Georgina Lehne, executive director of the Lake County Community Action Agency, asked the council to completely waive fees for use of the city's senior center, which the agency wants to use as the site of a fundraiser.

As Lake County News reported Thursday, Lehne said Lake County Community Action Agency needs to raise about $16,000 to make up for the shortfall suffered by last month's Blue Heron Rally.

Lehne plans to have a fundraiser to support the city's youth center and to make up for some of those losses. The senior center has the kitchen, barbecue and refrigeration facilities that are required, she said.

The nonprofit fee for using the senior center is $225 for four hours, half of the usual $450 fee, said Mayor Judy Thein. Each additional hour over the four hours would be $65 or half of that for the nonprofit fee.

City Administrator Dale Neiman said he believed this was a political decision so he offered the council no suggested action.

Community members Alice Reece and Aqeela El-Amin Bakheit, and youth center program director Joan Moore asked the city to honor Lehne's request and waive the fees.

But the majority of council members said the matter was more complicated than simply waiving the costs.

Councilman Chuck Leonard said the council had made a policy that all nonprofit groups renting the facility would receive a 50-percent discount, with no exceptions, until the city comes up with a more precise policy.

Leonard said he supports the youth center and regularly chaperones the twice-monthly dances with his wife, but he was concerned about being consistent.

Councilman Curt Giambruno agreed, saying they had turned down the Girl Scouts for a waiver which had given rise to the 50-percent fee reduction in order to make everything fair. "It's a tough one."

Councilmember Joyce Overton, who helped organize the Blue Heron Rally and has worked hard to support the youth center, paused to check if it was appropriate for her to discuss the matter before she offered her comments.

"I knew this was going to be a tough decision for everybody," she said.

Responding to her colleagues' reluctance to break with consistency, she said, "You also have to look at circumstances, and we all know the circumstances."

That statement referred to the allegations by organizers and motorcycle riders that the police presence at the event had been too large and caused riders to leave or stay away altogether.

Leonard said he knew what happened, and didn't think they should get into it, because it wasn't the City Council's fault.

Thein said they made a decision to be consistent. She pointed out that the City Council gave $2,000 to the Blue Heron Rally, they rent the youth center building to Lake County Community Action Agency for $1 a year and Thein herself is working on campaign to stop underage drinking.

"To say that we don't support our youth, that's without merit," said Thein.

At that point, an upset Overton gathered up her things and walked out of the meeting.

Former Councilmember Jo Bennett, sitting in the audience, asked to speak, which Thein allowed.

"This is really a serious issue, because you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't," said Bennett.

Bennett suggested that the city should add a hardship provision to its facility rental policy in order to address situations like this one.

The center is very important, said Bennett, because it's a place where kids can go and be safe. She suggested that if Lake County Community Action Agency had the money, they wouldn't ask the city for the exclusion.

Giambruno said he liked the idea of adding a one-time hardship provision to a new rental policy.

Neiman said he and his wife were offering to donate $250 to the group to help them out.

Giambruno suggested that Neiman's donation could go toward the fee and the city could absorb the remainder.

Bennett offered to donate another $50, as did Councilman Roy Simons. Leonard's wife, Judy, pledged another $30.

Police Chief Allan McClain said he would match Neiman's $250 donation to the youth center.

The gestures of generosity all around drew applause from the audience.

The city could then cover the utilities, said Giambruno, although McClain said he would pay for those as well.

Thein said Bennett's suggestion of adding a hardship waiver was an excellent one, and asked Neiman to add it to the current guidelines.

The donations made it possible for the city to be consistent without Lake County Community Action Agency having to pay any fees out of pocket. Leonard moved to charge the reduced 50-percent fee, which the council adopted 4-0.

"Who's going to collect the money?" Simons asked after the vote.

Lehne said she would. Both McClain and Simon went to her in the audience afterward to make their donations.

The council also unanimously approved Lehne's request to make donation-funded improvements to the youth center, including painting and replacement of the floor and ceiling.

