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- Written by: Miguel Lanigan
However, it only speaks to the “boards.”
Scroll down the list and get into the full time departments, centers, agencies, authorities, bureaus, centers, councils, units and commissions, and attach a dollar value to them, and one finds that a million here, a million there soon it adds up to real serious money … money the state doesn't have.
Miguel Lanigan lives in Clearlake Oaks, Calif.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
The main dispute was the change that requires resident boat owners to obtain an annual $10. sticker for each boat they own and use on the lake. Non-resident boats are required to pay $10. for a sticker good for a month of lake usage – if they return to the lake in another month they must buy another sticker.
Several local owners of multiple boats complained that the change requires them to pay excessive amounts (e.g., $50. for five boats) and face the burden of keeping current stickers on their fleet. (The previous ordinance provided free stickers with no expiration date.) I can almost understand the concern of those that whined about the new rules. I am now required to buy four or five (what boats are required to have stickers does need some clarification) stickers annually.
However, the BOS in this case should have just noted the public input with sympathy and moved on. Instead they reacted to the small number of comments and requested that Water Resources Director Scott De Leon provide a plan for fleet rates or maximum costs per address (e.g., someone with six boats would only have to pay for three of the six stickers required). This greatly complicates the simple sticker distribution model the county uses where they sell stickers for a reduced amount to a small number of vendors (e.g. a bait shop) that then resells for the full $10 to cover their expenses.
Scott, who holds arguably the most critical position in the county as director of Water Resources, must work on a solution to this trivial issue in addition to his day job of managing the critical parts of the mussel protection effort, manage the weed and algae effort, and ensure that the lake and water resources in the county remain viable. The BOS could easily have spared him this latest task.
A more prudent path would have been to push back on those who complained while stating we have to move forward at this time and explaining future plans to get all in the county (in addition to boat owners) contributing to fund this effort. Everyone in the county of Lake will suffer economical loss (including further erosion of property values, less demand for property, much reduced tourism, etc.) should the mussels get through to our lakes.
All of the county is at risk as is the state, so ultimately the burden should be shared by more than the boat owners. Such funding plans are being considered for all lake management efforts including weeds and algae. The BOS is aware of all of this and yet they let themselves again be herded by a few comments from the public.
Only Supervisor Jeff Smith had meaningful comments independent of public input. Supervisor Anthony Farrington used the occasion for his often-repeated sermon on highway choke points, again not relevant to the topic at hand.
The residents complained this time, maybe next meeting the non-residents will complain and again send the BOS in a different direction.
The BOS needs to show tough love when it comes to their main tasks of protecting our lake, our economy and our way of life.
The BOS first heard of this mussel risk six years ago, they knew about it in great detail three years ago. The BOS should be engaged with Sacramento to get a statewide mussel plan in place. They need to be pro-active and not just responsive to the latest complaint.
Ed Calkins lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Michelle Scully
Our goal was to sell 100 boxes and we sold 96 in little over two weeks. People also made donations to the fundraiser without making a purchase, which was wonderful and above and beyond our expectations.
People’s enthusiasm for the idea and the kind words of encouragement expressed were very heartwarming. It was exciting to receive emails expressing support for the wonderful community efforts of the Hunger Task Force.
An unexpected bonus was hearing back from people who had received one of the boxes as a gift and who took the time to write to say that they loved the Lake County products and that they looked forward to receiving a gift box in the future!
None of this would have been possible without the generosity of all those who donated products for the boxes: Six Sigma Ranch, Vineyard and Winery, the Snyder family of Lake County Walnuts, Colleen Rentsch of Seely’s Farm Stand, Brassfield Winery, Wildhurst Winery, Randy Krag and Erika Lundquist of Round River Farm, Scully Packing Co., Shannon Gunier, Lake County Winegrape Commission and Lake County Winery Association.
A special thanks to Christian Ahlmann of Six Sigma, Mark Burch of Wildhurst, Kelseyville Rotary, C and S Waste Solutions, Lorrie Gray of the Hunger Task Force, and special “guest” packers Tammy Alakszay, Sally Evans and Mary Beth Woodard.
As always, our wonderful Lake County community responded with tremendous support and kindness. Thank you for your generosity and enthusiasm!
Michelle Scully lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Jan Mezoui
We are already planning on how to make next year’s plunge bigger and better.
Seven very brave plungers and almost 100 people donated close to $1,000 for a scholarship to a culinary student at Yuba College in Zino’s name. It helps to know that Zino’s memory is still very much alive.
For those who weren’t brave enough to jump in January, plan on joining us on Sunday, July 10, for a “Chicken Plunge” at 1:30 p.m.
We are open Wednesday through Monday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., for dinners through the winter. Hope to see you soon!
Jan Mezoui is owner of Zino’s Ristorante in Kelseyville.