LAKEPORT, Calif. – This week the Board of Supervisors will discuss the continuation of a local health emergency due to the Valley fire, accept a donation and get a report from the Mendocino National Forest's Upper Lake District ranger.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8 and online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Boards/Board_of_Supervisors/calendar.htm . Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.

At 9:06 a.m., Lake County Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait will take to the board a request to once again continue the local health emergency initiated Sept. 22 in response to the Valley fire. Tait said the proclamation must be extended every two weeks.

At 9:10 a.m., the board will accept a $10,000 donation from Calpine for Search and Rescue operations.

At 9:15 a.m., Mendocino National Forest Ranger Frank Aebly will give the board an update on the Upper Lake District.

The full agenda follows.

CLOSED SESSION

7.1: Adopt resolution designating applicant’s agent for federal funding for the Valley fire and any other disasters for a three-year period.

7.2: Adopt resolution pertaining to tax revenue exchange between the county of Lake and Clearlake Oaks County Water District (CSA #16 Paradise Valley Annexation).

7.3: Approve minutes of the Board of Supervisors meetings held Oct. 27, 2015, Aug. 5, 2014, and July 22, 2014.

7.4: Adopt resolution appointing directors of certain special district boards in lieu of holding a general district election on Nov. 3, 2015.

7.5: Approval for the purchase of Rims Mapping and Rims Mobile computer software, to enhance the sheriff's existing software suite.

7.6: Approval of the FY15 Homeland Security Grant assurances and to approve the county administrative officer to sign.

TIMED ITEMS

8.2, 9:06 a.m.: Consideration of continuing the proclamation of a local health emergency by the Lake County health officer.

8.3, 9:10 a.m.: Acceptance of $10,000 donation from Calpine for Search and Rescue operations.

8.4, 9:15 a.m.: Report/update from Upper Lake District Ranger Frank Aebly.

8.5, 9:20 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien in the amount of $1,864.73, for 6326 11th Ave., Lucerne CA (APN 034-152-48 - Buck Cooper and Quinna Cooper).

8.6, 9:30 a.m.: Hearing, Nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien in the amount of $1,997.01, for 7095 Fairview Drive, Kelseyville CA (APN 045-151-01 -The Bank of New York Mellon).

8.7, 9:40 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien in the amount of $9,396.65, for 3120 Cherry St., Nice CA (APN 031-201-06 - Margaret Yates).

8.8, 9:50 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien in the amount of $2,228.90, for 6815 Kelsey Creek, Kelseyville CA (APN 007-014-39 -John Vaikasas).

8.9, 10 a.m.: Presentation of Lake County Library 2014/15 Annual Report from the Library Advisory Board.

8.10, 11 a.m.: Assessment appeal hearing, sitting as the Lake County Local Board of Equalization, Melinda Young - Application No. 37-2013 - 13537 Santa Clara Ave., Clearlake, CA (APN 037-321-360) Peterson Tractor - Application No. 96-2013 - 2710 Eastlake Drive, Kelseyville, CA (APN 044-212-250) Mark and Debra Watson - Application Nos. 102-2013 & 104-2013 - 3585 Highland Springs Rd., Lakeport, CA (APN 008-020-320), 850 Mathews Rd., Lakeport, CA (APN 008-020-340).

UNTIMED ITEMS

9.3: Consideration of an Ordinance Amending Article I of Chapter 6 of the Lake County Code Relating to Emergency Organization and Functions.   

9.4: Consideration of resolution amending the county of Lake's Salary and classification plan to adjust the salary of the classification of emergency services manager.

9.5: Consideration of resolution amending Resolution No. 2015-119 to Amend the FY 2015-16 Adopted Budget to Adjust Appropriations in Budget Units 1014, 2201 and 2303 and to Amend Resolution No.. 2015-120 to Amend the Position Allocation for FY 2015-16 in Budget Units 1014 and 2201.

9.6: Consideration of staff recommendation to rescind Ordinance No. 3034, Urgency Interim Ordinance Authorizing a Temporary Deferral of Certain Provisions of Section 21-27.3, Subdivision (P).

CLOSED SESSION

10.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing Litigation pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54956.9(d)(1): Lakeside Heights HOA, et al. v. County of Lake.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Thursday turned out to be the biggest adoption day for Lake County Animal Care and Control in some time.

It was on Thursday that nearly four dozen animals that were not claimed following the Valley fire were offered to the general public for adoption.

By day's end, Animal Care and Control reported that 20 animals had been adopted – 11 cats, four dogs, three horses and two chickens.

That leaves 16 cats and six dogs still needing homes, Animal Care and Control said.

There also are eight goats – all found on Butts Canyon Road in Middletown – that have generated a lot of interest, but Animal Care and Control said they will not become available for adoption until Nov. 3 and 4.

On Tuesday, Animal Care and Control Director Bill Davidson received approval from the Board of Supervisors for a number of policies to help ensure all of the Valley fire animals are rehomed, including waiving all adoption fees – with the exception of spay/neuter costs.

Even those spay/neuter costs will be waived for “community cats” – mostly feral cats that aren't necessarily pets but which will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and cared for by people who agree to be responsible for them, Davidson said Tuesday.

In the weeks since the fire, concerns about the animals being rehomed have arisen in the community, but Davidson had guaranteed the supervisors on Tuesday that Valley fire animals wouldn't be euthanized.

He had estimated the animals would be quickly adopted, noting there was a great amount of interest from the community and offers of assistance in rehoming the animals from local rescue groups, as well as agencies and rescue groups in neighboring counties.

Davidson on Thursday credited the large number of adoptions that day to the amount of interest that has built up in previous weeks.

He said all but one of the 20 animals adopted Thursday went to Lake County homes. The one that didn't went to live in Potter Valley in Mendocino County.

“I am trying to keep as many local as possible,” Davidson said.

“On Monday we will see how many are left. I will then contact some of the rescues to see if they wish to help,” he said.

The six dogs that were available for adoption as of end of business on Thursday were all adult pit bulls – four males and two females – according to the Animal Care and Control Web site.

While Animal Care and Control had reported that 16 cats are available, its Web site only showed a total of 14 cats featured for adoption, one of which did not appear to be a fire survivor.

The cats that remain available to new homes are a mix of younger and adult felines, most of them found in the Cobb area, Animal Care and Control reported.

Davidson encouraged anyone who is interested in adopting any of the animals to come in and visit Animal Care and Control, located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Lake County Jail.

Animals available for adoption also can be viewed at Animal Care and Control's Web site; click on “Dogs & Puppies,” “Cats & Kittens” or “Livestock & Other.”

Updates also are posted on the agency's Facebook page.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A proclamation designating October as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” was presented at the Clearlake City Council meeting last Thursday.

The proclamation urged all citizens to unite in the prevention of breast cancer deaths through increased education and regular screening.

Councilman Russ Perdock, who wore a pink ribbon on his lapel in honor of his mother, said the subject was near and dear to him and asked if anyone in the room would like to stand with him in presentation of the proclamation.

The crowd rose to its feet, and longtime community volunteer, Barbara Christwitz, joined Perdock at the front of the room.

“While considerable progress has been made in the fight against breast cancer, it remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of death among women in the United States,” Perdock stated in presentation.

According to the proclamation, each year it is estimated that more than 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die as a result of the disease.

The council, with the designation, reaffirms its commitment to support breast cancer research and educate all citizens about its risk factors, detection and treatment.

“As we display pink ribbons and wear pink clothing to raise awareness, we also support those courageously fighting breast cancer and honor the lives lost to the disease," Perdock said. "This October, we recognize breast cancer survivors, those battling the disease, their families and friends who are a tireless source of love and encouragement, and applaud the efforts of our medical professionals and researchers working to find a cure for this deadly disease.”

New guidelines for screening and detection were published by the American Cancer Society on Oct. 20 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

New recommendations are as follows:

– Women with an average risk of breast cancer should undergo regular screening mammography starting at age 45 years.
– Women aged 45 to 54 years should be screened annually.
– Women 55 years and older should transition to biennial screening or have the opportunity to continue screening annually.
– Women should have the opportunity to begin annual screening between the ages of 40 and 44 years.
– Women should continue screening mammography as long as their overall health is good and they have a life expectancy of 10 years or longer.

The American Cancer Society does not recommend clinical breast examination for breast cancer screening among average-risk women at any age.

For more information about breast cancer, early detection and treatment, visit www.cancer.org . 

Email reporter Denise Rockenstein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday morning the Board of Supervisors heard updates on the ongoing Valley fire recovery efforts and the work to prepare for possible safety issues that could result from the wet winter that is in the forecast.

Lake County Social Services Director Carol Huchingson, who the board also has appointed to act as the county's recovery coordinator, updated the supervisors on the fire recovery efforts going on at the local level.

She said the county's recovery task force continues to hold a weekly conference call with county, state and federal officials, along with tribal representatives.

The county's Local Assistance Center Web site has transitioned to www.lakecountyrecovers.com , Huchingson said.

Huchingson said the sheriff's office is continuing with high visibility patrols in the fire area on an around-the-clock, seven-day-a-week basis. “Their intent in doing so is to reduce thefts and other crimes.”

She said Community Development Director Rick Coel is working on a policy that proposes to expand the rules for temporary dwellings – such as RVs and Federal Emergency Management Agency manufactured housing units – on fire-impacted properties. That policy will be brought to the board next Tuesday.

Public Works Director Scott De Leon and his staff are coordinating with the Natural Resources Conservation Service on 16 project sites where they are installing prevention measures such as k-rail or sandbags to protect structures against debris flow in the case of heavy rains this winter, Huchingson said.

Other Public Works projects include working with the United States Geological Survey to place additional stream gauges to monitor flow conditions and rainfall in Putah Creek, and work with FEMA to clear dead or burned trees and other obstructions from creek channels, Huchingson said.

She said efforts are under way now to secure rights of entry along creeks, with inmate crews to go in and clear obstructions. That work is starting this week.

Huchingson said Public Works also is working with FEMA, the California Office of Emergency Services, the Lake County Sheriff's Office, the Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District and fire districts on an early warning system for Anderson Springs and Hidden Valley Lake to alert residents there about potential flooding.

The county is working on a contract to remove trees cut down in rights of ways, as well as a new contract to look at remaining trees that may need to be removed due to being hazardous, Huchingson said.

She updated the board on the county's handling of donations, noting a warehouse – the Work Right building next to Lampson Field – is full of items donated for fire survivors. Adventist Community Services is working with the county to oversee the donations and their distribution.

Huchingson said county staff is working on a schedule of community meetings. “We want to report out to the community in the burn area and receive citizen input and community input.”

She said the county is reminding community members that deadlines are coming up this Friday for property owners who need to sign right of entry forms for cleaning up structures burned by the Rocky and Jerusalem fires.

Supervisor Jim Comstock asked how the county would know what properties have been cleaned up.

Coel came forward at that point, explaining his department was checking the property lists with Lake County Environmental Health, which is overseeing the cleanup.

Any properties that aren't cleaned up will need to be abated, said Coel, adding that not a lot of people whose properties were impacted in the Rocky and Jerusalem fires have signed the right of entry forms to allow the state-led cleanup to take place on their land.

As for temporary housing solutions for Valley fire victims, Coel said there are solutions, but money is needed to fix infrastructure to create housing sites.

One example, he said, is the Hoberg's Resort property in Cobb.

It's not in a flood zone, has its own sewer plant, is next door to a Cobb water system and has flat ground. However, Coel said they can't expect the property owner to invest up to $150,000 in infrastructure improvements for temporary housing.

“We need to do something about Cobb to help that community come back,” said Coel, estimating that some 500 Cobb homes – about half of the homes on that community – were lost in the fire.

