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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
City Manager Alan Flora took to the council the proposal to lease the 30.8 acres owned by RM Clearlake LLC at 15900, 15910, 15920 and 15970 Dam Road for a $1 a year in a lease with an initial term of two years.
The properties are next to the shopping center on Dam Road where Walmart, Tractor Supply and Big 5 are located.
Flora said RM Clearlake LLC originally had purchased the land to develop it as the second phase of the Walmart development, but changes in the economy ended those plans.
He said the land hasn’t had a lot of maintenance and over time there have been homeless camps, illegal dumping and fires – about a dozen of them.
There have been a number of efforts over the years to try to do something about the situation, and Flora said the property owners have expressed interest in donating the property to the city.
However, as the city has researched the property, Flora said they’ve come across title issues.
For that reason, Flora said he couldn’t recommend the city moving forward with a donation at this time.
However, due to the danger and blight that have been associated with the property, Flora said the city needed to step in and take a more active involvement.
He said the proposed lease would allow for Cal Fire to be a partner in cleaning up the land.
“Their regulations make it extremely difficult to do fire mitigation work on private property,” Flora said of Cal Fire.
However, there are ways around that. “Things are streamlined significantly if it’s considered to be public ownership and this lease would accomplish that goal,” Flora said.
He said the city has negotiated the agreement for some time and what he was presenting offered a way to protect the city's interest while moving forward.
In addition to the lease, which already was signed by RM Clearlake’s owners, Flora said there were documents necessary to execute for Cal Fire to start fire mitigation efforts.
Councilman Russ Cremer moved to approve the lease agreement, which the council approved 5-0.
Mayor Dirk Slooten said it’s important to do some fire prevention work in that area.
Flora told Lake County News after the meeting that he’s not sure of the timing for when Cal Fire will begin the fire mitigation work on the property, but it’s expected to start in the spring.
“Now that the lease is final we can move forward. Cal Fire really wants to see this cleaned up so they appear to be motivated to move forward as quickly as the paperwork can be processed and weather permits,” he said.
Flora added that the property is very rocky and hilly so he’s not completely sure they can remove all of the brush that covers the property, “but the intent is to remove as much as possible.”
Also on Thursday, the council observed a moment of silence for Marcia Felty Taylor, a former animal control staffer who died following a long battle with cancer on Jan. 29. Taylor was a tireless animal advocate and worked hard on behalf of animals in the city and the county.
Slooten read a proclamation declaring February as Black History Month in the city and the council received the annual Clearlake Police Department from Chief Andrew White.
The council also held a public hearing as part of the process of planning its application for funds through the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CDBG-CV2 and CV3, program.
The city is eligible to apply for and potentially receive nearly $445,000, which staff proposed using to make upgrades to the kitchen at the Clearlake senior center. The council voted unanimously to pursue the funds and use them, as staff suggested, for senior center kitchen improvements.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) was again named to lead the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, the group tasked with tax policy measures in the House.
This appointment was confirmed by a vote of the full committee on Thursday.
“It’s my honor to be again named by my colleagues to lead the Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee on the Ways and Means Committee in the 117th Congress. This subcommittee has the power to help ensure everyone has a shot at success and fair and equitable taxation will be a high priority for us once again. This appointment allowed me to help steer many of the critical Coronavirus relief programs last year. I will be working with this Congress to ensure we deliver strong and sweeping aid to the American people to help combat this crisis,” Thompson said.
“I will also be working on measures to provide relief for communities like mine that were devastated by disaster in recent years,” he said. “And I will continue working to use the tax code to promote clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change is an existential threat and we need to use every tool we can to combat it. Thank you to Chairman Neal and my colleagues for this vote of confidence. Please know I will do everything to ensure our district and our nation can get ahead.”
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The following dogs are ready for adoption or foster.
‘Mommas’
“Mommas” is a female American Pit Bull terrier mix with a white coat.
She has been spayed.
She is dog No. 4499.
‘Yule’
“Yule” is a male husky with a black and white coat.
Yule is dog No. 4432.
‘Toby’
“Toby” is a friendly senior male boxer mix.
He has a short tan and white coat.
He is dog No. 4389.
‘Rudolph’
“Rudolph” is a male shepherd mix.
He has a short tan and black coat.
He is dog No. 4436.
‘Jerry’
“Jerry” is a male American Pit Bull terrier with a short brindle coat.
He is dog No. 4455.
‘Inky’
“Inky” is a male German Shepherd mix with a long black coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 4324.
‘Breeze’
“Breeze” is a female American Pit Bull Terrier mix.
She has been spayed.
She is dog No. 4445.
‘Ben’
“Ben” is a male American Pit Bull terrier mix.
He has a short brindle coat.
He is dog No. 4454.
Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email
Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster said Thursday that law enforcement officers conducted a search that morning of the Caspar residence of probationer Katie Rhiannon Smith, 35.
In December, Smith was sentenced for the December 2019 shooting of “Thunder the Wonder Dog: The Cone Dog from the Woods,” who was found days later wounded and wandering in Jackson State Forest in Mendocino County and rescued by two horseback riders.
In October, Smith pleaded no contest to felony animal cruelty.
During Smith’s December sentencing, Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Clayton Brennan reduced the charge to a misdemeanor, placed her on unsupervised probation for 36 months, suspended jail time, declined to order her to reimburse the county for her legal expenses, ordered her to complete 500 hours of community service and denied the prosecution’s request that Smith be prohibited from owning or possessing animals during the term of her probation.
She was, however, ordered to submit to probation searches and to attend counseling so she can avoid committing animal cruelty in the future.
Eyster decried Brennan’s ruling and is seeking appellate review. Last month he sought to disqualify Brennan from animal cruelty and firearm cases, as Lake County News has reported.
On Thursday, Eyster said a search of Smith’s property found she was residing in possession of six chickens, a violation of state law that prohibits people convicted of animal cruelty from possessing animals.
He said a dog Smith claimed to own in December was not located during search of the property.
The chickens were seized pursuant to the warrant and have been placed in the protective custody of Mendocino County Animal Control, Eyster said.
California’s law mandates that a defendant convicted of animal cruelty as a misdemeanor shall not, “within five years after her conviction, own, possess, maintain, have custody of, reside with, or care for any animal.” To do so is a public offense punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, Eyster said.
Eyster referred to Brennan's December order that Smith serve 360 days in the county jail. He then suspended that time on the condition that Smith “obey all laws.”
Subject to the standard charging review by the district attorney, Eyster said it is believed that the six animals found Thursday residing at her home constitute a failure by Smith to obey all laws.
Once he receives and completes a review of all the reports from today’s search, Eyster said he will make a charging decision on whether to file one or more new charges against Smith, file a petition seeking violation of Smith’s informal probation, or both.
When asked to comment about today’s enforcement action, Eyster said, “If I conclude that the evidence summarized in those reports supports the filing of a new case, it should be no surprise to anyone that I will have that new case filed in Ukiah versus having it filed in Judge Brennan’s courtroom in Fort Bragg.”
He added, “Further, if I conclude that the animals found today constitute a failure by the defendant to obey all laws, specifically a failure by her to obey the statutory prohibition that she cannot be around animals, we will initiate proceedings to violate her probation.
“If and when that happens, the community at large should watch and see if Judge Brennan stays true to his December words that a violation of probation will result in the defendant having to serve the 360-day jail sentence that he suspended,” Eyster said.