Joyce Overton is seeking reelection to the Clearlake City Council this November. Courtesy photo.
Joyce Overton
Age: 51
Family: Six daughters, two sons, four granddaughters, five grandsons – this includes my children, stepchildren and foster children.
Experience in government and community service: I have sat on the Clearlake City Council for the past four years. I am a state board member on the California League of Cities and the vice president for the Redwood Empire Division of the California League of Cities.
Endorsements: Congressman Mike Thompson, state Sen. Pat Wiggins, Assembly member Patty Berg, Supervisors Denise Rushing and Ed Robey, and many from our community.
1. Explain what you believe a city council member's responsibilities are. How would you fulfill these? What qualifications do you possess that make you a good candidate for office?
The main responsibility of the City Council is to create and enforce policies and procedures but it goes much farther than that. We are public servants, mediators, counselors, human resource and problem solvers.
I would fulfill this by working together with other council members and staff to fulfill the needs of the community. Listen to the community about what they feel is needed and why, and take that into consideration when making my decisions.
My experience in corporate and small business management over the past 25 years has given me the experience to take these positions. Along with past experience I continue to take training classes on how to work with my fellow council members, staff and public. Over the past four years I have continued to volunteer in our community and sit on committees that will help our community.
2. Explain how your management style would be applied to your position as council member. Are you hands-on or do you set policy and delegate?
My management style is hands-on, policy and delegate setting. In order to be a good leader you must be involved by doing, but must also be able to delegate and set the rules. You should not expect anyone do to something you would not do yourself but must no where do draw the line on who is in charge. You can never let your personal feeling get in the way of doing your job. It should make no difference whether you like someone or not on how you handle city business.
3. Large developments are proposed for Clearlake and surrounding areas, particularly the Provinsalia development near Cache Creek, the Serenity Cove project on the lakeshore and increased commercial development along Highway 53. What is your opinion on these various projects? Are they good for Clearlake? Why or why not? Are there any other developments that you think are either good or bad for the city?
We all want to keep Clearlake as rural as possible but reality is more people are staying here and making this their home. We must create not only jobs but jobs that pay a living wage. At this point most of our revenue goes over the mountain and not only is costing the city money but costs our citizens money because they have to go out of town to shop. With gas prices skyrocketing we need to find a way to keep the money at home. Shop local is one of the most important things to do to keep a city frugal. Development is good as long as the developers listen to the people and so far these developers have tried to do everything the people and staff has asked for. Shopping is great but we need to find something else besides fast food and stores for jobs. This is a hard find because of the access to Lake County and at this time our economic status makes it a hard for anyone to start up a business. We need to find something that fits and will protect or air and water ways.
4. For several years the Clearlake Police Department's budget has been augmented by the Measure P sales tax approved by voters. Do you support continuing to augment the police department budget? Are there different approaches that you, as a council member, would take when addressing the police department?
Measure P has been an issue from the beginning. One reason is because the people voted on something they did not have all the information on. Sixty-three percent of our general fund goes to our police department, leaving only 37 percent for us to run the city. We will always have a police department but I feel there is a better way to handle the money that comes into the city. With the way Measure P is set up, it leaves us very little flexibility. I am hoping that in the near future we can work on this measure and find a way to make it work better for the community.
5. The city's redevelopment plan has two years remaining in its implementation. Updating the plan is being proposed to extend it for another 10 years. Do you support extending redevelopment in Clearlake? Why or why not?
I do support extending our redevelopment plan. It is unfortunate that the redevelopment was not used correctly. This is where having the right administrator, staff and training come in. I believe that if the council had been trained on redevelopment they would have known that the money was not being used and could have done some projects that would have beautified Clearlake and created new businesses, and in return would have increased tourism to Clearlake. It all comes down to the council members need for educated.
6. In September of 2007, the Clearlake Vision Task Force presented to the council a 60-page report that lays out a vision for the city, from improved infrastructure and public facilities to ways to build the economic base and create a sustainable city. What is your opinion on the value of the report? Do you think its ideas can be achieved? What would you as a council member do to carry the vision forward?
Visions are great but with out a plan it goes no where. We have had a lakeshore plan before and nothing happened. We need an implementation plan. When things like visions or plans are put together we need to also include how this can take place. How is this going to happen?
It always takes community involvement to implement the plan. Without everyone on board it will not take place and we will stay the same as we are now. I know everyone wants to clean up and make this town a place we can be proud of but it always seems to be talk and no action. We have an economic development committee that is open to the public. This committee is supposed to set a plan for implementation but when no one comes, it is hard to do that. The community needs to get involved. Remember you are the city, not me or the committee members but you the citizens of Clearlake. I would like to see the community get involved more and as a council member I will work harder to see this happen. Four years ago I said I wanted more involvement from the community and we now have two community committees. It’s a start. With the budget cuts we are lucky to have them. My hope is that the citizens of Clearlake start getting involved with their community. The council can not do it alone.
7. Some issues that come before the council can be extremely divisive, both among council members and city residents. How would you address clashing opinions when approaching a decision? What experience do you have in working with others when there are no easy answers but a decision has to be made?
This is where training comes in. As a council member there has been a few times after a council meeting I wished I had handled things differently. I had the opportunity to go to training and I took that chance. Of course, one time is not enough but it did give me some tools to handle different situations. I am trying to put it to work; changing the way you do things takes concentration and practice and I plan on working on myself to make this happen. It is not an easy task when opinions clash. If you have 100 people you most likely will have 100 different ways to get something accomplished. You must find a common ground. Everyone wanting the best for the city is how this gets accomplished. All roads lead to the same place it is just which one to take. This is where my experience in management comes in. You cannot let your personal feelings come into play. That is hard and I myself have let this happen, but it never is good.
You must keep an open mind because as a city council member it is not my opinion that matters but yours. Never make a final decision till you have heard from everyone and have been given all the facts then make the best decision for the majority of the people.
8. If elected, is there any project or issue you plan to tackle first?
My first project is working with the community and the churches to find a way to help the least privileged. With the economic system falling we will have more families and individuals that need shelter and my hope is to help fill that need.
My second project is the Department of Motor Vehicles office. I have been working on this with Patty Berg’s office this year but with the state budget, it has been difficult at best to work with DMV. My object here is to have our DMV office open at least two days a week and more than six hours a day. We will have surveys out there in the near future and I hope the county residents that would use this office participate in that survey.
9. Public safety is an important issue in Clearlake. How would you as a council member seek to improve safety and reduce crime in the city's neighborhoods?
Public safety is a council member’s No. 1 priority. We have this past year, with new road construction had the curb cuts put in, enlarge the cross walk and large strips at Austin Park crossing for safety. I would like, in the near future, when finance allows, having fluorescent signs by the walk ways to slow down the vehicles around pedestrian cross walks. This is an inexpensive way to help protect the pedestrians when crossing fast moving traffic areas.
Crime is a big concern for our neighborhoods. Gang prevention and the community creating neighborhood watch programs is a step in the right direction. The problem is that people are afraid to step up because they fear recourse from either the gang or sometimes the police. This is what I heard from the people. We must change this. We cannot be afraid or the gang will take over our city. You can not run gangs out if you are afraid, that is what they are counting on. Sometimes you have to put your life on the line for the welfare of the people and I am willing to do that.
10. When you think of Clearlake’s future, what do you want the city to look like in 10, 20 and 30 years?
My view for Clearlake’s’ future is to be seen as a clean and spirited city. My hope is that around Austin Park would become the center of our community with small retail stores, coffee house, pizza place, a variety of different businesses. That the old Austin Resort and the center by City Hall would all be incorporated into this. That our park has more color with flowers and plants. That we have a pathway from behind City Hall down to Burns Valley Shopping Center along the river, wide enough for bicycles and walkers. That Lakeshore Drive Vision becomes reality and that people start taking pride in this community.
Council, city staff and police cannot alone make this happen. We are here to serve you but we cannot create an environment that people want to come to play and live in, that is up to the residents of Clearlake. They must clean up their properties by fixing broken down buildings or demolishing them. Paint and plant flowers, color brings beautiful and with beauty brings happiness and after all isn’t that what we are all after.
A place we can work and have pride in our community. That is my vision for the future of Clearlake. A place I can be proud to say, “This is my town!”
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