LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Firefighters on both sides of Clear Lake quickly knocked out two Tuesday wildland fire incidents.
The Hill and Bank incidents were reported about an hour apart on Tuesday.
The Hill fire was reported in the area of Highway 29 and Hill Road in north Lakeport shortly after 4 p.m.
The fire did not threaten structures but did temporarily close down the southbound lane of Highway 29 near Mockingbird Lane, according to radio reports.
Cal Fire sent air attack and tankers, along with ground resources to join local fire districts, which stopped forward progress at around 4:45 p.m., at which point the fire was reported to be between five and seven acres. Units remained on scene for several hours for mop up.
At around 5:30 p.m., two small fires were reported in the area of Sulphur Bank and North drives in Clearlake.
The Bank incident was reported to have burned about two to three acres.
The Clearlake Police Department issued a Nixle alert asking people to stay clear of the area.
Lake County Fire, Northshore Fire and Cal Fire were involved in fighting the two small blazes, with Clearlake Police officers also joining the effort.
“When it comes to responding to fires, it’s all about teamwork, coordination and cooperation,” the Clearlake Police Department reported on its Facebook page, where it posted a picture of Sgt. Elvis Cook and Officer Chris Kelleher helping to hold the fire line with hand tools.
Air attack, tankers and Copter 104 from the Boggs Mountain Helitack were part of the response, radio reports indicated.
Copter 104 was among the last aircraft on scene, clearing the incident just before 6:30 p.m.
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.
Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) is recognizing the 87th Anniversary of Social Security by vowing to preserve this critical program that helps protect our nation’s most vulnerable and provides beneficiaries a lifeline that empowers them to live a life of dignity and buy necessities from groceries to prescription drugs.
“Social Security has been a promise to our country’s workers and their families for generations to reward them for decades of hard work,” said Thompson. “This year’s anniversary is yet another reminder of the longevity of the program and the importance of ensuring its solvency for years to come. That’s why I am a proud cosponsor of Social Security 2100 to enhance benefits and improve the cost-of-living adjustment for every beneficiary.”
Thompson said 145,474 constituents in his district receive Social Security benefits every year, “and we must ensure these benefits keep up with the needs of beneficiaries.”
Thompson continued, “Each month, Social Security pays $236 million in benefits to people in our district. That money, in large part, is spent in our district. This program is not only vital to our seniors, but to their families and our local economy as well. As our nation combats the COVID pandemic and addresses rising prices, we must enhance and protect the program American workers pay into with each and every paycheck.
“While Democrats are working to protect and expand Social Security, extreme MAGA Republicans have unveiled a plan to end Social Security and Medicare in five years. They have also proposed raising taxes on middle class families, which would make it even harder for Californians to prepare for retirement.
“Social Security beneficiaries are made up of our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers, and our children. Unjustified attempts to end the program as we know it will target some of our country’s most vulnerable communities, including seniors, women, people of color, and people with disabilities. Countless retirees, widows, and their children rely on their well-earned Social Security funds to survive. I will always be committed to fighting to protect Social Security in Congress,” he said.
Social Security was established on Aug. 14, 1935, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law. This provided for a new federally administered insurance program for the elderly.
It started off as old-age insurance for individuals, but has grown into a cornerstone of American life, providing comprehensive benefits for retirees and persons with disabilities and their families.
Congressman Mike Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors will get a presentation on the work of a county conservation district and consider an abatement case this week.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 916 4540 5320, pass code 931427. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,91645405320#,,,,*931427#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
In timed items, at 9:15 a.m. the board will hear the annual report from the Lake County Resource Conservation District.
At 9:30 a.m., the board will consider a notice of nuisance and order to abate for 5145 W. State Highway 20 in Upper Lake.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve amendment to the participation agreement between county of Lake and the California Mental Health Services Authority for the Superior Regional Partnership - HCAI WET Grant for FYs 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 in the Amount of $54,479.27 and authorize the Behavioral Health Services director and board chair to sign.
5.2: Adopt resolution authorizing the standard agreement between the county of Lake and the Department of Health Care Services for the period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2027, and authorizing the Behavioral Health director to sign the standard agreement and the contractor certification clause for the County Mental Health Plan.
5.4: Approve lease agreement for office space at 14092 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake in the amount of $3,170.20 per month and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.5: Approve purchase of 2023 Ford Explorer from Downtown Ford Sales for the Building & Safety Division in the amount of $33,298.15 and authorize the Community Development director or their designee to sign the purchase order.
5.6: Approve Board of Supervisors minutes for Aug. 2, 2022.
5.7: Approve and authorize the chair to sign the following agreements: a) between the county of Lake and Leonard’s Hauling and Tractor, for nuisance abatement and nuisance abatement within the Road Map Task Force area, in an amount not to exceed $150,000; and b) between the county of Lake and Cook Construction and Engineering Partners for nuisance abatement and nuisance abatement within the Road Map Task Force area, in an amount not to exceed $150,000; and c) between the county of Lake and 360 Junk Removal and Hauling, for nuisance abatement and nuisance abatement within the Road Map Task Force area, in an amount not to exceed $150,000.
5.8: Sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District, (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County’s Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services and (b) authorize the Lake County Watershed Protection District to sign and enter into Amendment No. 1 of Agreement with CivicWell for independent contractor services through the AmeriCorps CivicSpark Fellowship in the amount of $29,000 for one (1) CivicSpark Fellow to develop an Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Assessment and Improvement Plan.
5.9: Adopt resolution of intent to conduct a public hearing for the consideration of the vacation of a portion of a roadway known as Forest Lake Drive (CR#128) in the Cobb area.
5.10: (a) Approve agreement between the Lake County Sheriff's Department and U.S. Forest Service for FY 22/23 annual operating and financial plan, in the amount of $20,000 for Pillsbury Patrol; and (b) approve agreement between the Lake County Sheriff’s Department and U.S. Forest Service for FY22/23 annual operating and financial plan, in the amount of $10,000 for controlled substance operations, and (c) authorize the sheriff and the chairman to sign.
TIMED ITEMS
6.3, 9:15 a.m.: Presentation of an annual report on the activities of Lake County Resource Conservation District.
6.4, 9:30 a.m.: Continued from July 12, hearing on notice of nuisance and order to abate for 5145 W. State Highway 20, Upper Lake (APN 003-023-12).
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of the following Advisory Board Appointments: Emergency Medical Care Committee and Lakeport Fire Protection District.
7.3: Consideration of proposed agreement for the Spring Valley CSA #2 Quail Trail Project, Bid No. SD 22-24.
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.
The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that California will receive $120 million in funding for eight projects through the IIJA Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, or RAISE, grant program to improve and modernize transportation infrastructure.
At the same time, Gov. Gavin Newsom has named former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to serve as an infrastructure adviser to the state of California, working with local, state and federal leaders to identify priority projects and maximize access to federal funding across all regions of the state.
“With this influx of federal dollars, we have an incredible opportunity to rebuild California while creating quality jobs, modernizing crucial infrastructure, and accelerating our clean transportation progress, benefiting communities up and down the state,” said Gov. Newsom. “Antonio has the extensive experience and relationships to deliver on this promise and bring together the many partners who will be key to our success. I look forward to his collaboration with the Administration as we build up communities across California.”
The $120 million in funding is being awarded to the following local governments, transit agencies and others:
• $25 million to the High-Speed Rail Authority for its Merced Extension design work • $23 million to San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency for complete streets improvements along Howard Street. • $20 million to the Port of Los Angeles for its Terminal Island Grade Separation. • $15 million for the Inglewood Transit Connector Project. • $15 million for the Yuba-Sutter Transit Authority’s Zero-Emission Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility. • $15 million to the City of Fontana for multimodal complete street improvements. • $5 million to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments to plan and design Mobility Zones in the Sacramento Region. • $1.6 million to the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation for a separated pedestrian and bicycle path across Highway 101 in Del Norte County.
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.
The big idea
The world’s largest multinational tobacco companies are advertising cigarettes to kids near playgrounds and schools in 42 majority low- and middle-income countries. That’s the key finding of our recently published paper.
Through our on-the-ground data collection at 19,500 points of sale, we identified tobacco industry advertising and promotions demonstrating four common tactics. These include displaying cigarettes near snacks, sweets and sugary drinks; placing cigarette advertisements near children’s eye level; marketing flavored cigarettes through ads and/or product displays; and selling single cigarette sticks.
We collected data on how cigarettes are marketed and sold within 250 meters, or about 820 feet, of one or more schools and/or playgrounds in more than 100 cities around the globe. The locations included most capital cities and spanned Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, North America and South America.
Many jurisdictions throughout the world have implemented laws prohibiting advertising of tobacco products on radio, television and billboards. As a result, comparably less restricted point-of-sale opportunities have become a critical component of tobacco company marketing strategies. This includes the “Big Four” global giants: Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International and Imperial Tobacco.
Our findings, summarized below, show that the tobacco industry uses point-of-sale advertising widely, and consistently targets youth.
• In 90% of the countries we studied, cigarettes were displayed near junk food or sugary drinks, including some self-serve displays within children’s reach.
• We found ads or displays promoting flavored cigarettes, which are known to appeal to minors, in 76% of the countries we studied.
• Points of sale in all 42 majority low- and middle-income countries displayed cigarette advertising at kids’ eye level, featuring “Big Four” tobacco products or ads.
Experts have also established links between point-of-sale advertising and smoking-related behaviors and beliefs, like misperceptions that smoking is less harmful than it really is and a lower likelihood of quitting smoking.
What’s next
Our work focused on what consumers see and did not differentiate between products that were on sale legally versus those sold illicitly.
The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, an international treaty ratified by 182 parties and covering more than 90% of the world’s population, recommends a variety of evidence-based strategies to counteract these marketing tactics. These include comprehensive bans on tobacco advertisement, promotion and sponsorship, plain tobacco packaging, large graphic health warnings on tobacco packs, bans on single-stick cigarette sales, and regulation of flavors.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has six cats and kittens available for adoption.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm for information on visiting or adopting.
The following cats at the shelter have been cleared for adoption.
‘Simon’
“Simon” is a big 2-year-old gray tabby with white markings.
He is in cat room kennel No. A10, ID No. LCAC-A-3814.
‘Olive’
“Olive” is a female domestic medium hair kitten with a black coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. A117, ID No. LCAC-A-3742.
‘Willow’
“Willow” is a female domestic shorthair cat with a gray and white coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 47, ID No. LCAC-A-3762.
Male domestic shorthair kitten
This male domestic shorthair kitten has a gray tabby coat with white markings.
He is in cat room kennel No. A1b, ID No. LCAC-A-3663.
Female gray tabby
This 2-year-old female gray tabby has a short coat with white markings.
She is in cat room kennel No. 28, ID No. LCAC-A-3661.
Domestic shorthair kitten
This male domestic shorthair kitten has an all-black coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 84c, ID No. LCAC-A-3616.
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Air Quality Management District said air quality in the county will continue to be impacted until later this week due to fires to the north.
Smoke impacts to Lake County, which began over the weekend, are from the Six Rivers Lightning Complex fire and other minor regional fires throughout Northern California, the district reported.
The Six Rivers Complex, currently made up of three individual wildfires having burned 19,272 acres and 17% containment.
The Air Quality Management District said air monitor readings throughout Lake County on Monday showed “moderate” air quality levels.
All areas of Lake County have experienced moderate to unhealthy air quality on Monday. However, the air quality forecast through Thursday will range from “moderate” (AQI of 51-100) to “unhealthy for sensitive groups” (AQI of 101-151), and intermittently areas may experience “unhealthy” air quality for all.
Areas at lower elevations expected to experience the most smoke impacts in the morning hours, with higher elevations likely to experience impacts throughout the day. Expect fluctuating periods of poorer air quality.
Late this week, forecasts indicate a chance of improving conditions. This district said this smoke forecast is based on the latest weather, monitoring, fire activity information and will be updated as necessary.
The district is actively monitoring the smoke impacts throughout the county. Additionally, you may go to www.lcaqmd.net and follow the quick links for air monitoring for current smoke and air quality conditions.
Concentrations of smoke may vary depending upon location, weather, elevation, and time of day. Smoke from wildfires and structure fires contain harmful chemicals that can affect your health. Smoke can cause eye and throat irritation, coughing, and difficulty breathing.
People who are at greatest risk of experiencing symptoms due to smoke include: those with respiratory disease (such as asthma), those with heart disease, young children, and older adults.
These sensitive populations should stay indoors and avoid prolonged activity. All others should limit prolonged or heavy activity and time spent outdoors. Even healthy adults can be affected by smoke. Seek medical help if you have symptoms that worsen or become severe.
Follow these general precautions to protect your health during a smoke event:
• Minimize or stop outdoor activities, especially exercise. • Stay indoors with windows and doors closed as much as possible. • Do not run fans that bring smoky outdoor air inside — examples include swamp coolers, whole-house fans, and fresh air ventilation systems. • Run your air conditioner only if it does not bring smoke in from the outdoors. • Change the standard air conditioner filter to a medium or high efficiency filter. IF available, use the “recirculate” or “recycle” setting on the unit. • Do not smoke, fry food, or do other things that will create indoor air pollution.
If you have lung disease (including asthma) or heart disease, closely monitor your health and contact your doctor if you have symptoms that worsen. Consider leaving the area until smoke conditions improve if you have repeated coughing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, palpitations, nausea, unusual fatigue and lightheadedness.
Localized areas of unhealthy air quality are possible throughout this fire season. Take appropriate measures whenever smoke is present.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — An Upper Lake man has entered a plea in a 2020 homicide as part of an agreement with the Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
On Friday, Christopher Jon McDonald, 45, pleaded no contest to first-degree murder for the killing of 48-year-old John Turner Dickerson of Nice, said Deputy District Attorney Daniel Flesch.
Flesch said McDonald is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 26.
McDonald is facing a stipulated 25 years to life when sentenced. Andrea Sullivan, McDonald’s defense attorney, told Lake County News that McDonald will be eligible for parole.
The plea came ahead of McDonald’s trial, which was scheduled to begin on Wednesday, Flesch said.
“Had Mr. McDonald gone to trial and lost, he could’ve faced 50 years to life, because of California’s 25 year to life enhancement for great bodily injury events or deaths resulting from a firearm,” Sullivan told Lake County News in an email.
“Additionally, a prosecutor can add a special circumstance allegation at any time prior to trial. If that were to occur, and Mr. McDonald was convicted, he would have been sentenced to life In the state prison without the possibility of parole,” Sullivan said.
Dickerson reportedly came to Lake County from the East Coast. His badly decomposed remains were found in the Mendocino National Forest on Aug. 9, 2020, as Lake County News has reported.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the remains were believed to have been in the forest for several weeks by the time they were discovered.
An autopsy that took place the same week that the remains were recovered determined they were those of Dickerson, and that he had died from a gunshot wound.
The investigation led to a search warrant service at McDonald’s property and, in early May 2021, the sheriff’s office obtained an arrest warrant for McDonald, who was taken into custody shortly after the warrant was issued.
At the time of McDonald’s arrest, authorities did not disclose a possible motive for the killing.
However, Flesch told Lake County News that it was “likely a drug deal gone bad.”
Flesch said Dickerson had allegedly “lost” 30 pounds of marijuana that belonged to McDonald.
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.
With many nations making efforts to transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, SciLine interviewed Erin Baker, a professor of industrial engineering and operations at UMass Amherst. Baker discussed the technological, political and regulatory efforts needed for this transition, as well as ways that our fossil fuel-dependent system disproportionately harms poor communities and communities of color.
The Conversation has collaborated with SciLine to bring you highlights from the discussion, which have been edited for brevity and clarity.
How is our country doing at making the transition to renewable energy?
Erin Baker: There has been amazing technological change over the past 15 years. Offshore wind costs 50% less than it did six years ago. Solar has had a sixfold decrease in costs since 2010. And I think there’s a lot of evidence that technology will adapt and improve if we set the goals and incentives for it.
In terms of policy and regulations, we are moving forward, but we need to be more aggressive. Something that we’re missing and that would be really helpful would be a coherent, federal-level climate policy – whether that is regulatory policy, such as we have for pollution, or a carbon tax or some kind of a cap. The Inflation Reduction Act would be a fantastic starting point if it becomes law.
A good example of something that has been done is President Biden’s move to coordinate and streamline the federal approval process for offshore wind. There are seven federal agencies involved, and having them all separate and moving at their own pace was really difficult for offshore wind energy developers. So Biden has coordinated that, and that’s fantastic. But there are tens of local and state-level agencies and processes that developers still have to go through. It would be really great if we could figure out ways to coordinate and streamline those.
How does our current energy system disproportionately harm poor communities and communities of color?
Erin Baker: Unfortunately, in a lot of different ways. Polluting facilities tend to be located disproportionally in areas that are low income and home to people of color, which can lead to negative health outcomes. Also, in the Texas blackout last winter that killed around 250 people, some research done by my colleague Jay Teneja showed that the long blackouts were four times as likely in communities of color as in predominantly white communities. And, unfortunately, the energy transition won’t necessarily be any more equitable.
For example, it’s common for states to subsidize rooftop solar. And this is good, but the people who get the subsidies are people who own roofs with sun shining on them. People who live in apartments and in cities don’t have access to this, and yet they’re paying for the subsidies. We take the money for the subsidies from everyone, including low-income people, and send them mostly to white, wealthy suburbs.
How can injustices in our energy system be rectified?
Erin Baker: There’s obviously no one solution, but there are a couple of categories of things we can do. One thing that would be really helpful would be to collect data. We have very little data about energy equity issues.
We also need to involve and listen to the traditionally marginalized communities that are most affected by the inequities.
What do you think of the federal and state targets set for offshore wind?
Erin Baker: The Biden administration set a target for 30 gigawatts by 2030. That’s an ambitious goal, since in 2019 the entire world had only 30 GW. But it’s growing rapidly, with global capacity at an astounding 56 GW.
Having this goal of 30 gigawatts helps to organize the supply chain – all the pieces that need to get done for this to happen. We need people who know how to install offshore wind farms. We need special ships. We need planning for transmission. Having these goals really helps to organize all that and make sure all these pieces are in place.
What are the environmental costs and benefits of offshore wind?
Erin Baker: Offshore wind is a really promising technology. The ocean has really good wind resources. And it’s near population centers – we have lots of cities up and down the coasts. Because wind energy is carbon-free, it will provide benefits by reducing emissions and reducing costs.
Some of the work I’ve done has shown that there are billions, and maybe even trillions, of dollars of climate value in offshore wind. We lose between US$10 million and $150 million per year per wind farm by delaying them. We really want to keep these large global environmental benefits in mind as we plan. These can be balanced against local environmental costs and benefits, as well as other factors, like jobs.
In terms of local environmental benefits, when you build an offshore wind farm, the stuff underneath the water ends up creating an artificial reef and actually increasing sea life in that area, which is a benefit.
Negatively, they interfere with bird migrations. Birds don’t actually fly into the wind turbines that much. They fly around them. But if there are a lot of wind farms, that’s a lot of flying around, and that can be hard on the birds. And some animals, like right whales, can get caught in mooring lines if we have floating wind turbines. So, there are local environmental costs. What we need to do is balance these with the global benefits from addressing climate change.
Are you hopeful about our ability to address climate change?
Erin Baker: I am optimistic that we can solve climate change, because humans are very inventive. My work on technological change has shown that once we have a goal or incentive, we tend to improve technologies much faster than we ever predicted. So I think we can be ambitious. We can aim for net-zero by 2030 instead of 2050. And we can solve climate change while at the same time stimulating innovation, fueling growth and increasing quality of life. But we have to set these goals. To access the benefits of the energy transition, we really need to act boldly and decisively.
Watch the full interview to hear more about what’s required for a just, renewable energy transition.
SciLine is a free service based at the nonprofit American Association for the Advancement of Science that helps journalists include scientific evidence and experts in their news stories.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lake County Fair is just around the corner.
Opening day is Thursday, Sept. 1, with gates opening at 6 p.m., starting with the Blue-Ribbon Dinner where they will introduce Grand Marshal Jane Alameda.
Highlights Thursday evening include the second annual “Guns N Hoses” event. Can Fire beat Law this year? It will surely be entertaining as local law enforcement squares off against local fire in some hilarious games coordinated by Capt. Chris Chwialkowski from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Friday’s fun headliner will be Mud Drags, sponsored by Twin Pine Casino & Hotel at 7 p.m. Anyone can enter at https://wgasmotorsports.com/registration/.
Also, don’t forget the Mr. & Miss Lake County Fair toddler contest at 6 p.m. and the themed floral contest at 5:30 p.m.
Starting the Labor Day Weekend off right, Saturday, is the Junior Livestock Auction with brunch at 10 a.m. and auction at noon.
The grandstand headline is the famous boat races, so come cheer on the Shark Car or participate in family karaoke.
Sunday will be Fiesta Day, sponsored by Lake County Tribal Health featuring a Jaripeo in the grandstands with bulls, dancing horses and bandas and Lake County Idol on Fiesta lawn.
This will be a fantastic fair with lots of local music, two carnivals (the kiddie carnival is back), amazing food and our own hometown community exhibits.
All grandstand events are free with admission.
Presale tickets at local businesses now or at the fair office, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or Tuesday and Thursday, from 1 to 5 p.m.
There will be extra free parking during the fair at Tribal Health with an afternoon shuttle by Anytime Rides.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lakeport City Council is set to consider awarding the bid to construct the Lakefront Park Project and discuss having staff develop a plan to prepare for drought.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. Masks are highly encouraged where 6-foot distancing cannot be maintained.
If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.
The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.
Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the city clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 16.
On Tuesday, City Manager Kevin Ingram will ask the council to award a construction contract to Builder Solutions Inc. for the Lakefront Park Project in the amount of $4,399,381, and authorize Ingram to execute the construction contract subject to legal review.
The contract originally had been on the council’s July 19 agenda, but it had been pulled due to a bid protest filed by the other bidder, Granite Construction Co., on July 18 over Builder Solutions’ failure to provide the Public Works Contractor Registration number for themselves and all the subcontractors, Ingram wrote in his staff report.
Ingram said staff has determined this fact was immaterial because they were able to confirm the numbers through the California Department of Industrial Relations’ online registration portal.
He said the city researched all the claims made by Granite as well as those in a letter from the Construction Industry Force Account Council and a bid “advisory” from the Foundation for Fair Contracting.
Staff is recommending awarding the bid in the amount of $4,499,381 to Builder Solutions, Ingram said.
Builder Solutions has a business model that utilizes a professional employment organization, which leases employees to the company as a form of “co-employment,” so Building Solutions itself claims no employees.
As a result, Ingram said staff is recommending the city hire a labor compliance consultant using the city’s consultant procurement policy to mitigate potential for violations and claims. That will cost an estimated $100,000.
Also on Tuesday, Public Works Superintendent Ron Ladd will ask the council to adopt the resolution approving the Forbes Creek Neighborhood Improvement Project Study and authorize the city manager or designee to implement this plan.
The council also will hold a public hearing to introduce proposed text amendments to the city’s sign ordinance, which Community Development Director Jenni Byers said will allow signs to be seen from State Route 29 for Major Centers, as well as clarify the maximum height requirements for signage.
Utilities Superintendent Paul Harris also will give an update on current drought conditions and review existing water conservation measures and seek council direction to begin the development of a comprehensive drought response plan.
In other business, Police Chief Brad Rasmussen will present the 2022 police after action report on the Independence Day fireworks operations and the council will consider approving the purchase of a utility truck for the Park Department.
On the consent agenda — items usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on Aug. 2; warrants; adoption of a resolution authorizing continued remote teleconference meetings of the Lakeport City Council and its legislative bodies pursuant to Government Code section 54953(e); approval of event application 2022-023, with staff recommendations, for the 2022 Climb Out of the Darkness event; approval of event application 2022-022, with staff recommendations, for the City Wide Sidewalk Sale; authorize the city manager to sign a three-year purchase agreement with Cartegraph Systems LLC; cancellation of the regular City Council meeting on Oct. 4 and approve the participation of the city of Lakeport in the National Night Out event, with street closures and the Gazebo reserved for the event.
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.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. — HistoriCorps has announced that a group of its volunteers will be working at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park to help restore the two historic outhouses and the smokehouse located at the park, as well as doing some repair on the ranch house itself.
The work will occur from Oct. 16 to 21 and Oct. 23 to 28.
While working at the state historic park located in Lower Lake, HistoriCorps volunteers will be camping at Clear Lake State Park, located nearby in Kelseyville.
The Anderson Ranch House is one of the oldest remaining buildings in Lake County, with construction beginning in the mid-19th century.
It has been furnished by State Parks to provide an opportunity for the public to experience what life was like on a working cattle ranch in Lake County between 1850 and 1920.
The preservation work at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park will include stabilizing, reinforcing and painting the three outbuildings located to the north of the Ranch House, as well as painting part of the Ranch House and doing needed repairs on the windows.
HistoriCorps is a nonprofit organization that provides volunteers with a hands-on experience preserving historic structures on public lands across America.
Volunteers work with HistoriCorps field staff to learn preservation skills and put those skills to work saving historic places that may otherwise fall into disrepair.
According to HistoriCorps, there is no cost to volunteer, and HistoriCorps provides all meals, tools, training, equipment and a campsite.
Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation to the campsite, sleeping equipment, work gloves, clothes and boots.
For information about Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, visit www.andersonmarsh.org or contact Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association at either This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-995-2658.