CLEARLAKE >> Clearlake is looking to change its image by taking steps forward toward making a safer and more attractive city. This week the City Council will look at several projects and repair work lined up over the need few years.
Greg Folsom, Clearlake’s City Manager, said these progressive projects will not be completed overnight, but they are looking to get the city back on its feet following the recession in 2008. In the wake of the economic turmoil, the city lost staff positions that have not been refilled.
In the city’s meeting on Feb. 16, they will be looking at which project should be put on higher priority and low priority to decide what action to take. With these projects underway, they are looking to create more revenue for the city to further the work and bring staffing back up.
“On my highest priority list is the Animal Control facility,” Folsom said. “We use to have a contract with Kelseyville and be able to take the animals we found to their shelter. However, since the contract is no longer there, we don’t have the best location for the animals.”
The place under consideration for a new animal facility is on Ogulin Canyon Road. The location currently has kennels for dogs, making it the perfect location for the facility Folsom said.
Other projects listed as high priority on the Public Works project list are road construction and repairs and park improvements.
“Measure V will be able to help with a lot of the funding for the road projects, which is why it’s so important that it passed. It will fix the roads that are in much need of repair, and fix the sidewalks and bike paths to make the city safer,” Folsom said.
The main goal is not just to better the city and give it more facilities, but to make it a safer city Folsom added. These are all a part of the strategic plan of Clearlake, which goals are to create a cleaner, safer and improve the image of the city.
The city has also been incorporating more Ad Hoc committees to help with these processes to keep things more organized when it comes to making decisions on what might be important and what can wait.
“It’s going to take time to get everything completed and will be difficult with the shortage of staff, but I love what I do,” Folsom said.
The process takes a long time Folsom added because when trying to make a project run, they have to run it through the budget it, get it approved in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and the planning commission then the city council to make sure that everything is clear for the project.
Some other limitations that are also looked at are financial, personnel, poor conditions of the city and other external factors like ballot measures.
This fiscal year their budget was $4 million between the general fund, Animal Control and the Measure P. Out of that budget, they have spent a little over half at $2.2 million leaving them with 1.7 in their budget.
