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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 18, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The agenda can be found here.
The meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEGTV YouTube Channel.
Community members also can participate via Zoom. The webinar ID is 899 6896 2267, the pass code is 158755. One tap mobile is available at +16694449171,,89968962267#, or join by phone at 669-444-9171 or 253-205-0468.
The City Council is being asked to discuss adoption of an artificial intelligence, or AI, policy around staff use of generative AI tools.
“Utilizing generative AI in a responsible and transparent way will allow the City to harness emerging technologies as we tackle the challenges and opportunities of the future,” City Manager Alan Flora said in his report.
Also on Thursday, the council will consider approving a new employment services agreement with Flora, who has been city manager since March of 2019.
The staff report said the key components of the agreement is that is gives Flora a one-year extension on his current three-year contract.
The proposed contract also includes a provision whereby termination without cause for Flora would require a 4/5th vote of the council for a period of year after the election of a new council member.
Flora’s salary, $16,342.05 a month, as well as benefits and other terms of the agreement would not change from the previous agreement, the staff report explains.
The council on Thursday also will receive a presentation on April’s adoptable dogs and present a proclamation declaring April 2024 as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are considered routine in nature and usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants; minutes of the March 13 Lake County Vector Control District Board meeting; adoption of the third amendment to the FY 2023-24 Budget (Resolution 2023-27) adjusting appropriations; Resolution No. 2024-17; approval of an amendment to professional services agreement with ECORP Consulting for a new total of $75,000; and consideration of Resolution 2024-18 authorizing the city of Clearlake to submit an application to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for funding under the Competitive Permanent Local Housing Allocation.
The council also will hold a closed session for conference with legal counsel to discuss a case of anticipated litigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The event will take place from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at the Calpine Geothermal Visitors Center, located at 15500 Central Park Road, Middletown.
With a theme of "A Healthy Earth Begins With You," the event promises to be an exciting and inspiring event for the whole family.
It will bring together vendors, live music, activities, and more to encourage everyone to take care of themselves and the Earth.
Calpine Geothermal and the Middletown Art Center are joining forces for the second year in a row to sponsor an Earth Day Celebration, promoting the concept that a healthy earth begins with healthy people.
Through this collaboration, they aim to raise awareness about environmental sustainability and the interconnectedness of human health with the well-being of the planet.
The event will be a free community celebration, offering fun and engaging activities for all ages.
The event will feature a variety of exciting attractions, including pony rides, face painting, and the Sonoma Bubble Man, who will amaze audiences with his bubble magic. Get your camera ready to take a picture of your child in a giant bubble.
The Children's Museum of Art and Science of Clearlake will be on hand with engaging activities for kids. A veritable petting zoo with a donkey, miniature horse and a goat will also be there. And the Middletown Art Center will invite community members to participate in a collaborative painting project.
One of the highlights of the day will be the Middletown Community Garden, which will offer tours and workshops to educate the community about sustainable food production and healthy eating. Visitors can learn about companion planting, soil building, composting, and more, and even take home a plant from the plant-a-pot giveaway.
For lunch, guests can enjoy a beautiful and healthy meal prepared by the Goddess of the Mountain, featuring the Three Sisters — corn, bean and squash — which synergistically nurture each other like family when planted together, according to the Iroquois and Cherokee traditions.
The event will also feature the Henny Penny Catering Co., who brings the world to your table with globally inspired menus created with local, seasonal ingredients. They will be featuring Latin-American cuisine and serving a variety of handmade tacos and tamales.
Jesus Christ Fellowship, next door to the Calpine Geothermal Visitor Center and the garden, will host an Adult & Kid's Zone for the community, which will include a jumpy house, billiards and other games inside the church.
Other attractions include live music, a carbon-neutral smoothie station powered by the Blue Zone Project's bicycle blender, and educational booths on water conservation and fire mitigation. The Lake County Jazzercise will host a demo class, inviting attendees to experience the magic of movement.
For more information, please email
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The program begins at 1 p.m. and concludes with a walking tour of Xabatin Community Park at 4:30 p.m.
Presented by the Lake County Economic Development Corp., or Lake EDC, along with the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and the Lake County Tourism Improvement District, the Lake Leadership Forum is open to the public with a limited number of tickets available at tinyurl.com/LakeLeader2024.
Early bird tickets are on sale for $25 per person which includes light refreshments and a glass of wine or other beverage. After May 1, tickets will be $30 per person.
Tickets may also be purchased with a check payable to and sent to Lake EDC, P.O. Box 1257, Lakeport, CA 95453.
Sutter Lakeside Hospital is the presenting sponsor. The event is also generously supported by Calpine, Lake County Tribal Health, Reynolds Systems, Adventist Health Clear Lake, the city of Lakeport, Community First Credit Union and Savings Bank of Mendocino County.
The first leadership summits in 2014 and 2015, coordinated by the ad hoc Lake County Regional Economic Development Committee, were conducted at the then-Marymount California University in the Lucerne Hotel, with the third summit in 2019 at the same location under the auspices of the Lake EDC. The most recent event was held in 2022 at The Mercantile.
These early sessions were designed for Lake County’s small businesses, entrepreneurs, innovators and interested citizens to inspire, collaborate and envision a stronger economic climate.
The 2024 event’s keynote speaker is Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California. Beteta will share the current state of the tourism industry for the state and her insight on the future of hospitality and rural markets.
Additionally, Clair Whitmer, assistant deputy director and Northern California’s Regional Advisor for the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, or GO-Biz, will discuss the state’s efforts to support businesses.
A panel discussion regarding workforce development and attraction in Lake County will include Jonathan Walters, manager of Brassfield Winery; Brock Falkenberg, Lake County superintendent of schools; and Greg Panella, co-owner of Stokes Ladders and Panella Orchards.
Speakers will demonstrate the collaborative spirit of Lake County through presentations by Tonya Hat, proprietor of THAT Ranch; Christian Ahlmann of Six Sigma Ranch & Winery; Annie Tyner, director of Jack’s Lavender Farm; and Akriti Wong, director of Citizens Caring 4 Clear Lake.
The presenting organizations represent people from all over Lake County who love our community and want to see it prosper. You are invited to participate in this leadership forum and connect with like-minded citizens.
More information is available from Nicole Flora, executive director, Lake EDC, at
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — In a Sunday ceremony in Napa County, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) recognized Clay Shannon as Lake County’s 2024 Climate Crisis Champion.
“Through his advocacy, Mr. Shannon has demonstrated how responsible farming can help address the impacts of climate change,” said Thompson. “As the owner of Shannon Family of Wines, Mr. Shannon has dedicated himself to advancing responsible farming that reduces the carbon footprint of farms.
"In 2018, Mr. Shannon began farming his 2,500 acres of land organically, and since then he’s integrated his sheep farming operation with his vineyard, dramatically reducing the need for mowing, fungicides, and conventional fertilizers in his vineyard. Mr. Shannon’s work to advance environmental stewardship in the 4th District’s farming community is inspiring, and I am honored to name him a Climate Crisis Champion,” Thompson said.
Shannon is a well known winegrape growers and wine producer.
He’s also owner of The Mercantile in Kelseyville.
Thompson awarded this year’s Climate Crisis Champions across each of the five counties in the Fourth District: Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo.
Champions are selected for their significant efforts to combat the ongoing climate crisis and protect the environment at home in their community.
Through their advocacy, champions are helping to build a more sustainable future for all, Thompson’s office said.
In addition to Shannon, the rest of the district’s winners were:
• Napa Schools for Climate Action (Napa);
• Ian Anderson (Solano);
• Dr. Lisa Micheli (Sonoma); and
• Maria Contreras Tebbutt (Yolo).