BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

 

                                                                       FEBRUARY 28, 2006

 

                                        

The Lassen County Board of Supervisors convene in Regular Session at 9:15 a.m.  Chairman Pyle asks for public comment and no comments are received.  County Clerk Nagel announces the Closed Session items and the Board recesses to Closed Session at 9:16 a.m. for:  Conference with Legal Counsel:  Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Subdivision (b) of Government Code section 54956.9: (undetermined # of cases).

 

Present in the Closed Session are Supervisors Robert Pyle, Lloyd Keefer, and Brian Dahle; County Counsel Craig Settlemire, County Administrative Officer John Ketelsen, Risk Manager Ron Vossler and County Clerk Theresa Nagel.  Supervisor Chapman enters at 9:18 a.m.  Supervisor Hanson is absent.  Closed Session is recessed at 9:39 a.m.

 

The Lassen County Board of Supervisors reconvenes in Regular Session on Tuesday, February 28, 2006, at 9:43 a.m.   Present:  Supervisors Robert Pyle, Jim Chapman, Lloyd Keefer, and Brian Dahle; County Counsel Craig Settlemire, County Administrative Officer (CAO) John Ketelsen and County Clerk Theresa Nagel.  Supervisor Hanson is absent.  CAO Ketelsen is not present at the beginning of the meeting.  Following the flag salute, the invocation is offered by Supervisor Dahle.

 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF ITEMS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION

The County Clerk announces the Closed Session dealt with: Conference with Legal Counsel:  Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Subdivision (b) of Government Code section 54956.9: (undetermined # of cases) - no reportable action taken.

 

AGENDA APPROVAL, ADDITIONS AND/OR DELETIONS

Supervisor Keefer requests that Item F-2, Milford Fire District appointment, be moved to the next agenda.

 

It is moved by Supervisor Dahle, seconded by Supervisor Keefer and carried to approve the agenda with the noted change.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT

1.         Darrell Foster announces the Third Annual PACE Pancake Feed to be held March 3rd.  PACE Class President Misty Taylor provides further information on the fundraiser.

2.         Chip Jackson presents an update on recent storms - Susan River did reach flood stage last night.  Heavy snow is expected the end of this week and next week.  Isolated flooding did occur.  (CAO Ketelsen enters at 9:49 a.m.)

3.         Steve Shelley complains about the phone books that are left at rural mail boxes and states something needs to be done to make the companies come back and pick up books that are left.  Supervisor Chapman suggests the CAO write a letter to the companies asking for voluntary compliance and if that does not work other steps can be investigated.

 

UNAGENDIZED BOARD REPORTS

1.         Supervisor Dahle announces he will be meeting on March 7th with COMPAC, Big Valley Family Resource Center Board and Kevin Mannel to discuss the funding for the Family Resource Center; will be attending the NACO Conference in Washington, D.C., March 3 - 6, 2006; announces an equipment and antiques consignment auction being put on by the Family Resource Center.

 

CONSENT CALENDAR

Supervisor Chapman requests that Item G-6, audit report, be placed on a future agenda for discussion rather than just on the consent calendar.

 

Supervisor Dahle has questions about Item G-3, Trail Coordinator, and requests it be pulled for separate consideration.

 

It is moved by Supervisor Keefer, seconded by Supervisor Dahle and carried to take the noted action on the following Consent Calendar items:

 

COUNTY CLERK ITEM

Approve Minutes of February 14, 2006.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ITEM

Approve request for position change from Senior Account Clerk, Range 11, UPEC, to Account Technician, Range 15, UPEC, in the Public Works Department and promote Michele Salas, the incumbent, to the Account Technician without further competition.

 

PROBATION DEPARTMENT ITEM

Approve travel authorization request for Assistant Chief of Probation Donna Humphrey to attend the mandatory Standards & Training for Corrections (STC) for Managers and Supervisors in Sacramento, March 13 - 17, 2006 and April 24 - 28, 2006, at the estimated cost of $2024.

 

OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES ITEM

Ratify continuation of Declaration of State of Disaster - Flood/Emergency in Lassen County.

 

MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE ITEMS

Receive and file the following correspondence:

a.   Highway 36 Town Hill Safety Task Force meeting agenda for February 23, 2006, and minutes of November 3, 2005.

 

PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT

Following a response to questions from Supervisor Dahle, it is moved by Supervisor Dahle, seconded by Supervisor Chapman and carried to approve request to abolish the position of Assistant/Associate Planner (Trail Coordinator) from the Community Development Department and reallocate the position to the Department of Public Works.

 

RECOGNITION COMMITTEE - PRESENTATION

Chairman Pyle makes the following presentations for years of service:

 

Ten years: a brass letter opener to Dan Schlueter (Assessor's Office).

 

It is announced that Dan is a Navy Reservist and will be on tour in Afghanistan for a year, leaving in early March.

 

LOCAL REUSE AUTHORITY

(Convene as the Local Reuse Authority)

 

It is moved by Supervisor Dahle, seconded by Supervisor Keefer and carried on a roll call vote with Supervisor Chapman voting NO, to approve special engineering services contract with Walter's Engineering to assist County's Review Herlong Utility Water Systems Project Concepts, Financing, and Conditions of Service to Stakeholders, not to exceed $5,000 from LRA Funds; and authorize the CAO to sign.

 

(Adjourn and reconvene as Board of Supervisors)

 

COUNTY COUNSEL-ABANDONED VEHICLE ORDINANCE

Assistant County Counsel Traci Witry reviews the abandoned vehicle ordinance pointing out the word "contractor" needs to be changed to "owner" and there is a need to either designate the Sheriff or Community Development Department (CDD) as the responsible entity.  It is noted if CDD is designated the ordinance cannot be adopted today.

 

It is moved by Supervisor Chapman and seconded by Supervisor Keefer to adopt, by title only, Ordinance No. 527-B, providing for the procedure to abate abandoned vehicles with the noted correction and designating the Sheriff as the responsible party. 

 

Following discussion relating to who the responsible party should be for enforcement the motion carries unanimously, on a roll call vote.

 

It is moved by Supervisor Chapman, seconded by Supervisor Keefer and carried to adopt Resolution No. 06-010, establishing service authority for abandoned vehicle abatement.

 

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

County Counsel Craig Settlemire notes the prior ordinance Imposing a Transactions and Use Tax to be administered by the State Board of Equalization has been revised and therefore it can be introduced today and a recessed meeting can be held next week for adoption in order to place the measure on the June ballot.

 

Jim McCarthy states this effort is to get a swimming pool built.  He has concerns about the wording - and he wants assurance the Recreation District is formed so the money can be used for building a pool and not just distributed amongst other districts. 

 

Discussion is held between board members and staff about the proposal.  Supervisor Dahle feels this is moving too fast and an entity (District or JPA) should be formed before the tax measure is placed on the ballot. 

 

JoEllen Wood understood the action before the Board was the direction the County was interested in going.  She states people are getting tired and need some progress to occur.  The LAFCO process will be very lengthy and if the tax ordinance does not pass there is no need to go further to form a district.

 

Deputy Public Works Director Peter Heimbigner provides further information on what has led to this action that is before the Board.  

 

Supervisor Chapman states we cannot take a pot of money and give it to the existing governing structures because people (voters) will not support it.  A new entity such as a JPA has to be formed as a prelude to the tax measure being submitted to the voters.  Here is why - when the swimming pool walls were coming down around our ears, the City Council choose to spend $2 million to remodel City Hall.  Not to be outdone, the County had $1.2 million in park bonds and the City asked for a share of the funds for the swimming pool but the Board members had other ideas of ways to spend the money in each of their districts.  People are not going to support a tax measure if the dollars go to existing governing agencies.  He states this is not the approach to take.

 

Supervisor Dahle wants to give some direction to staff and following further discussion the Chairman directs staff to proceed with the formation of a JPA and place a tax measure on the November ballot.

 

JoEllen Wood encourages something positive to happen and asks if there are grant writers in Community Development.  She is not opposed to a JPA, just wants recreation improved and wants guarantees that the money will go to that purpose.

 

Supervisor Keefer is not in support of a sales tax increase and would like research on what other funding is available.

 

Rob Hill states the process is very confusing and he realizes if voters are confused they will vote no.

 

Supervisor Chapman discusses the financial problems that fire districts are experiencing and the City's financial problems noting there is competition for tax dollars.

 

Rocky Joy's concern is if we do not move forward the efforts will eventually die.  He suggests changing the ordinance to make the tax subject to organization of a JPA and place it on the June ballot.  County Counsel Craig Settlemire responds the ordinance would have to be rewritten and there is no time to do so and hold two meetings for introduction and adoption prior to the deadline for placing measures on the June ballot.

 

CAO Ketelsen notes that he had suggested last August, that a JPA be formed to involve the County, City, High School, College and Elementary School to salvage the pool before it was shut down.  The suggestion died because it was felt, by some, that it would undermine the Recreation Alliance's efforts.  He states if this is the direction the Board wants to proceed this could be resurrected.  He would be happy to do the work but wants it understood that serial meetings between all the parties will be needed and this will take time.

 

Lisa Liband (who entered the meeting late) sees the tax measure as the biggest obstacle and would like it on the ballot in June as she feels they have support now.  She feels this money will be only for recreation and if we do not have a tax then there will not be a recreation district.

 

Supervisor Chapman feels the Chairman has given direction to move ahead with a JPA and that directions stands.

 

INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD

CAO Ketelsen reminds the Board about legislation requiring sexual harassment training and announces a class is scheduled on March 21st at Jensen Hall. Board of Supervisors are specifically mentioned as needing to attend.  Personnel Director Ron Vossler will place the training on the March 21st agenda for the afternoon session at Jensen Hall.

 

There being no further business, the meeting is adjourned at 11:20 a.m.

 

 

 

                                                                        __________________________________________

                                                                          CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

 

ATTEST:

 

_______________________________________

THERESA NAGEL, CLERK OF THE BOARD