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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The city of Clearlake is set to begin a project to make improvements at the civic center.
On Thursday night the Clearlake City Council unanimously approved the award of a construction contract to Granite Construction for the Burns Valley Civic Center Enhancement Project.
Granite Construction, which was the only company to submit a bid in response to the city’s February project advertisement, is estimating the work will cost approximately $549,136, about $1,000 less than the city engineer’s estimate, according to Public Works Superintendent Mike Baker.
As part of approving Granite Construction’s bid, the city council allowed for new City Manager Alan Flora – who was in the city manager’s seat for the first time on Thursday – to approve up to an additional 10 percent in unforeseen contract amendments.
Baker went over the project’s background, explaining that the civic center location has either no facilities or substandard ones for proper pedestrian and bicycle travel.
He said it will provide pedestrian improvements including high visibility crosswalks, retro-reflective signs and striping, rapid-flashing beacons and other pedestrian/bicyclist improvements.
It also will add sidewalks and a bike route along Olympic Drive from Pine Street to Lakeshore Drive and extend around the corner along the east side of Lakeshore Drive from Olympic Drive to the end of the City Hall property.
The SB1 Local Partner Program will provide $200,000 for the project. The staff report said the remaining $349,136 was to come from the city’s Series A bonds. However, on Thursday night, Baker said only $320,000 in bond funding was available, so staff recommended that the remaining $30,000 come from the gas tax fund.
He said it’s an important project to implement the city’s strategic plan goal No. 3, which is improving the quality of life in Clearlake with improved public facilities.
Councilman Dirk Slooten asked if utility undergrounding is to be a part of the project.
Retiring Public Works Director Doug Herren said no. He said he had talked to Pacific Gas and Electric which has projects that are still a year or two out, and the city didn’t want to wait. Herren said the city needs to set an example by installing curb, gutter and sidewalk at its facilities if it’s requiring it of community members.
Slooten asked if the city could force the company to do their projects quicker. Herren said no, but he added that if PG&E were to do an undergrounding project, it’s unlikely to impact the work by the city, which isn’t buying any right of way.
Councilman Phil Harris asked about the location of the high visibility crosswalks. Herren said the location is at Olympic and Pine, not Olympic and Lakeshore.
Harris asked if there are provisions for lighting in the project; Herren said no. Harris then followed up by asking if the city could incorporate conduit and vaults into its work in order to make provisions for future undergrounding projects.
Herren said it’s possible, noting that many construction projects are up to four years behind due to the region’s fires. He said more projects are now using line or directional boring for undergrounding, which is less destructive.
Slooten said the City Hall property probably isn’t now compliant with federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. “It’s important that we set an example.”
Councilman Russell Cremer moved to approve the contract award, which the council approved 5-0.
In other business on Thursday, the council approved an agreement with the Lake County Tourism Improvement District for administrative services related to collection of the newly established 1.5-percent assessment from lodging establishments within the city and held a first reading of an ordinance to make what City Attorney Ryan Jones termed as a “minor amendment” to the city code’s exceptions to competitive bidding requirements.
The council also approved a resolution certifying the appointment of Jill Martin as the city’s finance director. Martin is a recent retiree in the CalPERS system. Flora told the council members that they needed to certify that the position is critically needed in order to waive the requirement that she not work for another CalPERS employer within six months of her retirement.
Martin will be a retired annuitant, which allows her to work up to 960 hours per fiscal year. Flora, who has held the finance director job along with the assistant city manager job, said the city will now work on finding a permanent finance director.
On Thursday the council also gave Herren a sendoff – with a reception before the meeting and honors at the start of the meeting.
The council also honored honor retiring police dispatcher Wendy England, presented a proclamation recognizing March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day and heard a report on the Public, Education and Government Channel’s annual budget.
Departing City Manager Greg Folsom – who hired Flora last year – spoke briefly during public comment, reporting that it was Flora’s birthday and leading everyone in singing “Happy Birthday” to him.
