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Opinion
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
This excellent letter describes an ongoing situation where our government continues to provide sufficient funding for environmental support at Lake Tahoe while ignoring California’s other significant natural lake, Clear Lake, which has similar but more critical support needs that are woefully underfunded.
The details are best understood by reading the letter (the original was sent on county of Lake, Board of Supervisors letterhead on Oct. 27 to all on the above distribution list):
RE: Request to revise proposed legislation authorizing $390 million for environmental restoration at Lake Tahoe to include an appropriation for similar efforts at Clear Lake
Dear (per distribution list),
On behalf of the Lake County Board of Supervisors, I am writing to request that the soon-to-be proposed legislation to re-authorize the Tahoe Restoration Act also include an appropriation for the protection and management of Clear Lake.
Recent reports indicate that a federal bill may soon be introduced by U.S. Senators Harry Reid (D-Nev.), John Ensign (R-Nev.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), and Dianne Feinstein (D- Calif.) to re-authorize the Tahoe Restoration Act, originally launched in 1997 by President Bill Clinton, with an additional $390 million in taxpayer funds exclusively focused on environmental issues at Lake Tahoe. Since its introduction, the Act has provided more than $1.4 billion in federal tax revenue for environmental restoration and other projects to protect Lake Tahoe.
Our Board is supportive of the preservation efforts of Lake Tahoe, however, we also must stress the importance of the Lake County charter from the State of California to preserve and protect the largest natural freshwater lake within California's borders: Clear Lake. Clear Lake has garnered the interest of scientists worldwide, including limnologists who consider it likely the oldest lake in North America, and it is squarely at the center of Lake County's economy.
Clear Lake is of equal environmental significance to Lake Tahoe, and in fact, Clear Lake plays a more significant role in the state's water distribution system since it feeds into the waterways of the California Delta.
Clear Lake faces similar but arguably more critical environmental challenges than Lake Tahoe including severe watershed issues relating to algae, invasive weed species including Hydrilla, protection of its indigenous fish species, and a significant threat of exposure to invasive Quagga/Zebra mussels due to its popularity for tournament bass fishing and recreational boating.
While each of these challenges is being addressed by the County of Lake and, to some degree, by the State of California, all are severely under-funded with management plans that are only partially implemented.
It is our understanding that this proposed legislation may include funding to control invasive species such as mussels to further protect Lake Tahoe, and it is important to note that Clear Lake is perhaps at potentially greater risk of mussel infestation. This is evidenced in a report prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, which assessed the vulnerability of California water bodies to colonization by Quagga/Zebra mussels based on several environmental factors (calcium, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity) and rated each water body in terms of management priority (1-High, 2-Medium, 3-Low, 4-Not Vulnerable to Colonization). Clear Lake was ranked as a Level 2 — Medium Priority while Lake Tahoe was ranked as a Level 4 — Not Vulnerable. (Potential Distribution of Zebra Mussels and Quagga Mussels in California Phase I Report, Andrew N. Cohen, August 2007)
We strongly feel that in order to serve the public fairly, Congress must not fund projects solely for Lake Tahoe while allowing under-funding of more severely needed programs at California's other significant natural lake. Thus, we hereby urgently, and unanimously, request the following:
That the proposed legislation for Lake Tahoe be redefined as funding for "The Protection of California's Two Largest Freshwater Lakes"; and
That this funding be allocated and appropriated fairly toward programs and projects that address similar goals for both lakes (e.g., watershed protection efforts, programs for fire prevention in the surrounding watershed, invasive species prevention, etc.).
It is with this in mind that we respectfully request your support to include an appropriation in the bill to protect and restore Clear Lake and its watershed, thereby helping to preserve the State's two largest and most significant natural lakes — Lake Tahoe and Clear Lake.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely, (original signed by all five Supervisors)
While none of us doubt that the Lake Tahoe region has significantly more economic clout than Clear Lake (Lake County) has, this funding is aimed at environmental protection and the data supports the more urgent need for funding of similar protection for Clear Lake.
While Lake County officials understand that their request to modify the current bill (another $390 million for Tahoe) to send a small part of this funding to Lake County is a long shot, they know the logic for doing so is sound. They urgently need community help to focus our busy politicians on this priority. Letters from those that reside in or visit Lake County to all or some of the elected officials listed (or to your officials if you live elsewhere) can greatly increase the chances of modifying the bill to rightly apportion some of the funding to Clear Lake.
Communicating with elected officials is not difficult but is a nuisance task that is often not accomplished. This time you have to do it and extend the request to all of your relatives and friends that visit our county and love our lake.
While this is about the lake, don’t believe for a second that it is not just as critical to the economy of our county. Showing that programs are funded and effective to manage aquatic plants including algae and to keep invasive species out of our lake improves the success of our local businesses while promoting tourism.
Also, such actions motivate business investment into our county (e.g. Konocti Harbor purchase) which is needed to lower our very high unemployment numbers and again motivate tourism.
To help you assist the lake and the economy, please go to my Web site ( www.konoctibay.com) where you will find down loadable files for the actual Board of Supervisors letter, a proposed draft letter for you to attach to the Board of Supervisors letter and send to your elected officials, and addresses for those on the BOS distribution list.
A few hours spent sending such letters, and getting your family and friends to do the same, could turn this long shot into the most significant environmental funding effort to date for Clear Lake. Thanks in advance for all of your assistance.
Ed Calkins lives in Kelseyville.
- Details
- Written by: Shalean Smith
Quite honestly, I fully anticipated the community, including myself, would stand before the lectern and express support in favor of the board’s approval of the use of some remaining redevelopment funds for the purchase of a town clock, after which the board would then approve it. Instead, a debate of aesthetics verse infrastructure, one town apposed to another – it was the sort discussion I had not anticipated.
If you’re interested in a bit of history, the first Upper Lake town clock was installed in 1914 by the Upper Lake Women’s Protective Club, a club still in existence today. In the 1970s the rising repair costs due to routine vandalism forced the club to remove and sell the clock. If you were in the county in the 1970s you’ll remember what Upper Lake had become and I pray will never be again.
It’s important to point out that redevelopment funds are designated for very specific uses and, like stamped sidewalks and decorative lighting, a clock will further enhance the image of Upper Lake.
Two of the four board members present that day believe strongly that a clock is purely aesthetic. I beg to differ. Think about your most fond travel or vacation memories. What do you remember? (Take a moment to really think about this.) How do you describe this place to friends? So is it that your destination had the smoothest road ways or most efficient sewer system? Not likely.
We should all be so thankful for local people like Jim Fetzer who cared enough about aesthetics to create Ceago Vinegarden; or Lynne and Bernie Butcher for every single aesthetic detail they invested in the Tallman Hotel and Blue Wing Saloon. No matter how hard one might try, we are all judged by our appearance and so will our town.
The placement of a town clock is like the cherry atop a sundae. Whether you like cherries or not everyone has to agree that a picture of a sundae without the cherry just doesn’t seem right.
It would be a shame if the Upper Lake redevelopment project fell short of being completed. Due to the board's decision this week, it is now up to our community to raise 25 percent of the cost of a new clock. This is our chance to show just how much we care about the look and feel of our town. We need to raise $3,000 to $4,000.
Ninety-five years after the installation of the first clock the Women’s Protective Club voted this week to spearhead the effort to erect a new landmark clock and raise the necessary funds specified by the Board of Supevisors.
If you or someone you know can donate, please make a check payable to Women’s Protective Club – Town Clock. Contributions are tax-deductible.
Mail contributions to PO Box 508, Upper Lake, 95485 or donate directly to the Women’s Protective Club account at the Upper Lake Branch of Westamerica Bank.
Shalean Smith is a resident and business owner in Upper Lake.
- Details
- Written by: Lucerne Elementary School teachers
Our questions are as follows:
l) How will these changes affect our small school?
Student programs: As a small, cohesive district, we are able to quickly tailor our efforts to our own students’ needs. In a large district, decisions would be made by an administration that doesn’t necessarily know our students’ unique needs. We also risk further loss to the personalized learning environment when teachers and students get moved around within a much larger district.
Test scores: We have worked very hard to have the resources and collaboration needed to address student test score improvement issues. We have stayed out of “Program Improvement” by knowing our students and using our resources to meet their needs. If we unify, how will our test scores be impacted by movement of students and loss of revenue?
2) How will students be affected by changes in accessibility of administration?
Presently we have daily access to our administration and all questions, concerns and issues are taken care of immediately. Our accessible administration knows all of our students by name and each student’s strengths and needs. Administration attends student and teacher meetings, visit our classes frequently, and are involved in our intervention programs – on site. With unification, would we lose the strength gained by our administrator knowing our student population so well? Administration also knows each teacher’s strengths and needs and is able to offer resources accordingly.
Lucerne and Upper Lake already have a principal/superintendent position in which they “wear many hats.” If we were to unify, a superintendent position would need to be created, adding another cost. In the students’ best interests, we would still need to have on-site administrators.
3) How will allocation of resources be decided?
Teachers from larger county districts have complained to us that we have more professional development opportunities and more access to current technology. We appreciate having current technology available as well as the opportunities we have for professional growth. We know that having appropriate resources and teacher training is crucial to providing students with the best possible education.
4) What about financial responsibilities?
Our district has made appropriate sacrifices to make our district financially responsible. We do not want to merge with other districts and put our school at financial risk.
Although Lucerne teachers would probably be given a pay raise if unification happens, we wonder how this will financially impact a new unified district.
Our board has already given up their monthly stipends and district-paid health benefits, as it impacts our district’s general fund.
We already participate in contract sharing and cooperative purchases with the county and other districts. For instance, our buses are serviced through Upper Lake, and we share some support personnel with them.
It is our hope that this list serves to clarify both our feelings and concerns regarding what is at risk surrounding unification. We appreciate working with the students in Lake county and will always be willing to collaborate with other schools for the needs of students. Our students are unique and we work hard to provide the best programs possible for their education.
Tammy Saldana, Melissa Seymour, Kathy Hughes, Christa Mott, Catherine Davenport, Laura Ewing, Stella Winckler, Megan Grant, Merilee Krieg, Venus Kuintzle, Ron Hale, Jen Wangberg and Doreen Walstad are teachers at Lucerne Elementary School.
- Details
- Written by: Dr. William R. MacDougall
The Konocti Unified School District has been having regular meetings regarding the H1N1 and seasonal flu since the end of last year in preparation for this time. The school sites are taking a lead role in educating our students and families in ways to remain healthy during this flu season.
Here is what our district is doing:
Closely monitoring all information coming from the California Department of Education and Lake County Public Health.
Monitoring our attendance to make sure that students who are ill are staying home until they are no longer contagious.
Increasing our frequency of cleaning germ “hot spots” such as desks, tables, door knobs, light switches, faucets, and bus seats.
Keeping classrooms, buses and other facilities fully stocked with the necessary disinfectant materials.
Placing reminder signs in bathrooms for students to wash their hands and students are also reminded to wash their hands upon returning from recess or bathroom.
All staff members are monitoring the bus, classrooms, and the campus for students who show signs of illness, such as frequent coughing, and these students are sent to the office to be medically cleared or sent home.
Educating kids in healthy habits. Students are corrected when they make unhealthy choices and praised when they make healthy choices.
As a community we need to work together to help teach each other and our children healthy habits which will help reduce all illnesses (not just the flu). If everyone works hard we can maintain and improve the health of our community.
Here are the healthy habits that we believe need to be enforced and reinforced by parents, staff members and our community:
Get vaccinated (if recommended by your health care provider).
Stay home if you are sick and try to avoid contact with sick people.
Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds (sing “Happy Birthday” to yourself twice).
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth (viruses can spread when your hands touch surfaces that may be infested with germs).
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and remember to throw away the tissue (then wash your hands). If you have no tissue, use the inside of your elbow and be sure to cover your nose and mouth.
Do not share drinks, water bottles, eating utensils, cell phones or makeup.
A parent’s decision to keep a child home from school when sick can sometimes be a difficult one. No parent wants to interrupt their child’s learning and, for some, keeping a child home means missing work or losing pay.
However, if a child has a serious illness such as influenza (flu), it’s important for the child to stay home from school for the recommended seven-day period of time.
The key is to closely monitor your child for signs of illness on a daily basis:
If you have a stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat and a hacking cough you probably have a cold;
If you have a fever higher than 100 degrees, severe headache, muscle and body aches, extreme tiredness and a dry cough, you probably have the flu.
If you suddenly find yourself sick or have a sick family member and are unsure what steps to take, contact your health care provider for treatment advice. Please feel free to contact your neighborhood school for further information and assistance.
Dr. William MacDougall, Ed.D., is superintendent of the Konocti Unified School District.