All labor will be donated by a group of 60 women with a PSI Seminar leadership group, Lehne said, with there being no cost to the city.

As Lehne left the meeting that night, she was followed out by audience members going to make additional donations.

Those wanting to make donations to Lake County Community Action Agency for the youth center, buy Harley-Davidson motorcycle raffle tickets (cost is $50), or purchase Blue Heron Rally T-shirts and pins, call Lehne at 995-2925 or Joan Moore at the youth center at 994-7281.

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Lake County Community Action Agency Executive Georgina Lehne said she's asking the city to forego a deposit on the senior center so the agency can rent the building for a fundraiser event.

The agency still is digging out of a substantial loss it suffered because of low turnout for its Aug. 18 Blue Heron Rally motorcycle run, said Lehne, who estimated they've lost $16,000.

In addition, they have 70 leftover tri-tip roasts and many raffle prizes that weren't used at the event, she said. The tri-tips have been frozen and she hopes to use them in a country western barbecue event at the center, which would help defray losses.

The larger of the two requests involves the youth center building, which Lehne said the city owns and rents to Lake County Community Action Agency for $1 a year.

Lehne said they're very happy to have the building, but it needs some work. In particular, she wants to replace the floor.

PSI Seminars of High Valley have offered to bring in a leadership group who will do the work for free in October, said Lehne. “I have to raise money from the community to do the project.”

She estimates the youth center upgrades will cost $6,000.

The center, said Lehne, took 10 years to get off the ground, but a lot of good things are happening now thanks to support from the community.

The Clearlake Rotary put in a partition wall to help divide up the large space, said Lehne, and the Kiwanis Club loaned the center a popcorn machine so the children and teens can have snacks.

There are 100 youth now signed up for the center, she said, which is open Tuesday through Saturday with monthly membership fees of $25 per child or $50 for a family.

“Out of those 100 kids only three can afford to pay membership dues,” she said.

That turnout, she added, makes the center's existence all the more critical.

She said seeing the youth participation is very exciting; they're bringing their homework and working on it at the center, besides playing game and hanging out, enjoying popcorn and some ice cream, too.

The center holds youth dances featuring a disk jockey every other Friday, Lehne said, with between 40 and 60 teens showing up on a regular basis.

Since the disappointment of last month's Blue Heron Rally, Lehne said several good things have happened.

She said a woman in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who read Lake County News' coverage of the event called Lehne to offer assistance in raising money for the youth center. “They're going to try to raise some of the money we lost,” said Lehne.

Lehne said the woman had regularly ridden in motorcycle events until her husband's death last year. She volunteered to set up a fundraising account for the youth center and put out an urgent call for financial support from other motorcycle clubs around the nation, which she told Lehne are blamed for a lot of things despite their support of youth.

Another call came in from Missouri, said Lehne, from a woman offering to buy tickets for the rally's Harley-Davidson motorcycle raffle as well as pins made especially for the event.

Other calls have come in on a daily basis also seeking to buy tickets and leftover T-shirts, Lehne added.

“They're still calling,” she said.

So far, Lake County Community Action Agency has sold 143 tickets but needs to sell 350, said Lehne.

She had volunteers call those who already had purchased tickets to see if they wanted their money back. Only one asked for a refund, she said, while the rest said they wanted the money to stay with the youth center.

Tickets will continue to be sold until Dec. 21 or they run out, Lehne said. She suggested that the tickets make great birthday and Christmas presents.

Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased by calling Lake County Community Action Agency at 995-2925 or the youth center at 994-7281 and asking for Joan.

City will hold budget hearings, consider commissioner

Other city business the City Council will conduct at the meeting include:

• Public hearings on the adoption of the city and redevelopment agency budgets for the 2007-08;

• Consideration of an appointing a new member to the Planning Commission

• Discussion and consideration of concepts for developing a first-time homebuyers program for the Redevelopment Agency;

• Consideration of an update to Chapter IX of the city's Building and Housing Code;

• Discussion and consideration of creating a grant technician job description.

