LAKE COUNTY – With Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund monies once again available, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been distributed for local projects and community services for the 2008-09 fiscal year.

The county reported that the fund provided $856,575 to Lake County agencies. The money will offset costs and mitigate impacts of local tribal gaming operations.

Locally, the funds come from Big Valley Rancheria and Robinson Rancheria, which contribute to the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund, which was established to collect and distribute funds to eligible local agencies to mitigate impacts by tribal gaming operations.

Projects involving public health and safety, the environment, water supply and waste disposal, roads, recreation and youth programs, and child care programs are among the many priority uses for the funds, the county reported.

Supervisor Rob Brown, who has chaired Lake County's Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund Committee since its inception, said the group recently held its annual meeting to decide where the money should go this year.

“I think we did a really good job of the allocations,” he said.

The rest of the committee includes Supervisor Jeff Smith, Lakeport City Councilman Roy Parmentier, Tony Jack of Big Valley Rancheria and Buffy White of Robinson Rancheria's tribal council.

In its five-year history, the fund has paid out $4.4 million to fire districts, and county and city departments, according to fund records.

Nearly $889,000 was paid toward the Soda Bay Road realignment, more than $1.1 million was used to purchase a ladder truck, new and upgraded ambulances, firefighter equipment and safety training for fire districts; more than $260,000 for drainage and road improvements to South Main Street in Lakeport; nearly $380,000 for local law enforcement communications equipment, patrol cars and dispatchers, and more than $425,000 to support service levels and facility improvements; more than $200,000 for park improvements, equipment, and Mt. Konocti trails development; and $189,000 for sewer-line upgrades and lift stations.

Previously the committee had made a policy of not funding positions because it creates an expectation of continuing funding, Brown said. However, with funding for agencies in short supply this year, they chose to support positions for the first time.

This year they also were allowed to expand fund uses to youth activities and parks, and community enrichment, said Brown.

“At a time when neighboring counties are laying off sheriff's deputies, this funding source is a vital component of the stability that we enjoy in law enforcement funding in Lake County,” said Sheriff Rodney Mitchell.

Funds for 2008-09 are going to the following projects:

– $426,353 to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office: $379,973 to preserve existing service levels in Northshore, Big Valley and south county; and $46,380 for the construction of a south county office and improvements to the Northshore office.

– $112,463 to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office to prosecute crimes against/associated with casinos.

– $94,500 to Northshore Fire Protection District to maintain basic services.

– $69,444 to the Lake County Probation Department for juvenile offender supervision.

– $40,000 to the Lake County Library for construction of a new Middletown library.

– $35,920 to Lakeport Fire Protection District to maintain basic services.

– $25,000 to South Lake Fire for firefighter safety training and response improvement.

– $23,933 to the City of Lakeport for South Main Street drainage.

– $16,962 to Kelseyville Fire Protection District to maintain basic services.

– $12,000 to Lake County Public Services for Mt. Konocti park and trails development.

No funds were distributed in 2007-08 due to the state Legislature's concerns about how six of the larger counties were spending the money, according to Debra Sommerfield, deputy administrative officer of the county's economic development department.

“There were some counties that were abusing it,” said Brown.

Sommerfield said those counties were audited and the state revised the legislation to address the audit findings. Revising the legislation took about a year, during which no funds were given out.

At its meeting last week, the Board of Supervisors approved letters to Assemblyman Wes Chesbro and Sen. Patricia Wiggins requesting support of Senate Bill 357.

SB 357 would extend the sunset date of the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund local mitigation grant program from Jan. 1, 2010, to Jan. 1, 2021.

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