LAKE COUNTY
Carter appointed interim Social Services Director effective May 4
The County of Lake is very pleased to announce Assistant County Administrative Officer (ACAO) Stephen L. Carter, Jr., has additionally been appointed Interim Director of the County of Lake’s Social Services Department. This appointment is effective Saturday, May 4, 2024, and will continue until a permanent Director is appointed by the Lake County Board of Supervisors. Recruitment efforts are ongoing.
Carter began service with the County of Lake in July 2010, and has served in fiscal leadership positions for over nine years, including roles with the Department of Social Services, and as ACAO since August 2022. Carter also previously served as Interim Behavioral Health Services Director, providing stability during a time of transition.
Many residents will be aware of the insight and effective collaboration Carter has brought to oversight responsibilities surrounding the County’s $390 million annual budget. Since August of 2016, he has prepared financial forecasts to support County-wide fiscal planning and management activities and served as a trusted authority on the Board of Supervisors’ purchasing policies and practices. Carter has also successfully administered tens of millions in critical grant funding, including work with grants supporting the Department of Social Services’ operations.
County staff in financially focused roles know Carter to be an effective trainer and highly creative problem solver, informed by years of experience and a strong theoretical foundation in Business Administration.
“Stephen Carter has proven his ability to manage complex fiscal and leadership responsibilities,” affirms Bruno Sabatier, Chair of the Lake County Board of Supervisors. “He has long been a leader in ensuring responsible stewardship of public funds in Lake County and has five years’ experience with the Department of Social Services, specifically. Our Board is confident he is the right person for this interim appointment.”
“I am happy to have the opportunity to lead and support the Social Services team as interim director,” adds Carter. “The Board’s confidence means a lot, and I will do all I can to ensure the Department continues to effectively serve the public while recruitment for a permanent Director continues.”
—Submitted
SPRINGVILLE, Ala.
Biden-Harris Administration announces more than $70Million from investing in America Agenda for National Fish Passage Program Projects to address climate resilience and strengthen local economies
The Department of the Interior today announced more than $70 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for 43 projects in 29 states that will improve fish passage around outdated or obsolete dams, culverts, levees and other barriers fragmenting the nation’s rivers and streams. Projects receiving funding showcase a diverse portfolio of aquatic conservation opportunities and are transformational in improving climate resilience, increasing recreational opportunities, and strengthening local economies.
This investment builds on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2022 and 2023 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law National Fish Passage Program investments of nearly $73 million in funding for 79 projects spanning the U.S. Across the country, millions of barriers are fragmenting rivers, blocking fish migration, and putting communities at higher risk for flooding. Improving fish passage and reconnecting aquatic systems is one of the most effective ways to help conserve vulnerable species, while building safer infrastructure for communities and improving climate resilience.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivers a five-year $200 million commitment for the Service to restore free-flowing waters, allowing for fish migration and protecting communities from flooding. The funding is also part of an over $3 billion investment across agencies in fish passage and aquatic connectivity projects under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.
The Service continues to collaborate with the 13 agencies that comprise the Interagency Fish Passage Task Force to deliver transformational impact for aquatic species, their habitats, and surrounding communities. The 43 funded projects announced today were developed with local partners and selected through a collaborative process with an interdisciplinary panel of experts from multiple federal agencies, including the Service, the U.S. Forest Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and Federal Highway Administration. The projects leverage other investments in ecosystem restoration and aim to advance watershed-scale restoration. Additionally, almost half of these projects will be led by or have substantial involvement with Tribal partners, and many will help with conservation efforts for threatened or endangered species.
This investment delivers on one of the America the Beautiful initiative’s six early focus areas — supporting collaborative conservation of fish and wildlife habitat and corridors — and is consistent with the Administration’s Corridors and Connectivity Guidance.
The Service’s National Fish Passage Program is a leader in pulling partners together to restore connectivity to these fragmented rivers, floodplains and tidal systems. The program provides financial, engineering and planning assistance to communities, Tribes, states, and landowners to support barrier removal and river restoration and reconnection projects.
—Submitted