• Awarding an engineering services contract to Coastland Engineering for plan preparations for a storm damage site at Lakeshore Drive and Joaquin Avenue.

• Authorization of entering into an agreement with Omni-Means to conduct a traffic study for the Highway 53 and 18^th Street intersection.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

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At its last meeting in August, the council had approved a draft right-of-way ordinance that allow homeowners to make up to $45,000 worth of improvements over a five-year period without triggering the requirement to install curb, gutter and sidewalk.

Right-of-way improvements can be prohibitively expensive for some home and business owners depending on the amount of street frontage. City Engineer Scott Harter estimated during the meeting that 60 feet of curb, sidewalk and gutter can cost $8,000 to $10,000.

When they held the ordinance's first reading last month, the council removed an exemption for costs relating to "greening" a home – including the addition of solar power, new windows or other energy saving measures.

Citing the discussion from that last meeting, Lakeport resident Suzanne Lyons referred to Councilman Buzz Bruns' comments at that time about solar being extremely expensive -- $98,000 in one case he quoted.

Lyons said in her block two of four homes have added solar panels in the last year, and she herself also has added solar, at a cost of $16,000, not the price Bruns quoted.

She questioned the council's consistency in wanting to make Lakeport a better place to live but not encouraging energy-saving measures such as solar.

The council, she said, doesn't appear to feel becoming more green is important, yet it has repeatedly brought up the desire to add sidewalks. Lyons contended that having people take better care of their property also is important.

"I just really wonder at the priorities," said said, and asked the city to reconsider adding back the solar exemptions.

The only comment that would come from any councilmembers about the solar exemptions came from Ron Bertsch, who said he also had an estimate for solar for his own home, and was surprised that it was only about $20,000.

Bertsch said that, but raising the right-of-way improvement limit to $45,000, the city was making it possible for homeowners to add solar power without getting close to the point where curb, gutter and sidewalks would be required.

Lyons countered that costs can quickly build up. The city doesn't want residents using portable carports, she pointed out; if a resident were to add a stick-built carport and solar power, it could quickly add up to $45,000.

Business owner Cheri Holden asked the council and staff what other incentives the city offers to residents to make their homes energy efficient.

With Community Development Director Richard Knoll absent from the meeting, the council said they couldn't answer, but Harter said he wasn't aware of any city incentives, only those provided by Pacific Gas and Electric.

Holden said the city should offer inducements to make homes energy efficient. Using solar, which feeds energy back into infrastructure, "seems like something we want to support," she added.

Holden added that the city would make a mistake by allowing the opportunity to encourage people to improve their homes in an energy efficient manner to pass.

Apparently, the councilmembers' minds were made up. They held no discussion in response to the arguments made by Lyons and Holden.

Instead, Bruns moved to approve the ordinance, which passed unanimously.

Leave policy will help seriously ill staff

City Attorney Steve Brookes brought back to the council a fine-tuned version of a catastrophic leave policy the council first discussed last month.

The policy allows city employees to donate leave time – sick time, vacation or other compensatory time – to colleagues facing lengthy time away from work due to their own catastrophic illness or that of a child or spouse. The employee receiving the donation also must have exhausted all paid leave.

In new the policy requires that a department head first receive proof that an employee or their family member have a serious disease before other staffers make leave donations. Employee donations can range between the minimum eight hours, with a maximum of 40 hours of leave an annual basis. Those who wish to donate time must retain at least 40 hours of vacation and 80 hours of sick time for their own use.

If the critically ill staffer died or retired, the donated leave would return to the employee who originally donated it, Brookes explained.

Donations will not exceed three months, according to the policy, but the city manager can approve up to one year's worth of leave credits.

The council unanimously passed the policy, which will have an initial two-year period.

Council puts off right-of-way decision

Not long after updating its right-of-way ordinance, the council was asked to consider a request to defer right-of-way improvements by South High Street resident Carol Scarbrough.