“This needs to be addressed. It has been going on for far too long,” Coel said, noting both his staff and Supervisor Rob Brown have been trying to get the situation worked out.

“There is not a better location in the Cobb area to put housing,” he said of Hoberg's, explaining that issues like the many dead standing trees and torn up water systems have left only a very few sites that are safe for temporary housing.

He said the owner of Hoberg's is willing to let the site be used for up to three years, and that would allow them to put in a park for model RVs, get families placed and children back in school. “There is a solution there and it needs to be dealt with quickly.”

Susheel Kumar of the Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Assistance also updated the board on his agency's work to assist fire survivors.

As of Tuesday morning, Kumar said the SBA had approved 93 low-interest loans for a total of $9,975,000. That included 86 for homeowners totaling $9.6 million and $331,000 for seven businesses.

“That's in three short weeks,” he said, noting they could hit the $10 million mark by Wednesday morning.

Kumar said the SBA's disaster program is designed specifically to homeowners, ranchers, business owners and private nonprofits.

He explained during the meeting that renters can apply for loans up to $40,000 at 1.875 percent, homeowners can seek up to $200,000 in loans and businesses or nonprofits can receive up to $2 million at a 4-percent fixed rate for 30 years with no points or fees.

Kumar said he has heard concerns from community members regarding how to keep going through the winter, an issue that the SBA's program specifically addresses.

He said the first step is to register with FEMA. That can be done by visiting the FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers at 14860 Olympic Drive in Clearlake or at the Middletown Senior Center at 21256 Washington St. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

Registration also can take place over the phone at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or, for the hearing/speech impaired, 800-462-7585; or online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov .

Kumar said the registration needs to take place by Nov. 23.

He said 443 applications are still in the pipeline – 53 on the business side and 390 for homeowners. Kumar said they are hoping to see the total number rise closer to the number of homes destroyed.

“Our program really is essential to the recovering needs of Lake County,” he said.

Kumar, who noted he has been working with Jack Long, the county's economic development manager, said, “We've done a lot of work, we've got a lot more work to do.”

Comstock congratulated the SBA and Kumar for their efforts. “They're doing an outstanding job.”

Kumar added that, regarding the Rocky fire, the SBA has received 11 applications for disaster assistance loans and approved two of them, for a total of $389,500.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved temporary changes to county policy in order to help facilitate the rehoming of several dozen cats and dogs found in the Valley fire area that have not yet been reclaimed by their owners.

Animal Care and Control Director Bill Davidson went to the board to ask for approval of waiving all remaining fees for dog and cat adoption, with the exception of spay and neuter fees, in order to help get the animals new homes.

He explained that all of the animals are being held until Wednesday for owner redemption. “Many of the animals that we still have, have actually been held for six to seven weeks.”

As of Thursday, the animals – which on Tuesday included 10 dogs, 27 cats, two chickens, three horses and eight goats – will be made available for adoption to the general public, Davidson said.

More than half of the cats that are at the shelter are not socialized, and are what Davidson called “community cats.”

As such, Davidson said he wanted to spay or neuter them and vaccinate them without charge, and then offer them for free to anyone willing to give them homes, as is the practice in his community cat program.

Supervisor Rob Brown asked about issues with people having trouble finding their animals. Davidson said he is aware people are looking for their pets, and that some may not find them.

He said he suspects there are at least two or three dozen animals in the community being held and cared for by good Samaritans. He's been contacted by about half a dozen such people who don't want to bring the animals to Animal Care and Control, and he's encouraged them to use the county's lost and found Web site, the Valley fire pets Web site or to post fliers.

Davidson said his staff have placed pictures of animals in care at out-of-county facilities in the Animal Care and Control lobby at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport and on the agency's Facebook page.

Regarding some people's reluctance to bring in Valley fire animals they have rescued, Supervisor Jim Steele said, “I have an idea that's because they believe you have a euthanasia policy in effect.”

“There's been several discussions about the euthanasia, and one thing that we've been adamant about
from the beginning is that any fire victim is not really in jeopardy of euthanasia. We're going to do absolutely everything we positively can to make sure those animals get rehomed,” Davidson replied.

