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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The California Employment Development Department’s latest jobs report showed that Lake County’s May unemployment rate was 4.9%, compared to 6% in April and 6.7% in March.
The May 2024 rate also was improved over the May 2023 rate, which was 5.2%.
Overall, from April to May Lake County gained 210 jobs, based on EDD numbers.
The month-over comparison on industry sectors show that the total farm category was up by 19.2% in May, reflecting the seasonal increase in jobs in Lake County’s agricultural industry.
Other sectors showing significant month-over growth included nondurable goods and federal government jobs, both of which grew by 7.1%, and manufacturing, 5.7%.
Also in May, the EDD said California’s employers added 43,700 nonfarm payroll jobs, the largest such increase for the state since October of 2023 and a continuation of California’s 2024 job growth trend, and California’s unemployment rate decreased to 5.2%.
California’s jobs market expansion entered its 49th month in May 2024. Since May 2020, California has gained 3,100,400 jobs, which averages out to 63,273 per month, the EDD reported.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said that, nationwide, the unemployment rate in May ticked up slightly to 4%, up from 3.9% in April and 3.7% in May of 2023.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 9, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8, online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and on the county’s Facebook page. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.
To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.
The meeting ID is 865 3354 4962, pass code 726865. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,86533544962#,,,,*726865#. The meeting can also be accessed via phone at 669 900 6833.
In an untimed item, new Public Works Director Glen March will present to the board the plans and specifications for the 2024 Pavement Rehabilitation Project.
The project will cover the Cobb area. In the original plan presented by recently retired Public Works Director Scott De Leon in 2022, the Cobb area was not expected to be covered until later in the life of the plan.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve continuation of local emergency by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the 2024 Late January, Early February Winter Storms
5.2: Approve continuation of proclamation declaring a Clear Lake hitch emergency
5.3: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.
5.4: Approve continuation of emergency proclamation declaring a shelter crisis in the county of Lake.
5.5: Adopt resolution amending Resolution 2023-116 adopting the Final Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-24 to decrease revenue and reserves in Fund 153
5.6: Approve Live Oak Senior Center lease agreement in the amount of $1 per year for a 10 year term.
5.7: Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 24-0148-000-SA with the state of California, Department of Food and Agriculture and authorize the execution of the Fuels, Lubricants, and Automotive Products Program agreement for $2,475 for Period July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
5.8: Approve agreement between county of Lake and June Wilson-Clarkin, LMFT for specialty mental health services in the amount of $70,000.00 for fiscal year 2024-25 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.9: Approve the agreement between county of Lake and Parkview Healthcare Center for adult residential and skilled nursing support services and specialty mental health services in the amount of $52,850 for fiscal year 2024-25 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.10: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and California Hearing Officers LLP for hearing officer services in the amount of $40,000.00 for fiscal year 2024-2025 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.11: Approve Amendment No. 2 to the agreement between county of Lake and Victor Treatment Centers Inc. for specialty mental health services for fiscal year 2023-2024 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.12: Approve Board of Supervisors meeting minutes for May 21, June 4, June 11, and June 18, 2024.
5.13: Approve resolution of the Board of Education of the Kelseyville Unified School District ordering a general obligation bond election for Nov. 5, 2024.
5.14: (a) Approve the district attorney's equitable sharing agreement and certification for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 and authorize the chair to sign; and (b) authorize Doris Lankford to electronically submit the report
5.15: Adopt resolution to establish a list of projects proposed to be funded in FY 2024/2025 pursuant to the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (SB1).
5.16: (a) Approve Purchase of two (2) 2025 Ford Explorer Police Pursuit Vehicles from Napa Ford Lincoln in the amount not to exceed $104,000 from the Sheriff/Pursuit Replacement Budget Unit 2217, Object Code 62.72 and (b) authorize the sheriff/coroner or his designee to sign the purchase order.
5.17: (a) Approve letter of agreement between the Lake County Sheriff's Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in the amount of $146,000 for the period Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024; and (b) authorize sheriff to sign the agreement and (c) authorize the chairman to sign workplace certifications and grant assurances.
5.18: Approve contract between county of Lake and Shore Side Electric for electrical services, in the amount of $49,000 from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.19: Approve contract between county of Lake and Skiles and Associates Inc. for General Contracting Services, in the Amount of $49,000 from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.20: Approve contract between county of Lake and Backroad Hauling for Hauling Services in the amount of $49,000 from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.21: Sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District, Board of Directors, adopt resolution revising the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Adopted Budget of the county of Lake by canceling reserves in Fund 254 SE Regional Sewer System Capacity Expansion Reserve Designation, in the amount of $93,000 to make appropriations in the Budget Unit 8354, Object Code 783.63-05 for the Baylis Ave/Alvita Ave Sewer Collection Capacity Upgrade.
5.22: Sitting as the Board of Directors Lake County Watershed Protection District, approve the resolution authorizing the Lake County Watershed Protection District to accept a California Natural Resources Agency Grant Agreement not to exceed $156,500 for the project titled “Improving Waterways through Invasive Species Management and Native Shoreline Restoration,” and approve the Water Resources Director as signature authorization to execute agreement.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the Week.
6.3, 9:05 a.m.: Sitting concurrently as the CSA #2 Board of Supervisors and Lake County Sanitation District – Board of Directors, consideration of resolution revising the fiscal year 2023-2024 adopted budget of the county of Lake authorizing cancellation of fund 254 Lake County Sanitation District SE Regional O&M reserve account in the amount of $2,000,000 to provide a short term loan to County Service Area #2, Spring Valley.
6.4, 9:25 a.m.: Hearing, consideration of request for post-abatement hearing on account and proposed assessment of abatement; 3025 Spring Valley Road, Clearlake Oaks (APN 062-331-04); property owners: Misty Doig and Timothy Holbrook.
6.5, 9:45 a.m.: Public hearing for the consideration of the vacation of a portion of a roadway known as Collier Avenue (CR#306C) in the Nice area.
6.6, 10 a.m.: Public hearing, sitting concurrently as Clearlake Keys CSA #1, #2, #6, #13, #20, #21-Board of Supervisors, Kelseyville County Waterworks District #3 and Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors, consideration of (a) resolution confirming collections of annual lighting fees; (b) resolution confirming collections of delinquent water fees; (c) resolution confirming collections of delinquent water and sewer fees; (d) resolution of delinquent sewer fees for Lake County Sanitation District.
6.7, 10:15 a.m.: Hearing, consideration of post-abatement hearing on account and proposed assessment of abatement; Located at 3112 Atholl Road, Lucerne (APN 034-373-01): Property Owner: Yvonne Cox.
6.8, 10:40 a.m.: hearing, consideration of request for post-abatement hearing on account and proposed assessment of abatement; Location: 15892 Kugelman Street, Lower Lake (APN 012-025-86); Property Owners: Salome Lazo Hernandez and Patricia Lazo Hernandez.
6.9, 11:30 a.m.: TEFRA public hearing, consideration of conduit financing for the Caritas Affordable Housing Project.
6.10, 1 p.m.: Erratum, a) Consideration of medical carrier change from Anthem Blue Cross to BlueShield with the PPO Navigator; and b) consideration of dental carrier change from Delta Dental to Ameritas.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.3: Consideration of agreement between county of Lake and California Psychiatric Transitions for acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services, inpatient competency restoration services, and professional services associate with acute inpatient psychiatric hospitalization in the amount of $350,000.00 for fiscal year 2024-25.
7.4: Consideration of Amendment No. 2 to the agreement between county of Lake and Crestwood Behavioral Health for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services in the amount of $1,320,000 for fiscal years 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25.
7.5: Consideration of agreement between county of Lake and Davis Guest Home in the amount of $220,000 for FY 2024-25.
7.6: Consideration of Amendment No.4 to the agreement between county of Lake and Willow Glen Care Center for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services with no change to the contract maximum for fiscal years 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 and authorize the board chair to sign.
7.7: Consideration of agreement between county of Lake and Victor Treatment Centers for specialty mental health services in the amount of $660,000.00 for fiscal year 2024-25.
7.8: Consideration of the agreement between county of Lake and New Life Health Authority dba New Life LLC. for substance use disorder outpatient drug free services, intensive outpatient treatment services, and narcotic treatment program services in the amount of $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2024-25
7.9: Consideration of amendments to the county of Lake COVID-19 Public Health Non-Emergency Worksite Protocol.
7.10: Consideration of request to close Environmental Health Office on Fridays beginning July 12, 2024, through Feb. 28, 2025.
7.11: Consideration of plans and specifications for the 2024 Pavement Rehabilitation Project; Bid No. 24-39.
CLOSED SESSION
7.2: Consideration of an internal ad hoc committee to review recommendations of the Lake Countywide Community Visioning Forum Planning Committee.
8.1: Public employee appointment pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b) (1): Appointment of Interim Special Districts administrator.
8.2: Public employee discipline/dismissal/release.
8.3: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9 (d)(1) – FERC Project No. 77, Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The adult subject from Cloverdale was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Jail in Santa Rosa on one felony charge and three misdemeanor charges.
The felony charge was for unlawfully causing a fire of a structure or forest land and the three misdemeanors were on violations of Health and Safety Code section 13001 as well as
California Public Resource Codes sections 4431 and 4421, which speak to negligent actions involving machinery and flammable materials leading to fires.
Cal Fire said the cause of the Pocket fire was determined to be the result of using a riding lawn mower in cured annual grasses that were 4 feet tall. The riding lawn mower used is designed for wet, green lawns, not for dry weeds or grass. The medal blades on riding lawn mowers can spark fires when hitting rocks.
Asides from lawn mowers, other equipment use that can spark a wildfire include weed-eaters, chainsaws, grinders, welders, tractors and trimmers. Defensible space work is critical to help create a perimeter around your home to protect it from a wildfire, but only when done under the right weather conditions.
Cal Fire urges the public to avoid any activities that may ignite a wildfire. Given the combination of extreme heat, elevated fire conditions and an abundant, cured grass and shrub crop across most of California, Cal Fire will have maximum enforcement on human-caused wildfires.
This is the second arrest made over the past week by Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Law Enforcement Officers in connection to the cause of a wildland fire.
The first arrest was of an adult male on July 3 in connection to the cause of the Adams Fire, which was started by weed-eating in dried grasses.
The Pocket fire started at 11:19 a.m. Saturday near Pocket Ranch Road and Ridge Oaks Road. Cal Fire’s initial attack strategy is to keep 95 percent of all fires at 10 acres or less. By the time Air Attack had arrived overhead it had already exceeded that size, but a coordinated air and ground attack was able to quickly contain the fire once resources were at scene.
Along with Cal Fire, additional responding agencies included the Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection District, the Healdsburg Fire Department and the Cloverdale Fire District.
No structures were damaged or destroyed in the fire and no injuries were reported.
Saturday’s fire burned in the same footprint as the 2017 Pocket fFire, which was a part of the Central LNU Complex. That fire started on Oct. 9, 2017 and consumed 17,357 acres.
To learn more about preparing for the threat of wildfire, visit https://readyforwildfire.org/.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The agenda is available here.
To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here; the meeting ID is 814 1135 4347, pass code is 847985.
To join by phone, dial 1-669-444-9171; for one tap mobile, 16694449171,,81411354347#,,,,*847985#.
Comments can be submitted by email to
On the agenda is a discussion regarding short-term rentals.
The commission is being requested to review and discuss zoning code policy that would establish a ministerial review process for short-term rentals.
Also on Wednesday, the commission will hold a requested review and discussion of zoning code policy related to sidewalk vending.
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