LAKE COUNTY — Guenoc College, marijuana eradication and sidewalks in the Northshore redevelopment area were discussed during a Tuesday meeting of the Lake County Board of Supervisors.
A discussion about what to do with approximately 1,040 acres of land the county is holding for Guenoc College was taken off of the table at County Chief Administrative Officer Kelly Cox”s request.
“Some information has come to our attention that we need to review, and I”m not sure how long that is going to take. I would think it would be back on the agenda in a month or so,” Cox said.
The board had scheduled time to discuss what to do with the land after learning that Langtry Farms will not donate a flat, 185-acre piece of land in the middle of the surrounding, hilly land held in trust. Without the flat land, Cox said the college likely couldn”t be built.
In a 4-1 vote with Supervisor Ed Robey opposed, the board accepted $245,000 of state money for the Lake County Sheriff”s Department”s marijuana eradication efforts in the Mendocino National Forest. The decision came after debate about the effectiveness of the eradication efforts, something Supervisor Ed Robey said is an annual occurrence when the board approves the money.
“The idea is to reduce the supply by curtailing the use of marijuana. This has not been effective ? as long as you have a lucrative black market, you”re going to have a problem. We need to reduce the demand,” Robey said.
Supervisor Denise Rushing, in whose district the forest lies, said she believes the eradication efforts catch some, but not all marijuana farms and drive up the price for the remaining operations.
“Please come fly with us; you need to see what happens. Our issue is what is happening on our public lands. This is a worthwhile effort until the matter is addressed at a national level, and I don”t see that happening,” Sheriff Rodney Mitchell said.
Sidewalks will go in around Nylander Park in Clearlake Oaks, on Lake Street near senior housing planned in Clearlake Oaks and at the Third Avenue Plaza site in Lucerne. The board approved $700,000 in state grant money for the sidewalks.
Answering a question from Supervisor Jeff Smith about whether the money could be used elsewhere in the county, County Administrative Analyst Doug Willardson said the money was earmarked for sidewalks in the redevelopment area.
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