The Lake County Planning Commission unanimously voted down the application by Dollar General to establish a store in Kelseyville. 

The basis for this denial included the location (directly across the street from the high school), traffic concerns, disappointment in Dollar General’s track record with regards to the previously opened stores in this area, and the affect this store would have on the character of the town. 

Dollar General has appealed this decision, and there will be a hearing before the Board of Supervisors on July 21.

Dollar General is a 9,000-square-foot sort of “mini Walmart.” It is a national chain of about 12,000 stores which has the resources to buy and sell its merchandise at prices far cheaper than any other business in the area. It will likely drive our locally owned “mom and pop” stores out of business. 

As far as providing jobs, Dollar General keeps its overhead low by maintaining minimal staffing. One manager is full-time, all other employees (usually no more than four) are part-time, minimum-wage workers, receiving no benefits. 

According to an article in the www.247wallst.com , they are rated fourth on the list of worst companies in the U.S. to work for.

All profits from this business go to the state of Tennessee, where Dollar General is headquartered, and will not be spent in this community. 

Studies performed on this subject (there are multiple, Civic Economics summarized 10 of them on www.amiba.net/resources/multiplier-effect ) show that on average 48 percent of each purchase from a local independent business was recirculated locally, compared to less than 14 percent of purchases from chain stores. 

Since Dollar General has stated its plan of opening about 600 new stores this year alone (some estimates state that between Dollar General and Dollar Tree they are opening a new store every six hours), that is a lot of money leaving this state, this county, and possibly depriving independent retailers of their livelihood.

The Kelseyville Business Association has worked very hard to establish an identity for this town. “A Friendly Country Town” has been its motto for many years. Visitors are greeted by appealing storefronts, red rocking chairs and the lovely Quilt Trail was started here. 

The harm that would come to this little community is sad to consider. Closed stores are already a problem, and the prospect that a sort of “urban decay” would replace the downtown area is, unfortunately, not hard to imagine.

Lake County has received a grant in conjunction with the the Way to Wellville Challenge. Part of this partnership to improve community health involves increasing the number of retail establishments promoting healthy food options.

To this end Dollar General will not add much. Their stock includes frozen and prepackaged items, convenience items, but nothing in the way of fresh produce or meats. 

A report prepared by the Campaign for Healthier Solutions (February 2015) found that the vast majority of Dollar General Store products tested contained toxic chemicals linked to learning disabilities, cancer, diabetes and other illnesses – hardly a business that advances community health and environmental protection.

In the general plan for Lake County a number of goals are listed. Included is a desire for “smart growth,” which is defined as providing for a unique sense of community and place, promoting healthy communities, encouraging infill, discouraging sprawl, preserving unique historical, cultural and natural resources among other things. 

Dollar General is the antithesis of these goals, at least in the area where it is being proposed to be built. 

The San Francisco Chronicle of April 12 showcased Lake County. The beautiful pictures and well-written articles praised each area of this beautiful place. The unique character of each area was described over and over again, making me want to revisit some places I have just taken for granted for some time. 

Let’s don’t take this special place for granted – we must work hard to maintain that unique character, and not find ourselves turning into just another bump on the road with a yellow and black store being its main attraction.

Peggy Robertson lives in Kelseyville, Calif.

Community choice aggregation (CCA) is a cumbersome name for a very promising new way to supply our energy needs.

By “aggregating” consumer buying power to purchase electricity on the wholesale market, CCAs create an alternative to a utility company monopoly that can negotiate with competitive suppliers and developers to obtain better prices and a higher percentage of renewables.

Nearly 5 percent of Americans in over 1,300 municipalities now buy energy in this way, including several jurisdictions in California.
 
CCAs offer a number of benefits: cheaper rates, a “greener” power grid, opportunities to source electricity locally, and the ability to create a stable, long-term power supply system that remains under local control rather than being operated for the benefit of long distance investors.

It’s also a very safe investment for local governments, since there’s typically a 20 to 30 percent spread or “margin” between the wholesale and retail price of electric power.

After providing for a 5 percent rate decrease and allocating another 5 percent to run the program, 10 to 20 percent is left to build up a reserve fund, develop new local renewable power sources, and subsidize energy efficiency projects in new and existing buildings. Such a substantial margin allows startup costs to be repaid very quickly, and reserves accumulate at a rate several times higher than the original investment.

To cite one nearby example, Sonoma Clean Power’s initial investment of $2 million was paid off after less than a year’s operation, and annual profits of $12 million are now flowing into the system. Furthermore, if several local governments collaborate to operate a CCA under a joint powers authority (JPA), any debt liability is backed entirely by anticipated revenues, with zero risk to the general fund.
 
The possibility of a CCA coming to Lake County is an exciting prospect with many potential advantages, but it’s also a decision that has to be approached carefully, after weighing all the alternatives and conducting a detailed independent feasibility study.

That’s particularly true because the county is now considering a proposal that does not follow the model that has proven successful elsewhere.

Instead, a private for-profit company called California Clean Power (CCP) is proposing a “turn key” operation by which they would pay upfront costs and guarantee minor savings to ratepayers and a more substantial payment to county government in exchange for future profits, none of which will necessarily be devoted to accumulating reserves, developing local renewable power sources, or financing energy efficiency.

In effect, Lake County would have a choice between two monopoly utility companies, without the public option that was the intent of the 2002 legislation that enabled CCAs in California.
 
A great many questions arise.
 
Where will the money go? Assuming the usual 20 percent opt out rate of customers who prefer to stay with PG&E, and a 20 percent margin (a minimum), the CCA can expect $6 million or more in net annual revenues after paying for power on the wholesale market.

After deducting operational costs of $300,000 and a $750,000 rate reduction, and making a “guaranteed” payment of $2 million to the county general fund, almost $3 million will be left – money that will enrich outside investors instead of staying within the CCA for the benefit of local consumers.
 
As a corollary, why should ratepayers be offered a mere 2 percent savings (instead of the 5 percent that is usual elsewhere) while more than twice that amount is presented to local government? This is after all the ratepayers money.
 
Is this proposal even legal? Two specific points seem to be very shaky. California Public Utilities Commission legal counsel and other experts have unanimously held that all ratepayer money  (including return on investment) has to stay within the CCA: it is not available for payments to the general fund, much less to be siphoned off as profit.

Transfer of ratepayer money to county coffers may also be impermissible under Proposition 26 since it could be considered a tax requiring voter approval. CCP’s proposal to “guarantee” these payments makes their legality especially problematic.
 
What about public oversight and transparency? Under the draft agreement, all revenues would go to CCP, with no apparent obligation on their part to provide an accounting, or for the county to conduct an audit.

In contrast, all other operating programs in California have public finances. CPUC requirements for a CCA require “due process” and “disclosure,” which may be difficult to achieve when finances are not scrutinized by the local government that authorized CCA formation.
 
What about risk? Investors can protect themselves from a downturn by pocketing short term profits, declaring bankruptcy, and switching customers back to PG&E, but the contract does not appear to promise ordinary risk management practices such as building significant operational reserves, establishing public fiscal oversight, and emphasizing long-term procurement.

And since formation of a JPA is not proposed, the county general fund might be at risk for program liabilities – even though the county will have no operational control or oversight.
 
What is “green” about this proposal? CPP proposes no greenhouse gas emission reduction targets beyond those legally required of PG&E, thus abandoning the significant potential environmental benefits a community choice system can offer.
 
And finally, what’s the hurry? This proposal was put forward with very little public notice or participation. A 10-year contract is proposed, involving many millions of dollars of ratepayer money.

CCP’s insistence that the county make a decision in 30 days, take it or leave it, resembles the sales tactics used by time-share operators, and reliance on a feasibility study conducted by the company, without independent verification by county staff or an impartial third party consultant, also raises a red flag.

Also worrisome was the declaration at the May 26 Board of Supervisors meeting that the county would approve the contract on June 16 unless "someone else who can provide the same exact services comes forward,” since it is by no means clear that these “same exact services” provide the greatest public benefit.

A different contractual model (for example that offered by public benefit company Community Choice Partners), formation of a JPA between the county and the cities of Lakeport and Clearlake, formation of a JPA with the counties of Humboldt and Mendocino, or joining the ongoing operations of Sonoma Clean Power are all options worth considering.
 
It’s time for the Board of Supervisors to step back, draw breath, and exercise the due diligence that the citizenry deserves – before handing over millions of dollars of our money.
 
These subjects have been agendized for further consideration at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, June 16, at the Lake County Courthouse in Lakeport (255 N. Forbes).

Please come to the meeting to share your concerns with the board, or if that’s not possible, contact your supervisor ahead of time. You can leave a voice mail for any of them by calling 263-2368 or send an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Victoria Brandon lives in Lower Lake, Calif.

This past Thursday evening at the Middletown Area Town Hall meeting, there was a standing-room only crowd of 75 people to discuss Dollar General's plan to erect one of their stores in Middletown.

Like myself, virtually everyone in attendance expressed concern about the devastating consequences of a Dollar General store invading our community.

We were supposed to only ask questions of the three experts – Mark Gilchrease, a representative of Dollar General; Rick Coel, head of Lake County’s Community Development Department; and Joe Dell, the developer who would be leasing the new building to Dollar General.

Their wish is to build a 9,100-square-foot box store on the open land by the stream on the north end of Middletown.

The meeting strongly reinforced my belief that a Dollar General store should not be allowed in Middletown. There are many reasons to oppose this incursion of heavy-handed corporate power and wealth into our sensitive community.

I highly recommend viewing the film documentary entitled “Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price.” It documents the devastating impacts that box-store chains have on local communities, and the same principles that apply to Walmart in larger communities apply to Dollar General, which targets smaller communities like Middletown.

At the meeting, Dollar General informed us of many things: that as a corporation, Dollar General is in the top 200 largest corporations in the U.S., with billions of dollars in sales and thousands of stores.

Its primary goal is increasing its profits and market share, and its representative declared to us on Thursday evening that it is under no obligation to comply with any of the wishes of our community in any way.

It will provide only about a 12 to 16 jobs, and most of them will be part-time, with absolutely no benefits and paying very little.

For this, we get a “store” that specializes in selling cheap foreign-made products that have been documented to be high in toxic plastics and chemicals and that end up soon in trash cans.

Recent studies indicate that 81 percent of products tested at dollar stores contain one or more hazardous chemicals above levels of concern.

Additionally, the presence of Dollar General in our community will put negative pressure on our local merchants, who will not be able to compete with this corporate behemoth that with its enormous buying power can force producers to supply products at cut-throat prices.

This inherently unfair advantage tends to force local businesses to close, and is part of a downward economic spiral that sucks money and resources out of communities and local economies and into the coffers of large financial institutions that are far away. This leads to further unemployment, poverty, stress, and economic and social breakdown.

What we see is a local version of what is happening nationally and internationally.

For the last several decades, U.S. corporations have been building factories in other countries with lower labor rates and more lax environmental, safety, and tax regulations.

Then they import these cheap products to be sold in box chain stores like Dollar General, while cutting US employment opportunities.

Now for Americans it’s more difficult to afford to buy quality products and many of us are reduced to shopping at the very corporate stores that have been devastating our economic landscape, leading to greater drug addiction, alcoholism, family violence and social disintegration.

Let's think globally and act locally! Here in Middletown, Cobb, Hidden Valley Lake and south Lake County, we have a beautiful natural environment and a wealth of talent, intelligence, and creativity.

We have been successfully creating our own local community with a unique character that celebrates and reflects who we are. This is our strength, and it is already attracting people and opportunity, and will continue to do that if we maintain our autonomy.

Traveling North American for 20 years in an RV, I've seen firsthand the devastating homogenization of our culture at the hands of the national chains that make every community look like every other.

The few thriving communities that have maintained their identity have done well, and have done so because they have been successful in keeping the big box chain stores out.

We are facing a serious threat in this Dollar General store that would like to exploit our community and suck dollars generally out of Lake County.

If we work together, we can emerge from this threat wiser, stronger, more united, and more healthy. But it requires us to organize and educate at a grass-roots level.

As is often the case in these things, our local government is not our friend. Rick Coel, who should be protecting our community's integrity and health, has shown that he is only too willing to side with the big bucks being waved around by Dollar General.

Dollar General has also showed us at last Thursday’s meeting that it is not completely honest. When asked if other communities have resisted their invasion, their representative at the meeting said, no, he wasn't aware of that happening. He lives in Grass Valley and is paid by Dollar General to oversee the infiltration of more Dollar General stores in our area.

He is obviously aware that in the town of Alta Sierra, near Grass Valley, the residents are being extremely vocal and organized in their opposition to an invading Dollar General store there.

The Union, the local newspaper, has a recent report with this lead: “Faced with a near-capacity crowd of angry residents, Nevada County officials delayed a decision Wednesday on a proposed Dollar General store in Alta Sierra until next month.”

Additionally, some of the residents of Nice, in northern Lake County, where a Dollar General store has recently been opened, are complaining bitterly about the garish and oversized signage that Dollar General has insisted on.

Do we want the same thing here? And what will it do to traffic flow? What effect will it have on our youth, who will be located, in their school, right across the street from this?

How will it affect our ecology, and the delicate riparian trout habitat of the stream on which the land borders? These chains are notoriously negligent of local culture and ecology.

People from the Bay Area are drawn to come over the hill to experience Middletown, Cobb, Harbin and the other springs and getaways we have here, and a big part of the draw here for them is the unique character of our beautiful and unique town. Why compromise or sacrifice our greatest asset for some toxic plastic trinkets?

At the meeting, it was refreshing to hear each others speak with passion about defending our cottage industries, and our local merchants, and our kids and our ecology. One man, who is just opening a taxi service, spoke of his passion to stop the clear-cutting of trees that is happening in our area. I am delighted that we are blessed to draw such noble hearts to our community.

What Dollar General represents is also a type of clear-cutting. It is not so obvious, though. It is an economic clear-cut, a clear-cutting of our culture. We must not allow it to happen!

Let’s follow the lead of Alta Sierra, and discuss and educate about this, and fill the upcoming Lake County Planning Commission meeting with outspoken residents who care about our quality of life here in southern Lake County.

Dr. Will Tuttle lives in Hidden Valley Lake, Calif.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is recognized annually on or around June 15.

This year, the first-ever World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Global Summit will take place on June 15 in Washington, D.C., where elder abuse prevention leaders will gather to discuss strategies around preventing elder abuse.

Since its inception in 2006, the purpose of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is to provide an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the social, cultural, demographic and economic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.

In addition, WEAAD is in support of the United Nations International Plan of Action acknowledging the significance of elder abuse as a public health and human rights issue.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of older persons are abused, neglected, and exploited. In addition, elders throughout the United States lose an estimated $2.6 billion or more annually due to elder financial abuse and exploitation, funds that could have been used to pay for basic needs such as food, housing, and medical care.

Unfortunately, no one is immune to abuse, neglect, and exploitation. It occurs in every demographic, and can happen to anyone such as a family member, or neighbor. Yet it is estimated that only about one in five of those crimes are ever discovered.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is an excellent opportunity to share information about abuse, neglect, and exploitation in later life.

However, raising awareness of mistreatment of older persons is an ongoing effort, not limited to one day.

Whether the effort is great or small, once a year or throughout, all of these efforts empower us to make long-lasting differences in the lives of vulnerable elders.

Lake County Adult Protective Services (APS) treats every day as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. 

APS links with the existing adult programs within the county provided by other public, private, and community-based organizations to assist those in need. 

APS Social Workers investigate allegations of abuse, exploitation and abandonment, and also help provide information and referrals for housing, food, clothing and case management.

As in past years, the Administration for Community Living encourages individuals and organizations to take a stand and to raise public awareness about elder abuse. 

Please visit their Web site at www.acl.gov to find information, tools and resources to support efforts to shed light on the importance of preventing, identifying and responding to this serious, often hidden public health problem.

Remember, it only takes one individual, one action, to make a difference.

Todd Metcalf is the Adult Services Program Manager at Lake County Department of Social Services.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As fire season approaches, when the grass turns from green to gold and wildfire threatens, we are thankful for the protection we receive from our local, state and federal fire agencies.

We appreciate the efforts they make to save our homes and lives – we know how lucky we are to have such highly trained men and women fighting these fires.

We watch the air tankers in fascination, wave at the helicopters and paint signs to give thanks to our firefighters.

What we seldom see, however, is an appreciation for the services our fire protection districts provide that save lives on a daily basis.

No matter what the season, each day somewhere in Lake County, someone may owe their life to the men and women from our local fire districts and the emergency medical treatment they provide.

As with most things that run smoothly, we’ve come to take those services for granted and really don’t give it much thought. It’s time we stopped and thought about how fortunate we are to have their help.

When private ambulance companies abandoned Lake County in 2004, our fire services were asked to fill the need. In times of need, like they always do, they stepped forward to answer that call for help.

At that time, private companies had two, sometimes three, operable ambulances in the county. Our fire districts now have a fleet of 26 ambulances, with 10 of them staffed at all times. How’s that for answering the call?

The Lake County Fire Chiefs Association and the local fire districts invested time, training and financial resources to provide us with emergency medical services, and they did it without a tax increase to property owners.

Along with fire protection, the Kelseyville, Lakeport, Lake County, Northshore and South Lake Fire Protection districts all work together and continue to make the investment to provide emergency medical technicians, paramedics and ambulance service to the county. Lucky for us!

In 2014, they answered almost 12,000 calls for 9-1-1 service. With only 365 days in the year, it isn’t difficult to recognize the daily need for their services and the thanks we owe them.

In addition to responding to medical emergencies, when a patient requires a service and/or procedure that our local hospitals can’t fulfill, then the fire districts’ ambulance services provide Inter-facility transfers and take us where we need to go. 

When you need to travel to an unfamiliar medical facility, it can be very reassuring to travel with someone “from home.” 

Behind the scenes, as with fighting fire, the response to medical emergencies by our fire protection districts is choreographed and coordinated with other agencies and air ambulance services for the county. You see a locally coordinated response to the local problem.

When you see a car wreck, a car in the lake or someone trapped in a vehicle, in addition to law enforcement you will see fire district personnel and their equipment at the scene.

When your neighbor has a heart attack or falls and breaks a leg, the fire departments respond to their 9-1-1 call.

When a meth lab or honey-oil lab blows, your fire departments are there with the right equipment. They fight the fire and protect the environment.

Because of the investment the Lake County Fire Chiefs Association and the fire protection districts have made in our communities, many of us owe our lives and well being to their quick response, dedication, training and professional care.

It takes a special person to provide those services; the tragedy they see throughout their careers requires a dedication that most of us don’t possess. The constant fluctuation in adrenalin levels often puts their own health at risk.

At the end of their shift, however, they continue to invest their time and energies to our schools and communities.

You’re apt to see them at a school’s basketball game, coaching Little League or working at a fundraising event to help a sick child.

Like the rest of us, most live in Lake County; their children attend our schools and their families shop at local businesses. They are truly invested in our communities.

As residents of Lake County, let us hope our fire districts will continue to have the support from the county, communities and hospitals they serve, so they’ll be able to maintain their current levels of service. Without them, our lives would not be the same.

Whether it’s a fire or a medical emergency, we count on them to do it all! 

Linda Juntunen is a member of the Lake County Fire Chiefs Association and the Lake County Fire Safe Council.

The Middletown Area Town Hall (MATH) is thriving as we enter our ninth year as a municipal advisory council.

First, I want to acknowledge the leadership provided by the late Martha Webster during the early formation of the council. Martha was a mentor to me.

What is MATH’s purpose?

We create a forum in which South County residents can participate in the decision-making processes which impact their communities. MATH serves the communities of Anderson Springs, Hidden Valley Lake, Middletown and Cobb.

MATH’s governing board serves to provide a structure for the meetings, facilitate discussion and communicate the membership’s decisions to county officials. We are the area’s liaison to the Board of Supervisors.

During public input sessions, members often express concerns unique to their neighborhoods or inform others of events and developments taking place in their communities.

If there is sufficient interest within the membership, their concerns can be included in future agendas.

Two of MATH’S most recent successes include completion of the Middletown Square Park and the Middletown Community Action Plan (MCAP).

The MCAP positions Middletown to apply for grants designed to improve safety and aesthetics along the State Route 29 corridor. 

Ongoing projects include creation of a dog park, road improvements, movies in the park, and promotion of a chili and salsa cook-off fundraiser for our senior center.

Our numbers have grown in recent months. We are consistently seeing new faces and hearing from fresh voices.

Breathing room is provided for the diversity of beliefs and opinions being expressed. Anyone attending our monthly meetings may submit a motion, provide direction on any agenda item and cast their vote. We encourage all area residents to participate in the democratic process.

Although MATH does not endorse specific candidates for elected office, we do host candidate forums and invite elected officials to be guest speakers. This empowers constituents to communicate their concerns to our local, state, and federal officials.

On Friday, April 10, Assemblyman Bill Dodd will be our guest. You are invited to join the conversation which begins at 7 p.m. 

What are your hopes or concerns for your community and south Lake County?

If you want to be a contribution to your community and influence its future, MATH is a forum for you to demonstrate this.

Meetings are held on the second Thursday evening beginning at 7 p.m. at the Middletown Community Center, 21256 Washington St.

The MATH email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Do the MATH!

Mike Tabacchi of Middletown, Calif., is as MATH Board member.