- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Clearlake City Council reaffirms health officer appointment, ratifies emergency declaration
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – During a brief special meeting on Wednesday, the Clearlake City Council reaffirmed the appointment of the city’s health officer and ratified a local emergency proclamation in response to the Sulphur fire.
Four of the five council members were present for the seven-minute afternoon meeting. Councilwoman Joyce Overton was absent.
In the first of the two items on the agenda, the council reaffirmed the original 1992 appointment of Lake County Environmental Health as the local enforcement agency for the city.
City Manager Greg Folsom recommended that the council reaffirm the designation based on past practices.
As part of that, he said Lake County Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait will act as the city’s health officer.
The council approved the resolution 4-0.
Regarding the second item, Folsom said Tait had declared a local health emergency in response to the Sulphur fire, which began on Oct. 9. The fire on Wednesday evening remained at 2,207 acres, with containment up to 94 percent.
Folsom said the council is required to ratify the declaration and reconsider it every 14 days.
He said the Board of Supervisors ratified the local health emergency at its Tuesday meeting.
City Clerk Melissa Swanson said that the council would need to reconsider the declaration on Oct. 26 and again on Nov. 9.
Lake County Environmental Health Director Ray Ruminski told the council that the local health emergency proclamation helps qualify for state and federal funding for all sorts of tasks associated with the fire cleanup, including removal of hazardous waste and materials in the burn area.
Ruminski said the proclamation also authorizes agents of the government to enter private property and remove hazards in certain cases without consent.
“We believe the hazards are real and imminent and that time is of the essence,” he Ruminski said.
The council ratified the declaration with a unanimous vote.
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