The steering committee was approved at Tuesday's board meeting.
Among the proposed members are businesswoman Kathy Fowler, George Speake and Melissa Fulton, chief executive officer of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and the chair of the Clear Lake Advisory Committee.
Board Chair Anthony Farrington, who brought the proposal to the board, said he wanted to have local business leaders involved with looking for funds for long-term solutions.
The County Administrative Office also has allocated $1 million in the county's 2010-11 budget for the county's efforts to deal with algae, weeds and water quality issues.
County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox told Lake County News that the funds are a one-time appropriation, thanks to year-end tax revenues coming in higher than expected.
He said the issue of lake algae and weeds has long been a very high priority to the supervisors, and he felt that, given the opportunity, the board would want to earmark these unanticipated funds for that purpose.
On Tuesday, Farrington told fellow board members and an audience of concerned citizens, “We're always going to have to manage the lake,” and he wanted to have the group get to work on what can be done.
Supervisor Jeff Smith said the county has been criticized for doing nothing about the lake's weeds and algae this year, but he said the county actually has done more in the last four months than in some previous years.
He also suggested that new fees may be necessary to pay for abating the weeds and algae, which he said need to be removed from the lake because they're adding more nutrients.
“We're working on so many different things in so many different directions,” he said.
Supervisor Denise Rushing agreed with looking for other revenue sources, but said that forming another committee without leadership and goal setting isn't going to yield new results. She said the board needed to be very clear about what it wants from the group.
Farrington said for him the goal is to get Clear Lake's weeds and algae under control, and to look at existing financial resources to assist in those efforts.
He said they didn't need it to be more complex than that, “and it can begin today.”
Farrington said he doesn't necessarily support forming committees but supports task forces if they have a deadline and specific goals.
He suggested the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport also needed to be involved.
Cox agreed, especially if the county is considering raising transient occupancy – or bed – tax on the hospitality industry.
With the closure of Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa, Cox said most of the county's TOT revenue no longer comes from the unincorporated areas of the county.
Speake applauded the board for talking about the problem and trying to do something.
He recommended they keep the group small in order to get things done.
Fowler also said she was glad they were looking at it. She said if the county can't fix the problems they won't have any TOT funds at all.
The Board of Supervisors is planning a 1:30 p.m. discussion at its Sept. 21 meeting to further explore the steering committee and its goals.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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