The meeting, held at Lakeport City Hall, covered numerous topics in nearly three hours.
There was no action taken on the items they discussion, but the meeting gave both governmental bodies a chance to iron out some concerns and decide how they can work together on some mutually beneficial projects.
One of the issues to iron out concerned animal control services the city pays the county provide.
The meeting came about a month after the board voted to send a letter to the council over nearly $15,000 in back animal control services payments.
Concerns about its budget situation has led the city to decide to absorb animal control and code enforcement duties into its police department.
The main conclusion reached regarding animal control was that two government bodies agreed to continue discussing animal control in order to work out what's owed.
But, in turn, the city brought up several issues of back payment involving the county.
The two bodies agreed on some partnership possibilities, including working together to find a location for a new court facility.
County Chief Administrative Officer Kelly Cox explained that the state has taken over jurisdiction of county courts, and wants to move the courts from the fourth floor of the courthouse on N. Forbes to a new, $30 million building.
"We believe it's really important that facility be built in downtown Lakeport," said City Manager Jerry Gillham.
Gillham said city Redevelopment Manager Richard Knoll already has contacted Mary Smith, executive officer of the local courts, to offer help in looking for a location.
Cox said a location next to the county jail had been proposed, but he advocated keeping the courts in downtown Lakeport.
"You don't want to put something like that on the outskirts," he said, because the result would be building a new town around it.
Instead, he had proposed the state look at locations within close proximity to the current courthouse.
When the state took over court facilities, the county had to transfer the fourth floor of the courthouse to the state, and has to pay the state $100,000 for annual maintenance, said Cox. When the courts are ultimately moved, the county also will have to pay to get the fourth floor back.
He said the state Legislature requires the county and state conclude negotiations in September for the new facility, which would make funding available for building as soon a fiscal year 2009-2010.
The parking lot behind the courthouse could be partially used for the new court facility, Cox suggested.
But the land acquisition will be a minor cost in comparison to building the entire new court building, he said.
Gillham said having the downtown court location, which he suggested could be as high as four or five stories, would be critical to the local economy.
"That's a lot of retail sales in downtown that we can't afford to lose," he said.
Slightly more heated in nature were discussions relating to agreements that had run out or been overlooked.
One was impact fees the county had been paying the city for impacts on Bevins Street, where garbage trucks have traveled to reach the county's garbage transfer station.
The agreement for payment constituted $6,740 a year, according to county Public Services Director Kim Clymire, and ran from 1998 to 2004, when it sunseted.
City Councilman Roy Parmentier said that if the city and county couldn't reach an agreement in 45 days, they should shut down the transfer station. He asserted the city is footing the county's bills for street repair.
"Now I see why it was advised that you not say anything," Supervisor Rob Brown jokingly suggested to Parmentier.
Parmentier shot back that the meeting was not the place to discuss the situation.
Supervisor Denise Rushing asked Parmentier when it would be appropriate to discuss it.
"Someplace we could shut the door," said Parmentier, alluding to the meeting's open nature.
Clymire said he had sent former City Manager Randy Johnsen a letter about negotiating an updated agreement, but Johnsen then left the city, and no city staff had communicated with him about it, resulting in the agreement ending in 2005.
Parmentier said the city can sit down with the county now to renew the contract.
"Let's do it," Rushing said.
Clymire said the new agreement likely wouldn't be much different in payment amounts, because the transfer station is now only taking in 7 percent of the county's entire waste stream, about half of what it was taking in previously. That's due to a restriction in use based on equipment problems.
The only garbage trucks coming in now, said Clymire, are from Lakeport Disposal, which has an agreement with the city for franchise trash and recycling hauling.
City Manager Jerry Gillham asked if they were planning to make up the past four years of no payments. Clymire replied he would recommend to the board that the county make up the back amounts.
Brown said he was fine with closing the transfer station now, and Supervisor Jeff Smith agreed. The county earlier this year had a discussion about closing the station in about 18 months if Lake County Waste Solutions is able to pick up the services at no cost to the county and no extra cost to service users.
Lakeport Mayor Buzz Bruns, however, wasn't for seeing the station closed now with no alternative. His primary concern was that illegal dumping might result.
An issue of disagreement between the county and city related to an issue of street improvements next to the county library on N. High Street.
The county built the library in the 1980s, at which time the city allowed them to delay some street improvements, according to Gillham.
However, new development in the area is triggering a requirement for the street improvements to now be done, said Gillham and city Public Works Director Doug Grider.
Gillham said the county refused to pay $43,000.
However, Cox said the demand for improvements "came out of the blue" from City Engineer Scott Harter.
He asked County Counsel Anita Grant for a legal opinion, and Grant opined that the county isn't required to do it.
The county and city have continued to discuss the matter, said Cox.
"So the claim that we just flat refused to do it is a stretch," said Brown, adding the issue hasn't even been brought to the board.
Cox said he needs additional information, and can't do anything about it this fiscal year. Gillham shot back that it was similar to the animal control situation for the city, which was a frequent theme throughout the meeting for Gillham.
Other issues discussed at the meeting:
County/City Housing Program Administration: The county received an $800,000 grant, as did the city, for home rehabilitation and first-time homebuyer programs. Originally, the county and city had discussed working to administer the program together. Gillham indicated that the city is doing its own program independently.
Marketing program: The city has been paying $10,000 to the county annually for the Lake County Marketing Program, a charge they've been balking at continuing in recent years. The city pays $75,000 annually to the Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce, which also does marketing. Cox indicated that the weed abatement program is covered by that $10,000, and the county also provides the chamber with a building and maintenance on it. In addition, local tribes are contributing to the county program. Councilman Bob Rumfelt asked that Debra Sommerfield of the Marketing Department make a presentation on the program to the council at an upcoming meeting.
Lampson Airport Sewer project: The county and city have been working on a sewer tie-in to the airport to Lampson Airport, and in turn will upgrade the Rose Avenue pump station to take on additional residential hookups in north Lakeport.
North Lakeport intertie: This agreement is due to go before both the board and council for approval, and will benefit North Lakeport residents because it will move water and accommodate future growth in the area.
Annexation: The city wants to begin considering annexing the S. Main Street corridor, which the board has prioritized for improvements. An $8 million improvement project that will include utilities undergrounding is set to begin in 2010. The two government bodies will consider a property tax sharing agreement for the area.
Water services extension to S. Main Street: Officials are looking to extend water services along S. Main Street, were Piedmont Lumber recently completed a remodel requiring sprinklers, but no water service is available there. Piedmont has offered to pay for the water system, and could be reimbursed as other businesses hook up. Work could begin this summer.
School resource officer: Gillham said he wanted to see the county, city and school district each pay one-third of the cost for Lakeport Police Officer Jarvis Leishman's spot as the school resource officer for Lakeport Unified School District. Farrington suggested Chief Kevin Burke come to the board and make a presentation, which Burke indicated he would be glad to do.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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