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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday gave the go-ahead to a contract for remodeling City Hall in an effort to make it more customer friendly.

City Manager Margaret Silveira reported that the project will include fixes to the front counter, and also will improve Americans with Disabilities Act access, remodel office space for the Planning Department and provide additional storage for the council chambers.

The city originally had budgeted $70,000 for the project, but the city's engineer put the cost at $183,434, Silveira said.

Bridges Construction of Lakeport was the sole bidder, at $235,610. Silveira said the company worked with the city engineer to bring down costs by $47,750. The total new bid cost is $187,860.

The cost drop revolved mostly around the change in plans to do the work during the day, rather than at night, as originally had been proposed to cause less disruption to the public and staff, Silveira explained.

Silveira said the contractor will build a temporary wall in front of the remodel area to drop the noise and shield the work from public view.

While the work is partially budgeted, Silveira said she and city Finance Director Nick Walker have discussed it, and they are sure that they will have savings in this year's budget that will more than cover the difference.

Community Development Director Kevin Ingram said consideration was given to the phasing of the construction in order to allow city operations to continue.

Councilman Kenny Parlet asked about a timeline. Silveira said the contractor is ready to go, with an estimate of about four weeks to complete the major aspects of the project.

Councilman George Spurr followed up by asking when the work would start. Silveira said it could be a few weeks before the work gets under way.

Lakeport resident Michael Froio, also a city planning commissioner, was the only person to speak during public comment.

He asked if there was only one bid, which Silveira confirmed.

Ingram explained that during the project walk-through, the city hosted seven contractors who looked at the job, so they were surprised to only get one bid.

Froio said that was hard to swallow, and went on to question why the city was moving forward with the City Hall renovation when a 6-foot cyclone fence remains in place around the damaged seawall across the street in Library Park.

That work on the seawall is going through a federal emergency funding project with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and as such has moved forward at a slower pace, as Lake County News has reported.

Silveira told Froio that it was an apples and oranges comparison between City Hall and the seawall.

Froio responded that it's about public perception, and whether City Hall can continue to function without the upgrades.

Councilwoman Stacey Mattina said it doesn't make sense to hold up all of the city's projects due to the pace of the federal project for the seawall.

Silveira said the city could use its own money to start repairing the seawall, but it wouldn't get reimbursed, which is why they are following the process with FEMA. She said the seawall project is now being finalized.

Froio said he understood about the different pots of money and not getting reimbursed, but added, “I feel like we're losing a lot of revenue here,” with residents, visitors and businesses not getting full use of Library Park. He suggested they needed signage in the park explaining the fence.

Mayor Tim Barnes asked Public Works Director Doug Grider for an update on the seawall, which Grider gave later during the council and staff communications portion of the meeting.

Grider, who along with his staff has been working with FEMA on the seawall replacement process, said the project is now under contract with an engineering firm.

He said this year's flood set the city back on the seawall project.

Within the next few weeks, Grider said boring will be taking along the seawall, and once that it done, they will look at removing the broken concrete and doing some kind of backfill, paid for by the city, to grant access.

However, if they conclude that the wall won't hold up due to outward pressure, the area will remain closed due to safety concerns, Grider said.

“It's moving along,” Grider said of the process.

As soon as the engineering plans are approved by FEMA, the project will be in construction phase, Grider said.

He said the project, which involves building a new sheet pile wall, is estimated to cost about $1.8 million.

Barnes asked about the project timeframe. Grider said the engineering should take two to three months, and they could begin the sheet piling this fall.

Froio asked if the city is sure that FEMA will pay for the project. Grider said they will. He also explained that the city will have a 6.5-percent project match that will be paid for by the city's insurance.

Grider said starting work before having FEMA's blessing on the project would mean the city would not be reimbursed.

Froio said he understood but said it looks bad for the city.

Grider said the one person who is likely the most unhappy about the situation is him.

During this year's flooding, Grider said Library Park's sidewalk received more substantial damage and was undermined even further. “That really hurt us,” he said.

Grider added, “We're moving forward as fast as we can.”

Also on Tuesday, the council presented a proclamation to Officer Casey Debolt for his efforts to stem drunk driving in the community. Mothers Against Drunk Driving honored Debolt on April 24 for his work, which included making nearly half of the more than 90 drunk driving arrests in the city in 2018.

Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said Debolt created public outreach materials, spoke on public radio and worked on DUI saturation patrols, all in an effort to keep the city safe. He said that the agency was confident that Debolt's work and that of the other officers has changed behavior, kept city streets safer and saved lives as well.

Barnes thanked Debolt for his work, presented a proclamation in his honor and shook Debolt's hand. He also received a standing ovation.

Barnes also presented proclamations designating May 12 to 18 as Police Week and May 18 to 24 as National Safe Boating Week.

In other action on Tuesday, the council received a report from Pacific Gas and Electric representative Herman Hernandez regarding the utility’s Wildland Fire Mitigation Plan, appointed Mattina to the Lake County Airport Land Use Commission Board of Directors, and Councilwoman Mireya Turner to the Clean Water Management Program Council, with Spurr as the alternate.

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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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a short-term memorandum of understanding with the Lake County Deputy Sheriff’s Association that union leadership said will help with recruitment and retention thanks to a major fix to health benefits.

For years, deputies and other county employees have had to pay large amounts of money out of pocket for the county-sponsored medical, dental, vision and life group insurance plan.

During a board meeting last year, association Deputy Sheriff’s Association President John Drewrey proposed having the county pick up 80 percent of the health care costs for deputies while the deputies picked up 20 percent. He said the additional cost to the county would in fact be modest.

That proposal turned out to be a key benefit worked into the new MOU, which runs from May 7 to Dec. 31.

County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson told the board on Tuesday that most of the county’s labor groups have agreed to tentative new agreements through the end of the calendar year, with the Deputy Sheriff’s Association’s MOU the first of those agreements to go before the board.

Key provisions of the new agreement include a vacation cash out, which allows a one-time payment of 40 hours’ worth of vacation pay for those deputies with more than 200 hours of vacation time. Huchingson said the deputies had agreed to a 30-hour cash out, but the board wanted to raise it to 40 hours.

That’s particularly important, she said, because deputies have been challenged in taking vacation time due to staff shortages.

The county also has offered two personal leave days when cost of living increases haven’t been given. In the new MOU, Huchingson said that has been replaced with a five-day winter holiday around Christmas.

The most significant change is that the county agreed to pay 80 percent of the health care contribution for deputies, with the deputies to bear the remaining 20 percent.

“The cost involved with this switch is not enormous,” said Huchingson, noting it will make a tremendous difference for employees in the bargaining unit and will make the cost quite a bit more reasonable.

In a separate interview, Drewrey told Lake County News that he estimates the cost to the county will be about $1,000 a month, a “drop in the bucket.”

He said that for an employee plus two or more family members, the cost will go from $1,217 a month to $443 a month. Those who are signed up as singles on the health insurance – which Drewrey said totals about three quarters of the membership – who now are paying nothing will pay $165 a month.

Huchingson said the union and the county also agreed that the classification and compensation study now under way for the county will prioritize studying benefits and pay for the deputies’ union members first.

She thanked Auditor-Controller/County Clerk Cathy Saderlund, who has stepped up the internal processes to respond to the changes in order to make them effective for the first pay day in June. Saderlund also will work with employees to pay the cash out benefit as expeditiously as she can, no later than 90 days from approval

“We’re excited about this,” said Huchingson, noting the county and the deputies’ union will get back to the bargaining table this summer.

“There’s been a lot of hard work that’s been put into this, a lot of tough decisions that are being made on your part,” Drewrey told the board, noting that there is a “huge promise” in the short-term MOU.

Drewrey said that he feels like they are moving in the right direction. “This is monumental. This is something that we’ve never thought that we would see in our times here.”

He said union members supported it strongly, as it will benefit both the union and the county in the long term.

Board Chair Tina Scott told Drewrey that he came to them with a problem he wanted them to solve, and at the same time brought the solution in the form of the 80/20 proposal. “It was very exciting to see that, and I’m glad we were able to implement that.”

Scott added, “I think it’s going to make a big difference.”

Drewrey said they have lost many employees due to the health insurance issue, and the new agreement has helped stop one employee who was planning to leave.

Sheriff Brian Martin said his agency is in the business of providing services, which it can’t do without people. He said the recruitment and retention issue is a tremendous one that is hitting critical levels and impacting constituents.

“This 80/20 split on the health insurance is huge,” he said, explaining that Lake County has a lot to offer. “This is a great place to raise your family.”

In addition to keeping people who might leave, the new benefit can attract those who previously wouldn’t even have applied, Martin said. “This is going to go a long way to rectify that.”

Supervisor Moke Simon said law enforcement is a priority, and he gets calls every day about it. He said they understand what the community is looking for and are working on the classification and compensation study.

“We are going to make this a better county,” he said, adding, “You were heard when you came before us that we need to make a change.”

He thanked Drewrey for bringing forward a solution. “It’s a good day today.”

Supervisor EJ Crandell also thanked Drewrey for the solution and he moved to approve the MOU, which was approved in a 3-0 vote. Supervisors Rob Brown and Bruno Sabatier were absent for the meeting.

“I have to clap because this is big,” Huchingson said after the vote.

Hope for negotiations ahead

Drewrey told Lake County News that the MOU is only seven months long because the county didn’t want to agree to anything with a long term fiscal impact while they’re waiting for the classification and compensation study.

He said the union will be heading back to the table to seek solutions in the long term. “It’s going to take time for the county to recover.”

There is a sunset clause in the MOU that, if the parties can’t agree on an update, the contribution would revert to more than $1,200. Drewrey said there’s great hope that won’t happen if a new deal is in place prior to the expiration of the newly approved MOU.

He said at the union ratification meeting, several deputies who have worked for the county for more than 25 years said they never thought such a benefit would ever happen. “It gave them hope for the county.”

Drewrey maintains that if people don’t feel safe in a community, they won’t live, work or vacation there, and that before attracting business and jobs, the public safety issue needs to be addressed.

He said normal staffing is six deputies and a sergeant per shift, but now it’s two deputies and a sergeant. The hope is that the benefit upgrade will help change that.

“I’m optimistic that we’ll see some changes,” Drewrey said.

The board also approved a side letter with the Lake County Sheriff Management Association regarding its calendar year 2019 memorandum of understanding. The action offers changes including updated salary on promotion language, and the same vacation cash out and winter holiday benefits as offered to the deputies.

Also on Tuesday, the board approved changes to the resolutions for management employees and for Confidential A and B employees, offering new salary on promotion language, a 30-hour vacation cash out benefit for those with more than 200 accrued vacation hours and the winter holiday.

The changes also included an allowance for the incumbents in the elected offices of assessor-recorder, auditor-controller/county clerk, district attorney, sheriff-coroner and treasurer-tax collector to request and receive one-time compensation equal to 1.45 percent of their base pay, an amount which Huchingson said is essentially equal to the one-time vacation cash out allowable for appointed employees.

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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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Based on preliminary results, Measure M, the fire parcel tax the Lakeport Fire Protection District put before voters in a special election, appears to be headed for victory.

The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office’s preliminary tally, issued on Tuesday night, showed Measure M receiving 1,415 yes votes, or 74.83 percent in favor, versus 476 no votes, accounting for 25.17 percent of the vote.

Those numbers indicate Measure M is on track to pass, as it must receive a supermajority of 66.7 percent.

Interim Deputy Registrar of Voters Marcy Harrison said the 1,891 ballots counted so far were what the elections office had received as of 5 p.m. Monday.

Harrison said about 100 more ballots came in on Tuesday, the final day of the special mail-in election. Those ballots were not included in the unofficial count.

Mail-in ballots postmarked by Tuesday will continue to be received until Friday, Harrison said.

In addition, retired Registrar Diane Fridley, who was on hand to observe the process, said anyone who failed to sign their mail-in ballot has eight days from the ballot deadline to get it reconciled and have it counted.

The ballots for the mail-in election went out at the start of April. In all, Harrison said 5,982 ballots were mailed to registered voters in the fire protection district’s boundaries.

The fire district board decided last fall to put the measure before voters following its approval of a worst case scenario budget that laid off three full-time firefighters, as Lake County News has reported.

“This is a very positive move for us,” Lakeport Fire Protection District Board Chair John Whitehead said on Tuesday, after viewing the preliminary results.

Whitehead was at the elections office on Tuesday evening to get the early vote count. He was joined by fellow longtime Board member Don Davidson; Alan Flora, one of the two new fire district board members and the city manager for Clearlake; and interim Chief Rick Bergem.

The last time the district had new revenue coming in through a parcel tax was in 1997, Whitehead said. Measure M will supersede that previous tax.

Whitehead said the funds won’t begin to come in until December, when the first installment of the 2019-20 property tax payments come due.

Measure M is forecast to bring in $1,206,000 in its first year. It allows for a consumer price index adjustment not to exceed 3 percent annually, so that by year five it is estimated to bring in revenue totaling more than $1.3 million.

In the meantime, the district is continuing to face budget challenges and has submitted a grant to the Federal Emergency Management Agency seeking funds to rehire the firefighters it laid off.

First run for new voting equipment

The Measure M special election presented the first opportunity for the county to use its new voting software and equipment, purchased in March from Hart InterCivic.

Hart InterCivic staff were on site to assist the county elections office with the vote count.

Harrison said the new equipment is “pretty simple” and user friendly.

Among the ballot count’s observers on Tuesday evening was former Deputy Registrar Maria Valadez, who worked with Fridley for more than two decades, served briefly as interim registrar after Fridley’s December retirement and then left the county of Lake in February to accept a job as assistant county clerk-recorder-registrar of voters for Mendocino County.

Mendocino is now looking at purchasing new elections equipment, a situation common across California after Secretary of State Alex Padilla decertified legacy voting systems in February, setting an August deadline to put new systems in place.

Also present Tuesday night was County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson, who the Board of Supervisors appointed interim registrar in February in the wake of Valadez’s departure.

The official canvass is 30 days long and begins on Thursday, Harrison said. By the end of the official canvass, the election results will be certified and become final.

As part of certifying the election results, the Registrar of Voters Office will conduct a public manual tally of a minimum of 1 percent of randomly selected precincts for the election beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday, May 16. The public is welcome to observe.

Correction: The article has been corrected to show that the official canvass starts Thursday, not Friday.

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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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Friday, May 17, Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College will hold commencement ceremonies on the campus lawn located at 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake.

Students who have earned certificates of achievement will be recognized for their accomplishments at the 1 p.m. certificate ceremony.

The student speaker will be Tarryn Krause of Hidden Valley.

Students will receive certificates in the following areas:

Business

Accounting Certificate of Achievement: Michael Blackburn, Krystal Boatright, Steve Presley, and Araceli Zurita of Clearlake; and Cynthia Bunce of Hidden Valley Lake.

Administrative Assistant Certificate of Achievement: Tracy Marroquin of Clearlake.
Clerical Assistant Certificate of Training: Tracy Marroquin, Deniqua McDaniels and Malinda Mitchell of Clearlake.

Culinary Arts

Baking Certificate of Achievement: Heather Kawamura of Clearlake; Janelle Heal of Clearlake Oaks; and Jamisynn “Rose” O’Bryan of Lower Lake.

Culinary Arts Certificate of Achievement: Joseph Franz, Diana Partida Padilla, Crystal Kraft, and Michaela Pearson of Clearlake; Janelle Heal of Clearlake Oaks; Edward Backus and Juan Borrayo-Cruz of Hidden Valley Lake; Julianna Peters of Lakeport; and Yadira Mora and Mayra Nava of Lower Lake.

Early Childhood Education

Child Development Teacher Certificate of Achievement: Lydia Amos, Marylou Heptinstall, Francien Martinez, Greissy Perez, Zeltzin Jimenez, Teresa Lopez, and Nayely Sanchez of Clearlake; Christina Stricklin of Clearlake Oaks; Tarryn Krause, Donna Mahony, Natasha McKenney and Ashley Rylance of Hidden Valley Lake; and Paula Craffey and Mira Porsley of Nice.

Environmental Technology

Drinking Water and Waste Water Technologies Certificate of Achievement: Antonio Hines, Cal Kranzler, Jonathan Silsby, Hector Hernandez, and Dean Wills of Clearlake; Gilbert Lopez and Cherylyn Nutting of Clearlake Oaks; Eric Gassner-Wollwage and Dominic Turner of Hidden Valley Lake; Anthony Cassanova and Gabriel Quinonez of Nice.

Welding

Welding Technologies Certificate of Achievement: Jason Sutherland of Clearlake.
Advanced Welding Certificate of Achievement: Kyle Kopp of Kelseyville.

Human Services

Human Services Chemical Dependency Awareness Certificate of Achievement: Theresa Betancourt of Clearlake.

Human Services Chemical Dependency Counseling Certificate of Achievement: Theresa Betancourt and Lori McAllen of Clearlake; and Holly Austinson of Clearlake Park.

At 6 p.m., students who have earned an associate in arts or associate in science degree will be recognized for their accomplishments at the graduation ceremony, hosted by Executive Dean Steve Wylie.

Yuba Community College District Trustee Richard “Doc” Savarese will confer the degrees. The student speaker will be Laura-Jean Bevan of Lucerne.

The students graduating with associate degrees are as follows.

Clearlake

Samantha Ambrecht - Associate in Science, Human Services Chemical Dependency Counseling
Jonathon Benavidez - Associate in Arts for Transfer, Economics
Krystal Boatright - Associate in Science for Transfer, Business Administration
Marla Boelter - Associate in Science, Human Services Chemical Dependency Counseling
Christopher Colen - Associate in Science, Administration of Justice—Law Enforcement
Elizabeth Correa - Associate in Science, General Education: Natural Science & Math
Amber Crenshaw - Associate in Science, Early Childhood Education; Associate in Arts, Psychology
Estela Delgadillo - Associate in Science, General Education: Natural Science & Math
Robert Ehrhardt - Associate in Science, Business Computer Applications; Associate in Arts, General Education: Social and Behavioral Science
Tia Ellis - Associate in Science, General Education: Natural Science & Math
Holly Garcia - Associate in Arts, Culinary Arts
Janet Hernandez - Associate in Science, Administrative Assistant
Miranda Hernandez - Associate in Science, General Education: Natural Science & Math
Zeltzin Jimenez - Associate in Science, Early Childhood Education
Brett Leishman - Associate in Arts, General Education: Arts & Humanities
Jordan Lennon - Associate in Science, General Education: Natural Science & Math
Beverly Lino - Associate in Science, Human Services and Associate in Science, Human Services Chemical Dependency Counseling
Brieanna Marroquin - Associate in Science, General Education: Natural Science & Math
Jorge Marcial Martinez - Associate in Science, General Business Management
April Morgan - Associate in Science, General Education: Natural Science & Math
Jesus Ochoa - Associate in Science, General Education: Natural Science & Math
Cynthia Griego Perez - Associate in Science for Transfer, Early Childhood Education
Diana Perez - Associate in Science, General Education: Natural Science & Math
Tamara Pinkney - Associate in Science, Early Childhood Education
Amanda Plumeau - Associate in Science, General Education: Natural Science & Math
Steve Presley - Associate in Science, Accounting
Katie Rick - Associate in Science, Early Childhood Education
Amanda Samson - Associate in Science, General Education: Natural Science & Math
Stanley Silsby - Associate in Science, Personnel Management
Alice Streckfuss - Associate in Science, Early Childhood Education
Donnalee Villasenor - Associate in Science for Transfer, Business Administration

Clearlake Oaks

Estelle Austin - Associate of Arts for Transfer, Anthropology and Associate in Arts, General Education: Social and Behavioral Science
Destiny Darbazanjian - Associate in Science, Human Services
Kayla Lampela - Associate in Science for Transfer, Business Administration
Kylie Lampela - Associate in Science, General Education: Natural Science & Math
Cherylyn Nutting - Associate of Science, Business Administration
Richard Nutting - Associate in Science, Accounting and Associate in Science, Business Computer Applications

Clearlake Park

Holly Austinson - Associate in Science, Human Services Chemical Dependency Counseling

