LAKE COUNTY — The county”s Redevelopment Agency is under new leadership following the appointment of Eric Seely to the position of deputy director of the agency last Tuesday.
Formerly the Redevel-opment Agency”s project manager, Seely replaced Andy Peterson, who retired Aug. 31.
“The buck stops with me, but it”s going to be a team approach,” said Seely on Monday.
He identified those team members as Deborah Sommerfield, Jeff Ryan, and Kelly Cox, the county”s chief administrative officer.
Cox, who also acts as the Redevelopment Agency”s executive director, said in a statement released last week that he is sorry to see Peterson go. “It will be difficult for anyone to fill his shoes,” Cox said.
He noted that Seely, a Lake County native raised in Upper Lake, has “a keen understanding of the needs of the Northshore communities,” and praised his “exceptional ability to work with citizen groups and community organizations.”
Seely is trained in the field of redevelopment through the California Redevelopment Institute and worked under Peterson over the past year. He most recently attended training in the Community Development Block Grant program, sponsored by the State Housing and Community Development Department, in Monterey the week of Aug. 30.
“We”re pleased and fortunate to have someone with Eric”s capabilities on our team,” Cox stated. “I”m confident he will be very successful in fulfilling his new duties and responsibilities, along with the other capable members of our staff.”
One of the agency”s goals is to address blight, both economic and physical, noted Seely. “What that entails is trying to improve the communities for the residents and the business owners.”
When asked about the agency”s plans for the Northshore, Seely acknowledged a need for public input. “Some of the challenges with community outreach is getting a broad enough or sufficient representation to give us an idea what the community wants,” he said. “When 35 people attend a meeting in a community of 1,200 or more, that”s too small of a representation. We”re still trying different methods.”
Seely noted that he would meet with staff this week to discuss the agency”s needs and goals. “We are moving forward. We are looking for community input. I am aware of the community”s expressed concerns that they have not had involvement in redevelopment process.”
The Northshore Redevelopment Plan includes plans for Upper Lake, Nice, Lucerne and the Glenhaven/Clearlake Oaks area. “The idea is you try to rejuvenate a community by trying to develop a central meeting place for the community for both social events and for commerce,” Seely explained.
Seely said that public input was previously gathered for such projects as the Nice Parks Plan and in plans for a town center in Clearlake Oaks.
Northshore residents wishing to discuss redevelopment matters with Seely are encouraged to contact him at 263-2580 or by e-mail at erics@co.lake.ca.us.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.