Local Government
- Elizabeth Larson
Supervisors to consider letter over Lucerne water rates
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 13, in the Board of Supervisors chambers at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport. TV8 will broadcast the meeting live.
During an untimed discussion, Supervisor Denise Rushing will ask the board to consider a proposed letter to the California Public Utilities Commission on behalf of the community of Lucerne regarding
the request for a rate increase by Cal Water.
Cal Water is seeking a rate increase over the next three years of nearly 68 percent, as Lake County News has reported.
In another untimed discussion, the board will consider authorizing Board Chair Anthony Farrington to sign a report of appointment to enable Deputy Animal Care and Control Director Bill Davidson to
receive compensation for working above his classification.
Davidson currently is overseeing the department in the absence of the Animal Care and Control Director Denise Johnson, who is on an extended medical leave.
The board will hold two closed sessions. During the first, at 1:30 p.m., they will hold interviews with applicants for the Water Resources director job.
During the second closed session, they will discuss labor negotiations, hold performance evaluations for Animal Care and Control Director Denise Johnson and Public Works Director Brent Siemer, hold a second conference with legal counsel about a potential case of litigation and hear an appeal of a an employee disciplinary action.
Other times on the agenda are as follows.
Timed items
9 a.m.: Approval of consent agenda, which includes items that are expected to be routine and noncontroversial, and will be acted upon by the board at one time without discussion; presentation of animals available for adoption at Lake County Animal Care and Control; consideration of items not appearing on the posted agenda.
9:05 a.m.: Citizen's input. Any person may speak for three minutes about any subject of concern,
provided that it is within the jurisdiction of the Board of Supervisors and is not already on the agenda. Prior to this time, speakers must fill out a slip giving name, address and subject (available in the Clerk of the Board’s Office, first floor, courthouse).
9:15 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the week of April 11-17 as National Public Safety Telecommunications Week in Lake County.
9:20 a.m.: Presentation of annual report from the Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee.
9:50 a.m.: Hearing, notice of nuisance abatement - 9190 Fairway Drive, Kelseyville, CA (APN 430-213-19 – James E. Purviance).
10 a.m.: Presentation by Lake County Animal Coalition regarding the spay and neuter vouchers and other activities; and consideration of request for future county funding to help cover the costs of the spay and neuter vouchers and other activities.
10:30 a.m.: Discussion/consideration of recommendation to delete mechanical harvesting of aquatic weeds on Clear Lake from the request for proposal that is being issued by the county.
11 a.m.: Discussion/consideration of proposed fourth amendment to the agreement between the county of Lake and Lake Legal Defense Services to provide indigent criminal legal defense services.
11:15 a.m.: Presentation of an educational video that was submitted in the “We Love Tules” video contest showing the importance and propagation of tules around Clear Lake.
11:30 a.m.: Assessment appeal hearings, Judy Buttke - Application No. 95-2009 - located at 3675 Benmore Valley Road, Lakeport, CA - APN 007-001-37; Harold Brezine - Application No. 126-2009 - located at 16371 32nd Ave., Clearlake, CA - APN 042-254-40.
Nontimed items
– Supervisors’ weekly calendar, travel and reports.
– Discussion/consideration of a proposed letter of support of a grant application submitted by Heberden Telemedicine for a health information network to support hospitals and physicians in the Northern California region.
– Discussion/consideration of proposed first amendment to the agreement between the county of Lake and Casa Pacifica for specialty mental health services (an increase from $100,000 to a maximum amount of $116,000).
– Discussion/consideration of proposed first amendment to the agreement between the county of Lake and San Diego Center for Children for specialty mental health services (an increase from $30,000 to a maximum contract amount of $50,000).
– Discussion/consideration of proposed resolution of intention to name certain existing roads in the county of Lake (Cold Water Creek Road, Rabbit Valley Road, Binkley Road and Lee Spring Road), located off of High Valley Road in the Cobb area and set hearing for May 18, 2010, at 9:15 a.m.
– Discussion/consideration of first amendment to the agreement between the county of Lake and the Regents of the University of California for sediment sampling in Clear Lake (an increase from
$20,008.56 to $40,017.12).
