CLEARLAKE>> County Administrative Officer Susan Parker discussed some of the main issues the county currently faces, and how she believes a finalized county wide strategic plan will help to remedy them.
District 2 Supervisor Bruno Sabatier introduced Parker stating “Susan has changed the atmosphere in how the city and the county work together. She meets with Alan (Flora) at least once a month and they talk about issues” He added they started a collaboration between the city and the county and expressed his gratitude for this, as he feels it has united the county in a way it wasn’t before.
Beginning her presentation Parker shared some recent successes, including the Pallesen Place Income Based Housing Units that held their official grand opening about two weeks ago. Parker shared that these units, located in Nice, had been in the making since 2002, making it a 23-year project. This housing unit also works directly with Behavioral Health Services, making needed resources easily available to its residents. This is all part of a larger strategic plan that will be released in April establishing the Lake County Regional Housing Initiative Trust, which will help the county tap into state funds that have thus far been unreachable.
Parker continued her discussion on housing, noting that most local employers have found it hard to hire the right candidates when there is not enough workforce housing to attract these potential employees. Recently the Lake County Board of Supervisors established the Housing Trust Initiative which will allow the county more access to state funds as many grants and programs require it be in place.
Also discussed at length was the issue of high-speed broadband access across the county. Emphasized during the Covid-19 pandemic, the county was lacking in access for all, leaving it very difficult for some students to participate in classwork as their only online access was through a mobile phone. Parker said, “Imagine writing a paper on your parent’s phone.” Some members of the public mentioned other viable options including Starlink and Lake County Broadband, wondering what better options exist outside of Mediacom which experiences intermittent outages in the area. Parker responded that the county is working to expand the infrastructure, making access to the internet easier for more remote areas.
She said that they are developing a possible 10-year long Capital Improvement Strategic Plan, working with the public works department, public services, and special districts in order to improve the county’s water, sewage, transportation, and other infrastructure. These updates would include opening up that access through the creation of more cell towers or use of satellites, relay systems, and fiber optics. Sabatier broke it down saying “I would like to clear up some misconceptions. Starlink is a great possibility, but the county is not going to hook you up with Starlink, that is an end user contract. We’re building the infrastructure so the end user has the option to buy.” Sabatier continued “We’re going to see expansion in places you typically wouldn’t, like Cobb and Lower Lake. Some areas are just too rural and haven’t seen the love and the infrastructure that everyone else has.”
Parker concluded her presentation noting “You may or may or may not know this, the county has generally been a pay as you go county. Meaning you only spend what you have in the bank.” So what happened is that many projects sat for long periods of time with no investment or growth, instead of looking forward and using alternative financing methods including bonds.
The Judge’s Breakfast is held every Thursday Morning starting at 7 a.m. at the Senior Center in Clearlake, though a change of venue may be in its future. The breakfast is open to all and welcoming of new members, though purchase is not required for participation.
