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A health system in Virginia stopped using the federal website after only a few days, complaining that it was slow and crashed. Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post via Getty Images


The COVID-19 vaccine rollout has been a nightmare for many Americans as they struggle through multi-step registration and appointment systems.

The federal government had envisioned states using one national vaccine scheduling system, and it offered a contractor US$44 million to develop it. But that system turned out to be so poorly designed that all but nine states opted out before even trying to adopt it, even though it was being offered by the government for free.

The few states that do use the Vaccine Administration Management System, or VAMS, have reported random appointment cancellations and unreliable registrations. Some vaccinators have had to resort to creating records on paper because of system glitches, slowing down the pace of getting shots into people’s arms.

As troubled as the VAMS website may be, it is also a predictable result. We’ve seen this movie before.

HealthCare.gov, the federal healthcare exchange website that was launched to implement the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, cost taxpayers nearly $1 billion. When HealthCare.gov was launched on Oct. 1, 2013, only six people were able to sign up for health care on the first day. The Obama administration ended up having to enlist a team of engineers from Google, Amazon and Facebook to fix it.

The U.S. is among the most technologically advanced nations in the world, with some of the most powerful technology giants and the largest talent pool. So, why has the federal government repeatedly failed to deliver a functioning website essential to public health?

As an expert in health care operations management and contracting, I believe the complex federal contracting process bears much of the blame. The Biden administration has the power to fix it.

Three big problems with federal contracting

The U.S. government is the largest buyer on Earth. It spends more than half a trillion dollars a year procuring a wide range of goods and services from the private sector.

While private buyers may have their own rules governing purchasing, the U.S. government has to follow a set of procurement regulations. These regulations are known as the Federal Acquisition Regulations, or FAR, and they have been in place since 1983. The rules dictate all aspects of the federal purchasing process, including the contracting process for building websites such as HealthCare.gov and VAMS.

The Federal Acquisition Regulations were created to uphold the federal government and taxpayers’ interests through a uniform set of rules. Despite its good intention, this process has three key problems.

First, with thousands of clauses that are difficult to navigate, the Federal Acquisition Regulations have created a complicated and time-consuming contracting process, and many of those clauses are nearly impossible to implement in practice. That restricts the government to using a small group of vendors who are experienced in the game of contracting but are not necessarily the best choices for delivering products.

When the government announced the HealthCare.gov project, the tech giants that were eventually called in to fix it did not even participate in the bidding process, because the process favors past vendors such as CGI Federal, which specialized in federal contracting.

Second, in many cases, the complicated nature of the rules enables vendors to be selected without competition. In choosing a vendor for developing VAMS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined that Deloitte was the only contractor that met the project requirements. The reason: The CDC believed VAMS required GovConnect, which is Deloitte’s propriety platform. The GovConnect platform was launched in June 2020 and has had some problems. It is not clear why a vaccine rollout platform had to be built on GovConnect.

Third, the contracting process discourages communications and interactions between vendors and contracting officers. For websites like HealthCare.gov and VAMS that have many stakeholders, the needs of those stakeholders typically evolve during the development process. Companies such as Google, Amazon and Facebook use an “agile” method designed for changes during development. The current federal acquisition process naturally supports a traditional “waterfall” model that largely specifies all requirements at the beginning and allows little room for change.

Fixing the federal contracting process

How can the federal contracting process be fixed? Repealing the Federal Acquisition Regulations would likely cause chaos, but fixing it is doable. The executive branch of the U.S. government can modify the Federal Acquisition Regulations on its own, so it is up to the Biden administration to make changes.

Next, the federal contracting process must value results, not only the process itself or the vendors’ history of winning federal contracts. Deloitte and CGI Federal both continue to win federal contracts worth billions of dollars despite past failures.

VAMS has sparked far less public outcry than HealthCare.gov, but its failure is no less consequential, because a rapid vaccine rollout is the key to ending the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Deloitte spokesman Austin Price told Bloomberg News the company “continues to enhance the system based on feedback and priorities of VAMS users.”

The Obama administration started some reforms of the federal contracting system, particularly moving it away from the “waterfall” approach to allow more changes during development. The Biden administration could continue that work as it rethinks the tangle of federal contracting rules.

