CLEARLAKE>>> As a trained anthropologist Mary Wilson, first time city council candidate has observed interlocking patterns contribute to Lake County and the city of Clearlake. They both now have the second lowest Human Development Index in the state at 1.84.
Wilso also notes a life expectancy of 67.3, a high school graduation rate of 79.6%, a median income of $23,700 and a school enrollment of 71%. “We have a shortage of affordable housing in the city,” she said. “And 21% of Clearlake does not have a high school diploma. There are 20% who speak Spanish at home.”
Clearlake also has a higher crime rate than the rest of the state in violent and property crime. One solution according to the candidate is to improve high school graduation rates and achieve an economy that offers sustaining employment. Other ways to address crime are to get the homeless into transitional housing programs that offer case managers who teach life skills.
Wilson suggests increased transitional housing and a robust crisis response system for homelessness can get many of the people who congregate at Walmart and Safeway off the streets and make those areas safer for shoppers. “Develop a program that includes collaborative teams of law enforcement and mental health professionals who respond to mental health crises,” she urged.
She also encourages alternative transportation like public transit, biking, or walking.
“Explore additional funding for buses and Demand-Responsive Transportation (DRT), redesign roads to include bike lanes and sidewalks,” she said. “And use traffic calming treatments to slow traffic, and law enforcement to encourage drivers to obey traffic signage.”
“I am running for city council because a colleague asked me to consider it. My position as an adult education navigator and outreach specialist have revealed issues I would like to address. I was a small business owner for more than 20 years with a business that grossed more than $1 million annually and employed up to 25 individuals,” she recalled.
Wilson says a better way to recruit police, would be for the city to work with the Lake County Woodland Community campus to add a training program and they will likely stay in the region. (A lot of officials seek employment in other counties due to higher wages and utilization of skills) And she advised to recruit in high schools, use social media to rebrand for recruitment, streamline the application process and prioritize officer wellness.
Regarding the matter of commercial cannabis, Wilson cites the Lake County Grand Jury, which found that because of the tax burden and number of illegal farms, many operations are going out of business or leaving the state. “The city should work with the Board of Supervisors to support an initiative to give a portion of cannabis revenue to enforce compliance with cannabis laws,” she said.
In order to address homelessness, the county must build more affordable housing. Next, people need more income to be able to pay rent. “Economic development that creates sustaining employment is one way,” she said. “Another would be for the county to quickly develop a program to take advantage of the Homeless Hiring Tax Credit (HHTC).
In 2023 in Lake County, there were only 336 beds available in the interim and permanent housing supply. “According to the Lake County 2024 Affordable Needs Report, 1,401 low-income renter households in Lake County do not have access to an affordable home. As of August 2024, the median rent for houses in Clearlake is $1,500, with a range of $925–$3,100.
Meanwhile, use of opioids, meth, and fentanyl has increased across the U. S. especially in rural communities. “To decrease the likelihood of overdose, we need to support harm reduction such as distribution of Narcan. To decrease trafficking, the city and county (need) to work with the governors CalGuard personnel.”
Also, Clear Lake has a problem with cyanobacteria. “It is a health issue for humans and animals, she said. “This interferes with the development of an outdoor recreational economy.” The city is currently testing MPC buoys to sonically break up the algae on the surface of the lake and cause the algae to drop to the bottom of the lake.
Challenges are on the education front too. “We have a teacher shortage in the county, ” she said. “We need a local training solution such as having one of the state colleges come to the county or provide online teacher training. “Promote dual enrollment in college courses. Research shows those who take college classes in high school are more likely to go to college.”
Finally, on the issue of changing the town of Kelseyville’s name which is also on the Nov. 5 ballot, Wilson said, “For members of any of these communities, daily reminders of racial discrimination can exacerbate individual responses to trauma. The name Kelseyville triggers historical trauma among the descendants of those who were directly impacted by the actions of Kelsey and Stone. It gives privy to a violent history of Lake County over that of its original inhabitants.”
“It is important that any name change be the result of a collaboration between the original inhabitants and the descendants of its settlers. Changing the name of Kelseyville is not about some people being offended; it’s about telling a more complete history of Lake County,” she added.