– An ordinance amending Section 706B of the Sewer Use Ordinance pertaining to inflationary adjustment determined by the Engineering News Record-Construction Cost Index. Second reading, advanced from April 6.
Consent agenda
– Approve minutes of the Board of Supervisors meeting held on April 6, 2010.
– Adopt proclamation designating the week of April 11-17 as National Public Safety Telecommunications Week in Lake County.
– Adopt proclamation designating April 17, 2010 as Red Hat Day in Lake County.
– Adopt proclamation recognizing the significance of the Geysers and applauding the April 16, 2010 dedication of the Calpine Cartwright Geothermal Visitors Center.
– Adopt Resolution No. _____ authorizing the Deputy Director, Lake County Redevelopment Agency to sign a Notice of Completion for work performed under agreement dated May 5, 2009 (Upper Lake
Main Street pavement rehabilitation and accessibility improvements).
– Approve the agreement between the county of Lake and the Lucerne Friends of Locally Owned Water (F.L.O.W.) for the purpose of providing funding to the Lucerne F.L.O.W. Community garden project
and authorize the chair to sign.
– Adopt the revised county of Lake Facilities/Courthouse Evacuation Plan and the authorize the safety officer to make revisions to the plan when necessary changes are identified.
– Approve the contract between the county of Lake and Dazzling Janitorial Services to provide janitorial services to the Lakeport Library in the amount of $10,200 and authorize the chair to sign.
– Adopt Resolution No. _____ amending Resolution No. 2009-145 establishing position allocations to conform to the Fiscal Year 2009/2010 Final Budget, Budget Unit No. 2302 - Probation Officer-
Juvenile Court (deleting one Probation Administrative Manager and adding one Probation Administrative Manager I/II allocation), as recommended by the Reclassification Committee.
– Approve recommendations from the Reclassification Committee as per memorandum dated March 30, 2010, regarding reclassification requests submitted by county departments.
– Approve Modification No. 006 to Cooperative Law Enforcement Agreement between the county of Lake and the U.S. Forest Services to defray cost relating to the suppression of manufacturing and
trafficking of controlled substances (county’s allocation of addition funding from the U.S. Forest Service will be $35,000), and authorize the chair to sign.
– (a) Adopt Resolution No. _____ to appropriate unanticipated revenue in the amount of $18,000 (awarded a grant from the Department of Boating and Waterways ), for the purchase of an outboard motor re-power unit for a Sheriff’s Patrol boat - Budget Unit No. 2205 - Sheriff/Marine Patrol; and
(b) Award bid in the amount of $14,804.98 to Redwood Marine for the purchase of an Honda outboard motor re-power unit for a sheriff’s patrol boat and authorize the chair to sign.
– Accept dedication and conveyance of water well to provide supplemental water to County Service Area No. 16 - Paradise Valley,located at 8236 Paradise Valley Boulevard, Lucerne, CA (APN 060-
321-01), and authorize the chair to sign.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
- Lake County News reports
Superintendent of schools candidates' debate set for April 19
Candidates Wally Holbrook and Judy Luchsinger will debate their viewpoints and plans for the office beginning at 7 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors chamber at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St.
The debate is expected to last about an hour and will be recorded for broadcast.
The public is invited to submit questions to Lake County News via e-mail to
The format used for the debates will put the same questions to all candidates, so as much as possible questions should be broadly applicable.
A small number of questions will be taken via note cards at the debates themselves.
Questions about the debates may be directed to debate moderator Elizabeth Larson, 707-274-9904, or at
Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .
- Lake County News reports
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week honors important public safety work
While these calls come in daily, Congress has designated the second full week of April of each year as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
This Tuesday at 9:15 a.m., the Lake County Board of Supervisors will offer a proclamation in honor of the week.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) also is taking the opportunity to thank the men and women who are at the receiving end of those often life-saving phone calls.
“Our employees who perform telecommunications duties serve as an indispensable link between our officers and the public, providing vital support and life-saving services,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow.
CHP dispatchers have challenging and stressful jobs as they handle the majority of California’s wireless 911 emergency calls, non-emergency calls, and are in constant radio communication with the patrol officers.
Dispatchers are the first point of contact in an emergency to ensure the appropriate assistance is provided whether you have been in an injury-related crash or another emergency has occurred.
Duties can range from contacting fire, ambulance or other emergency services to looking up vehicle identification numbers, plate numbers, driver license numbers and run checks for wanted subjects.
The CHP has 25 communication/dispatch centers statewide at which it employs nearly 1,000 telecommunicators. Last year, these individuals were responsible for handling approximately 10.3 million calls for service (911 and other calls).
Calling 911 can be very stressful and it's easy to feel overwhelmed. The following tips are designed to guide callers through the experience:
No matter what happens – stay calm.
Be prepared to provide your name, phone number, address or location and a detailed description of the incident you’re reporting.
Wait for the call-taker to ask questions, and then answer clearly and calmly.
Let the call-taker guide the conversation.
Listen carefully and follow all directions provided by the call-taker.
Keep your eyes open and be prepared to give physical descriptions if an emergency involves a criminal suspect.
Wireless phones may not tell the call-taker where you are. Use a landline whenever possible.
Remember, 911 is for life-threatening emergencies. Misuse of the emergency 911 system could result in a delay for callers with actual emergencies and is punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000.
“The public safety operators, public safety dispatchers and public safety dispatch supervisors who provide radio, telephone, and computer services to every CHP unit and the public are to be commended for their dedication and professionalism,” added Commissioner Farrow. “The reputation and image our department enjoys is due in large part to the excellent manner in which they perform their duties.”
Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .
- Elizabeth Larson
Silveira takes reins as Lakeport's new city manager
LAKEPORT – Lakeport's new city manager is officially on the job this week, getting settled, acquainting herself with staff and preparing to jump into the budgeting process.
Margaret Silveira's first day on the job was Monday, and she was introduced by the Lakeport City Council on Tuesday.
Silveira, 53, comes from the city of Gustine, where she had her first city manager job.
She takes over from interim City Manager Kevin Burke, who since August 2008 has done double duty managing the city in addition to his regular duties as police chief.
Burke took on the duties in August 2008 when then-City Manager Jerry Gillham left for a deployment with the Oregon National Guard, as Lake County news has reported. Gillham resigned last year following health issues suffered while on active duty.
In a Thursday interview Silveira said that Burke was credited with doing a good job for the city as its interim manager, and was offered the job permanently, but declined.
She has spent much of her life in the Central Valley. Born in the Azores in Portugal, she and her family came to the United States when she was 3 years old, initially moving to Humboldt County, where her uncle worked in the Scotia lumber mill.
About a year later, her family moved to Gustine, a city about the size of Lakeport which is home to a large Portuguese community. The area's main industries revolve around dairy farming, as well as other forms of agriculture like tree crops, including almonds, she said.
Silveira has a bachelor's degree in organizational leadership from Chapman University in Orange, and an associate's degree from Modesto Junior College.
She was the director of housing and economic development for the city of Riverbank, located in Stanislaus County, from May 1999 to November 2007 before becoming Gustine's city manager, according to her resume.
In those administrative positions she has gained experience in redevelopment, and noted that Gustine was in the process of accepting its first redevelopment area project when she chose to come to Lakeport.
“I was happily working where I was at,” Silveira recalls.
Then a flyer came across her desk for the Lakeport job. Silveira has two grown children, daughter Loni and son Neil, and she said that Loni – who is married with a 3-year-old daughter – liked the Lake County area and had been talking about wanting to move here, so Silveira decided to check it out.
She called Burke, had a good conversation, and visited the community to check it out before applying.
“It's a beautiful community and the people are very friendly here,” she said.
Silveira arrives just as some of the city's departments – at Burke's direction – have begun putting their 2010-11 fiscal year budgets together. The city has has financial challenges in recent years due to less revenue in the forms of sales tax and permits.
However, Silveira notes, “Lakeport's not unique,” when it comes to challenges, and she suggests that the city actually is in a better situation than some other areas.
Getting a full picture of the city's finances will be one of Silveira first big tasks, she said.
Moving from an area of mostly dairies to one that has a mix of agriculture and tourism offers Silveira some new challenges. The sales tax and tourism aspects between the two communities are a huge difference, she said.
“This is going to be very interesting, a new adventure for me,” she said, adding that she's looking forward to the new learning experience.
Helping her along the way will be the city's staff, which has impressed Silveira for the depth of its experience, expertise and knowledge.
On Tuesday, members of the Board of Supervisors appeared at the meeting, with Supervisor Rob Brown presenting her with a welcome basket of products produced around the lake.
He joked that Kelseyville may not have a college – referring to the effort to win Mendocino College's Lake Center campus, which is settling in Lakeport – but it has other offerings, like good wine.
“It was a very nice surprise,” she said.
She met County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox during one of her interviews with a community interview panel. Silveira said she and Cox are scheduled to talk more soon, and she's looking forward to getting to know local leaders.
Silveira pointed to the importance of local governments working together.
In the midst of her move to Lakeport, Silveira's son got married. Daughter Loni is jealous of her mom's move and, if the right job opportunity comes along, more members of Silveira's family might make the move.
Silveira said the city is planning a community reception for her at a future, as-yet undetermined date.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
- Shirley Howland
Howland: Time to pink slip Clearlake's city administrator
As a longtime resident (20 years and before that for 40 years as a summer visitor) of Clearlake and Lake County, I am pleading with the Clearlake City Council to fire their city administrator, Dale Neiman, who seems so determined to destroy what is left of our city and lake.
Under his "leadership" the council goes continually against the will of the people and charges ahead on schemes that will bankrupt the city and plague the lake and all of the communities around it. Their latest demonstration of mismanagement is a refusal to cooperate with the county supervisors in an upgrade of the sewer system, which the whole county is dependent upon.
At the council meetings preceding the vote on Provinsalia the public spoke loud and clear about how that project would negatively impact our schools, water system, sewer system, traffic, fire and police protection – all of our infrastructure. No thought or discussion was given to the other communities in the county or to their need for the water and sewer systems we all depend on. Nor did the the city council nor the local planners have any interest in what the public had to say.
Now we read that the city is refusing to cooperate with the county on this very serious problem of sewage disposal – all this not long after the city council refused to cooperate on the quagga mussel problem.
What are they thinking? Do they think that this lake and the lands around it belong only to the ruling few dictated by Dale Neiman? They have $7.5 million of redevelopment money that they (Neiman) want to put into a shopping center built around a big box chain store (Lowe's), which, by definition, will take more money out of the county (to the corporation) than it will bring in.
To be fair, one council member wants to put the redevelopment money into "sidewalks, curbs and gutters" near the "downtown" section, Austin's Park and Clearlake City Hall. But that will do about as much for tourism as a Lowe's shopping center ...
Private developments like Provinsalia and Lowe's are not "redevelopment" by any stretch of the imagination. Look at the parks and developments along the waterfronts of the Oaks, Lucerne and Nice and see what redevelopment money COULD be doing. Then look at what Clearlake is planning and see a dying community alongside what was once a beautiful lakeshore.
Neiman, with the council panting along behind him after the myth of tax money, seems determined to build another city on fresh unbroken ground, and let the old Clear Lake Highlands die, in spite of the protests and lawsuits of many groups and individuals, and in spite of the number of businesses and homes that have already been lost to the crushing lack of intelligent governance.
One city council member tells me that several businesses went out last year because of the stench of the algae, the most severe it has been in my memory. The county is currently considering a plan to build floating islands that will thrive on the algae and other contaminates in the lake.
Will the city of Clearlake, which is so engrossed in making a buck at the expense of doing the right thing for the whole county, cooperate with the supervisors on this potentially life-saving, algae-eating plan? Or will they kill the idea by claiming that's not redevelopment, or we need more studies, or it costs too much money or it may help the lake but it won't draw tourists like another golf course ...
I hope the citizens of Clearlake realize it's time to cooperate with the county – we are all in this mountain bowl together. We need do something that will benefit us all – preserve our resources and water (not waste it on more golf courses) – and get rid of the "leadership " that is leading us over the cliff.
Shirley Howland lives in Clearlake.
How to resolve AdBlock issue? LCNews
Award winning journalism on the shores of Clear Lake.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |