The Bureau of Land Management hosted the meeting to discuss the project proposed by AltaGas Renewable Energy Pacific Inc., a company based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

About 40 people gathered in the Board of Supervisors chambers at the Lake County Courthouse in Lakeport to hear more details of the proposed park, which would be located on about 8,000 acres straddling the ridgetop of Walker Ridge and the boundary of Lake and Colusa counties. A similar meeting was planned for Colusa Friday.

The project covers two congressional districts – those of Mike Thompson and Wally Herger – as well as the state Senate districts of Patricia Wiggins and Sam Aanestad, and Wes Chesbro's and Jim Nielsen's state Assembly districts, officials reported.

Peter Eaton, AltaGas' director of project development, explained during the meeting that the company wants to locate 29 Siemens wind turbines, each 2.3 megawatts and manufactured in the United States, on the BLM property.

The project would generate up to 70 megawatts and would cost between $2 million and $3 million per megawatt to build, Eaton said.

The BLM would lease the land to the company for between 20 and 30 years – BLM officials said it would depend on the length allowed in a new energy policy set to come out. Construction is proposed to begin in early 2012.

Rich Burns, manager of BLM's Ukiah field office, called it a “great turnout” for the Thursday meeting.

He explained the history of wind project proposals for areas managed by the BLM Ukiah Field Office. Four locations – Berryessa Peak, The Geysers, the Knoxville area and Walker Ridge – all were identified as having potential for wind generation in the BLM's most recent resource management plan completed several years ago.

At that time, GE was proposing to do a wind farm in the Walker Ridge area, he said, and had put in a lease application to study the wind.

“In all honesty, they were probably No. 4 out of what has been five companies over time” exploring wind production possibilities in the area, he said.

He pointed to a map of the Walker Ridge area, showing its orientation near Indian Valley Reservoir and said it was a 40-minute drive from Lakeport.

About a year ago AltaGas submitted an application to study wind on Walker Ridge, installing four anemometers, instruments used for measuring wind. “They're feeling that the opportunity exists for the development of a wind farm,” he said.

The application has proposed between 29 and 41 turbines; Burns said original wind production calculations for the area estimated a capacity of 100 turbines.

The company's plan of development for the project is available on its Web site at www.altagas.ca/walker_ridge_wind_park and on the BLM Web site at www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ukiah/Walker_Ridge_Wind_Project.html.

Burns said the document considers environmental concerns, animals, soils and visual impacts, among other factors.

He said the BLM has extended to Oct. 13 the comment period for public input on what issues should be addressed in the environmental impact statement that will be prepared on the wind park proposal.

In addition, there will be public comment period on the environmental document once it's completed, he said.

During a question and answer period, BLM Renewable Energy Project Manager Ashley Conrad-Saydah explained that the final acreage on the project could shift as its refined during the application process.

She said there would be construction compliance monitoring and ongoing monitoring over the life of the project.

Community member Mike Dunlap asked about restrictions on public use once the turbines are in place.

“We consider wind to be part of a multiuse strategy,” said Conrad-Saydah, with it working well along with hunting, grazing and recreation, unlike solar projects, which don't allow for other activities on the same property.

Dunlap followed up by asking about the length of the lease, which had been estimated to be between 20 and 30 years. Conrad-Saydah said a new federal wind policy is expected to be released. “I'm hedging because I don't know what the new policy will say.”

He also wanted to know what would happen at the end of the lease. Would BLM own the turbines, and could they still be used? She said she didn't yet have an answer, but it was noted by AltaGas associates that the life of the turbines isn't beyond 30 years.

BLM officials said AltaGas would get first right of renewal as long as everything in the project was in compliance.

Eaton also gave a brief presentation.

“We're delighted to be here, we're delighted to learn more about the site,” he said, adding, “Our intention is to be your good neighbors for a long period of time.”

He said AltaGas has been around since 1994, and began as a company processing natural gas. In 2006 they began moving toward wind and renewable energy. From a longterm corporate strategy, they like to see stable assets, he said.

AltaGas currently has wind projects totaling about 1,500 megawatts under development, with three proposed in California, he said.

As for Walker Ridge, AltaGas has confirmed that the area has a good wind supply, Eaton said. The area also has energy transmission facilities nearby, there is good access for construction, and it's located in jurisdictions which Eaton said have favorable market and regulatory conditions.

He said the company developed its first wind farm, Bear Mountain Wind Park, in British Columbia. It became operational Oct. 24, 2009.

Eaton estimated the project's maximum workforce during construction would be about 200 people, with a permanent workforce on site of four to five long-term jobs.

He said of the turbines, which are several hundred feet high, “These are gentle giants. They need care, they need attention,” and must be monitored due to the wear and tear of high winds.

The estimate about permanent jobs, it was pointed out, had been changed from a smaller number in the original project documents.

A series of environmental and biological studies looking at everything from raptors to botany are under way on the area, BLM officials said.

Burns said he always has found Walker Ridge fascinating for its geology, which is heavy in serpentine. He said different universities have described it as a biological hot spot.

He said BLM also has met with several tribes – among them, Elem Colony and Big Valley Rancheria in Lake County, the Cortina Wintun in Colusa County and Rumsey Rancheria in Yolo County.

While no tribal land is involved, Burns said there are “nation to nation dynamics” involved.

The Walker Fire in 2008, which scorched 14,500 acres, and the more recent Indian Fire, which burned 363 acres, illustrated the kinds of protections needed in the area, which he said BLM considers one of biological concern.

Many other agencies – including the Army Corps of Engineers – will be involved in the process, said Burns.

They're also mindful that “recreation is huge” in the area. Horseback riding is popular there, as are off-highway vehicles, with about 70 miles of trails, Burns estimated, adding that BLM has only mapped 22 miles of trails.

Victoria Brandon of Lower Lake asked them about how far away from the wind farm they would look in gauging its impacts. Officials said visual issues would be assessed beginning from where the project can first be seen.

Pardee Bardwell of BLM said that, as of this time, there are no known federally listed specials in the area, but there are sensitive species or species of concern present.

Dunlap asked if they have to involve the Federal Aviation Administration. Conrad-Saydah said the FAA and the Department of Defense will consult on the plan.

Public comments on the plan should be sent to Bethney LeFebvre, BLM Ukiah Field Office, 2550 N. State St., Ukiah, CA 95482; telephone 707-468-4000; fax 707-468-4027; e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The steering committee was approved at Tuesday's board meeting.

Among the proposed members are businesswoman Kathy Fowler, George Speake and Melissa Fulton, chief executive officer of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and the chair of the Clear Lake Advisory Committee.

Board Chair Anthony Farrington, who brought the proposal to the board, said he wanted to have local business leaders involved with looking for funds for long-term solutions.

The County Administrative Office also has allocated $1 million in the county's 2010-11 budget for the county's efforts to deal with algae, weeds and water quality issues.

County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox told Lake County News that the funds are a one-time appropriation, thanks to year-end tax revenues coming in higher than expected.

He said the issue of lake algae and weeds has long been a very high priority to the supervisors, and he felt that, given the opportunity, the board would want to earmark these unanticipated funds for that purpose.

On Tuesday, Farrington told fellow board members and an audience of concerned citizens, “We're always going to have to manage the lake,” and he wanted to have the group get to work on what can be done.

Supervisor Jeff Smith said the county has been criticized for doing nothing about the lake's weeds and algae this year, but he said the county actually has done more in the last four months than in some previous years.

He also suggested that new fees may be necessary to pay for abating the weeds and algae, which he said need to be removed from the lake because they're adding more nutrients.

“We're working on so many different things in so many different directions,” he said.

Supervisor Denise Rushing agreed with looking for other revenue sources, but said that forming another committee without leadership and goal setting isn't going to yield new results. She said the board needed to be very clear about what it wants from the group.

Farrington said for him the goal is to get Clear Lake's weeds and algae under control, and to look at existing financial resources to assist in those efforts.

He said they didn't need it to be more complex than that, “and it can begin today.”

Farrington said he doesn't necessarily support forming committees but supports task forces if they have a deadline and specific goals.

He suggested the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport also needed to be involved.

Cox agreed, especially if the county is considering raising transient occupancy – or bed – tax on the hospitality industry.

With the closure of Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa, Cox said most of the county's TOT revenue no longer comes from the unincorporated areas of the county.

Speake applauded the board for talking about the problem and trying to do something.

He recommended they keep the group small in order to get things done.

Fowler also said she was glad they were looking at it. She said if the county can't fix the problems they won't have any TOT funds at all.

The Board of Supervisors is planning a 1:30 p.m. discussion at its Sept. 21 meeting to further explore the steering committee and its goals.

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The final budget comes in at approximately $189,759,308, up slightly from the $185,051,534 preliminary budget the board accepted June 15. The newly approved general fund is $52.9 million, a $2.1 million difference from the preliminary document.

Those numerical changes are due to a variety of factors, county staff explained, including better-than-expected property tax revenues, the restoration of federal geothermal royalties and what County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox called a “hefty” fund balance carryover he credited to thrifty department heads.

Cox was lauded by the board and department heads for what they considered a feat – some even used the word “miracle” – of fiscal prowess: keeping a structurally balanced budget with increased reserves and contingency funds, and no general fund debt in the midst of the economic downturn.

But Cox would be equally complimentary to county staff, who he credited for working cohesively in the face of challenging financial times resulting from the national recession.

“We're very fortunate to have the group of department heads that we do,” he told the board.

A previous proposal to use one-time funding to cover budget gaps – a practice Cox has steered the county away from during his tenure – was removed from the final budget because of the better financial outlook.

The inch-thick document also managed to avoid layoffs; however, some positions designated “at risk”

will be frozen once vacated in order to make future reductions, Cox said.

A major factor out of the county's hands is the state budget, and Cox warned that it remains the most significant budget concern for the county.

He said there seems to be no urgency among state leaders, who started meeting this week. “Unless they resolve the budget today I think it's going to be a while,” he said, noting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is scheduled to leave for Asia Thursday.

As such, Cox said it was extremely important for the county to keep preparing for the economic uncertainties ahead.

In crafting the budget, Cox set out funds for special projects, including a $1 million special appropriation to help address Clear Lake's algae, weed and water quality issues, “which is obviously a very high priority to the Board of Supervisors and the residents of Lake County,” he said.

He also included in the budget a special $750,000 appropriation of one-time general fund money for supplemental road maintenance – in particular, chip sealing and similar projects – in an effort to improve road conditions in the county's unincorporated areas.

At the same time, Cox managed to increase the general fund contingencies by $900,000 since the June preliminary budget, raising the amount to $2.4 million.

He said it remains a conservative budget. “Some department heads might refer to it as being tight or stingy,” he added.

Supervisor Jim Comstock noted that the budget change from June was “amazing.”

“We're keeping people employed, we're meeting our obligations,” he said.

Cox said they may have to bring forward adjustments at a future time, but emphasized that maintaining a reserve for economic uncertainties is “an important thing to do.”

Also noted during the meeting were the extra obligations that department heads have had to take on with dwindling staff sizes. That's been seen throughout the departments; Supervisor Denise Rushing pointed out that even the County Administrative Office was down three positions.

Things had looked so gloomy earlier in the year “that it's incredible that we would come up with a budget like this,” said Supervisor Rob Brown.

Board Chair Anthony Farrington added, “Lake County should be proud of this budget.”

Then it was time to roll up their sleeves and go through the close to 180 budget funds that comprise the various departments.

Based on a tabulation he offered to Lake County News, Cox said the county's largest budget departments are social services, $45.5 million – of which less than $1 million comes from the county, with the state providing the rest of the funds; the sheriff's office, $24.5 million; public works, $23 million; mental health, $11.4 million; public health, $4.9 million; and the district attorney, $3.6 million.

Different departments, different challenges

The ripple effects of the recession and funding cuts are visible throughout most of the county departments.

Deputy Administrative Officer Matt Perry said the District Attorney's Office has been affected by the elimination of vacant positions, including a deputy district attorney and victim-witness advocate. Some positions in the department were saved, however.

District Attorney Jon Hopkins said his office had a grant focusing on prosecuting serious drunk driving cases, but that grant expires Sept. 30. That will mean that the cases will have to be spread around throughout the department.

One department facing loss of revenue tied to economic factors is the county library system.

Deputy Administrative Officer Jeff Rein, in introducing the slightly more than $1 million budget for the county libraries, explained that the libraries are financed primarily through property tax revenue.

Another revenue source from the state, transaction based revenues, are on the decline, and the final library budget reflected a $38,000 decline in those funds, he said.

Rein said County Librarian Susan Clayton has been “living very frugally,” which resulted in a fund carryover of $43,314, which he said will increase the library's building and equipment designation.

Clayton said that her staff teases her about having dollar signs in her eyes, and explained that, because of budget appropriations for books dropping so much – it's about half of what it was a few years ago, staff explained during the meeting – they're trying to pursue all the book donations they can.

In the county's new Water Resources Department – split off from Public Works – Director Scott De Leon, who started work in May, said the budget was a challenge for him since he inherited it. It included just over $587,000 in administration, and about $1.5 million for flood zones and lakebed management.

De Leon told the board he was excited about the hire of a new technician, Chris White, who will be in charge of flood zones and developing their maintenance plans.

Those areas need specific planning, and De Leon noted, “We haven't ever had a plan that I've managed to find.”

Rushing said she'd heard of a retired county employee who had such plans in his head. “There's plans in peoples' heads all over the place,” said De Leon, explaining that such plans need to be put on paper, with budgets and schedules built around them.

In integrated waste management, which is under the Public Services Department, Director Kim Clymire told the board that revenues are down by $500,000.

They are considering putting in a bid to accept solid waste from Mendocino County, an arrangement that could bring in an estimated $700,000 annually, he said.

Cox said the department is looking at alternatives to rate increases, and pointed out that they haven't had rate increases to cover operational costs for the landfill for a long time.

Clymire said the department has been replacing equipment over the past five years. “We've got some of the best equipment in the county.”

Another department head meeting first-time budget challenges was Animal Care and Control Interim Director Bill Davidson, who did the budget for the first time on his own this year. Rein said Davidson was “extremely vigilant over his expenditures.”

The department's total budget for 2010-11 totaled approximately $893,275, Rein said.

Davidson said the board had asked him to analyze a spay-neuter clinic. He's currently doing so, and is being assisted by local veterinarian Dr. Susan Cannon, who also chairs and advisory board for Animal Care and Control.

For the county's mental health department, with its $11.4 million budget, the budget picture for 2010-11 is looking brighter, according to county administrative staff.

The improvements come after several tough years that have seen the department have to cut positions and borrow from the general fund because of being overpaid for services by the state.

Cox said the department is digging out of a hole and is on target to repaying its general fund loans.

The big discussion item in the Public Works Department budget was a requested allocation of more than $400,000 for a paint and striping truck that Director Brent Siemer said they need to meet increasing road paint standards. By moving to a water-based paint it also will improve his staff's productivity by 19 weeks a year.

However, Brown had his doubts, and wanted to know what the sanctions would be if the county didn't follow the requirements for the paint or for meeting the state's emission standards on equipment, which he said were unreasonable. The board directed Siemer to come back with additional information.

In the sheriff's budget, $402,000 in federal stimulus funds will be used to fund, among other things, a special victims detective. Another $290,000 is set to be allocated for marijuana suppression, funds which are supplied by a federal grant.

Sheriff Rod Mitchell received the board's approval for using rural subvention funds to purchase $85,000 worth of mobile audio video units to install in patrol cars. The units are used to record interviews at scenes, he said.

The board lauded Mitchell's efforts to purchase from local vendors and to reduce overtime significantly – by close to 50 percent. He credited his staff with monitoring and lowering overtime for both deputies and correctional officers.

A funding source of special concern to Cox are geothermal royalties and leases.

While geothermal royalties were restored to the county in legislation passed earlier this summer – the royalties have averaged about $850,000 annually, according to Cox – he said Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told a congressional committee that the Obama administration intends to try to take the funds away again.

As such, Cox said he's not anticipating receiving the funds again after this October. Total expenditures and appropriations in this year's fund total $1,250,677, down from the anticipated $1,545,720.

He said he budgeted $100,000 from those revenues to go toward the Anderson Springs water system.

Cox promised to advocate for keeping the funds coming to the county once the budget is finalized.

Shortly after 4 p.m., the board unanimously approved two resolutions, one adopting the fiscal year 2010-11 budget and the second establishing position allocations for the coming fiscal year.

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The council will meet for a closed session with legal counsel regarding anticipated litigation at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

The open portion of the meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

The council will present a proclamation declaring Sept. 12 through 18 as National Assisted Living Week.

On the consent agenda is a review of bills, council minutes for the meetings from June 7 through July 8, and consideration of a “Let's Move” campaign, a task force on childhood obesity.

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The board devoted about two hours Tuesday morning to a hearing and discussion over the proposed fee increases, which would raise the base charge for single family dwellings from $11.13 per month to $26.08, with staggered charges for light-, medium- and high-strength commercial, as Lake County News has reported.

Lake County Special Districts is proposing a $5.4 million upgrade that would include a new pump station and a new four-mile pipeline for the system, which stretches from Lower Lake to Clear Lake. The $11.13 increase includes $3.37 per month for operations, $3.60 for the capital improvement program and $4.16 for debt service.

Special Districts Administrator Mark Dellinger and his fiscal officer, Jan Coppinger, presented the justifications for the increase to the board and explained the plans, which Dellinger said will eliminate the system's capacity issues.

The system has had repeated spills in recent years, which have resulted in state fines and regulatory actions, he said.

During the discussion and hearing board members and the public alike would quiz Dellinger and Coppinger about the possibility of grants, which they said had been pursued.

Supervisor Jeff Smith, in whose district the system is located, said the system went “upside down” by $400,000 last year and $600,000 the year before.

“If we keep going that way before long our reserves are gone,” he said, acknowledging that it's a tough time to ask for rate increases.

Still, Board Chair Anthony Farrington asked why Special Districts didn't draw the reserves down more in order to keep the hike lower. Dellinger said he was worried about being able to respond to emergencies and increased costs, such as the system's state permit which has risen from $19,000 annually to $40,000 in the space of a year.

He told the board, “We're going as low as we can.”

Coppinger told the board that they may be able to roll the increase back after the bonding for the project moves forward.

Smith pointed out that a consultant who studied the system's rate structure had suggested they double the rates.

He said past boards have struggled with how to keep the system's rates low while dealing with its operations and infrastructure. If the county doesn't act now, he said, they're going to have to raise rates again and it will be worse.

Farrington suggested during the discussion that Special Districts pull money earmarked for other systems and use it for the upgrades to keep the rates down.

Supervisor Rob Brown asked about renegotiating with the city of Clearlake to ask city leaders to put redevelopment money toward the project.

Such negotiations had been going on earlier this year, with the proposed agreement calling for the city to put up half of the cost. But the city called them off in April, as Lake County News has reported. At that time, City Administrator Dale Neiman said the city didn't know if it would have a shopping center project to benefit from the upgrades, and additionally laid total responsibility for the system's upkeep on the county.

Brown asked Dellinger what kind of flexibility they had to look at other options. “I guess it depends on what the specifics would be,” Dellinger replied.

Supervisor Denise Rushing said the hearing was the result of a very long process the county has been through. She said she wouldn't support reducing the reserves any further in the Southeast Regional system, with its aging infrastructure. She also was concerned that construction prices would go up if they weren't locked in soon.

