LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council will look at a proposal to launch a redevelopment-funded commercial loan program when it meets this week.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

Staff reports and the full agenda can be downloaded at http://www.cityoflakeport.com/departments/home.aspx?deptid=88 .

In Lakeport Redevelopment Agency business, the council – sitting jointly as the agency board – is expected to approve a resolution to create and implement a commercial rehabilitation loan program.

City Redevelopment Manager Richard Knoll is asking the council to consider the program after he said the owner of the Vista Point Shopping Center on Lakeport Boulevard – Matt Riveras – asked the city for a loan to begin the first phase of the center's rehabilitation.

“In order to consider such a request, there is a need to create the Commercial Rehabilitation Loan program. This can be done by adopting the attached Agency Resolution and draft guidelines,” Knoll wrote in his report to the council.

Knoll is suggesting using up to $300,000 in tax increment funds annually for the program.

“Staff has been in contact with our Redevelopment Attorney who has concurred that development of such a loan program is permissible under California law,” Knoll's report explained. “Staff has also done research of other Agencies in California and found examples of loan program guidelines.”

He said that loan programs of any kind involve risk, and “there are uncertainties currently surrounding redevelopment in California.”

But Knoll also noted, “There is significant blight at the Vista Point shopping center which needs to be cleared. According to the shopping center owner, there is a lack of market rate financing available.”

Under council business, the council will appoint three members to the Parks and Recreation Commission effective immediately, with the terms to expire at the end of this year. They'll also appoint two members to the committee whose terms also will begin as soon as they're appointed with the expiration at the end of 2012.

The council also will make appointments to the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee effective this March 1 and ending March 1, 2015.

Acting Finance Manager Dan Buffalo will ask the council to adopt the second amendment to the city policy on expense and use of public resources.

He'll also seek the council's authorization for City Manager Margaret Silveira to execute a contract addendum to a master service agreement with US Bank to participate in the CAL-Card program.

City Engineer Scott Harter will take to the council a proposal for additional parking on Parallel Drive and ask council direction on the plan.

The council will hold a closed session to discuss property negotiations for 50 Fifth St., negotiations with the Lakeport Employees Association and Lakeport Police Officers Association, and a performance evaluation of City Attorney Steve Brookes, who was arrested last week for driving under the influence, as Lake County News has reported.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The nation's debt crisis will be the topic of upcoming community forum in Lakeport.

Congressman Mike Thompson will host the meeting from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, in the Board of Supervisors chambers at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

Thompson is holding a series of the meetings around his First Congressional Districts. Another meeting is scheduled in Sonoma from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24,at Andrews Hall, Sonoma Community Center, 276 East Napa St.

The forums will focus on potential solutions to the country’s growing debt, including proposals from the Obama Administration’s Fiscal Commission.

There also will be question-and-answer sessions after both forum, Thompson's office reported.

Visit Thompson's Web site at http://mikethompson.house.gov/ .

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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Lakeport's city attorney is facing legal issues of his own following a Thursday night arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Steve Brookes, 53, of Kelseyville was taken into custody after 8 p.m. Thursday, as Lake County News first reported on Friday.

A California Highway Patrol report released Friday explained that the events leading to Brookes' arrest began with a crash on State Street in downtown Kelseyville.

At approximately 7:10 p.m. Thursday 41-year-old Michelle Dunia of Kelseyville, driving a 1991 Ford F-350 pickup truck, was pulling out of the gas station located at Main Street and State Street in Kelseyville when Brookes, driving a white 1998 Volvo eastbound on Main Street, crossed over into the westbound lane of traffic, striking Dunia's truck, the CHP reported.

The CHP said that Brookes then allegedly drove away from the scene and was found on Konocti Road at Oak Hills Lane in Kelseyville.

An independent witness who asked not to be named told Lake County News that she also was nearly hit by Brookes, as she was in a vehicle immediately behind Dunia's pickup at the time of the collision. Had she not stopped she said she, too, would have been hit.

She said that Brookes missed the curve across from the Two Jacks convenience store, hit Dunia's pickup, lost control and went into the dirt across the street, then recovered and ended up in front of her on the wrong side of the road. The woman alleged that he “actually squealed tires and drove away quickly” from the scene.

The witness said Michelle Dunia's husband, Todd Dunia, a sheriff's deputy who was off-duty at the time, and another man went looking for the white Volvo and found it on Konocti Road, where Brookes had reportedly collided with a stop sign.

Brookes had allegedly attempted to leave the car and was walking away from the second crash scene. The men attempted to keep Brookes there until the CHP arrived and he allegedly attempted to punch Todd Dunia, the witness reported.

The CHP said Brookes was arrested for DUI and transported to the Lake County Jail for booking. Bail was set at $5,000 and jail records showed he posted bail and was released a short time later.

