How to resolve AdBlock issue? Supervisors to consider Live Oak Senior Center property donation and lease
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors is set to consider a property donation from Live Oak Seniors Inc. as well as a lease agreement with the group for use of the new senior center in Clearlake Oaks.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 27, 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 9:30 a.m., the board will consider a resolution accepting conveyance of the property that was the location of the old and recently demolished center, located at 12502 Foothill Blvd. and 12504 Pine St. The property serves as the parking lot for the new senior center next door.
County Administrative Officer Matt Perry explained in his report to the board that the newly completed center was constructed as part of “a public private partnership in that the Live Oak Seniors, Inc. agreed to donate to the County the property on which the former senior center was located.”
Along with the property donation, the board will consider a proposed lease agreement with Live Oak Seniors Inc. for the new building,
The lease provides Live Oak Seniors Inc. with exclusive use – subject to making it available for groups when not in use as a senior center – and has an initial term of 10 years with an option to extend in five year increments upon the mutual consent of the parties.
Perry said the agreement is closely modeled after one made between the county and the new Middletown Senior Center.
He said the lease also provides the senior center with the opportunity to support its budget by renting out space within the facility so long as the proposed use is in accordance with a facility use policy that is satisfactory to the county.
“The Live Oak Seniors specifically requested the right to serve alcohol on special occasions. Therefore, the lease allows this and also requires the Live Oaks Seniors to provide a commercial liquor liability endorsement for bodily injury, personal injury and broad form property damage,” Perry's report stated.
Also on Tuesday, at 9:45 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 full agenda is below.
CONSENT ITEMS
7.1: (a) Adopt resolution establishing 2014-15 appropriations limit for county of Lake; and (b) adopt resolution establishing 2014-15 appropriations limits for Special Districts governed by Board of Supervisors.
7.2: Approve first amendment to the agreement between the county of Lake and Rebekah Children's Services for FY 2013-14, increasing amount to $87,000, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.3: First amendment to the agreement between Lake County Behavioral Health and Sacramento Children's Home for FY2013-14 specialty mental health services, decreasing amount to $9,000 and authorize the chair to sign.
7.4: Approve third amendment to the agreement between the county of Lake and Remi Vista Inc. for FY 2013-14 specialty mental health services, increasing amount to $70,000, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.5: Adopt resolution approving an application for funding under the California State Library's Federal Library Services and Technology Act Program for Lake County Library and and authorize the county librarian to sign the application (for $35,000), grant agreement and other necessary documents.
TIMED ITEMS
8.2: 9:15 a.m., Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien in the amount of $1,590.87, for 16295 Eagle Rock Road, Hidden Valley Lake (APN 142-363-07 - Mark Hansen and Evelyn Hansen).
8.3: 9:30 a.m., (a) Consideration of resolution accepting conveyance of real property located in Clearlake Oaks; and (b) consideration of proposed lease agreement between the county of Lake and Live Oak Seniors Inc.
8.4: 9:45 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 letter of support for AB 2363 - Electricity Procurement (Dahle).
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 Section 54956.9(d)(1): Lakeside Heights HOA, et al. v. county of Lake.
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June declared Homeless Youth Awareness Month in Clearlake
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council designated June as Homeless Youth Awareness Month in the city.
The proclamation was read into record by Vice Mayor Gina Fortino Dickson during Thursday’s regular meeting.
Fortino Dickson said the city is strongly committed to seeking ways to assist homeless youth by implementing innovative programs and systems and by putting “children first.”
The proclamation recognizes the city, the county of Lake, Lake County Office of Education, Lake Family Resource Center and Lake Community PRIDE Foundation for providing critical services to children and families, ensuring children have the opportunity to reach their full potential as productive adults and members of the community.
According to the 2010 Census, the proclamation states, there are approximately 3,750 youth age 15 to 19 in Lake County.
The 2012-13 California Annual Homeless Data Collection shows 185 (20-percent) of these youth were declared homeless and were in need of some form of assistance.
“Whereas, too many children and youth in the City of Clearlake are forced to flee from unsafe homes due to family violence, drug-use, or other dysfunctions only to become vulnerable to making unwise choices that expose them to further exploitation, drug-use and other risks,” Fortino Dickson read.
The proclamation concluded that increasing public awareness of the importance of this issue through education, media attention and outreach will reinforce the need for all parents to take responsibility for the financial, emotional and physical support of their children.
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Redbud Audubon Society donates wildlife protection sign to city of Clearlake
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Redbud Audubon Society presented the City of Clearlake with a gift Thursday before the Clearlake City Council.
Redbud Audubon President Marilyn Waits delivered an illustrated sign meant to remind the public of the importance of protecting wildlife on Clear Lake.
The “For Their Sake, Share the Lake” sign will be displayed at Redbud Park in the area of Thompson Harbor boat launching facility.
It describes the mating and nesting habits of the grebe and the potential dangers posed by boaters.
“The Redbud Audubon Society is happy to donate this sign to Redbud Park. We have a special connection with that park,” Waits said, adding that the park was home of the organization's annual Heron Festival during its first nine years. The festival is nearing its 20th year.
Waits said the signs will help residents and tourists understand the importance of “sharing the lake” and being mindful of its wildlife.
She said researchers from the University of California, Davis identified a need for public education in its potential for endangering the grebe without intention.
She said four additional signs, to be placed at locations around the lake, will assist in raising public awareness.
The grebe nesting season coincides with the boating season, which increases the risks for grebe survival. Waits said grebes build floating nests that can be flooded or broken apart by boat wakes.
She said wakes also can cause the eggs to roll out of the nest. In addition, grebes carry their young on their backs, which make them vulnerable to boat strikes.
The signs cite a comeback in grebe populations following bans of market hunting, egg collecting and toxic pesticides.
According to the signs, grebes in California are suffering heavy losses because of oil spills, exposure to which causes them to lose the ability to regulate body temperature.
The signs state the public's help is essential in making Clear Lake a safe place for recovery of the grebe population. “You can enjoy boating while taking care that grebes survive to re-populate this wildlife area,” the sign says.
The signs describe the grebe as a “dynamic diver” that can appear and disappear quickly. They also tell of the grebes' mating rituals. In the “rushing ceremony” two or more grebes will rise up together, rhythmically bobbing their heads and skimming rapidly across the service of the water.
Next comes the “weed ceremony,” which is accented by shrill calls, diving and the co-presentation of freshly picked plants. Following this courtship, colonial nest building commences.
Aquatic plants in Clear Lake create ideal conditions for floating nest construction. The signs remind lake users that the damage or loss of habitat has the potential of reducing the survival chances of the grebe.
Waits said the signs carry a 10-year warranty. The additional signs will be placed at Library Park in Lakeport; Alpine Park in Lucerne; and Lakeside Community Park and Clear Lake State Park in Kelseyville.
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Clearlake City Council directs staff to work on November sales tax measure
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake City Manager Joan Phillipe received direction from the Clearlake City Council on Thursday to move forward with a sales tax measure to focus primarily on code enforcement for the November ballot.
A proposal for a half-cent specific tax reflecting other directions provided by the council is to be prepared and presented for consideration at a future meeting.
The Clearlake City Council has been hashing out details concerning how to proceed with any potential tax measure since the narrow defeat of a measure for road improvements and code enforcement/animal control in the November 2013 election, with a similar measure failing the year before.
Discussions have focused on the type of tax – whether specific or general; the amount to be sought; and whether or not road improvements should be divided or eliminated from the proposal and perhaps sought in the future.
Such topics were discussed at previous council meetings as well as during a town hall meeting held in April, for which Phillipe shared survey results in her Thursday report.
Numbers showed to be in favor of moving forward with a tax initiative and participation showed that the majority of those who participated in the town hall supported presenting the measure as a specific tax.
Councilwoman Joyce Overton said she wasn't “too keen on a general tax” but favored a specific tax proposal. She also said she would prefer to see the measure split.
Survey results from the town hall were identical on that question. However, preference for “code enforcement and animal control” was double that of the categories of “roads” and “crime suppression.”
Ballot costs would increase if the measure were to be split, Phillipe said in response to a question from Councilman Joey Luiz.
“I think a half-cent for code enforcement would make a big difference. The roads are another issue,” he said, adding he intended to wait to hear from the public before commenting further.
While there was consensus to proceed with the measure as a specific tax, Vice Mayor Gina Fortino Dickson said discussion of a general tax was warranted for one reason – that the opportunity to place a general tax on the ballot is limited.
Such measures may only be submitted in an election that includes seats for council. She said it will be two more years before the opportunity returns.
Fortino Dickson “brought up a good point, but I think if we write it properly, it will be voted for,” Mayor Denise Loustalot said, referring to other areas of the discussion, which included appointment of an oversight committee, an appropriate expenditure plan and consideration of a sunset clause.
All members of the council were in favor of a 10-year sunset clause with the exception of Councilwoman Jeri Spittler, who suggested it be five years. She also said she preferred a quarter-cent initiative.
According to Phillipe, a half-cent tax would generate approximately $700,000 annually.
