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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors plans to hold a debriefing on the recent public safety power shutoff when it meets this week, and also will discuss a letter of intent to sell a property to Lake Transit Authority.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, 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 and online. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.

At 11 a.m., the board will hold a discussing and debriefing on the Pacific Gas and Electric public safety power shutoff event earlier this month.

Community members are asked to come and give testimony at the meeting or to submit written comments by 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 21, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

In other business, at 10:15 a.m. the board will consider transient occupancy tax waivers and at 10:30 a.m. will continue an appeal hearing for transient occupancy tax by JoAnn Saccato for her Cobb property.

In an untimed item, the board will consider a letter of intent to sell 7175 South Center Drive in Clearlake to Lake Transit Authority, where a new bus depot is proposed to be located.

Supervisor Bruno Sabatier is proposing the letter of intent, which he said will help Lake Transit Authority in its efforts to acquire a grant to begin the bus depot’s construction.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Adopt proclamation commending Donald Hoberg, heavy equipment/ fleet maintenance superintendent, for his years of service to the county of Lake.

5.2: Adopt proclamation commending Arthur Michael Loucks, bridge maintenance supervisor, for his years of service to the county of Lake.

5.3: Approve rescission of public property transaction sale located at 8695 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville, California (APN 009-002-430) and refund purchasers William L. Biggs and Carol S. Biggs for the full and complete amount of $93.605.00 due to discrepancy in parcel size.

5.4: Approve the Public Defender Contract Amendment Number 3 between the county of Lake and Lake Indigent Defense LLP for public defender services to extend the term of agreement 14 months from Nov. 1, 2019, through Dec. 31, 2020, and increase monthly payment amount to $118,000 for a total of $3,962,000 and authorize the chair to sign.

5.5: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Kings View Corp. for MIS support services for Fiscal Year 2019-20 for a contract maximum amount of $63,360 and to authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.6: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and FIRST 5 Lake Commission for the Mother-Wise Program (Postpartum Depression Initiative) for Fiscal Year 2019-20 for a contract maximum of $65,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.7: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Redwood Community Services, Inc. for the Lake County Wrap Program, Foster Care Program and Intensive Services Foster Care Program for services provided in Fiscal Year 2018-19 for a contract maximum of $69,955.00 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.8: (a) Approve long distance travel for Kendra Boyce and Michael Mos to attend teen mental health first aid instructor training in Las Vegas, Nevada, Oct. 28 through Oct. 30, 2019; and (b) approve long distance travel for Carrie Manning to attend teen mental health first aid instructor training in Las Vegas, Nevada, Nov. 17 through Nov. 21.

5.9: Adopt resolution setting rate of pay for election officers for the Nov. 5, 2019, special district election.

5.10: (a) Waive formal bidding process, determining no economic benefit to the county; (b) approve purchase of two Chevrolet Equinox for BU 4011-Public Health Division and one Chevrolet Express Cargo for BU 4012 - Health Services Admin Division; and (c) authorize the Health Services director-purchasing agent to issue purchase orders and related documents.

5.11: Sitting as Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors, approve mainline extension contract with Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians to provide sewer service to APN 004-021-350 and authorize the chair to sign.

5.12: Sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors, adopt resolution revising the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Adopted Budget of the county of Lake by cancelling capital improvement reserves in the amount of $102,976 for LACOSAN Southeast Sewer to make appropriations in Budget Unit 8354, Object Code 783.62-74 to pay for LACOSAN SE Lift Station #1 pump replacement.

5.13: Adopt proclamation recognizing Oct. 24, 2019, as World Polio Day on behalf of the four Rotary Clubs in Lake County and Rotary Clubs worldwide.

5.14: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and Mead & Hunt for construction administration services for runway 10-28 Asphalt Slurry Seal Rehabilitation (AIP No. 3-06-0117-019-2018) in the amount of $123,232.00, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.15: Sitting as Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors, adopt resolution authorizing the Big Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency to file a grant application under the 2019 Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program Planning Round 3 for the development of a groundwater sustainability plan for the Big Valley Groundwater Basin.