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UKIAH, Calif. – A defendant who planted a pipe bomb under the kitchen sink in an attempt to inflict injury on his wife in August was committed to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Wednesday by the Mendocino County Superior Court.
Gerald Richard Orth, age 63, formerly of Ukiah, was sentenced to seven years in state prison, a sentence from his January conviction by plea of attempting to explode a destructive device with intent to wrongfully injure another person, a felony, according to the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office.
Because Orth also admitted a prior felony conviction for a forcible rape that occurred in 1982 in Lake County, a “strike” under the current version of the Three Strikes law, his sentence was doubled to 14 years, officials said.
A strike conviction also limits the good time/work time credits an inmate may be able to earn in state prison to no more than 20 percent – versus the default 50 percent – of the overall sentence.
The prosecutor who has been directing the prosecution of this defendant is Deputy District Attorney Scott McMenomey.
The investigating law enforcement agencies that gathered the necessary evidence to convict were the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Bomb Squad and the Fresno Police Department.
Mendocino County Superior Court Judge John Behnke imposed the state prison sentence after considering the Adult Probation Department's sentencing recommendation and listening to sentencing arguments presented by the attorneys.
Gerald Richard Orth, age 63, formerly of Ukiah, was sentenced to seven years in state prison, a sentence from his January conviction by plea of attempting to explode a destructive device with intent to wrongfully injure another person, a felony, according to the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office.
Because Orth also admitted a prior felony conviction for a forcible rape that occurred in 1982 in Lake County, a “strike” under the current version of the Three Strikes law, his sentence was doubled to 14 years, officials said.
A strike conviction also limits the good time/work time credits an inmate may be able to earn in state prison to no more than 20 percent – versus the default 50 percent – of the overall sentence.
The prosecutor who has been directing the prosecution of this defendant is Deputy District Attorney Scott McMenomey.
The investigating law enforcement agencies that gathered the necessary evidence to convict were the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Bomb Squad and the Fresno Police Department.
Mendocino County Superior Court Judge John Behnke imposed the state prison sentence after considering the Adult Probation Department's sentencing recommendation and listening to sentencing arguments presented by the attorneys.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors acted to install Dr. Erin Gustafson as permanent Public Health officer.
Dr. Gustafson was initially appointed Lake County’s deputy Public Health officer in November 2017, and elevated to interim Public Health officer in October 2018.
“This is an important step for the county of Lake,” said Board Chair Tina Scott. “Dr. Gustafson has the background and quality of character required to encourage better population health outcomes. We hope many will get the chance to meet Erin at our next round of community visioning forums, which will focus upon health and wellness.”
The early days of Gustafson’s work for the county have brought no shortage of trying circumstances. However, the board credits her with meeting them with tact, grit and determination.
“I chose Lake County because of the extraordinary opportunity to make an impact on the health of the population,” said Gustafson. “Lake County faces challenging economic and social conditions, along with major natural disasters every year since 2015. This is a resilient community that is collaborating to make a positive impact on the health of all of our citizens.”
Gustafson’s swift and insightful work in response to the Mendocino Complex wildfires spoke volumes to her capacity and commitment.
“We dedicated ourselves to ensuring the community was safe, particularly that evacuations of healthcare facilities were accomplished expeditiously and the shelters had their medical needs met.”
Gustafson’s own expedient efforts, informed by experience investigating infectious disease outbreaks for the New York State Department of Health, stemmed the spread of a stomach virus in an emergency shelter.
Dr. Gustafson holds a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from Kansas State University and an MD from the University of Kansas’ School of Medicine.
She completed two years of residency training in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Orange County/UC Irvine before her passion for population health led her to preventive medicine. Public Health has been her consistent focus, ever since.
Gustafson weds a strong aspirational vision to great compassion and a commitment to meeting people where they are at.
“During my residency, I learned that only a small percentage of health is a result of medical care, with the remainder coming from the context of community and the social and economic conditions,” she said. “I am excited to continue to lead Lake County’s response to the opioid epidemic, and create a sustainable harm reduction model. Not every drug user, for example, will change from education, alone, and activities such as syringe exchange and increased distribution of naloxone save lives.”
She has already begun work to increase access to Hepatitis C treatment for county residents through UC San Francisco’s Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes, or ECHO, and led efforts to realize the best possible local emergency medical care system. Much lies ahead.
“The board’s vision, ‘Considering and promoting the well-being and economic resilience of every Lake County resident,’ will require broad contributions from within and outside of the county,” said Gustafson. “I look forward to continuing to lead through open communication and collaboration with strategic partners.”
Dr. Gustafson was initially appointed Lake County’s deputy Public Health officer in November 2017, and elevated to interim Public Health officer in October 2018.
“This is an important step for the county of Lake,” said Board Chair Tina Scott. “Dr. Gustafson has the background and quality of character required to encourage better population health outcomes. We hope many will get the chance to meet Erin at our next round of community visioning forums, which will focus upon health and wellness.”
The early days of Gustafson’s work for the county have brought no shortage of trying circumstances. However, the board credits her with meeting them with tact, grit and determination.
“I chose Lake County because of the extraordinary opportunity to make an impact on the health of the population,” said Gustafson. “Lake County faces challenging economic and social conditions, along with major natural disasters every year since 2015. This is a resilient community that is collaborating to make a positive impact on the health of all of our citizens.”
Gustafson’s swift and insightful work in response to the Mendocino Complex wildfires spoke volumes to her capacity and commitment.
“We dedicated ourselves to ensuring the community was safe, particularly that evacuations of healthcare facilities were accomplished expeditiously and the shelters had their medical needs met.”
Gustafson’s own expedient efforts, informed by experience investigating infectious disease outbreaks for the New York State Department of Health, stemmed the spread of a stomach virus in an emergency shelter.
Dr. Gustafson holds a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from Kansas State University and an MD from the University of Kansas’ School of Medicine.
She completed two years of residency training in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Orange County/UC Irvine before her passion for population health led her to preventive medicine. Public Health has been her consistent focus, ever since.
Gustafson weds a strong aspirational vision to great compassion and a commitment to meeting people where they are at.
“During my residency, I learned that only a small percentage of health is a result of medical care, with the remainder coming from the context of community and the social and economic conditions,” she said. “I am excited to continue to lead Lake County’s response to the opioid epidemic, and create a sustainable harm reduction model. Not every drug user, for example, will change from education, alone, and activities such as syringe exchange and increased distribution of naloxone save lives.”
She has already begun work to increase access to Hepatitis C treatment for county residents through UC San Francisco’s Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes, or ECHO, and led efforts to realize the best possible local emergency medical care system. Much lies ahead.
“The board’s vision, ‘Considering and promoting the well-being and economic resilience of every Lake County resident,’ will require broad contributions from within and outside of the county,” said Gustafson. “I look forward to continuing to lead through open communication and collaboration with strategic partners.”
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Office of Education has announced the winning schools for the 2018-2019 Attendance Challenge.
This was a countywide competition with nearly 10,000 Lake County students participating.
The winners were determined based on the highest average attendance data over two different weeks within the 2018-2019 school year.
The winning schools are:
– Kelseyville Preschool: 93.59 percent
– Upper Lake Elementary School: 97.33 percent
– Terrace Middle School: 95.140 percent
– Konocti Education Center: 92.17 percent
– Clear Lake High School: 96.64 percent
– Hance Community School: Best overall improvement in attendance
The competition for the top spots was fierce, particularly in the middle school category. Middletown Middle School took second place, missing the top spot by only 0.003 of a percentage point.
Upper Lake Elementary School not only had the top attendance rate for all elementary schools, they had the top attendance rate for all Lake County schools with an average attendance rate of 97.33 percent.
“Thank you to the students, families, teachers and school staff for taking the Attendance Challenge seriously,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg.
Falkenberg added, “I’d like to thank the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Tribe for their generous financial contributions to the winning schools.”
Each winning school will receive $500, an “Attendance Challenge Winner” banner, and bragging rights for the next year. Schools are encouraged to use the money to support and celebrate good attendance.
“The leadership of the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Tribe is proud to support the efforts of Lake County Office of Education to spotlight the importance of and promote school attendance,” said Sherry Treppa, chairperson of the executive council.
Rob Young, Lake County Office of Education’s Emergency Services/Special Projects Coordinator, organized the event. He explained, “Our goal was to have an event that would stimulate positive conversation about the importance of student attendance at school.”
“With chronic absenteeism being a true concern for Lake County students, LCOE staff brainstormed solutions to help educate the students, parents and community on the importance of attendance. And thus, the Attendance Challenge was born,” added Falkenberg.
For more information on the top three winners in each category, please go to www.lakecoe.org. You can read more about attendance at www.lakecoe.org/Attendance.
This was a countywide competition with nearly 10,000 Lake County students participating.
The winners were determined based on the highest average attendance data over two different weeks within the 2018-2019 school year.
The winning schools are:
– Kelseyville Preschool: 93.59 percent
– Upper Lake Elementary School: 97.33 percent
– Terrace Middle School: 95.140 percent
– Konocti Education Center: 92.17 percent
– Clear Lake High School: 96.64 percent
– Hance Community School: Best overall improvement in attendance
The competition for the top spots was fierce, particularly in the middle school category. Middletown Middle School took second place, missing the top spot by only 0.003 of a percentage point.
Upper Lake Elementary School not only had the top attendance rate for all elementary schools, they had the top attendance rate for all Lake County schools with an average attendance rate of 97.33 percent.
“Thank you to the students, families, teachers and school staff for taking the Attendance Challenge seriously,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg.
Falkenberg added, “I’d like to thank the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Tribe for their generous financial contributions to the winning schools.”
Each winning school will receive $500, an “Attendance Challenge Winner” banner, and bragging rights for the next year. Schools are encouraged to use the money to support and celebrate good attendance.
“The leadership of the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Tribe is proud to support the efforts of Lake County Office of Education to spotlight the importance of and promote school attendance,” said Sherry Treppa, chairperson of the executive council.
Rob Young, Lake County Office of Education’s Emergency Services/Special Projects Coordinator, organized the event. He explained, “Our goal was to have an event that would stimulate positive conversation about the importance of student attendance at school.”
“With chronic absenteeism being a true concern for Lake County students, LCOE staff brainstormed solutions to help educate the students, parents and community on the importance of attendance. And thus, the Attendance Challenge was born,” added Falkenberg.
For more information on the top three winners in each category, please go to www.lakecoe.org. You can read more about attendance at www.lakecoe.org/Attendance.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Fairfield woman has been sentenced to probation, fines and community service for environmental crimes in relation to a black market marijuana grow in Lower Lake.
On March 11, Elizabeth Garcia, 33, was sentenced to three misdemeanor violations relating to the use of a banned pesticide at the grow, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Garcia was placed on three years probation, ordered to pay fines and fees of $22,700 and complete 240 hours of community service. In addition, she has prohibitions related to cannabis possession and cultivation.
The violations stem from a September 2018 investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the California State Water Resources Control Board, or SWRCB, for black market sales and environmental crimes. The illegal grow contained 850 plants and was not permitted by the county or licensed by the state.
"The conviction of this case was a result of a team effort with CDFW scientists and enforcement, SWRCB, U.C. Davis Veterinary Medicine and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation," said Lake County District Attorney Susan Krones. "The abundance of natural resources in our county should be respected and treated with care. This conviction demonstrates that noncompliance with state environmental laws will not be tolerated."
While serving a search warrant, wildlife officers observed the presence of a suspected illegal substance and a dead bird, identified as a hermit thrush, found within the cultivation site and another bird carcass nearby. Plant samples and the deceased bird were tested and both returned positive for carbofuran.
"Black market marijuana operations can be very harmful to the environment," said David Bess, deputy director and chief of the CDFW Law Enforcement Division. "Grows of this nature are a public safety threat and keep the legal cannabis market from reaching its full potential."
Carbofuran has been banned in the United States since 2009. A single aspirin-sized tablet of carbofuran is toxic enough to kill 20,000 small birds and just a teaspoon can kill a 300-lb. black bear.
CDFW encourages cannabis operators to obtain state licenses and local authorization for commercial cultivation. Learn more at wildlife.ca.gov/cannabis.
CDFW would like to remind the public to report environmental crimes such as water pollution, illegal water diversions and poaching to the CalTIP hotline by calling 888-334-2258 or by texting "CALTIP" followed by a space and the desired message, to 847411 (tip411).
On March 11, Elizabeth Garcia, 33, was sentenced to three misdemeanor violations relating to the use of a banned pesticide at the grow, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Garcia was placed on three years probation, ordered to pay fines and fees of $22,700 and complete 240 hours of community service. In addition, she has prohibitions related to cannabis possession and cultivation.
The violations stem from a September 2018 investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the California State Water Resources Control Board, or SWRCB, for black market sales and environmental crimes. The illegal grow contained 850 plants and was not permitted by the county or licensed by the state.
"The conviction of this case was a result of a team effort with CDFW scientists and enforcement, SWRCB, U.C. Davis Veterinary Medicine and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation," said Lake County District Attorney Susan Krones. "The abundance of natural resources in our county should be respected and treated with care. This conviction demonstrates that noncompliance with state environmental laws will not be tolerated."
While serving a search warrant, wildlife officers observed the presence of a suspected illegal substance and a dead bird, identified as a hermit thrush, found within the cultivation site and another bird carcass nearby. Plant samples and the deceased bird were tested and both returned positive for carbofuran.
"Black market marijuana operations can be very harmful to the environment," said David Bess, deputy director and chief of the CDFW Law Enforcement Division. "Grows of this nature are a public safety threat and keep the legal cannabis market from reaching its full potential."
Carbofuran has been banned in the United States since 2009. A single aspirin-sized tablet of carbofuran is toxic enough to kill 20,000 small birds and just a teaspoon can kill a 300-lb. black bear.
CDFW encourages cannabis operators to obtain state licenses and local authorization for commercial cultivation. Learn more at wildlife.ca.gov/cannabis.
CDFW would like to remind the public to report environmental crimes such as water pollution, illegal water diversions and poaching to the CalTIP hotline by calling 888-334-2258 or by texting "CALTIP" followed by a space and the desired message, to 847411 (tip411).
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – The Mendocino National Forest is planning a hazard tree management project on approximately 7,000 acres adjacent to selected roads within the Ranch fire area.
The purpose of the project is to provide a safe transportation system to access key areas including private property, communication sites, facilities and developed recreation areas.
The project involves treating all hazard trees that compromise forest visitor and employee safety along priority roads.
Merchantable trees with 50 percent or greater probability of fire-induced mortality that pose a hazard will be removed within 200 feet on both sides of selected roads and within 100 feet on the roads that run adjacent to the Snow Mountain Wilderness.
Smaller non-merchantable hazard trees will be treated in a variety of ways such as chipping or hauling to biomass processing plants.
Hazard tree management along travel corridors is a forest-wide safety priority that needs to be completed before roads within the burned area can be safely reopened to the public.
The first project will be the Bartlett project on the Upper Lake Ranger District, involving approximately 500 acres around Bartlett Springs Road and arterial roads.
The Ranch fire area remains closed due to potential threats to life and safety.
“Post-fire threats include flooding, debris flows, hazard trees and loss of ingress and egress along roads, trails, recreation areas, and facilities,” said Forest Supervisor Ann Carlson. “Forest employees are doing everything possible to reasonably reduce risks to the public and reopen areas as soon as possible. We are also exploring opportunities for volunteers to help with cleanup and restoration.”
The areas proposed for hazard tree management will be analyzed under 36 CFR 220.6 (d) (4), to meet National Environmental Protection Act requirements.
This category provides for repair and maintenance of roads, trails and landline boundaries.
A larger version of the project map is available here.