Discussion of the sunset clause led the council to include in its directions to staff a recommendation similar to that offered by District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith. He suggested the tax be reduced to a quarter-cent after the first five years.
Overton supported the idea, indicating a document written properly could provide the council with criteria for reducing the tax should specific findings support the action.
Chuck Leonard, resident and former council member, said while a specific tax has failed three times, it was highly supported.
“A general tax won't pass,” he said, before turning his comments toward Spittler, who earlier in the discussion had referred to a previous council's decision to eliminate code enforcement, calling it “insanity.”
Leonard said a lack of money led to the decision. “You've been up there for four years; you haven't brought it back,” he said.
“The road issue, I think we need to forget about that for now,” Mike Vandiver, who was active in the support of the previous tax measure, said.
He suggested the council seek a half-cent specific tax for code enforcement and animal control “task force,” a term which caused debate in definition initiated by Spittler.
A team concept, which may or may not include a support officer from the police department, also was entered into the discussion.
Spittler said if the tax is going to fund a task force under the police department, then why not specify funds will pay the salary of one officer? “Call a spade, a spade,” she said.
Fortino Dickson said she saw no point in specifying funds for a “police officer” when one of the reasons cited for not pursuing a general tax is because an existing measure already requires 63 percent of the general fund be allocated to the police department.
The needs of the program are likely to change, she said, and while the need for a police officer may exist in the beginning, program needs may change.
Fortino Dickson said the proposal should be written in such a way that allows for best operation in compliance with an voter approved expenditure plan.
Clearlake resident Stacy Martin said he didn't care how much the tax was, he would support it.
Martin addressed the council earlier during public comment, with a complaint regarding the hazards of an abandoned trailer across from his residence.
He said he recently moved to Clearlake from Santa Rosa and his family will not come and visit him because of the blight.
“I will volunteer,” he said, insisting some course of action must be taken.
Smith said property values have dropped since the loss of code enforcement.
“I think we need to go with code enforcement,” Smith said. “The property values that you've lost would have paid for code enforcement.”
A resolution including the measure on the ballot must be prepared for council action for submittal to the Lake County Registrar of Voters no later than Aug. 8.
The cost to the city for the last consolidated election was $6,381, city officials reported.
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Clearlake City Council to discuss sales tax proposal, hear update on marijuana ordinance
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council will once again this week take up whether or not to propose a sales tax measure to fund city services and also will get a status report from city staff on the city's medical marijuana cultivation ordinance.
The council will meet in closed session beginning at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 22, to discuss labor negotiations, hold a performance evaluation for City Manager Joan Phillipe and discuss negotiations with the SPCA of Clear Lake for property acquisition before convening in open session at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
Phillipe will go over a report with the council based on the results of a community town hall in which options for sales tax measures were discussed.
The majority of participants were in favor of a specific tax proposal – which would need an approval rate of 66 percent or more – on the November ballot.
Proposed uses for the tax revenue include code enforcement, roads and crime suppression, according to the town hall results.
As a result, Phillipe's written report states, “The discussion at this meeting is to determine whether to proceed with a ballot measure on the November 2014 ballot.”
The council also would need to discuss whether to pursue a specific or general tax, the uses for the funds, whether to create an oversight board and if there should be a sunset clause, among other considerations listed in her report.
Phillipe also will update the council on the city's marijuana cultivation ordinance, which went into effect this past Jan. 1.
The ordinance mirrors the urgency ordinance which the council has had in place since the summer of 2012, and which runs out this July. The Board of Supervisors passed a stricter ordinance which was challenged by referendum and so is going on the June ballot as Measure N.
Phillipe said there are concerns that a stricter county ordinance will attract larger grows into the city limits.
With limited city staff, the city is responding to grows that violate the city ordinance by issuing stop work orders on illegal fencing – particularly on empty lots where grows are prohibited – and responding to violations of the tree ordinance in cases where clear cutting is reported, according to Phillipe.
Also on the agenda is the presentation of Redbud Audubon Society's donation to Redbud Park, a presentation and report on the street light survey and receipt of the city attorney's opinion regarding the allowed uses of Austin Park.
The council also will present a proclamation declaring June as Homeless Youth Awareness Month.
Items on the consent agenda – considered to be noncontroversial and accepted as a slate with one vote – include warrant registers; minutes of the April 9 Lake County Vector Control District meeting; minutes of the council meetings on Feb. 18, March 27, April 10, April 12, April 24 and May 8; consideration of reviewing the conflict-of-interest code; receipt of the Local Area Formation Commission proposed budget for fiscal year 2014-15; and receipt of a notice of rate increase from Clearlake Waste Solutions, to be effective July 1, 2014.
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