How to resolve AdBlock issue? Report says Westshore Pool ground is stable; LUSD to consider contract with city for summer season
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Supporters of the Westshore Pool have gotten some good news.
A newly completed report on soil and slope conditions puts to rest concerns that the four-decade-old pool, located on the Lakeport Unified School District grounds, was built in unstable soil.
“That was good news,” said Lakeport Unified Superintendent Erin Smith-Hagberg.
The California Geological Survey reviewed the report, completed by SHN Consulting Engineers and Geologists of Willits, and signed off on the findings.
As a result, this week the Lakeport Unified School District Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting during which it will consider approving an agreement with the city of Lakeport for operating the pool for recreational swimming this summer.
District officials said the meeting will take place beginning at 6 p.m. this Thursday, June 5, in the boardroom at the district office, 2508 Howard Ave. The agenda also will include a budget hearing and discussion of the district's Adoption of the Local Control and Accountability Plan.
While the soil and slope testing results are good news for those who want to see the pool reopened for the public, so far it appears that the pool may only be open this summer for the use of the Channel Cats swim team.
That's due to the report's late-spring arrival, which gave the city of Lakeport little time to prepare or to hire the required summer staffing – particularly lifeguards – while it waited for the results.
“We're probably not going to have time to put that all together,” Lakeport City Manager Margaret Silveira told Lake County News.
Issues for the pool arose earlier this year, after Smith-Hagberg discovered in the district's files a December 2003 letter from the Division of the State Architect raising questions about the pool's structural safety and accessibility, as Lake County News has reported.
It was determined that the district had not resolved the issues outlined in the letter by the Division of the State Architect, the state agency responsible for certifying school construction projects.
Since the pool, built in 1973, had not been certified, the district was warned that it was in violation of the state education code and board members were personally liable if any injuries occurred at the facility.
That led the school district board to hold off on reopening the pool in February, when the Channel Cats, Clear Lake and Kelseyville High School swim teams were to begin preparing for spring competition.
The pool was designed by Lakeport engineer Cliff Ruzicka, who offered his services free of charge to help upgrade the pool to address the state's issues. He also pulled the original plans out of his archives to share with local officials.
In March, the district approved a contract with SHN for soil testing. The firm offered a 25-percent discount to the district, with the contract coming out to $10,650. Reduction in the fee was credited by district officials to Ruzicka's efforts.
The geotechnical investigation and slope stability evaluation SHN completed on the pool included three test borings, geotechnical tests, slope stability analyses, geological reconnaissance and soil testing, among other things.
“Based on the results of the field and laboratory investigation, and quantitative slope stability analysis, we conclude that the fill slope and cut slope bordering the pool facility are stable in their current configuration under both static and seismic conditions,” the report stated. “The fill slope appears to have been constructed in a manner that has not created nor contributed to erosion or geologic instability.”
A May 19 letter to Smith-Hagberg from Mark Wiegers, an engineering geologist with the California Geological Survey, stated that the testing results “indicate the slopes at the site have an acceptable factor of safety against failure and can be considered stable.”
Wiegers also noted that during a site visit there were “no visible signs of slope instability at the pool or adjacent areas.”
What's next for the pool
“We knew that we had to have that report from CGS (California Geological Survey) and we obtained that,” said Smith-Hagberg.
However, she said there is a list of items that the Division of the State Architect wants the district to rectify regarding the pool, so the district needs to review that list and decide how to proceed.
Smith-Hagberg said the attorneys for the city and the district are working on an agreement so the pool can be used by the Channel Cats this summer.
She said that agreement for summer pool operation has to be approved by the district board, thus the Thursday meeting.
“We want to get the Channel Cats in the pool as soon as possible,” Smith-Hagberg said.
Silveira said the Channel Cats may take over the summer swim lessons that the city has previously provided, but she cautioned that not all of the details have been confirmed.
“We are excited to be back in the pool,” said Jennifer Hanson, president of the Channel Cats.
Hanson said she met with Lakeport Public Works Director Mark Brannigan and Public Works Superintendent Doug Grider on May 21 regarding the swim team's use of the pool this summer.
“We have to totally operate it,” said Hanson. “We have to do everything.”
That means that the team also will have to take on purchasing chemicals and handling other aspects of the pool operation, she said.
“They're going to allow us to offer swim lessons, so that’s good. That was our main thing,” Hanson said.
As for the future of the high school swim teams and where they will practice, it's hard to tell, Hanson said.
“There's no guarantee the high school team will be there,” she said of Westshore Pool.
Earlier his year, with the Westshore Pool unavailable, the swim teams worked out at Quail Run Fitness in Lakeport, but Hanson said they had to travel more to out-of-county meets because Quail Run does not have a pool that fits competition specifications.
“The kids did better this year than they ever have before,” Hanson said.
