CLEARLAKE — Members of the public were given the opportunity to voice their opinions about recent efforts to disincorporate the city of Clearlake. The council entertained an open discussion on Thursday, Sept. 27, at City Hall.
Discussion of the issue lasted about two hours with members of the public voicing similar concerns both for and against the petition.
Petitioners, led by Clearlake residents Frank Brumfield and Bill Shields, presented the council with a set of six questions. A response was prepared by city administrator Dale Neiman for each question.
“You had plenty of time to look it over for yourself but you turned it over to hired help,” Brumfield told the council after Neiman addressed the questions.
Answers to two of the six questions were met with acceptance by the public. Neiman said city staff is looking into the possibility of re-enacting its weed abatement program and establishing its own animal control department.
The petition asked if the council would agree to a thorough study for a city-wide improvement bond to construct all roads to standard specifications. Neiman said that the city has attempted to form assessment districts for large areas and failed in most cases.
“To proceed with issuing bonds and constructing streets, etc. more than 50 percent of the residents have to agree to the formation of an assessment district,” Neiman explained. “Under the existing state law, if 50 percent of the residents of an area or street submit a petition requesting street drainage and street lighting, the city is required to proceed with creating an assessment district and finance the improvements. So, a mechanism is currently in place. The city is working on how to advertise this method of improving streets and establishing a revolving loan fund to make loans to residents.” Many members of the public voiced complaints regarding the police department and code enforcement, some concerns were directed at specific officers, while others related to the operations of the department in general.
“I cannot begin to tell you what people said about the police department out there,” Brumfield said.
The petition asked that the council agree to request the Department of Justice perform an investigation of the Clearlake Police Department”s possible involvement in illegal drug distribution in Lake County. Neiman explained that citizens have the power to initiate such an investigation.
“It is not possible to respond to an allegation without any facts,” Neiman said. “However, private citizens can file a complaint with either the state or federal Department of Justice. In order to consider such a complaint, the person filing it would have to provide specific information documenting the incident.”
Neiman said it is important to hold employees to an acceptable standard and if specific information is received on an incident it will be investigated and handled in the appropriate manner.
Petitioners spoke of harassment by Code Enforcement officers and asked that the council agree to re-organization of the department including hiring a professional director. Neiman said that code enforcement officers began reporting directly to Sgt. Tom Clements beginning the week of the meeting.
Concerns regarding the Code Enforcement Department fell on both sides. “The code enforcement officers have one of the most difficult jobs in the community,” Neiman said. “I have received numerous telephone calls from Mr. Frank Brumfield complaining about the code enforcement officers not responding to complaints he has filed. On the other, I have heard many complaints being made to the code enforcement officers at the front counter. The people were complaining about having to clean up their property.”
The final question presented to the council asked that the council discuss its fiscal responsibility with its constituents and possibility of the necessity to return the city back to county government.
Neiman reported that a disincorporation effort was considered by the Local Area Formation Committee (LAFCO) between 1989 and 1990. The request had been denied because proponents failed to provide adequate evidence that the citizens of the area would be better served by the disincorporation and that the needs and concerns of the people who live in the area could be better addressed without city government.
“Communities that are successful work together to improve their community,” Neiman said. “In my view, the best way to improve the city is to work on carrying out the recommendations in the Task Force Report in a positive manner.”
The council received comments both commending its progress and criticizing it.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