TIMED ITEMS

6.2, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of (a) proclamation recognizing Oct. 24, 2019, as World Polio Day on behalf of the four Rotary Clubs in Lake County and Rotary Clubs worldwide; (b) proclamation commending Donald Hoberg, heavy equipment/fleet maintenance superintendent, for his years of service to the county of Lake; and (c) proclamation commending Arthur Michael Loucks, bridge maintenance supervisor, for his years of service to the county of Lake.

6.3, 9:15 a.m.: Presentation by Lake County Rural Arts Initiative.

6.4, 9:30 a.m.: Public meeting to consider projects and programs for Community Development Block Grant funding applications under the notice of funding availability for 2020.

6.5, 10:15 a.m.: Discussion and consideration of transient occupancy tax waivers.

6.6, 10:30 a.m.: Continued from Sept. 24 and Aug. 27, appeal hearing, transient occupancy tax, JoAnn Saccato, 16986 Dogwood Way, Cobb, CA 95461.

6.7, 11 a.m.: Discussion/debriefing on recent Pacific Gas and Electric public safety power shutoff event.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Discussion and Consideration of letter of intent to sell 7175 South Center Drive, Clearlake to Lake Transit Authority.

7.3: Discussion and direction to staff on the dig once policy ordinance.

7.4: Consideration of appointments to the Western Region Town Hall.

7.5: Consideration of Contract Change Order No. 1 for the South Shore Behavioral Health Roof Project, Bid No. 18-14 .

CLOSED SESSION

8.1: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(1): Operating Engineers Local No. 3 vs. County of Lake.

8.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(1): John vs. County of Lake, et al.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council will hold a special meeting this week during which it will discuss proposed vehicle purchases, a contract for a housing element update and an ad hoc committee to make city appointments.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

The special meeting was called after last week’s meeting was canceled due to lack of a quorum.

On the agenda is a request from Police Chief Brad Rasmusen to purchase a general police patrol vehicle and a police K9 vehicle for an amount not to exceed $108,854.

Rasmussen’s report to the council explains that this fiscal year’s budget authorizes spending of up to $71,000 in general fund money and up to $37,854 in United States Department of Agriculture grant funds – awarded to the city for a police dog program – to purchase a K9 vehicle and a general patrol vehicle.

Also on Tuesday, Community Development Director Kevin Ingram will ask for authorization to enter into a professional service agreement with De Novo Planning Group for the completion of the city’s sixth cycle housing element update. The proposed contract amount is $33,240.

In other business, Administrative Services Director-City Clerk Kelly Buendia will present a resolution that seeks to establish an ad hoc selection advisory committee for the selection of the members of city committees and commissions with terms expiring in 2019. The ad hoc committee is to be comprised of two city council members.

Buendia’s report said there currently are several appointments that need to be made, including one vacancy on the Lakeport Planning Commission, three expiring seats on the Parks
and Recreation Commission, three expiring seats on the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee, and a recommendation to the Lake County Board of Supervisors for one city resident to be appointed to the Lakeport Fire Protection District Board of Directors.

On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on Oct. 1; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the Mendocino Complex fire; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the February 2019 storms; approval of application 2019-027, with staff recommendations, for the 2019 Halloween Costume Parade on Oct. 31; approval of application 2020-001, with staff recommendations, for the 2020 Home Wine and Beer Makers Festival in Library Park; and approval of the Lakeport Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

102219 Lakeport City Council Special Meeting Agenda Packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council is seeking applications from Clearlake citizens for a seat on the planning commission with a four-year term expiring in March 2023.

Planning commissioners hear and act upon land use matters and are advisory to the Clearlake City Council on zoning regulations, the general plan, and other land use issues.

Commissioners serve at the will of the Clearlake City Council and are designated filers under the Fair Political Practices Commission and must file periodic statements of economic interest disclosing financial interests within the jurisdiction of the city.

“The Planning Commission plays a vital role in deciding Clearlake’s future development successes,” said City Manager Alan Flora. “Any Clearlake citizen who is interested in being a part of Clearlake’s upcoming opportunities should apply.”

Applications are available at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive, on the city’s Web site at www.clearlake.ca.us or via email to Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Melissa Swanson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Clearlake City Council will consider applications at its Nov. 14 meeting.

Deadline for applications to be included in the city council meeting packet is Nov. 7 at 5 p.m.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control’s kennels are filling up with cats and kittens waiting to be adopted.

The following cats and kittens at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.

Female domestic short hair

This female domestic short hair has a tortoiseshell coat and gold eyes.

She is in cat room kennel No. 4a, ID No. 13054.

Male domestic short hair

This male domestic short hair cat has a calico coat and gold eyes.

He is in kennel No. 4b, ID No. 13057.

Domestic short hair kitten

This male domestic short hair kitten has a gray tabby and white coat and gold eyes.

He is in kennel V No. 10, ID No. 13033.

Female domestic short hair

This female domestic short hair has a torbie and white coat and gold eyes.

She already has been spayed.

She’s in cat room kennel No. 16, ID No. 12983.

Male domestic short hair

This male domestic short hair has a buff coat and gold eyes.

He is in cat room kennel No. 36, ID No. 13039.

Male domestic short hair kitten

This male domestic short hair kitten has a flame point coat and blue eyes.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 96a, ID No. 13040.

Male domestic short hair kitten

This male domestic short hair kitten has a black coat and green eyes.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 96b, ID No. 13041.

Male domestic short hair kitten

This male domestic short hair kitten has a black coat and green eyes.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 96c, ID No. 13042.

Domestic short hair kitten

This male domestic short hair kitten has a gray coat and blue eyes.

He is in cat room kennel No. 111a, ID No. 12874.

Female domestic long hair

This female domestic long hair cat has a seal point coat with blue eyes.

She is in cat room kennel No. 132, ID No. 13021.

Domestic medium hair cat

This female domestic medium hair cat has a black coat and gold eyes.

She has been spayed.

She is in kennel No. 138a, ID No. 13099.

Domestic medium hair cat

This male domestic medium hair cat has a black coat and gold eyes.

He has been neutered.

He is in kennel No. 138a, ID No. 13100.

Male brown tabby

This male brown tabby has a long coat and green eyes.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 143, ID No. 13006.

Male domestic short hair

This male domestic short hair cat has a flame point coat and blue eyes.

He is in cat room kennel No. 144, ID No. 13036.

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm.

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

Getting a driver’s license is a teenager’s rite of passage, but also a time to educate teens on their new, important responsibility as a driver.

Oct. 20 to 26 is National Teen Driver Safety Week, and the California Office of Traffic Safety, or OTS, encourages parents and guardians to talk to their teen about safe driving habits and the rules of the road intended to keep them safe.

“Teen drivers don’t have the same experiences or skills of older drivers with many more years and miles on the road,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “Avoiding bad, dangerous habits behind the wheel is critical for the safety of teens.”

Driving or riding in the car is one of the riskiest activities teens are involved in on a daily basis. Vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for teens between the ages of 15 and 18.

Teen drivers are also involved in crashes at three times the rate of any other age group, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Parents or guardians should take the time to educate their teen on the consequences of bad behaviors while driving, such as speeding or using a cell phone.

California law bans drivers under 18 from using electronic devices for any reason, including hands-free.

In order to reduce the risk for teen drivers, the OTS asks parents to take the following steps to involve themselves in managing their teen’s driving habits and skills:

– Understand California’s Graduated Driver License, or GDL laws, which place restrictions on driving with passengers and at night (11 p.m.-5 a.m.) during a teen’s first year with a license.
– Be a good role model by driving how you would want your teen to drive.
– Set ground rules like staying off the phone while driving, not giving friends rides, following the speed limit and never driving after drinking or using drugs that impair.
– Establish consequences. Don’t be afraid to discipline if your teen breaks the rules.
– Reinforce the ramifications for violating the zero-tolerance law for alcohol.
– Remind them to never ride with someone who has been drinking or is impaired.