CHP Officer Steve Tanguay said the crash is still under investigation by Officer Brendan Bach.

Tanguay said the investigation is looking at the alleged hit-and-run aspect of the crash, which could still be charged against Brookes, although Tanguay cautioned that it's too early to tell how the case ultimately might be charged.

Brookes cooperated with CHP and submitted to a blood test at the hospital, Tanguay said.

The blood was sent to the Department of Justice for analysis, with Tanguay adding that the results are pending.

Brookes was charged with misdemeanor DUI because Michelle Dunia and the three female juvenile passengers in the pickup were unhurt, Tanguay explained.

Brookes is the longtime city attorney for Lakeport, having served the since since April 1984, according to his contract.

City Manager Margaret Silveira said Friday she could not specifically discuss Brookes' situation.

The language in his contract – most recently updated in December 2005 – that covers possible reasons for termination.

Those could include illegal or “specific acts or conduct which brings scandal or disrepute to the City.”

The contract also stipulates that any such decision about Brookes' employment must be made by the council in closed session.

On this coming week's Lakeport City Council agenda, released Friday afternoon, a closed session performance evaluation of Brookes is scheduled.

Lake County News was unsuccessful in reaching Brookes for a comment Friday.

However, shortly after 2 a.m. Friday Brookes posted the following message on Lake County News' Facebook page in response to the initial article about his arrest: “The CHP & jail staff were competent & professional. Don't have too many and drive. If you do please learn from the experience and do not repete the bad experience. Handcuffs are not fun!!!”

In response a woman wrote, “And I hope you certainly have more to say to the lady and children you hit. And this certainly isn't a laughing matter – those kids could have been killed.”

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council on Thursday appointed two city planning commissioners and decided not to appoint a city treasurer after it was suggested that the job's duties needed to be reconsidered.

The terms of planning commissioners Al Bernal and Fred Gaul expire next month. Bernal was seeking reappointment, although Gaul was not. Others seeking seats were Estella Creel, Bob Gordon and Alvaro Valencia.

Each council member voted for two commission candidates.

In the final tally, Bernal received five votes and Valencia received three, and the two men were appointed. Their terms will run from this coming March until March 2015.

While the city had received applications from six individuals for the city treasurer position – an elected position that has been filled by city staff since 2006 due to a lack of interested candidates – the council decided that the job description may no longer be relevant.

That issue was brought forward by Council member Judy Thein, who pointed out that the job description was written 30 years ago when the city was formed, and hadn't been updated.

Following a discussion, the council felt it was best to reconsider the job description before making an appointment.

Interim City Administrator Steve Albright suggested they send thank you notes to the six people who had applied, including Mark Bredt, Glen Gillham, Lacey Green-Deas, Jana Saccato, Jamee Schadlick and Evelyn Zientek.

“I think you want to encourage that kind of citizen participation to continue,” Albright said.

City Clerk Melissa Swanson will continue to act as city treasurer while Albright and the council look at the job further.

Mark Bredt, one of applicants, said he didn't disagree with anything he heard during the council's discussion regarding putting off a decision. However, he suggested it might be best to appoint someone to the position and have them participate in the process of realigning it.

Mayor Joyce Overton said if the council took that action the appointee would have the powers laid out in the current job description, and those might change.

The council briefly discussed going forward with an appointment but Thein suggested they would be going through the process twice since they were going to look at changing the job description.

In the end the council did not make an appointment.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lakeport's city attorney was arrested Thursday evening for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The California Highway Patrol took Steve Brookes, 53, of Kelseyville into custody just after 8 p.m. Thursday, according to the Lake County Sheriff's booking logs.

Brookes was booked with bail set at $5,000 for the misdemeanor charge.

Jail records indicated he was released a short time later.

Additional details about the incident that led to Brookes' arrest weren't immediately available Thursday evening.

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BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

COUNTY OF LAKE

SUMMARY OF ORDINANCE NO. 2937

On February 8, 2011, the Board of Supervisors passed Ordinance No. 2937, amending Section 21-3.7 of Chapter 21 of the Ordinance Code of the County of Lake by adopting a Sectional District Zoning Map No. 3.7(b)1.382 rezoning the lands of Brooks.

The zoning of these lands was changed from “A-SC” Agricultural District Scenic Combining District, to “SR-B3 (3 Acre) Suburban Reserve District; Special Lot Size/Density, and “SC” Scenic Combining District. This ordinance will take effect on March 10, 2011.

A certified copy of the full text of the adopted ordinance has been posted at the Office of the Clerk of the Board, Courthouse, 255 North Forbes Street, Lakeport.

This ordinance was passed by the following vote:

AYES: Supervisors Smith, Rushing, Farrington, Brown and Comstock

NOES: None

ABSENT OR NOT VOTING: None

KELLY F. COX

Clerk of the Board

By: Mireya G. Turner

Assistant Clerk to the Board