Unless it fixes the outdated federal contracting process, the U.S. will almost certainly repeat the same disaster again and again.

[Get our best science, health and technology stories. Sign up for The Conversation’s science newsletter.]The Conversation

Tinglong Dai, Associate Professor of Operations Management & Business Analytics, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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One of Lake County’s members of the House of Representatives has once again been named to the leadership of an influential tax writing subcommittee.

Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) was again named to lead the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, the group tasked with tax policy measures in the House.

This appointment was confirmed by a vote of the full committee on Thursday.

“It’s my honor to be again named by my colleagues to lead the Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee on the Ways and Means Committee in the 117th Congress. This subcommittee has the power to help ensure everyone has a shot at success and fair and equitable taxation will be a high priority for us once again. This appointment allowed me to help steer many of the critical Coronavirus relief programs last year. I will be working with this Congress to ensure we deliver strong and sweeping aid to the American people to help combat this crisis,” Thompson said.

“I will also be working on measures to provide relief for communities like mine that were devastated by disaster in recent years,” he said. “And I will continue working to use the tax code to promote clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change is an existential threat and we need to use every tool we can to combat it. Thank you to Chairman Neal and my colleagues for this vote of confidence. Please know I will do everything to ensure our district and our nation can get ahead.”

Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – At its meeting this week, the Clearlake City Council will honor Black History Month, consider a lease of property near Walmart that has been the site of homeless encampments and vegetation fires, and hold a public hearing on a grant for COVID-19-related funding.

The council will meet beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4.

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 PEG TV 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. 4.

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.

The council will start the meeting with presenting a proclamation declaring February 2021 as Black History Month and will receive the Clearlake Police Department 2020 Annual Report.

Under business, the council will consider entering into a lease with RM Clearlake LLC for 15900, 15910, 15920 and 15970 Dam Road, Clearlake, as well as agreements with Cal Fire for fire mitigation efforts in vicinity of those properties.

The proposed lease is for a two-year term with two one-year city-owned options. The city would pay the landlord the rate of $1 per year, based on the city’s report.

The four parcels, totaling approximately 30.8 acres, are next to the Dam Road shopping center, where Tractor Supply, Big 5 and Walmart are located. The property in recent years has been the site of homeless encampments, vegetation fires and illegal dumping.

In his report to the council, City Manager Alan Flora wrote that the city has been approached by the property owners to lease the parcels.

RM Clearlake, a California General Partnership, purchased the properties with the intent of developing the land into a commercial center, as a second phase of the original Walmart Development, Flora said.

“However, market conditions have made development of the site difficult, and the second phase never happened,” he said. “Accordingly, the property owners are interested in leasing the property to the City as the City is in a better position to keep this property code compliant. This property has historically been a problem site in terms of code violations, to include homeless encampments and wildfire danger.”

Flora’s report explained that one of the primary benefits of the city becoming a tenant for this site is that Cal Fire has offered to perform vegetation clearing for the benefit of fire mitigation with the condition that the properties are controlled by a public entity. “By entering in this proposed lease, Cal Fire would be able to conduct the fire mitigation.”

City staff are coordinating with Cal Fire to schedule fire mitigation work when the weather permits in early 2021, Flora said.

“During the term of the lease, the City and landowner will engage in negotiations regarding the potential transfer in fee of the properties to the City. If the properties are to be transferred to the City, separate Council action will be required,” he said.

Flora said the proposed lease will have a negligible impact on the city’s budget, although city resources will be required for cleanup efforts.

He told Lake County News that he’s not aware of any existing homeless camps on the property and much of the current problems are on some of the paper lots – largely tax-defaulted – to the east of this property.

He added, “There have been some fires started on the property over the years, but as an example the fire last year that claimed a home was not started on this property.”

Flora said there is really a larger problem in this section of the city, “but we have to start somewhere and this is a big chunk.”

Also on the agenda is a public hearing to consider acceptance of the State Community Black Grant Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, or CDBG- CV, Round 2 in the amount of $335,613.

The council will provide direction to staff to prepare an application to pursue funds for COVID-19 related activities that benefit low- and moderate-income residents and will consider adopting a resolution authorizing the city manager and staff to submit the grant application due by Feb. 14.

On the meeting's consent agenda – items that are not considered controversial and are usually adopted on a single vote – are warrants; continuation of a declaration of local emergency issued on Oct. 9, 2017, and ratified by council action on Oct. 12, 2017, for the Sulphur fire; continuation of a declaration of local emergency issued on March 14, 2020, and ratified by council action on March 19, 2020, for the COVID-19 pandemic; award of contract for design services for the 2021 Measure V Projects with California Engineering Company for an amount not to exceed $101,443.85; reappointment of three planning commissioners to fill four-year terms effective March 12, 2021 through March 11, 2025; adoption of sixth amendment to the FY 2020-21 Budget (Resolution No. 2020-27) appropriating revenues from sale of surplus Public Works Equipment and authorizing the city manager to lease a vehicle from Enterprise Fleet Management for the Parks Division, Resolution No. 2021-06; adoption of the seventh amendment to the FY 2020-21 Budget (Resolution No 2020-27) appropriating a donation from Lake County Tribal Health Consortium for the purchase of AEDs, Resolution No. 2021-07.

Following the public portion of the meeting, the council will hold a closed session to discuss existing litigation, the City of Clearlake v. Tonya Shold; Jonathan Haws; Sunshine Properties, LLC.- Case No CV421430- Lake County Superior Court; and City of Clearlake v. Joyce L. Madden - Case No. CV421431 - Lake County Superior Court.

The closed session also will include a case, City of Clearlake v. William Reece Smith, a deceased individual; all persons claiming any interest in the real property commonly known as 13672 Arrowhead Road, Clearlake CA - Case No. CV421429 - Lake County Superior Court, and a discussion regarding the city’s suit against the county of Lake and Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen.

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.
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What's Up for February? This month we follow the moon to three different points of interest in the winter sky.

First up, excitement about the red planet is building as NASA prepares to land its latest rover there, called Perseverance, on Feb. 18.

You'll find Mars high in the west after sunset all month long. It should be visible all evening, setting around, or soon after, midnight local time.

On the night of NASA's planned Mars landing, you'll find the half-full moon right next to the red planet. So go out and have a look with your own eyes – especially if you were one of the nearly 11 million people whose names traveled to Mars with Perseverance, etched into one of three microchips.

Staying with the moon in February, it next drifts through part of the sky that contains a familiar pattern of stars, also called an asterism. This is the Winter Circle, or Winter Hexagon – a ring of six bright stars that spans a very wide region of the sky.

The Winter Circle contains two other special groupings of stars: the constellation Orion, and another wintertime asterism, the Winter Triangle, made of the bright stars Sirius, Betelgeuse and Procyon.

Like their counterpart, the Summer Triangle, the Winter Circle and Winter Triangle are signposts of the season.

In the Northern Hemisphere, you'll see them rising in the east early in the evening during the time of long, cold nights, and setting in the west earlier and earlier as the season turns to spring.

Watch on Feb. 20 through 22, as the moon moves across the Winter Circle, growing a bit fuller each evening.

Finally, the moon continues on its journey, visiting the twins of Gemini. Unlike asterisms, Gemini is one of the 88 official constellations used by astronomers to help them describe the locations of objects in the sky. The two bright stars Castor and Pollux form the heads of the inseparable twins from Roman and Greek mythology for which the constellation is named.

On February evenings, Gemini is located high overhead in the south. On Feb. 23 the moon is just below Pollux.

NASA also has a history with Gemini, as it was the name of the human spaceflight program in the 1960s that tested technology and capabilities in preparation for the Apollo missions to the moon.

But while the constellation is pronounced "JEM-in-eye," not everyone knows the name of the NASA program was usually pronounced "JEM-ih-knee" within the space agency.

However you want to pronounce it is fine. Just make sure you go out and catch the moon's visit with Gemini on Feb. 23.

You can catch up on all of NASA's missions to explore the solar system and beyond at www.nasa.gov.

Preston Dyches works for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control has shepherds, pit bulls and a boxer among the dogs it’s offering for adoption this week.

The following dogs are ready for adoption or foster.

“Mommas.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Mommas’

“Mommas” is a female American Pit Bull terrier mix with a white coat.

She has been spayed.

She is dog No. 4499.

“Yule.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Yule’

“Yule” is a male husky with a black and white coat.

Yule is dog No. 4432.

“Toby.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Toby’

“Toby” is a friendly senior male boxer mix.

He has a short tan and white coat.

He is dog No. 4389.

“Rudolph.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Rudolph’

“Rudolph” is a male shepherd mix.

He has a short tan and black coat.

He is dog No. 4436.

“Jerry.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Jerry’

“Jerry” is a male American Pit Bull terrier with a short brindle coat.

He is dog No. 4455.

“Inky.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Inky’

“Inky” is a male German Shepherd mix with a long black coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 4324.

“Breeze.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Breeze’

“Breeze” is a female American Pit Bull Terrier mix.

She has been spayed.

She is dog No. 4445.

“Ben.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Ben’

“Ben” is a male American Pit Bull terrier mix.

He has a short brindle coat.

He is dog No. 4454.

Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions and schedule a visit to the shelter.

Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.

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.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Public Health Department said Wednesday that vaccination scheduling is now available for Lake County residents aged 65 or greater.

Appointments are limited due to vaccine supply.

The department will initially open up a few days of appointments, and then increase the number of available slots as they ensure an adequate supply of vaccine.

Those age 65 and above can visit http://health.co.lake.ca.us/Coronavirus/Vaccines.htm and click the links to register.

People that have difficulty navigating the online scheduling platform are encouraged to call 707-993-4644 for assistance. Do not call this number if online appointments are filled; check again in a few days, and see if more slots have opened up.

Remember, these appointments are for Lake County residents, 65 years old and older. Please do not make an appointment if you do not qualify.

Public Health will check ID at the entrance of the site and those who don’t meet the criteria will be turned away.

The public is asked to be patient and not to show up at the sites without an appointment

If you are in a group that has previously been vaccinated, but missed out for some reason, you can email Public Health at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and they will contact you when a spot is available.

When eligible, Lake County residents are encouraged to get vaccinated. If you have chronic medical conditions you are concerned may affect your ability to be safely vaccinated, please contact your medical provider.

Vaccine questions can now be answered by dialing 211 or texting “covid19” to 211-211.

Additional resources are also available here.





Citas para vacunas para el público limitada para mayores de 65 años ahora disponible en el condado de Lake

Condado de Lake, CA (3 de febrero de 2021) — La División de Salud Pública del Departamento de Servicios de Salud del Condado de Lake se complace en anunciar que citas para vacunas ya está disponible para los residentes del Condado de Lake de 65 años o más.

Las citas son limitadas debido al suministro de vacunas.

Inicialmente abriremos algunos días de citas y luego aumentaremos la cantidad de espacios disponibles a medida que garanticemos una vacuna adecuada.

Los mayores de 65 años pueden visitar http://health.co.lake.ca.us/Coronavirus/Vaccines.htm y hacer clic en los enlaces para registrarse.

Se recomienda a las personas que tengan dificultades para navegar por la plataforma de programación en línea que llamen al 707-993-4644 para obtener ayuda. No llame a este número si no hay citas disponibles; Vuelva a verificar en unos días y vea si se han abierto más espacios.

Recuerde, estas citas son para los residentes del condado de Lake, mayores de 65 años. No programe una cita si no califica. Verificaremos la identificación en la entrada del sitio, y se le rechazará si no cumple con los criterios. También tenga paciencia y no se presente en los sitios sin una cita.

Si está en un grupo que ha sido vacunado anteriormente, pero no puedo obtener una cita por alguna razón, puede enviar un correo electrónico a This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. y nos comunicaremos con usted cuando haya un lugar disponible.

Cuando sean elegibles, se alienta a los residentes del condado de Lake a vacunarse. Si tiene condiciones médicas crónicas que le preocupa que puede afectar su capacidad para vacunarse de manera segura, comuníquese con su proveedor médico.

Las preguntas sobre vacunas ahora se pueden responder marcando 211 o enviando un mensaje de texto con “covid19” al 211-211. Los recursos adicionales también están disponibles aquí: http://health.co.lake.ca.us/Coronavirus/Vaccines.htm.
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NORTH COAST, Calif. – An early Friday morning crash on Highway 20 in Mendocino County left one driver dead and another injured.

The wreck occurred at 6:50 a.m. on Highway 20 near Marina Drive east of Ukiah, according to the California Highway Patrol’s Friday morning report.

The CHP said a 56-year-old Potter Valley man died in the wreck, with a 23-year-old Clearlake Oaks man injured.

The names of the two drivers were not released in the Friday report.

The CHP said that the Potter Valley man was driving a 2006 Toyota westbound on Highway 20 just west of Marina Drive at an unknown speed while the Clearlake Oaks man was driving a 2014 Peterbilt towing a 2018 Landoll trailer eastbound at a stated speed of 55 miles per hour.

For an unknown reason, the CHP said the Toyota traveled in a southwesterly direction over the solid double yellow lines and collided with the left side of the Peterbilt.

After hitting the Peterbilt, the CHP report said the Toyota continued in a westerly direction. The front of the Toyota then hit the left side of the Landoll trailer and continued on, side-swiping the trailer’s left side.

Following the crash with the semi and trailer, the Toyota traveled, out of control, in a southerly direction over the south solid white line of Highway 20 and down the hillside, south of the highway, the report said.

The CHP said the Toyota came to rest on the south descending hillside of Highway 20.

The Toyota’s driver sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash, the CHP said. The Peterbilt’s driver sustained moderate injuries.

Traffic control was in effect for about two hours at the crash scene, according to CHP reports.

The CHP said both men were wearing their seat belts.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation, with the CHP reporting that neither drugs nor alcohol are believed to be factors.

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.
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NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Mendocino County woman who last year was convicted of shooting her German Shepherd is potentially facing new charges after she was found in possession of chickens, which violates her probation.

Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster said Thursday that law enforcement officers conducted a search that morning of the Caspar residence of probationer Katie Rhiannon Smith, 35.

In December, Smith was sentenced for the December 2019 shooting of “Thunder the Wonder Dog: The Cone Dog from the Woods,” who was found days later wounded and wandering in Jackson State Forest in Mendocino County and rescued by two horseback riders.

In October, Smith pleaded no contest to felony animal cruelty.

During Smith’s December sentencing, Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Clayton Brennan reduced the charge to a misdemeanor, placed her on unsupervised probation for 36 months, suspended jail time, declined to order her to reimburse the county for her legal expenses, ordered her to complete 500 hours of community service and denied the prosecution’s request that Smith be prohibited from owning or possessing animals during the term of her probation.

She was, however, ordered to submit to probation searches and to attend counseling so she can avoid committing animal cruelty in the future.

Eyster decried Brennan’s ruling and is seeking appellate review. Last month he sought to disqualify Brennan from animal cruelty and firearm cases, as Lake County News has reported.

On Thursday, Eyster said a search of Smith’s property found she was residing in possession of six chickens, a violation of state law that prohibits people convicted of animal cruelty from possessing animals.

He said a dog Smith claimed to own in December was not located during search of the property.

The chickens were seized pursuant to the warrant and have been placed in the protective custody of Mendocino County Animal Control, Eyster said.

California’s law mandates that a defendant convicted of animal cruelty as a misdemeanor shall not, “within five years after her conviction, own, possess, maintain, have custody of, reside with, or care for any animal.” To do so is a public offense punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, Eyster said.

Eyster referred to Brennan's December order that Smith serve 360 days in the county jail. He then suspended that time on the condition that Smith “obey all laws.”

Subject to the standard charging review by the district attorney, Eyster said it is believed that the six animals found Thursday residing at her home constitute a failure by Smith to obey all laws.

Once he receives and completes a review of all the reports from today’s search, Eyster said he will make a charging decision on whether to file one or more new charges against Smith, file a petition seeking violation of Smith’s informal probation, or both.

When asked to comment about today’s enforcement action, Eyster said, “If I conclude that the evidence summarized in those reports supports the filing of a new case, it should be no surprise to anyone that I will have that new case filed in Ukiah versus having it filed in Judge Brennan’s courtroom in Fort Bragg.”

He added, “Further, if I conclude that the animals found today constitute a failure by the defendant to obey all laws, specifically a failure by her to obey the statutory prohibition that she cannot be around animals, we will initiate proceedings to violate her probation.

“If and when that happens, the community at large should watch and see if Judge Brennan stays true to his December words that a violation of probation will result in the defendant having to serve the 360-day jail sentence that he suspended,” Eyster said.
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NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office on Friday will offer an update on the investigation into the disappearance of a North Coast woman.

Mendocino County Sheriff Matthew Kendall, in corroboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, will be hosting a Facebook Live announcement on his agency’s Facebook page on Friday, Feb. 5, at 11:30 a.m.

This virtual event is being held regarding the disappearance of Khadijah Britton of the Round Valley Indian Tribes.

Britton disappeared three years ago in Covelo and the investigation remains active and unsolved.

Sheriff Matthew Kendall and Scott Schelble, assistant special agent in charge of Violent Crime in the San Francisco Division of the FBI, will be present during this virtual livestream event to provide updates on the status of the ongoing investigation.

As time permits, the sheriff’s office intends to answer questions from the Facebook livestream chat.

Anyone interested in watching this Facebook livestream event can do so by visiting the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page here.

This event is being held in a virtual format to comply with current COVID-19 regulations, local public health orders, and social distancing protocols. Due to these circumstances, members from the public and press will not be able to attend this event in person.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council on Thursday voted unanimously to pursue a lease agreement that will allow the city to clean up land around Clearlake’s main shopping center that in recent years has been the scene of numerous fires and abatement issues.

City Manager Alan Flora took to the council the proposal to lease the 30.8 acres owned by RM Clearlake LLC at 15900, 15910, 15920 and 15970 Dam Road for a $1 a year in a lease with an initial term of two years.

The properties are next to the shopping center on Dam Road where Walmart, Tractor Supply and Big 5 are located.

Flora said RM Clearlake LLC originally had purchased the land to develop it as the second phase of the Walmart development, but changes in the economy ended those plans.

He said the land hasn’t had a lot of maintenance and over time there have been homeless camps, illegal dumping and fires – about a dozen of them.

There have been a number of efforts over the years to try to do something about the situation, and Flora said the property owners have expressed interest in donating the property to the city.

However, as the city has researched the property, Flora said they’ve come across title issues.

For that reason, Flora said he couldn’t recommend the city moving forward with a donation at this time.

However, due to the danger and blight that have been associated with the property, Flora said the city needed to step in and take a more active involvement.

He said the proposed lease would allow for Cal Fire to be a partner in cleaning up the land.

“Their regulations make it extremely difficult to do fire mitigation work on private property,” Flora said of Cal Fire.

However, there are ways around that. “Things are streamlined significantly if it’s considered to be public ownership and this lease would accomplish that goal,” Flora said.

He said the city has negotiated the agreement for some time and what he was presenting offered a way to protect the city's interest while moving forward.

In addition to the lease, which already was signed by RM Clearlake’s owners, Flora said there were documents necessary to execute for Cal Fire to start fire mitigation efforts.

Councilman Russ Cremer moved to approve the lease agreement, which the council approved 5-0.

Mayor Dirk Slooten said it’s important to do some fire prevention work in that area.

Flora told Lake County News after the meeting that he’s not sure of the timing for when Cal Fire will begin the fire mitigation work on the property, but it’s expected to start in the spring.

“Now that the lease is final we can move forward. Cal Fire really wants to see this cleaned up so they appear to be motivated to move forward as quickly as the paperwork can be processed and weather permits,” he said.

Flora added that the property is very rocky and hilly so he’s not completely sure they can remove all of the brush that covers the property, “but the intent is to remove as much as possible.”

Also on Thursday, the council observed a moment of silence for Marcia Felty Taylor, a former animal control staffer who died following a long battle with cancer on Jan. 29. Taylor was a tireless animal advocate and worked hard on behalf of animals in the city and the county.

Slooten read a proclamation declaring February as Black History Month in the city and the council received the annual Clearlake Police Department from Chief Andrew White.

The council also held a public hearing as part of the process of planning its application for funds through the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CDBG-CV2 and CV3, program.

The city is eligible to apply for and potentially receive nearly $445,000, which staff proposed using to make upgrades to the kitchen at the Clearlake senior center. The council voted unanimously to pursue the funds and use them, as staff suggested, for senior center kitchen improvements.

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.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Football fans may have to come up with a new game plan for this year’s Super Bowl festivities, but the California Highway Patrol still reminds everyone to put safety first.

California’s public health recommendations encourage residents to gather outdoors and with no more than three households.

In addition, Californians should stay close to home and limit non-essential travel to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

If you must travel, the CHP wants to remind you of some important traffic safety tips to help you arrive safely: drive sober, avoid distractions, always buckle up and leave plenty of time to get to your destination.

“The Super Bowl is one of the most celebrated sporting events of the year, and I am encouraging Californians to celebrate responsibly,” CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said. “If you choose to drink, do not get behind the wheel. Designate a sober driver.”

CHP officers will be on high alert for impaired drivers this weekend. Alcohol is not the only substance that can lead to an arrest for driving under the influence. Cannabis, prescription medications and illegal drugs can all impair your ability to drive.

According to preliminary data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, four people died in alcohol-involved collisions in California on Super Bowl Sunday in 2020, and 120 people were injured. In addition, the CHP made more than 300 DUI arrests that day.

The public can help keep California roadways safe by calling 9-1-1 if they suspect an impaired driver. Callers should be prepared to give the vehicle’s description, location, license plate number and direction of travel.
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From left to right, Ramesh Gautam, chief of California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, Nick Ellis, electrical engineer in Statewide Monitoring Network Section, and Sean de Guzman, chief of the California Department of Water Resources Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Section, conduct the second media snow survey of the 2021 season at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The survey is held approximately 90 miles east of Sacramento off Highway 50 in El Dorado County. Photo taken Wednesday, February 3, 2021, by Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Despite recent winter storms that brought heavy rain and snow to parts of the state, California’s snowpack is continuing to lag, according to a new state report.

The Department of Water Resources conducted the second manual snow survey of the season at Phillips Station on Wednesday.

The manual survey recorded 63 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent, or SWE, of 17 inches, which is 93 percent of average for this location.

The SWE measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR’s water supply forecast.

From left to right, Ramesh Gautam, chief of California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, and Sean de Guzman, chief of the California Department of Water Resources Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Section, conduct the second media snow survey of the 2021 season at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The survey is held approximately 90 miles east of Sacramento off Highway 50 in El Dorado County. Photo taken Wednesday, February 3, 2021. Photo by Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources.


“The recent blast of winter weather was a welcome sight, but it was not enough to offset this winter’s dry start,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “While there is still a chance we will see additional storms in the coming weeks, the Department and other state agencies are preparing for the potential for a second consecutive year of dry conditions.”

Statewide snow survey measurements reflect those dry conditions. Measurements from DWR’s electronic snow survey stations indicate that statewide the snowpack’s SWE is 12.5 inches, or 70 percent of the Feb. 3 average, and 45 percent of the April 1 average.

April 1 is typically when California’s snowpack is the deepest and has the highest SWE.

Fall 2020 was extremely dry, especially in the Sierra Nevada, and follows last year’s below-average snow and precipitation.

Sean de Guzman, chief of the Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecast, left, plants the cylinder as Ramesh Gautam, chief of California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, right, looks on during a 2021 snow survey season event at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains about 90 miles east of Sacramento off Highway 50 in El Dorado County. Photo taken Wednesday, February 3, 2021, by Andrew Innerarity/California Department of Water Resources.


Separately, in the Mendocino National Forest, DWR’s California Data Exchange Center also reported new snow levels.

Measurements taken on Tuesday at Anthony Peak showed a snow depth of 28 inches and water content of 9.5 percent, with density of 34 percent. That’s the first measure taken this year, and compared to February 2020, it’s up by 2 inches but density is down by 4 percent.

With only a couple months remaining in California’s traditional wet season, Californians should look at ways to reduce water use at home. Each individual act of conservation makes a difference over time.

Visit www.SaveOurWater.com to learn easy ways to save water every day.

California’s second 2021 snow survey season event was held at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains about 90 miles east of Sacramento off Highway 50 in El Dorado County on Tuesday, February 3, 2021. Photo by Andrew Innerarity/California Department of Water Resources.

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