LAKE COUNTY – The county is kicking off its effort to raise funds to purchase a large amount of privately held acreage on Mt. Konocti.
At Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, Public Services Director Kim Clymire asked the board for permission to solicit and accept donations for the purchase effort.
That was necessary because the county's personnel rules prohibit seeking donations unless doing so offers a public benefit, furthers an official or authorized activity, or does not present a conflict of interest – either real or perceived.
In August, the board approved purchasing from the Fowler family a 176-acre parcel on Buckingham Peak for $1.2 million, which the board had set aside during last year's budgeting session, as Lake County News has reported.
At that time, the board also voted to enter into a purchase option agreement for 1,512 more acres at a cost of $2.6 million. The county has funds set aside to cover that purchase if necessary.
Clymire said Tuesday that the fundraising effort will support the county's purchase and also help buy other property that connects the acquisition with Clear Lake State Park.
Helping get the fundraising effort off the ground are Chuck Lamb and Holly Harris of Clearlake Oaks, who accompanied Clymire to the meeting and presented a Web site specifically constructed for fundraising, www.preservekonocti.com or www.preservekonocti.org.
Lamb explained that they have had an Internet business since 1998 and so were experienced with the business of using the Web as an effective money-generating tool.
The site they've built features information about the mountain's history, the acquisition, news items, contacts, a store and – most importantly – how to donate.
“For a project that's this large, you really need to have all of your information in one spot,” Harris explained.
While people also can send checks, making donations possible via the Internet will open the effort up far beyond Lake County's borders, making it possible for people from other areas of the country, and the world, to donate, said Lamb.
Lamb and Harris impressed the board with a tour of the site, which includes detailed maps of the acquisition areas, videos the couple shot on tours of the mountain and a three-dimensional Google rendition video showing the ownership on the mountain. The videos can be found on the site's “News” page.
Sierra Club Lake Group Chair Victoria Brandon said after a recent tour of the mountain she was even more enthusiastic about the project, and she was ready with her check, which she handed over to Clymire. She said she's also going to make a donation to the Sierra Club, which wants to be a part of the acquisition effort.
Lake County Land Trust Executive Director Susanne Scholz said the group continues its support of the purchase, and said having the funds go through one channel is a good idea.
Scholz said using the donations from the public to allow county funds to be held aside for future land purchases also is important.
“There's a lot more mountain,” she said, and having that money available is key to the success of the project.
Supervisor Rob Brown said that, after seeing the Web site, he's convinced that it will be a huge selling point. Even in tough financial times, Brown said he expects many people will step up to make donations.
He then moved to approve soliciting donations, which the board unanimously approved and which was greeted with a round of applause from the audience – which has been the standard response to board actions as the Mt. Konocti purchase has progressed through a round of public meetings this year.
Clymire told Lake County News this week that so far $1,800 in donations have come in for the acquisition, even before the county was ready to being pursuing them.
He said he's very encouraged by the board's willingness to use the county funds that donations help offset to purchase other lands on the mountain in the future.
The county has opened a special fund for all the donations received, which he emphasized go 100-percent toward the purchase – no overhead for fund administration will be deducted.
Next week, he anticipates a Pay Pal feature will be activated on www.preservekonocti.com.
In the meantime, or for those who prefer to make a donation by check, checks payable to the County of Lake with “Mt. Konocti Acquisition” noted in the memo line can be sent to the Public Services Department, 333 Second St., Lakeport, CA 95453.
Clymire said all donations are tax-deductible.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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