There”s been a lot of discussion about
the proposed sewer/golf development
(the city”s plan to connect the city”s sewer
plant to a residential golf course) and
how it would impact the infrastructure of
Lakeport. Particularly concerning is the
issue of impact on local water resources
and Lakeport water/sewer ratepayers.
Another hot-button issue concerns land
use and the impact of using power of eminent
domain to wrest ownership of land
from public agency or private owner and
award it to a private developer. E veryone
has the right to his own opinion about
what changes would best serve Lakeport,
it seems foolhardy to try to make hasty
decisions based on faulty or non-existent
information provided by the S ewer/Golf”s
private consultant.
I question the integrity of scheduling
a city council meeting to discuss these
important issues at a meeting held at 4
p.m. on a Thursday (12/14/06) rather than
6 p.m. on Tuesday when citizens expect to
attend regularly scheduled meetings.
At a subsequent regularly scheduled
council meeting 1/9/07, Mayor Parmentier
said that a sewer/golf representative never
mentioned eminent domain in connection
with school property (Natural High). In
fact one rep did mention eminent domain
and condemnation of N atural High property
at that peculiar off-scheduled Dec.
17 council meeting. (I attended and took
notes.) What bothers me about this statement
was that all the council members
had been in attendance and they must
have heard what I did.
Citizens may need to attend council
meetings in order to be sure that the council
is aware of their concerns and wishes.
Citizens should not it seems to me
have to attend in order to insure that
their elected representatives honestly and
openly report proceedings to their constituents,
and that special meetings are not
convened without public scrutiny.
Suzanne Lyons
Lakeport
