How to resolve AdBlock issue? LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday honored those who volunteer on the city’s boards and commissions, accepted a grant for a new police vehicle and approved street closures for a May school event.
The council and city staff held a half-hour reception for the city’s commission and committee members immediately before the Tuesday night meeting.
After the meeting convened, Mayor Mireya Turner read a proclamation honoring those who serve on the committees and commissions, with Mayor Pro Tem Tim Barnes helping congratulate them and distribute service pins.
Those honored included the members of the Lakeport Planning Commission, the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee, the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee and the Measure Z Oversight Committee.
They also honored outgoing committee and commission members, including Christine Hutt. George Linn, Taira St. John and Harold Taylor.
Before the council approved the consent calendar, Turner announced that last fall Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation requiring the city council to orally report a summary of any council action on salaries, salary schedules or fringe benefit for any executive managers.
She said items on the consent agenda included a recommendation to approve the salaries and benefits package for the Lakeport Unrepresented Management Employees, which consist of at-will management employees and mid-management employees.
The benefit package included a 4-percent salary increase per year and a $750 annual technology allowance for mid-management and $1,500 for at-will management over the term of the contract, Turner said.
Turner said on the consent agenda was an amendment to City Manager Margaret Silveira’s contract that included a 15-percent salary increase – which the accompanying staff report said brings her annual salary to $132,250 – and a 40-percent reduction in her annual technology allowance, bringing it down to $750 a year.
The council also approved Police Chief Brad Rasmussen and Public Works Director Doug Grider closing a portion of N. High Street, Lakeshore Boulevard, Giselman Street, Sayre Street and Lange Street, and to control intersections along the route from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 9, for Lakeport Unified School District’s International Bike/Walk to School Day event.
Officials expect 1,000 students and more than 50 staff members will be participating in the event.
Rasmussen told the council that the council that the event will be similar to the one that took place in October, only this time it will be expanded for bicycles.
The walk staging area will be at the High Street shopping center, with bike staging areas at the old Natural High School on N. Main Street and the Shoreline Shopping Center where Grocery Outlet is located, he said.
He said two police vehicles will escort the bicycling students so street closures won’t be needed.
He said press releases, social media posts and “a swarm of information” will be released to notify the public ahead of the event.
Suzanne Lyons, a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission, explained that the city received a community transformation grant from Sutter Lakeside Hospital to encourage exercise, which was used for a walking path marked by medallions set in the sidewalks.
She said the seniors in the city challenged the council, staff, seniors at the high school and others to walk the path toward the school as part of the walking event on May 9.
The council liked the idea, with Turner adding that Lyons “kinda upped the game there.”
In other business, the council unanimously approved a resolution supporting the city’s application to the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Communities Facilities Loan and Grant Program for a new police vehicle.
The resolution was added to the agenda as an urgency item due to a short turnaround time to accept the funds, according to staff.
Silveira told the council that the city was notified on Tuesday that it had received the grant – not to exceed $45,000 – for the purchase of a 2018 Chevy Tahoe.
“We were very excited about that,” said Silveira, who explained that the city only has 10 days to send in the necessary acceptance documents – including the council’s resolution.
Rasmussen said the new Chevy Tahoe will be used as an incident command vehicle.
He said the grant will cover two-thirds of the cost of the vehicle, estimated to cost about $65,000.
The Tahoe will be assigned to the senior sergeant as a patrol vehicle but also will have special incident command equipment and a higher clearance for getting through water, Rasmussen said.
“We’re excited about it,” he said.
Rasmussen said his department already has gotten the necessary bids from vendors and they’re just waiting for the final approvals to purchase the vehicle.
Councilwoman Stacey Mattina voted to approve the resolution, with Councilman Kenny Parlet seconding and the council voting 5-0.
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030618 Lakeport City Council agenda packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd
