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LAKEPORT, Calif. – A week after the Lakeport City Council approved the job classification for the assistant city manager job, a staffer has been chosen to fill the position.
The city of Lakeport announced Tuesday that Community Development Director Kevin Ingram has been appointed as the first assistant city manager in the city’s history.
Ingram was appointed to the position on Monday by City Manager Margaret Silveira.
He has served as the Community Development director since December 2014.
As part of the Lakeport City Council’s stated goals to plan for succession, the council approved an assistant city manager assignment and stipend in 2019, to provide training opportunities for executive management staff that may be interested in the city manager position in the future.
The purpose of the assistant city manager assignment was to provide training opportunities for executive staff who were interested in the city manager position in the future.
The successful applicant was expected to attend trainings, meetings and receive assignments that were outside of their area of expertise in any of the following disciplines: government administration; human resources & public employment; city clerk; economic development; housing; building; planning; government finance; policing; and public works (engineering, streets, parks, water, and wastewater).
Based on the success of the pilot assignments, the city council voted Jan. 7 to approve the new full-time position, as Lake County News has reported.
The assistant city manager is responsible to provide support directly to the city manager by serving as a liaison on major projects; act as a point of contact with elected officials, including explaining city programs, policies, and activities; develop and/or assist in the implementation of city-wide goals; provide support to a variety of boards, commissions and community groups; and perform the duties of city manager, as assigned, during the city manager’s absence.
Ingram brings years of government experience to the position and leaves behind a distinguished career as a planning professional in Lake County.
He had previously served in various Planning and Management positions at the county of Lake, culminating in his appointment as the principal planner in 2013, and prior to joining the city of Lakeport as the Community Development director.
Ingram received his Master of Arts in Public Administration from Sonoma State University in 2013, and earned both a Bachelor of Science Degree in regional development and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Arizona in 2004.
He lives in Lakeport with his wife and four children.
The city of Lakeport announced Tuesday that Community Development Director Kevin Ingram has been appointed as the first assistant city manager in the city’s history.
Ingram was appointed to the position on Monday by City Manager Margaret Silveira.
He has served as the Community Development director since December 2014.
As part of the Lakeport City Council’s stated goals to plan for succession, the council approved an assistant city manager assignment and stipend in 2019, to provide training opportunities for executive management staff that may be interested in the city manager position in the future.
The purpose of the assistant city manager assignment was to provide training opportunities for executive staff who were interested in the city manager position in the future.
The successful applicant was expected to attend trainings, meetings and receive assignments that were outside of their area of expertise in any of the following disciplines: government administration; human resources & public employment; city clerk; economic development; housing; building; planning; government finance; policing; and public works (engineering, streets, parks, water, and wastewater).
Based on the success of the pilot assignments, the city council voted Jan. 7 to approve the new full-time position, as Lake County News has reported.
The assistant city manager is responsible to provide support directly to the city manager by serving as a liaison on major projects; act as a point of contact with elected officials, including explaining city programs, policies, and activities; develop and/or assist in the implementation of city-wide goals; provide support to a variety of boards, commissions and community groups; and perform the duties of city manager, as assigned, during the city manager’s absence.
Ingram brings years of government experience to the position and leaves behind a distinguished career as a planning professional in Lake County.
He had previously served in various Planning and Management positions at the county of Lake, culminating in his appointment as the principal planner in 2013, and prior to joining the city of Lakeport as the Community Development director.
Ingram received his Master of Arts in Public Administration from Sonoma State University in 2013, and earned both a Bachelor of Science Degree in regional development and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Arizona in 2004.
He lives in Lakeport with his wife and four children.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Tuesday, Jan. 21, Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-05) will hold two events in Lake County.
In the first event, Thompson will host a town hall at the Tom Aiken Community Hall at Kelseyville High School, 5480 Main St., from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The second event, “Coffee with our Congressman,” will be held at the Grinders Steep Coffee Shop, 21187 Calistoga Road in Middletown, from noon to 1 p.m.
All constituents of California’s Fifth Congressional District and members of the press are invited to attend.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
In the first event, Thompson will host a town hall at the Tom Aiken Community Hall at Kelseyville High School, 5480 Main St., from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The second event, “Coffee with our Congressman,” will be held at the Grinders Steep Coffee Shop, 21187 Calistoga Road in Middletown, from noon to 1 p.m.
All constituents of California’s Fifth Congressional District and members of the press are invited to attend.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The annual Poetry Out Loud Lake County Competition is returning to the Soper Reese Theatre next month.
The competition takes place at the theatre beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9.
It will feature competitors from high schools around the county.
Winners at this event will go on to compete at the state level.
The public is invited to attend; entry is free of charge.
A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and the California Arts Council and Lake County Arts Council, Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country.
Schools that choose to participate in Poetry Out Loud start the program in the classroom, where teachers may use the Poetry Out Loud toolkit to teach poetry recitation and run classroom competitions.
Students select, memorize and recite poems from an anthology of more than 1,100 classic and contemporary poems.
Beginning at the classroom level, winners will advance to the school-wide competition, the county-wide competition on Feb. 9, then to the state competition and ultimately to the national finals in Washington, DC.
Since the program began in 2005, more than 3.8 million students and 60,000 teachers from 16,000 schools across the country have participated in Poetry Out Loud.
The Soper Reese Theatre is located at 275 S. Main St. in Lakeport and can be reached at 707-263-0577.
The competition takes place at the theatre beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9.
It will feature competitors from high schools around the county.
Winners at this event will go on to compete at the state level.
The public is invited to attend; entry is free of charge.
A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and the California Arts Council and Lake County Arts Council, Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country.
Schools that choose to participate in Poetry Out Loud start the program in the classroom, where teachers may use the Poetry Out Loud toolkit to teach poetry recitation and run classroom competitions.
Students select, memorize and recite poems from an anthology of more than 1,100 classic and contemporary poems.
Beginning at the classroom level, winners will advance to the school-wide competition, the county-wide competition on Feb. 9, then to the state competition and ultimately to the national finals in Washington, DC.
Since the program began in 2005, more than 3.8 million students and 60,000 teachers from 16,000 schools across the country have participated in Poetry Out Loud.
The Soper Reese Theatre is located at 275 S. Main St. in Lakeport and can be reached at 707-263-0577.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Willits man who was critically injured in a Sunday afternoon three-car wreck in the Blue Lakes area has died.
The 44-year-old man’s name has so far not been released pending notification of next of kin, according to local authorities.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said the crash occurred at approximately 4:11 p.m. Sunday on Highway 20 at Blue Lakes Lodge.
The Willits man was driving a 1991 Toyota pickup eastbound on Highway 20, just west of Irvine Avenue, at approximately 50 miles per hour, the report said.
At the same time, 57-year-old Gabriel Gutierrez of Kelseyville was driving a 2000 GMC Sierra westbound in the same area at approximately 45 miles per hour with 52-year-old Blanca Damaz of Kelseyville riding as his passenger, the CHP said.
Phillip Nasca, 51, of Eureka was driving a 2014 Dodge Ram 2500, also headed westbound, at approximately 40 miles per hour, directly behind Gutierrez’s GMC, with passenger Mia Nasca, 24, of Eureka, according to the CHP report.
The CHP said that, for reasons yet to be determined, the Willits driver allowed his Toyota to veer across the solid double yellow lines into the westbound lane and sideswiped Gutierrez’s GMC, which spun out on the north side of Highway 20.
Following the initial collision, the Toyota continued into the westbound lane, where its right front collided with the front of Nasca’s Dodge, the CHP said.
The Willits driver’s Toyota came to rest on its wheels on the north shoulder of Highway 20 as Gutierrez’s GMC came to a stop, also on its wheels, on the north embankment of Highway 20. The CHP said Nasca’s Dodge pickup came to rest on the north shoulder of Highway 20.
The CHP said the Willits driver was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the collision, however, both Gutierrez and Nasca were wearing their seatbelts, the CHP said.
As a result of the wreck, the CHP said the Willits man sustained major injuries. The other two drivers and their passengers were uninjured and were cleared by medical personnel at the crash scene.
An air ambulance was requested to respond to the scene to fly out the injured driver, however radio reports indicated that the helicopter couldn’t fly due to Sunday’s rainy weather conditions.
Instead, the CHP said the injured man was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport and then transferred to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where he died of his injuries.
The CHP said alcohol is suspected as a contributing factor in this collision, which is still under investigation.
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 44-year-old man’s name has so far not been released pending notification of next of kin, according to local authorities.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said the crash occurred at approximately 4:11 p.m. Sunday on Highway 20 at Blue Lakes Lodge.
The Willits man was driving a 1991 Toyota pickup eastbound on Highway 20, just west of Irvine Avenue, at approximately 50 miles per hour, the report said.
At the same time, 57-year-old Gabriel Gutierrez of Kelseyville was driving a 2000 GMC Sierra westbound in the same area at approximately 45 miles per hour with 52-year-old Blanca Damaz of Kelseyville riding as his passenger, the CHP said.
Phillip Nasca, 51, of Eureka was driving a 2014 Dodge Ram 2500, also headed westbound, at approximately 40 miles per hour, directly behind Gutierrez’s GMC, with passenger Mia Nasca, 24, of Eureka, according to the CHP report.
The CHP said that, for reasons yet to be determined, the Willits driver allowed his Toyota to veer across the solid double yellow lines into the westbound lane and sideswiped Gutierrez’s GMC, which spun out on the north side of Highway 20.
Following the initial collision, the Toyota continued into the westbound lane, where its right front collided with the front of Nasca’s Dodge, the CHP said.
The Willits driver’s Toyota came to rest on its wheels on the north shoulder of Highway 20 as Gutierrez’s GMC came to a stop, also on its wheels, on the north embankment of Highway 20. The CHP said Nasca’s Dodge pickup came to rest on the north shoulder of Highway 20.
The CHP said the Willits driver was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the collision, however, both Gutierrez and Nasca were wearing their seatbelts, the CHP said.
As a result of the wreck, the CHP said the Willits man sustained major injuries. The other two drivers and their passengers were uninjured and were cleared by medical personnel at the crash scene.
An air ambulance was requested to respond to the scene to fly out the injured driver, however radio reports indicated that the helicopter couldn’t fly due to Sunday’s rainy weather conditions.
Instead, the CHP said the injured man was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport and then transferred to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where he died of his injuries.
The CHP said alcohol is suspected as a contributing factor in this collision, which is still under investigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for Lake County and portions of several other Northern California counties due to a pair of winter storms expected to reach the region early this week.
The winter storm watch is in effect from 1 p.m. Wednesday through 4 p.m. Thursday.
The agency said a winter storm watch means there is potential for significant snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel, particularly in higher elevations.
Wet weather is forecast on Tuesday, with a wetter and more significant storm expected Wednesday afternoon through Thursday night, according to the forecast.
That incoming storm is forecast to bring moderate to heavy snow to elevations above 3,000 feet, as well as down into portions of the upper foothills.
Total snow accumulations of 6 to 12 inches are possible above 2,500 feet, locally up to 2 feet across the higher elevations, the National Weather Service reported.
For those planning to travel in Northern California’s mountains, the forecast calls for reduced visibility, chain controls and possible road closures.
The Lake County forecast calls not just for chances of rain all week, with winds of close to 20 miles per hour and gusts of nearly 25 miles per hour on Tuesday night. Lighter winds are forecast on Wednesday.
From Tuesday through Friday, chances of snow are forecast in Lake County’s higher elevations, in particular, the mountains north of Upper Lake.
Daytime temperatures will hover around the mid 40s throughout much of the week, rising into the mid 50s by Sunday and Monday, while nighttime temperatures will range from the low to mid 30s.
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 winter storm watch is in effect from 1 p.m. Wednesday through 4 p.m. Thursday.
The agency said a winter storm watch means there is potential for significant snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel, particularly in higher elevations.
Wet weather is forecast on Tuesday, with a wetter and more significant storm expected Wednesday afternoon through Thursday night, according to the forecast.
That incoming storm is forecast to bring moderate to heavy snow to elevations above 3,000 feet, as well as down into portions of the upper foothills.
Total snow accumulations of 6 to 12 inches are possible above 2,500 feet, locally up to 2 feet across the higher elevations, the National Weather Service reported.
For those planning to travel in Northern California’s mountains, the forecast calls for reduced visibility, chain controls and possible road closures.
The Lake County forecast calls not just for chances of rain all week, with winds of close to 20 miles per hour and gusts of nearly 25 miles per hour on Tuesday night. Lighter winds are forecast on Wednesday.
From Tuesday through Friday, chances of snow are forecast in Lake County’s higher elevations, in particular, the mountains north of Upper Lake.
Daytime temperatures will hover around the mid 40s throughout much of the week, rising into the mid 50s by Sunday and Monday, while nighttime temperatures will range from the low to mid 30s.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council has given approval to a proposed policy that will create a process for supporting cannabis grows within the county exclusion area just outside the city’s border.
The 3-1 vote on the new policy took place during the council’s Thursday night meeting.
Mayor Russ Cremer, who owns property near lands that are eligible to grow cannabis within the county exclusion area, recused himself from the matter due to a perceived conflict of interest and left the chambers during the discussion.
The report for the discussion is on page 40 of the agenda packet below, and it starts at the 57:06 mark in the video above.
City Manager Alan Flora said the item was first discussed by the council at its Oct. 10 meeting.
Based on Flora’s written report, which he reviewed with the council on Thursday, in early 2018 the county of Lake adopted amendments to the Lake County Code related to cannabis cultivation, including a new ordinance that created cannabis exclusion areas that limit the cultivation of cannabis within a variety of areas, including within 1,000 feet of a city boundary or city sphere of influence.
Flora said the city’s sphere of influence – an area outside of its city limit that is likely to be part of its future boundary – is coterminous with the city boundary.
In March, the county made further cannabis-related amendments to the Lake County Code, including allowing cannabis to be cultivated within the exclusion areas within a city’s sphere of influence if the project applicant can receive a letter of support from the city, Flora’s report explained.
Flora said there are several applicants or potential applicants who are interested in cultivating cannabis within the exclusion area around the city of Clearlake, primarily in the Ogulin Canyon area. One application for such a project has been submitted to the county along with a request to the city that a letter of support be provided to allow cultivation within the exclusion area.
At the council’s Oct. 10 meeting, council members directed staff to develop a policy regarding projects within the cannabis exclusion area. At that point, Flora’s written report said the council “was split on whether to provide letters of support for any project, however the majority directed a policy framework be crafted and brought back for final consideration.”
The proposed policy gives the city manager authority to issue a letter of support for projects within the county’s cannabis exclusion area under the following conditions:
– The property is contiguous with a property within the city that is designated for commercial cannabis activity. Properties must have at least 20 percent of their lot line contiguous with a parcel within the city’s cannabis zone in order to be considered eligible.
– The city requests the county condition the approval of any appropriate project permit to address the projects impacts on city infrastructure and resources. It would allow for mitigation fees for road use or impacts on the Clearlake Police Department.
During public comment, land use consultant Richard Knoll, who was representing Lake Vista Farms LLC on Ogulin Canyon Road, thanked the council and staff for considering the company’s letter of support for a reduced setback for its cannabis growing project and for support for the proposed policy.
“This is a burden that the county has put on the city of Clearlake,” said Knoll, adding that they appreciated the work that had gone into the city policy.
Knoll said the county ordinance requires projects to have a comprehensive property management plan, with an extensive security plan, fencing, cameras, security system, lighting and gates.
“There's a lot that does go into the project,” he said.
Cannabis business owner Chris Jennings said he fully supported the policy, adding that ideas about “reefer madness” should stop.
He said cannabis businesses have benefits to the community, and he challenged the notion that such businesses result in a lot of police response.
Realtor Dave Hughes said he’s been a proponent of not allowing cannabis growing in the city. Hughes said he understands the city’s desire to get more income, but he said the tax dollars that have been promised aren’t materializing as anticipated.
Hughes said the county did the city a favor by saying it wouldn’t allow growing within 1,000 feet of the city limit unless the city said it's OK.
The city should know the entire plan before supporting any project, Hughes said, adding that the city has nothing to gain from them.
Councilwoman Joyce Overton said she had concerns, in particular, regarding the locations of some of the eligible properties being close to areas slated for development of high-end homes, such as the long-discussed Provinsalia project at the end of Dam Road. She said the city can’t afford to lose those spaces for home development.
Councilman Phil Harris wanted to make sure the city receives a continued benefit in development agreements with such projects.
Councilman Russ Perdock said he believed everyone was coming at the issue with good intent. He said if the city didn’t ask for protections, an irresponsible grower could bring harm to the city, and added he felt better about the final proposal than the initial one.
Perdock also noted that, ultimately, such projects would be up to the county to approve, and he’s glad for the city to have a say.
Vice Mayor Dirk Slooten, who presided over the meeting in Cremer’s absence, asked for a motion.
Harris moved to adopt the resolution, but initially no second was offered. Slooten, asking if he could offer the second, was told yes and he then seconded. The roll call vote was 3-1, with Overton voting no.
Limited number of properties eligible
Flora told Lake County News that there are a total of 21 properties – totaling approximately 1,550 acres – that would be eligible to grow in the county exclusion area.
However, Flora said the policy only really impacts about 1,000 acres near the city boundary.
“Many properties are large and would be eligible for growing on other areas of the property,” he said in an email. “A quick analysis shows that over half of the acreage (over 800 acres) is outside of the 1,000 Exclusion Area and therefore is eligible for growing cannabis regardless of any action from the City. Additionally I would expect some of the properties would not meet other requirements of the County cannabis ordinance and would not be eligible for a cultivation permit.”
Email Elizabeth Larson at
010920 Clearlake City Council agenda packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd