How to resolve AdBlock issue? Citizens committee formed to support passage of Measure N
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County residents have formed a citizens committee to support the passage of the Measure N marijuana cultivation ordinance which will go before voters June 3.
The measure is a county ordinance to govern the cultivation of medical marijuana that the Board of Supervisors passed unanimously last Dec. 17.
A referendum effort earlier this year received enough signatures to qualify for the June primary ballot, and the board in February voted to let the ordinance stand and go to the voters.
At its March 4 meeting, the Board of Supervisors followed up with a unanimous vote for a resolution in support of Measure N.
“Measure N is a common sense public safety protection that will keep commercial marijuana cultivation away from our children, our schools and our neighborhoods,” said Lynn Hollenback, one of the founding members of Citizens for a Safer Lake County – Yes on Measure N, in a Friday statement.
“The County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to support Measure N because it establishes common sense restrictions on marijuana cultivation that makes our communities safer while preserving medical use for patients. Measure N will help the people of Lake County take back our communities from the intimidation, abuses and criminal activities of commercial marijuana growers,” said Hollenback.
The Lake County Deputy Sheriff’s Association has endorsed Measure N, and the members of Citizens for a Safer Lake County urge voters to reject the alarmist arguments being made by advocates of the commercial marijuana industry in an attempt to defeat the measure.
The committee said the key facts about Measure N include the following:
– Measure N prevents outdoor marijuana cultivation in residential neighborhoods. Law enforcement officials have reported that this type of cultivation is a significant cause of home invasions and residential burglaries.
– Measure N discourages people from moving to Lake County to grow marijuana because it sets reasonable plant limits and provides for quick enforcement of excessive cultivation amounts.
– Measure N preserves precious residential water for use by people instead of pot growers. And it protects communities and wildlife from poisonous pesticides associated with the outdoor cultivation of marijuana.
– Measure N does not reduce patient access to medical marijuana, nor does it affect the city of Clearlake’s municipal marijuana ordinance.
“The citizens committee is active and engaged in the process of building public support and raising the funds needed to win the campaign for Measure N,” said Monica Rosenthal, the committee treasurer.
For more information, to attend the next meeting or to find out how you can help, contact the Yes on Measure N Citizens Committee at
Lake County Ordinance 2997 - Measure N
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
VIDEO: Officials host Measure L town hall
LUCERNE, Calif. – Community members received an overview of the proposed Measure L sales tax and were able to ask questions at a town hall meeting last week in Lucerne.
The Committee to Save the Lake 2014 hosted the April 23 meeting, one in a series taking place around the county.
Lake County Public Works and Water Resources Director Scott De Leon explained the half-cent sales tax measure, its goals and the needs it will help address, including protecting the lake from invasive species like the damaging quagga and zebra mussels.
De Leon's presentation can be seen in the video above.
More forums on Measure L are scheduled to take place.
The committee plans a forum at 6 p.m. this Tuesday, April 29, in the Middletown Senior Center community meeting room, 21256 Washington St., and at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, in the Board of Supervisors chambers in the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport.
All members of the public are invited to attend and to participate in the discussion.
For more information call the Lake County Chamber of Commerce at 707-263-5092 or visit www.savethelake.info .
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Clearlake City Council hears presentation on Measure L lake sales tax
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council heard a presentation Thursday regarding Measure L, the countywide half-cent sales tax initiative for improving the health of Clear Lake.
Lake County Public Works and Water Resources Director Scott De Leon delivered a PowerPoint presentation explaining the purpose of the measure and the proposed expenditure plan for the first year.
While the measure does not include program-specific percentages, funds are to be utilized only in the areas of water quality programs, invasive aquatic species, prevention and control of aquatic weeds and algae, and development of reserves for future capital projects.
De Leon said passage of the measure is projected to generate $2.4 million in the first year. Revenues are to be directly allocated to the Watershed Protection District, with the Lake County Board of Supervisors acting as the district's governing body.
De Leon said administrative and personnel costs will continue to be covered by the Watershed Protection District.
However, De Leon said “programs require people” and should there be need to implement programs in the future that support the purpose of the measure, funds could be used to cover associated costs including personnel. He said there are currently five people employed in the Water Resources Department.
De Leon said the department's primary objective will be the prevention of lake infestation by quagga and zebra mussels, which he said will destroy the fishery as well as change the lake's ecosystem forever. He said property values will decrease because of lake conditions and the perception the lake is infested.
Most importantly, De Leon said, costs to water purveyors will increase with the need for additional maintenance and treatment. He said those costs will be passed to consumers.
De Leon said a sales tax measure is needed because current revenues do not support programs, and state and federal agencies continue to add programs and conditions on water quality that require action.
He said there also are public demands for increased services and a need to increase protection against invasive species.
“We can 'live within our means,' but that will require a reduction in services and no advancement in invasive species programs,” De Leon said.
The measure, which includes a 10-year sunset clause, is intentionally written with flexibility to provide options for the various programs identified in the initiative, De Leon explained. Funds can be spent only on those programs identified and cannot be diverted to the county's general fund.