During public comment, the board heard mostly complaints from people who said they couldn't pay higher bills, with some of them also accusing the county of mismanaging the district.

Cheri Holden, who chairs the Sierra Club Lake Group, said the group supports the project although it's dismayed rates have to go up.

However, “The environmental impact of not going ahead with this project is profound,” as would be the resulting economic impacts, she said.

Clearlake businesswoman Jeri Spittler agreed they needed to move forward with upgrades but she said she and other businesses along Lakeshore Drive already are holding on by a thread at the end of four years of what she said had seen no tourist trade.

Noting that her sewer fees equal her electric bills, Spittler said, “I don't think we can endure another increase.”

Coppinger said Special Districts was working on equity in the increases, and pointed out that light-strength commercial will see a $9 per month increase to its base cost, as opposed to $11.13 for single family dwellings.

Richard Birk of Habitat for Humanity said the group has about a dozen homes in the area that would be affected, and that it would be hard on a community with already high unemployment.

He said he was surprised Special Districts hadn't pressed Congressman Mike Thompson's office for assistance. “They've heard from us on this issue,” replied Dellinger, who said there are other projects around the county vying for funds.

“The demands are much larger than the available funds,” Dellinger said.

Clearlake resident Bill Marshall accused the county of mismanaging the system from the beginning and passing the buck. “It's been a money pit from day one.”

Another ratepayer, Eddie Ricketts, suggested, “Let's fix the system but let's not keep slapping the homeowners.”

He questioned if the roughly 3,000 new hookups the system would provide have been figured into the repayment equation. Special Districts said no. He also questioned the monthly capital improvement fee of $3.60, which Dellinger said would be used for ongoing system upgrades.

Brown took issue with an individual in the audience who he said was “popping off” and making accusations against staff.

“The comment of mismanagement is not incorrect,” said Brown, noting that staff and Dellinger's predecessor had come to previous boards asking for money to fix the system's problems.

“For the last 10 years we've been working on this,” he said.

Any mismanagement, suggested Brown, came in the form of past boards that didn't have the political will to raise the rates to avoid the kinds of problems the system is now experiencing. Now they're trying to get caught up so 30 years from now the county won't be having this discussion.

The board also heard from a Lower Lake woman who said she is disabled and began to cry as she insisted that she couldn't afford any higher bills, otherwise she would be on the street.

Farrington, stating, “It's prudent for us to turn every stone,” said he wouldn't support the increase without sitting down for a joint session with the Clearlake City Council.

Rushing said they could agree that the system is in dire shape and that many residents and businesses can't afford higher fees, but she said they also were trying to get the best price possible on the upgrades. She suggested moving forward, getting prices locked in while going after unexplored funding options.

Mireya Turner, the clerk of the board, tabulated protest letters the county received, which totaled 62, just a fraction of the 3,354 needed to stop the increases from going forward.

The board then directed staff to set up the joint session with Clearlake officials.

County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox told Lake County News late Tuesday that he e-mailed Neiman to schedule the meeting, but he didn't yet know when it would take place. He said scheduling conflicts will prevent it from taking place between Sept. 17 and Oct. 2.

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These allegations provide a unique opportunity to share with our community the involvement the city has had with our youth in recent years.

During these challenging economic times, cities, counties and school districts throughout the state are

reducing or eliminating youth programs due to budget constraints.

Although city resources have been meager in comparison to many other cities and counties, we have continually supported our youth within our financial boundaries.

We have been able to utilize creativity and teamwork to champion our efforts in the following ways.

ATHLETIC FIELDS: Athletic fields are provided for Little League, flag football and soccer activities for the pleasure of our youth. When needed, city resources are used for maintenance of the athletic fields.

YOUTH CENTER: The building which houses the youth center is leased from the city at the cost of $1 per year in order that the youth center may continue to provide a safe haven to children. In addition, the city provided an outside basketball court for the youth center.

SKATE PARK: Over a period of years, the city has worked diligently to acquire grants to build and maintain a skate park for our youth. In addition, the city partnered with clubs, organizations and businesses to donate needed materials in order that the city may continue to perform necessary maintenance at the skate park.

