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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The three seats up for election on Nov. 3 are currently held by Phil Harris, who is not seeking reelection, along with Joyce Overton and Russell Perdock.
Last week, when the final filing deadline closed, only Overton and David Claffey, who sits on the city’s marketing committee, had qualified as candidates.
Perdock did not receive enough qualified signatures; candidates must be nominated by no fewer than 20 and no more than 30 registered voters who live in the city limits.
That put the city in the unusual position of having not enough candidates for seats. So city staff asked the council Wednesday afternoon to decide how to approach the situation, which it did during a brief meeting.
“We’re in a unique position tonight, one that doesn’t happen very often,” City Attorney Ryan Jones explained.
Before the council discussed the matter, both Overton and Perdock recused themselves and left the council chambers.
With those two council members recusing, Jones said any resolution or action would need to be supported by the majority of the council – leaving the decision up to Harris, Mayor Russ Cremer and Vice Mayor Dirk Slooten.
Based on election law, the council had to decide on whether to make appointments to fill the seats 75 days before the election, in this case, Aug. 20. Jones said that meant that the council was down to its last day to make the decision.
He presented three options to them.
The first, which Jones called “the default,” is what would happen even without council action. Jones said that option meant going forward with the election even with only two qualified candidates.
At the same time, a qualified write-in candidate could seek the third seat. If there are more than one write-in candidate, Jones said the top write-in vote-getter would get the third seat.
The second option Jones offered was to appoint the two qualified candidates – Claffey and Overton – and then hold an election on Nov. 3 for the third open seat, which also would be contingent on having a qualified write-in candidate.
However, if nobody qualified as a write-in, Jones said the city would have to hold a special election at some point after Nov. 3. In that scenario, the city would have to cover the high cost for a special election – which Jones said could cost tens of thousands of dollars based on past experience – and also would leave the council with an open seat.
Jones’ third option was to appoint an individual for the unnominated third seat and hold an election for the other two seats.
Claffey, who was watching the meeting via Zoom, asked if appointing the two qualified candidates would handcuff them from making appointments over the next four years.
That, as it turned out, was a legitimate concern and one that Jones’ staff report had raised, as Jones said election law prevents a majority of the council from being appointed.
In the scenario where two council members were appointed, should another council member sometime in the near future resign, the council would end up having to hold a special election, he said.
Harris said he supported the first option, to let the election go forward for the two qualified candidates and a write-in candidate. He asked about the timeline for the write-in process.
Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Melissa Swanson said the write-in candidacy period would run from Sept. 7 to Oct. 20. Write-in candidates would have to file paperwork required by the Fair Political Practices Commission, fill out nomination papers and get between 20 and 30 qualified signatures of nomination.
Harris said he felt the first option – letting the election go forward for all three seats was the most economically sound method as well as the most versatile. Slooten said he concurred.
“I would agree, it’s the fairest way,” said Cremer, adding it also was probably the most transparent approach.
Harris moved to go forward with the election, which Slooten seconded and Cremer joined in approving 3-0.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The council will meet virtually at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20.
Because of the county’s shelter in place order, Clearlake City Hall remains closed to the public, however, the virtual meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEG TV YouTube Channel. Community members also can participate via Zoom.
The agenda can be found here.
Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Melissa Swanson at
To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments prior to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20.
Each public comment emailed to the city clerk will be read aloud by the mayor or a member of staff for up to three minutes or will be displayed on a screen. Public comment emails and town hall public comment submissions that are received after the beginning of the meeting will not be included in the record.
At the start of the meeting, the council will meet the month’s adoptable dogs and get a presentation on the 2020 Census.
Under council business, council members will consider the first reading of an ordinance to amend the municipal code in order to increase the salary of council members.
The council discussed the proposal at its meeting on Aug. 6 and directed staff to come back with a draft ordinance, as Lake County News has reported.
City Attorney Ryan Jones told the council that, by statute, council members’ salaries are set according to population, and the maximum for cities Clearlake’s size is $300. However, the city can still give council members a 5 percent annual raise.
The draft ordinance proposes to raise the salary for each council member from the current amount of $300 per month to $500 per month. Originally the council had considered raising it up to $765, which would include a 5 percent increase for each of the past 31 years, the length of time it’s been since the city council salary was set.
In a report Jones and City Manager Alan Flora authored for the meeting, they note that an automatic 5 percent annual increase is not permissible under state law. Government Code section 36516(a)(4) states that “no ordinance shall be enacted or amended to provide automatic future increases in salary.”
In other business, the council will discuss and give possible direction to staff regarding modifications to commercial cannabis regulations.
In his report on the item, Flora noted that the regulations the council approved several years ago allowed for a maximum of three retail dispensaries and 12 permits for other commercial cannabis uses such as manufacturing, distribution, cultivation, labs or delivery-only dispensaries.
He said the maximum number of permits have been issued and some of the permittees have begun operations.
“Based on the continued demand for space for cannabis activity, and the success of the existing cannabis businesses already operating, it may be appropriate for the Council to consider increasing the cap on maximum permits or another alternative to allow additional permits to be issued within the existing zones already approved for cannabis businesses,” Flora wrote.
Also on Thursday, the council will consider designating voting delegates and alternates for the League of California Cities’ annual conference in October and hold the first reading of an ordinance amending the Clearlake Municipal Code relating to universal garbage collection and authorizing administrative citations to collect unpaid debt.
On the meeting's consent agenda – items that are not considered controversial and are usually adopted on a single vote – are warrant registers; minutes of the July 8, 2020, Lake County Vector Control District Board meeting; disposal of surplus vehicles, Resolution No. 2020-34; authorization to purchase two trailer-mounted mobile traffic signals, with motion sensors and controllers, to replace flaggers in right-of-way work zones; adoption of the first amendment to the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget (Resolution 2020-27), appropriating funding for public safety communications equipment, Resolution No. 2020-35; and adoption of a resolution approving an allocation of funding and the execution of a grant agreement and any amendments
thereto from the CDBG-DR Program for $1,157,983 for the Multi-Family Housing Program, Resolution No. 2020-36.
The council also will hold a closed session to discuss two potential cases of litigation.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
“Efforts to tolerate the extreme heat are more complicated this year due to the COVID pandemic, but there are still some actions you can take,” said Public Health Officer Dr. GaryPace.
Pace said some people are at particular risk for suffering heat illness due to an impaired ability to sweat and control their body temperature. These include the very young and those of advanced age, as well as people taking certain medications.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are uncertain about how your medications may affect you. Examples of medications that increase the risk of heat-related illness include diuretics (“water pills”), some medications used for mental health conditions, antihistamines, and drugs used for overactive bladder, Pace said.
Pace said things you can do to cool off are:
– Drink more water than usual and don’t wait until you’re thirsty;
– Wear loosely fitting, light-colored, breathable clothes;
– Keep your physical activity low;
– Drink cool non-alcoholic beverages and choose salads, cold sandwiches and frozen treats over hot meals;
– Apply cool compresses, such as wet towels, to exposed skin, or take a cool shower or bath;
– Avoid use of ovens, stoves, or other heat-generating appliances indoors.
Remember, running a fan will help cool you off only if there is sweat or moisture evaporating from your skin, Pace said.
“If you need relief from hot conditions in your home, in past years we have recommended going to public places with air conditioning, such as local libraries, senior centers, restaurants, and shopping centers,” Pace said. “Many of these places are not available this year due to the COVID concerns. Senior centers are closed. You can still go to shopping centers, but often the seating areas are not open. Going to visit friends who have air conditioning can also pose a problem due to needs to social distance.”
Per County Librarian Christopher Veach, the Lakeport and Redbud libraries are both open their normal hours, and freely accessible to the public. Both facilities are being cooled, and may be utilized on a limited basis by members of the community. If either reaches capacity, a one-hour time limit will be enforced, Pace said.
Pace said the Middletown Library is open by appointment only, but can still serve as a cooling center for a one-hour appointment. Upper Lake Library is too small to function as a cooling center.
Location, hours and contact information for the libraries is as follows:
– Lakeport Library, 1425 N. High St., telephone 707-263-8817; Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
– Redbud Library, 14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake, telephone 707-994-5115; Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesdays, noon to 7 p.m.; Thursdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
– Middletown Library, 21256 Washington St., telephone 707-987-3674; open by appointment only.
Pace said to monitor how you feel and how friends and family members appear. “Signs and symptoms of heat illness can be easily overlooked in the early stages and it is important to take action early in order to prevent heat exhaustion from progressing to the more serious condition of heatstroke.”
He added, “If you notice heavy sweating, feeling weak or dizzy, nausea or muscle cramps, move to a cool place, sip water, and put cool wet cloths on your body. If this does not improve the symptoms within an hour, medical evaluation is advisable.”
People who develop mental confusion, feel faint or pass out and have hot dry skin (indicating that they are not capable of sweating in order to cool off), have a medical emergency that needs immediate treatment, he said.
He also said to remember to protect pets by keeping them indoors (never in a car) or in the shade with plenty of cool water to drink.
For more information on how to beat the heat, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or California Office of Emergency Services websites.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The closure is effective immediately and remains in effect until further notice.
A Cal Fire Type 1 management team is managing the LNU Lightning Complex, which as of Wednesday night had burned more than 124,000 acres, with no containment.
The latest information, including road closures and evacuation orders and warnings, is available at https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/.
The public lands encompassed by this emergency closure include: Berryessa Management Area; Cache Creek Management Area, which contains the Blue Ridge Trail, Buck Island Rafting Area, Cache Creek Ridge Trail, Cache Creek Wilderness, Cowboy Camp and the associated equestrian area; Frog Pond Trail; Highbridge Trailhead and Perkins Creek Ridge Trail. Also closed are: Cedar Roughs Wilderness; Knoxville Management Area, including the Knoxville Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area, Hunting Creek Campground and North Staging Area; parcels within the Stebbins Cold Canyon; as well scattered tracts in Napa, Solano and Yolo counties. BLM public lands along the Redbud and Judge Davis trails are also closed.
The closure order is available online.
Officials said the closure is necessary to protect public land users from risks associated with active wildland fire, protect wildland firefighters from recreational activities, including hunting of wild game; off-highway vehicle use; suppression repair; emergency stabilization; burned area rehabilitation and damage to recreational and natural resources.
The BLM is committed to keeping the public safe, while protecting natural resources. For more information, please call the Ukiah Field Office at 707-468-4000.