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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the community’s assistance in locating a missing Lakeport woman.
Shirley Schield, 75, was last seen early Monday, the sheriff’s office said in a Nixle alert issued shortly before 10 p.m. Monday.
Her family said she may suffer from dementia.
At approximately 3:06 a.m. Monday, Schield left the Northport Trailer Park, located at 5020 Lakeshore Boulevard in Lakeport.
She was carrying a dog leash and headed on foot toward the Lakeport area on Lakeshore Boulevard.
Schield is a Caucasian woman, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and 130 pounds. She has blue eyes and short white hair and may respond to “Carol” or “Shirley.”
She was last seen wearing a light blue and pink sweater with light blue pants.
If anyone has seen Shirley Schield or anyone matching her description, please contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office nonemergency line at 707-263-2690.
Shirley Schield, 75, was last seen early Monday, the sheriff’s office said in a Nixle alert issued shortly before 10 p.m. Monday.
Her family said she may suffer from dementia.
At approximately 3:06 a.m. Monday, Schield left the Northport Trailer Park, located at 5020 Lakeshore Boulevard in Lakeport.
She was carrying a dog leash and headed on foot toward the Lakeport area on Lakeshore Boulevard.
Schield is a Caucasian woman, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and 130 pounds. She has blue eyes and short white hair and may respond to “Carol” or “Shirley.”
She was last seen wearing a light blue and pink sweater with light blue pants.
If anyone has seen Shirley Schield or anyone matching her description, please contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office nonemergency line at 707-263-2690.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A Sunday evening solo vehicle crash near Middletown led to the death of a child, as well as major injuries for two others and a small vegetation fire.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said the crash occurred at 5:28 p.m. Sunday on Highway 29 north of Hilderbrand Drive.
Authorities did not release the name of the 10-year-old girl who was fatally injured in the wreck.
The CHP said Manuel Santos Torres, 24, of Middletown was driving a 2007 BMW 550i northbound on Highway 29 with Jennifer Palalia-Zuniga, 26, and the 10-year-old girl, both of them also from Middletown, riding as his passengers.
For reasons that the CHP said are still under investigation, the BMW veered off the east side of the roadway and hit multiple trees.
Due to the force of the impact, the BMW caught fire and began a small vegetation fire, which the CHP said was extinguished quickly.
The CHP said emergency personnel removed the three occupants from the BMW.
The child died of her injuries at the scene, the CHP said.
Santos Torres and Palalia-Zuniga, both of whom were wearing their seat belts, sustained major injuries and were transported to Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital for treatment, the CHP said.
Radio reports indicated air ambulances couldn’t fly because of the weather on Sunday.
The CHP said neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected as factors in the wreck.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said the crash occurred at 5:28 p.m. Sunday on Highway 29 north of Hilderbrand Drive.
Authorities did not release the name of the 10-year-old girl who was fatally injured in the wreck.
The CHP said Manuel Santos Torres, 24, of Middletown was driving a 2007 BMW 550i northbound on Highway 29 with Jennifer Palalia-Zuniga, 26, and the 10-year-old girl, both of them also from Middletown, riding as his passengers.
For reasons that the CHP said are still under investigation, the BMW veered off the east side of the roadway and hit multiple trees.
Due to the force of the impact, the BMW caught fire and began a small vegetation fire, which the CHP said was extinguished quickly.
The CHP said emergency personnel removed the three occupants from the BMW.
The child died of her injuries at the scene, the CHP said.
Santos Torres and Palalia-Zuniga, both of whom were wearing their seat belts, sustained major injuries and were transported to Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital for treatment, the CHP said.
Radio reports indicated air ambulances couldn’t fly because of the weather on Sunday.
The CHP said neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected as factors in the wreck.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Over the course of the weekend, Lake County saw several inches of rainfall as an atmospheric river passed over Northern California.
AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said the rainfall came about a month ahead of average.
The region badly needs the water due to the ongoing drought. As well, California has been hard-hit by another wildfire season.
