CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The city of Clearlake hosted a town hall last week to discuss flood prevention and preparedness as officials anticipate severe weather in the winter to come.

Crime prevention and the city's efforts in code enforcement also were addressed at the Oct. 15 evening meeting, attended by about 70 people in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall.

Getting ready for the winter season

Public Works Director Doug Herren said the department is preparing for El Niño conditions predicted by national meteorologists.

However, he said, the workload is great and staffing levels are low. He said the department's main concern is the 10-square miles of drainage within the city's system that must be cleared to prevent flooding.

Herren is requesting the assistance of residents who may have a drainage inlet on or near their properties, asking them to help by clearing the inlets of dirt and debris.

“We can't get to them all,” he said, commending volunteers and groups like “Citizens Caring for Clearlake,” whose ongoing efforts have resulted in the removal of four tons of trash from the community.

According to Herren, sandbags will again be available to residents at the Public Works yard on Airport Road. However, supplies will be limited to 20 bags per household.

Area businesses such as Mendo Mill and Lumber, Four Corners Builders' Supply and Kelseyville Lumber are expected to have ample supply of sandbags as well, Herren said.

Lake County Fire Protection District Chief Willie Sapeta discussed the potential for increased precipitation and hazards associated with flood conditions.

Recent wildfires in the area compound the dangers with a tremendous potential, he said, for fallen trees and branches along with mass debris that is likely to riddle flood waters.

“We are going to see all the debris from the fires wash down into the area,” Sapeta said. “We are preparing for the worst this season, just like we prepared for the fire season.”

Sapeta said the district is responsible for 165 square miles, which is divided into specified areas for heightened services during emergency situations.

He said residents should pay close attention to weather conditions and if they anticipate a need for assistance to evacuate, they should call an emergency response agency to provide their location as soon as possible.

Sapeta encouraged residents who may have neighbors who are elderly or have special needs, to keep an eye on them and use a buddy system to ensure everyone's safety.

Residents should be prepared for possible power outages and/or evacuations by having enough medications and supplies, on hand, to last for at least seven days, Sapeta said.

In case of a power outage, he advises against use of a camp stove, which he said not only creates a fire hazard but also a concern for carbon monoxide poisoning.

“There is a lot of fire safety that goes along with power outages,” Sapeta added. “Generators need to be hooked up right and have no connection with any portion of the structure. It's really easy for a person to be electrocuted.”

In addition to medications and ample supplies of food and water, people should have pet care supplies on hand as well as backup batteries for radios and telephones to ensure access to information that may be vital during an emergency, he said.

Sapeta said residents need to be aware of the concerns that come along with sheltering in place.

“There will be a lot of moisture in the house. Within a matter of days the mold sets up,” he said, advising use of a spray mixture of a gallon of water and a cup of bleach to prevent the mold spores from going airborne.

Additional emergency preparedness guidelines are accessible on the city's Web site at www.clearlake.ca.us.

Crime prevention efforts discussed

Clearlake Police Chief Craig Clausen highlighted statistics of his department including staffing levels, caseloads and goals.

He also spoke to special enforcements and the revamping of the department's Community Oriented Policing program.

Lt. Tim Celli joined the discussion with information about the Volunteers in Policing, or VIPs, and neighborhood watch programs.

The department is currently staffed with 22.5 sworn officers. In addition to Clausen, that consists of one lieutenant, five sergeants, two full-time detectives and one part-time, and 13 patrol officers including eight on patrol, two in the field training program, one school resource officer, one out on work-related injury and one vacancy, which Clausen said is very close to being filled.

Clausen said the dispatch department has been working, operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week, understaffed since November 2012.

He said while the department is budgeted for five dispatchers, it currently functions with two, plus the budgeted supervisor. Additionally, he said, there is one dispatcher in training.

Clausen said that while the number of cases has slightly decreased, the number of cases fielded per officer has risen. He said statistics show an increase in reported burglaries.

Additionally, Clausen said, there are a number of problems associated with the cultivation of medical marijuana and enforcement of the city's ordinance limiting cultivation to six plants.

“The oversized grows are everywhere,” he said, identifying multiple sites on a Google Map image.

He said calls for service increased between May and October 2014 with 148 of those calls related to compliance.

Clausen said gaining compliance with the ordinance is the department's enforcement goal. He said enforcement efforts have resulted in the eradication of 4,000 illegal plants with voluntary compliance.

Other associated problems Clausen identified included increases in illegally possessed firearms, in other illegal narcotics commonly traded for processed marijuana, in non-resident criminals, in home invasion robberies and homicides, and an increase in fire danger.

Clausen said the department is revamping its Community Oriented Policing program with staffing levels rising.

The program entails dividing the city into four sections to which each is assigned a patrol sergeant. Clausen said the sergeant will assign officers to the areas who will meet with members of the community to hear their concerns and provide solutions to address them.

Clausen said after all current field training programs are complete the department intends to conduct special enforcement activities including proactive sweeps and special traffic enforcement operations.

Celli highlighted the VIP program, commending volunteers for the 27,079 hours they've contributed to the city since 2007.

“There are a lot of tasks in the police department. Volunteers augment our forces,” he said.

Some tasks include assisting with traffic control, scene security and special events, serving subpoenas, clerical and evidence support, crime offender registrations and parking citations.

Celli also lauded the You Are Not Alone, or YANA program, to help area seniors feel less isolated and alone.

“It's for people who need to talk to someone. If (volunteers) can't get a hold of you, the YANA folks are going to send an officer over to check on you so you are not alone,” Celli said.

Celli added, “There are various tasks and we can always use fresh ideas.”

Ideally, he said, volunteers contribute 24 hours a month. They must submit an application and undergo a Life Scan fingerprint check and a brief background check.

Celli said there is little to no cost involved with starting a Neighborhood Watch program. He said officers are available to guide residents who would like to work together to prevent crime in their neighborhoods.

Officers will provide residents with crime prevention tips including those that will help them provide useful information when reporting a crime.

Information for starting a Neighborhood Watch program is available in the lobby at the police department, located inside Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

Code enforcement goals, recent activity discussed

In the absence of lead Code Enforcement Officer Lee Lambert, Clausen offered the code enforcement update.

Clausen delivered a PowerPoint presentation prepared by Lambert beginning with a history of the department.

He said between 1996 and 2009, two full-time officers actively enforced codes. In November of 2009, a declining city budget resulted in the elimination of the code enforcement department.

In September of 2014, the council approved funding to staff one full-time code enforcement officer. In July 2015, grant funding was obtained to hire three additional code enforcement position including two officers and one technician.

Department objectives include obtaining voluntary compliance, eliminating blight and run down properties, reducing environmental hazards, eliminating unsafe/hazardous structures and increasing pride within the community, Clausen reported.

The department also aims to eliminate illegal dwellings, dump sites and inoperative vehicles, hold property owners accountable and increase public health, he said.

Voluntary compliance means a healthier city, he said, with citywide beautification, decreased crime, increased property values and less pollutants making their way into the lake and streams.

Clausen said voluntary compliance also will reduce “squatter” lodging, promote personal responsibility and accountability and increase public health.

Gaining voluntary compliance is the department's goal as it reduces the fiscal impact to the city, results in no fines or penalties, typically is a more timely abatement, promotes self-pride and gains respect of neighbors, and promotes positive relationships between the responsible party and the city, Clausen said.

Clausen said city-funded abatements, however, have a negative fiscal impact on the city and involve fines and increases staff time.

Officers are responsible for enforcing the Clearlake Municipal Code and California Building, Vehicle and Health and Safety codes. Clausen said they do not provide enforcement in civil matters such as landlord/tenant disputes, property line disputes, rental/lease agreements, overhanging trees from neighboring properties, common/shared fence repairs, evictions or personal property damages.

Additionally, he said the department does not provide enforcement in police matters such as drug manufacturing, trafficking and sales; vehicles blocking the roadway, loud music/noise, weapons, child welfare/neglect or trespassing.

The department does address public nuisance complaints. Conditions deeming a public nuisance include building or other structures which are abandoned or destroyed; any open windows and/or doors in a vacant structure; broken windows constituting a hazard and/or inviting trespassers; overgrown vegetation; accumulation or storage of junk, garbage or debris; pools, ponds or other excavations not properly fenced; anything that is injurious to the health, or is indecent to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property; and dead diseased or hazardous trees, weeds and other vegetation, Clausen said.

Additional conditions deeming a public nuisance include substantial amount of gases, oil or hazardous material flowing into the public right-of-way or accumulating on paved surfaces, soil, buildings, walls or fences; illegally constructed specialty structures; abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicles, etc.; barbed wire, razor wire or concertina wire used in a residential zone or planned development district; stacking or storing combustible materials, including firewood; any use of property that violates federal, state or local law, rule or regulation; causing, maintaining or permitting graffiti; and storage of hazardous materials, according to Clausen's report.

Clausen said future projects/goals of the department include a joint effort with Lake County Fire Protection District to establish a program to address overgrown vegetation and fire prevention; a vehicle abatement program; Adopt-A-Road program; enforcement of address identification on all residences and business; abatement of unsafe structures; and a rental inspection program.

The department also aims to further community education through literature, obtain grant funding for abatements and conduct mobile home park inspections, he said.

According to statistics Clausen provided, since September 2014, the code enforcement department has red-tagged 39 structures with 12 structures voluntarily abated or repaired; and addressed 313 overgrown vegetation cases, of which 115 resulted in voluntary abatement.

A total of 631 property cases were conducted, of which 292 are currently opened. A total of 339 property cases were closed with 306 of those cases ending with voluntary compliance, he said.

Clausen reported that 33 property assessments totaling $175,000 in penalties were authorized.

Since August 2015, statistics provided showed 119 marijuana cultivation cases ending in voluntary compliance with 4,015 marijuana plants abated. Additionally, three abatement warrants were executed, Clausen said.

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