LAKEPORT, Calif. – With hopes of improving the visitor experience at the city's main park, the Lakeport City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved the purchase of a brand new set of docks.

The city will purchase the nearly 300 feet of aluminum GatorDock sections – along with gangways, decking, pile guides and a swim ladder – for Library Park at a cost of $226,336.43.

The Dock Factory and Supply Co., based in Lakeport, is the vendor for the docks.

Last August, the council got to test out sections of the docks during a presentation at Library Park, as Lake County News has reported.

The new docks will replace nearly 30-year-old wooden docks that city staff has had to continually repair and update, according to Public Works Superintendent Doug Grider.

In presenting the request for the purchase to the council on Tuesday, Public Works Director Mark Brannigan noted that the city had budgeted $250,000 in the current fiscal year for the docks.

He said having the docks built locally will save the city about $20,000 in shipping fees, which is a reason city staff requested – and received – the council's approval of a waiver to allow sole-source purchasing from The Dock Factory.

Brannigan said city staff will actually assemble the docks at the park but there will be GatorDock representatives there to consult.

“When is it going to happen?” asked Councilwoman Stacey Mattina.

“By May 1 we will have these docks in place,” said Brannigan.

The Dock Factory owner Paul Racine told the council, “We're really pleased to be doing this.”

He added, “I think you're getting more dock than you ever figured you would,” explaining that the new docks will be 8 feet wide, whereas the current docks are 6 feet wide.

“We're really glad to be contributing to this project,” he said.

His son, PJ, also told the council that the docks will have an added loop at the area of the park near the former location of TNT's restaurant, meaning more accessibility for people entering the park from the water.

Council members expressed their hope that the new docks will help bring back some events that have left due to the condition of the old docks.

One case in point: the Wood and Glory classic wooden boat show, which relocated to Konocti Vista Casino's marina after complaints of Library Park's docks damaging the boats.

City Manager Margaret Silveira said she has talked to the show's organizers, who have expressed interesting in bringing at least a portion of the festival back to downtown Lakeport.

Councilman Marc Spillman said he hoped the show would come back. “There's so much more to do here.”

Rick Hamilton, a Lake County Chamber Board member, said the chamber will do what it can to help bring Wood and Glory back to Lakeport.

Jim Robello, a Wood and Glory organizer who attended the meeting, came forward to congratulate the council on bringing the new dock purchase to fruition.

He said he was looking forward to having good docks in Lakeport, adding that he also has purchased docks from The Dock Factory.

“We'll see what we can do to encourage boats to come over,” he said, noting he's not sure about changes to the festival this year.

Spillman moved to approve the purchase and sole-source purchasing waiver, with Mattina seconding and the council approving 5-0.

Also on Tuesday, the council honored two deputies for their efforts to save a suicidal man in September; met new employees, including new park employees, Community Development Director Kevin Ingram and Lakeport Police Officer Tyler Trouette; got an update on police volunteer hours; approved mayoral appointments for the coming year; reclassified several job positions; and held a public hearing and approved a resolution approving the city’s Community Development Block Grant Supplemental Activity Amendment to a new grant in order to meet state requirements for the use of program income funds in conjunction with new open grant funding.

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