LAKEPORT — The Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) Tuesday approved a purchase order for an aeration/diffusion system for the county”s Holiday Harbor Marina property in Lucerne.
Administrative analyst Alan Flora said he was asked by County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox to find a solution to nuisance algae after nearly 40 percent of marina clientele removed their boats last summer. He said more than $10,300 was spent on a variety of mitigation methods between July and October 2011 with limited effect.
Staff researched long-term solutions to improve the marina”s water quality, with experts pointing them toward a solution that circulated the water and increased the dissolved oxygen in the water, according to Flora.
Flora said EP Aeration of San Luis Obispo has an aeration/diffusion system that met the county”s criteria for combating the nuisance algae.
According to Flora, the system the company designed would circulate the harbor about seven times per day, rotating the water. He said the company is offering a discount to the county by waiving labor costs associated with installation of the system. If approved, Flora said installation could begin within two weeks.
Flora said the system would cost no more than $28,320.
BOS Chair Rob Brown said the supervisors were receiving a lot of feedback from constituents about algae buildups in other areas, such as Soda Bay. District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith said the county was protecting its investment at Holiday Harbor.
Cox said if the county had solutions for combating nuisance algae in other areas, it would be implementing them.
Water Resources Director Scott De Leon said he supported the purchase. He said the county recently purchased booms after they proved the most effective against nuisance algae last year, adding if the aeration/diffusion system proved effective the department may use it in tandem with booms in other areas.
The BOS approved the purchase 4-0, with District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington temporarily absent.
In other matters, the supervisors approved a resolution for an application for community development block grants (CDBG).
Matt Perry, chief deputy county administrative officer, previously presented a plan to apply for CDBG funds at the March 6 BOS meeting.
The funds would be used to improve sidewalks and streets along Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks, as well as a wastewater treatment facility near Lampson Field in Lakeport and a neighborhood housing rehabilitation and public infrastructure improvement project. The value of the grants applied for slightly exceeded $1.5 million.
The BOS approved the resolution 4-0.
Adjourning as the BOS and convening as the Board of Directors of the Lake County Sanitation District (LACOSAN), the board approved a resolution declaring intent to adopt a resolution of public use and necessity for the Southeast Regional System-Lift Station and Force Main project.
Special Districts Administrator Mark Dellinger said the resolution would create the need to obtain the right of way in an expeditious manner. He said the district has had trouble getting all of the affected property owners to sign easement agreements to allow the project to continue.
Dellinger said construction on the 4.9-mile project is nearly 40-percent complete, with work scheduled to re-start by April 15 if weather conditions allow.
The board approved the project 4-0.
Re-convening as the BOS, and with Farrington present, the supervisors unanimously adopted a negative declaration for the update to the Lake County Housing Element of the county General Plan and approved a resolution updating the Housing Element.
The BOS had previously discussed the update at last week”s meeting in a joint hearing with the Lake County Planning Commission.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14. Follow on Twitter: @KevinNHume.
