LAKEPORT — The Lakeport City Council meeting began Tuesday at 5 p.m. with a workshop to facilitate goal setting for the council members. The regular meeting began at 6 p.m. with a presentation by an energy consultation company, Aircon Energy, that helps cities and counties establish self-funding facilities improvements by implementing clean energy such as solar, to save energy and curb greenhouse gas emissions.
Councilman Bob Rumfelt attended a League of California Cities conference in Sept. where he made contact with Aircon representatives and asked Aircon Executive Vice President Jeff Wagner to speak before the council. Rumfelt said solar energy is something the council has been looking at as a viable option. “I think we”re going to see solar in Lakeport in the future,” Rumfelt said.
During his presentation, Wagner stressed the council look at “comprehensive improvements” to the city”s infrastructure. “My message to you would be why just look at one piece of the puzzle, maybe we can conserve more energy so we don”t need as big of a solar plant. I don”t just do solar, I think that”s too short sighted,” Wagner said. After the presentation, business cards were exchanged and Wagner was informed to follow-up with City Manager Jerry Gillham.
The council moved on to a brief discussion about approving closures of Main Street for Lakeport Elementary School”s annual Halloween Parade as well as for Clear Lake High School”s Homecoming parade this week. Councilman Jim Irwin questioned how much the city spent on the closures. “Out of curiosity, I”m just wondering, I completely support it though,” Irwin said. Staff advised him that the only real outstanding costs occur for events where a road is closed during weekends or late into the evening, when police may not be working regular shifts and would be paid overtime.
At 7 p.m., the last item on the agenda was brought out and physically handed to each of the members?the recently-approved 2007-08 fiscal year budget. They proceeded to engage in lengthy discussions about each line item and whether or not they could slash funds to bring spending down.
The city is currently paying down a $2 million deficit. About $31,000 was tentatively cut from various departments, bringing the total budget spending down to roughly what it was last year, despite a 3 percent annual increase in the costs of materials and products the city buys. “We”re going to hit the exact same thing next year and it”s going to be uglier,” said Irwin.
“I”m going to keep a running tally of savings and increased revenues in my office as we go through the year,” said Gillham. At the end of the discussions over an hour later, the council still ended up $9,000 short of balancing the budget, and decided to make cuts to the budget to find that amount at the next meeting.
“We”re going to start garage sales starting next week,” said Gillham. “Or we can charge people to go through Carnegie Library. I don”t know what”s in there and I”d be interested to see it,” said Irwin.
“I don”t care what it takes to get this done,” said Mayor Roy Parmentier, “Just bring us $9,000 at the next meeting,” Parmentier said to Gillham.
Contact Elizabeth Wilson at ewilson@record-bee.com
