COBB, Calif. – District 5 Lake County Supervisor Rob Brown was guest speaker at Lake County Republican Women Federated's meeting July 10 at Black Rock Restaurant in Cobb.

Nearing completion of his fifth term on the county Board of Supervisors, he is very hopeful that the 2019-20 budget will bring Lake County into the black again real soon.

When people say just get a grant to do that project, people forget that there is such a thing as grant match, so grants are not free money. The match money has to be in the budget.

With current power shutoff pressure from Pacific Gas and Electric, there has to be consideration as to solar power or generators to power the county offices. Is this just a threat or will it really happen is a question going through the minds of county residents. Brown continued with the following observations.

Attention needs to be given to redundancy, where we have numerous county offices covering basically the same services. Can these be consolidated to cover the same services with less cost to the county?

There is great concern should there be fires in such areas as the Rivieras, where exit routes are minimal. Pressure needs to be applied to owners to clear these areas of fire hazards and work is being done with Cal Fire on this issue. As it is now, should there be a fire, without proper clearing, people would surely die.

The cannabis/marijuana situation in the county is not good. The false sense that taxation will bring great benefits to Lake County discounts the crime, smell, illegal grows, additional cost to our law enforcement and everyone seems to forget the terrible effect it has on the young brain when youth use this drug. There is also the problem with accidents being caused when cannabis is mixed with alcohol and the person drives.

At this time, as hemp is an ag product, with many uses for the CBD oil, it is not illegal to grow, however, the growing process needs to be carefully monitored as growing on the wrong soil can contaminate the product, plus the criminal aspect is now using an out lying area of hemp to surround an illegal marijuana grow in the center.

The cannabis situation my be contributing to keeping good people out of the county and causing others to leave.

Another area that needs review is the amount of money used versus results of the Lake County Marketing and Economic Development Program.

Brown stressed the importance of electing supervisors who have years of good business experience. Taking care of the county should be approached as a business and a business that should be kept in the black. This is not a place for political issues. No hand outs, all practicality. It is taking care of the business of the county.

Brown concluded with, “Supervisors are working for the taxpayers.”

Leona M. Butts is vice president and publicity chair for Lake County Republican Women Federated.