CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council is set to discuss options for filling the seat recently vacated by a council member's move out of county.
The council will meet for a closed session at 5:30 p.m. to discuss a performance evaluation of City Manager Greg Folsom before the open portion of the meeting begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
On Thursday, the council will discuss what steps to take to address the seat vacated by Vice Mayor Gina Fortino Dickson, who moved to Sonoma County. Her resignation was effective as of Aug. 12, as Lake County News has reported.
City Clerk Melissa Swanson's report to the council explains that there are options for filling the seat, from an appointment to a special election. The seat is up for election this November.
If the council chooses to make an appointment, Swanson said she would advertise the vacancy and take applications.
An ad hoc committee consisting of the mayor, another council member and the planning commission chair would recommend up to three applicants, and the council would make the final appointment by a majority vote, she said.
That was the process followed when the council filled the seat formerly held by Denise Loustalot, who left the council in March after moving just outside of the city limits. Nick Bennett was appointed to succeed her.
In her written report, Swanson recommends that the council adopt a resolution calling a special election to fill the vacancy. “By law, this special election would have to occur on November 8, 2016, which is the date when Vice Mayor Fortino Dickson's term would have expired. Therefore, the seat would remain vacant until the regularly scheduled election on November 8, 2016.”
While normally a special election would have extra costs, in this case it wouldn't, since a municipal election already is planned for that date, Swanson explained.
Swanson's report provides the council with two alternative resolutions – one to leave the seat vacant until the November election and one directing the city clerk to solicit applications.
Also on Thursday, the council will consider approving a memorandum of understanding with North Coast Opportunities – which is developing and administering the MendoLake Food Hub project – to operate a “food node” at the Highlands Senior Services Center on Bowers Avenue.
Folsom's report to the council explains that the cold storage node will serve as an aggregation point for local farmers to drop off produce that will be picked up by a delivery service.
He said the nodes are retrofitted 20-foot shipping containers. The one placed at the center only will service wholesale accounts, so there will be no retail transactions nor individual consumers at the node.
There is no financial impact to the city, as NCO will cover its own costs, Folsom said.
On the meeting's consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are warrant registers; response to the grand jury report; and an amendment to the Price Consulting services contract.
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Clearlake City Council to discuss filling vacant seat
- Elizabeth Larson
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