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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – After months of adjustment, planning and preparation, the majority of Lake County’s schools are set to resume classes this week, most of them in distance learning mode because of the continuing threat of COVID-19.
Lake County schools closed on March 16 in response to the pandemic and just days ahead of countywide shelter-in-place and statewide stay-at-home orders.
The first school to start the new school year, the Lake County Office of Education’s schools, the Clearlake Creativity School, begins classes on Monday, Aug. 10.
On Wednesday, Aug. 12, Lakeport Unified, Lucerne Elementary and Upper Lake Unified will start class.
Konocti Unified, originally setting an Aug. 10 start date, has pushed that back to Aug. 17, and Middletown moved its opening from Aug. 13 to Aug. 24.
Lake County International Charter School in Middletown reported that it is reopening on Aug. 24.
Kelseyville Unified will reopen on Sept. 8, the same day that the Lake County Office of Education’s second school, the Lloyd P. Hance Community School in Lakeport, starts the fall semester.
Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg said a four-stage countywide model of reopening was adopted by each of the six school districts, which in turn needed to adapt it for their specific circumstances.
The four instructional models in the Lake County Schools COVID-19 Return to School Continuum Plan, last updated on July 17, are:
Stage one, distance learning. This calls for distance learning, with school staff on campus but limited students on campus, instruction happening virtually, and no athletic competition or practice.
Stage two, hybrid model. This stage has staff on campus along with some students. Safety protocols will be in place, including masks, social distancing, smaller cohorts and frequent handwashing. Instruction will occur both in-person and virtually.
Stage three, five-day-a-week instruction. Both staff and students are on campus, safety protocols – masks, social distancing, smaller cohorts and frequent handwashing – remain in place and instruction occurs in-person.
Stage one distance learning will remain available to parents who choose it in stages two and three.
Stage four, school sites open with no restrictions. Traditional schooling resumes five days a week without restrictions.
Four of Lake County’s six districts – Kelseyville, Konocti, Lakeport and Middletown – are beginning in stage one.
The superintendents of Lucerne Elementary and Upper Lake Unified report they plan to start in stage three with some students on campus five days a week and the distance learning option available to families that want it. Smaller class sizes will help with social distancing and, in the case of Lucerne, the district will implement shorter school days.
Lake County International Charter School said it will start classes in stage two of the reopening plan.
School administrators so far have not been able to estimate when they will move into future phases.
In the case of the Office of Education’s two schools, Falkenberg said they are going to open in stage three, with in-person instruction.
“Our schools are unique. First of all, they’re very, very small,” and serve a unique population, he said.
Falkenberg said those children need to be in the school environment. “In reality, we really intend to have those kids come to school on a regular basis.”
All of the districts are pledging that distance learning this time will be better for students than it was in the spring.
It’s a concern raised by many, including Lakeport Unified School District Board member Jennifer Hanson at that board’s special July 21 meeting.
Hanson is an educator herself – a professor in the business faculty at Woodland Community College’s Lake County Campus in Clearlake – who is now leading online classes.
She said she was concerned about schools being prepped for distance learning following what happened in the spring. At the same time, she said her daughter, who is in college, didn’t have a good learning environment in the distance education model.
“When you go back and look at last school year, we were in crisis mode,” said Falkenberg.
He said the districts went from making a decision on March 15 to close schools to having a learning plan ready for children and families the next day. At that point, Falkenberg said, they thought they would only be out of school for a matter of weeks.
“Teachers did a fantastic job of trying to fill that gap,” he said.
“Now we know this is a long-term, extended situation. We don’t know when it’s going to end,” he said.
However, Falkenberg said teachers, as a unit, have promised that there will be robust, high-quality educational outcomes for Lake County’s students.
He said the Office of Education and local districts engaged this past week in professional development in distance-based learning, a discipline in which most teachers aren’t trained, as the traditional model of teacher preparation is for in-person instruction.
Likewise, Upper Lake Unified Superintendent Dr. Giovanni Annous said the distance learning will be leaps and bounds different than it was when they were in “survival mode” from March to May. Now, he said, they need to transition from survival mode to thrive mode.
Falkenberg also pointed to how extremely important parents are to the education process now – “much more so than they’ve ever been required to be involved in educational outcomes.”
With parents now also acting as teachers, Falkenberg said they need to engage in any stakeholder feedback opportunities they can – attending district meetings, and expressing their thoughts and concerns to the superintendent and school board – so their needs can be considered as schools move forward.
A fast-changing situation
Educators have found themselves having to create and recreate opening plans as state, local and federal guidance has been adjusted on an almost constant basis in response to the ever-changing pandemic.
On April 14, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his roadmap for modifying the statewide stay-at-home order, and on April 24, the Lake County Office of Education released a COVID-19 recovery plan document.
Days later, Newsom said he was considering allowing an early start to the academic year providing that schools and businesses implemented safe social distancing practices.
On May 12, the district superintendents joined Falkenberg in signing a letter to the county’s families explaining their work to come up with reopening plans that would minimize health and safety risks for everyone. On June 17, the schools announced they would open on time.
On June 25, Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace issued a 31-point plan for local schools to follow in reopening. The document covers cleaning, testing strategies, scheduling, use of indoor and outdoor spaces, and routes for entry and exit of campuses, and protocols for what to do when students, family members or staffers test positive for the coronavirus, among other issues.
On July 13, the Lake and Mendocino County chapters of the California Teachers Association sent an open letter to county superintendents outlining what teachers and classified staff believed was necessary to provide safe and health schools. They outlined the need for community support, funding, equitable access for students to resources and professional educators, as well as a variety of distance and blended learning options “to maximize the educational advancement of all students in as safe an environment as possible.” The letter can be seen below.
The state released its in-person learning reopening criteria for K-12 schools on July 17. That’s the basis for the four-stage reopening model local schools are using and which – so far – remains current.
On Aug. 3, CDPH released an updated 20-page guidance document for K-12 schools.
“The fluidity of the situation has been frustrating for everybody,” said Falkenberg.
He said local schools have been continually making plans, only to have to go back to the beginning and start again when guidelines change.
For schools, which are used to planning six to seven months in advance, that’s a challenge, Falkenberg said.
“That’s the nature of COVID-19, and as we are learning, we’re having to adjust based on the most current and relative data,” he said.
Annous put it this way: “We are building the plane as we’re flying it.”
At Lucerne Elementary, Principal-Superintendent Mike Brown and Assistant Principal Megan Grant have been writing reports and plans all summer, working to keep up with quickly changing health guidance.
“It’s just been a rollercoaster ride, this whole summer,” said Brown.
“I think everybody is trying to do what they think is best for their community and their kids,” Brown said, explaining that having children back in school is important so people can return to work.
Pace reported in recent weeks that, while resumption of in-person instruction is ultimately under the discretion of local school officials, in-person instruction is only allowed to resume in areas that have not been on the state’s county monitoring list within the prior 14 days.
The California Department of Public Health said that schools in jurisdictions that are on the monitoring list must conduct distance learning, only, until their local health jurisdiction has been off the monitoring list for at least 14 days.
