Supervisors to continue landslide discussion, get update on trails system and Middletown action plan

LAKEPORT, Calif. – This week the Board of Supervisors will continue looking at options for protecting Hill Road East from a landslide near Lakeside Heights, get an update on the progress to expand the Konocti Regional Trails System and consider the proposed Middletown Community Action Plan.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, 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 10:20 a.m., the board will continue a discussion it began at its Feb. 11 meeting regarding potential actions to take to protect Hill Road East from potential land movement near the Lakeside Heights subdivision, which sustained a large amount of damage due to a landslide that began last March.

The board's discussion last week touched on the tarping on the hillside, which has been damaged by wildlife, wind and sunlight.

Community Development Director Rick Coel told the board that the contouring and earth stabilization work the county had done last fall cost $11,000, with the materials and labor for the tarping costing another $17,600. Some of those costs for tarping were covered by the Lakeside Heights Homeowners Association.

Public Works Director Scott De Leon said county staff believed if they could keep the fill – placed in the hillside at Lakeside Heights decades ago during its construction – dry, they can keep the earth from sliding.

The concern for the board was that keeping the hillside covered with plastic is a temporary fix, and Lakeside Heights Homeowners Association President Randall Fitzgerald pointed out that it's in the best interests of the residents to find a longterm solution.

Coel suggested that a longterm solution is to remove the fill material and so lessen the weight on the hillside, and to follow up with hydroseeding to reestablish vegetation and ground cover.

De Leon said county staff needs to get an idea of what the board wants for an end product. Putting everything back to where it was before the hillside is a “completely different scope of work” than keeping the area stabilized.

The hillside and the construction fill had a history of movement, he said. “It took 30 years for it to finally do what it did,” De Leon said, adding it's hard to predict what the hillslide might do next.

Coel estimated that there is about 10,000 yards of fill, or 30 million pounds of dirt. If the goal is to remove the fill, he said the question is, where does that soil go.

“That's more of a permanent repair,” said De Leon, noting he wanted to have a geotechnical engineer involved in that discussion. “There are a number of ways to solve the problem.”

Without knowing what's going on underneath the ground and all the different causes of the slide, it's hard to make any informed decision, said Supervisor Anthony Farrington, noting they needed to carefully use the county's scarce resources in working out a solution.

De Leon and Coel are expected to return with more options for the board to consider on Tuesday.

In other timed items for this week's meeting, at 9:15 a.m. the board will hear Toni Timpke's appeal of a nuisance animal abatement regarding her male pit bull, which was repeatedly found loose and roaming on neighbors' properties on Bell Hill Road in Kelseyville.

At 9:30 a.m., the board will consider a request for $3,000 to support the Lake County Land Trust's purchase of a wetland property,

At 9:45 a.m., trails coordinator Gigi Stahl will update the board on the progress on developing the Konocti Regional Trails System, and the board will consider the proposed Middletown Community Action Plan at 10 a.m.

The full agenda follows.

TIMED ITEMS

9 a.m., A-1 to A-4: Approval of consent agenda, which includes items that are expected to be routine and noncontroversial, and will be acted upon by the board at one time without discussion; presentation of animals available for adoption at Lake County Animal Care and Control; consideration of items not appearing on the posted agenda, and contract change orders for current construction projects.

9:05 a.m.: Citizen's input. Any person may speak for three minutes about any subject of concern, provided that it is within the jurisdiction of the Board of Supervisors and is not already on the agenda. Prior to this time, speakers must fill out a slip giving name, address and subject (available in the clerk of the board’s office, first floor, courthouse).

9:15 a.m., A-5: Hearing, appeal of nuisance animal abatement at 2875 Bell Hill Road, Kelseyville. Male pit bull; owner, Toni Timpke.

9:30 a.m., A-6: Consideration of request for support of Lake County Land Trust Melo property purchase, in the amount of $3,000.

9:45 a.m., A-7: Presentation of update regarding the Konocti Regional Trails System.

10 a.m., A-8: Consideration of proposed Middletown Community Action Plan.

10:20 a.m., A-9: Continued from Feb. 11, consideration of actions to protect Hill Road East from potential land movement near the Lakeside Heights subdivision.

NONTIMED ITEMS

A-10: Supervisors’ weekly calendar, travel and reports.

A-11: Consideration of appointments to the Library Advisory Board and the Lower Lake Waterworks District No. 1 Board of Directors.

CLOSED SESSION

A-12: 1. Conference with labor negotiator: (a) County negotiators: A. Grant, L. Guintivano, S. Harry, M. Perry, A. Flora and C. Shaver; and (b) employee organization: Deputy District Attorney's Association, Lake County Deputy Sheriff's Association, Lake County Correctional Officers Association, Lake County Employees Association and Lake County Safety Employees Association.

A-12: 2. Employee Disciplinary Appeal Hearing - EDA 2014-01.

CONSENT AGENDA

C-1: Approve first amendment to agreement between the county of Lake and Remi Vista Inc., for FY 2013-14 specialty mental health services, an increase of $60,000, and authorize the chair to sign.

C-2: Approve second amendment to agreement between the county of Lake and Crestwood Health Inc., for FY 2013-14 specialty mental health services, a decrease of $124,422, total amount not to exceed $400,578, and authorize the chair to sign.

C-3: Approve first amendment to agreement between the county of Lake and California Psychiatric Transitions for FY 2013-14 mental health services, an increase of $60,422, contract maximum amount of $124,422, and authorize the chair to sign.

C-4: Approve issuance of notification to the Konocti Unified School District that the county of Lake will not authorize the issuance of tax and revenue anticipation notes on the district’s behalf.