Cobb

Holly Cassidy - Associate in Arts, Culinary Arts
Kimberly Young - Associate in Arts, General Education: Social and Behavioral Science
Hidden Valley Lake
Tonya Albright - Associate in Science, Early Childhood Education
Cynthia Brunce - Associate in Science, Accounting
Natasha McKenney - Associate in Science, Early Childhood Education
Anthony Neves - Associate in Arts, Culinary Arts
Deborah Rosi - Associate in Science, General Business Management

Kelseyville

Danna Shaat - Associate in Science, Administration of Justice Corrections
Scott Sullivan - Associate in Science, Human Services Chemical Dependency Counseling

Lower Lake

Brandy Henderson - Associate in Science, Accounting and Associate in Science Business Computer Applications
Mira Porsley - Associate in Arts, General Education: Social and Behavioral Science

Lucerne

Laura-Jean Bevan - Associate in Science for Transfer, Business Administration
Iris Morse - Associate in Science, Business Administration; Associate in Science for Transfer, Business Administration; Associate in Science, Medical Office Skills
James Rayburn - Associate in Science, Accounting; Associate in Science, Business Computer Applications

Potter Valley

Kyrstyn Thompson - Associate in Science, Early Childhood Education

The public is welcome to join the administration, faculty, and staff to celebrate the students’ accomplishments.

For more information, contact the campus at 707-995-7900 or visit http://LCC.yccd.edu .
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Chaplains will be hosting the Lake County Annual Safety Memorial Ceremony this Friday, May 10.

The ceremony will take place beginning at 6 p.m. at the Lake County Museum Park, located at 255 N. Main St. in Lakeport.

During the ceremony, Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Henry Snowbelt will be memorialized.

Deputy Snowbelt was killed in the line of duty in Lower Lake on Oct. 2, 1937, and until now has not been honored for his sacrifice.

The public is invited to attend.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council this week will continue a public hearing on proposed changes to city rules regarding commercial cannabis operations.

The council will meet in closed session at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 9, for employee negotiations before the public portion of the meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

On the agenda is a continued public hearing on proposed changes to the Clearlake Municipal Code concerning commercial cannabis, which began on April 25.

The changes proposed to the council – involving provisions for microbusinesses, processing of cannabis and commercial cannabis manufacturing, along with some clarifications – had been discussed and recommended by the Clearlake Planning Commission and Cannabis AdHoc Committee, according to the report from City Manager Alan Flora.

Flora said the council’s direction from the April 25 meeting included a provision that microbusiness cultivation shall be limited to nursery-only cultivation, with nurseries being defined by state regulations for a Type 4 Nursery license.

He said the council also continued the public hearing and held it open to May 9.

In other business, the council will consider a lease with Dell Financial Services for computer workstations for the Clearlake Police Department and discuss replacement and/or purchase of new Public Works equipment.

On Thursday, the council also will host the swearing-in of new police dispatcher Kristiana Outen and Police Officer Melinda Wymer, and offer proclamations declaring the following: Police Week, May 12 to 18; May as Military Appreciation Month; Safe Boating Week, May 18 to 24; Public Service Appreciation Week, May 5 to 11; and May 4, Firefighter Appreciation Day.

On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are warrant registers; continuation of a declaration of local emergency issued on Oct. 9, 2017, and ratified by council action Oct. 12, 2017; and receipt of the notice of annual rate modification from Clearlake Waste Solutions.

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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Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday released a revised state budget proposal that prioritizes saving for a rainy day ­– putting a record amount into the state’s reserves and making billions in fiscal pay downs of pension debt.

The revised budget also prioritizes one-time investments aimed at tackling the main issues driving California’s affordability crisis.

“The California Dream must be built on a strong fiscal foundation,” said Gov. Newsom. “This budget fortifies California’s fiscal position while making long-sighted investments to increase affordability for California families. The affordability crisis families face in this state is very real, and that’s why this budget tackles those challenges head-on by focusing on housing, health care, early childhood and higher education.”

State Sen. Mike McGuire, who represents the North Coast including Lake County, lauded the budget.

“Gov. Newsom’s forward-looking budget revisions reflect the need to build up our rainy day fund and pay down billions in debt in good financial times while investing in programs that will help the Golden State continue to grow. An additional $1.2 billion will be invested in our rainy day fund, bringing us to a record $16.5 billion. We’ll need every penny when the economy slows,” he said.

“We’re looking at a record level of spending in K-12 public schools with $5,000 more per student compared to eight years ago, driving down the cost of college by making the first two years of community college free for full time students and investing billions in affordable housing, homeless services and fixing our roads and highways,” McGuire said.

“I look forward to working over the next month to pass a balanced budget that works for the people of California and tackles some of our toughest challenges,” said McGuire, a member of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee.

“The California Business Roundtable strongly supports the focus on one-time strategic investments in Governor Newsom’s budget, which will help continue to build a foundation of long-term fiscal stability. This budget sends a clear signal that the governor understands what is needed to grow investment in jobs and our economy,” said California Business Roundtable President Rob Lapsley.

Significant details of the revised budget include the following.

Building resiliency and preparing for the next downturn

The nation’s economic recovery is approaching its 10th year – almost the longest on record – and short-term revenues are increasing. However, California faces continued uncertainty from Washington and around the world.

Accordingly, Gov. Newsom’s revised budget allocates $15 billion to build budgetary resiliency and pay down the state's unfunded liabilities, $1.4 billion higher than proposed in January.

This includes $4.5 billion to eliminate budgetary debts and reverse deferrals, $5.7 billion to build reserves, and $4.8 billion to pay down unfunded retirement liabilities.

Specifically, the state will continue to build reserves. The revised budget includes an additional $1.2 billion deposit into the Rainy Day Fund, bringing the reserve to $16.5 billion in 2019-20.

The Rainy Day Fund is now expected to reach its constitutional cap of 10 percent of General Fund Revenues in 2020-21, two years earlier than predicted in January.

The May Revision also seeks to eliminate state budgetary debts and reverse funding deferrals. This marks the first time in over a decade that all budgetary debts are completely paid off.

Confronting the cost crisis

While fortifying the state’s fiscal foundations, the revised budget also sets forth a series of proposals that help families confront the cost crisis.

The revised budget released today builds on the foundation set in January to fund a comprehensive early childhood plan, more affordable paths for higher education, and an expanded Earned Income Tax Credit.

It also brings the state closer toward health care for all and takes meaningful steps to addressing the housing crisis.

Significant investments to confront the cost crisis are included in the revised budget, which:

– Moves the state closer towards health care for all and single payer: The budget proposal maintains a number of the governor’s budget priorities from January and moves the state toward health care for all while the state gears up for single payer. The governor proposes making California the first state to expand Medi-Cal coverage eligibility to young adults ages 19 through 25 regardless of immigration status. The budget also proposes first-in-the-nation subsidies for middle-income earners to be able to purchase health care on the Covered California exchanges.

– Takes on California’s housing affordability crisis: The governor believes California’s housing crisis is the fundamental economic challenge facing families in this state. The governor’s January budget included $1.75 billion General Fund to increase housing production. The May Revision maintains this commitment to spur housing production, but refocuses $500 million to remove barriers to building mixed-income housing.

– Extends Paid Family Leave: The budget extends California's Paid Family Leave program so newborns can be cared for by a parent or caretaker. The May Revision expands paid family leave for each parent to eight weeks, allowing parents to take up to four months of leave after the birth or adoption of their child.

– Proposes two years free community college tuition: Recognizing that California’s public higher education institutions remain the engines of economic mobility, the May Revision maintains funding for two free years of community college tuition for first-time full-time students as well as significant increases in funding for the California State University and University of California to prevent tuition increases in the budget year.

– Expands the Earned Income Tax Credit: The Earned Income Tax Credit is widely credited as one of the most effective anti-poverty measures in our nation’s history. Gov. Newsom’s budget proposes big expansions to the Cal-EITC: A Cost-of-Living Refund, which helps economically distressed families with the costs of food, rent and child care. The May Revision proposes increasing the additional credit for families with young kids proposed in January, from $500 to $1,000.

– Largest-ever investment in K-12 schools: The budget invests in K-12 schools by providing approximately $5,000 more per pupil than 8 years ago, including additional investments to assist students with the greatest needs. It also increases the ongoing funding for Special Education by almost $200 million compared to the January budget proposal. The May Revision also makes significant investments in the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers by revamping teacher training and providing targeted service scholarships.

$1 billion to fight homelessness

California is facing a homelessness epidemic across the state. This crisis is exacerbated by a health care system that does not adequately serve individuals with mental illness.

The budget includes:

– $650 million to local governments for homelessness emergency aid.

– $120 million for expanded Whole Person Care services.

– $150 million for strategies to address the shortage of mental health professionals in the public mental health system.

– $25 million for Supplemental Security Income advocacy.

– $40 million for student rapid rehousing and basic needs initiatives for students in the University of California and California State University systems.

– $20 million in legal assistance for eviction prevention.

– More than $400 million to increase grants to families in the CalWORKs program.

Preparing for emergencies

Since his first full day in office Gov. Newsom has prioritized emergency preparedness, response and recovery.

The governor’s January budget proposed $769 million in additional funding to support the state’s wildfire prevention, response and recovery – investing in technology and resources to accelerate fuel reduction projects and launching the California For All Emergency Preparedness Campaign.

The revised budget maintains these investments and adds an additional $39.9 million to enhance the state’s capacity to tackle more frequent and complex natural disasters.

Additional investments in the revised budget include:

– $5.9 million in ongoing funds to increase staffing and response capacity at the Office of Emergency Services.

– $2 million to create a permanent disaster response and recovery unit to tackle local housing issues through the Department of Housing and Community Development.

– $2.8 million to enhance the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery’s ability to facilitate safe and timely debris removal.

– $1 million to the State Water Resources Control Board to increase response capabilities and address engineering and operations issues facing drinking water systems and wastewater utilities.

– $711,000 to initiate development of a statewide Disaster Reserve Corps.

Additional details on the governor’s revised budget can be found at www.ebudget.ca.gov .
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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Area Town Hall is set to hear the latest on several area projects, discuss a local park and emergency preparedness.

MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 9, at the Middletown Community Center, 21256 Washington St.

Meetings are open to the community, and offer the opportunity for additional public input on items not included on the agenda.

On the agenda is correspondence regarding a Verizon cell tower at 21347 Highway 175, the Crazy Creek Golf Course and Gliderport and the Westside Brownfields Assessment Project, along with an update from the bylaws committee.

Items for discussion will include emergency preparedness with Kirk Cloyd, general manager of the Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District and Liz Black of the South Lake Fire Safe Council, and Middletown Trailside Park with Lake County Public Services Director Lars Ewing.

Trailside Park also will be discussed under area development and projects.

The MATH Board includes Chair Sally Peterson, Vice Chair Claude Brown, Secretary Paul Baker, and at-large members Tom Darms and Marlene Elder.

MATH – established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 – is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.

Meetings are subject to videotaping.

For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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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Veterinary staff working at the Big Fix clinic in Nice, California, in February 2019. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Orphan Dog Rescue is offering a Big Fix clinic from May 25 to 27 at Robinson’s Rancheria Gym across the street from the Robinson’s Hotel and Casino.

More than 25 volunteer veterinarians and veterinary staff are coming into Lake County on Memorial Day weekend with the goal of fixing more than 200 cats and dogs in three days.

This event will be the third that Orphan Dog has brought into Lake County, and the second one this year. This event will also be the largest ever held.

The M.A.S.H.-like clinic will include several health services for Lake County cats and dogs, including spay and neuter, immunizations and microchips.

There will also be limited health care appointments/procedures only for low-income citizens and tribal members.

The cost of the clinic will be about $17,000 – or about $85 to $100 per pet – all of which is paid for by donations from Orphan Dog supporters and the community. Participants are not charged for services.

The spay and neuter clinic is open to any Lake County resident and will be by appointment only. Sign ups for the clinic have begun at www.OrphanDogBigFix.org .

The available spaces will be assigned by first come/first served.

The immunization and microchip clinic will be held from noon until 3 p.m. May 25 to 27.

If someone needs a health appointment for a cat or dog, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss the situation further and to make sure that the need can be accommodated.

The February clinic sign ups indicated a huge need in Lake County for spay and neuter.

Orphan Dog had more than 270 applications for over 400 animals. Seventy nine percent of the applicants had incomes below $34,000 per year and 79 percent of the animals had never seen a vet. Almost 72 percent of the pets were not up to date on their vaccinations.

With those statistics, it is not a surprise that 85 percent of the pets are not licensed.

Donations are gratefully accepted to subsidize this and future clinics at www.OrphanDog.org or by mail at OrphanDog, P.O. Box 662, Lakeport, CA 95453.

Orphan Dog is a 501(c)(3). Beginning in 2003, Orphan Dog has homed more than 4,000 dogs, the majority of whom are from Lake County, California and were rehomed in the Bay Area.

In that 16 years the group has been unable to adopt Lake County out of pet overpopulation.

In 2018, Orphan Dog shifted the focus of their mission to spay and neuter, with the goal of fixing 2020 dogs and cats by 2020.


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Jill Falconer, the Clear Lake High School principal and newly hired superintendent for the Lakeport Unified School District, following the announcement of her contract approval at the district board meeting on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Unified School Board on Wednesday finalized its hire of the district’s new superintendent.

The board’s choice is Jill Falconer, Clear Lake High School’s principal and a veteran administrator who has spent 25 years in the district.

Following a closed session that lasted just short of a half hour, the Lakeport Unified School Board emerged to announce that it had voted unanimously to approve a three-year contract with Falconer.

Board members and an audience made up of fellow administrators, teachers, staff and parents then rose to give Falconer a standing ovation.

“I think we're all very excited,” said Board President Dan Buffalo, noting that the recruitment and hiring of the superintendent has been “an awesome experience” with outstanding candidates.

The contract the board approved on Wednesday runs from July 1 through June 30, 2022. It gives Falconer an annual salary with a beginning step of $158,475. She will advance one step per year contingent on satisfactory annual job evaluations.

She also will receive a $100,000 term life insurance policy and the district will make on her behalf the maximum amount of employer-side contributions allowable under the California State Teachers Retirement Plan.

Interim Superintendent Patrick Iaccino told Lake County News that a total of nine candidates were interviewed for the job. Eight were from California, one from Montana.

The hiring process included a committee of parents, teachers, classified staff and student board members who conducted the first round of interviews and recommended three finalists to be interviewed by the board in April.

“It was a very difficult decision,” Buffalo said, noting that all of the three finalists would make great superintendents.

Buffalo said Falconer will lead the district forward and bring it together, and that he looked forward to their working relationship.

He also thanked Iaccino for leading the recruitment effort – noting that it was both smooth and quick – and said his leadership is paying dividends for the schools and the community.

Falconer said she has been with Lakeport Unified for 25 years, beginning as a teacher at Lakeport Elementary and also working as a reading specialist before going on to serve as Terrace Middle School’s principal for 15 years.

She was the district’s director of curriculum and instruction before she was hired two years ago as Clear Lake High School’s principal.

Falconer holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from California State University, Chico, and a master’s degree in reading education from the University of California, Berkeley. Her husband, Todd, is a Lake County native.

She told Lake County News that she decided early on to apply for the job.

“I’d like to bring back a positive culture both for students and the staff,” as well as for families, she said.

She said she’s committed to learning the role of superintendent, and she wants to see the district thrive and succeed.

“This is my district. I love it,” she said.

Falconer’s hiring comes just four months after the board’s dismissal of Superintendent April Leiferman.

In January, just a month after Buffalo, Carly Alvord and Jennifer Hansen took their seats on the board, they joined Board member Phil Kirby in voting to terminate Leiferman’s contract without cause, as Lake County News has reported.

A week later, Iaccino – the retired superintendent of Upper Lake Unified – was hired as Lakeport Unified’s interim superintendent.

Since then, he’s finished negotiations with employees groups, hired new Chief Business Officer Jacque Eischens and led the superintendent hiring process, basing it on the method used to choose his successor in Upper Lake, Dr. Giovanni Annous.

Iaccino will stay on with the district through June 30, with Falconer taking over on July 1.

He told Lake County News that he will work with the new superintendent on some leadership and personnel decisions, including the reassignment of Rachel Paarsch, the former Terrace Middle School principal who was removed from her job in the fall.

The district and Paarsch settled a lawsuit filed over her removal. Iaccino said the settlement calls for Paarsch to remain on administrative leave until the end of the year, and then she will be placed in a new administrative job at the discretion of the new superintendent.

In her new job, Falconer also will decide on reassigning Aaron Carter, the Lakeport Elementary principal. Iaccino said Carter received a notice that he was to be assigned to a different administrative position at the principal’s level.

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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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control has a growing group of dogs available to new homes.

The following dogs are ready for adoption.

“Cadbury.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Cadbury’

“Cadbury” is a female Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix with a smooth medium-length beige coat.

She is No. 1215.

“Jett.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Jett’

“Jett” is a female American Staffordshire Terrier mix who has been spayed.

She has a short gray and white coat.

She is No. 697.

“Macy.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Macy’

“Macy” is a female Labrador Retriever mix with a smooth short black coat.

She already has been spayed.

She is No. 11.

“Neve.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Neve’

“Neve” is a female terrier puppy with a smooth medium-length white coat.

She is No. 1216.

“Sammy.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Sammy’

Sammy is an American Pit Bull Terrier mix puppy with a short brown and white coat.

He is No. 1890.

“Snowflake.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Snowflake’

“Snowflake” is a male Chihuahua with a white coat.

He is No. 1864.

“Wynn.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Wynn’

“Wynn” is a male American Staffordshire Terrier with a short brindle coat.

Shelter staff said he loves affection and is available for adoption or through the foster to adopt program.

He’s believed to be about 6 to 7 years old.

He is No. 969.

Clearlake Animal Control’s shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53, off Airport Road.

Hours of operation area noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The shelter is closed Sundays, Mondays and major holidays.

Call Clearlake Animal Control at 707-994-8251, Extension 1, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions.

Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or at the city’s Web site.

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. – May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, which draws attention to essential mental health concerns for mothers and families.

Organizations around the world are coming together to increase awareness of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and decrease the related stigma.

In California, as many as 1 in 5 new mothers experience some type of perinatal mood and anxiety disorder, or PMAD.

These illnesses frequently go unnoticed and untreated, often with long-term consequences to both mother and child.

More than 600,000 women will suffer from a maternal mental health disorder in the United States every year, and only 15 percent will receive treatment.

This not only effects moms, but 1 in 10 dads will also experience a perinatal mental health disorder following the birth of their baby.

For more information please visit: https://www.postpartum.net/ or https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CFH/DMCAH/Pages/Communications/Maternal-Mental-Health.aspx .

What are perinatal mood and anxiety disorders?

Any of the following can occur during pregnancy and/or the postpartum period: Depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and psychosis.

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are treatable.

Signs can include:

· Sleep disturbances and changes in appetite.

· Feelings of hopelessness, guilt, and despair.

· Feeling inadequate as a mother.

· Anxious or irritable feelings.

· Panic attacks.

· Feeling emotionally disconnected from you baby.

· Extreme worries and fears, often over the health and safety of the baby or lack of interest over baby’s safety.

If you or someone you know is experiencing signs of a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder there are resources available:

· Lake County 24-hour Crisis Line: 800-900-2075.

· Mother-Wise: A safety net for Lake County moms offering support (at no cost) in an effort to help prevent or minimize the effects of maternal mental health disorders. The Mother-Wise approach depends on community people and resources to provide individualized support. Program services include a stock of donated supplies, weekly moms’ groups in Lakeport, an active Facebook moms group, and home visits with trained volunteers called Saathis, which is Sanskrit for companion. For questions about the program please call the Program Director Jaclyn Ley at 707-349-1210.

· Toll-free Crisis Line: 888-587-6373.

· National Hope Line Network: 1-800-442-HOPE (4673).

· National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

· Postpartum Support International: https://www.postpartum.net/ .

· 2020mom: https://www.2020mom.org/ .

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