Scarbrough, who is wheelchair-bound, took a housing loan from the city to make accessibility improvements in her home, Harter explained.

The improvements she planned to make, and already had begun making, totaled $45,000, Harter said. Her deferral, he said, met all of the hardship criteria included in the city's current ordinance.

Bertsch and Councilman Jim Irwin both questioned the deferral on the basis that Scarbrough knew of the right-of-way improvements before she began the work.

Brookes said low-income and deferred home improvement loans like that Scarbrough received are for people who often can't afford to pay them back.

Irwin said he found it "ridiculous" for the city to fund the loan, only to have her ask for a deferral, knowing about the requirements.

"At least in the future we need to watch out for these things," said Irwin.

Mayor Roy Parmentier asked why the loan didn't have the sidewalk expense included in it.

Brookes said should the property be sold or transferred to different ownership, the city could require the right-of-way improvements to be triggered.

Irwin said Scarbrough's request for a deferral was based on the "same ol' financial excuse" that they've heard before.

In particular, he referred to the council's meeting two weeks ago, when a young woman starting a daycare asked for, and received, a one-year deferral from installing curb, gutter and sidewalk. Both Bertsch and Irwin voted against the young woman's request, but were outvoted by the other three councilmembers.

Harter said there are unique or unusual conditions under which they could justify the deferral.

Bruns and Rumfelt both suggested postponing the matter until the new right-of-way ordinance goes into effect in 30 days. Bruns moved to do so, with Rumfelt seconding and the council voting to approve waiting for the new ordinance.

The council also approved a $298,564.70 bid for a cape seal project that will resurface multiple city streets, including Second, Third, Brush, 16^th, Forest and Armstrong.

City improvements of more than $45,000 don't trigger a requirement for the city to install curb, gutter and sidewalks on city-owned property, as is the case for private residences and businesses.

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A view of the Vista Point Shopping Center on Aug. 29, 2007. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

LAKEPORT – A representative of the company that leases the Vista Point Shopping Center asked the Lakeport City Council Tuesday to hold off on making any further decisions about the property's sale until another proposal can be put forward.

Jeff Walters spoke to the council during the meeting's public comment period.

Walters, of Chadds Ford, Pa., spoke to the council representing Meridian Investments, which holds the Vista Point Shopping Center lease.

As Lake County News has previously reported, earlier this summer the City of Lakeport began to accept proposals from buyers interested in the Vista Point Shopping Center, located on Lakeport Boulevard near the freeway onramp.

The city wants to sell both the land – which an appraisal valued at $900,000 “as is” -- as well as the lease held by Oakland-based Meridian Investments. The lease has 21 years remaining on it, and the city receives an annual lease payment, which for 2006-07 totaled $42,337.37. The lease amount increased by 5 percent annually.

Jeff Walters is the son of Bill Walters, a former general partner in Meridian who died early in August.

His father's unexpected death led to Jeff Walters' current involvement with the company and with Vista Point, he explained.

Walters said a new partnership and development group has been formed, and his involvement has been a catalyst for Meridian's "wholesale reevaluation of the shopping center.”

Walters said he came to Lakeport to evaluate the property, and his assessment "is that Vista Point is an excellent investment opportunity," as well as a tremendous opportunity for the city to enjoy new tax revenue and see new jobs created.

Vista Point, said Walters, should be a gateway for the city, since a major entry point off the freeway passes right in front of it.

Right now, said Walters, the building is "an old, tired structure," and he said the question is whether to replace it or rehabilitate it.

Meridian's investment group, he said, is led by a group of San Francisco investors who are showing interest in the center.

"Meridian's role would only be that of a limited partner," said Walters, adding, "My role is to assemble the team."

Walters said the project team wants to move quickly, which brought him to his reason for going before the council: to request that the city consider a 30-day pause in its sales negotiations process in order to allow the team of Meridian and its partner investors to submit a purchase bid.

A properly executed project, Walters said, could result in incremental tax revenue to the city of hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. "Every year that this doesn't get done is a huge opportunity lost to the city,” he said.

Walters said redevelopment projects need five things – unity of ownership, a seasoned developer, financial strength with expert investors, the right piece of land and local support for development.

"We think that the investor group we have has all five of those things," said Walters.

As such, Walters asked the council for the opportunity to submit a bid to purchase the center for the council's consideration.

City Attorney Steve Brookes reminded the council that Walters' request was not agendized, and that they could take no action on it because of that.

The council had agendized a closed session discussion on continued negotiations over the shopping center's sale, and Brookes said in public comment Walters could address that issue.

During his comment, Walters offered no specifics about the principal people involved in the team he's assembling.

Walters said following the meeting that it was too early to further discuss the proposal, and that he felt it was important to first approach the council.

Following closed session, Brookes told Lake County News that the council had discussed negotiation terms, but could say little more.

Last month, the council decided to begin negotiations for the shopping center's sale with Matt Riveras, a Sonoma County developer who was one of only two interested buyers to submit purchase proposals for the shopping center. The other proposal came from Barry Johnson, the owner of Willopoint Resort.

Riveras also is the son-in-law of Councilman Buzz Bruns. Because of that, Bruns had to recuse himself from the original discussion, and again left the council chamber before closed session convened following the regular meeting Tuesday night.

Brookes said Walters has so far not asked to have his proposal formally agendized at a future council meeting.

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As Mayor Judy Thein looked on, interim Community Development Director Irwin Kaplan bid the city farewell at the special Aug. 29 meeting. Presentation of the Vision Taskk Force Report was Kaplan's last official duty. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

CLEARLAKE – The Clearlake City Council has enthusiastically accepted a report that lays out a vision for the city's future.

The Clearlake Vision Task Force presented its report, the culmination of several months of committee meetings, to the City Council and Planning Commission in a special joint meeting on Aug. 29 at City Hall.

Before hearing the report presentation, Clearlake Mayor Judy Thein presented a proclamation to city Interim Community Development Director Irwin Kaplan, who was the primary force behind the task force's creation over the past eight months.

Thein heralded Kaplan, whose last official duty was to oversee the report presentation, for the impact he'll leave on the city.

"It was easy to catch the 'Irwin fever,'" said Thein, adding that Kaplan gave the city "a gift of vision and hope."

Kaplan replied, "This has been a labor of love for me."

He said the 50-member committee worked together to create the document, despite some disagreements beyond the way.

Outlining the report's important points

Committee member and local businessman Vince Metzger participated in presenting the nearly 60-page report during the nearly two-and-a-half-hour-long meeting.

Metzger first introduced Planning Commissioner Al Bernal, a committee member who Metzger credited with creating an "unbelievable" summary vision document, which is the introduction for the main task force report.

Bernal explained that, during the task force meeting process, it occurred to him that they were striving for a number of results for the city, which the task force was envisioning in the year 2020.

Key points, said Bernal, were preserving the area's natural beauty, creating a retail center, developing a balance between development and the city's rural elements, creating affordable housing and transitioning from a small resort town to a "world class small city."

Next to speak was attorney and task force member Robert Riggs, who discussed the reports conservation and land use elements.

Riggs, who explained that he is a parent of three, said he has successfully raised all of his children in Clearlake, a fact which he said speaks to what the city is and what the future holds for it.

Moving forward, Riggs said there need to be safeguards in development, including a tree protection ordinance focusing on oaks and laurels, and control of predevelopment activities. That's because, he said, "Things can happen that are irreversible."

Infrastructure also is important, said Riggs, who next spoke of the need for paved streets. New development, he said, should pave its fair share of streets in Clearlake.

"There's some very good news in our report," said Riggs – particularly that the city's sewer system can support the addition of quality, affordable homes.

The task force created a list of values, beginning on page 27 of the report, focusing on

wildlife, plants, trees, soils, native vegetation; the importance of natural features such as Clear Lake, Borax Lake, Anderson Marsh and Cache Creek; the city's sensational scenery; and native culture, said Riggs.

Other important goals include sustainability, said Riggs. "Green power is something that we felt should be on the city's agenda."

The task force's land use vision also touched on the area along Lakeshore beginning at Austin Park and continuing to Redbud Park, said Riggs. "That's viewed as being the natural urban center."

It's there that Riggs said the task force proposed creating a walkable environment, with sidewalks added and traffic calming measures in place, along with a greenscape and a gazebo. The area would be anchored by recreation and a "Museum of the Lake."

A vision for Lakeshore Drive

Task force member Jim Scholz credited Kaplan with his impact on the city. "I think the city's going through a very positive phase right now, and Irwin's a big part of that."

The report, Scholz said, included 14 points on beautification, calling for more trees, a design theme for Lakeshore Drive, Code Enforcement activities and improvement incentives for property owners.

Along Lakeshore, the task force wants to see a promenade with trees, flowers, street lighting, good restaurants and a plaza that will attract local residents and visitors alike, Scholz explained.

"I think this is a very common vision," said Scholz. "I think we'd all like to see this happen."

He added, "Nice things don't just happen, you have to make them happen.

With that in mind, the task force suggested improving the streets, and endorsed a half-cent sales tax in order to do so, said Scholz. The report also proposed using redeveloping assessment districts to pave the streets, since the city doesn't have the money to do so, and suggested using a demonstration assessment district to show how it can work.

Quoting Riggs at one of the task force meetings, Scholz said, "If you don't fix the streets, nothing else matters."

Scholz said he believes the city now has staff and officials in place willing to take on the streets, including City Administrator Dale Neiman. Scholz said he wife, Susanne, recently visited Fortuna – where Neiman formerly worked – and came back with the news, "They have nice streets."

Scholz said Neiman told him that the city has enough money to set up a demonstration assessment district. "I'm encouraged, and I hope everyone else is encouraged."

Allen Markowski, another task force member, spoke about the importance of using technology to improve the city's future. Technology, he said, could bring more money from other sources into the community. In addition, it could assist in educating the business community. He encouraged the city to create its own wireless network.

A need to keep the momentum going

Planning Commissioner Bill Perkins, who also sat on the task force, said despite some short lived chaos and disagreements at some meetings, the group has "truly amazing" results. That was thanks, in part, to the ground rule Kaplan set for them, which included respecting each others' ideas, and listening and thinking before speaking.

Kaplan, Perkins added, encouraged them to think about the future, Perkins said. "What do you want to leave your grandchildren? What do you want your city to be?"

Although the very diverse group had few unanimous votes on anything, Perkins said they did reach a consensus to approve the final document.

"We all have to compromise on individual items and keep the vision moving forward," he said.

He said the group hoped to see the City Council enacts its proposals, which will require getting the entire community involved. With Kaplan leaving, the community needs to find a way to keep the vision moving forward.

Council welcomes task force report

The council praised the task force's efforts.

"I am just so proud of everybody in this room," said Councilman Curt Giambruno.

He said he couldn't believe it when 50 people signed up, on the spot, to participate in the task force process at an April meeting. "I really, really appreciation what all of you have done."

"All I can say is, 'Wow!'" said Thein. "This is beyond my expectations."

She said she supports keeping the vision moving forward. "This is something that we needed for so long."

Councilman Roy Simons didn't offer praise. Rather, he said he had worked on a similar vision committee 25 years ago and "nobody was interested."

In order for this new plan to work, the city needs an income, and the only industry available, he said, is tourism.

"Without an income, this thing is just nothing," he said, waving the vision report in the air.

Councilwoman Joyce Overton thanked participants, and asked Kaplan how the final document fits into the general plan. Kaplan said the general plan is the city's constitution, that it follows a format created by the law but is filled with locally created policies.

"Somebody should be able to take this document and conform it to the state guidelines for a general plan without having to ask too many policy questions," he said.

Overton questioned Riggs' statements on the city sewer capacity. Riggs said his statements were based on information provided by Mark Dellinger, head of the county's Special District department.

Overton agreed with the need to focus on tourism, "which means we have to bring activities here," she said, adding that they can't work against each other.

Planning Commission members also greeted the document with enthusiasm.

Planning Commissioner Gina Fortino-Dickson called the task force report a "document of hope."

Commissioner Carl Webb said he had originally been skeptical that 50 people could reach a consensus on the document. To have them come together the way they did "is just absolutely awesome."

He added that putting the task force report to work " is not going to happen overnight. It's going to take a lot of time and a lot of effort, including volunteerism.

Webb urged the council to accept the report and not put it on a shelf. "It doesn't need to be gathering dust like so many other studies and projects have done that have been completed in the past."

Bernal added that many of the report's goals will require money, which in turn requires an improvement of the of the city's economic climate through retail and tourism. "That, I believe, will be fundamental to a lot of the things we need to do."

Report doesn't get unanimous praise

Despite a positive response from community members who spoke at the meeting – including Carolyn Jarrett, a Konocti Unified School District board member, who said she had never seen such an optimistic atmosphere in the city – that response wasn't unanimous.

More than one city resident felt the document was incomplete. In particular, Alice Reece, who also sat on the task force, said the report was flawed and the task force itself failed to represent a true cross-section of the community, which in turn led to its failure to create a plan that referenced the city's poor.

Reece said she also was concerned that the city was going to use the document as its new general plan without considering its shortcomings, and that it would base its future policies on the report.

Kaplan pointed out that, with more time, the task forced could have done more. "This is the beginning of the dialogue," he said. "As a document, it's going to need to be fleshed out."

Responding to Reece, Metzger said he wasn't in agreement with all of the report, that some subjects weren't dealt with due to lack of expertise. "There was a certain incompleteness here that we probably didn't acknowledge."

Giambruno made the motion to accept the report and continue following through on its suggestions. Overton seconded and the council – minus Councilman Chuck Leonard, who was attending training out of town – voted 4-0 to approve the report.

Click here to view the Vision Task Force Report.

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The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at City Council Chambers, 225 Park St.

The public hearing will be a second reading and adoption of Ordinance 867, amending Chapter 12.04 of the Lakeport Municipal Code by revising the construction right-of-way improvement regulations.

Under current city rules, homeowners or business owners who make $26,000 of property improvements over a five-year period must install curb, sidewalk and gutter improvements, which in some cases can be prohibitively expensive.

Last month the city approved the ordinance on a first reading. As amended after the last meeting, the ordinance would raise valuation from $26,000 to $45,000 over a five-year period, rather than three years, as city staff originally proposed.

The ordinance would offer exemptions for accessibility improvements, but at the urging of Councilmen Jim Irwin and Buzz Bruns, the council removed exemptions for increasing energy conservation, such as installing solar power and energy efficient windows.

The council also will adjourn and reconvene as the Lakeport Redevelopment Agency, at which time it will consider approving disbursements of redevelopment tax increment pass through payments to affected local taxing agencies. Local agencies that benefit from redevelopment tax include Lakeport Unified School District and Lakeport Fire Protection District.

After reconvening as the council, members will continue a discussion from the last council meeting about a catastrophic leave policy. The proposed policy, which City Attorney Steve Brookes is writing, would allow employees to donate their own sick time to fellow city staffers who are missing work for long periods due to serious illness.

The issue is being brought back at this meeting because the council asked Brookes to refine the policy before it's accepted.

The council also will consider a request for a right-of-way deferral from Carol Scarbrough and award a bid for a cape seal project to Valley Slurry Seal.

Following the regular meeting, the council will adjourn into closed session to discuss property negotiations on the Vista Point Shopping Center.

Last month the city decided to begin discussions for sale of the property to Sonoma County developer Matt Riveras, who also is Bruns' son-in-law.

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