presented to the council in July.

“It's a very simple contract but a very powerful process,” he said.

Hogans gave a brief overview of the history of the building, which opened in 1918 and was operated as a library until 1985, at which point it was turned over the city. It's been used by the University of California and for city offices and storage. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Hogans said the study is looking at “character defining features” of the building and will assess what are the highest priorities to keep.

For a building approaching its centennial, it's in excellent condition, Hogans said.

On the exterior, there are some minor concrete cracks and spalls, and deterioration of the wood windows and trim – which she said is completely understandable due to the building's age and proximity to the lake.

The building's roof was replaced in 1997 and no exterior leaks have been reported. The building's shell also is in excellent shape, she said.

The building's interior features wood shelving and the original circulation desk, all of which are in excellent condition. Hogans said those are considered character defining features.

There are two areas where the interior ceiling plaster has fallen away in chunks, which Hogans said may have been due to inadequate preparation when it was originally applied.

She said overall the building's systems are adequate for potential uses. However, the first floor bathrooms – one for men, one for women – would need to be renovated based on how the building will be used.

The building has a total of 3,000 square feet, equally split between the two floors, she said.

Garavaglia said site conditions are prone to flooding. The area was most recently flooded in 1998.

Other considerations include the need to make the building compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, with a lift or elevator needed.
 
The community's pride in the building, it was noted, is one of its benefits. Garavaglia also pointed out that the library sits in the heart of the community, and so what uses eventually are housed there will be of more interest than the average storefront.

Garavaglia said he designs around context, and that this project will require “a specialized kind of remodeling.”

The building is symmetrical, which is common for Carnegie Libraries. Its windows are an important character dynamic and are in good shape for their age, he said.

Garavaglia said he's not suggesting full window replacement; instead, he said weather stripping, minor repair, making sure the windows work properly, and use of natural ventilation, screens and curtains would help deal with temperature.

While he wants to preserve the “libraryness” of the building, “Most of these buildings are not fragile,” said Garavaglia, explaining that historical buildings tend to be robust and can change. “We don't want to be too timid.”

During a brainstorming session with the community members in attendance, perceptions of the building were recorded. Participants identified the library as a gathering place and a gateway to the lake, a retreat from Main Street and a place of childhood memories.

Suggested uses included an educational and research facility; an event space, rental venue or gallery; a wine center; television station; lake and heritage center; and cafe space.

The participants broke up into four small groups and then went over ideas, presenting their suggestions along with maps that showed their drawn-in design improvements.

Among the proposals were a large deck area to be added to the back of the building, along with an elevator and new entry points; a remodeled interior; and improved exterior lighting.

To achieve the needed remodeling, it was proposed that the city could explore public-private partnerships, either renting the library out to a private organization or a nonprofit, with the idea that the building would be available to the public – for events, cafe space, or a learning and historical center – and that its use would generate revenue.

Garavaglia said they will take the information from the group, work it into a summary and include it in the presentation to the Lakeport City Council in mid-July.

Considerations for remodeling the building

During the Wednesday discussion, Garavaglia noted that, because the Carnegie Library is on the National Register of Historic Places, renovation has to follow the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation, which are 10 guidelines set up by the National Park Service, Garavaglia said.

The specific guidelines were not discussed during the meeting, but they are presented below to show some of the considerations that must be taken into account in modernizing the library.

The guidelines below are published on the National Park Service Web site,  http://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/rehabilitation/rehab/stand.htm .

1. A property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment.

2. The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.

3. Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken.

4. Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.

5. Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property shall be preserved.

6. Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence.

7. Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible.

8. Significant archeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.

9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.

10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

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Written by: Elizabeth Larson

Published: 19 June 2014