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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week will review the Community Development Department’s ongoing budget deficit and loan repayment plan, consider an additional $1 million funding for sewage spill recovery and discuss Behavioral Health contracts of more than $25 million.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, 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, online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and on the county’s Facebook page. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.
To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.
The meeting ID is 865 3354 4962, pass code 726865. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,86533544962#,,,,*726865#. The meeting can also be accessed via phone at 669 900 6833.
At 1:30 p.m., the Community Development Department will return to the board to report on its historical revenue, department expenses including salaries and benefits, and to discuss department operations and a plan to pay back a loan.
This is the fourth time the item has come back since the department first reported a deficit in November – just two months after a “balanced” final budget was approved – and requested a $390,000 loan to make payroll.
Director Mireya Turner at the time attributed the shortfall to a “significant drop in building permits.”
It was later revealed in Dec. 9’s board meeting that the department’s Building Division – funded primarily by building permit fees – had effectively used its reserve to subsidize the Planning and Code Enforcement divisions for multiple years, until the reserve was depleted.
Deputy County Administrative Officer Casey Moreno said more than $1 million had been internally transferred to cover salaries in the receiving divisions.
Over the past three meetings, questions about the legality of the internal fund transfers and the use of future permitting fees to repay past loans have remained unanswered, despite being raised multiple times.
The proposed loan repayment period was also extended from one fiscal year to three as discussions progressed.
In untimed items, the board will consider adding an additional $1 million for cleanup and recovery efforts following a massive sewage spill that began Sunday, Jan. 11, after the rupture of a 16-inch force main on Robin Lane.
The force main is operated by the Lake County Sanitation District, which is overseen by Lake County Special Districts.
A local emergency was declared by the city of Clearlake on Jan. 12 and by the county on Jan. 13.
With $750,000 approved at the board’s special meeting on Jan. 21 to assist with response efforts, total appropriations to Lake County Special Districts would reach $1,750,000 if the board approves the additional funding to support “mid- and long-term solutions to ensure community members have access to safe water,” according to the staff memo.
The Board of Supervisors will also consider three Behavioral Health items totaling approximately $25.1 million in contracts and amendments, focused on homelessness and specialty mental health services, according to the staff memos.
The first is a $527,625.96, 27-month agreement with North Coast Opportunities to provide Housing First rapid rehousing services through June 30, 2027, serving at least 40 people using state and federal homelessness grants.
The second is Amendment No. 5 to the county’s contract with Community Behavioral Health, shifting from a flat-rate compensation structure to a fee-for-service Medi-Cal reimbursement model effective Sept. 1, 2025, and increasing the contract maximum by $9 million to $24.6 million to reflect current demand.
The third is approval of a Transitional Rent Provider Agreement with Partnership HealthPlan of California, effective Jan. 1, 2026, allowing Lake County Behavioral Health Services to provide up to six months of Medi-Cal-funded rental assistance for eligible residents experiencing or at risk of homelessness, with no impact to the county’s general fund.
On Jun. 17, the board approved authorizing a $2 million loan to Behavioral Health requiring repayment within 90 days – a deadline the department ultimately missed.
County documents showed that it was due to cash flow constraints tied to the Medi-Cal intergovernmental transfer process and timing of reimbursements.
On Sep. 16, Behavioral Health Director Elise Jones requested a 180-day extension for their repayment. The board approved it 4-1 with Supervisor Sabatier the sole dissenting vote.
In the closed session, the board will conduct public employee evaluations of County Administrative Officer Susan Parker and Water Resources Director Pawan Upadhyay.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1, Approve letter of support for Northern Rural Energy Network business plan application to expand energy efficiency programs.
5.2, Adopt proclamation designating February 2026 as Black History Month and celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.
5.3, Approve continuation of emergency proclamation declaring a shelter crisis in the County of Lake.
5.4, Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.
5.5, Approve continuation of proclamation declaring a Clear Lake Hitch emergency.
5.6, Approve continuation of proclamation of a local health emergency for the Clearlake sewage spill.
5.7, Approve continuation of local emergency due to the 2026 Robin Lane sewer spill (City of Clearlake).
5.8, Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 25-0557-000-SA with the California Department of Food and Agriculture for the Apiary Protection Program, Jan. 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, for $6,831.36.
5.9, Approve travel exceeding 1,500 miles for Assistant Auditor-Controller Dakhota Hockett to attend annual comprehensive financial reporting training in Chicago, Illinois.
5.10, Approve amendment No. 2 to agreement with Redwood Community Services, Inc., Phoenix House Residential Treatment Facility for FY 2025–26, with no change to contract maximum, and authorize the Chair to sign.
5.11, Approve amendment No. 1 to agreement with Redwood Community Services Inc. for WRAP, Foster Care and ISFC programs for FY 2025–26, revising Medi-Cal reimbursement terms effective Jan. 1, 2026, and authorize the Chair to sign.
5.12, Approve Board of Supervisors meeting minutes of Jan. 6, 2026, and Feb. 3, 2026.
5.13, Approve Health Care Program for Children in Foster Care certification statement and authorize the Chair to sign.
5.14, Award bid for the Live Oak Drive water main replacement project.
TIMED ITEMS
6.1, 9:02 a.m.: Public input.
6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the week.
6.3, 9:05 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating February 2026 as Black History Month and celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.
6.4, 9:30 a.m.: Presentation on update and relaunch of 211 Lake County.
6.5, 1:30 p.m.: (a) Presentation of Community Development Department historical revenue and expense analysis; and (b) request for board direction regarding department operations and loan repayment plan.
NON-TIMED ITEMS
7.1, Supervisors’ weekly calendar, travel and reports.
7.2, Consideration of agreement with North Coast Opportunities, Inc. for rapid rehousing services for FYs 2025–26 and 2026–27.
7.3, Consideration of amendment No. 5 to agreement with Community Behavioral Health for specialty mental health services for FYs 2023–24 through 2025–26.
7.4, Consideration of transitional rent provider agreement with Partnership HealthPlan of California effective Jan. 1, 2026, with no impact to the county General Fund.
7.5, Consideration of advisory board appointments: Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee; Middletown Area Town Hall.
7.6, Consideration of request for board direction regarding regulations for short-term rentals and low-impact camping.
7.7, Consideration of request to close Health Services offices April 9, Aug. 13 and Oct. 15, 2026, for all-staff training.
7.8, Consideration of resolution increasing reserve cancellation related to the Robin Lane sewage release response.
7.9, Addendum—Consideration of authorization to use the county seal for a plaque celebrating 250 years of America.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1, 10 a.m.: Conference with legal counsel—Significant exposure to litigation, three potential cases.
8.2, Public employee evaluation: County Administrative Officer.
8.3, Public employee evaluation: Water Resources Director.
8.4, Conference with labor negotiator: Deputy County Counsel Association.
Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen at lchen@lakeconews.com.