LAKEPORT — A gas collection project from the Eastlake landfill presented by Public Services is closer to fruition after the Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) approved a bid for the project.
If successful, the project could potentially provide fuel and produce profits, Public Services Director Caroline Chavez said.
“The purpose is to extract methane from the landfill,” Chavez said.
The success of the project, however, is contingent on how much gas can be extracted from the landfill, which will be unclear until the equipment is in use.
The project bid was awarded to the lowest bidder, and is expected to cost $1,140,740, roughly $150,000 less than it was previously budgeted for, Chavez stated her report.
In other business, a presentation by Agricultural Commissioner Steven Hajik revealed that Lake County produced $84,842,411 in gross revenue in 2012, roughly $18 million more than in 2011.
The highest producing crop was grapes, with nearly $8 million. Pears and walnuts produced roughly $5.15 million and $2.16 million in gross revenue, respectively.
Supervisor Anthony Farrington later presented a memorandum to put together a task force to work on getting Measure E on the ballot for June 2014 elections.
The measure proposes a sales tax to be implemented to provide funds to manage and protect Clear Lake, including protection from mussels and provide weed and algae abatement.
In a public hearing that lasted nearly two hours, the BOS denied permits for a property at 16235 Roberts Road in Middletown to finish construction of a bedroom and approve a wood porch that was built roughly 20 years ago and was never approved by city planning.
The owner of the property, Andrzrej Skwira, originally applied for major and minor use permits and was planning to run a bed and breakfast at the property. After moving the location of his business, he tentatively decided to rescind his request.
During a presentation by the Lake County Office of Education, representatives asked the BOS for options for the county become involved in the Children and Family Center plan. The BOS decided unanimously to support the program by providing effort to find grants and pay for any applications.
In a non-timed item, the BOS once again approved on a 3-2 vote during a second hearing the implementation of a 1-percent tax on cable operators” gross revenue to raise funds for the Public, Education and Government channel. The proposition was approved last week with the same votes and pending approval of the attorney general.
Carried from last week”s meeting, the BOS approved the waiver of normal bidding process for the agreement between Lake County and Netsmart Technologies Inc. and Geneva Software Company for system software upgrade.
Isaac Brambila is a staff reporter for Lake County Publishing. Reach him at 263-5636 ext. 37 or at ibrambila@record-bee.com.