Davidson said surrounding counties and other agencies have offered help in making sure the animals get new homes, and the SPCA of Clear Lake also is offering assistance. “So I don't believe that's an issue.”

Steele wanted a policy to be adopted in which a person who brought in an animal from the fire area would be notified if the animal isn't adopted, even if they didn't originally intend to keep or adopt the animal themselves.

Davidson initially was concerned about the ability of his staff to do that for all animals. Brown simplified the request, asking Davidson if he could just put a notation on any Valley fire animal's file to do as Steele suggested.

Davidson said he believed the vast majority of the animals waiting at the shelter will be adopted by the end of the week. Brown said he didn't think such notations would require a lot of work, and Davidson agreed to do it for the Valley fire animals specifically.

The board then went on to consider several suggestions put forward by the County Administrative Office after speaking with two citizens.

Deputy County Administrative Officer Josh Jones' report to the board asked for direction on the following policies:

– Redefining “strays” as many fire survivor cats may not have collars or microchips.
– Temporarily offering free microchips for fire survivor cats.
– Temporarily suspending the ban on feeding community cats.
– Protocol for sheltering non-social cats.
– Temporarily suspending euthanasia for identified fire survivor cats.
– Reprocessing fire survivor cats that were not previously identified as such.
– Reduce or waive adoption and drop-off fees for fire survivor cats.

Upper Lake resident Haji Warf spoke to the board about her request to temporarily suspend the ban on feeding community cats.

She and about a dozen volunteers have been helping owners find their cats. They have been focusing on the hardest-hit portions of Cobb, including the Gifford Springs and Summit Pool areas, and putting out traps at the request of owners, resulting in a lot of reunifications, Warf said.

Warf said her process has been to take the animals to Wasson Memorial Veterinary Clinic or Lake County Animal Care and Control, explaining, “I strongly believe they should be consolidated in one place,” to facilitate them getting homes.

Warf said they recently began finding more wildlife in the traps and fewer cats. “We suspended trapping last week and replaced it with feeding in the event that the cats are still there, because there's some evidence that they're still there.”

While some new cats are still showing up, they're too savvy to go into the traps, so Warf said food is being left for them instead.

Warf asked for a yearlong suspension of the ban on feeding community cats, or at the least that the ban be suspended until next spring when there are other food sources. She said she wanted to establish temporary feeding stations to get the cats through the winter.

Steele, a wildlife biologist, cautioned that Warf is raising feral cats which are not good for wildlife, particularly the birds in spring.

“These are not feral cats,” Warf replied.

Steele said the cats will become feral eventually. While he said he understood the need for the proposal in an emergency, “It cannot be for a very long length of time. It just can't be, because you're establishing something that isn't going to work well.”

Warf noted of the time length, “I have to shoot for the moon. I know you're not going to give it to me.”

Steele also asked if there had been any discussion regarding the community cat program with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Davidson said there hasn't been, and Steele asked that he pursue a consultation with the state.

Davidson said the “old, archaic” ordinance relating to not feeding stray cats is only used selectively when needed. He added that he believes the remaining cats in the Cobb area will dissipate and move to areas where there are people and food.

He said he had no problem with Warf's request to feed the cats through the spring.

Regarding the remaining proposed policies on Jones' list, Davidson said he had nothing to do with the recommendations, but he and the board quickly went over and agreed on all of them.

Mary Jane Montana, executive director of the SPCA of Clear Lake, told the board her organization was willing to help keep fire animals for an additional amount of time to work toward rehoming them if they are not reclaimed. “We have some vacancies right now and we can do that.”

The board voted 3-0 – with Supervisor Anthony Farrington and Supervisor Jeff Smith absent – to approve the proposed policies.

In other animal-related news on Tuesday, the board presented a proclamation honoring Davidson and his Animal Care and Control staff, along with the Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection – or LEAP – group of volunteers for their animal rescue efforts during the Rocky, Jerusalem and Valley fires.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.