De Leon said expenditures will be audited annually either by the county auditor-controller or by an outside firm to ensure compliance.
“The measure provides funding for current programs as well as provisions for stormwater monitoring, funding for the Middle Creek Marsh project and set-aside funds for matching future grant opportunities,” De Leon said, adding the process for securing grant awards is changing, often calling for up-front expenses that are later reimbursed.
He said a successful measure would put the county in a better position when competing for grants.
The measure requires that an oversight committee be formed, De Leon said. Expenditure plans must be submitted to the committee as well as the Board of Supervisors prior to each new fiscal year.
De Leon said the oversight committee is to be comprised of citizens from the county as well as the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport.
The Board of Supervisors will take nominations from existing communities and groups including the city of Lakeport, the city of Clearlake, Invasive Species Council, Lake County Farm Bureau, Fish and Wildlife Committee, Sierra Club, business organizations and the tribal community, De Leon said.
Oversight meetings will be subject to the Brown Act, requiring public notification and open participation, De Leon said.
The proposed expenditure plan De Leon presented for the first year is as follows: Water quality programs – lake and stream monitoring as required by state and federal permits ($250,000); Burns Valley Creek dredging and streambank restoration ($250,000); Clearlake Keys wetland development ($100,000); and Middle Creek Marsh restoration reserves ($400,000); invasive species prevention – mechanical ramp controls ($1 million); weed and algae program – nuisance aquatic weeds and algae mitigation ($400,000).
De Leon said the advantage of the proposed measure is that the sales tax will apply only to purchase of goods, including those purchased by tourists and visitors to the area.
He said if the measure were to pass in June, the county could begin receiving revenues as early as January 2015.
For more information, visit www.savethelake.info .
Email Denise Rockenstein at
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- Written by: Denise Rockenstein
Yuba College to host May 1 forum for District 2 supervisor candidates
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Yuba College Human Services Student Association, is set to host a forum for the candidates seeking the Lake County District 2 supervisor seat.
The forum – to be held on Thursday, May 1 – will be open to the public.
It will be held in room 603 on the Yuba College Clear Lake Campus located at 15880 Dam Road Extension, Clearlake.
Opening remarks will start at 6:30 p.m. and the debate is set to run for 90 minutes.
All three candidates – incumbent Supervisor Jeff Smith along with challengers Joyce Overton and Jeri Spittler, both currently serving on the Clearlake City Council – have been invited and have confirmed they will be participating.
A Yuba College faculty member and a Human Services Student Association student will moderate.
The community is encouraged to attend and submit questions. Questions can be submitted the night of the event or anyone wishing to submit questions prior to the event may do so by emailing them to the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce at
For more information on these and other Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce events call 707-994-3600 www.facebook.com/ClearLakeChamber .
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Clearlake City Council to consider search for new attorney, hear Measure L presentation
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – This week the Clearlake City Council will discuss the process for finding a new city attorney, get a presentation on a sales tax to benefit Clear Lake and consider allowing the nonprofit that runs the city's youth center to rent out the senior center for events.
The council will convene at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, for a closed session to negotiate for the possible acquisition of the Clear Lake SPCA building, located at 8025 Highway 29 in Kelseyville.
The public portion of the meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
At the meeting the council will formally receive a letter of resignation from City Attorney Malathy Subramanian of Best Best & Krieger LLP and consider authorizing city staff to release a request for proposals for legal services.
Subramanian has served as Clearlake's attorney since January 2008.
Her resignation letter stated, “This letter will also serve as technical notice of the termination of our legal services agreement with the City pursuant to Section 12 of the agreement.”
While that agreement calls for 30 days' notice, Subramanian said she will continue serving as city attorney for 60 days in order to help with a smooth transition in securing another city attorney.
“It is imperative that the city begin the process of securing legal counsel,” City Manager Joan Phillipe said in her report to the council regarding Subramanian's resignation. “Sixty days will go by very quickly and as such it is staff's recommendation that authorization be given to proceed immediately with sending out a request for proposal (RFP).”
Phillipe said that, upon receipt of the letter, staff began the work of creating an RFP and a comprehensive list of attorneys and firms to solicit responses to the request.
She also is suggesting that the mayor create an ad hoc committee of two council members to work with staff on reviewing proposals and making a final recommendation to the full council on candidates to interview in the final selection process.
Also on Thursday, the council will get a presentation from Lake County Public Works and Water Resources Director Scott De Leon on Measure L, the sales tax measure to benefit the health of Clear Lake. The measure is on this June's ballot.
In other Thursday business, the council will discuss a possible amendment to the Lake County Youth Services Youth Center lease to provide for no-cost use of the Clearlake Senior Community Center for fundraisers, and discussion on the request to amend the agreement to allow for rental of the Youth Center building for multiple types of non-youth oriented events.
Items on the consent agenda – considered to be noncontroversial and accepted as a slate with one vote – include warrant registers; minutes of the Feb. 13, Feb. 27, March 6 and March 13 council meetings; and minutes of the Lake County Vector Control District Board meeting on March 12.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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