Personal information:

Name: Charles O’Neill-Jones            

Age: 66             

Family: Father of four kids (with several adopted from other families, they never wanted to go home for dinner), two graduates of Lower lake High school with degrees from our state university system.

Career/current job: Retired marine engineering and facilities engineer.

Education: Bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University in media communication, with a minor in speech communication.

Length of residence in Lake County and your particular city: I have lived in Clearlake since 1989; prior to that I vacationed here for more than 18 years.

Web site or email address where community members can contact you: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Questions:

1. Please outline your experience serving the local community. Include all community or volunteer service.  

I started my interest in the city by becoming a volunteer with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, one term with their marine patrol division, from there I moved on to the Clear Lake Advisory Committee representing the city of Clearlake on lake health and water quality. This was a two-year appointed position in which I served two full terms.

After a brief period attending to family matters I became a part of the action team that implemented the invasive species protection program. This was a three year project in the making but it is the first active program implemented with the state of California.

After reviewing the many investigative reports submitted to CLAC I became more involved with both lake management and community developments. I decided to take up lake and waterway safety by becoming a member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 88, which oversees water safety on Clear lake. I served for two years with this organization and I am now no longer apart of this organization as it would be a conflict of interest while running for office.

2. Why did you decide to run for public office?  

I felt the need to answer the call for well versed citizens to step up and be a part of the solution instead of just seeing what happens.

3. What are the important qualities you would bring to public service?

I have a background in public relations and diverse organizational skills within the transportation industry, including 10 years dealing with budget and systems management issues within industry and tourist industry.
 
4. What are the primary functions of a city council member? What are the important skill sets a council member should possess?

Oversee the regular business of a city’s budget. One must always have good listening skills and reasoning ability to deal with complex problems.
 
5. What is your city’s single greatest challenge? How would you address it?

Regain our status as the best vacation spots for relaxation and water sports for young adults, singles and families. Insure our lake is the cleanest lake in Northern California.

6. If you are elected, what will your top issue be? What other issues are of particular interest to you?

(a) Proper lake management for health and recreation.
(b) Abatement and small business growth.
(c) Better utilization of our parks and undeveloped areas for and community activities.
(d) Better services for our retired and fixed income community.
(e) Monitor city’s lighting and road conditions, bus stops and seating, improve secondary roads within the city limits.

7. Is there a matter that you’ve seen the council handle that you believe should have been approached differently? If so, how would you have handled it?  

Yes we should have never let our supervisors give Yolo County a new 99 year lease on water rights to the lake without some sort of cooperation on improving the dam and tributaries which feed the lake.

8. What ways, if any, would you encourage public and media interaction with you and the city council should you be elected? How would you approach public interaction, especially on controversial issues?

Keep a level head on any issue and have public forum’s at least twice per year to get new input on complex issues.

9. When you think of your city in 20 years, what do you hope it will look like? When considering that future vision of your city, what would you want your legacy to be in improving your community?

Clearlake as the HUB of Northern California’s tourist stops on the high speed rail system which connects the major coastal wine country areas with the bay area’s and San Fernando Valley. Aircraft landing field to visit Clear Lake.

Financial information: See Form 470 below.

Clearlake City Council Candidates - Charles O'Neill-Jones - Form 470