CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Thursday the Clearlake City Council gave final approval to its 2015-16 fiscal year budget, offered support for renaming the Redbud Field softball field and held the first reading of an ordinance to streamline small residential solar installations.

At the start of the meeting, before getting down to the business of the budget, the council honored retiring City Manager Joan Phillipe with a proclamation for her service ( www.bit.ly/1JrlEWR ).

Mayor Denise Loustalot also presented a proclamation declaring June 2015 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month to former Councilman Joey Luiz, the first openly gay member of the city council.

The presentation to Luiz seemed almost prescient, as the next morning the US Supreme Court announced its ruling that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marriage.

Regarding the budget, after having held special budget workshops earlier this month, the council was prepared to give its final approval to the document after introductory comments from staff and a short discussion.

“The budget process has been an evolving process over the last couple of years,” and it has continued to evolve into a document that tells the city's story in much better fashion, said Phillipe.

Part of the city's budgeting process is reviewing and evaluating goals and objectives adopted three and a half years ago, which Phillipe said included economic development, finance, code enforcement and public safety.

At a June 4 workshop, the council looked at those four goals and, by consensus, agreed that they would remain the priorities. She said the council also was able to review goals, wants and needs, and chart its progress. 

Those four priority goals, she added, lay the groundwork for the city's budget.

Finance Director Chris Becnel said the council had a special meeting on June 18 to go over the budget highlights.

He said the operational budget for the 2015-16 year is about $6 million, of which about $4 million comes from the general fund.

Separately, the city's capital projects budget is just over $3 million, of which $2 million is for the Phillips/18th Street project, he said. The remaining $1.14 million is from the balance of Series A redevelopment bond funds.

Council members thanked Becnel for his work on the budget.

Councilwoman Joyce Overton said it was probably the best budget she had seen developed for the city in her 11 years on the council.

“I appreciate this whole process. I like the workshops and I like the whole participation by everyone,” added Loustalot. 

Overton moved to approve two resolutions – to adopt the budget and the city's appropriations limit – which the council adopted 4-0. Vice Mayor Gina Fortino Dickson was absent for the meeting.

Also on Thursday, the council voted to approve a request from Southshore Little League to rename the Redbud Park softball field in honor of Dale and Karen Valentine.

Over the last several years the Valentines have made generous donations to the league for facility upgrades including a scoring board for the softball field and other improvements, according to Helen Mitcham, the league's secretary/treasurer.

Mitcham said the league will cover the costs for the signage, which will be brought back to the city for approval.

She said she was glad the matter was before the council before Phillipe left for retirement, noting she had worked with the league on the request.

“You're truly a friend of Southshore Little League,” Mitcham told Phillipe.

Businessman Pete Loustalot lauded Dale Valentine for generously supporting a number of community causes. “He does wonderful, wonderful things.”

Council members also thanked the Valentines. “We're lucky to have people like that in our community,” said Councilman Bruno Sabatier.

In other council business, the council held the first reading of an ordinance to streamline the permitting process for small residential rooftop solar energy systems, which it is required to pass by Sept. 30 according to a state law the governor signed last year.

Phillipe said Jones and Mayer, the law firm representing the city, wrote the ordinance.

She said she didn't anticipate a lot of cost to implement it, adding, “There are no policy implications since this is a mandate.”

The council approved the ordinance's first reading and advanced it to a second reading at an upcoming meeting.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.