LAKEPORT – New leadership for the year, off-road vehicles and creation of a fireworks committee are on the Lakeport City Council agenda for this Tuesday.

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

The agenda and supporting staff reports can be downloaded at http://www.cityoflakeport.com/departments/docs.aspx?deptID=88&catID=102 .

On Tuesday, the council will nominate its mayor and mayor pro tem for the coming year. Council members also will be assigned to designated committees.

The council also will hold a public hearing on a proposed ordinance that would limit off-road vehicle operations within the city limits.

Kevin Burke, the city's police chief and interim city manager, prepared the draft ordinance based on council direction after residents complained about off-road vehicle riding in their neighborhoods.

In the wake of the November passage of Measure C, which legalizes state-approved fireworks sales in the city after the council outlawed them earlier this year, the council on Tuesday will discuss establishing a fireworks committee to implement the measure's provisions.

Sitting jointly as the council and redevelopment agency, council members will approve a façade improvement owner participation agreement with Keystone America Inc.-Jones Mortuary, receive updates on vacant residential properties and contract negotiations for the Downtown Improvement Project Phase II, select Quincy Engineering to prepare the Lakeport Boulevard/South Main Street Intersection Project Intersection Study and receive the 2009 year-end annual report for the Lakeport Redevelopment Agency.

In other council business, Redevelopment Director Richard Knoll will give the council a status report on the Business Stabilization Loan Program, and Burke will present resolutions allocating funds from the supplemental law allocating funds from the Supplemental Enforcement Services Fund and authorizing staff to coordinate with county staff to facilitate development of the alternative energy and energy efficient financing program.

The council also is expected to provide staff direction on a contract with National Grant Services, which has proposed to write parks grants for the city.

City Attorney Steve Brookes will present to the council an amendment to the contract with Lakeport Disposal, the city's franchise trash hauler, and City Engineer Scott Harter will offer a resolution giving notice of an intention to vacate a portion of Tunis Street between Martin and Armstrong Streets and setting the public hearing for Jan. 19.

During the council's public presentation portion, winners of the annual holiday decorating contest – hosted by the city of Lakeport, the Lakeport Main Street Association and the Lakeport Regional

Chamber of Commerce – will be recognized. The city also will consider an application for the No Name Car Club's June car show.

Following the public portion of the meeting, the council will hold a closed session to discuss property negotiations regarding Green Ranch, employee negotiations and a performance evaluation of City Attorney Steve Brookes.

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SACRAMENTO – A local tribe has moved a step closer to beginning work on its new casino.

On Thursday night the state Assembly unanimously approved Senate Bill 89, which was amended by First District Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) to include ratification of the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Tribal gaming compact.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the 112-page compact with the tribe on Sept. 2, as Lake County News has reported.

The new $25 million facility will have 349 slot machines, six table games, sitdown and fast food restaurants, and a retail shop in a roughly 34,000-square-foot facility, with about 175 employees, according to tribal officials.

Chesbro sought the amendment during the special session Thursday night because the ratification, when approved by the Senate next week, will immediately create good-paying jobs in Lake County.

“Because of the tribe’s agreements with the developer, the legislative ratification of this compact will trigger the release of the funding and will provide immediate construction jobs in Lake County,” Chesbro said.

“This means that Lake County residents can begin working at decent paying jobs before Christmas,” he said. “Moreover, upon completion of the tribe’s gaming project, the tribe will create between 200 and 300 much-needed full-time jobs – with benefits. Because Lake County is presently experiencing a 17-percent unemployment rate and last month the Konocti Harbor Resort closed, costing the county 800 jobs, it was imperative to ratify the compact as soon as possible.”

The tribe has been working closely with the county and the community in the preparation and planning of its gaming project.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors supports the tribe’s effort to open the casino resort as soon as possible.

During the Assembly debate on the bill, Assembly member Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) spoke in strong support of the compact, reiterating the immediate need for ratification so that the project can break ground before Christmas.

The Assembly approved the amended bill 69-0.

A Senate vote on the bill is expected next week.

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LAKE COUNTY – With Christmas just around the corner, local charitable organizations are struggling to get donations in order to help those in need this holiday season.

Lake County Community Action Agency and Catholic Charities are reporting that while the need is great, donations have been slow.

At the same time, the second annual “Warm for the Winter” – which is collecting warm clothing, blankets and food for the homeless – also is under way and seeking help from the community.

Marty Comito at the Lake County Community Action Agency said they've signed up 517 children of various ages for gifts this year, down from the 631children who were on the list in 2008. In addition, the local Elks Club has taken on providing gifts for another 100 children.

Signups took place around Thanksgiving, and gift drop boxes were then put out around the county at the start of December, she said.

Comito estimated they need another 240 gifts to meet all of their needs. They're particularly short of items for children in the 6 to 12 years old age bracket.

“It's hard every year, but we were particularly concerned this year because of the economy,” Comito said.

Once toys are collected, parents whose children are signed up are invited to the agency where they select the toys for their children. Comito said it's then up the parents to wrap the presents. “It's a real community effort that way,” she said.

The goal is to have gifts valuing at least $10 for each child, she added.

Vicki Ellsworth, who is overseeing the drop boxes, said they've been placed in several communities around the south end of the lake. They're also collecting toys for Toys For Tots, she said.

Drop boxes can be found in Lower Lake at Day's Supply and Burton Jernigan Insurance; in Clearlake Oaks at Tower Mart, Northshore Fire's Clearlake Oaks station and Mediacom; in Clearlake at Lake County Fire Protection District's station, Clearlake Auto Care Center, Yuba College's computer lab, Bank of the West, Four Corners Builders Supply, Mendo Mill, Wachovia Bank, Westamerica Bank, Main Street Cafe, Clear Lake Observer-American, Lake County Community Action Agency, One Stop Automotive and Griffin Furniture.

Ellsworth said the boxes will be in place until Dec. 17.

In Middletown, the slow donations are a concern for Hedy Montoya, regional director for Catholic Charities, which now is running its annual “Spirit of the Season” campaign to help those in need.

This year Catholic Charities has 120 Lake County families with about 250 children signed up to receive gifts, a number that's down slightly from last year, Montoya said.

She said gifts were supposed to be returned by Dec. 9, but they've had to extend the deadline to Dec. 15 because, for the first time in seven years, the gifts just haven't come in.

Wish trees are placed in several south county businesses, said Montoya. They can be found in Middletown at Tri Counties Bank, Westamerica Bank, Twin Pine Casino, Century 21 and St. Joseph's Church; and in Hidden Valley Lake at Century 21 and Hidden Valley Lake Realty.

The trees have bells on which three of the children's wishes are written, she explained. Those who want to make a donation take the bell, purchase a gift and return the gift in a gift bag, accompanied by the bell, to the Middletown Catholic Charities Office, 21257 Calistoga St., near the library.

Montoya said they also welcome donations of money in lieu of gifts.

Another effort under way this year is the second annual “Warm for the Winter” clothes and food drive.

Clearlake City Council member Joyce Overton, who is organizing the campaign, said the effort is meant to assist the area's homeless population.

With winter's frigid temperatures now here, Warm for the Winter is seeking clothing items such as gloves, long-sleeved shirts, sweatshirts, coats, ear muffs and jackets, as well as blankets, tarps, tents and other items to help offer shelter.

They're also seeking canned food and any food to which hot water can be added – such as hot chocolate packets, soups and noodle dinners, Overton said.

Food and warm clothing can be dropped off at the following locations: in Clearlake, Foods Etc., Mendo Mill and Tatonka; and in Hidden Valley, Chic Le Chief.

She said more locations will be announced, and they're also welcoming additional businesses that would like to be drop spots for donations.

For more information about these efforts, call the Lake County Community Action Agency at 707-995-2920; Catholic Charities at 707-987-8139; or Joyce Overton at 707-350-2898.

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 and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .

LAKEPORT – The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to move forward with instituting new protocols and standards for the county's mussel prevention program, which will include new vessel tracking methods, more stringent inspection standards and a basic requirement that all boats be clean and dry before entering local lakes.

The program began in 2008 in response to the rapid movement across the country and the state of invasive quagga and zebra mussels, as Lake County News has reported.

It was noted Tuesday that the county's program is gaining statewide attention.

“It turned out to be a herculean effort on the part of all parties concerned,” said Greg Giusti of the University of California Cooperative Extension, who earlier this year was made chair of a county invasive species council the supervisors formed.

That council, Giusti said Tuesday, has met three times. He said the participation from local businesses, tribes and community members has been “nothing short of remarkable.”

Lake County's countywide approach to prevention is unique in the state, said Giusti, as other areas are working on prevention by focusing on individual water bodies, such as is being done in Lake Tahoe.

The invasive species council came up with the revamped protocols to establish a standard for the county, said Giusti. One of the key principals is that no vessel can be launched into local lakes unless it's first been cleaned, drained and dry.

Kayaks, canoes, boogie boards, float tubes and similar small craft, which Giusti said are considered to be lower in risk, are exempt from screening, but not from the standards.

Owners must sign affidavits about the vessels' locations, and any watercraft that have come from infested areas must be inspected. Any boat not found to be cleaned, drained and dry must be cleaned, said Giusti.

The new protocols continue a two-tiered approach to deal with full-time residents and nonresidents.

Giusti said the protocols suggest abandoning the sticker program because they've found that if they inspect and give a sticker to a nonresident boat in January, “we've essentially given them a pass for the 12 months,” as it's rare they'll return and go through the process after taking the boat in and out of the county.

Instead, they wanted to maximize the screening process by replacing the stickers with 30-day compliance bands that are color-coded for the months of the year during which they're issued.

Supervisor Anthony Farrington asked about the county's impoundment powers and how the California Department of Fish and Game's quarantine rules are triggered.

Giusti said the updated ordinance mentions impounding boats that harbor mussels. He said DFG's impoundment is triggered only by the presence of adult mussels, not the microscopic veligers, a younger life stage of the mussels.

Farrington said he wanted to explore what the county can do with its own police powers, as it seemed there was a gap between impoundment and quarantine.

He added that education will be important for the program's success. “Education is going to be key for those locals who aren't going to be required to get new stickers,” he said.

Giusti said he intends to look more into local education. “Residents will have to assume the responsibility on their own.”

Victoria Brandon, chair of the Sierra Club Lake Group and a member of the local invasive species council, commended Giusti for his work.

“I think we've got a very strong standard here to move forward,” she said, agreeing about the importance of education in making the program work.

Brandon pointed out that the county has been collecting money as part of its sticker program, and the new program guidelines can increase that revenue stream. She said the county needs to tell people where the sticker money is going, and a reasonable answer is it's going to support the program.

A member of a state invasive species council formed earlier this year, Brandon told the board. “Lake County is taking the lead on this statewide.”

She said the state invasive species council is looking for a poster child for how a community can react to threats, and she said Lake County's work may receive some positive publicity.

Julie Richardson, a Konocti Bay Sailing Club member, said she was concerned about the “problematic way” the county is addressing the issue, saying she was shocked that the county sold its decontamination units – which use very hot water to clean boats – earlier this year.

“What were you thinking?” she asked, asserting that the decision to sell the units was shortsighted.

Richardson said boat trailers also needed to be screened, as do kayaks, which can be difficult to drain.

“I think we really need to think about what we're doing and make sure we don't become like Lake Havasu,” she said.

Supervisor Jeff Smith explained that they chose to sell the decontamination units because there are less expensive ways to address cleaning boats.

Regarding boat trailers, Giusti said there needs to be a change in the ordinance's language to address them, as currently one compliance band is given for both the boat and trailer.

Sarah Ryan, environmental director at Big Valley Rancheria and an invasive species council member, said she was pleased with the solutions the group put forward.

They evaluated 2008 information that showed about 7,000 boat registrations in Lake County. Out of those, they found there was a small number of people – about seven – going to contaminated water bodies.

“It only takes one,” she said, adding that it's important that locals be extremely aware of the rules.

Enforcement also is important, and she said she was pleased that the Lake County Sheriff's Office had stepped up enforcement, which will help the program succeed.

Rushing asked when they could have the education and outreach component ready. Giusti said they're first trying to get the program changes in by the start of the year, and they can then focus on awareness and education before looking to state and federal legislators for help in expanding and promoting the program.

Another invasive species council member, Suzanne Lyons – who also sits on the Lakeport City Council and the Clear Lake Advisory Subcommittee – urged the board to accept the protocols.

“There's never going to be 100 percent of anything when it comes to keeping invasive species under control,” she said.

However, every time they cut the odds, it gives the county a chance to save the lake, Lyons said. Adjustments can be made later but getting the program up and running is the important thing.

Bob Higgins, who runs Limit Out Bait & Tackle in Clearlake Oaks, said he's been involved in the inspection program since it began. Out of the 8,000 stickers given out, he issued 3,400 of them.

Higgins felt the program shouldn't be changed. However, he noted that Lake County residents still haven't gotten the message about their responsibilities in having boats reinspected after returning from infected waters.

He also raised a concern about part-time residents and what he felt were expensive and difficult rules that could require them to have to pay for monthly inspections.

Giusti said the residency issue has provided a challenge. It's possible to track vessels to make sure they're reinspected, “but it adds another layer of administration.”

Jason Robertson of DFG said he feels the new protocol is the best the county can achieve right now, and that the current standards have serious flaws that the new set of rules will address.

Invasive species council member Terry Knight said he's received a lot of complaints that screeners don't physically inspect the boats before giving out stickers. He said that should be fixed with the new protocols, which require boats be physically inspected.

County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox was concerned that some of the places where stickers now are offered may not be able to do physical inspections, such as may be the case with the county's visitor center.

Giusti said part of the program's mechanics will be to determine who can do the inspections. However, he noted, “The workload will increase for people participating in this program.”

Replied Cox, “I just suspect there won't be as many places available when this change is made.”

Higgins emphasized that he has physically inspected all of the boats he's approved. He added that businesses like his will make sure the program's new rules are followed.

“It's hard economic times, we're all looking to survive. We will take up the slack,” he said, noting that the lake's protection is the main reason, not the $3 inspection fee they get for each boat.

Farrington moved to accept the protocols and standards as presented, and to direct staff to prepare for the transition and implementation. His motion also directed County Counsel Anita Grant to prepare the ordinance with suggested changes.

Grant said there may be additional issues to consider when the ordinance comes forward, which it's expected to do at the board's meeting next Tuesday.

The board accepted Farrington's motion 4-0, with Supervisors Rob Brown being absent.

If the ordinance continues on track, board members suggested it – and the new protocols it contains – could be in place by the end of January.

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 and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .

LAKE COUNTY – Another local educator has announced his plans to seek the county's superintendent of schools seat this coming year.

Wally Holbrook, 58, will run for the seat currently held by David Geck in 2010, he told Lake County News in a Wednesday interview.

Geck indicated late last month that he will retire when his term ends at the end of 2010.

Holbrook now joins Judy Luchsinger in the race to succeed Geck.

Luchsinger, 64, held the office for 16 years previously. She announced her candidacy on the courthouse steps in Lakeport on Oct. 16, as Lake County News has reported.

“I welcome the opportunity to publicly discuss school issues,” Luchsinger said Wednesday in response to Holbrook's announcement.

The forming race likely will have resources as a primary issue.

“When we have a loss of revenue then that puts pressure on all the programs and all the districts,” said Luchsinger, who noted leadership and consensus will be key to the way ahead.

Holbrook will hold his first campaign event at 3:30 p.m. Friday at the Hell's Bend School, located at Finley Road East at Park Drive.

He said he intends to ask community members at the event to join him in a partnership to support education. On Friday his election Web site, http://electwallyholbrook.com , also will launch.

Holbrook intends to hold a series of small community meetings around the county to discuss the county superintendent's role, and to invite community members to share their ideas. The first such meeting will be held at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14, at the Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum on Main Street.

His priorities for the county superintendent's post include adequate funding, improved efficiency, enhanced teacher quality and innovation to make local schools better.

Holbrook holds a bachelor's degree from California State University, Chico, and a master's degree in education administration from California State University, Sacramento.

His resume includes teaching such subjects as woodworking, drafting and architecture in Yolo County schools, where he also served as assistant superintendent.

He moved to Lake County to take the principal's job at Gard Street School, which under his leadership became the county's first California Distinguished School. Later, he was principal at a brand new school, Mountain Vista Middle School, before he was named superintendent of the Kelseyville Unified School District in 1991.

In 1995 he left Kelseyville to take the superintendent's job at Winters Unified in Yolo County, where he stayed until 2000 before moving next to Dixon Unified in Solano County, where he served until 2006.

He and Linda, his wife of 38 years, then moved back to Lake County, where they've lived a total of 15 years.

During his time as an educator he's helped pass a school bond, started educational foundations and, most recently, has started a reading program at Kelseyville Primary. One of his current interests is an effort to get local students guaranteed tuition at Mendocino College in an effort to prepare the community's young people ready to successfully enter the workforce.

Since 2006 he's worked as a leadership coach, working one-on-one with administrators in school districts around Northern California – including all of the local districts with the exception of Lucerne Elementary.

Holbrook said his leadership coaching work is a way of helping administrators craft solutions for the challenges they face at their particular schools and districts. It's administrative education conducted in the real world situation, aimed at finding what works best for the individual, recognizing everyone has different leadership and administrative styles.

“It's a little bit new,” but it gets results, he said of the method.

His experience with leadership coaching led Holbrook to look at the county superintendent of schools job, where he believes he can put his knowledge to work to help districts, teachers and students.

“I bring some experience that I think can really be helpful here,” he said.

Holbrook has recently been involved with some high profile local education issues, including the effort to bring the Mendocino College Lake Center to Kelseyville and the recently completed district consolidation report, which he helped compile as part of a designated committee.

The report was discussed at a joint meeting of the Lake County Board of Supervisors and the Lake County Board of Education on Tuesday evening, as Lake County News has reported.

Holbrook said the process, and the Tuesday discussion, showed the many opportunities for collaboration and cooperation among districts.

He said he was surprised to hear at the meeting that it was the first time the two boards had sat down together for a joint meeting.

“I think we've got great potential,” he said.

His part in creating the report was to compare districts, and try to find others around the state that looked like Lake's seven school districts.

“I don't think there's any place exactly like Lake County,” he said.

Before deciding if consolidation of any of the districts is a solution, Holbrook said first they need to look at the conditions that are obstacles to unifying districts. He hopes a county education summit will result, where local government sits down with schools to take a focused look at their challenges.

There are going to be very difficult things for schools to face ahead, said Holbrook – resources being a primary concern.

With tough times calling for new ways of looking at problems, Holbrook said he wants to start a process that includes the people of the community – not just educators – in an effort to do business differently. He intends to start that process soon, long before the election.

Having worked with Lake County Office of Education administrators, Holbrook said he's familiar with their duties and issues. But he also brings an outside perspective, and experience with transition, which he suggested would help him if he were elected to oversee the agency, which has 120 employees and an estimated $16 million annual budget.

“The expectation is going to be different,” he said, adding that he'll emphasize transparency and openness with the community.

But if elected Holbrook said he doesn't plan to spend much time behind the desk at the Lakeport office.

“You'll see me at the schools more,” where he'll look forward to interacting with teachers, parents and administrators.

He said both process and people are important to them, and he plans to look at how best to carry out the district's programs.

Holbrook also wants to raise peoples' awareness of the county superintendent's job and what it offers.

He summed up the superintendent's role into four basic responsibilities: leadership, support, administer and partner.

Leadership requires the courage to show the way and also to say no when necessary; support requires looking at programs and not giving blanket approval to everything; administer relates to dealing with the many program the office offers, from court schools to day care; and partner is being able to work together because, Holbrook noted, “We just can't do it alone.”

He added, “If you can do these four things well it will serve the students well.”

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 and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .

CLEARLAKE – The Clearlake City Council will choose its leadership for the coming year and consider amending the city's zoning ordinance when it meets Thursday.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

Under council business, council members will appoint the city's mayor and vice mayor for 2010. Currently holding those offices are Chuck Leonard and Judy Thein, respectively.

The council agenda also includes a public hearing to consider adopting an ordinance extending the temporary moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries that the council approved last month.

That matter is being continued to Dec. 17; on Tuesday the council held a special session to approve a report on the conditions that led to the ordinance, which must be approved 10 days before the council takes any action to extend the moratorium.

In other business, the council will hold a public hearing to consider amending the provisions regarding nonconforming uses contained in the city's zoning ordinance. One notable nonconforming use relates to medical marijuana dispensaries.

Other items on the agenda will include consideration of Lakeshore Drive's revitalization, consideration of sending a resolution to the League of California Cities in support of the Local Taxpayer, Public Safety and Transportation Act of 2010; and a public hearing to consider abandonment of a right-of-way located at 15885 Dam Road Extension.

The meeting also will include Thein's presentation of a proclamation designating December as Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month in Clearlake.

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 and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .