How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Superior Court officials said this week that they are continuing to conduct remote proceedings and keep in place other operational adaptations to comply with state and local health orders in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In mid-March, in response to county and state shelter in place orders and direction from the Judicial Council of California, the court shut down in-person proceedings and trials were put on hold, as Lake County News has reported.
Later in the spring, the Judicial Council allowed for trials to restart in June.
In the Lake County Superior Court, jury trials had been scheduled to start on July 8, but Court Executive Officer Krista LeVier told Lake County News that, to date, all cases for which trials had been scheduled to start between July 8 and this Wednesday have been resolved or the proceedings rescheduled to a later date.
Scheduling for any jury trials for the first week of August should be determined by the end of this week.
Meantime, officials said that while the pandemic persists and shelter in place orders remain in effect, the court is continuing to provide necessary and essential services to court users while protecting the health of all who come before or work within the court.
In response to public health orders, the court has limited the number of cases on calendar, requires social distancing in court facilities as well as face coverings, and will continue to handle matters via remote means whenever possible.
The following is an overview of how current proceedings are handled.
As the situation is quickly evolving, the court said it will keep the public up to date on its website.
All Judicial Council forms may be found here.
Remote court hearings
The court will continue to hold the following hearings by remote appearance until further notice. All attorneys and parties must appear by phone/video as directed by the court.
– Daily in-custody criminal arraignments.
– Juvenile detention hearings, Department 4.
– Felony law and motion, Department 3, Tuesdays at 8:15 a.m.
– Sentencings, Department 3, Mondays at 3 p.m.
– Misdemeanor disposition/setting and motions, Department 1, Mondays at 8:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
– Misdemeanor settlement conferences, Department 1, Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m.
– Civil law and motion, Department 2, Mondays at 9 a.m.
– Civil case management, Department 2, Mondays at 10:30 a.m.
– Conservatorships, Department 2, Mondays at 1:30 p.m.
– Probate, Department 2, Mondays at 2 p.m.
– Department of Child Support Services Family Support, Clearlake Branch Tuesdays at 9 a.m.
– Domestic violence restraining orders, Department 2, Tuesdays at 8:15 a.m.
– Family law and motion, Department 2, Tuesdays at 10 a.m.
– Juvenile delinquency and dependency calendars, Mondays, 8:15 a.m./1:30 p.m., Department 4.
– Civil harassment restraining order calendar, Tuesdays, 8:15 a.m., Department 4.
– Civil Settlement Calendar, Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m., Department 4.
– Trial assignment, Fridays, 8:15 a.m., Department 4.
Trials and contested hearings
The court will continue conducting in-person trials or contested hearings which will be direct set for Thursdays and Fridays. The number of cases set on a given date/time will be limited to allow for appropriate social distancing.
Felony law and motion, sentencing and preliminary hearings
The felony law and motion and sentencing calendars will be held by remote appearance. However, out-of-custody defendants ordered to appear will be required to attend in person. Preliminary hearings will continue to be held in person.
Misdemeanor arraignment calendar
The misdemeanor arraignment calendar will continue to be held in person. The number of cases set on a given date/time has been limited to allow for appropriate social distancing.
Jury trials
The court is prepared to conduct jury trials, as necessary. If you receive a jury summons, you are required to appear.
Steps have been taken to minimize the risk to jurors, including reducing the number of jurors who are summoned to appear at one time. Jurors who are unable to serve because they are at high-risk for COVID-19-related complications will be excused prior to coming to the courthouse.
Additional details about the excusal process and precautions will be provided with the jury summons.
Clearlake Branch operations: Small claims/traffic/unlawful detainer
The Clearlake Branch will continue to hold court calendars in-person. The number of cases set on the calendar has been limited and staff will limit the number of people who enter the building to ensure proper social distancing.
Self-Help Center
The Self-Help Center will continue to provide service by remote means only. Litigants can contact the Self-Help Center by phone 707-994-4612, or emailThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for assistance.
Court clerk’s offices
The Court Clerk’s Offices continue to be open to the public daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The public is encouraged to continue to make use of the drop-box whenever possible, to avoid a person-to-person interaction.
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.
In mid-March, in response to county and state shelter in place orders and direction from the Judicial Council of California, the court shut down in-person proceedings and trials were put on hold, as Lake County News has reported.
Later in the spring, the Judicial Council allowed for trials to restart in June.
In the Lake County Superior Court, jury trials had been scheduled to start on July 8, but Court Executive Officer Krista LeVier told Lake County News that, to date, all cases for which trials had been scheduled to start between July 8 and this Wednesday have been resolved or the proceedings rescheduled to a later date.
Scheduling for any jury trials for the first week of August should be determined by the end of this week.
Meantime, officials said that while the pandemic persists and shelter in place orders remain in effect, the court is continuing to provide necessary and essential services to court users while protecting the health of all who come before or work within the court.
In response to public health orders, the court has limited the number of cases on calendar, requires social distancing in court facilities as well as face coverings, and will continue to handle matters via remote means whenever possible.
The following is an overview of how current proceedings are handled.
As the situation is quickly evolving, the court said it will keep the public up to date on its website.
All Judicial Council forms may be found here.
Remote court hearings
The court will continue to hold the following hearings by remote appearance until further notice. All attorneys and parties must appear by phone/video as directed by the court.
– Daily in-custody criminal arraignments.
– Juvenile detention hearings, Department 4.
– Felony law and motion, Department 3, Tuesdays at 8:15 a.m.
– Sentencings, Department 3, Mondays at 3 p.m.
– Misdemeanor disposition/setting and motions, Department 1, Mondays at 8:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
– Misdemeanor settlement conferences, Department 1, Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m.
– Civil law and motion, Department 2, Mondays at 9 a.m.
– Civil case management, Department 2, Mondays at 10:30 a.m.
– Conservatorships, Department 2, Mondays at 1:30 p.m.
– Probate, Department 2, Mondays at 2 p.m.
– Department of Child Support Services Family Support, Clearlake Branch Tuesdays at 9 a.m.
– Domestic violence restraining orders, Department 2, Tuesdays at 8:15 a.m.
– Family law and motion, Department 2, Tuesdays at 10 a.m.
– Juvenile delinquency and dependency calendars, Mondays, 8:15 a.m./1:30 p.m., Department 4.
– Civil harassment restraining order calendar, Tuesdays, 8:15 a.m., Department 4.
– Civil Settlement Calendar, Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m., Department 4.
– Trial assignment, Fridays, 8:15 a.m., Department 4.
Trials and contested hearings
The court will continue conducting in-person trials or contested hearings which will be direct set for Thursdays and Fridays. The number of cases set on a given date/time will be limited to allow for appropriate social distancing.
Felony law and motion, sentencing and preliminary hearings
The felony law and motion and sentencing calendars will be held by remote appearance. However, out-of-custody defendants ordered to appear will be required to attend in person. Preliminary hearings will continue to be held in person.
Misdemeanor arraignment calendar
The misdemeanor arraignment calendar will continue to be held in person. The number of cases set on a given date/time has been limited to allow for appropriate social distancing.
Jury trials
The court is prepared to conduct jury trials, as necessary. If you receive a jury summons, you are required to appear.
Steps have been taken to minimize the risk to jurors, including reducing the number of jurors who are summoned to appear at one time. Jurors who are unable to serve because they are at high-risk for COVID-19-related complications will be excused prior to coming to the courthouse.
Additional details about the excusal process and precautions will be provided with the jury summons.
Clearlake Branch operations: Small claims/traffic/unlawful detainer
The Clearlake Branch will continue to hold court calendars in-person. The number of cases set on the calendar has been limited and staff will limit the number of people who enter the building to ensure proper social distancing.
Self-Help Center
The Self-Help Center will continue to provide service by remote means only. Litigants can contact the Self-Help Center by phone 707-994-4612, or email
Court clerk’s offices
The Court Clerk’s Offices continue to be open to the public daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The public is encouraged to continue to make use of the drop-box whenever possible, to avoid a person-to-person interaction.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – On her last day on the job, the Lakeport City Council plans to hold a special meeting to honor retiring City Manager Margaret Silveira.
The special meeting in recognition of Silveira will take place on Friday, July 31.
The meeting will take place virtually beginning at 9 a.m. The agenda can be found here.
Access the meeting remotely here or join by phone by calling toll-free 866-901-6455 or 562- 247-8421. The access code is 981-143-571; 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 8 a.m. Friday, July 31.
Please indicate in the email subject line "for public comment" and list the item number you wish to comment on. Comments that participants want 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.
Silveira is retiring as of Friday after 10 years as Lakeport’s city manager. She is the third person to hold that job – the city went to the city manager form of government in 2001 – and the first woman. The council has tapped her assistant city manager, Kevin Ingram, to succeed her.
The council has bestowed other honors on Silveira, including naming the former Bank of America building on Main Street – which she convinced the company to donate after closing it – the Silveira Community Center.
At Friday’s meeting, Mayor George Spurr will present Congressional Record remarks from Congressman Mike Thompson honoring Silveira.
Mayor Pro Tem Kenny Parlet will offer a certificate of recognition from California State Assemblymember Cecilia Aguilar Curry and Sen. Mike McGuire.
Councilman Tim Barnes will present recognition from Redwood Empire Municipal Insurance Fund.
Councilwoman Mireya Turner will deliver a resolution of recognition from the California Association for Local Economic Development.
Councilwoman Stacey Mattina will give to Silveira a proclamation by the council recognizing her for her years of service.
There also will be a presentation of a video tribute and public comment.
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 special meeting in recognition of Silveira will take place on Friday, July 31.
The meeting will take place virtually beginning at 9 a.m. The agenda can be found here.
Access the meeting remotely here or join by phone by calling toll-free 866-901-6455 or 562- 247-8421. The access code is 981-143-571; 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 you wish to comment on. Comments that participants want 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.
Silveira is retiring as of Friday after 10 years as Lakeport’s city manager. She is the third person to hold that job – the city went to the city manager form of government in 2001 – and the first woman. The council has tapped her assistant city manager, Kevin Ingram, to succeed her.
The council has bestowed other honors on Silveira, including naming the former Bank of America building on Main Street – which she convinced the company to donate after closing it – the Silveira Community Center.
At Friday’s meeting, Mayor George Spurr will present Congressional Record remarks from Congressman Mike Thompson honoring Silveira.
Mayor Pro Tem Kenny Parlet will offer a certificate of recognition from California State Assemblymember Cecilia Aguilar Curry and Sen. Mike McGuire.
Councilman Tim Barnes will present recognition from Redwood Empire Municipal Insurance Fund.
Councilwoman Mireya Turner will deliver a resolution of recognition from the California Association for Local Economic Development.
Councilwoman Stacey Mattina will give to Silveira a proclamation by the council recognizing her for her years of service.
There also will be a presentation of a video tribute and public comment.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
The Bureau of Land Management has named Chris Heppe as its new director for the Central California District, which covers Lake County.
Heppe grew up playing in the streams and forests of the Sierra Nevada foothills in Nevada City. It is his love of water, wildlife and their habitat that led him on a lifelong career in federal service to remote corners of the world.
But Heppe’s path has now brought him back home as the new Bureau of Land Management Central California District Manager based in El Dorado Hills.
“It is a tremendous privilege to be a steward of such a diverse landscape and spectacular cross-section of California that is enjoyed and utilized in a variety of ways,” says Heppe. “I look forward to supporting the BLM managers, staff and specialists who are fantastic at handling the popularity of our recreation areas, while building partnerships with other agencies and communities. Together we can leverage resources and enhance the work being done on the ground.”
The Central California District encompasses roughly 2.2 million acres of BLM-managed public lands stretching from the Pacific Ocean through the Central Valley across the Sierra Nevada and Eastern Sierra to the California-Nevada border.
It includes five BLM field offices – Bakersfield, Bishop, Central Coast, Mother Lode and Ukiah, which includes Lake County – as well as four national monuments, among them the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. The district also includes three wild and scenic rivers, two national trails and a national scenic area scattered across 42 counties.
Two weeks after graduating with a biological sciences degree from the University of California at Davis, Heppe started his federal service as a Peace Corps volunteer planting trees as living fences that provide habitat, forage and erosion control in Paraguay.
He then hooted for spotted owls as a seasonal wildlife technician in the Tahoe National Forest, before earning a master’s degree in environmental management from the University of San Francisco.
Heppe went to work for the Environmental Protection Agency in their Regional Office reviewing hazardous waste management permits, then transitioned into the Water Management Division administering grants to states to improve water quality and watershed health.
Watershed restoration next led him to the Redwood National Park as a natural resource program manager and onto the BLM as manager of the Headwaters Forest Reserve.
Heppe most recently served as the assistant field manager for the BLM Arcata Field Office where he oversaw a variety of natural and cultural resource programs in partnership with local communities.
Heppe succeeds Este Stifel, who retired from federal service last year.
When not in the office, Heppe enjoys family time, hiking and shooting hoops in the driveway.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate throughout the nation.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said that the planned increase to the state’s minimum wage is moving forward while also reporting that more than $1 billion has gone back into the pockets of 3.6 million working Californians and their families through California’s Earned Income Tax Credit and Young Child Tax Credit.
Although current economic conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic authorize him to suspend the scheduled increase in the minimum wage for 2021, Newsom declined to do so, announcing that he will move the increase forward as reflected in the 2020 state budget.
The minimum wage will increase on Jan. 1 to $13.00 per hour for businesses with 25 or fewer employees, and to $14 per hour for businesses with more than 25 employees.
“As we continue our efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, we must also ensure that as our economy recovers, all Californians can benefit in its growth,” said Gov. Newsom. “Not allowing this increase to go forward will only make life harder for those Californians who have already borne a disproportionate share of the economic hardship caused by this pandemic. Many of them are on the front lines of the pandemic, providing child care, working in our hospitals and nursing facilities and making sure there’s food on grocery store shelves.”
The COVID-19 recession has not only dealt a swift and broad-based blow to California’s economy – it has taken a disproportionate toll on low-income Californians, worsening income disparities that predate the pandemic.
Newsom said the expansion of the California Earned Income Tax Credit, or CalEITC, and the creation of the Young Child Tax Credit, or YCTC, have provided much-needed financial relief to millions of Californians, especially families with young children.
As of Monday, more than 3.6 million filers claimed the CalEITC and YCTC, providing over $1 billion back to hardworking Californians, Newsom reported.
“The CalEITC is providing critical relief for millions of low-income Californians and their families, many of whom were struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic and have been hit especially hard during this time,” said Newsom. “The CalEITC and the new Young Child Tax Credit are helping families make ends meet.”
CalEITC-eligible families with children under the age of 6 can also receive up to $1,000 more by claiming the YCTC, established through the budget signed by Gov. Newsom last year.
Of the over $1 billion distributed through CalEITC and YCTC, $370 million was credited to 409,000 taxpayers who claimed the Young Child Tax Credit. This means money back in the pockets of almost half a million California families to help relieve their economic strain and address childhood poverty.
Last year, Gov. Newsom significantly expanded CalEITC, investing $1 billion to help Californians become more financially secure.
He expanded the program so Californians making up to $30,000 per year now qualify, and added a new Young Child Tax Credit for families with children under the age of 6.
“The CalEITC is an important investment in California’s families and our future,” said First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. “I am grateful to the countless community organizations and volunteers who partnered with our administration to ensure this benefit reached those who need it most, particularly California’s kids.”
Although current economic conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic authorize him to suspend the scheduled increase in the minimum wage for 2021, Newsom declined to do so, announcing that he will move the increase forward as reflected in the 2020 state budget.
The minimum wage will increase on Jan. 1 to $13.00 per hour for businesses with 25 or fewer employees, and to $14 per hour for businesses with more than 25 employees.
“As we continue our efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, we must also ensure that as our economy recovers, all Californians can benefit in its growth,” said Gov. Newsom. “Not allowing this increase to go forward will only make life harder for those Californians who have already borne a disproportionate share of the economic hardship caused by this pandemic. Many of them are on the front lines of the pandemic, providing child care, working in our hospitals and nursing facilities and making sure there’s food on grocery store shelves.”
The COVID-19 recession has not only dealt a swift and broad-based blow to California’s economy – it has taken a disproportionate toll on low-income Californians, worsening income disparities that predate the pandemic.
Newsom said the expansion of the California Earned Income Tax Credit, or CalEITC, and the creation of the Young Child Tax Credit, or YCTC, have provided much-needed financial relief to millions of Californians, especially families with young children.
As of Monday, more than 3.6 million filers claimed the CalEITC and YCTC, providing over $1 billion back to hardworking Californians, Newsom reported.
“The CalEITC is providing critical relief for millions of low-income Californians and their families, many of whom were struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic and have been hit especially hard during this time,” said Newsom. “The CalEITC and the new Young Child Tax Credit are helping families make ends meet.”
CalEITC-eligible families with children under the age of 6 can also receive up to $1,000 more by claiming the YCTC, established through the budget signed by Gov. Newsom last year.
Of the over $1 billion distributed through CalEITC and YCTC, $370 million was credited to 409,000 taxpayers who claimed the Young Child Tax Credit. This means money back in the pockets of almost half a million California families to help relieve their economic strain and address childhood poverty.
Last year, Gov. Newsom significantly expanded CalEITC, investing $1 billion to help Californians become more financially secure.
He expanded the program so Californians making up to $30,000 per year now qualify, and added a new Young Child Tax Credit for families with children under the age of 6.
“The CalEITC is an important investment in California’s families and our future,” said First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. “I am grateful to the countless community organizations and volunteers who partnered with our administration to ensure this benefit reached those who need it most, particularly California’s kids.”
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved an agreement with an Oroville-based nonprofit that proposes to temporarily operate a COVID-19 homeless shelter in a portion of the former juvenile hall facility.
The contract between Lake County Behavioral Health Services and Elijah House is for a maximum of $234,550, and will continue through Sept. 30.
With the Hope Harbor shelter at 2150 S. Main St. in Lakeport due to close at month’s end after a four-month extended run, the county was looking for an organization to take over offering COVID-19 sheltering operations for the homeless. As part of its reopening variance with the state, the county is required to offer such housing services.
Elijah House responded to a request for proposals the county issued in June for an organization to take over COVID-19 sheltering operations for the homeless.
Behavioral Health Director Todd Metcalf said Elijah House was the sole responder to the request for proposals.
He said the nonprofit provides substance use disorder and mental health services, and also operates a sober living facility in Butte County.
Metcalf said, upon approval, Elijah House will assume shelter operations on July 31 and has offered to transition the guests from the current shelter in Lakeport to the juvenile hall facility in north Lakeport.
He said the agreement ends Sept. 30, with the plan to transition the guests to the Hope Center, a transitional housing facility in Clearlake slated to open doors in late September or early October. In the event the Hope Center’s opening schedule changes, Metcalf said they incorporated language into the agreement outlining the ability to extend it on a month to month basis.
Supervisor Tina Scott thanked Metcalf for working incredibly hard on the contract. She said she had been concerned about putting the center’s residents on the street after having stabilized them, noting some of the shelter residents have found homes and jobs.
Scott said she’s met with some of Elijah House’s directors and hopes their programs can be brought to Lake County. “It’s a game changer here.”
Supervisor Bruno Sabatier wanted minor changes to the contract language, specifically, that while the county would be required to maintain the facility, the operator would have to cover issues arising from negligence.
Sabatier said he also had some “heartfelt disappointments” that the COVID-19 homeless shelter’s transition is being linked to the Hope Center in Clearlake, noting that the homeless problem has to be solved everywhere in the county, not just one area.
Metcalf said they could add the language about negligence, and while he said he also would like to see another facility in addition to the Hope Center, at this point it is all they’ve got.
“We are by no means giving up on having more than one location. But for now, this is what we have to work with and it seems to be the best path to ensure that these folks who are unhoused will have a place to go,” he said.
Health Services Director Denise Pomeroy said the county had to do an attestation several earlier this year as part of its reopening variance, and housing the homeless is a requirement.
“This also does help us stay within that variance that we wrote a few months ago,” Pomeroy said.
Elijah House representative John Mitchell, who called in to the meeting, said the organization would agree to Sabatier’s proposed amendment to the contract language.
Mitchell thanked the board for considering the proposal. He said the organization has been working to build relationships within Lake County. They have long-term goals outside of the grant proposal and saw the shelter operation as an opportunity to come in and meet that need.
He said Elijah House has been working with the Hope Center, Adventist Health and those operating the Hope Harbor shelter, and the organization wants to keep them on board. Having seen their results in housing and employment, within a few months there could be a lot more success in this program, he added.
Metcalf said it is a great opportunity to bring additional programs and services to the county in support of what Behavioral Health is trying to accomplish.
“I’m excited about this,” said Metcalf, calling it a win-win situation.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen also spoke to the board on behalf of his department and the city of Lakeport.
“We believe this is a very robust proposal” to bring in a good quality organization to expand services, Rasmussen said.
He thanked Kelseyville United Methodist Church – the fiscal sponsor for Hope Harbor – along with Hope Harbor, the county health department and current shelter staff. “They’ve done a lot of great work.”
Rasmussen said it was critical to get this new proposal approved so there was no break in service, as he said it would be detrimental if the people in the current shelter were put out on the street. He thanked the county for looking at it so quickly.
Pastor Shannon Kimbell-Auth, who works with Project Restoration and Adventist Health, thanked Sabatier, who she said opened up the idea of using the juvenile hall facility for the shelter, and Metcalf for the extraordinary amount of work required to get it done.
She agreed with Rasmusen that it would defeat a lot of the remarkable work the team at Hope Harbor has achieved over the last six months if there was a break in service.
Like Sabatier, she said she believes there needs to be more than one site in the county where the homeless are served.
Bringing Elijah House to Lake County, Kimbell-Auth said, is “an extraordinary opportunity for Lake County and the services that we are able to offer people experiencing homelessness.”
Sabatier asked if Elijah House could assist with counting the local homeless population and if they could conduct the annual point in time count at any other time rather than January.
Metcalf said he understood that more than one count could be done a year and he was open to it. However, Kimbell-Auth said the January count is required for federal Housing and Urban Development purposes while a summer count could be done to help identify the community’s needs. That responsibility falls to the Continuum of Care, not a provider like Elijah House.
Linda Hedstrom, a county resident and affordable housing consultant, explained that a lot of people seem to get stuck on the point in time count, which is a single use function for HUD for a certain kind of funding.
Hedstrom said most HUD funding, however, doesn’t rely on the point in time count. She added that there is other funding available to help with the work Kimbell-Auth and Elijah House are doing which don’t rely on that annual count.
Scott moved to approve the contract, with Sabatier seconding and the board voting 5-0.
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 contract between Lake County Behavioral Health Services and Elijah House is for a maximum of $234,550, and will continue through Sept. 30.
With the Hope Harbor shelter at 2150 S. Main St. in Lakeport due to close at month’s end after a four-month extended run, the county was looking for an organization to take over offering COVID-19 sheltering operations for the homeless. As part of its reopening variance with the state, the county is required to offer such housing services.
Elijah House responded to a request for proposals the county issued in June for an organization to take over COVID-19 sheltering operations for the homeless.
Behavioral Health Director Todd Metcalf said Elijah House was the sole responder to the request for proposals.
He said the nonprofit provides substance use disorder and mental health services, and also operates a sober living facility in Butte County.
Metcalf said, upon approval, Elijah House will assume shelter operations on July 31 and has offered to transition the guests from the current shelter in Lakeport to the juvenile hall facility in north Lakeport.
He said the agreement ends Sept. 30, with the plan to transition the guests to the Hope Center, a transitional housing facility in Clearlake slated to open doors in late September or early October. In the event the Hope Center’s opening schedule changes, Metcalf said they incorporated language into the agreement outlining the ability to extend it on a month to month basis.
Supervisor Tina Scott thanked Metcalf for working incredibly hard on the contract. She said she had been concerned about putting the center’s residents on the street after having stabilized them, noting some of the shelter residents have found homes and jobs.
Scott said she’s met with some of Elijah House’s directors and hopes their programs can be brought to Lake County. “It’s a game changer here.”
Supervisor Bruno Sabatier wanted minor changes to the contract language, specifically, that while the county would be required to maintain the facility, the operator would have to cover issues arising from negligence.
Sabatier said he also had some “heartfelt disappointments” that the COVID-19 homeless shelter’s transition is being linked to the Hope Center in Clearlake, noting that the homeless problem has to be solved everywhere in the county, not just one area.
Metcalf said they could add the language about negligence, and while he said he also would like to see another facility in addition to the Hope Center, at this point it is all they’ve got.
“We are by no means giving up on having more than one location. But for now, this is what we have to work with and it seems to be the best path to ensure that these folks who are unhoused will have a place to go,” he said.
Health Services Director Denise Pomeroy said the county had to do an attestation several earlier this year as part of its reopening variance, and housing the homeless is a requirement.
“This also does help us stay within that variance that we wrote a few months ago,” Pomeroy said.
Elijah House representative John Mitchell, who called in to the meeting, said the organization would agree to Sabatier’s proposed amendment to the contract language.
Mitchell thanked the board for considering the proposal. He said the organization has been working to build relationships within Lake County. They have long-term goals outside of the grant proposal and saw the shelter operation as an opportunity to come in and meet that need.
He said Elijah House has been working with the Hope Center, Adventist Health and those operating the Hope Harbor shelter, and the organization wants to keep them on board. Having seen their results in housing and employment, within a few months there could be a lot more success in this program, he added.
Metcalf said it is a great opportunity to bring additional programs and services to the county in support of what Behavioral Health is trying to accomplish.
“I’m excited about this,” said Metcalf, calling it a win-win situation.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen also spoke to the board on behalf of his department and the city of Lakeport.
“We believe this is a very robust proposal” to bring in a good quality organization to expand services, Rasmussen said.
He thanked Kelseyville United Methodist Church – the fiscal sponsor for Hope Harbor – along with Hope Harbor, the county health department and current shelter staff. “They’ve done a lot of great work.”
Rasmussen said it was critical to get this new proposal approved so there was no break in service, as he said it would be detrimental if the people in the current shelter were put out on the street. He thanked the county for looking at it so quickly.
Pastor Shannon Kimbell-Auth, who works with Project Restoration and Adventist Health, thanked Sabatier, who she said opened up the idea of using the juvenile hall facility for the shelter, and Metcalf for the extraordinary amount of work required to get it done.
She agreed with Rasmusen that it would defeat a lot of the remarkable work the team at Hope Harbor has achieved over the last six months if there was a break in service.
Like Sabatier, she said she believes there needs to be more than one site in the county where the homeless are served.
Bringing Elijah House to Lake County, Kimbell-Auth said, is “an extraordinary opportunity for Lake County and the services that we are able to offer people experiencing homelessness.”
Sabatier asked if Elijah House could assist with counting the local homeless population and if they could conduct the annual point in time count at any other time rather than January.
Metcalf said he understood that more than one count could be done a year and he was open to it. However, Kimbell-Auth said the January count is required for federal Housing and Urban Development purposes while a summer count could be done to help identify the community’s needs. That responsibility falls to the Continuum of Care, not a provider like Elijah House.
Linda Hedstrom, a county resident and affordable housing consultant, explained that a lot of people seem to get stuck on the point in time count, which is a single use function for HUD for a certain kind of funding.
Hedstrom said most HUD funding, however, doesn’t rely on the point in time count. She added that there is other funding available to help with the work Kimbell-Auth and Elijah House are doing which don’t rely on that annual count.
Scott moved to approve the contract, with Sabatier seconding and the board voting 5-0.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – State Controller Betty T. Yee has published 2019 self-reported payroll data for hundreds of cities and 50 counties on the Government Compensation in California website.
The site contains pay and benefit information on more than two million government jobs in California, as reported annually by each entity.
California law requires cities, counties and special districts to annually report compensation data to the state controller.
The data cover 674,166 positions and a total of more than $48.50 billion in 2019 wages.
The newly published data include 469 cities and 52 counties.
Cities not reporting are Benicia, Campbell, Compton, Davis, Ione, Oxnard, Redding, Roseville, San Jose, Santa Paula, Solano Beach, Union City and West Sacramento.
Counties that haven’t reported are Humboldt, Mendocino, Plumas, Santa Barbara, Sonoma and Yolo.
Based on the information provided on the website, the city of Clearlake, with approximately 14,297 residents and 89 employees, pays wages totaling $4,489,853 and retirement and health contributions totaling $999,152.
Average wages are $50,488, while average retirement and health contributions are $11,226.
In Clearlake, the top five salaried positions are:
– City manager: salary, $149,872; retirement and health, $30,924.
– Police chief: salary, $137,335; retirement and health, $54,143.
– Police captain: salary, $135,101; retirement and health, $48,693.
– Police sergeant: salary, $133,228; retirement and health, $33,226.
– Police officer : salary, $128,747; retirement and health, $17,298.
For the city of Lakeport, the site reports 4,677 residents and 69 employees, paying out $3,355,225 in wages and $906,680 in retirement and health contributions.
Average wages are $48,626, average retirement and health contributions are $13,140.
In Lakeport, the top five salaried positions are:
– City manager: salary, $145,553; retirement and health, $22,847.
– Community Development director: salary, $118,469; retirement and health, $12,141.
– Police chief: salary, $118,134; retirement and health, $42,706.
– Police lieutenant: salary, $102,077; retirement and health, $23,230.
– Utilities superintendent II: salary, $101,681; retirement and health, $8,299.
For the county of Lake, the site reports a population of 64,040 and county government employees totaling 1,194, paying $47,290,457 in wages and $12,333,180 in retirement and health contributions.
Average wages are $39,607; average retirement and health contributions are $10,329.
The county’s top five paid employees are:
– County counsel: salary, $152,855; retirement and health, $23,674.
– County administrative officer: salary, $152,801; retirement and health, $25,601.
– Sheriff-coroner: salary, $146,483; retirement and health, $33,512.
– District attorney: salary, $142,697; retirement and health, $23,754.
– Deputy Sheriff Sergeant: salary, $125,337; retirement and health, $22,673.
The city of Vernon – with 297 residents and 285 employees – had the highest average city employee wage in California, at $120,745 and $27,688 for retirement and health contributions.
Rounding out the top five cities for pay and benefits are Hayward, average wages, $107,198, retirement and health, $24,572; Atherton, average wages, $105,657, retirement and health, $21,428; Pleasant Hill, average wages, $105,208, retirement and health, $24,721; and Fairfield, average wages, $104,800; retirement and health, $26,164.
Topping the list for highest average county employee wage were the counties of Santa Clara, average wages, $89,985, retirement and health, $22,766; Los Angeles, average wages, $85,936, retirement and health, $24,338; Alameda, average wages, $85,194; retirement and health, $35,998; San Mateo, average wages, $82,406, retirement and health, $35,160; and Placer, average wages, $78,437, retirement and health, $33,864.
The highest-salaried city employee in California is San Francisco’s chief investment officer, with total wages totaling $577,633, with $128,267 in retirement and health contributions.
The state reported that almost all of the top 100 highest-paid county employees are physicians.
Users of the site can view compensation levels on maps and search by region, narrow results by name of the entity or by job title and export raw data or custom reports.
The state controller also maintains and publishes state and CSU salary data.
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 site contains pay and benefit information on more than two million government jobs in California, as reported annually by each entity.
California law requires cities, counties and special districts to annually report compensation data to the state controller.
The data cover 674,166 positions and a total of more than $48.50 billion in 2019 wages.
The newly published data include 469 cities and 52 counties.
Cities not reporting are Benicia, Campbell, Compton, Davis, Ione, Oxnard, Redding, Roseville, San Jose, Santa Paula, Solano Beach, Union City and West Sacramento.
Counties that haven’t reported are Humboldt, Mendocino, Plumas, Santa Barbara, Sonoma and Yolo.
Based on the information provided on the website, the city of Clearlake, with approximately 14,297 residents and 89 employees, pays wages totaling $4,489,853 and retirement and health contributions totaling $999,152.
Average wages are $50,488, while average retirement and health contributions are $11,226.
In Clearlake, the top five salaried positions are:
– City manager: salary, $149,872; retirement and health, $30,924.
– Police chief: salary, $137,335; retirement and health, $54,143.
– Police captain: salary, $135,101; retirement and health, $48,693.
– Police sergeant: salary, $133,228; retirement and health, $33,226.
– Police officer : salary, $128,747; retirement and health, $17,298.
For the city of Lakeport, the site reports 4,677 residents and 69 employees, paying out $3,355,225 in wages and $906,680 in retirement and health contributions.
Average wages are $48,626, average retirement and health contributions are $13,140.
In Lakeport, the top five salaried positions are:
– City manager: salary, $145,553; retirement and health, $22,847.
– Community Development director: salary, $118,469; retirement and health, $12,141.
– Police chief: salary, $118,134; retirement and health, $42,706.
– Police lieutenant: salary, $102,077; retirement and health, $23,230.
– Utilities superintendent II: salary, $101,681; retirement and health, $8,299.
For the county of Lake, the site reports a population of 64,040 and county government employees totaling 1,194, paying $47,290,457 in wages and $12,333,180 in retirement and health contributions.
Average wages are $39,607; average retirement and health contributions are $10,329.
The county’s top five paid employees are:
– County counsel: salary, $152,855; retirement and health, $23,674.
– County administrative officer: salary, $152,801; retirement and health, $25,601.
– Sheriff-coroner: salary, $146,483; retirement and health, $33,512.
– District attorney: salary, $142,697; retirement and health, $23,754.
– Deputy Sheriff Sergeant: salary, $125,337; retirement and health, $22,673.
The city of Vernon – with 297 residents and 285 employees – had the highest average city employee wage in California, at $120,745 and $27,688 for retirement and health contributions.
Rounding out the top five cities for pay and benefits are Hayward, average wages, $107,198, retirement and health, $24,572; Atherton, average wages, $105,657, retirement and health, $21,428; Pleasant Hill, average wages, $105,208, retirement and health, $24,721; and Fairfield, average wages, $104,800; retirement and health, $26,164.
Topping the list for highest average county employee wage were the counties of Santa Clara, average wages, $89,985, retirement and health, $22,766; Los Angeles, average wages, $85,936, retirement and health, $24,338; Alameda, average wages, $85,194; retirement and health, $35,998; San Mateo, average wages, $82,406, retirement and health, $35,160; and Placer, average wages, $78,437, retirement and health, $33,864.
The highest-salaried city employee in California is San Francisco’s chief investment officer, with total wages totaling $577,633, with $128,267 in retirement and health contributions.
The state reported that almost all of the top 100 highest-paid county employees are physicians.
Users of the site can view compensation levels on maps and search by region, narrow results by name of the entity or by job title and export raw data or custom reports.
The state controller also maintains and publishes state and CSU salary data.
Email Elizabeth Larson at