BOS should reconsider referendum on Kelseyville name change
Regarding the recent decision by the Lake County Board of Supervisors to place a referendum on the November 2024 ballot to determine if Kelseyville should be renamed Konocti:
This decision to delay the request for input from the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) through a public vote is not only unnecessary but problematic for several reasons.
Firstly, a public referendum is not required for the BGN. The BGN considers various factors, including historical significance and local usage, alongside community input. This vote delays a decision that could be made based on available information. Significantly, the BGN may disregard the results of a voting referendum if it deemed the referendum to be disproportionately advantageous to one side of the issue. It was not made clear to citizens at the July 30 meeting of the BOS that while public referendums and votes can provide valuable insight into community sentiment, they are not binding on the BGN.
Secondly, some people providing public input at the board meeting expressed a desire for the Board to make its recommendation to the BGN, without the need for a vote (county-wide or limited only to Kelseyville.)
Thirdly, this vote risks skewing the results in favor of the white citizens of Kelseyville. “The “Save Kelseyville” committee, qualified on April 3, 2024, verified on May 14, 2024, and registered in Lake County on May 28, 2024… long before the Board’s decision … has garnered monetary and infrastructural support because:
1. The ‘Save Kelseyville’ Committee (as of this writing) has not adhered to the California Fair Political Practices Commission’s guidelines for specific disclaimers on campaign communications, nor does it include their committee’s name with identification number on campaign reports or websites. Lake County Article 45 Section 21-45 Regulations for Signs, Paragraph 1 states; ‘No political signs shall be erected earlier than 90 days prior to the election in which the candidate or measure will be voted upon.’”
Fourthly, it is essential to recognize the moral dimension of this issue. Kelseyville was named after Andrew Kelsey, who, along with Charles Stone, is infamous for genocidal treatment of the Pomo Native American people in the mid-19th century. Holding a public vote where the majority population is white and likely unaware or indifferent to this historical injustice perpetuates the marginalization of Native American voices. Finally, (the) referendum serves to further oppress the Native American population, reinforcing a legacy of disregard for their history and ongoing.
I urge the Board of Supervisors to dispense with the referendum regarding renaming Kelseyville and instead, provide the BGN with the requested input based on the extensive work already done by Citizens for Healing. I urge you to schedule a public hearing to accomplish two things: Rescind the vote to provide input to the BGN and authorize the Board to be the sole entity to respond to the BGN request.
—Rev. Clovice A. Lewis, Jr., Upper Lake.
Why do we pay a real estate firm to do the work?
I read Dick Selzer’s (Record-Bee July 30 column) on the steps involved to sell a house. After reading the column I was a bit bemused why we pay 3% to 6% to a real estate firm to do the outlined work. What he describes is not rocket science. It’s not even very complex.
Each outlined step has a bullet list. Check off the items on the list when appropriate. Process done. The only step in the process I can see using someone familiar with a local real estate market is pricing a house. But even there, you can hire a real estate appraiser to do that. Negotiation is another area where outside help might be purchased.
With all the online services – primarily Zillow – a seller can list a house, and a potential buyer can locate properties without assistance. Sellers could still ask for a statement from a mortgage company or bank saying the potential buyer has the money and/or credit to actually afford the house.
The State of California has its legal requirements, and mortgage companies have their financial requirements. Again, satisfying both involve little more than completing the task and checking off boxes on a list.
My guess is that the job market for real estate agents will disappear over the next decade or two. The process of buying/selling a house is mostly about doing it legally. Hence the process of guiding buying and selling of a house will be the job of a paralegal. Because there is no legal advice being offered, a licensed attorney is not necessary. Rather, short courses with refreshers will serve as a platform for certification – “Certified Real Estate Paralegal.” This would be a fixed fee service.
Pricing a house, and negotiating a deal would also be fixed fee services, if desired.
There will always be people who don’t want to hassle the process and will hire someone to do more than a paralegal will. There are FSBO services out there charging much less than a real estate office. However, the paralegal will be the paperwork foundation of real estate transactions.
3% of a $500k house is $15,000. A paralegal might charge $2500 to make sure you’re checking off the right boxes at the right time. California’s housing affordability crisis would be lessened a bit.
—Jeffrey J Olson, Clearlake Oaks
