LAKEPORT >> Chief Deputy Administrative officer, Matthew Rothstein noted the county priority will be reimagining Lake County through enhancing the economic resilience of
all county residents, as well as recovering from recent disasters thorough improvement of infrastructure and especially implementation of broadband internet for everyone.
He went on the county must grow our economy and spur creation of quality local jobs while cleaning up our neighborhoods through code enforcement. “We will foster a business-friendly environment and market Lake County as a premier California outdoor recreation destination,” he said. And he pledged to support the county ‘s workforce through
targeted training, recruitment and retention initiatives, while at the same time ameliorate the county’s defining feature, Clear Lake.
However, on January 9, House Republican leaders released a wide array of program cuts that would equate to a trillion dollars in entitlement spending of county administered
safety net programs, over the next 10 years such as: TANF. Cal Works, SNAP, Cal Fresh. And Republicans propose eliminating the social service block grants, cap domestic discretionary spending increase and reduce available funding for a variety of childcare, senior services, veterans and education programs. Rothstein also cautioned about the
county seeing rising homeowner insurance rates, higher deductibles, reduced coverage options. The Senate Budget Committee has pointed out Lake County has seen the
highest rate of insurance non-renewal.
Lake County also intends to pursue federal support to shelter unhoused residents and to secure key wrap around services (Wraparound, across different areas of their lives including mental health, and functioning in their homes, schools and communities. It saves money by minimizing the time young people spend in out-of-home facilities treatment centers or psychiatric hospitals, which can cost $1000 – $3000 per day.)
Also, Lake County supports the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The IIJA is slated to expire in 2026. The bipartisan law authorized $1.2 trillion spending for over 350 Congressional Districts. In 2025, Congress will consider options for reauthorizing the program. It originally passed July 1, 2021. and extended at 2021 levels through FY 2022.If reauthorized again, it will extend through FY 2026.
Mireya Turner is director of the county’s Community Development Department. Their mission is provide superior service through three priorities she noted: staff recruitment and retention, staff professional development and fiscal sustainability. Currently there is one vacancy. They have a ready-to-takeover planning examiner in Jack Smalley, prepared to ascend to the chief building official post.
In addition, building division staffers complete 300 hours of certification through the International Construction Council. It includes the permitting process, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), tribal community cultural relations skills. “And we we’re awarded a 3-year grant for our Prop, 54 (cohort 3) cannabis eradication fund, Turner said. “And our Community Development Block Grant, still in development, we’re awaiting, and that will support our Hazardous Vegetation Program. And they developed a new electronic permitting system, with a public portal, planned for a Mid-February launch. They have also completed Year One of the Lake County 2050 Process, an update of the General Plan and the eight Local Area Plans.
The Development Department issued 1,810 building permits in 2024. In the planning division, they received 470 applications, but a lot of them were zoning clearances for zoning permits, yet also includes ministerial permits, conditional use permits, voluntary mergers (A voluntary merger is in which two or more parcels of land are merged into a single legal parcel. Once a merger has been recorded, it cannot be undone without further subdivision processes), and line adjustment parcel maps. Development also did significant outreach … “We go to any Municipal Advisory Council meeting we’re invited to, we’ve talked on the radio, and we’ve talked to the homeowners’ associations.,” Turner said.
Elise Jones, Behavioral Health director informed the board the County mental health and drug medical plans are guided by the Department of Healthcare Services who work with
the federal government to identify standards of care. “We are primarily reimbursed by Medicaid,” Jones said. “We went live with our Mobile Crisis Response Team a little over a year ago. So, I’ll be looking forward to coming back here in the near future speaking specifically on that.” Her department also recently established medical site certified schools in Lake County. The Office of Medications provides specialty mental health services in all schools, and they are continuing to grow their programs, and their services are fully reimbursed
by the Department of Healthcare Services. They are also implementing an Early Psychosis Plus Intervention program, a grant awarded in 2021 through the Mental Health Oversite Accountability Commission.
In addition, they launched a new Peer Support Benefit. This means, that individuals who complete training and credentialing, may bill medical for select specialty services. And the reason it’s needed she argued, “We know when a treatment program provider looks like you and has similar experiences as you, treatment outcomes respond differently,” Jones stressed. “So, were building our peer workforce, but also recognizing, many of our leadership staff are also peers in behavioral health.” And they built out a career pathway, to plot how someone who works in the front office can go from there to become the director. “It’s important for us to plan for vacancies and building on our training plan, focused on empowering our staff to allow them to do the best job they can.
Jones also disclosed the department has paid back $2 million of a $4 million loan. “A lot of our reimbursement issues revolve around our contract with New Life Clinic, ” she said.
It operates out of Mendocino County, providing methadone and other treatment services. “We have many Lake County residents (accessing their services). The state struggles with payment structure inside our own system. There’s still claims dating back to 2021/22 for New Life Clinic and they’re about $250,000. So, we are far behind in seeing reimbursement.”
