CLEARLAKE – Clearlake Police's planned K9 program, budget amendments and street projects are on the agenda for the Clearlake City Council's Thursday meeting.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive. The council will hold a closed session beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Police Chief Allan McClain will update the council on his department's efforts to establish a K9 program.

Over the past two years, the Clearlake Police Department has raised more than $19,000, which McClain's report to the council said is enough to get the K9 program started.

Currently the department is working to identify the officer who will be the K9 handler, researching where to get the dog and what accompanying equipment they'll need, and outfitting a car to meet the K9 officer's needs.

In other council business, City Administrator Dale Neiman is taking to the council several budget amendments for the just-ended 2008-09 fiscal year.

“Overall, we did an excellent job of controlling the expenditures,” he said in his report.

All of the operational funds were under budget at the end of the year for a total of $126,872, with most of the savings coming from the Police Department in the amount of $82,420.

However, revenues dropped substantially, and were nearly a quarter of a million dollars less than Neiman's conservative estimates at the year's beginning. Interest earnings also were down by more than $31,000.

Departments requiring a total of more than $111,000 in budget corrections include elected officials, finance, the city clerk, nondepartmental, city engineer, parks and police grants, Neiman reported.

Neiman's report to the council said that the Clearlake Redevelopment Agency's Housing Set Aside fund has a deficit because the entire $700,000 loan to Olympic Village was taken from the fund. He also reported that the agency's rental agreement with the city had a mistake in it, and must be reduced by approximately $25,426.

On Thursday the council also will consider awarding additive alternative bids to the city's federal stimulus street funding program. City staff is recommending the council hold off on awarding bids and instead rebid additional street work in January.

The council also will consider a Highlands Water Co. request to pay a $24,000 water meter set fee and authorize purchase of computers for the police department.

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