HELMET PROTECTION: The police department provides helmets for our youth to help keep our kids safe while skateboarding and bicycle riding.

BASKETBALL COURT: A basketball court was built next to the skate park for the enjoyment of our youth, with city funds that were added to a donation received by a gracious benefactor.

KONOCTI KIDS DAY: In years past, the city has participated in Konocti Kids Day, providing police and public works services during these events. In 2008, in addition to providing services, the city partnered with Konocti Kids Day to provide the California Air National Guard Helicopter Drug Interdiction Program for our youth at this event. This is a highly proclaimed program throughout the state that is normally brought only into schools for a three hour visit. For the entirety of one year, city representatives worked tediously in this endeavor for the betterment of our youth. The rewards were apparent, as the Air National Guard helicopter touched down at Austin Park, visiting and educating 2,500 youths throughout the entire day to give them the opportunities to help keep their lives on the right track. The positive responses from parents and youth were overwhelming.

TEAM DUI: Team DUI was created to educate our community on the true realties of DUI with the focus on preventing underage drinking. Through the efforts of Team DUI, our youth are given the opportunity to understand the consequences of choices they make, affording them the opportunities to make healthy choices for themselves and others. The valiant mission of Team DUI is of great importance to our youth in the lives that have been saved and many more that will be saved. Youth throughout the entire county benefit from the dedication of Team DUI.

EVERY 15 MINUTES PROGRAM: Members of our police department and a city council member partner with the CHP along with other law enforcement and emergency personal in the efforts of the highly acclaimed Every 15 Minute Program, to provide educational support to our schools for DUI awareness and prevention, helping to give our youth the opportunity to stay on the right track.

TOBACCO EDUCATION: Representing the city, a member of the Clearlake City Council serves on the Lake County Tobacco Education Coalition which educates our youth on the importance of the consequences of cigarette smoking; thereby affording a healthier life.

HALLOWEEN: For the last four years, the city has provided a community Halloween party for kids at city hall to help keep our kids off of the streets so they can enjoy a safe Halloween. During this event, we partner with Konocti School District to purchase reflective “Trick-or-Treat” bags with the slogan “Don’t be Tricked, Drugs are no Treat” which coincides with participation in Red Ribbon Week festivities.

CHRISTMAS: For the past three years, the city has sponsored a Christmas Wish Tree for Children, partnering with Child Protective Services to help grant Christmas wishes for foster children and less fortunate children. Hundreds of children’s lives have been touched through this program. The city also provides police and public works services during the yearly Christmas parade for the pleasure of our youth.

THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION continues to provide financial contributions and assistance to youth activities. Their donations have proven to be invaluable to activities such as sober grad night, little league and Toys for Tots among others.

IN YEARS PAST, the city has provided playground equipment at our park and bicycle give-a-ways for children through the efforts of many.

Partnering with our educators and youth leaders, we have also been able to provide assistance to Konocti Unified School District in the form of a school resource officer when funding was available along with city participation in the research of consolidation of resources between the school district and the city.

Several council members participated in Lower Lake High School Challenge Day for the benefit of our youth. We also participate in Child Abuse Awareness Month.

The city is proud that we have been able to build a network with educators, youth leaders and parents for the betterment of our youth.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that the success of the above efforts would not have been possible without the volunteer efforts of many. Many people, including city staff, police department and council members as representatives of the city, have donated countless hours of time to help support our youth.

To some, the activities listed above may be small, but to those involved, the efforts are huge and rewarding. These efforts are immeasurable to the positive impact on our youth.

The city of Clearlake has always advocated for the betterment of our youth and will continue to do so.

Could more be done for our youth? Always! There could never be enough when it comes to supporting our youth. Working together, our community can make a difference in the life of a child. I encourage anyone to get involved.

To the countless individuals who have touched the lives of our youth in so many positive ways, I offer my sincere gratitude along with that of the city of Clearlake.

Judy Thein is mayor of the city of Clearlake, Calif.