The back-to-back meetings were based at Lakeport City Hall but most staff and members of the public attended by telephone.
Mayor George Spurr, Councilman Tim Barnes and Councilman Kenny Parlet were at City Hall for the meeting, while Councilwoman Stacey Mattina and Councilwoman Mireya Turner attended telephonically.
A gubernatorial executive order issued earlier this month allows governments to waive some portions of the Brown Act and Bagley-Keene Acts, which govern open meetings, to allow for meetings to be conducted via teleconference in order to minimize the spread of COVID-19.
On Friday, City Manager Margaret Silveira issued the emergency declaration, on the same day as similar actions were taken by the city of Clearlake and the county of Lake, as Lake County News has reported.
No positive cases of COVID-19 have so far been confirmed in Lake County, but the emergency actions by the county and cities were taken due to the threat of the virus and are meant to help prepare for its arrival.
During the special meeting, in a 4-1 vote – with Councilman Kenny Parlet voting no – the Lakeport City Council approved the emergency declaration, which calls for measures including the closure of nonessential city-owned facilities. It will be reviewed by the council every two weeks until the emergency is terminated.
The special meeting, which lasted just under 15 minutes, was immediately followed by the regular meeting.
During public comment in the regular meeting, Jonathan Crooks, director of the Lakeport Senior Activity Center, updated the council on his efforts to get help to seniors who are sheltering in place and asked for city assistance.
He said the center’s Meals on Wheels Thrift Store – one of its main revenue sources – is expected to lose $45,000 over a projected eight-week closure.
During the regular meeting, the council approved the proposed adoption of the Lake County Master Broadband Plan as prepared by the Upstate California Connect Consortium and CSU Chico, Geographical Information Center.
The plan is meant to provide a comprehensive assessment of available broadband services, recommendations for improving those services, and developing and implementing local government policies that can ease and support broadband infrastructure deployments.
The council also adopted a resolution approving the city’s project list for funds generated by SB 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, in fiscal year 2020-21. The city proposes to use the $90,770 it receives for a rehabilitation project on Second Street.
During staff and council member communications, Silveira discussed the advisory that had been issued a few hours earlier telling Lake County’s residents to be prepared for a shelter in place order from Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace.
Barnes asked Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen if Neighborhood Watch groups could put together patrols.
Rasmussen said he was not sure that would meet the shelter in place parameters. Rather, he encouraged those groups to alert police as they normally would if there are crime issues in their areas. “That system works very well for us right now.”
He said the police department wanted to be out in front as the voice of reason, adding there is no reason to panic and rush stores.
Rasmussen said the shelter in place order is meant to try to stop the virus’ spread, not lock down the community.
He said the Lakeport Police Department is going to be there to take care of safety concerns, just like they always have. Rasmussen said he also doesn’t expect an increase in crime during the shelter in place order.
Remarking that it had been a long few days, Barnes said, “We are a tight-knit community.”
He said community members stick up for each other when there’s trouble.
Barnes asked people to remember that “this is still home,” and to wash their hands.
Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to show that the vote to approve the emergency declaration was not unanimous; Councilman Kenny Parlet voted no.
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031720 Lakeport City Council agenda packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd