The Clearlake City Council met for a regular meeting Thursday, June 14. Several items of business were addressed including:
1.) Approval of an employment agreement with Alan McClain for the position of Clearlake Police Chief. McClain, who has more than 26 years experience in law enforcement, will be sworn into his new position during a ceremony beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, June 18 at Clearlake City Hall.
The city”s agreement with McClain is for “at-will” employment and he shall serve at the will and pleasure of the City Council. Should the city decide to terminate his employment for any reason, at any time, without cause, a 90-day notice of termination is to be issued. If it is the city”s desire to terminate employment prior to the completion of the 90 days, McClain shall be paid all compensation due and owing through the last day actually worked plus and amount equal to the compensation and benefits that he would have earned for a period of three months following the end of the 90 day notice of termination.
McClain shall receive an annual salary of $114,000 payable on a bi-weekly basis. He is exempt from overtime.
The agreement includes reimbursement for moving expenses, up to a maximum of $5,000. It also includes a vehicle allowance for personal use limited to a distance of a 100-mile radius of the city limits.
The employment agreement was passed on a 4-1 vote with Councilmember Roy Simons casting the dissenting vote stating his only problem with the contract was the vehicle allowance.
2.) Authorization for the surplus of 13 police vehicles. Surplus of the vehicles will be conducted by PropertyRoom.com at no direct cost to the city. “They will take custody of the vehicles, transport them to their warehouse facilities, process all the appropriate registration/sale documents with DMV and sell the vehicles at no direct cost the City,” Interim Clearlake Police Chief Larry Todd wrote in his report to the council. “We receive 50 percent of the first $1000 of sales proceeds and 75 percent for anything above $1,000.”
Authorization was granted on a 5-0 vote with an amendment requiring the contract with PropertyRoom.com include a provision stating that the buyer (either PropertyRoom.com or individual) is responsible for smog of the vehicle.
3.) Authorized release of city council agenda packets on Mondays opposed to Fridays.
4.) Sitting as the city”s Redevelopment Agency, the board voted, 5-0, to extend the Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) with Income Property Specialists (IPS) for development of the Austin Resort property for an additional 60 days. The extension was requested by IPS.
City Administrator Dale Neiman reported that he has already granted an extension for 30 days and recommended the board grant the additional 60 days for 90 days total. “I granted them a 30 day extension and am recommending that you grant the additional 60 days because it is important to have good income and cost estimates before we proceed,” Neiman said.
According to Neiman”s report, the agency entered into an ENA with IPS on July 12, 2006. The ENA authorized a six month period for the agency and IPS to negotiate a draft Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA). “The development proposal has to be either approved or disapproved by staff,” Neiman read from his report. “Once a draft DDA has been negotiated by staff, the Agency Board will conduct a public hearing to consider leasing or selling the property.”
Neiman further reported that the next steps involve IPS and the agency redefining the development plan, the agency completing an appraisal and IPS updating its financial pro forma.
The financial pro forma involves developing accurate cost estimates for purchasing the property, estimating the cost of the private and public improvements and estimating the income that would produced by the project.
Clearlake resident Alice Reese has continually voiced her opposition to private development of the property and the extensions that have been granted. “I complained to the city administrator the last time it was extended and I”m going to complain again,” she said. “They”ve had plenty of time.”
Reese further complained about the public not having had an opportunity to see what sort of project IPS would like to propose. Neiman informed her that the public will have its chance. “We don”t have a project to present at this point,” he said. “When everything”s there, when everything”s on the table, that”s when the public can comment.”
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Clearlake City Council is 6 p.m. Thursday, June 28 at Clearlake City Hall.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
