CLEARLAKE – The Clearlake City Council sealed the deal with its new police chief Thursday, approving his four-page, $114,000-per-year contract as the final step in the hiring process.
Allan McClain, 48, will begin work June 18. He has 26 years of law enforcement experience, with most of those years spent with the Kings County Sheriff's Office. He's also been a police academy instructor.
McClain was appointed sheriff by the Kings County Board of Supervisors in 2004 after longtime Sheriff Ken Marvin retired. Last November, he lost the election for sheriff to Chris Jordan.
The council announced its intent to hire McClain on June 1.
"The proposed employment agreement is the final step in the process," City Administrator Dale Neiman told the council Thursday.
Under the approved contract, McClain will receive a base salary of $114,000 a year, a full-use city vehicle with a police radio and emergency equipment, and $5,000 to cover his moving expenses from Hanford.
The council approved the contract 4-1. Councilman Roy Simons voted no, saying he didn't agree with the car allowance.
In other police business, interim Police Chief Larry introduced six new or recently promoted police department employees at Thursday night's meeting.
"We've been aggressively recruiting for a number of positions over the last six months," said Todd.
They include:
– Sgt. Rodd Joseph, a U.S. Army veteran who comes from Susanville Police Department.
– Sgt. Brett Rhodes, recently promoted from within the department's officer ranks, who Todd called a “bright star in the future of this department.”
– Nicole Newton, a former department dispatcher who left for a job in Santa Rosa before returning as the new records and communications supervisor. In that position she'll serve on the department's management team. "We're glad to have her back," Todd said.
– Vicki Estrella, who originally came from the Bay Area and in recent years bought a home in Lake County. The mother of four and grandmother of 14 has worked as an electrician and a manager in a shipbuilding operation, and her technical skills will be put to work in the department's new support services technician position. In that job, said Todd, she will be primarily responsible for evidence, building maintenance and supervising the Volunteers in Police Service program.
– Sarah Correia, a new dispatcher who grew up in Middletown and who this week is attending dispatcher training.
– Linda Lewis, a new dispatcher scheduled to begin work June 25. She lives in Kelseyville.
The council also approved Todd's request to surplus 13 more vehicles, which brings to 28 the total number of older vehicles Todd has removed from the police department's fleet.
Todd said he looked for the most economical way to dispose of the cars, and said he settled on the auction company PropertyRoom.com, which other cities around the state use for surplus equipment. The company will transport the vehicles to its warehouse facilities at no cost to the city, cover all Department of Motor Vehicle documents and and sell the cars, he explained.
The city will receive 50 percent of the first $1,000 of sales proceeds and 75 percent of sales above $1,000, Todd reported. The council agreed to return the car sales proceeds back to the police department budget.
Todd, whose last day with the city is scheduled for June 29, also secured the council's approval of a $26,062.50 purchase request for two police dispatch workstations. The item was approved as part of the council's consent agenda.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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