CLEARLAKE >> Note cards adorned the bulletin board inside the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall. The hand scribbled notes were arranged, categorizing goals by priority and level of importance, as the Clearlake City Council held its first budget workshop Thursday.
“We’re not great … but we’re stable and that is going to be the trend for the next couple years,” Clearlake City Manager Joan Phillipe said.
Over the course of more than two hours, the council discussed everything from park improvements and emergency preparedness to animal control and administrative penalties.
The purpose of the meeting was to reviewed goals and priorities the council set approximately three-and-a-half years ago, as well as determine if any new goals are needed.
Set budget priorities, which include economic development, finance, public safety and code enforcement, were left untouched — short of removing completed goals such as the dissolution of the Clearlake Redevelopment Agency (CRA), lowering health insurance costs and computer system upgrades.
When on the topic of economic development, the council discussed the implementation of the Lakeshore Drive Downtown Corridor Plan.
Last month, nearly $2.4 million in Series A bonds from the former CRA were re-allocated to help fund multiple projects in the corridor plan, including the drafting of master plans for Austin and Redbud Park, property acquisitions and improvements to Highlands Park.
Other economic development goals include completing the city’s general plan update and environmental impact report, as well as beginning the process to update the zoning code and map.
Councilman Bruno Sabatier voiced concern with the goal of promoting Clearlake as a healthy city.
“I see that as 10-15 years down the road. I don’t want to promote us as a healthy city when we obviously have issues,” Sabatier explained.
As for finance goals, the major topic of conversation was grant opportunities.
Councilman Russell Perdock asked if obtaining grants would become more difficult as the city becomes more financially stable, to which Clearlake Finance Director Chris Becnel answered that the city should be able to apply for more grants with a higher success rate.
“You’re right on the cusp, because once master plans are finished grants will be more available,” Phillipe added.
Perdock also asked if volunteers could be used for grant writing, as the process requires a lot of staff time.
Both Becnel and Phillipe said it would have to be on a case-by-case basis and determined by the volunteer’s experience.
Moving the discussion to code enforcement, Phillipe said that the council will have to address animal control soon, as the city’s contract with the SPCA will end in a year.
“That is not going to be the long term contract I had hoped for,” Phillipe said.
Councilwoman Joyce Overton said she has gotten a lot of complaints over the past couple of weeks regarding animal control not returning calls.
Lakeport Police Chief Craig Clausen said they have never had complaints, but that callbacks are handled by a volunteer working more than 30 hours a week.
Finally, when discussing the priority of public safety, the council decided to include administrative penalties to its goals. The issue arose from concerns regarding panhandling, unauthorized camping and discarded shopping carts, which are a result of the city’s homeless population.
“It is irresponsible of us if we turn a blind eye,” Perdock said.
Discarded shopping carts and tents were also mentioned when the council discussed emergency preparedness, citing that cases of block drains and water outlets during the December storm.
At the end of the meeting the council discussed their approach to the budget, as Perdock and Sabatier are newly-elected.
“This method helps clearly define where staff is to spend it time and what the council wants,” Phillipe explained.
A second workshop is scheduled for 6 p.m. on June 18, which is when the council will review the city’s general fund, revenues and expenditures.
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
