CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council has a full first-meeting-of-the-year agenda this week, as it gets to work on the next steps in implementing a new road tax and considers a slate of mayoral appointments.

The council will meet for a closed session at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, before the public portion of the meeting convenes at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

As part of its business at the first meeting of the year, the council has a number of fairly routine tasks to undertake on Thursday.

Those include holding an orientation and review of norms and procedures, updating the authorization for check signing and other financial transactions, appointing city Finance Director Chris Becnel as city treasurer, approving the mayor's 2017 appointments and considering appointing council members as representatives to the League of California Cities Redwood Empire Division.

The council also has a number of tasks to carry out in relation to the city's newly approved Measure V road tax.

Voters approved the one-cent sales tax for road work in November by a 68-percent yes vote. It needed a supermajority of at least two-thirds to pass it as a specific tax.

As part of the next steps in establishing the tax, the council will review and approve two contracts and two resolutions.

Those contracts include a preparatory agreement with the State Board of Equalization to prepare to administer and operate the transaction and use tax ordinance, an administrative agreement for the Board of Equalization to administer the tax, and resolutions authorizing the city manager to execute agreements with the Board of Equalization to implement Measure V and to authorize the examination of transactions and use tax records.

Also on Thursday, the council will present a plaque to former city Planning Commissioner Cheryl Hutchinson.

On the meeting's consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are warrant registers; minutes of the meetings on Oct. 10, Oct. 13, Oct. 27, Nov. 10, Nov. 16 and Dec. 8 meetings; authorization to adjust the Measure P budget to purchase five Police Interceptor vehicles from Chicago Motors; approval of the Fair Political Practices Form 806 reporting for public official appointments; minutes of the Nov. 9 Vector Control District Board meeting; consideration of amendment No. 1 to the lease agreement with the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce for the use of office space at the community center; and the annual calendar of meetings.

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