CLEALAKE – An updated settlement agreement pertaining to a lawsuit against the city, lease agreements with two local nonprofits and the city's animal control agreement with the county will be topics of discussion at this week's Clearlake City Council meeting.

The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

At 5:15 p.m., a closed session will convene to discuss real property negotiations. City Administrator Dale Neiman is in discussions with Jessie Johnson regarding price and terms of payment for 14355 Austin Road. Neiman also is negotiating with Katz Kirkpatrick Properties for price and payment terms on the redevelopment agency's 26-acre airport property.

The regular meeting will get started with a presentation of the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce's quarterly report by chamber Executive Director Lori Peters.

One of the first items of council business will be authorization of an amended settlement agreement with Clearlake Housing Now.

Neiman's report to the council explains that in 1999 the redevelopment agency and the city entered into a settlement agreement with Clearlake Housing Now concerning potential illegal relocation of people from Austin Resort, along with alleged illegal expenditures from the Housing Fund.

Beginning in the fall of 2007, Clearlake Housing Now began its review of the city and agency's compliance with the settlement.

Neiman will take a number of resolutions reached in negotiations with the group, including finishing repaying the Housing Fund, paying penalties and paying the group's $25,000 in attorney's fees.

The council is then set to consider two leases, one with the Lake County Community Action Agency for the youth center and another with the Clear Lake Chamber for the building that houses it on Golf Avenue. Both of the leases are for $1 a year for six years.

The youth center lease lays out the mandated hours of operation, as well as a requirement to have all volunteers and employees undergo a criminal background check in accordance with state law.

Another main item on the agenda is a proposed contract between the city and Lake County Animal Care and Control for the current fiscal year.

Neiman's report to the council said that the city doesn't have a choice about entering the agreement because it has to provide the services and doesn't have the capability to provide them any other way at this time.

He notes that, between 2003 and 2007, the cost for the contract increased from $76,480 to $160,300, a 110-percent increase. Last fiscal year the city paid $207,320, which is dropping to $200,724 this year.

Neiman's report explains that the city needs to relocate its public works corporation yard in the future, “and when we do this we should evaluate assuming the animal control services,” which would require building a holding facility.

Other items on the agenda include:

– Informational item on election provisions relating to amending the redevelopment plan.

– Nuisance abatement at 4054 Snook Ave.; owners, Brian and Rebecca Sharp.

– Nuisance abatement at 15654 38^th Ave.; owners, Anthony and Jennifer Sweet.

– Consideration of confirming assessment for administrative penalties for failure to abate public nuisances.

– Public hearing for consideration of adopting the city's fiscal year 2008-09 fee schedule.

– Consideration of completing a utility undergrounding project by the airport and on Olympic Drive from Lakeshore Drive to Pine Street.

– Ceremonial documents request policy.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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