“Repeated storms delivering such copious rainfall will have a major effect on the wildfire season — effectively ending the wildfire season from Northern California northward,” Porter said.
The storms also are forecast to bring heavy snowfall to the Cascades and Sierras.
There was steady rainfall from Saturday night into Sunday afternoon before the precipitation started to ease.
The National Weather Service’s observation stations in Lake County reported that, for the 36-hour period ending 2 a.m. Monday, there were rainfall totals around the county ranging from 4.29 inches near Upper Lake, 4.43 inches in Kelseyville, to 5.41 inches in Lyons Valley, 6.09 inches in Lower Lake, 6.75 inches near Lake Pillsbury, 7.69 inches at Bartlett Springs, 8.73 inches at Hidden Valley Lake, 9.23 inches in Middletown and 9.52 inches in Whispering Pines.
While Porter said the parade of storms that has brought the heavy rainfall to Lake County and Northern California “will have a positive impact on the water table,” he added, it “won’t be enough to solve all of the water problems which have been compounding for many years.”
Along with the heavy rainfall came numerous reports from Saturday night through Sunday of downed trees, downed lines, boulders in roadways and mudslides.
A mudslide on Sunday afternoon closed Highway 20 in both directions at Highway 16, with another slide later reported near Island Drive in Clearlake Oaks.
The National Weather Service said lighter rainfall would continue in Lake County into Monday and Tuesday, with nearly another inch of rainfall possible in that time
The unsettled weather is the tail end of a strong upper low pressure system winding down into British Columbia through Monday, the National Weather Service reported.
Conditions are expected to clear beginning on Wednesday and continuing until later in the week, according to the forecast.
Temperatures will increase toward the end of the week from the mid 50s to the high 70s in some parts of Lake County, the forecast said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A new state jobless report shows that in September Lake County experienced its lowest unemployment rate since the pandemic began, while California’s overall rate remained unchanged.
The Employment Development Department on Friday released labor force data for September.
The report showed that Lake County’s unemployment was 6.2% in September, down from 7% in August. Lake County’s September 2020 jobless rate was 8.9%.
The lowest previous rate since last year’s pandemic onset for Lake County was 6.9% in May.
Additionally, this is Lake County’s lowest jobless rate since February 2020, according to state data.
A total of 570 unemployment claims were filed in Lake County in September, according to a state dashboard, compared to 837 in August. In September 2020, the state said 2,795 unemployment claims were filed in Lake County.
In September, California’s rate was 7.5%, unchanged from August. In September 2020, the state’s jobless rate was 10.6%.
The number of Californians employed in September was 17,594,600, an increase of 43,300 persons from August’s total of 17,551,300, and up 1,159,100 from the employment total in September of last year.
The state’s unemployed totaled 1,418,800, a decrease of 12,700 over the month and down 531,300 in comparison to September of last year.
The picture appeared better nationwide last month, when unemployment was 4.8%, down from 5.2% in August and 7.8% in September 2020, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
In Lake County, job sectors showing growth last month were wholesale trade, 11.1%, and government, 2.3%.
Sectors that were down included total farm, which showed a decline of 28.1%; mining, logging and construction, down 2.1%; leisure and hospitality slipped by 1.6%; and educational and health services declined by 1.4%.
Lake County’s jobless rate in September ranked it No. 39 out of California’s 58 counties.
Neighboring county jobless rates and ranks were: Colusa, 8.4%, No. 55; Glenn, 5.7%, No. 29; Mendocino, 5.1%, No. 20; Napa, 4.6%, No. 8; Sonoma, 4.5%, No. 7; and Yolo, 4.7%, No. 12.
The lowest unemployment rate in the state in September was 3.6% in Marin. Imperial County had the highest, with 18.1%.
The statewide picture
California’s employers added 47,400 non-farm payroll jobs, which account for 24.4% of the nation’s 194,000 overall jobs gain in September 2021.
So far, California has now regained 1,723,800, or 63.5%, of the 2,714,800 jobs that were lost in March and April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state’s payroll jobs totaled 16,669,900 in September 2021, up from 16,622,500 in August 2021 and 15,874,100 in September 2020.
Nine of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in September. Leisure and hospitality added 23,300 jobs last month thanks to strength in performing arts and spectator sports, with professional and business services posting a notable gain of 6,900 jobs thanks to increases in computer systems design and architectural and engineering services.
Job gains also were reported in manufacturing, 5,700; information, 5,000; government, 3,100; education and health services, 2,600; trade, transportation and utilities, 1,900; construction, 1,400; and financial activities, 1,300.
The “other services” sector registered the largest month-over employment decline with more than half of its 3,700 job losses coming in religious, grants, civic, and professional and like organizations. The other industry to report a job decrease was mining and logging, which reported 100 lost jobs.
The state said the number of jobs in the agriculture industry increased by 700 from August 2021 to 420,400 jobs in September. The agricultural industry has 16,900 more farm jobs in September 2021 than it did the September prior.
In related data that figures into the state’s unemployment rate, the Employment Development Department said there were 493,987 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the September 2021 sample week. That’s compared to 638,976 people in August and 2,801,538 people in September 2020.
Concurrently, 78,878 initial claims were processed in the September 2021 sample week, which was a month-over increase of 15,325 claims from August, but a year-over decrease of 147,394 claims from September 2020, the Employment Development Department said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors is set to consider a final agreement for a land swap to facilitate a new sheriff’s headquarters and affordable housing development, and will also take up the appeal of a permit for a commercial cannabis operation in Upper Lake.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, 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 963 1160 6935, pass code 252799. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,96311606935#,,,,*252799#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
To submit a written comment on any agenda item visit https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and click on the eComment feature linked to the meeting date. If a comment is submitted after the meeting begins, it may not be read during the meeting but will become a part of the record.
At 9:06 a.m., the board will present a proclamation designating the month of October 2021 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
At 9:30 a.m., the board will consider the exchange agreement for the Lakeport Armory at 1431 Hoyt Ave. and a county-owned property at 15837 18th Ave., Clearlake.
“This land exchange would provide an opportunity to build at least 50% of the housing units as deed restricted affordable units located within the City of Clearlake and would allow the relocation of the Sheriff’s Office to the Lakeport Armory to help address their space needs,” County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson wrote in a memo to the board.
At 10:45 a.m., the board will hold a public hearing to consider an appeal of the Lake County Planning Commission’s approval of a major use permit and adoption of an initial study for a commercial cannabis project on 46 acres at 10717 and 10680 Schuette Road in Upper Lake, owned by Blue Lakes Organics.
The appeal was submitted on behalf of Ray Hoffman, owner of Le Trianon Resort. Part of the basis for the appeal is that Hoffman alleges that the land use compatibility with the resort was not studied. Concerns about drainage and runoff to nearby properties and into Blue Lake, odor and the site plan are among other issues raised in the appeal.
In other business on Tuesday, with Agriculture Commissioner Steve Hajik planning to retire effective Feb. 11, 2022, in an untimed item the board will consider giving staff direction regarding the recruitment process for Hajik’s successor.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve Amendment No. 2 to Agreement for recruitment services for Lake County Public Health officer.
5.2: Adopt resolution reappointing Anita L. Grant as county counsel for the county of Lake.
5.3: Adopt resolution authorizing the agreement in the amount of $757,550.00 between the county of Lake and the California Mental Health Services Authority for the period of agreement execution through Dec. 31, 2024, and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
5.4: Adopt proclamation designating the month of October 2021 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
5.5: Approve continuation of resolution authorizing teleconferenced meetings during a state of emergency continue to exist.
5.6: Approve the Lake County District Attorney's Office — Victim Witness Division's Policy for direct financial victim assistance.
5.7: Adopt resolution approving county of Lake Health Services Department to submit a renewal application and certification statement for the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Grant with the State of California, Department of Public Health for Fiscal Year 2021 through 2022, in the amount of $270,601.06 and authorizing the board chair to sign said certification and interim Health Services director to sign application.
5.8: Approve amendment five to the agreement between the county of Lake and the Kelseyville Motel for COVID-19 emergency isolation housing and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.9: Adopt resolution approving the certification statement for the State Department of Health Care Services, CMS Branch’s California Children’s Services Administration Plan Renewal Grant for FY 2021-2022 and authorize the board chair to sign said certification statement.
5.10: (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 first amendment to the agreement between the county of Lake and Management Connections for temporary staffing support services completed during fiscal year 2021-22 for a sum not to exceed $60,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the amendment.
5.11: Authorize the IT director to issue a purchase order to Dell Technologies for Microsoft Windows server licenses in the amount of $29,930.
5.12: (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 the goods or services, and (b) approve the master agreement between the county of Lake and NCE for consulting services related to pavement preservation and rehabilitation of county roads, and (c) approve supplemental services agreement number one and authorize the chair to sign the agreements.
5.13: Adopt resolutions rescinding prior rejections and accepting certain roadways for public use for the purpose of providing increased water flow and necessary fire hydrants for fire protection to the communities of Forest Oaks and Bonanza Springs Subdivision No. 1.
5.14: a) Approve the FY 2021 Emergency Management Performance Grant application in the amount of $137,931 and b) approve the FY 2021 Emergency Management Performance Grant – American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in the amount of $60,483 and c) authorize Sheriff Brian Martin to sign the grant subaward face sheet, the authorized agent document and the subrecipient grants management assessment form; d) authorize County Administrative Officer Carol J. Huchingson to act as the authorized agent on behalf of the county to sign the standard assurances and initial each page, the lobbying certification and the FFATA financial disclosure document and e) authorize the chairperson of the board of supervisors to sign the certification of the governing body resolution.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:06 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of October 2021 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
6.3, 9:15 a.m.: Presentation of an annual report on the activities of Lake County Resource Conservation District.
6.4, 9:30 a.m.: Consideration of the Clearlake-Lakeport Armory Exchange Agreement to exchange the properties located at 1431 Hoyt Ave., Lakeport, CA (APN 003-046-750-000) and 15837 18th Ave., Clearlake, CA (APN 010-043-010) .
6.5, 10:45 a.m.: Public hearing, discussion and consideration of appeal (AB 21-03) of the Planning Commission approval of major use permit (UP 20-45) and adoption of initial study (IS 20-56) for a commercial cannabis cultivation license on a property located at 10717 and 10680 Schuette Rd., Upper Lake; APN's 003-002-11 (cultivation site) and 003-001-21 (clustering property).
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Direction to staff regarding recruitment for new agriculture commissioner upon the retirement of Steve Hajik effective Feb. 11, 2022.
7.3: Consideration of (a) waiving 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) approval of the agreement between the county of Lake and North American Mental Health Services for telehealth psychiatry services for fiscal year 2021-22 for a contract maximum of $975,000.00 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
ASSESSMENT APPEALS
8.1: Approve withdrawal on the following Assessment Appeal Applications: No. 24-2019 Charles Bellig Trs., 01-2020 Rodney Miller, and 25-2020 Lakeshore Drive II.
8.2: Continue the following Assessment Appeal Applications: No. 21-2020 Renfro Family and 23-2020 Brad Revelli.
8.3: Approve stipulation on the following Assessment Appeal Applications: a) No. 24-2020 Charles E. Bellig; and b) No. 26-2020 Deborah Ann Bakhtiari.
8.4: Deny the following assessment appeal applications on timeliness, as no request for hearing received: 02-2020 Beatrice Bell and 11-2020 through 20-202 H&S Energy.
CLOSED SESSION
9.1: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(1): Center for Biological Diversity et al. v. County of Lake, et al.
9.2: Public employee evaluation: Director of Public Works, Water Resources and Community Development (until 06/13/21) Scott De Leon.
9.3: Public employee evaluation: County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson.
9.4: Public Employee Evaluation: Interim Health Services Director Carol Huchingson.
9.5: Conference with negotiators regarding property tax exchange for the annexation of the South Main Area (136.78 acres south of the current Lakeport City limits); price and terms of payment: (a) County negotiators: Supervisor Scott, Supervisor Simon and C. Huchingson and (b) city of Lakeport.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, 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 963 1160 6935, pass code 252799. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,96311606935#,,,,*252799#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
To submit a written comment on any agenda item visit https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and click on the eComment feature linked to the meeting date. If a comment is submitted after the meeting begins, it may not be read during the meeting but will become a part of the record.
At 9:06 a.m., the board will present a proclamation designating the month of October 2021 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
At 9:30 a.m., the board will consider the exchange agreement for the Lakeport Armory at 1431 Hoyt Ave. and a county-owned property at 15837 18th Ave., Clearlake.
“This land exchange would provide an opportunity to build at least 50% of the housing units as deed restricted affordable units located within the City of Clearlake and would allow the relocation of the Sheriff’s Office to the Lakeport Armory to help address their space needs,” County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson wrote in a memo to the board.
At 10:45 a.m., the board will hold a public hearing to consider an appeal of the Lake County Planning Commission’s approval of a major use permit and adoption of an initial study for a commercial cannabis project on 46 acres at 10717 and 10680 Schuette Road in Upper Lake, owned by Blue Lakes Organics.
The appeal was submitted on behalf of Ray Hoffman, owner of Le Trianon Resort. Part of the basis for the appeal is that Hoffman alleges that the land use compatibility with the resort was not studied. Concerns about drainage and runoff to nearby properties and into Blue Lake, odor and the site plan are among other issues raised in the appeal.
In other business on Tuesday, with Agriculture Commissioner Steve Hajik planning to retire effective Feb. 11, 2022, in an untimed item the board will consider giving staff direction regarding the recruitment process for Hajik’s successor.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve Amendment No. 2 to Agreement for recruitment services for Lake County Public Health officer.
5.2: Adopt resolution reappointing Anita L. Grant as county counsel for the county of Lake.
5.3: Adopt resolution authorizing the agreement in the amount of $757,550.00 between the county of Lake and the California Mental Health Services Authority for the period of agreement execution through Dec. 31, 2024, and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
5.4: Adopt proclamation designating the month of October 2021 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
5.5: Approve continuation of resolution authorizing teleconferenced meetings during a state of emergency continue to exist.
5.6: Approve the Lake County District Attorney's Office — Victim Witness Division's Policy for direct financial victim assistance.
5.7: Adopt resolution approving county of Lake Health Services Department to submit a renewal application and certification statement for the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Grant with the State of California, Department of Public Health for Fiscal Year 2021 through 2022, in the amount of $270,601.06 and authorizing the board chair to sign said certification and interim Health Services director to sign application.
5.8: Approve amendment five to the agreement between the county of Lake and the Kelseyville Motel for COVID-19 emergency isolation housing and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.9: Adopt resolution approving the certification statement for the State Department of Health Care Services, CMS Branch’s California Children’s Services Administration Plan Renewal Grant for FY 2021-2022 and authorize the board chair to sign said certification statement.
5.10: (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 first amendment to the agreement between the county of Lake and Management Connections for temporary staffing support services completed during fiscal year 2021-22 for a sum not to exceed $60,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the amendment.
5.11: Authorize the IT director to issue a purchase order to Dell Technologies for Microsoft Windows server licenses in the amount of $29,930.
5.12: (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 the goods or services, and (b) approve the master agreement between the county of Lake and NCE for consulting services related to pavement preservation and rehabilitation of county roads, and (c) approve supplemental services agreement number one and authorize the chair to sign the agreements.
5.13: Adopt resolutions rescinding prior rejections and accepting certain roadways for public use for the purpose of providing increased water flow and necessary fire hydrants for fire protection to the communities of Forest Oaks and Bonanza Springs Subdivision No. 1.
5.14: a) Approve the FY 2021 Emergency Management Performance Grant application in the amount of $137,931 and b) approve the FY 2021 Emergency Management Performance Grant – American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in the amount of $60,483 and c) authorize Sheriff Brian Martin to sign the grant subaward face sheet, the authorized agent document and the subrecipient grants management assessment form; d) authorize County Administrative Officer Carol J. Huchingson to act as the authorized agent on behalf of the county to sign the standard assurances and initial each page, the lobbying certification and the FFATA financial disclosure document and e) authorize the chairperson of the board of supervisors to sign the certification of the governing body resolution.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:06 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of October 2021 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
6.3, 9:15 a.m.: Presentation of an annual report on the activities of Lake County Resource Conservation District.
6.4, 9:30 a.m.: Consideration of the Clearlake-Lakeport Armory Exchange Agreement to exchange the properties located at 1431 Hoyt Ave., Lakeport, CA (APN 003-046-750-000) and 15837 18th Ave., Clearlake, CA (APN 010-043-010) .
6.5, 10:45 a.m.: Public hearing, discussion and consideration of appeal (AB 21-03) of the Planning Commission approval of major use permit (UP 20-45) and adoption of initial study (IS 20-56) for a commercial cannabis cultivation license on a property located at 10717 and 10680 Schuette Rd., Upper Lake; APN's 003-002-11 (cultivation site) and 003-001-21 (clustering property).
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Direction to staff regarding recruitment for new agriculture commissioner upon the retirement of Steve Hajik effective Feb. 11, 2022.
7.3: Consideration of (a) waiving 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) approval of the agreement between the county of Lake and North American Mental Health Services for telehealth psychiatry services for fiscal year 2021-22 for a contract maximum of $975,000.00 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
ASSESSMENT APPEALS
8.1: Approve withdrawal on the following Assessment Appeal Applications: No. 24-2019 Charles Bellig Trs., 01-2020 Rodney Miller, and 25-2020 Lakeshore Drive II.
8.2: Continue the following Assessment Appeal Applications: No. 21-2020 Renfro Family and 23-2020 Brad Revelli.
8.3: Approve stipulation on the following Assessment Appeal Applications: a) No. 24-2020 Charles E. Bellig; and b) No. 26-2020 Deborah Ann Bakhtiari.
8.4: Deny the following assessment appeal applications on timeliness, as no request for hearing received: 02-2020 Beatrice Bell and 11-2020 through 20-202 H&S Energy.
CLOSED SESSION
9.1: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(1): Center for Biological Diversity et al. v. County of Lake, et al.
9.2: Public employee evaluation: Director of Public Works, Water Resources and Community Development (until 06/13/21) Scott De Leon.
9.3: Public employee evaluation: County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson.
9.4: Public Employee Evaluation: Interim Health Services Director Carol Huchingson.
9.5: Conference with negotiators regarding property tax exchange for the annexation of the South Main Area (136.78 acres south of the current Lakeport City limits); price and terms of payment: (a) County negotiators: Supervisor Scott, Supervisor Simon and C. Huchingson and (b) city of Lakeport.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Elementary and secondary school revenues and spending increased in most areas in fiscal year 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of School System Finances.
All but two of 36 reporting areas, spanning 35 states and the District of Columbia, had increased revenues for public school systems, according to preliminary fiscal year, or FY, 2020 finance data on elementary and secondary schools.
All but five states reported an increase in total expenditure in FY 2020.
Because of the pandemic, the two areas that had 1-year declines (student transportation and food services) had slower growth in 10-year spending than other categories.
Increased spending in instruction and teacher salaries offset notable decreases in spending on student transportation and food services in a school fiscal year that included a global pandemic.
In 2020, as a result of COVID-19, school closures affected at least 55.1 million students in 124,000 U.S. public and private schools.
The survey also offers a window into 10-year trends, which shows steady increases in revenue and expenditures across public school systems.
Because of the pandemic, the two areas that had 1-year declines (student transportation and food services) had slower growth in 10-year spending than other categories.
Some revenue and spending categories decrease
Preliminary Annual Survey of School System Finances provides users with an early look at FY 2020 school system finance data compared to the prior year. State education agencies submit a majority of the data, which they collect from school systems in their respective states.
The U.S. Census Bureau is releasing data tables and the accompanying visualization early in an effort to provide the public with timely information about how these data may have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reporting areas’ total revenue increased to $584.9 billion in FY 2020, up 2.2% from $572.5 billion in FY 2019, according to survey data.
Total expenditure by these reporting areas grew to $586.4 billion in FY 2020, an increase of 2.5% from $571.8 billion in FY 2019.
The survey also provides spending breakdowns across categories: instruction, administration, instructional staff support, pupil support and other support services for students and staff.
Current spending consists of expenses for day-to-day activities of school systems, including teachers’ salaries and benefits and most other school system daily expenses.
It is the largest category of total expenditures, accounting for 87.3% of total expenditures in FY 2020 with $512.0 billion reported by school systems — up 1.5% from $504.2 billion in FY 2019.
Despite the increase in overall current spending, two significant categories of current spending decreased from FY 2019: student transportation and food services.
Total student transportation expenditure for reporting areas decreased 5.7% to $20.1 billion in FY 2020 from $21.3 billion in FY 2019.
Only five out of 36 reporting areas — Delaware, the District of Columbia, Minnesota, Washington, Wyoming — reported increases in student transportation.
Food services expenditures decreased overall for reporting areas, from $23.7 billion in FY 2019 to $15.9 billion in FY 2020, a 32.9% decrease.
Only eight out of 35 reporting states — Alaska, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wyoming — reported an increase in food services expenditure in FY 2020.
Federal revenue for public school systems also decreased slightly from the prior year. Overall revenue from federal sources was $40.8 billion in FY 2020, a 1.0% decrease from $41.2 billion in FY 2019.
How COVID-19 affected school finances over whole decade
The graphic below shows trends in public elementary and secondary school finance statistics over the last 10 years for the areas that reported on the preliminary FY 2020 Annual Survey of School System Finances.
While most categories of revenue and expenditure have increased steadily over the past decade, there is one notable exception — a decline in federal funding for schools. Some categories, such as transportation and food services, continued to grow over the previous 10 years but were disrupted, at least temporarily, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Revenue from both state and local sources have increased each of the past 10 years, while revenue from federal sources has decreased overall from FY 2011, a year during which additional funding was provided by the federal government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Despite additional assistance for public elementary and secondary school systems from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, total federal revenue was only $40.8 billion in FY 2020, a decrease of 1.5% from $41.2 billion in FY 2019.
However, the full implications of the CARES Act on federal revenue for public school systems is not expected to be felt until the next full fiscal year.
Final data release expected in May 2022
These data are preliminary and are subject to change by the final release of FY 2020 Annual Survey of School System Finances data tables and files.
The full release of public elementary and secondary school system finance data from the FY 2020 Annual Survey of School System Finances is expected in May 2022 and will include finance data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Due to the early release of the data, only a subset of geographic areas is included in the data tables and visualization.
State education agencies that submit the majority of the data for the survey had a soft due date of August 13, 2021 to submit data files, but also have the option of submitting later in the calendar year in order to verify the quality of their school systems’ financial data.
Stephen Wheeler is a supervisory survey statistician in the Census Bureau’s Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division.
All but two of 36 reporting areas, spanning 35 states and the District of Columbia, had increased revenues for public school systems, according to preliminary fiscal year, or FY, 2020 finance data on elementary and secondary schools.
All but five states reported an increase in total expenditure in FY 2020.
Because of the pandemic, the two areas that had 1-year declines (student transportation and food services) had slower growth in 10-year spending than other categories.
Increased spending in instruction and teacher salaries offset notable decreases in spending on student transportation and food services in a school fiscal year that included a global pandemic.
In 2020, as a result of COVID-19, school closures affected at least 55.1 million students in 124,000 U.S. public and private schools.
The survey also offers a window into 10-year trends, which shows steady increases in revenue and expenditures across public school systems.
Because of the pandemic, the two areas that had 1-year declines (student transportation and food services) had slower growth in 10-year spending than other categories.
Some revenue and spending categories decrease
Preliminary Annual Survey of School System Finances provides users with an early look at FY 2020 school system finance data compared to the prior year. State education agencies submit a majority of the data, which they collect from school systems in their respective states.
The U.S. Census Bureau is releasing data tables and the accompanying visualization early in an effort to provide the public with timely information about how these data may have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reporting areas’ total revenue increased to $584.9 billion in FY 2020, up 2.2% from $572.5 billion in FY 2019, according to survey data.
Total expenditure by these reporting areas grew to $586.4 billion in FY 2020, an increase of 2.5% from $571.8 billion in FY 2019.
The survey also provides spending breakdowns across categories: instruction, administration, instructional staff support, pupil support and other support services for students and staff.
Current spending consists of expenses for day-to-day activities of school systems, including teachers’ salaries and benefits and most other school system daily expenses.
It is the largest category of total expenditures, accounting for 87.3% of total expenditures in FY 2020 with $512.0 billion reported by school systems — up 1.5% from $504.2 billion in FY 2019.
Despite the increase in overall current spending, two significant categories of current spending decreased from FY 2019: student transportation and food services.
Total student transportation expenditure for reporting areas decreased 5.7% to $20.1 billion in FY 2020 from $21.3 billion in FY 2019.
Only five out of 36 reporting areas — Delaware, the District of Columbia, Minnesota, Washington, Wyoming — reported increases in student transportation.
Food services expenditures decreased overall for reporting areas, from $23.7 billion in FY 2019 to $15.9 billion in FY 2020, a 32.9% decrease.
Only eight out of 35 reporting states — Alaska, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wyoming — reported an increase in food services expenditure in FY 2020.
Federal revenue for public school systems also decreased slightly from the prior year. Overall revenue from federal sources was $40.8 billion in FY 2020, a 1.0% decrease from $41.2 billion in FY 2019.
How COVID-19 affected school finances over whole decade
The graphic below shows trends in public elementary and secondary school finance statistics over the last 10 years for the areas that reported on the preliminary FY 2020 Annual Survey of School System Finances.
While most categories of revenue and expenditure have increased steadily over the past decade, there is one notable exception — a decline in federal funding for schools. Some categories, such as transportation and food services, continued to grow over the previous 10 years but were disrupted, at least temporarily, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Revenue from both state and local sources have increased each of the past 10 years, while revenue from federal sources has decreased overall from FY 2011, a year during which additional funding was provided by the federal government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Despite additional assistance for public elementary and secondary school systems from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, total federal revenue was only $40.8 billion in FY 2020, a decrease of 1.5% from $41.2 billion in FY 2019.
However, the full implications of the CARES Act on federal revenue for public school systems is not expected to be felt until the next full fiscal year.
Final data release expected in May 2022
These data are preliminary and are subject to change by the final release of FY 2020 Annual Survey of School System Finances data tables and files.
The full release of public elementary and secondary school system finance data from the FY 2020 Annual Survey of School System Finances is expected in May 2022 and will include finance data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Due to the early release of the data, only a subset of geographic areas is included in the data tables and visualization.
State education agencies that submit the majority of the data for the survey had a soft due date of August 13, 2021 to submit data files, but also have the option of submitting later in the calendar year in order to verify the quality of their school systems’ financial data.
Stephen Wheeler is a supervisory survey statistician in the Census Bureau’s Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division.