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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors will discuss an appeal of a bioenergy project, discuss preparations for the general election and hold a second hearing of an ordinance to enforce the county’s COVID-19 Public Health orders this week.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18.

The supervisors will meet in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, for a hybrid meeting format which also will include the opportunity for community members to continue to participate virtually.

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 at 9 a.m. The meeting ID is 930 6842 2167, password 196920.

To submit a written comment on any agenda item please 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 9:01 a.m., Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace will give the board his COVID-19 update.

At 10:30 a.m., the board will hear an appeal of the Lake County Planning Commission’s decision to approve a major use permit and initial study for a small-scale bioenergy production facility at 7130 Red Hills Road, Kelseyville.

At 11:45 a.m., the board will get a report from Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez on the status of preparations for the Nov. 3 election, and consider a request for the use of the board chambers for election purposes on Election Day.

Also on Tuesday, the board is expected to hold a second and final reading of an ordinance to enforce COVID-19 Public Health orders through education and training and the imposition of administrative fines. The board approved the ordinance’s first reading in a 3-2 vote – with Rob Brown and Bruno Sabatier voting no – at last week’s meeting.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Adopt resolution approving amended Agreement No. 18-0288 with the state of California Department of Food and Agricultural For reimbursement of commercial cannabis cultivation compliance inspections for fiscals years February 2019 through June 2021 in the amount of $7,000.

5.2: Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 20-0270-009-SF with the California Department of Food and Agriculture to authorize the execution of the Light Brown Apple Moth Detection Trapping Program from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, in the amount of $2,714.

5.3: Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 20-0286-000-SG with California Department of Food and Agriculture for compliance with the Bee Safe Program in the Amount of $4,178.56 for the period July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021.

5.4: Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 20-0067-000-SA with the state of California, Department of Food and Agriculture and authorize the execution of the Fuels, Lubricants, and Automotive Products Program agreement for the period of July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, in the amount of $2,475.

5.5: Approve resolution of the Board of Directors, South Lake Fire Protection District, calling for a special election for the purpose of establishing a new appropriations limit.

5.6: Approve abandoned vehicle towing and disposal contracts for the following service vendors, (a) Jones Towing for an annual amount of $30,000 not to exceed $30,000 over a one year period, (b) Kelseyville Auto Salvage and Towing for an annual amount of $10,000 not to exceed $10,000 over a one year period and for a term from Aug. 19, 2020, to June 30, 2021, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.7: Approve Wildfire Smoke Protection Policy.

5.8: Adopt resolution approving an agreement between the state of California Department of Healthcare Services and County of Lake Health Services Department for the Medi-Cal County Inmate Program for Administrative Services and authorize the Health Services director to sign said agreement.

5.9: Adopt resolution rescinding prior rejection and accepting certain roadways for public use for the purpose of providing drinking water to the community of Alpine Meadows Subdivision, Cobb.

5.10: Approve award of bid for the Bartlett Springs Road at Cache Creek Bridge Rehabilitation Project, Bid No. 20-09, Federal Aid project No. BRLO-5914(092) to Techno Coatings Inc of Anaheim, California, in the amount of $685,000 and authorize the chair to sign.

5.11: Adopt resolution approving the addition of a .75 FTE position allocation for Budget Unit 8695, Special Districts.

5.12: Authorize the Lake County Watershed Protection District to sign and enter into an agreement with the Local Government Commission for independent contractor services through the AmeriCorps CivicSpark Fellowship in the amount of $52,000 for two CivicSpark Fellows to develop and implement a Clear Lake Shoreline Assessment and Inventory.

TIMED ITEMS

6.1, 9:01 a.m.: Public input.

6.2, 9:02 a.m.: Consideration of update on COVID-19.

6.3, 10 a.m.: Presentation of an annual report on the activities of Lake County Resource Conservation District.

6.4, 10:30 a.m.: Appeal to Board of Supervisors, AB 20-01 of Major Use Permit (UP 19-05) and Initial Study (IS 19-09) (APN 009-021-07).

6.5, 11:30 a.m.: Consideration of letter to Senator McGuire and Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry regarding the vape tax proposal presently under consideration.

6.6, 11:45 a.m.: (a) Report on the status of preparations for the Nov. 3, 2020, election, and (b) request for the use of the board chambers for elections purposes on Nov. 3, 2020 .

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Second reading, adopt ordinance of the county of Lake to provide for graduated levels of enforcement of public health orders through education and training and the imposition of administrative fines.

7.3: Consideration of the following appointment: Mental Health Board.

7.4: Consideration of request to waive competitive bidding requirements and authorization to issue a purchase order for the purchase of an Elgin street sweeper for county road maintenance to Sourcewell, in the amount of $276,715.30 and authorize the Chair to sign.

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 is set to consider approval of a site plan for the new Lakefront Park and discuss grants when it meets this week.

The meeting will take place via webinar beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18

The agenda can be found here.

To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here or join by phone by calling toll-free 877-309-2074 or 213-929-4221. The access code is 348-108-827; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.

Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . To give the City Clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments prior to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18.

Indicate in the email subject line "for public comment" and list the item number of the agenda item that is the topic of the comment. Comments that read to the council will be subject to the three minute time limitation (approximately 350 words). Written comments that are only to be provided to the council and not read at the meeting will be distributed to the council prior to the meeting.

During public presentations, the council will meet new Lakeport Police Department trainee officers Aaron Hodges and Juan Altamirano.

Under council business, City Manager Kevin Ingram will present to the council the prepared site plan and amenity features designs for the proposed Lakefront Park, located at at 800 and 810 North Main St., and seek direction for staff to proceed in the development of engineered construction level design plans for the project.

In June, the city council authorized the city manager to contract with SSA Landscape Architects to aid the city in the planning, design, engineering and project management of the proposed Lakefront Park project, Ingram said in his written report for the meeting.

“Over the past several weeks the City and SSA have worked closely together to refine the proposed concept plan and develop a site plan with defined spaces and specific details regarding actual elements of the design, including space requirements, adjacencies, circulation, support spaces, access and egress, and landscape features,” Ingram said.

Following the approval of the site plan, Ingram said SSA will begin to develop engineered project plans to be utilized for the construction of the project. “Substantial changes to the project
design in the future will not be possible without significant costs and time delays to the overall project. It is anticipated that the environmental review for this project will be completed in the next couple of weeks and be presented to the Planning Commission for review and approval in September or October, Ingram said.

He also reported that engineered construction level plans are expected to be completed and the project put out to bid for construction by the end of the year.

The city’s Parks and Recreation Committee met last week to look at the plans, and Ingram explained that the project – funded by a $5.9 million state grant – has an ambitious timeline, with a requirement that it be completed and open to the public by June 2020.

In other business, Finance Director Nick Walker will ask for the council’s approval of a resolution authorizing the city manager to sign the statement of assurances and submit an application for State Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funds for improvements at the Silveira Community Center.

If awarded, the city would enter into a contract with Bridges Construction and authorize the purchase of kitchen equipment from Sysco and to enter into a facilities use agreement for use of the kitchen at the center.

Also on Tuesday, the council will consider accepting the $20,000 donation from Lake County Public Educational and Governmental TV and approve a budget adjustment in the amount of $24,925 for the purchase and installation of upgraded audio/visual equipment in the council chambers.

On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; minutes of the special council meeting on July 31 and the regular council meeting on Aug. 4; 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; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the October 2019 public safety power shutoff; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the COVID-19 public health emergency; adopt the proposed resolution updating the Cal OES designation of applicant’s agent for non-state agencies by designating the city manager, director of finance, and director of public works as city agents utilizing Cal OES Form 130; approval of a resolution rescinding Resolution 2763 (2020) and revising the master pay
schedule in conformance with California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Section 570.5.

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.

MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Lightning sparked multiple new fires on the Mendocino National Forest after early morning thunderstorms moved across the area Sunday.

Fire managers have identified and staffed six fires. Additional resources have been ordered to assist.

The largest fire is the Doe fire located near Valley View Orchard approximately 35 miles northwest of Willows. in Glenn County.

Forest officials reported on Sunday evening that the Doe fire was estimated at 100 acres with an engine, two air tankers, one helicopter and an air attack assigned.

The other fires are scattered around the Grindstone Ranger District and range in size from half an acre to 15 acres, except for the Bean fire on the Covelo Ranger District which is estimated at five acres, officials said.

The forest’s primary wildfire response strategy for 2020 is aggressive initial attack and rapid containment to minimize the number of large wildfires.

The California Independent System Operator on Sunday issued a statewide Flex Alert, a call for voluntary electricity conservation, extending through Wednesday.

The Flex Alerts are in effect from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. each day.

A persistent, record-breaking heatwave in California and the western states is causing a strain on supplies, and consumers should be prepared for likely rolling outages during the late afternoons and early evenings through Wednesday.

There is not a sufficient amount of energy to meet the high amounts of demand during the heatwave, California ISO reported.

However, officials said consumers can actively help by shifting energy use to morning and nighttime hours and conserving as much energy as possible during the late afternoon and evening hours.

Consumer conservation can help lower demand and avoid further actions including outages, and lessen the duration of an outage.

Consumers are urged to lower energy use during the most critical time of the day, 3 to 10 p.m., when temperatures remain high and solar production is falling due to the sun setting.

Extended periods of heat also can cause generator equipment failures that can lead to more serious unplanned losses of power.

The ISO recognizes that reducing energy use during the hot time of the day is a hardship, especially for those working from home or with children schooling at home.

However, if a large number of consumers do their part in small ways, conservation can make a difference.

Between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m., the ISO is urging consumers to:

– Set air conditioning thermostats to 78 degrees, if health permits.
– Defer use of major appliances.
– Turn off unnecessary lights.
– Unplug unused electrical devices.
– Close blinds and drapes.
– Use fans when possible.
– Limit time the refrigerator door is open.

Consumers can also take steps to prepare for the Flex Alert by doing the following before 3 p.m.:

– “Pre-cool” their homes, or lower air conditioning thermostats to 72 degrees.
– Charge electric vehicles.
– Charge mobile devices and laptops.
– Run dishwashers, washing machines and other major appliances.
– Set pool pumps to run in the early morning or late at night.

For information on Flex Alerts, and to get more electricity conservation tips, visit the ISO’s Flex Alert website.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Fire crews on the Mendocino National Forest are responding to several fires started by lightning after thunderstorms passed over the area early Sunday, with another fire in Glenn County also prompting evacuations.

Forest officials said a few fires are reported on the Grindstone Ranger District including one in the Snow Mountain Wilderness.

One fire has been reported on the Covelo Ranger District northeast of Covelo near Leech Lake.

Additional resources have been ordered to assist with the initial attack.

Forest officials said their primary wildfire response strategy for 2020 is aggressive initial attack and rapid containment to minimize the number of large wildfires.

In other fire news around the region, on Sunday morning officials ordered an evacuation at around 9 a.m. for the community of Fruto west of Willows in the area of Highway 162 and County Road 303 due to another lightning-caused fire.

That incident, the Elk fire, was reported to be 700 acres and 5-percent contained at around noon on Sunday.

The Glenn County Sheriff’s Office reported just before 1:30 p.m. that forward progress on the fire had been stopped, with evacuation orders lifted.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Dozens of Lake County teachers are able to purchase needed student art supplies, thanks to the Teacher Art Supply Grants offered by the Lake County Rural Arts Initiative.

Forty grants have been awarded thus far and more will be given throughout the month of August.

During this time of distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students aren’t able to share classroom art supplies as usual and many families are unable to purchase them for the home.

Enter the Lake County Rural Arts Initiative, or LCRAI, which is offering $100 grants to Lake County teachers, enabling them to purchase basic art supplies for students such as crayons, construction paper, paint, and glue.

Art-related equipment purchases for the classroom and specialized project-based supplies are also funded by the grant.

This is the first time the Teachers Art Supply Grant has been offered by LCRAI. They hope to also offer grants in future years.

The grants are especially timely now that distance learning is in place in most Lake County schools, said LCRAI Board member and Arts in Schools Committee member Kim Lewis.

As of last week, they’d received 115 grant applications and were able to award 40 grants. Thanks to an anonymous donation of $1,500 and an ongoing fundraiser, they’re now able to fund more.

“We have received an overwhelming number of applications for the Teachers Art Supply Grant. We are hoping to raise more funds through our online and offline fundraising efforts, in hopes of awarding as many grants to teachers as we are able to. They are all so deserving,” said Lewis.

The Arts in Schools Committee is comprised of several board members who, along with LCRAI President Alicia Brisker, will vet and select grant recipients.

Any teacher serving transitional kindergarten through 12th grade students in a Lake County public or charter school (i.e., not privately funded) is eligible for a grant.

Grant applications are available on the LCRAI website and will be received throughout the month of August.

It’s their hope to fund each request received; however, that depends on the amount of money raised.

LCRAI was founded in February of 2018 by Lake County residents Martha Mincer and Connie Lemen-Kosla with the goal of making Lake County an arts and culture destination as a means to boost the local economy through tourism.

One such project, a mural trail, has been installed by five local artists. Murals are located in Kelseyville, Lakeport and Clearlake and the trail will be updated with more locations added in the future.

A second mission of LCRAI is integrating arts for children into the community and Lake County schools. Research shows that participation in the arts by children and teens raises self-esteem as well as their classroom grades in other subjects.

In the past, the LCRAI has sponsored a kids’ mural station at the Kelseyville Pear Festival and children’s craft activities at the holiday fair at the Twin Pines Casino in Middletown.

To learn more about the LCRAI, its mural trail or to apply for or donate to the Teacher Art Supply Grants, visit the group’s website or Facebook page.

The LCRAI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible.

Esther Oertel is a writer and food columnist for Lake County News. She lives in Middletown, Calif.