The swim team, city and school district are all discussing holding a meeting in the not-too-distant future for all of the stakeholders, which also includes the county.
Silveira said it's going to be important for everyone to sit down and talk about how they see the pool operations going in the future.
Because the city isn't under the authority of the Division of the State Architect, Silveira said the city likely can continue some aspects of the pool operation. That will be a consideration as the city, county and school district sit down to discuss future partnerships, she said.
Hanson wants to see everyone pitch in to keep the pool available to local children. She said the majority of children on the swim team and who participate in the public swim are county – not city – residents.
Smith-Hagberg said she believes that after that stakeholder meeting the district will have to decide what to do next.
She said of the board, “I think they'll expect me to bring them a recommendation.”
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Request to allow animal control officers to carry batons for safety goes to Board of Supervisors
LAKEPORT, Calif. – This week the Board of Supervisors will consider approving a policy to let Lake County Animal Care and Control officers carry wooden batons for protection.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 3, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport. TV8 will broadcast the meeting live.
Animal Care and Control Director Bill Davidson, in an untimed item, will ask the board to consider a policy reviewed and approved by county counsel allowing animal control officers to carry wooden batons to protect themselves against vicious animals.
Davidson's report explains that the board in early 2009 approved animal control officers carrying and using pepper spray “for personal defense from attacks by animals and people.”
Last fall, the board also approved the purchase of Kevlar vests for animal control officers in the wake of the November 2012 fatal shooting of Sacramento County Animal Control Officer Roy Marcum.
Marcus was shot and killed through the front door of a foreclosed residence he was approaching to collect several cats and dogs, according to media reports about his shooting.
Davidson is requesting “one more piece of equipment that will allow our officers to remain safe while performing their duties in the field,” specifically, a 24-inch straight-handled wooden baton “to ward off and defend against vicious animal attacks.”
“Approximately 35 percent of the calls our officers respond to are for loose dogs. Of those loose dog calls, approximately 37 percent are for vicious animals,” Davidson said in his report.
“Several times a month, our officers respond to vicious dog complaints and must confront the animals in question, and take command of the situation,” Davidson continued. “Often times, during routine calls for service, our officers are surprised by a loose vicious dog, which charges them from behind a broken fence or from around a corner. The ability for our officers to be able to immediately defend themselves is crucial in determining the outcome of the encounter.”
Davidson's report also notes that training that has to be in place before any Animal Care and Control officers could carry the batons.
In other business Tuesday, in an timed for 9:30 a.m., the board will consider the first amendment to the agreement between the county of Lake and GLASS Architects for Facility Design for Behavioral Health Facility Expansion in Clearlake. The increase is not to exceed $250,325.
The full agenda is below.
CONSENT ITEMS
7.1: Approve minutes from the Board of Supervisors meetings held on May 6, 2014 and May 13, 2014.
7.2: Adopt proclamation designating June 2014 as Homeless Youth Awareness Month.
7.3: Waive 900-hour limit for extra help DA Investigator Aide Michael Curran.
7.4: Adopt resolution amending Resolution No. 2013-96 establishing position allocation for FY 2013-14, Budget Unit 2110, District Attorney.
7.5: Adopt resolution authorizing Lake County Health Services Department to submit a grant application to California Environmental Protection Agency for the rural underground storage tank prevention program grant for FY 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 and authorizing the Health Services Director to sign said application and grant.
7.6: Adopt resolution authorizing the submission to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, CalRecycle for Local Enforcement Agency grant EA-25 for the period of July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2019, not to exceed five years from the date of adoption.
7.7: Adopt resolution amending Resolution No. 2013-96 Establishing Position Allocation for FY 2013-14, Budget Unit 4011, Public Health to: (a) establish two temporary position allocations to be eliminated upon the employee’s retirement: Public Health Nurse Trainee I/II / Public Health Nurse I/II & Nurse Various; (b)Change the current Child Health Coordinator, Supervising position to a Public Health Nurse III; and (c) Change the current Business Software Analyst position to a Staff Services Analyst I/II.
7.8: Adopt Resolution appropriating unanticipated revenue to budget unit 8695, Special Districts, for grant funded Seismic Monitoring Network.
7.9: Award Bid No. 13-32 for Hildebrand Drive at St. Helena Creek Bridge Replacement Project near Middletown to Granite Construction Co., in the amount of $1,085,320.60, and authorize the chair to execute the Agreement and Notice of Award.
TIMED ITEMS
8.2, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of Proclamation designating June 2014 as Homeless Youth Awareness Month.
8.3, 9:30 a.m.: Consideration of first amendment to agreement between the county of Lake and GLASS Architects for Facility Design for Behavioral Health Facility Expansion in Clearlake.
NONTIMED ITEMS
9.2: Consideration of Animal Control Officer Safety Policy regarding training and use of batons in the field.
9.3: Consideration of a) funding agreement with California Department of Public Health for Soda Bay Water- CSA #20; and b) Resolution appropriating unanticipated revenue to budget unit 8480, Soda Bay Water- CSA#20 for California Department of Public Health funded project.
9.4: Sitting as the Board of Directors of the Lake County Sanitation District, Kelseyville County Waterworks #3, and Board of Supervisors concurrently - Consideration of resolutions adopting the Westside Sacramento Integrated Regional Water Management Plan.
CLOSED SESSION
10.1: Conference with labor negotiator: (a) county negotiators: A. Grant, , S. Harry, M. Perry, A. Flora and C. Shaver; and (b) employee organizations, Lake County Deputy Sheriff's Association, Lake County Correctional Officers Association and Lake County Safety Employees Association.
10.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code Sec. 54956.9(d)(1): Mateu v. County of Lake, et al.
10.3: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code Sec. 54956.9(d)(1): Rickel v. Lake County Board of Supervisors, et al.
10.4: Conference with legal counsel: Decision whether to initiate litigation pursuant to Gov. Code Sec. 54956.9(d)(4): one potential case.
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Lakeport City Council plans budget workshop; water meter project, parking zones also on agenda
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council will hold a workshop this week to discuss the proposed fiscal year 2014-15 budget.
The council will meet early for the workshop, with the meeting set to begin at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 3, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
Following the budget workshop, City Engineer Scott Harter will present to the council a proposed agreement with Vulcan Construction and Maintenance Inc. of Fresno for the completion of the US Department of Agriculture water meter replacement project. The contract amount is $957,137.
Harter also will present a proposed resolution designating the location of 20-minute parking zones – or “green zones” – on city streets. The new resolution also will rescind Resolution No. 2296, passed in 2007.
On the meeting's consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; the May 14 warrant register; minutes of the May 20 council meeting; approval of a recommendation to reject all bids received for the engineering department truck; approval of Application No. 2014-013 with staff comments for the Lakeport Yacht Club’s 2014 Cardboard and Duct Tape Regatta to take place July 4, 2014 at Library Park; authorization to contract with Valley Toxicology Services Inc. to provide urinalysis/chemical testing services for the Lakeport Police Department and authorize the mayor to sign.
The council also plans to have a closed session to discuss labor negotiations with all employee units.
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060314 Lakeport City Council agenda packet
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Supervisors approve Live Oak Senior Center lease, property donation
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week accepted a property conveyance from Live Oaks Seniors Inc. and also approved a lease agreement with the group for the new senior center in Clearlake Oaks.
County Administrative Officer Matt Perry presented the items regarding the Live Oak Senior Center to the board Tuesday morning.
The 4,000-square-foot, $1.5 million facility opened its doors to the community's seniors last month, as Lake County News has reported.
Center Executive Director Pat Grabham said in an April interview that the center serves an average of 80 to 100 meals a day on site. Its Meals on Wheels program serves another 30 to 35 meals daily.
Perry said that as part of the public-private partnership to build the new Live Oak Senior Center, Live Oak Seniors Inc. agreed to donate to the county the property on which the former senior center was located next door.
Regarding the lease between the county and Live Oak Seniors Inc. for the new building, the initial term is for 10 years with the option to extend in five-year increments with mutual consent of the two parties.
Live Oaks Seniors also will be able to serve alcohol on premises for special occasions, and is required to commercial liquor liability endorsement when doing so, Perry said.
“What a day this is,” to finally be able to lease the new building, said Grabham, who has been one of the guiding forces for the project over the past several years.
“It's beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, and we're so happy there, and all of our seniors are, also,” she said.
Perry and Grabham told the board that the tentative date for the center's grand opening is Thursday, June 26.
Board Chair Denise Rushing, whose district includes Clearlake Oaks, passed the gavel to Supervisor Rob Brown so she could make the motions to accept the real property donation and approve the lease agreement, both of which were approved 4-0. Supervisor Anthony Farrington was absent from the meeting.
Rushing said it was an example of a true public-private partnership.
“It shows the power of a vision and what can happen if you’re willing to be patient and just keep working toward a goal,” said Rushing.
She said it took many years of holding onto that vision. “You, of all people, held onto that vision,” she told Grabham.
“Our seniors are the ones who will benefit the most,” said Grabham.
She said the new facility also will serve as a cooling and heating center for seniors.
Rushing credited retired County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox for initially putting aside the money for the project, and Perry and his staff for getting the project across the goal line.
The audience then offered a round of applause.
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City of Clearlake reviews general plan update's draft environmental impact report
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The draft environmental impact report, or EIR, prepared in the process to update the city of Clearlake's General Plan was presented Saturday at City Hall.
Public comment on the draft EIR extends through June 30.
About 15 people attended Saturday's meeting, including four members of the Clearlake City Council and a couple members of city staff.