C-5: Adopt Resolution appropriating unanticipated revenue to Budget Unit 1231, County Counsel ($2,000 from Air Quality Management District for prosecution services).

C-6: Adopt resolution authorizing The Grant Project - Lake County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Response Project (authorizing submission of grant application for funds administered by the Office of Violence against Women (OVW) for grant period through Sept. 30, 2017, and authorizing the county administrative officer to sign various application documents and the district attorney to accept grant award).

C-7: Approve second amendment to agreement between the county of Lake and California Exterminators Alliance (CEA), an extension of term of vegetation control services, an increase of $50,000, and authorize the chair to sign.

WATERSHED PROTECTION DISTRICT

C-8: Approve agreement between the Lake County Watershed Protection District and Mark McCombs for caretaker services at the Highland Springs Recreation Area, and authorize the chair to sign.

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.

Clearlake City Council presents NAACP with Black History Month proclamation

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Members of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People accepted a proclamation Thursday from the Clearlake City Council designating February as “Black History Month” in the city.

Lake County NAACP Branch President Rick Mayo, who was accompanied by members of his board, thanked the council for the recognition and reminded the public of the NAACP's celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“The history of civil rights in the United States is largely the story of free people of color and then African Americans to define and enumerate what rights pertain to citizens in civil society,” Mayo said. “It has been the history of enlisting political parties to recognize the need for our governments, state and federal, to codify and protect those rights. Thank you.”

Mayor Denise Loustalot recognized the Lake County branch for its dedication to the principle of fostering civic, economic and educational programs and social justice throughout the city of Clearlake.

The group also was honored for its dedication to encouraging reflections on the rich history and teaching of black Americans, and bearing witness to the progress, beauty and achievements they have made throughout the community.

Aqeela Bahkeit was among the board members present to accept the proclamation with the recommendation of a book, “The Negro Trail Blazer of California” by Delilah Beasley, which she said was rich with history.

Email Denise Rockenstein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Clearlake City Council makes budget adjustments during midyear review

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council held its midyear budget review Thursday.

As part of the review, the council authorized adjustments reflecting a net decrease of $88,026 to the estimated general fund balance at the end of this fiscal year.

Adjustments addressed changes in projected revenues and expenditure increases primarily associated with the capital project fund.

In its action, the council also authorized a $1,000 donation to the Lake Family Resource Center's warming center, an action the council had previously indicated it would consider during the midyear budget review.

The budget estimates revenues and expenditures for the year as well as beginning and ending balances.

Financial Consultant Bruce Budman said the current budget was prepared prior to the end of the last fiscal year, requiring an estimation of final month figures to determine a beginning 2013-14 fund balance.

He said the lack of a 2011-12 audit complicated the process as well. He said the 2011-12 audit is complete and staff is “well along” with the 2012-13 audit, making the 2013-14 beginning balance easier to calculate and more accurate.

“This midyear process revisits the process with more current data (including) the completed 2011-12 audit, a completed 2012-13 fiscal year and six months of the current year complete,” Budman said. “A more accurate estimate of beginning and ending fund balance and revenues and expenditures can now be made.”

Budman's report showed general fund expenditures to be at 49.41 percent and all funds at 40.59 percent. He said the administrative support fund in the general fund is at 83.26 percent because insurance is budgeted through the account and was paid in full in July.

The capital projects fund is at 774.92 percent because projects that carried over from the prior year were not budgeted, which Budman said he proposed to adjust in his report.

“While some individual expenditure line budgets could be adjusted upwards, overall the various departmental budgets are in line with the adopted budget and overages can be absorbed by savings in other line items. I am not proposing to adjust individual expenditure line items up or down at this point as overall I believe they will balance out,” Budman said.

Budman's report showed a beginning fund balance higher than anticipated while the economic development fund shows to be lower.

Additionally, the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund begins the year with $275,520 more than projected, he said.

Adjustments represented a net increase across all funds of $776,497 while the general fund showed a net decrease in its revenue budget of $301,172. The general fund showed receipt of budgeted revenues at 36.89 percent at midyear with a percentage of 42.9 for all funds combined.

Additional property and sales tax revenues are anticipated. Budman said five months of sales tax had been received as of Dec. 31.

“The bright spot in our general fund revenue budget is sales tax,” said Budman, noting that in speaking with the county and the city's sales tax consultant, he was informed that Clearlake should receive $78,000 over its budgeted amount.

Budman said the increase will be more than offset by shortages in property tax ($138,502), school resource officer ($36,722), Area Planning Council reimbursement ($24,357), vehicle license fees ($38,000) and transfers in from the economic development fund ($147,791).

Expenditure budget adjustments showed a net increase of $1,029,005 with the general fund showing an increase of $14,508. Adjustments reflect, in part, use and/or transfers of grant monies awarded the police department and others for capital improvement projects in the city.

Some additional expenses include $80,000 in gas tax funds for purchase of a dump truck in order to meet Cal/EPA Air Resource Board regulations. Public Works Director Doug Herren said noncompliance could result in daily fines of $300 to $10,000.

According to Budman's report, the revised estimated general fund balance at June 30, 2014, is projected to be $271,305. Compared to the projection in the original budget of $359,331 it is a net decrease of $88,026. He said this leaves a $150,000 reserve for risk management and $121,305 for reserve revenue.

In addition, the discussion included the proposal of an additional street project not reflected in the budget adjustments. The purpose of the project is to repair and overlay streets before they are restriped and reflectors installed through use of grant funds already budgeted.

The council's action did not include anything related to the additional project other than direction that the city engineer continue to pursue it.

Documents related to the midyear budget review are available to the public at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive in Clearlake.

Email Denise Rockenstein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .