LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — North Coast Opportunities Inc. has received a $22.2 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency , or FEMA, to create defensible space and harden 500 homes over a three-year period, which will save lives and reduce the severity of property damage from wildfires.

Defensible space helps keep the area around a home free of excess or dead vegetation like grasses, shrubs, trees, leaves and fallen pine needles.

When defensible space is maintained, there is less flammable material near homes to ignite and provides firefighters space to defend personal property during a fire.

Home hardening updates homes with more fire-resistant materials, like replacing a wood shake or shingle roof with a Class A roof (e.g., asphalt-fiberglass composition shingles, clay or cementitious tiles), screening all vents and gaps around eaves with flame- and ember-resistant materials, using noncombustible siding (e.g., stucco, steel or fiber cement) and installing multi-pane windows with tempered glass.

Although the current wildfire risk is low, dry periods and drought in the wildland interface will present a serious ongoing threat.

From 2016 to 2022, more than 30 Lake County wildfires destroyed homes and public infrastructure, disrupted essential services, and created dangerous burn scars susceptible to flash flooding and debris flows following moderate to heavy rainfall.

North Coast Opportunities will operate the Lake County Home Hardening Program, bringing nearly 10 years of experience in disaster recovery, mitigation, and education. The program will target one area within Lake County, the Kelseyville Riviera Community Association.

“Our team has been working diligently to meet all the requirements to bring these funds to Lake County. With FEMA funding, we’re excited to officially launch our program and start making homes safer, within our target community,” said Deanna Fernweh, NCO’s Home Hardening Program manager.

The $22.2 million project includes a $19.9 million grant from FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, or HMGP, with the remaining $2.2 million from nonfederal sources.

Patty Bruder, NCO’s executive director added, “Like all NCO projects, we are focused on building a strong, local collaboration with Lake County, the Lake County Fire Protection District, and various partners around the county, to ensure this project’s success.”

“We are excited to continue this collaboration with NCO,” said Jessica Pyska, Lake County’s District 5 supervisor and current board chair. “Bringing this pilot project to Lake County will allow us to demonstrate community-level investments can make a huge difference. Replicable models like these can have tremendous value as we collectively face global climate change.”

NCO is currently seeking letters of interest from qualified vendors skilled in construction and defensible space to join the Home Hardening Program.

To read the full scope of work and find more information, visit www.ncohomehardening.org or call 707-461-0760.

FEMA’s HMGP helps states, territories, federally-recognized tribes, local communities and certain private, nonprofit organizations become more resilient to potential infrastructure damage and reduce future disaster costs. In the past 32 years, FEMA has invested more than $1.4 billion to reduce disaster risk in California.

 

Do you rent out your home a few weekends a year through Airbnb? Sell stuff on Etsy? Get paid for pet-sitting? If you, like many Americans, make at least US$600 a year with a side hustle of any kind, the way you pay taxes may soon change.

New rules are going to make sure the Internal Revenue Service gets more information about payments made to Venmo and other apps often used for informal work. And this new system will enhance the agency’ ability to detect any underreported taxable income.

I am a tax researcher studying the IRS’ use of technology and how that affects taxpayers. I think it’s important that everyone understand why this may matter to them now or in the near future.

Why you should care

For people who earn most of their income through steady jobs, these changes probably don’t make much of a difference. The IRS has received the same information from employers about the income that goes on W-2 and 1099 forms since the 1940s.

However, that’s not true of income from other sources. If you make money cleaning houses, catering out of your own kitchen or through another informal side hustle in exchange for cash, chances are this work has been “under the table.”

It’s been up to you, not your customers, to report any income earned this way to the IRS for tax purposes. And there is a good chance that you didn’t, given that the underground economy makes up at least one-tenth of the overall economy.

That’s changing, in part because of how informal transactions happen. It’s far more common these days for customers to make these payments through apps like Venmo, Stripe and Square or online platforms such as Etsy, Poshmark, Rover and Upwork than to use cash or checks.

This can even include illicit activities, like drug dealing. And believe it or not, even when you make money through illegal transactions, the IRS still requires these payments to be reported for tax purposes.

The IRS has long identified informal payments as a significant source of the “tax gap” – the difference between what taxpayers owe and what they pay.

Modern technology makes it easier to get paid for side hustles and odd jobs without having to keep track of stacks of bills and piles of coins. It also better equips the agency to collect taxes on those underreported sources of income.

What’s changing

The amount of information that the IRS will receive about traditionally “under the table” work is growing.

That’s because the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package President Joe Biden signed in March 2021 lowered the threshold for what third-party payment companies like Venmo will report to taxpayers and the IRS.

Individuals, businesses and nonprofits that earn more than $600 through various online merchants will receive a summary of that income data on a Form 1099-K – as of the 2023 tax year – and importantly, the IRS will too.

That means companies like Venmo, Etsy and Airbnb will be required to issue these tax documents to anyone earning more than $600 on their sites.

Through 2022, the threshold for these companies to report income to the IRS was $22,000. The much lower cutoff, starting in 2023, means that many Americans who don’t make much money on these sites – and possibly didn’t feel the need to report it on their tax returns – will be forced to change their ways. Taxpayers were, in fact, always required to report this income, and now the IRS will also receive a summary of these earnings that should show up as well on tax returns.

The change to a $600 threshold was supposed to occur for taxes owed on 2022 income but was delayed at the federal level by a year because of taxpayer confusion and a lack of clear guidance.

Companies like Venmo are getting ready to make the change by withholding taxes from business payments as soon as June 2023.

What taxpayers need to do

If you use an app like Venmo for both personal and business use, creating a separate business account may ease record-keeping. That way, you can separate the non-taxable money you received from relatives who were chipping in for that group gift you bought your grandma for her birthday from the taxable payments you got for mowing your neighbor’s lawn.

Anyone earning more than $600 from a side hustle through an online platform in 2023 should be on the lookout for a 1099-K in early 2024. That form may make record-keeping easier, just like getting a W-2 from an employer does.

If you are a taxpayer with earnings not currently reported to you on a tax form like a W-2 or a 1099, one of the most helpful things that you can do to ensure compliance with tax law is to keep good records of all your income. The IRS and other sources publish excellent resources to help you understand what income is and is not taxable.

From now on, as before, you should record all of your earnings from every source – and keep in mind that the IRS is getting more access to data regarding transactions than it used to have.

Erica Neuman, Assistant Professor of Accounting, University of Dayton

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The process to redesign the former National Guard Armory in Lakeport in order to turn it into the future sheriff’s office headquarters is expected to start soon following the approval of a contract on Tuesday.

In an unanimous vote, the Board of Supervisors approved a professional services agreement in the amount of $247,926 with Dewberry Architects Inc. for architectural/engineering services for the remodel of the former California Army National Guard Armory, located at 1431 Hoyt Ave. next to the Lake County Jail.

The county completed the acquisition of the armory last year as part of a land swap with the state.

In exchange for the armory, the state received a vacant 15.5-acre property at 15837 18th Ave. in Clearlake which will be developed for affordable housing.

The plan is to remodel the armory in order to become the new headquarters for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Once the project is complete, the agency will move from its headquarters at 1220 Martin St. in Lakeport to the remodeled armory, which sits next to the Lake County Jail.

Public Services Director Lars Ewing presented the agreement with Dewberry for preliminary design services to the board on Tuesday morning.

Ewing explained that last year Public Services and the sheriff’s office solicited for design services for the former armory.

He said it will be what’s called “adaptive reuse” and renovated to reuse by the sheriff's office.

The original plan was to solicit for services from “cradle to grave,” all the way through construction administration, Ewing said.

However, due to a lack of preliminary awareness of what the vision is for the facility, Ewing said it was challenging for the consultants to scope out the future design.

As a result, Ewing said the county rolled back the scope to just include the preliminary design phase, which also will include a feasibility assessment and schematic design level work.

Once that work is done, Ewing said they fully anticipate moving ahead with design development and construction documents, which is what he said most people think about when considering design for a building.

He said the county received seven proposals for the work, with a consultant selection board ranking Dewberry the highest of those that responded.

Ewing, who recommended the board approve the agreement, said the scope of work is expected to be completed in four to five months.

As long as Dewberry is performing satisfactorily, Ewing said he anticipates getting from the firm a cost proposal for the next phase of work. He added that funding for the project is included in a couple of different budget units.

“Happy we’re here,” said Supervisor Bruno Sabatier.

There was no public comment before Supervisor EJ Crandell moved to approve the agreement and the board approved it unanimously.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council will discuss two construction contracts this week, as well as a city property sale, and will also issue several proclamations for April.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 6, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

The meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEGTV YouTube Channel. Community members also can participate via Zoom or can attend in person.

The agenda can be found here.

Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to City Clerk Melissa Swanson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments before 4 p.m. Thursday, April 6.

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 on Thursday will offer proclamations declaring April 2023 as Child Abuse Prevention Month, Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month, and April 9 to 15, 2023, as Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

They also will host a presentation by the Lakeshore Lions Club to the Highlands Senior Service Center.

Under the agenda’s business items, the council will consider awarding the contract for the 18th Avenue Improvement Project to Argonaut Constructors in the amount of $4,632,295, along with authorization for City Manager Alan Flora to approve up to 10% for additional unforeseen contract amendments.

The council also will consider awarding another contract to Argonaut Constructors, for the Dam Road Extension/South Center Drive Improvement Project, in the amount of $989,009.85, also with approval or the potential for contract amendments up to 10% of the contract cost.

In other business, staff will present a proposal for the sale of a vacant, city-owned lot at 16178 35th Ave. to an adjacent property owner for $6,950.

The council also will consider appointing an alternate member to the Lake County Recreation Agency JPA Board of Directors.

On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are considered routine in nature and usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants; authorization of an amendment of contract with California Engineering for the Clearlake Park Road Improvement Project in the amount of $54,175.33; authorization of an amendment of on-call contract with LACO Associates for the MIT Storm Drain Plan in the amount of $74,400; award of a contract for the Old Highway 53 Drainage Project in the amount of $174,590 and authorization for the city manager to approve up to 10% for additional unforeseen contract amendments; and minutes of the February Lake County Vector Control District Board meetings.

Following the open portion of the meeting, the council will meet in closed session to discuss labor negotiations and hold a performance review of the city manager.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — What would you like to see in our local parks, recreation and trails?

The county of Lake invites you to attend a visioning workshop to learn about ongoing development of a parks, recreation and trails master plan, and contribute your thoughts and experiences to this important planning process.

The parks, recreation, and trails master plan will inventory our parks, facilities and trails; develop an understanding of community priorities and needs; and create actionable strategies to ensure quality facilities are accessible to all county residents.

Master planning efforts will include many opportunities for the public to get involved and share their unique, local experiences.

The county is hosting a parks, recreation and trails-focused visioning workshop on Tuesday, April 11, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors chambers at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

There will be a brief presentation, followed by a visioning exercise. All ages are welcome.

Additionally, the county will be holding pop-ups where residents can stop by to share their input toward County parks, trails, and recreation master planning.

Tuesday, April 11, 1 to 4 p.m.
Lobby, Lake County Courthouse
255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport

Wednesday, April 12, 3:30 to 6 p.m.
Redbud Library
14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake

If you cannot attend the workshop or stop by a pop-up, there are other ways to get involved.

Visit the project website to access a virtual visioning activity.

For more information, call Lake County Public Services at 707-262-1618.

Research has shown that uninsured rates are lower for people with more education but an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data shows that racial and ethnic disparities in health insurance coverage persist even among the more educated.

A recent brief that uses data from the 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) showed that the uninsured rate across race and Hispanic origin groups ranged from 5.7% for White, non-Hispanic people to 18.8% for those identifying as non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native.

The ACS 1-year estimates show that educational attainment varied widely by race and Hispanic origin (Figure 1). For example, about 60% of Asian, non-Hispanic adults ages 25 to 64 held a bachelor’s degree or higher compared with 16.5% of non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native adults in that age group.

Other race groups with high rates of people with at least a bachelor’s degree included: Some Other Race, non-Hispanic (42.3%), and White, non-Hispanic (41.5%).

Uninsured rates by educational attainment

In 2021, 11.9% of adults ages 25 to 64 years did not have health insurance coverage. However, the uninsured rate varied by educational attainment, ranging from 30.4% among those with less than a high school education to 4.7% among those with a bachelor’s degree or higher.

The uninsured rate of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was lower than the national average of 11.9%.

There were also differences in the uninsured rate by educational attainment between and within race and Hispanic origin groups.

Those without a high school diploma had among the highest uninsured rates within each race and Hispanic origin group and those holding a bachelor’s degree had the lowest.

Among those with a bachelor’s degree, adults ages 25 to 64 years in most race and Hispanic origin groups — all except non-Hispanic White adults and non-Hispanic Asian adults — had uninsured rates that were higher than the national average for adults with this level of educational attainment (4.7%).

The uninsured rate for non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native adults with an undergraduate college degree (12.5%) was more than three times higher than that of non-Hispanic White adults (3.5%).

Regardless of educational attainment, some groups had high uninsured rates.

For example, those identifying as American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic or Hispanic, had the highest uninsured rates at all education levels.

This suggests that differences in insurance coverage by race and Hispanic origin stem partly from racial disparities, including inequities in educational attainment and unequal returns on the educational attainment achieved.

Breauna Branch is a survey statistician in the Census Bureau’s Health and Disability Statistics Branch.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors discussed major changes to the Lucerne Area Town Hall last week, a proposal the district supervisor said is meant to increase inclusivity but one he hasn’t taken to the community directly.

By the end of the discussion last Tuesday, Supervisor EJ Crandell and his supporters seemed to have convinced the board to move forward on the proposal after not clearly explaining who initiated the idea or, precisely, why, other than vague assertions of “inclusivity.”

Crandell hasn’t convened a meeting of the Lucerne Area Town Hall, or LATH, since late in 2022 to discuss any of the proposed changes.

He also made clear that he does not intend to bring the discussion to the community directly, that he would base his decision on the discussion with his fellow board members and community members who spoke at last Tuesday’s meeting.

Crandell’s proposal is to change the name of the group from the Lucerne Area Town Hall to the Central Region Town Hall, or CeRTH.

Under his proposal, it will no longer follow the community growth boundaries — which have been used as the delineation of the town hall’s area since the town hall was established in 2017 — but will now include the entire 95458 ZIP code, which also will include Paradise Valley, a wealthy enclave several miles to the east of the town that recently disconnected from the East Region Town Hall due to lack of involvement.

Crandell gave a brief explanation of the town hall’s formation by then-Supervisor Jim Steele, his mentor who he called “emeritus,” a title typically used in academia which the county doesn’t confer upon former supervisors. Deputy County Administrative Officer Matthew Rothstein told Lake County News that Crandell meant it as a term of respect.

Originally, the town hall had been called the “Middle Region Town Hall” before being changed to the Lucerne Area Town Hall in 2018.

When Board Chair Jessica Pyska asked if he had heard from constituents regarding the proposal, Crandell interjected to say “numerous.” Pyska asked if they had no representation with the town hall, Crandell replied, “Well, yeah,” and said those individuals want to be included.

Crandell claimed that his actions had nothing to do with the fact that LATH had defied him in holding a December meeting — which he had tried to cancel — and voted unanimously to approve a resolution to oppose a proposal by the Scotts Valley Pomo tribe to turn the historic Lucerne Hotel into a homeless housing facility, a project for which Crandell’s wife has publicly advocated.

In January, Crandell also took the unusual step of hosting a community information session about the hotel project, pulling in the proponents and county staff to explain it without an application being made.

While Crandell denies a link between the issues with LATH’s pushback on the hotel, the timing suggests otherwise, as in the weeks that followed Crandell made clear he was not going to allow further appointments to LATH, other than a reappointment of longtime member Kevin Waycik on Jan. 10. Waycik died in February following a short battle with cancer.

Since January, Crandell has not been forthcoming with his reasons for not making new appointments until the meeting last Tuesday.

Raising concerns about the plan during public comment were John Jensen, co-founder of Lake County News and the Lucerne Area Revitalization Association, and Kurt McKelvey, who has been LATH’s most recent chair.

Jensen suggested that Crandell has a conflict of interest in the matter, as his restructuring proposal has followed the town hall’s rejection of the Lucerne Hotel project. That led Jensen to suggest that the new county counsel should advise Crandell to recuse himself.

Crandell, in response to Jensen, said there is no conflict of interest on his part.

Melanie Lim, who was appointed to LATH last year, said she also was surprised that the meetings had stopped at the end of 2022 and that a Facebook page for the group, where she got her minutes for the meetings, was suddenly erased.

“Nobody told me what happened,” she said, explaining she’s served on a board before and was never treated like this. “I feel like there’s a little bit of drama and I don't want any part of that.”

There were two Facebook pages for the group, one of which still exists. The other is reported to have been managed by Crandell. Lake County News has submitted a request for information to the county regarding that page and the reasons for its disappearance.

Lim said she appreciates inclusiveness and doesn’t want to be left in the dark. “I would like an explanation if there is one.”

Crandell said he had previously given her an explanation about the length of her term, which Lim said she did not remember.

Supervisor Michael Green then tried to call a point of order to say they were well off the agenda item and Pyska responded by telling him she was running the meeting.

Several Upper Lake residents as well as Olga Martin Steele, wife of Crandell’s predecessor as well as Crandell’s original campaign manager who lives in Clearlake Oaks, spoke in favor of the plan.

Due to some of the speakers who followed Jensen and McKelvey aiming their comments at members of the public, Supervisor Bruno Sabatier said the comments should be directed to the board, asking them to please stick to the item.

Pyska asked Crandell for a timeline of when the next actions would take place.

Crandell indicated it would be two to three weeks.

Then, he read a letter from Lani Kane Urquiza, a former LATH chair, who accused Jensen and McKelvey of undermining LATH and efforts to update the bylaws and criticized Lake County News’ coverage of the town hall.

A few minutes after reading the message, Crandell claimed that those were not his words.

Urquiza’s issues with Lake County News likely arise from the fact that the publication made formal complaints to her — and about her — to Crandell and to then-County Counsel Anita Grant during her tenure as chair regarding Urquiza’s persistent failure to follow the Brown Act in calling and holding LATH meetings.

Those failures included not posting the meeting agendas in a timely manner under the law — both online and in physical locations around the town — along with failure to distribute the agendas to those who asked for them and attempts to hold meetings that had failed to be properly noticed.

In at least one instance, LATH’s Brown Act issues while Urquiza was chair resulted in Grant coming to hold a Brown Act workshop with the group.

At no point did Crandell — or, for that matter, the county’s other leadership — in the past indicate a willingness to hold Urquiza accountable. When issues were raised about her behavior, the county did not respond. Nor did Crandell disclose the fact that she was a family friend, which appeared to be the likeliest reason why she was appointed by him as a council member and made chair shortly thereafter.

Like Urquiza, Crandell also mentioned bylaws the group had been working on beginning in 2019, which he called a “template.”

Regarding the “template” bylaws that both Crandell and Urquiza spoke of last Tuesday, that “template” contained a provision that would have allowed nonresident property owners to be voting members of the board.

Crandell didn’t further explain the origins of that “template.” However, that provision was championed by Urquiza on behalf of her then-employer, Kenny Parlet, owner of Lakeview Market in Lucerne.

Parlet, despite being a member of the Lakeport City Council — during the meetings for which he has increasingly begun to make statements about his fears related to COVID-19 vaccinations and chemtrails — had told the LATH on various occasions that he deserved to also have a seat on LATH.

He claimed to be the community’s largest taxpayer, although that does not appear to be the case when looking at the higher assessed value of other commercial properties in Lucerne such as PowerMart, which has a gas station and market.

Ultimately, however, those bylaws changes were rejected and a version without that provision allowing out-of-town residents a seat on the board was approved both by LATH and then, on Oct. 18, by the Board of Supervisors itself in a unanimous vote that included Crandell.

In his role as LATH chair, McKelvey led the effort to bring attention to the Lucerne Hotel plan and also raised issues with the operations of Elijah House, a nonprofit organization that the county had failed to vet before giving it hundreds of thousands of dollars to run the county’s homeless shelter.

Had the county — specifically the Behavioral Health Services Department — vetted the organization, it would have found that it was out of compliance with California Attorney General’s Office nonprofit filing requirements.

Elijah House stopped operating the shelter over the summer and a few months later pulled out of operating a sober living environment in Lucerne’s former visitor center after Lake County News pressed the county, in public, on why that facility was being allowed to operate within a commercial zone.

The county also is supposedly conducting an investigation into Elijah House, the result of which still hasn't been made public. In the meantime, the supervisors bid a fond farewell to Behavioral Health Services Director Todd Metcalf earlier this month, who is headed to Hawaii, without having to respond publicly to the outcome of the Elijah House investigation.

McKelvey pressed Crandell on whether new appointments to LATH would be made ahead of a change to the group. Crandell said the changes were happening first.

In response, McKelvey said LATH should have a part in the discussion, and that it wasn’t appropriate to make that decision before the appointments.

“Noted, thank you,” Crandell said.

Board members indicated support for Crandell’s plan.

Crandell’s stalling of town hall meetings also has prevented the community from receiving updates from Northshore Fire Protection District Chief Mike Ciancio.

In a special district board meeting to discuss staffing last week, Ciancio said he’s continued to make his rounds to other town halls over the last several months, noting he’s done the fewest update in Lucerne, where he’s waiting for the town hall’s issues “to get straightened out.”

Following last week’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Lake County News submitted a Public Records Act to the county, requesting to obtain records of communications between Crandell and the community members he said have contacted him, leading to the proposed changes to the town hall.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County’s unemployment rose in January, holding with a seasonal trend seen across the rest of the state.

The California Employment Development Department’s latest jobless report showed that Lake County’s unemployment rate in January was 6.7%, up from 5.4% in December and 6.6% in January 2022.

California’s overall unemployment rate for January was 4.2%, up slightly from 4.1% in December but still much improved over the 5.2% statewide rate in January 2022.

The federal unemployment rate was 3.4% in January, compared to 3.5% in December and 4% the previous January.

Lake County’s workforce in January totaled 26,630 individuals, with 1,920 unemployed. That’s compared to 26,710 workers and 1,510 unemployed in December, and 27,150 workers and 1,920 unemployed a year ago January.

Total farm jobs were up by 35.6% percent in January over December, with farm jobs rising from 450 in December to 610 January. While January’s numbers were an improvement over December, they are down by 31.5% percent from January 2022, when there were 890 farm jobs.

Total nonfarm jobs were down 0.7% in January compared to December. In January there were 16,030 jobs compared to 16,150 in December. January 2023 actually was an improvement by 0.3% over January 2022, when there were 15,990 jobs.

Most job sectors in Lake County showed declines or stayed flat. The only area to show some growth was private education and health services, which was up by 1.3%.

The report said California’s unemployment rate was up despite the fact that the state’s employers added 96,700 nonfarm payroll jobs to the economy.

Employed Californians in January totaled 18,503,400, an increase of 21,300 persons from December’s total of 18,482,100 and up 297,600 from the employment total in January 2022.

At the same time, the number of unemployed Californians was 813,800 in January, an increase of 23,500 over the month, but down 180,400 in comparison to January 2022, the report said.

California payroll jobs totaled 17,996,400 in January 2023, up 96,700 from December 2022 and up 599,500 from January of last year, the Employment Development Department said.

Total nonfarm jobs increased by 599,500 — a 3.5% increase — from January 2022 to January 2023 compared to the U.S. annual gain of 4,967,000 jobs, a 3.3% increase.

The Employment Development Department also reported that updated data shows California fully recovered its nearly 2.8 million pandemic related job losses earlier in June 2022 rather than October 2022 as originally estimated, and the peak unemployment rate of 16.1% hit earlier in April 2020 rather than May.

Of the 517,000 jobs gained nationally in January 2023, California accounted for 96,700, or nearly 19%, of the nation’s overall non-farm job growth, the state reported.

The report said the number of jobs in the agriculture industry decreased from December by 2,400 to a total of 434,400 jobs in January. The agricultural industry had 21,000 more farm jobs in January 2023 than it did in January 2022.

The Employment Development Department reported that eight of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in January with government, up by 46,000, leading the way with strong gains in state government educational services, boosted by the end of the University of California academic workers strike in December.

Leisure and hospitality, up by 20,800, also enjoyed an extremely strong month-over gain thanks, in part, to very good gains in not just gambling industries, but also in performing arts, spectator sports, and talent and sports agents, the report said.

Construction suffered California’s largest month-over job loss for January 2023 due, down 7,300 jobs. That’s due in part, to the severe winter storms and extreme weather across the state, as well as from reductions in the specialty trade contractors subsector, the report said.

Lake County’s unemployment rate last month ranked it No. 42 statewide among the state’s 58 counties.

San Mateo had the lowest unemployment rate in the state, 2.6%, while Colusa had the highest, 17.5%.

Lake’s neighboring county jobless rates and ranks were: Colusa, 17.5%, No. 58; Glenn, 7.1%, No. 43; Mendocino, 5.4%, No. 28; Napa, 3.9%, No. 11; Sonoma, 3.6%, No. 7; and Yolo, 5%, No. 27.

In related data that figures into the state’s unemployment rate, the Employment Development Department said there were 368,865 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the January 2023 sample week.

That compares to 326,252 people in December and 412,738 people in January 2022.

At the same time, 48,150 initial claims were processed in the January 2023 sample week, which was a month-over increase of 6,600 claims from December, but a year-over decrease of 6,249 claims from January 2022.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

The storms that began in December have led to a very large snowpack for California, easing concerns about water supply for the time being but raising the potential for flooding.

The California Department of Water Resources, or DWR, on Monday conducted the fourth snow survey of the season at Phillips Station.

The manual survey recorded 126.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 54 inches, which is 221% of average for this location on April 3.

The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR’s water supply forecast. DWR’s electronic readings from 130 snow sensors placed throughout the state indicate the statewide snowpack’s snow water equivalent is 61.1 inches, or 237% of average for this date.

“This year’s severe storms and flooding is the latest example that California’s climate is becoming more extreme,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “After the driest three years on record and devastating drought impacts to communities across the state, DWR has rapidly shifted to flood response and forecasting for the upcoming snowmelt. We have provided flood assistance to many communities who just a few months ago were facing severe drought impacts.”

Just as the drought years demonstrated that California’s water system is facing new climate challenges, this year is showing how the state’s flood infrastructure will continue to face climate-driven challenges for moving and storing as much of these flood water as possible.

This year’s April 1 result from the statewide snow sensor network is higher than any other reading since the snow sensor network was established in the mid-1980s.

Before the network was established, the 1983 April 1 statewide summary from manual snow course measurements was 227% of average.

The 1952 April 1 statewide summary for snow course measurements was 237% of average.

“This year’s result will go down as one of the largest snowpack years on record in California,” said Sean de Guzman, manager of DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit. “While 1952’s snow course measurements showed a similar result, there were fewer snow courses at that time, making it difficult to compare to today’s results. Because additional snow courses were added over the years, it is difficult to compare results accurately across the decades with precision, but this year’s snowpack is definitely one of the biggest the state has seen since the 1950s.”

For California’s snow course measurements, only 1952, 1969 and 1983 recorded statewide results above 200% of the April 1 average.

While above average across the state this year, snowpack varies considerably by region.

The Southern Sierra snowpack is currently 300% of its April 1 average and the Central Sierra is at 237% of its April 1 average. However, the critical Northern Sierra, where the state’s largest surface water reservoirs are located, is at 192% of its April 1 average.

The size and distribution of this year’s snowpack is also posing severe flood risk to areas of the state, especially the Southern San Joaquin Valley. DWR’s State-Federal Flood Operations Center, or FOC, is supporting emergency response in the Tulare Lake Basin and Lower San Joaquin River by providing flood fight specialists to support ongoing flood response activities and by providing longer-term advanced planning activities.

The FOC and DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit are helping local agencies plan for the spring snowmelt season by providing hydraulic and hydrologic modeling and snowmelt forecasts specific to the Tulare Lake Basin that are informed by DWR’s snowmelt forecasting tools, including Airborne Snow Observatory, or ASO, surveys.

Storms this year have caused impacts across the state including flooding in the community of Pajaro and communities in Sacramento, Tulare and Merced counties.

The FOC has helped Californians by providing over 1.4 million sandbags, over 1 million square feet of plastic sheeting, and over 9,000 feet of reinforcing muscle wall, across the state since January.

On March 24, DWR announced an increase in the forecasted State Water Project, or SWP, deliveries to 75%, up from 35% announced in February, due to the improvement in the state’s water supplies.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has rolled back some drought emergency provisions that are no longer needed due to improved water conditions, while maintaining other measures that continue building up long-term water resilience and that support regions and communities still facing water supply challenges.

While winter storms have helped the snowpack and reservoirs, groundwater basins are much slower to recover. Many rural areas are still experiencing water supply challenges, especially communities that rely on groundwater supplies which have been depleted due to prolonged drought.

Long-term drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin will also continue to impact the water supply for millions of Californians. The state continues to encourage Californians to make water conservation a way of life as more swings between wet and dry conditions will continue in the future.

DWR conducts five media-oriented snow surveys at Phillips Station each winter near the first of each month, January through April and, if necessary, May.

Given the size of this year’s snowpack with more snow in the forecast, DWR anticipates conducting a May snow survey at Phillips Station.

That is tentatively scheduled for May 1.

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday announced the release of the 2022 Armed and Prohibited Persons System, or APPS, annual program report. In 2006, California became the first and only state in the nation to establish a system for tracking firearm owners who fall into a prohibited status.

The APPS database works to identify individuals who procured firearms and later became prohibited from legally owning them.

It remains the only system of its kind in the nation. In general, prohibited persons in APPS include individuals who were convicted of a felony or violent misdemeanor, were placed under a domestic violence or other restraining order, or suffer from serious mental illness.

Through the APPS program in 2022, DOJ recovered 1,437 firearms — including 712 handguns, 360 rifles, 194 shotguns, 80 assault weapons, 54 ghost guns, 43 receivers or frames, three short-barreled shotguns and one machine gun.

Agents also seized 308 large-capacity magazines, 2,123 standard capacity magazines, and 281,299 rounds of ammunition through APPS enforcement actions.

As of Jan. 1, 2023, there were 3,347,221 known registered firearm owners in California of which 23,869 are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms, making up less than 1%.

“As California’s chief law enforcement officer, protecting public safety and our communities from the threat of gun violence is my top priority,” said Attorney General Bonta. “I’m proud of the work our Special Agents do on behalf of the people of California. These brave agents are rarely in the spotlight, but they are working every day to prevent gun violence from ever happening by removing dangerous weapons from communities. When guns are in dangerous hands, it puts the public at risk. We will continue working with the Governor’s Office, Legislature, and our local partners to address gun violence.”

The Bureau of Firearms, or BOF, within the California Department of Justice's Division of Law Enforcement leads the DOJ’s APPS efforts. The 2022 APPS report provides an analysis of the APPS database and an overview of the Gun Violence Reduction Program grant.

It also describes how BOF staff and Special Agents increased enforcement efforts after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, decreased staff vacancies, and collaborated with local law enforcement.

Key statistics from the 2022 report include:

• DOJ recovered 1,437 firearms as part of the APPS program in 2022. Of these, 916 were firearms identified in the APPS database and 521 were not previously known to be associated with a prohibited individual in APPS.
• Agents seized 54 ghost guns, a 38% increase from 2021, and a 575% increase since 2018, when DOJ seized 8 ghost guns.
• In 2022, DOJ investigated approximately 7,946 individuals who were identified as armed and prohibited persons in the APPS database.
• More individuals were removed from the prohibited list than added in 2022. Of the 9,917 prohibited people removed from the APPS database this year, 3,598 removals were the result of enforcement efforts – 377 more removals compared to 2021, an increase of almost 12%.
• As of Jan. 1, 2023, the APPS database contained 23,869 armed and prohibited persons. Of these, 9,294 cases were Active. The remaining 14,575 cases were listed as Pending. Pending cases are generally ones in which DOJ has thoroughly analyzed the case and exhausted all investigative leads or determined that the person is not within the DOJ’s jurisdiction.
• Last year, Special Agents made nearly 24,000 contacts based on an average of 57 contacts per month per agent. This is the highest number of contacts since the APPS program came into existence.
• As of Jan. 1, 2022, the BOF had 76 authorized permanent Special Agent Trainee, Special Agent, Special Agent Supervisor and Special Agent in Charge positions. Of those positions, 53 were filled and 23 were vacant. By December 2022, BOF continued to have 76 authorized permanent positions, of which 64 were filled and 13 were vacant.

In response to the overall increase in ghost gun seizures across the state, BOF will be expanding its investigative efforts focused on ghost guns. DOJ is actively working with law enforcement partners to establish collaborative investigative efforts aimed at addressing ghost gun activity.

Ghost guns are firearms constructed by private citizens that do not have a serial number, which means they are not registered. By definition, ghost guns do not appear in the APPS database and cannot be tracked by law enforcement.

BOF agents seized a total of 54 ghost guns in 2022, a 38% increase compared to the 39 ghost guns seized during 2021 APPS investigations.

When looking at data from the Unique Serial Number Application, or USNA, process, which shows how many California residents have applied to legally make personally manufactured firearms, there has been a slight decline in applications since 2018. However, the number of illegal ghost guns seized by law enforcement agencies continues to rise.

This contrast demonstrates illegal ghost guns remain difficult to track and represent a persistent threat to public safety. DOJ is actively combating illegal manufacturing and possession of ghost guns by bringing legal action against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive, or ATF, and ghost gun manufacturers.

To maximize its investigative efforts, DOJ uses information from recently denied ammunition eligibility checks of APPS individuals who had attempted to purchase ammunition. In 2022, the DOJ received reports of 194 armed and prohibited individuals who attempted to purchase ammunition and were denied through the ammunition eligibility check process. BOF agents used these reports to investigate 194 individuals and seize 56 firearms, four large-capacity magazines, 55 standard magazines, and 6,621 rounds of ammunition.

2022 APPS operations

DOJ collaborates with local law enforcement agencies (LEA) throughout the state in individual APPS operations, as well as sweeps, or operations that occur over multiple days within a specific area. A list of operations can be found at the back of the report. Some notable examples include:

Los Angeles County: In February, agents completed a five-day sweep in Los Angeles County that targeted APPS suspects in 51 cities in Los Angeles County and resulted in 13 arrests, as well as the seizure of 114 firearms — including assault weapons, ghost guns, lower receivers, handguns, rifles and shotguns — as well as 49,148 rounds of ammunition, and 87 high-capacity magazines.

Bay Area: In January, agents from throughout the state consolidated their investigative efforts in a three-day sweep in Bay Area with local and federal law enforcement. The teams thoroughly analyzed and exhausted their leads in 338 cases in the counties of Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, Sonoma, and Solano. The sweep resulted in the seizure of 30 firearms and eight arrests.

Orange County: In October, DOJ and the Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) arrested a suspect in Costa Mesa after a more than eight-hour standoff involving special agents and CMPD officers. The suspect, Luis Mendez Jr., was prohibited from owning firearms due to a misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence, and had an active misdemeanor arrest warrant. The special agents had a warrant to seize his weapons and attempted to serve that warrant when Mendez discharged a firearm. After more than eight hours of negotiations, Mendez surrendered and was placed under arrest with no injuries sustained by law enforcement or Mendez. Officers recovered a rifle, a shotgun, and multiple handguns at the scene.

Riverside County: During the month of August, DOJ collaborated with Menifee Police Department to serve a search warrant that resulted in the seizure of 54 guns — including two AR-15 style assault rifles, two UZI assault weapons, and 35 handguns — as well as 157 magazines and 2,200 rounds of ammunition from two individuals in Riverside County, one of whom was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Sacramento County: In October, Special Agents with the assistance of the Elk Grove Police Department Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, served a search warrant at an APPS subject’s residence. As a result of the search warrant, agents seized one AR-15 style rifle machine gun, one AR-15 style pistol machine gun, one Polymer 80 handgun (ghost gun) with a full-auto switch attached, one stolen handgun, one complete Polymer 80 handgun (ghost gun), three suppressors, 15 ghost gun receivers/frames, 15 large capacity magazines, and approximately 1,200 rounds of ammunition. Special Agents also located ten 3D-printed handgun receivers and frames, two 3D printers, and filament for the printers.

Gun Violence Reduction Program

To expand upon collaborative efforts, on January 1, 2022, DOJ awarded the first cycle of grant funding to county sheriff’s departments to support seizures of firearms and ammunition from prohibited individuals through the new Gun Violence Reduction Program.

In the first grant cycle, DOJ awarded over $4.9 million to 10 county sheriff’s departments to support activities related to seizing weapons and ammunition from individuals prohibited from possessing them. The sheriffs of Contra Costa, Lake, Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Ventura counties were awarded grants. The continued expansion of these collaborative efforts is an important tool with the common goal of protecting public safety.

About the Bureau of Firearms

BOF serves the people of California through education, regulation, and enforcement actions regarding the manufacture, sale, ownership, safety training, and transfer of firearms and ammunition. BOF staff are leaders in providing firearms expertise and information to law enforcement, legislators, and the general public in a comprehensive program to promote legitimate and responsible firearms possession and use by California residents. BOF is looking to hire additional Special Agents and more information on assessments for relevant job openings can be found on DOJ's website here: oag.ca.gov/careers/exams.

A copy of the report can be found here.

LAKEPORT, Calif. — On Tuesday the Lakeport City Council will host a reception for its committee and commission members, hold a public hearing for an affordable housing development and consider a contract to demolish the former Natural High building.

The council will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

The agenda can be found here.

The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. Masks are highly encouraged where 6-foot distancing cannot be maintained.

If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.

The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.

Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the city clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4.

The council will meet beginning at 5:30 p.m. with a reception for council members and city committees and commissions.

At the start of the regular meeting at 6 p.m., Mayor Stacey Mattina to read proclamations designating April 2023 as Child Abuse Prevention Month, Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Arts, Culture & Creativity Month.

Mattina also will read a proclamation honoring city committee and commission members.

The council also will hear a presentation from the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee, or LEDAC, on the 2022 Business Walks.

One of the meeting’s main agenda items is a public hearing to adopt a resolution approving a mitigated negative declaration for the Martin Street Phase III Project general plan amendment and zone change, as well as an ordinance to amend city zoning maps to facilitate the project.

The project, which received Lakeport Planning Commission approval on Jan. 11, is a 40-unit “affordable housing community” to be built by AMG & Associates LLC on a 3.7-acre site at 519 S. Smith St., next to the Phase I and II of the Martin Street Apartments, also built by AMG.

Another key city project to be discussed on Tuesday is the demolition of the structure at 800 N. Main St., formerly known as the Natural High Continuation School, next to the new Lakefront Park.

Public Works Director Ron Ladd will ask the council to award a $79,000 construction contract to Unlimited Environmental Inc. for the Natural High demolition and authorize the city manager to execute the construction contract for the bid amount.

Ladd’s report said the building foundation, underground utilities, fencing and several trees will also be removed.

He said bids were opened March 20 with 12 bids received. Unlimited Environmental Inc. was the low bidder at $79,000, followed by Walberg Inc. at $85,525. The engineer’s estimate for this project was $125,000.

“Demolition is anticipated to begin in mid-June and be complete by the end of July 2023,” Ladd wrote.

In other business, City Attorney David Ruderman will give the council an update on the national opioid litigation, including the city’s involvement and status of prior settlements with three distributors and Janssen, and proposed settlements with Teva, Allergen, Walgreens, Walmart and CVS. The council also is set to hold a closed session to discuss the opioid litigation.

City Manager Kevin Ingram will present to the council a resolution to submit the recreation/community center project for consideration as a community project funding proposal in Congress.

Assistant City Manager Nick Walker will take to the council the second quarter financial update.

On the consent agenda — items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on March 21; approval of
application 2023-009, with staff recommendations, for the 2023 Bicoastal Media Summer Concerts in the Park; and authorization for out-of-state travel for three utility staff members to attend the California Rural Water Association Expo.

After the open portion of the meeting, the council will have a closed session to discuss property negotiations with the Lake County Tax Collector’s Office and a case of ongoing litigation, City of Lakeport, California et al v. AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation et al.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors will consider a contract this week with an architectural firm for the project to create a new sheriff’s office headquarters facility out of the county’s former National Guard armory.

The‌ ‌board will meet beginning ‌at‌ ‌9‌ ‌a.m. Tuesday, April 4, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

The‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌can‌ ‌be‌ ‌watched‌ ‌live‌ ‌on‌ ‌Channel‌ ‌8, ‌online‌ ‌at‌ ‌https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx‌‌ and‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌county’s‌ ‌Facebook‌ ‌page. Accompanying‌ ‌board‌ ‌documents, ‌the‌ ‌agenda‌ ‌and‌ ‌archived‌ ‌board‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌videos‌ ‌also‌ ‌are‌ ‌available‌ ‌at‌ ‌that‌ ‌link. ‌ ‌

To‌ ‌participate‌ ‌in‌ ‌real-time, ‌join‌ ‌the‌ ‌Zoom‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌by‌ ‌clicking‌ ‌this‌ ‌link‌. ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌ID‌ ‌is‌ 974 3510 7207, ‌pass code 394763.‌ ‌The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,97435107207#,,,,*394763#.

All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.

On Tuesday, the board will consider an agreement with Dewberry Architects Inc. for architectural/engineering services for the remodel of the former California Army National Guard Armory, located at 1431 Hoyt Ave. next to the Lake County Jail.

The contract, not to exceed $247,926, will be part of the work to convert the former armory into the Lake County Sheriff’s Office’s new headquarters.

Currently, the agency is headquartered in an aging facility at 1220 Martin St. in Lakeport.

Last year, the county and the state completed a land swap in which the county received the armory and traded to the state a vacant 15.5-acre property at 15837 18th Ave. in Clearlake.

The Clearlake property is now being developed for low-income housing.

In other business, the supervisors also will consider raising the maximum monthly county contribution of insurance coverage for each employee enrolled in a county sponsored group medical, dental, vision insurance plan.

The board also will hear a presentation from staff on the Lake County Hiring and Diversity Report for 2022 and consider a proposal to draft a request for a proposal to hire a diversity and inclusion consultant to help develop training, goals, and a plan to improve diversity and inclusion within Lake County’s workforce.

In timed items, at 9:07 a.m. the board will meet the pet of the week, will hear the poem of the week at 9:08 a.m. in honor of National Poetry Month, at 9:09 a.m. will present a proclamation designating April 2023 as National Poetry Month in Lake County as proposed by 2020-2024 Lake County Poet Laureate Georgina Marie Guardado, present a proclamation at 9:10 a.m. designating the week of April 3 to 9, 2023, as National Public Health Week, the Employee Service Awards at 9:15 a.m., a proclamation designating the month of April 2023 as Child Abuse Prevention Month at 9:19 a.m. and at 9:20 a.m. will hear a presentation by the Child Care Planning and Development Committee.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Approve agreement between county of Lake and Lower Lake Community Action Agency Group for tree removal services for the amount of $62,600 and authorize the board chair to sign.

5.2: Approve the continuation of the proclamation declaring a shelter crisis due to the current need for sheltering for those experiencing homelessness during the weather and temperature patterns that the county of Lake has been experiencing.

5.3: Approve continuation of proclamation declaring a Clear Lake hitch emergency.

5.4: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.

5.5: Adopt proclamation designating the month of April 2023 as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

5.6: Adopt proclamation designating April 2023 as National Poetry Month in Lake County as proposed by Lake County Poet Laureate for 2020-2024, Georgina Marie Guardado.

5.7: Approve Board of Supervisors meeting minutes for March 21, 2023.

5.8: Adopt proclamation designating the week of April 3 to 9, 2023, as National Public Health Week.

5.9: Approve continuation of an emergency declaration for drought conditions.

5.10: Approve continuation of a local emergency by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the January 2023 Atmospheric River Event.

5.11: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to low elevation snow and extreme cold.

5.12: a) Waive the competitive bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 2-38.4 Cooperative Purchases; b) authorize Special Districts administrator/assistant purchasing agent to issue a purchase order not to exceed $125,000 to Control Systems West Inc. for the purchase of a programmable logic controller.

5.13: a) Waive the formal bidding requirement per Section 2-38.4 (Cooperative Purchases) of the Lake County Purchasing Ordinance; and b) approve purchase order in the amount of $163,949.67 and authorize the Social Services director to sign for the purchase of 107 laptops, 162 docking stations, and 260 monitors to Dell Marketing LP.

5.14: Sitting as the Board of Housing Commissioners, approve Lake County Housing Commission Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan for 2023 and signing of the Annual Civil Rights Certification (HUD Form HUD-50077-CR).

TIMED ITEMS

6.2, 9:07 a.m.: Pet of the Week.

6.3, 9:08 a.m.: National Poetry Month — Poem of the Week.

6.4, 9:09 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating April 2023 as National Poetry Month in Lake County as proposed by 2020-2024 Lake County Poet Laureate Georgina Marie Guardado.

6.5, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the week of April 3 to 9, 2023, as National Public Health Week.

6.6, 9:15 a.m.: Presentation of Employee Service Awards.

6.7, 9:19 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of April 2023 as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

6.8, 9:20 a.m.: Presentation by the Child Care Planning and Development Committee.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Review and consideration of increasing the maximum monthly county contribution of insurance coverage for each employee enrolled in a county sponsored group medical, dental, vision insurance plan effective July 1, 2023.

7.3: Presentation of Lake County Hiring and Diversity Report for 2022 and consideration of drafting a request for proposal to hire a diversity and inclusion consultant to help develop training, goals, and a plan to improve diversity and inclusion within Lake County’s workforce.

7.4: Consideration of agreement between the county of Lake and Dewberry Architects Inc., for architectural/engineering services for the remodel of the former California Army National Guard Armory.

7.5: Consideration of Contract Change Order No. 2 for the Hill Road Correctional Facility Tower Electronics Security Upgrade Project, Bid No. 22-30.

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.