Since then, with issues connected to the state’s testing and reporting data – specifically, a server outage and other technological issues reported by California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly last week – the state said it wasn’t adding or removing counties from the watch list, which has 38 counties on it currently.
Kelseyville Unified switches course, goes to online model
Earlier in the summer, Kelseyville Unified reported that based on the response from parents, the district was planning to start the school year with in-person instruction.
However, weeks later, with support of the board, Superintendent Dave McQueen switched to distance learning, a course he said he had been considering due to rising COVID-19 cases and the need to meet local and state health guidelines.
“The virus is spiking. We must keep studies and staff safe,” McQueen said in a message posted on the district’s website on July 22. “We know the best place for students is in the classroom with their teachers and their peers; however, our first priority is to keep everyone safe, and at this point, we’re not confident we can do that with in-person instruction. Therefore, all Kelseyville Schools will start the school year with distance learning.”
Kelseyville Unified said distance learning will be better this fall. “Last March, the decision to move to distance learning happened over the course of a weekend. Teachers changed from in-classroom to remote learning practically overnight. They did the best they could under difficult circumstances and I’m grateful to them for their flexibility and dedication. I’m also glad we’ve had time since then to improve how we provide distance learning,” McQueen said.
McQueen said the district is working to provide technology to the students who need it as well as a more interactive learning experience.
“We heard loud and clear that students need more real-time interaction with teachers and peers. We plan to provide it,” McQueen said.
McQueen also asked parents to tell the district what they need and communicate if students are struggling. “It’s always best to start with your student’s teacher, but you can also call the school and the district for information and answers.”
The district will hold three virtual town hall meetings about school this fall. They will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, Thursday, Aug. 13 (in Spanish) and Wednesday, Aug. 19. Community members must register; they are asked to emailThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for login information and to provide the date – or dates – on which they want to participate.
Konocti Unified superintendent describes plans
On July 29, Konocti Unified Superintendent Dr. Becky Salato posted a video in which she explained the district’s plans for the coming school year.
On July 21, the Konocti Unified board took action to start with all students on a distance learning model. Salato said the board also approved the four-phase plan for returning students to face-to-face learning by meeting all health and safety guidelines.
She said the district is offering three options for parents. The first is a phased-in approach that will move through the four phases of reopening.
It starts with distance learning before moving into a hybrid instructional model that will include distance learning as well as modified, in person learning. In the second of the four-phase plan, 50 percent of students will attend face to face instruction Mondays and Tuesdays, and continue Wednesday through Friday with distance learning. Salato said the other 50 percent of students will attend face to face instruction on Thursday and Friday, while doing distance learning from Monday through Wednesday.
She said Wednesday will be a day for deep cleaning, teacher prep, office hours and additional needed support for students. Safety protocols will be in place including masks, social distancing, smaller cohorts and frequent handwashing.
Phase three would have school sites reopening with safety protocols and modifications and the final phase, four, would have school sites reopen without additional restrictions. “This looks more like our traditional school years,” Salato said.
The other two models are distance learning on an online platform that parents can continue for a year; and distance learning for up to half a year, ending right before winter break in December, she said.
“I’m looking forward to a unique but successful 20-21 school year,” Salato said.
Lakeport Unified board weighs options
Lakeport Unified Superintendent Jill Falconer said her district is on track to start school in stage one on Aug. 12.
She told Lake County News that the district is bringing in small groups of five to seven students each day for each teacher to do an orientation or for students to meet their teacher and pick up devices.
Since stage one allows for limited students on campus, “We felt it best for the students to meet their teachers and see their classrooms,” Falconer said.
At a special meeting on July 21, the Lakeport Unified Board wrestled with what course to take at a time when health officials are advising against children being in classrooms. Even in outdoor spaces like the playground, Falconer said children can’t even share sports equipment or bounce balls back and forth.
After listening to hours of input from parents, teachers and staff, the board chose to select the stage one route and start the school year fully online with a full distance learning model.
“It is the express intent of this board to get to phase two as quickly as possible,” said Board Chair Dan Buffalo.
Kindergarten teacher Tanya Wynacht said the teachers wanted their students with them in the classroom and they were working as hard as they can to create the best possible program for children. “We still want to come to school and love our kids and teach our kids.”
Falconer praised district teachers who worked hard through the summer break to volunteer their time and create a program for students going forward.
“I applaud all of them. They have not been paid to work throughout the summer,” she said.
District nurse Diane Gunther told the board that being in school is important for children. “That’s the best thing for kids. Everyone knows it,” she said, adding, “But we can’t. It’s not safe.”
That’s because of community spread. Gunther, who said she has been rigorously watching the data, referred to Lake County Public Health numbers and exponential growth in recent cases over the summer, with a number of those cases in school-age patients.
Gunther was concerned about the county being placed on the state monitoring list, noting it would be hard for students to return to school only to be shut down again. She added that the state’s additional guidance that came out on July 17 is “literally impossible” to follow in order to go back to schools in person, so she encouraged the distance learning route.
Lucerne Elementary to have hybrid model
At Lucerne Elementary, the district used a survey to help determine options for families.
Brown said about 75 percent of parents asked to start back to school with in-person instruction, with safety measures in place, while the remaining 25 percent opted for a distance learning model.
“So we decided we would do both,” Brown said. “That is the direction we have been headed in.”
School administration worked with staff to get their input and at the June board meeting, board members gave direction to pursue both options, he said.
Grant said that in June the school started to make preparations to follow its dual-option model. The school has two intervention teachers who were added as classroom teachers, which allows the school to drastically reduce class sizes for kindergarten through fifth grades.
They also ordered partitions to assist with distancing of 4 to 5 feet among older students. New handwashing stations also are on site, Grant said.
Brown said those purchases were made possible by a small amount of money the district received from the state that it was able to spend right away as well as a healthy reserve the school has had.
Grant said the district has been very diligent in committing to health and safety procedures in order to create a safe learning environment for everybody. “We’ve really held true to the state standards and Dr. Pace’s county standards to be able to service kids and staff.”
Brown said the school day will be shortened by one hour for students thanks to a state waiver allowing schools to only meet the instructional minutes for a minimum day, which for kindergarten is 180 minutes, 230 minutes for first through third, and 240 minutes for fourth through eighth grades.
Middletown’s new superintendent navigates reopening challenges
Michael Cox joined Middletown Unified as its superintendent on July 1. He was hired in the spring and came to Lake County from Southern California.
He’s had to jump right in. Within weeks of his arrival, he issued a letter to the district, staff and the community explaining the next steps to starting school.
Cox said the district had been considering four options for the 2020-21 school year, but with the rising case rate, and after consultation with health officials and stakeholders, Cox said the school year would start on Aug. 24 with distance learning.
Cox told Lake County News that while the district is starting in stage one, they plan to move to a hybrid model that allows some in-person instruction as soon as they can safely. “Right now we don’t have a tentative date,” adding that the goal is to be back in person in schools before the end of the year.
He said the district has taken multiple surveys of parents as it has determined its course for the start of the new school year. “Everybody wanted the kids to be safe and to have a good instructional model.”
Like Annous and Falkenberg, Cox said distance learning will be different and improved going forward when compared to the spring. “The quality and the rigor was not up to what we would like,” Cox said, adding that they learned a lot from their experience in the spring.
Cox said the district’s staff has been working hard to develop a new and improved distance learning model that will ensure that all students participate on a daily basis.
Part of the preparation, Cox said, has been providing seven days of professional development to teachers and classified staff to make sure they’re proficient in the technology necessary to deliver distance learning.
As for accessibility, Cox said the majority of people in the district have Internet access. For those who don’t, they’ve been issuing mobile hotspots.
In addition, Cox said they will now have a one-to-one ratio for students and technology. Within the week a shipment of Chromebooks should arrive. There will then be an orientation and drive-through proces where students can pick up their education packets and technology.
Cox said it’s been a tremendously challenging situation, with the district trying to get input from families, students and stakeholders in order to understand both what’s needed and what’s wanted, while doing everything they can to make sure students are safe.
Upper Lake Unified plans to be ‘ready for everything’
In determining Upper Lake Unified’s course, Annous and his staff said they have been taking surveys, which have revealed changing requests and concerns from parents.
An initial survey conducted about two months ago showed that 74 percent of respondents wanted children to return to schools in person. Another 12 percent wanted distance learning.
Another survey completed at the end of July with responses from 200 families – accounting for 369 of the district’s 840 students – showed opinions had shifted. Annous said that survey showed 41 percent wanted distance learning and 37 percent wanted students back in school, with the remaining 22 percent wanting a hybrid model where students would be on campus a few days a week.
Annous said they are planning a stage three model with about half of the students on campus and the other half on distance learning.
At the same time, they’re keeping an eye on local virus numbers and whether those numbers could land the county on the state’s watch list and close in-person instruction.
“Our approach is we want to be ready for everything,” Annous said.
The main goal is not to take a blanket approach but to make sure everybody is as safe as possible and comfortable, as Annous said COVID-19 could be with us for quite some time.
Annous said the district has an amazing, talented core staff that can meet the challenge, and he wants to make sure they have the resources and tools they need, including emotional stamina and support.
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.
Lake County schools closed on March 16 in response to the pandemic and just days ahead of countywide shelter-in-place and statewide stay-at-home orders.
The first school to start the new school year, the Lake County Office of Education’s schools, the Clearlake Creativity School, begins classes on Monday, Aug. 10.
On Wednesday, Aug. 12, Lakeport Unified, Lucerne Elementary and Upper Lake Unified will start class.
Konocti Unified, originally setting an Aug. 10 start date, has pushed that back to Aug. 17, and Middletown moved its opening from Aug. 13 to Aug. 24.
Lake County International Charter School in Middletown reported that it is reopening on Aug. 24.
Kelseyville Unified will reopen on Sept. 8, the same day that the Lake County Office of Education’s second school, the Lloyd P. Hance Community School in Lakeport, starts the fall semester.
Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg said a four-stage countywide model of reopening was adopted by each of the six school districts, which in turn needed to adapt it for their specific circumstances.
The four instructional models in the Lake County Schools COVID-19 Return to School Continuum Plan, last updated on July 17, are:
Stage one, distance learning. This calls for distance learning, with school staff on campus but limited students on campus, instruction happening virtually, and no athletic competition or practice.
Stage two, hybrid model. This stage has staff on campus along with some students. Safety protocols will be in place, including masks, social distancing, smaller cohorts and frequent handwashing. Instruction will occur both in-person and virtually.
Stage three, five-day-a-week instruction. Both staff and students are on campus, safety protocols – masks, social distancing, smaller cohorts and frequent handwashing – remain in place and instruction occurs in-person.
Stage one distance learning will remain available to parents who choose it in stages two and three.
Stage four, school sites open with no restrictions. Traditional schooling resumes five days a week without restrictions.
Four of Lake County’s six districts – Kelseyville, Konocti, Lakeport and Middletown – are beginning in stage one.
The superintendents of Lucerne Elementary and Upper Lake Unified report they plan to start in stage three with some students on campus five days a week and the distance learning option available to families that want it. Smaller class sizes will help with social distancing and, in the case of Lucerne, the district will implement shorter school days.
Lake County International Charter School said it will start classes in stage two of the reopening plan.
School administrators so far have not been able to estimate when they will move into future phases.
In the case of the Office of Education’s two schools, Falkenberg said they are going to open in stage three, with in-person instruction.
“Our schools are unique. First of all, they’re very, very small,” and serve a unique population, he said.
Falkenberg said those children need to be in the school environment. “In reality, we really intend to have those kids come to school on a regular basis.”
All of the districts are pledging that distance learning this time will be better for students than it was in the spring.
It’s a concern raised by many, including Lakeport Unified School District Board member Jennifer Hanson at that board’s special July 21 meeting.
Hanson is an educator herself – a professor in the business faculty at Woodland Community College’s Lake County Campus in Clearlake – who is now leading online classes.
She said she was concerned about schools being prepped for distance learning following what happened in the spring. At the same time, she said her daughter, who is in college, didn’t have a good learning environment in the distance education model.
“When you go back and look at last school year, we were in crisis mode,” said Falkenberg.
He said the districts went from making a decision on March 15 to close schools to having a learning plan ready for children and families the next day. At that point, Falkenberg said, they thought they would only be out of school for a matter of weeks.
“Teachers did a fantastic job of trying to fill that gap,” he said.
“Now we know this is a long-term, extended situation. We don’t know when it’s going to end,” he said.
However, Falkenberg said teachers, as a unit, have promised that there will be robust, high-quality educational outcomes for Lake County’s students.
He said the Office of Education and local districts engaged this past week in professional development in distance-based learning, a discipline in which most teachers aren’t trained, as the traditional model of teacher preparation is for in-person instruction.
Likewise, Upper Lake Unified Superintendent Dr. Giovanni Annous said the distance learning will be leaps and bounds different than it was when they were in “survival mode” from March to May. Now, he said, they need to transition from survival mode to thrive mode.
Falkenberg also pointed to how extremely important parents are to the education process now – “much more so than they’ve ever been required to be involved in educational outcomes.”
With parents now also acting as teachers, Falkenberg said they need to engage in any stakeholder feedback opportunities they can – attending district meetings, and expressing their thoughts and concerns to the superintendent and school board – so their needs can be considered as schools move forward.
A fast-changing situation
Educators have found themselves having to create and recreate opening plans as state, local and federal guidance has been adjusted on an almost constant basis in response to the ever-changing pandemic.
On April 14, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his roadmap for modifying the statewide stay-at-home order, and on April 24, the Lake County Office of Education released a COVID-19 recovery plan document.
Days later, Newsom said he was considering allowing an early start to the academic year providing that schools and businesses implemented safe social distancing practices.
On May 12, the district superintendents joined Falkenberg in signing a letter to the county’s families explaining their work to come up with reopening plans that would minimize health and safety risks for everyone. On June 17, the schools announced they would open on time.
On June 25, Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace issued a 31-point plan for local schools to follow in reopening. The document covers cleaning, testing strategies, scheduling, use of indoor and outdoor spaces, and routes for entry and exit of campuses, and protocols for what to do when students, family members or staffers test positive for the coronavirus, among other issues.
On July 13, the Lake and Mendocino County chapters of the California Teachers Association sent an open letter to county superintendents outlining what teachers and classified staff believed was necessary to provide safe and health schools. They outlined the need for community support, funding, equitable access for students to resources and professional educators, as well as a variety of distance and blended learning options “to maximize the educational advancement of all students in as safe an environment as possible.” The letter can be seen below.
The state released its in-person learning reopening criteria for K-12 schools on July 17. That’s the basis for the four-stage reopening model local schools are using and which – so far – remains current.
On Aug. 3, CDPH released an updated 20-page guidance document for K-12 schools.
“The fluidity of the situation has been frustrating for everybody,” said Falkenberg.
He said local schools have been continually making plans, only to have to go back to the beginning and start again when guidelines change.
For schools, which are used to planning six to seven months in advance, that’s a challenge, Falkenberg said.
“That’s the nature of COVID-19, and as we are learning, we’re having to adjust based on the most current and relative data,” he said.
Annous put it this way: “We are building the plane as we’re flying it.”
At Lucerne Elementary, Principal-Superintendent Mike Brown and Assistant Principal Megan Grant have been writing reports and plans all summer, working to keep up with quickly changing health guidance.
“It’s just been a rollercoaster ride, this whole summer,” said Brown.
“I think everybody is trying to do what they think is best for their community and their kids,” Brown said, explaining that having children back in school is important so people can return to work.
Pace reported in recent weeks that, while resumption of in-person instruction is ultimately under the discretion of local school officials, in-person instruction is only allowed to resume in areas that have not been on the state’s county monitoring list within the prior 14 days.
The California Department of Public Health said that schools in jurisdictions that are on the monitoring list must conduct distance learning, only, until their local health jurisdiction has been off the monitoring list for at least 14 days.
Since then, with issues connected to the state’s testing and reporting data – specifically, a server outage and other technological issues reported by California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly last week – the state said it wasn’t adding or removing counties from the watch list, which has 38 counties on it currently.
Kelseyville Unified switches course, goes to online model
Earlier in the summer, Kelseyville Unified reported that based on the response from parents, the district was planning to start the school year with in-person instruction.
However, weeks later, with support of the board, Superintendent Dave McQueen switched to distance learning, a course he said he had been considering due to rising COVID-19 cases and the need to meet local and state health guidelines.
“The virus is spiking. We must keep studies and staff safe,” McQueen said in a message posted on the district’s website on July 22. “We know the best place for students is in the classroom with their teachers and their peers; however, our first priority is to keep everyone safe, and at this point, we’re not confident we can do that with in-person instruction. Therefore, all Kelseyville Schools will start the school year with distance learning.”
Kelseyville Unified said distance learning will be better this fall. “Last March, the decision to move to distance learning happened over the course of a weekend. Teachers changed from in-classroom to remote learning practically overnight. They did the best they could under difficult circumstances and I’m grateful to them for their flexibility and dedication. I’m also glad we’ve had time since then to improve how we provide distance learning,” McQueen said.
McQueen said the district is working to provide technology to the students who need it as well as a more interactive learning experience.
“We heard loud and clear that students need more real-time interaction with teachers and peers. We plan to provide it,” McQueen said.
McQueen also asked parents to tell the district what they need and communicate if students are struggling. “It’s always best to start with your student’s teacher, but you can also call the school and the district for information and answers.”
The district will hold three virtual town hall meetings about school this fall. They will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, Thursday, Aug. 13 (in Spanish) and Wednesday, Aug. 19. Community members must register; they are asked to email
Konocti Unified superintendent describes plans
On July 29, Konocti Unified Superintendent Dr. Becky Salato posted a video in which she explained the district’s plans for the coming school year.
On July 21, the Konocti Unified board took action to start with all students on a distance learning model. Salato said the board also approved the four-phase plan for returning students to face-to-face learning by meeting all health and safety guidelines.
She said the district is offering three options for parents. The first is a phased-in approach that will move through the four phases of reopening.
It starts with distance learning before moving into a hybrid instructional model that will include distance learning as well as modified, in person learning. In the second of the four-phase plan, 50 percent of students will attend face to face instruction Mondays and Tuesdays, and continue Wednesday through Friday with distance learning. Salato said the other 50 percent of students will attend face to face instruction on Thursday and Friday, while doing distance learning from Monday through Wednesday.
She said Wednesday will be a day for deep cleaning, teacher prep, office hours and additional needed support for students. Safety protocols will be in place including masks, social distancing, smaller cohorts and frequent handwashing.
Phase three would have school sites reopening with safety protocols and modifications and the final phase, four, would have school sites reopen without additional restrictions. “This looks more like our traditional school years,” Salato said.
The other two models are distance learning on an online platform that parents can continue for a year; and distance learning for up to half a year, ending right before winter break in December, she said.
“I’m looking forward to a unique but successful 20-21 school year,” Salato said.
Lakeport Unified board weighs options
Lakeport Unified Superintendent Jill Falconer said her district is on track to start school in stage one on Aug. 12.
She told Lake County News that the district is bringing in small groups of five to seven students each day for each teacher to do an orientation or for students to meet their teacher and pick up devices.
Since stage one allows for limited students on campus, “We felt it best for the students to meet their teachers and see their classrooms,” Falconer said.
At a special meeting on July 21, the Lakeport Unified Board wrestled with what course to take at a time when health officials are advising against children being in classrooms. Even in outdoor spaces like the playground, Falconer said children can’t even share sports equipment or bounce balls back and forth.
After listening to hours of input from parents, teachers and staff, the board chose to select the stage one route and start the school year fully online with a full distance learning model.
“It is the express intent of this board to get to phase two as quickly as possible,” said Board Chair Dan Buffalo.
Kindergarten teacher Tanya Wynacht said the teachers wanted their students with them in the classroom and they were working as hard as they can to create the best possible program for children. “We still want to come to school and love our kids and teach our kids.”
Falconer praised district teachers who worked hard through the summer break to volunteer their time and create a program for students going forward.
“I applaud all of them. They have not been paid to work throughout the summer,” she said.
District nurse Diane Gunther told the board that being in school is important for children. “That’s the best thing for kids. Everyone knows it,” she said, adding, “But we can’t. It’s not safe.”
That’s because of community spread. Gunther, who said she has been rigorously watching the data, referred to Lake County Public Health numbers and exponential growth in recent cases over the summer, with a number of those cases in school-age patients.
Gunther was concerned about the county being placed on the state monitoring list, noting it would be hard for students to return to school only to be shut down again. She added that the state’s additional guidance that came out on July 17 is “literally impossible” to follow in order to go back to schools in person, so she encouraged the distance learning route.
Lucerne Elementary to have hybrid model
At Lucerne Elementary, the district used a survey to help determine options for families.
Brown said about 75 percent of parents asked to start back to school with in-person instruction, with safety measures in place, while the remaining 25 percent opted for a distance learning model.
“So we decided we would do both,” Brown said. “That is the direction we have been headed in.”
School administration worked with staff to get their input and at the June board meeting, board members gave direction to pursue both options, he said.
Grant said that in June the school started to make preparations to follow its dual-option model. The school has two intervention teachers who were added as classroom teachers, which allows the school to drastically reduce class sizes for kindergarten through fifth grades.
They also ordered partitions to assist with distancing of 4 to 5 feet among older students. New handwashing stations also are on site, Grant said.
Brown said those purchases were made possible by a small amount of money the district received from the state that it was able to spend right away as well as a healthy reserve the school has had.
Grant said the district has been very diligent in committing to health and safety procedures in order to create a safe learning environment for everybody. “We’ve really held true to the state standards and Dr. Pace’s county standards to be able to service kids and staff.”
Brown said the school day will be shortened by one hour for students thanks to a state waiver allowing schools to only meet the instructional minutes for a minimum day, which for kindergarten is 180 minutes, 230 minutes for first through third, and 240 minutes for fourth through eighth grades.
Middletown’s new superintendent navigates reopening challenges
Michael Cox joined Middletown Unified as its superintendent on July 1. He was hired in the spring and came to Lake County from Southern California.
He’s had to jump right in. Within weeks of his arrival, he issued a letter to the district, staff and the community explaining the next steps to starting school.
Cox said the district had been considering four options for the 2020-21 school year, but with the rising case rate, and after consultation with health officials and stakeholders, Cox said the school year would start on Aug. 24 with distance learning.
Cox told Lake County News that while the district is starting in stage one, they plan to move to a hybrid model that allows some in-person instruction as soon as they can safely. “Right now we don’t have a tentative date,” adding that the goal is to be back in person in schools before the end of the year.
He said the district has taken multiple surveys of parents as it has determined its course for the start of the new school year. “Everybody wanted the kids to be safe and to have a good instructional model.”
Like Annous and Falkenberg, Cox said distance learning will be different and improved going forward when compared to the spring. “The quality and the rigor was not up to what we would like,” Cox said, adding that they learned a lot from their experience in the spring.
Cox said the district’s staff has been working hard to develop a new and improved distance learning model that will ensure that all students participate on a daily basis.
Part of the preparation, Cox said, has been providing seven days of professional development to teachers and classified staff to make sure they’re proficient in the technology necessary to deliver distance learning.
As for accessibility, Cox said the majority of people in the district have Internet access. For those who don’t, they’ve been issuing mobile hotspots.
In addition, Cox said they will now have a one-to-one ratio for students and technology. Within the week a shipment of Chromebooks should arrive. There will then be an orientation and drive-through proces where students can pick up their education packets and technology.
Cox said it’s been a tremendously challenging situation, with the district trying to get input from families, students and stakeholders in order to understand both what’s needed and what’s wanted, while doing everything they can to make sure students are safe.
Upper Lake Unified plans to be ‘ready for everything’
In determining Upper Lake Unified’s course, Annous and his staff said they have been taking surveys, which have revealed changing requests and concerns from parents.
An initial survey conducted about two months ago showed that 74 percent of respondents wanted children to return to schools in person. Another 12 percent wanted distance learning.
Another survey completed at the end of July with responses from 200 families – accounting for 369 of the district’s 840 students – showed opinions had shifted. Annous said that survey showed 41 percent wanted distance learning and 37 percent wanted students back in school, with the remaining 22 percent wanting a hybrid model where students would be on campus a few days a week.
Annous said they are planning a stage three model with about half of the students on campus and the other half on distance learning.
At the same time, they’re keeping an eye on local virus numbers and whether those numbers could land the county on the state’s watch list and close in-person instruction.
“Our approach is we want to be ready for everything,” Annous said.
The main goal is not to take a blanket approach but to make sure everybody is as safe as possible and comfortable, as Annous said COVID-19 could be with us for quite some time.
Annous said the district has an amazing, talented core staff that can meet the challenge, and he wants to make sure they have the resources and tools they need, including emotional stamina and support.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
20JULY Return2School EngSpan FINALFinal by LakeCoNews on Scribd
Lake Mendo Open Letter (07.... by LakeCoNews on Scribd
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – City and county officials are reporting that election deadlines for numerous local offices on the November ballot – including both city councils and numerous school and special district boards – have been extended because some incumbents have not filed to run again.
The nomination periods for the Lakeport and Clearlake city councils opened early in July, with three seats on each up for election on Nov. 3, as Lake County News has reported.
The filing deadline for the councils was at 5 p.m. Friday, but has now been extended to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, for nonincumbents, city officials reported.
In Clearlake, the seats up for election are currently held by Phil Harris, Joyce Overton and Russell Perdock.
City Manager Alan Flora told Lake County News that both Overton and Perdock have filed the necessary paperwork by the Friday deadline to seek reelection. Harris previously had indicated he was not seeking reelection and so didn’t file.
“Three new candidates have pulled papers but none have been submitted,” Flora said.
Candidates are asked to contact the Clearlake Administrative Services/City Clerk’s Office at 707-994-8201, Extension 106, or via email atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for information on the filing process.
In Lakeport, the seats which will be up for election in November currently are held by Tim Barnes, Kenny Parlet and George Spurr.
Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Kelly Buendia said the extension resulted from Spurr, currently the mayor and in his first term, not filing to run again.
Buendia told Lake County News that both Barnes and Parlet have filed to run for reelection.
She said nomination papers must be issued by the City Clerk’s Office and are available by appointment beginning Monday, Aug. 10. All filings must be submitted to the city clerk no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Each candidate must be nominated by not less than 20 nor more than 30 registered voters; therefore, Buendia recommends that candidates pick up nomination papers in advance of Wednesday’s 5 p.m. deadline to allow time to gather signatures and fill out the required paperwork.
Those interested in running for Lakeport City Council should contact Buendia at 707-263-5615, Extension 101, for further information and to set up an appointment to go over the nomination packet.
Registrar of Voters Office reports on extended deadlines for school, special districts seats
Lake County Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez said the deadline for qualified candidates to file for office has been extended for several school boards and special districts. The nomination periods for those offices also had opened last month.
With incumbents not filing by the Friday deadline, Valadez said the nomination period to file for candidacy has been extended to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, for the following offices.
Yuba Community College District
Trustee Area No. 7, one vacancy, four-year term.
The seat represents the Konocti and Middletown Unified school districts in Lake County, the Maxwell, Princeton and Williams Unified school districts in Colusa County, and the Stony Creek Joint Unified School District in Glenn County.
Kelseyville Unified School District
Three vacancies, four-year terms.
Middletown Unified School District
Two vacancies, four-year terms.
Northshore Fire Protection District – Upper Lake Zone
One vacancy, four-year term.
Anderson Springs Community Services District
Two vacancies, two-year unexpired terms.
Hidden Valley Community Services District
Three vacancies, four-year terms.
Callayomi County Water District
Two vacancies, four-year terms.
One vacancy, two-year unexpired term.
Clearlake Oaks County Water District
Three vacancies, four-year terms.
Villa Blue Estates Water District
Three vacancies, two-year terms.
Individuals wanting more information regarding filing for any of the school or special district elective offices that have been extended until Aug. 12 are advised to contact the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office, located in Room 209 on the second floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. prior to the extended filing deadline.
The Registrar of Voters Office can be reached at 707-263-2372.
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 nomination periods for the Lakeport and Clearlake city councils opened early in July, with three seats on each up for election on Nov. 3, as Lake County News has reported.
The filing deadline for the councils was at 5 p.m. Friday, but has now been extended to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, for nonincumbents, city officials reported.
In Clearlake, the seats up for election are currently held by Phil Harris, Joyce Overton and Russell Perdock.
City Manager Alan Flora told Lake County News that both Overton and Perdock have filed the necessary paperwork by the Friday deadline to seek reelection. Harris previously had indicated he was not seeking reelection and so didn’t file.
“Three new candidates have pulled papers but none have been submitted,” Flora said.
Candidates are asked to contact the Clearlake Administrative Services/City Clerk’s Office at 707-994-8201, Extension 106, or via email at
In Lakeport, the seats which will be up for election in November currently are held by Tim Barnes, Kenny Parlet and George Spurr.
Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Kelly Buendia said the extension resulted from Spurr, currently the mayor and in his first term, not filing to run again.
Buendia told Lake County News that both Barnes and Parlet have filed to run for reelection.
She said nomination papers must be issued by the City Clerk’s Office and are available by appointment beginning Monday, Aug. 10. All filings must be submitted to the city clerk no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Each candidate must be nominated by not less than 20 nor more than 30 registered voters; therefore, Buendia recommends that candidates pick up nomination papers in advance of Wednesday’s 5 p.m. deadline to allow time to gather signatures and fill out the required paperwork.
Those interested in running for Lakeport City Council should contact Buendia at 707-263-5615, Extension 101, for further information and to set up an appointment to go over the nomination packet.
Registrar of Voters Office reports on extended deadlines for school, special districts seats
Lake County Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez said the deadline for qualified candidates to file for office has been extended for several school boards and special districts. The nomination periods for those offices also had opened last month.
With incumbents not filing by the Friday deadline, Valadez said the nomination period to file for candidacy has been extended to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, for the following offices.
Yuba Community College District
Trustee Area No. 7, one vacancy, four-year term.
The seat represents the Konocti and Middletown Unified school districts in Lake County, the Maxwell, Princeton and Williams Unified school districts in Colusa County, and the Stony Creek Joint Unified School District in Glenn County.
Kelseyville Unified School District
Three vacancies, four-year terms.
Middletown Unified School District
Two vacancies, four-year terms.
Northshore Fire Protection District – Upper Lake Zone
One vacancy, four-year term.
Anderson Springs Community Services District
Two vacancies, two-year unexpired terms.
Hidden Valley Community Services District
Three vacancies, four-year terms.
Callayomi County Water District
Two vacancies, four-year terms.
One vacancy, two-year unexpired term.
Clearlake Oaks County Water District
Three vacancies, four-year terms.
Villa Blue Estates Water District
Three vacancies, two-year terms.
Individuals wanting more information regarding filing for any of the school or special district elective offices that have been extended until Aug. 12 are advised to contact the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office, located in Room 209 on the second floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. prior to the extended filing deadline.
The Registrar of Voters Office can be reached at 707-263-2372.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors will consider another proposed ordinance to enforce public health orders, this one focusing first on education and training before levying administrative fines.
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11.
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 968 5797 8176, password 344284.
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 9:02 a.m., Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace will give the board an update on COVID-19.
At 11 a.m., Supervisor EJ Crandell will ask the board to consider a draft ordinance to provide for graduated levels of enforcement of public health orders through education and training and the imposition of administrative fines.
Last week, Crandell had intended to have the board consider an urgency ordinance that also would have imposed fees and administrative fines but pulled it from consideration.
This week, Crandell is returning with an ordinance that would focus on education and training in seeking compliance with Public Health orders.
He said the Blue Collar Committee – a group of local business owners assembled by Supervisor Rob Brown to consult on COVID-19-related matters – drafted its own ordinance. Crandell noted in his report that “many of the points they included in it serve as the basis for the Ordinance I am presenting today. More recently, I have received another draft from community members who support enforcement, also attached, and I am appreciative of the efforts of these folks as well.”
Crandell’s ordinance differs significantly from the one presented last week, although it has the same administrative fine structure based on Government Code section 25132, subdivision (b): up to $100 for a first violation, up to $200 for a second violation of the same ordinance within one year of the first violation and not more than $500 for each additional violation of the same ordinance within one year of the first violation.
The new ordinance defines “enforcement officer” as the Health Services director and Community Development director or their designees, and any official designated by the Board of Supervisors to enforce the ordinance.
Examples of violations the ordinance lists include, but are not limited to, a business operating when that business sector has been ordered closed, and failure to adhere to masking, social distancing and mandated hygiene requirements.
Crandell said in his report that if a violation is determined to be occurring, an enforcement officer will contact the responsible party and request correction while offering assistance in the form of training and/or information to achieve compliance and allowing a reasonable time of not less than five days to make the correction.
If informal enforcement is unsuccessful, the enforcement officer will issue a notice of violation that provides up to 10 days to make the correction. “In those rare cases where the violation is still not corrected in ten days, the Enforcement Officer may impose an administrative fine, not to exceed $100 for the first violation, $200 for the second and $500 for additional violations, within one year of the first,” Crandell said in his memo.
Anyone who receives a notice of violation may file a written appeal to the Board of Supervisors within 10 days. “Appeals will be heard by our Board, allowing the party an opportunity to testify and present evidence. Our Board will make the decision as to whether an administrative fine will be imposed,” Crandell wrote.
Crandell concluded, “With hope we have moved beyond the COVID-19 crisis, this Ordinance would sunset on October 1, 2021, unless further action is taken by our Board.”
Also on Tuesday, in an untimed item, the board will consider recommendations for the formation of an Economic Development Task Force.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Second reading, adopt ordinance Amending Articles 27 and 68 of Chapter Twenty-One of the Lake County Code to clarify the definition of public lands in regard to commercial cannabis cultivation.
5.2: Approve additions to the County of Lake COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Return to Work - Worksite Protection Protocol, authorizing the county administrative officer or her designee to initiate the meet and confer process with labor groups.
5.3: Approve county’s COVID-19 interim policy for working remotely.
5.4: Approve agreement with Humboldt State University Sponsored Programs Foundation for Equity Assessment and Cannabis Local Equity Program Plan in the amount of $100,000 and authorize the chair to sign.
5.5: Adopt resolution approving agreement with California Department of Food Agriculture for Pierce’s Disease/ GWSS Agreement in the amount of $54,423.15 for FY 20/22.
5.6: Adopt resolution approving agreement with the State of California, Department of Food and Agriculture for State Organic Program Cooperative Agreement # 20-0198-000-SA in the Amount of $5,520.
5.7: Adopt resolution approving agreement with California Department of Food Agriculture for Certified Farmer’s Market Program investigation and enforcement in the amount of $1,425 Agreement # 20-0140-000-SA.
5.8: Approve budget transfer and purchase for new asset in the amount of $2,450 to purchase pickup truck and authorize the chair to sign.
5.9: (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 The SmithWaters Group for patient rights advocacy for FY 2020-21 for a contract maximum of $45,000, and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
5.10: Approve resolution of the governing board of the Kelseyville Unified School District Increasing school facilities fees as authorized by Government Code Section 65995 (b) 3.
