LAKEPORT? Council members, city staff and community members welcomed the new city manager to the job with applause Tuesday as she sat in on her first Lakeport City Council meeting.
Margaret Silveira thanked the dozens of people in City Hall and accepted a basket with Lake County food from Supervisor Rob Brown.
“I”m very excited that the council chose me,” Silveira said. “So far it”s been the most welcoming city.”
Silveira previously worked as the city manager of Gustine, a town in Central California.
Councilman Rob Rumfelt, sitting as the mayor, said in the next few weeks City Hall will have an open house for people to come meet Silveira.
Mayor James Irwin and Councilman Roy Parmentier were absent.
Council members voted 3-0 to adopt the consent agenda, which included ratifying the contract with the city manager.
The council addressed a few other issues at its regular meeting that started 6 p.m.
Council members voted 2-1 to buy a mobile home in the Fairgrounds Village Mobilehome Park to rehabilitate it for sale and to allow the current resident to move to a mobile home with better access. Councilman Ron Bertsch voted no.
The council voted 3-0 to approve the amended expense and use of public resources policy that updates meal expenses, mileage rates and requires city manager approval for credit card use by city staff other than department heads.
Council members voted 3-0 to approve a request by the Lake County Chamber of Commerce to execute the agreement with Pyro Spectaculars North for the annual fireworks presentation.
Melissa Fulton, CEO of the chamber, said people can get information to volunteer and make donations to raise money for the fireworks show by calling 263-5092.
The council approved an application for the Center for Life Choices to hold a walk from 8:30 to 10 a.m. April 24 starting at Library Park.
The council also held a public hearing starting at 5 p.m. to solicit citizen input for the Community Development Block Grant Program. The program aims to fund housing, public works projects, community facilities and public services serving low-income people in the city. Council members and staff also had a housing workshop.
Councilwoman Suzanne Lyons said she thinks the Lakeport Redevelopment Agency should assess people”s needs, such as whether they are disabled or elderly, before deciding on a housing plan.
“If you”re going to decide what kind of housing you”re going to give low-income people, you”re going to need to know what their needs are,” Lyons said.
Terri Persons of Lakeport said she thinks the community would benefit from more senior housing that could be a transition from living at home to living in a nursing care facility.
Redevelopment director Richard Knoll said he would bring the housing ideas before the council sitting as the Redevelopment Agency in an upcoming meeting.
Contact Katy Sweeny at kdsweeny@gmail.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