Parents and guardians can sign their teen up for a free “Start Smart” class by contacting their local California Highway Patrol office. “Start Smart” is a driver safety education program funded by the OTS that teaches soon-to-be and newly licensed teens about GDL laws, ways to avoid crashes and the dangers of speeding and distracted driving.

The OTS administers funding for traffic safety programs statewide with the goal of reducing crashes that result in deaths, injuries, and economic losses. The OTS is a department under the California State Transportation Agency.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The work to finish a new roundabout that’s meant to increase safety and traffic flow was marked in a Thursday ceremony.

Caltrans hosted the event to officially mark the completion of the Highway 29 and Hartmann Road on Thursday morning, about a quarter mile from the roundabout at the corner of Highway 29 and Spruce Grove Road Extension, across from Arabian Lane.

Construction on the roundabout began in May 2018; it opened to traffic on June 3. Caltrans reported that it will officially take over the roundabout from the contractor, Ghilotti Construction, in February.

The project cost is reported at $8,614,000, Caltrans said.

The new roundabout’s design – which was inspired by the local flora and fauna and Pomo Indian basket designs – was created in collaboration with the Middletown Art Center and the Middletown Rancheria.

This is the third roundabout Caltrans has completed in Lake County and the fifth in District 1.

Caltrans’ other roundabouts are located at the junction of Highway 20 and the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff in Nice and the intersection of Highway 20 and 29 in Upper Lake. Another is under construction in Clearlake Oaks at the junction of Highway 20 and 53 and is expected to be completed in the spring.

The first roundabout in the county, in Lakeport, was a city project.

Caltrans District 1 Director Matthew Brady said that the intersection of Highway 29 and Hartmann Road had been subject to a lot of collisions before a stop sign was installed there in 2011.

Prior to that stop sign’s installation, the Hartmann Road intersection had a collision rate eight times higher than the statewide average for similar intersections, Caltrans said.

Brady said some of those collisions were “catastrophic.”

They included a fatal collision in 2011 that triggered temporary safety measures, including installation of a three-way stop sign until a permanent solution could be constructed.

Caltrans acquired funding which initiated the Hartmann Road roundabout project in 2012. The project included the installation of a full roundabout with lighting, sidewalks, crosswalks and improved drainage.

The agency pursued the use of a roundabout to increase traffic safety and to significantly reduce collisions.

It said roundabout benefits include lower travel speeds, reduced vehicle collisions, continuous traffic flow and no incentive to “beat the light” due to moving traffic, plus there are environmental benefits such as lessened noise due to efficient traffic flow, reduction in air pollution and reduced fuel consumption due to the elimination of idling vehicles compared to a stop or signalized intersection.

Brady said roundabouts require less maintenance, have low yearly operational costs and they don’t rely on electricity, which is particularly important in the wake of the recent public safety power shutoff.

Caltrans reported that annual average daily traffic is currently 11,700 vehicles per day. With the installation of the Hartmann Road Roundabout overall collisions are projected to be reduced by 35 percent with significant reductions in fatalities collisions by 89 percent and injury collisions by 76 percent.

“We can’t thank Caltrans enough for investing in our community,” District 1 Supervisor Moke Simon said at the ceremony.

He said the project shows that Middletown – the gateway into Lake County – is rebuilding in the wake of the wildland fires of the last several years.

He later told Lake County News later that he believes the roundabout will help with development in the south county.

Simon said that the roundabout has helped better manage the traffic associated with the rebuild. “We get to experience that every day.”

Lt. Randy England, commander of the Clear Lake Area office, said the CHP and Caltrans regularly meet and discuss safety needs. He said safety is the CHP’s primary concern and central to its mission.

England said the project is a good example of the CHP and Caltrans working together.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.