CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council will start off the year with a discussion on the contract for the new police chief and a variety of appointments.

The council will meet beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

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 or can attend in person.

The agenda can be found here.

Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to City Clerk Melissa Swanson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments before 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5.

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.

Thursday’s meeting will include several presentations.

The first will be for a proclamation in remembrance of retired Judge Richard Freeborn, who died Sept. 30.

The council also will hold a presentation to city employees and volunteers in recognition of their service, offer a proclamation declaring January 2023 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and get an update on recreation and events.

Council business on Thursday will include consideration of an employment services agreement with Timothy Hobbs for the police chief job.

Hobbs was appointed interim chief after the departure last month of Chief Andrew White, who is starting his new job this week as police chief of the Bay Area city of Martinez.

Also on Thursday, the council will hold two public hearings.

The first is for the second reading for the acceptance and implementation of the 2022 California Building Standard Codes, and adopting by reference the 2021 Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa/Hot Tub Codes; 2021 Uniform Solar, Hydronics & Geothermal Codes; 2021 International Building Codes; 2021 International Residential Codes and the 2021 International Fire Codes.

The second hearing will be to consider Resolution 2023-03 authorizing the extension of the temporary closure of certain roads, to reduce illegal dumping and to protect the environment, and the public health and welfare.

The council also will consider mayor appointments as well as appointments of its members as representatives to the CalCities Redwood Empire Division, to represent the city and vote at the Division Legislative Committee meetings.

On the meeting's consent agenda – items that are not considered controversial and are usually adopted on a single vote – are warrant registers; authorization for an agreement in the amount of $43,500 with American Ramp Co. for design services for the Austin Skate Park Project; and an amendment to the Management Benefit Plan Section 6-2.5 Executive Leave Account to establish consistency to executive leave banks for management employees; Resolution No. 2023-04.

After the open portion of the meeting, the council will hold a closed session to discuss a potential case of litigation and to hold a conference with legal counsel regarding a case, City of Clearlake v. Testate & Intestate Successors of Bailey Lumbers Co., et al., Case No. CV421697, Lake County Superior Court.

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.