CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council this week will hold its midyear budget review, discuss a proposal for a memorial for COVID-19 victims, conduct a public hearing for grant funding, consider declaring some city-owned properties surplus and discuss committee appointments.
The council will meet for a budget workshop at 5 p.m. and the regular meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18.
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 PEGTV 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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also visit the city’s town hall site and submit written comments at https://www.opentownhall.com/portals/327/forum_home. Identify the subject you wish to comment on in your email’s subject line or in your town hall submission.
To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments prior to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18.
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.
During its workshop, the council will hold a midyear budget review for the time period through Dec. 31.
Andrew White, the city’s police chief and its interim finance director, said in his report to the council that, overall, “revenues are exceeding projections and we are cautiously optimistic that the trend will continue. The trend is primarily being driven by higher than expected sales tax revenue, fees and permits and fines related to code enforcement violations. There was also a significant one-time revenue from the settlement of litigation related to the Sulphur Fire.”
White added, “The higher-than-expected sales tax revenue is also benefitting the Measure V and Measure P special revenue funds. However, based on economic uncertainties, staff is only recommending conservative increases to revenues to cover additional expenses.”
White said it’s also important to remember that this year’s budget relied on fund balance and coming into the year, Measure P had a negative fund balance.
“Overall, expenses are on track with budgetary projections. There was a significant increase in
health insurance costs resulting in an over $50,000 increase to the employer share of said costs, though based on projected salary savings, a budget increase is not being proposed,” White wrote.
During the regular portion of the meeting, the council will consider a request from Councilwoman Joyce Overton to establish a memorial to COVID-19 victims in Austin Park.
Overton’s report to the council said that she is proposing a small cross with the name of each individual who died from the coronavirus to be placed within the fenced rose garden in Austin Park. The garden is maintained and used to honor local Soroptimists.
She said the memorial is currently proposed to be temporary, and would be funded by private donations.
The council also will meet one of February’s adoptable dogs before holding a public hearing to consider projects and authorize the application for funding through the Community Development Block Grant Mitigation Program.
In other business, the council will consider declaring various small city-owned properties as surplus in order to offer them to the state Housing and Community Development Department for use in affordable housing in accordance with AB 1486.
Also on Thursday, the council will consider appointing a person to succeed Councilmember David Claffey on the Clearlake Marketing Committee. The two applicants are Susan Bloomquist and Kristina Nelson.
On the meeting's consent agenda – items that are not considered controversial and are usually adopted on a single vote – are warrants; authorization for the city manager to execute a license agreement with Mudslingers Coffee for a drive-thru coffee Facility at 14760 Olympic Drive; the Lake County Vector Control District Board minutes for Dec. 9; minutes of the January meetings; consideration of a resolution rescinding Resolution No. 2009-51, establishing purchasing procedures; and rejection of all bids for the Austin Park Bus Stop and Promenade Project.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.