The county Public Services Department will host the meeting from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 13, in the Board of Supervisors chambers at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
Last year, the county completed the purchase of more than 1,500 acres on top of Mt. Konocti, an effort that began in late 2007, as Lake County News has reported.
Public Services Director Kim Clymire said one of goals of the meeting is to discuss if they should form a “Friends of Mt. Konocti” group to support activities on the mountain.
He said many such as “friends” groups are used to raise funds. However, the county generates more than $100,000 annually off of agreements with companies that have lease agreements on the telecommunications towers on Buckingham Peak, a 176-acre parcel that was part of the purchase.
The county also has grant applications in to support the proposed park, he said.
What may be needed more is a core group of supporters to be trail watchers and docents, supervise access to the Cal Fire lookout tower, and assist with trail maintenance and construction projects, Clymire said. A standing advisory committee also could evolve out of such a group.
If a group forms and wants to raise money, a nonprofit will need to be created, Clymire said. Those steps will be discussed at the Thursday meeting.
Other agenda items will include fundraiser ideas, creating a Web site, input for county operations – such as fire management, and creating policies and procedures – and a review of examples of successful “friends” organizations elsewhere.
He said groups support other local nature areas like Boggs Mountain, Anderson Marsh and the Black Forest.
Clymire said that the meeting also will include an overview and update on the progress the Master Management Plan Committee has made toward developing the park's management plan.
When the park opens this June or July – it was slated to open in May but an easement issue has caused a delay – only hikers will be allowed initially, he explained.
The master plan committee is only on its fourth meeting, said Clymire, but within the next year or two he wants to have a plan to circulate to the community.
“It's going to be an evolving plan,” he said.
Clymire said the effort is being driven by preservation, resource and cultural conservation of the site.
“We want to preserve it and conserve it,” he said.
As such, he said he wants to take it slow in determining what potential uses to allow, such as horses, dogs on leash and mountain bikes.
“Once you allow something it's really hard to change behavior,” Clymire said.
At upcoming committee meetings they'll hear from local equestrians and representatives of those other potential uses, he said.
For more information about the meeting, call the Lake County Public Services Department at 707-262-1618.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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