The California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, “requires agencies to identify the significant environmental impacts of their actions and to avoid or mitigate those impacts, if feasible.”
Completion of the EIR is required in the city's process to update its general plan, which describes and regulates the city's future growth.
According to City Manager Joan Phillipe, updating the general and completing an EIR is typically quite costly and can range from $600,000 to more than $1 million.
She said the city saved a substantial amount of money by utilizing the services of a team of graduate students from Cal Poly, who worked under the direction of Professor Cornelius Nuworsoo.
Ultimately, Phillipe said, the city's cost was about $100,000 to $120,000.
The draft EIR directly relates to the general plan, which underwent preparation from September 2012 to March 2013.
Notice of preparation of the draft EIR was issued in January of this year with a completion notice issued May 1.
Nuworsoo said following the public comment period, he anticipates the final EIR will be compete by the end of summer, with certification to follow.
Nuworsoo said preferred alternatives were used in developing the general plan resulting in the establishment of eight zones representing areas of key growth.
“The plan creates an identity around those zones,” he said.
Goals of the plan included concentrating growth in focus areas and intensifying land, redeveloping and reusing built-up areas by way of general land use; improving quality of housing stock and reducing the vacancy rate in residential use; and diversifying economic base and targeting land uses and jobs that provide living wages in commercial use.
The plan incorporates findings of the Clearlake Vision Task Force and the Lakeshore Drive Corridor Plan. Nuworsoo said it seeks to create a distinct brand for Clearlake including visions that create gateways into the city as well as a regional shopping center.
Project Manager Kerby Olsen said 16 areas of impact are addressed in the draft EIR.
Comments received in notice of preparation included hydrology, water quality, biological resources and habitat; water supply, federally-listed species, utilities and service systems; and buffer zones around odor emission sources.
Impacts are determined to be less than significant within the aesthetics of the plan, which analyzed scenic views, state scenic highways, visual character and light pollution. Analysis of agricultural resources determined to be less than significant as well.
Two areas of impact are identified and mitigated within the air quality category.
The first mitigation effort in the area of “sensitive receptors” (i.e., hospitals and schools), calls for avoiding the placement of new sensitive land uses within 500 feet of the freeway, 300 feet from a dry cleaner and 300 feet from a large gas station.
The second mitigation effort in the area of “objectionable odors” calls for new sensitive land uses to be within California Air Resources Board screening distances as well as utilization of best management practices to reduce odors.
Mitigation efforts for impacts within biological resources for special status plants and animals include assessing frequency of collisions between wildlife and vehicles along Highway 53.
It also includes implementing the following best management practices associated with collision prevention: change driver behavior, increase visibility, influence animal behavior and physical separation of wildlife and roadway.
Impacts in the areas of cultural resources are determined less than significant. Analysis included areas of historical and archaeological resources and geographical features.
Impacts are determined less than significant in the area of geology and soils which, in part, looked at the threat to life and property due to landslides; loss of soil through erosion; and location on unstable soils. Mitigations in greenhouse gas emissions relate to their reduction.
Continuing corrective measures, such as groundwater monitoring for underground storage leaks is called for in mitigating issues associated with locations on hazardous sites.
Hydrology and water quality mitigation efforts include those associated with threats to life and property due to seiche – a standing wave seen in lakes – tsunami or mudflow. They call for the following: classifying low-lying lands and requiring simulation studies for development and proposals in low-lying areas for seiche inundation; and adequate vegetation, retaining walls and minimizing development at the base for steep slopes.
Land use and planning mitigation calls for the updating of the city's zoning ordinance to be consistent with the general plan. Phillipe said the city is in the process of updating the zoning ordinance in its process to update the general plan document.
Less than significant impacts are determined in the area of mineral resources.
Mitigations to avoid permanent increase in ambient noise call for noise studies for existing and proposed development.
Impacts are determined to be less than significant within the categories of population and housing as well as in the category of public services and recreation.
In the category of transportation and traffic, mitigation efforts to avoid reduction in services at some intersections include requiring traffic impact studies for proposals of new development (unacceptable volumes of traffic would result in the need for mitigation); applying new state Complete Streets Act requirements; and application of various strategies such as increasing multi-modal use, increasing the number of lanes and installation of bus pull-outs.
Mitigation efforts in the area of utilities and service systems address regulations in regard to solid waste, which calls for updating the Lake County Source Reduction and Recycling Element and identifying alternatives for Eastlake Landfill or a plan for its expansion.
According to District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith, who was present during the meeting, the county is planning an expansion of the landfill.
The draft EIR is available for public review at Clearlake City Hall or through the city's Web site at www.clearlake.ca.us .
Written comments should be sent to the attention of City Manager Joan Phillipe, 14050 Olympic Drive, Clearlake, CA 95422 or call City Clerk Melissa Swanson at 707-994-8201, Extension 106.
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