5.11: Adopt resolution approving revenue grant agreement with the state of California for Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) and CoronaVirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and authorizing the Registrar of Voters to execute the agreement with the state.
5.12: Approve the Continuation of a local health emergency and order prohibiting the endangerment of the community through the unsafe removal, transportation, and disposal of fire debris for the Mendocino Complex fire.
5.13: Approve the continuation of a local health emergency related to the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) as Proclaimed by the Lake County Public Health officer.
5.14: Approve the continuation of a local emergency due to the Mendocino Complex fire incident (River and Ranch fires).
5.15: Approve the continuation of a local emergency due to the Pawnee fire Incident.
5.16: Approve the continuation of a local emergency due to COVID-19.
5.17: Approve long-distance travel for Sgt. Joe Dutra to attend active shooter training in Grapevine, Texas, for the period Oct. 30 to Nov. 4, 2020, at a cost not to exceed $3,500.
5.18: Approve long-distance travel for Sgt. Ben Moore and Det. Nate Newton to attend Watchguard training in Allen, Texas, for the period Sept. 13 to 18, 2020, at a cost not to exceed $5,000.
5.19: Approve contract between county of Lake and Adventist Health for the provision of out stationed eligibility specialists for the donation amount of $70,276.80 per fiscal year from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2023, and authorize the chair to sign.
TIMED ITEMS
6.1, 9:01 a.m.: Public input.
6.2, 9:02 a.m.: Consideration of update on COVID-19.
6.3, 9:30 a.m.: Nuisance abatement hearing for Ryker Schenck, 2922 Gardner St. Nice (APN No. 031-134-57).
6.4, 11 a.m.: Consideration of an ordinance of the Lake County Board of Supervisors to provide for graduated levels of enforcement of public health orders through education and training and the imposition of administrative fines.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of recommendations for the formation of an Economic Development Task Force.
7.3: Consideration of resolution authorizing a joint application by the county of Lake and the Elijah House Foundation for the California Department of Housing and Community Development Homekey Grant Program.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Conference with legal counsel: Threat to the security of public facilities and delivery of essential public services pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.
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 meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11.
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 968 5797 8176, password 344284.
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 9:02 a.m., Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace will give the board an update on COVID-19.
At 11 a.m., Supervisor EJ Crandell will ask the board to consider a draft ordinance to provide for graduated levels of enforcement of public health orders through education and training and the imposition of administrative fines.
Last week, Crandell had intended to have the board consider an urgency ordinance that also would have imposed fees and administrative fines but pulled it from consideration.
This week, Crandell is returning with an ordinance that would focus on education and training in seeking compliance with Public Health orders.
He said the Blue Collar Committee – a group of local business owners assembled by Supervisor Rob Brown to consult on COVID-19-related matters – drafted its own ordinance. Crandell noted in his report that “many of the points they included in it serve as the basis for the Ordinance I am presenting today. More recently, I have received another draft from community members who support enforcement, also attached, and I am appreciative of the efforts of these folks as well.”
Crandell’s ordinance differs significantly from the one presented last week, although it has the same administrative fine structure based on Government Code section 25132, subdivision (b): up to $100 for a first violation, up to $200 for a second violation of the same ordinance within one year of the first violation and not more than $500 for each additional violation of the same ordinance within one year of the first violation.
The new ordinance defines “enforcement officer” as the Health Services director and Community Development director or their designees, and any official designated by the Board of Supervisors to enforce the ordinance.
Examples of violations the ordinance lists include, but are not limited to, a business operating when that business sector has been ordered closed, and failure to adhere to masking, social distancing and mandated hygiene requirements.
Crandell said in his report that if a violation is determined to be occurring, an enforcement officer will contact the responsible party and request correction while offering assistance in the form of training and/or information to achieve compliance and allowing a reasonable time of not less than five days to make the correction.
If informal enforcement is unsuccessful, the enforcement officer will issue a notice of violation that provides up to 10 days to make the correction. “In those rare cases where the violation is still not corrected in ten days, the Enforcement Officer may impose an administrative fine, not to exceed $100 for the first violation, $200 for the second and $500 for additional violations, within one year of the first,” Crandell said in his memo.
Anyone who receives a notice of violation may file a written appeal to the Board of Supervisors within 10 days. “Appeals will be heard by our Board, allowing the party an opportunity to testify and present evidence. Our Board will make the decision as to whether an administrative fine will be imposed,” Crandell wrote.
Crandell concluded, “With hope we have moved beyond the COVID-19 crisis, this Ordinance would sunset on October 1, 2021, unless further action is taken by our Board.”
Also on Tuesday, in an untimed item, the board will consider recommendations for the formation of an Economic Development Task Force.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Second reading, adopt ordinance Amending Articles 27 and 68 of Chapter Twenty-One of the Lake County Code to clarify the definition of public lands in regard to commercial cannabis cultivation.
5.2: Approve additions to the County of Lake COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Return to Work - Worksite Protection Protocol, authorizing the county administrative officer or her designee to initiate the meet and confer process with labor groups.
5.3: Approve county’s COVID-19 interim policy for working remotely.
5.4: Approve agreement with Humboldt State University Sponsored Programs Foundation for Equity Assessment and Cannabis Local Equity Program Plan in the amount of $100,000 and authorize the chair to sign.
5.5: Adopt resolution approving agreement with California Department of Food Agriculture for Pierce’s Disease/ GWSS Agreement in the amount of $54,423.15 for FY 20/22.
5.6: Adopt resolution approving agreement with the State of California, Department of Food and Agriculture for State Organic Program Cooperative Agreement # 20-0198-000-SA in the Amount of $5,520.
5.7: Adopt resolution approving agreement with California Department of Food Agriculture for Certified Farmer’s Market Program investigation and enforcement in the amount of $1,425 Agreement # 20-0140-000-SA.
5.8: Approve budget transfer and purchase for new asset in the amount of $2,450 to purchase pickup truck and authorize the chair to sign.
5.9: (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 The SmithWaters Group for patient rights advocacy for FY 2020-21 for a contract maximum of $45,000, and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
5.10: Approve resolution of the governing board of the Kelseyville Unified School District Increasing school facilities fees as authorized by Government Code Section 65995 (b) 3.
5.11: Adopt resolution approving revenue grant agreement with the state of California for Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) and CoronaVirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and authorizing the Registrar of Voters to execute the agreement with the state.
5.12: Approve the Continuation of a local health emergency and order prohibiting the endangerment of the community through the unsafe removal, transportation, and disposal of fire debris for the Mendocino Complex fire.
5.13: Approve the continuation of a local health emergency related to the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) as Proclaimed by the Lake County Public Health officer.
5.14: Approve the continuation of a local emergency due to the Mendocino Complex fire incident (River and Ranch fires).
5.15: Approve the continuation of a local emergency due to the Pawnee fire Incident.
5.16: Approve the continuation of a local emergency due to COVID-19.
5.17: Approve long-distance travel for Sgt. Joe Dutra to attend active shooter training in Grapevine, Texas, for the period Oct. 30 to Nov. 4, 2020, at a cost not to exceed $3,500.
5.18: Approve long-distance travel for Sgt. Ben Moore and Det. Nate Newton to attend Watchguard training in Allen, Texas, for the period Sept. 13 to 18, 2020, at a cost not to exceed $5,000.
5.19: Approve contract between county of Lake and Adventist Health for the provision of out stationed eligibility specialists for the donation amount of $70,276.80 per fiscal year from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2023, and authorize the chair to sign.
TIMED ITEMS
6.1, 9:01 a.m.: Public input.
6.2, 9:02 a.m.: Consideration of update on COVID-19.
6.3, 9:30 a.m.: Nuisance abatement hearing for Ryker Schenck, 2922 Gardner St. Nice (APN No. 031-134-57).
6.4, 11 a.m.: Consideration of an ordinance of the Lake County Board of Supervisors to provide for graduated levels of enforcement of public health orders through education and training and the imposition of administrative fines.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of recommendations for the formation of an Economic Development Task Force.
7.3: Consideration of resolution authorizing a joint application by the county of Lake and the Elijah House Foundation for the California Department of Housing and Community Development Homekey Grant Program.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Conference with legal counsel: Threat to the security of public facilities and delivery of essential public services pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Planning Commission will meet this week to discuss a proposed new self-storage facility.
The commission will meet virtually via webinar beginning at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12.
The agenda can be found here.
To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here or join by phone by calling 914-614-3429 or toll-free, 866-952-8437. The access code is 499-692-147; 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 toThis 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 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Please 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.
The commission’s main item of consideration is a commercial self-storage facility proposed by Jonathan and Doug Bridges of Kelseyville-based Bridges Construction.
The Bridges want to develop the 35,800 facility on a 6.6-acre property at 1296 and 1320 Craig Ave.
They’ve applied for a general plan amendment, zone change, and an architectural and design review.
The staff report said a 28-unit single-family development previously had been approved for the site, as had a use permit and architectural design review for the development of a private school. However, those projects haven’t been pursued.
Also on Wednesday, the commission will get an update from city staff regarding COVID-19 and will review the pending projects list.
On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are approval of the completed minutes for the commission’s regular meetings on Feb. 12, April 8, May 13 and June 10 meetings.
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 commission will meet virtually via webinar beginning at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12.
The agenda can be found here.
To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here or join by phone by calling 914-614-3429 or toll-free, 866-952-8437. The access code is 499-692-147; 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
Please 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.
The commission’s main item of consideration is a commercial self-storage facility proposed by Jonathan and Doug Bridges of Kelseyville-based Bridges Construction.
The Bridges want to develop the 35,800 facility on a 6.6-acre property at 1296 and 1320 Craig Ave.
They’ve applied for a general plan amendment, zone change, and an architectural and design review.
The staff report said a 28-unit single-family development previously had been approved for the site, as had a use permit and architectural design review for the development of a private school. However, those projects haven’t been pursued.
Also on Wednesday, the commission will get an update from city staff regarding COVID-19 and will review the pending projects list.
On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are approval of the completed minutes for the commission’s regular meetings on Feb. 12, April 8, May 13 and June 10 meetings.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTH COAST, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol said the driver of a pickup that overturned on the East Fork Russian River bridge in Mendocino County on Saturday died of his injuries after jumping off the bridge.
The CHP’s Ukiah Area office did not release the name of the driver in its Sunday night report.
Just before 6 p.m. Saturday the CHP said its Ukiah Communications Center received several 911 calls about a traffic collision on Highway 20 just west of the Bushay campground entrance.
While units were en route, one of the reporting parties informed the dispatch center that the driver of the pickup involved in the wreck had jumped off the bridge, the CHP said.
The CHP said its officers and Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene, arriving to find the pickup on its side, blocking the westbound lane of Highway 20 on the bridge.
Off-duty medical personnel were on the scene rendering aid to the male subject who had jumped from the bridge, the CHP said.
The CHP said the individual died of his injuries.
The incident is still under investigation, according to the Sunday night report.
The CHP’s Ukiah Area office did not release the name of the driver in its Sunday night report.
Just before 6 p.m. Saturday the CHP said its Ukiah Communications Center received several 911 calls about a traffic collision on Highway 20 just west of the Bushay campground entrance.
While units were en route, one of the reporting parties informed the dispatch center that the driver of the pickup involved in the wreck had jumped off the bridge, the CHP said.
The CHP said its officers and Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene, arriving to find the pickup on its side, blocking the westbound lane of Highway 20 on the bridge.
Off-duty medical personnel were on the scene rendering aid to the male subject who had jumped from the bridge, the CHP said.
The CHP said the individual died of his injuries.
The incident is still under investigation, according to the Sunday night report.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Officials said the newly completed acquisition of a ranch near Lakeport will offer more public access to staging and camping for the South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area.
The Bureau of Land Management Ukiah Field Office and its partners announced the recent acquisition of the nearly 1,400-acre Blue Oak Ranch.
Located along Highway 175 near Lakeport in Lake County, the ranch was purchased with funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the California State Park Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division Grants Program.
The South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area encompasses approximately 23,000 acres of public land in the Mayacamas Mountains that has more than 90 miles of designated roads and trails ranging from easy to extremely difficult and the recommended vehicle type depending on the width of the trail appropriate for motorcycles, OHVs and four-wheel drive vehicles.
“This acquisition will allow the BLM to protect and conserve the area for cultural and environmental resources, sustain and enhance current use at the South Cow Mountain, and allow for paved access to future camping, staging and trail opportunities,” said BLM Ukiah Field Manager Ryan Cooper. “This acquisition would not have happened without the strong collaboration between the ranch owner, recreation community, California State Parks and the BLM.”
The additional staging and camping area will enhance existing facilities. Currently there are two developed OHV staging areas within South Cow Mountain with graveled access roads accessible by two-wheel drive vehicles. Access roads into these areas are narrow and winding. Travel trailers and large recreational vehicles are not recommended.
“Acquisition of the Blue Oak Ranch is a significant milestone in the history of the South Cow Mountain OHV Area in that it will provide much-needed camping and staging opportunities with easy public access from a paved road,” said Don Amador, government affairs lead for AMA District 36.
“I know the OHV community appreciates the agency’s effort over the last four to five years to purchase this property from a willing seller who wanted to see it used for both casual trail use and permitted events,” Amador said. “The BLM, landowner, California OHV Grant Program and the many other partners it took to make this happen can be proud of this historic moment as they continue efforts to provide sustainable high-quality OHV recreation at South Cow Mountain for current and future generations.”
The area offers beautiful views of Ukiah and Lake County; pockets of old-growth fir; several species of oak; willows; more than 31 miles of stream; 13 reservoirs; and habitat for blacktail deer, bear, wild turkey and other upland species.
Amador told Lake County News that the Forest Service and BLM started more collaboration efforts with user groups about 10 years ago to help them flesh out ideas, to help them provide relevant services and make better planning decisions.
He said the effort was unique in that it used collaboration with partners and funding from the
Land and Water Conservation Fund and OHV Grant Program to make a land purchase happen.
“I think it is a model for future efforts to acquire land from willing sellers so agencies can provide more high-quality recreation opportunities in California,” he said.
To learn more about the South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area visit www.blm.gov/visit/search-details/10004875/2 .
