LAKEPORT — The Lake County Board of Supervisors Tuesday heard a second reading of a proposed ordinance offering discounts to contractors who employ local workers on county projects.
The purpose of the discount program, as described in the proposed ordinance, would be to “encourage contractors who receive county public works contracts to hire residents of Lake County.”
The proposed ordinance would offer a bid discount to the contractor awarded the bid provided the contractor provides certification of employees” county residency.
The potential discounts would be staggered, depending on the percentage of employed local workers.
Bids on public projects documenting that 30 percent of the total project workforce consists of local workers, employed by either the contractor or subcontractors, would receive a 5-percent discount.
The discount drops at a rate of 1 percent for every 5-percent decrease in local employees, with a 1-percent bid discount for a 10-percent local workforce indication being the lowest possible discount.
The proposed ordinance stipulates that the bid discount cannot exceed $50,000. The county would reserve the right to rescind any bid discount should the documentation not be provided or verified.
The proposed ordinance will take effect in early 2011, after Tuesday”s second reading and approval by the BOS.
The BOS also heard the second reading of another proposed ordinance during Tuesday”s regular meeting.
The ordinance would revise the county code to incorporate changes to 14 state and international energy, safety and building codes.
The incorporated codes include the 2010 editions of the state”s Fire Code, Plumbing Code, Green Building Code, Energy Code and the 2009 International Property Maintenance Code.
The BOS heard on Nov. 16 that the changes include that residential sprinkler systems are required for all new construction, carbon monoxide alarms must be installed for new construction and newly constructed buildings must develop a waste management plan and divert, at minimum, 50-percent of project waste materials.
The revisions to the county code are required because of state law, the BOS heard on Nov. 16.
The BOS Tuesday voted 3-2 to approve a findings-of-fact document and to grant the appeal of the owner of the U Wanna Camp recreational vehicle park for a violation notice regarding long-term occupancy at the park.
The BOS made an intended decision on the appeal during a meeting in October. The vote Tuesday represented the board”s final decision to grant the appeal.
By granting the appeal, the BOS determined that the park”s operation practice as being a combined transient and long-term occupancy park falls within the scope of legal nonconforming use because the park operated lawfully as such before zoning restrictions were changed.
District Attorney-Elect Don Anderson will be sworn into office three days early, after the BOS decided Tuesday that Anderson would fill the position DA Jon Hopkins will vacate on Dec. 30.Hopkins will be retiring three days before his term expires.
Anderson will be sworn in privately on Dec. 31, and will participate in the public swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 3.
Public Works director Brent Siemer discussed a construction project his department will begin in Middletown that would require portions of two streets to be vacated.
About one block of Washington Street and one block of Douglas Street would be vacated to allow for the development of the Middletown Library and Senior Center Complex, Siemer told the BOS.
Siemer said the project would include improvements to roadways surrounding the development.
The owners of Star Gardens Nursery, a nearby business, wrote a letter to the BOS stating they are worried that the road closures would “have an adverse economic impact” on their business.
Siemer told the BOS that he thinks vacating those street sections would not negatively impact the nursery.
The BOS unanimously approved a resolution allowing for the street vacations.
Siemer also discussed a budget transfer with the BOS that would allow for the purchase of a new pilot-controlled lighting system at Lampson Field.
The current 20-year-old system that controls runway lights began malfunctioning earlier this year, according to Siemer. “The whole circuit board is just toasted,” he said.
Siemer said the installation of a new system, which could last another 20 years, was necessary to “get our airport safe.”
The BOS voted unanimously to approve a budget transfer in the amount of $15,000 for the new lighting system.
Contact Jeremy Walsh at jwalsh@record-bee.com or call him at 263-5636, ext. 37.
