BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS
DECEMBER
16, 2003
The
Lassen County Board of Supervisors convenes in Regular Session on Tuesday, December
16, 2003, at 9:32 a.m. Present: Supervisors Robert Pyle, Jim Chapman, Lloyd
Keefer, Brian Dahle, and Jack Hanson; County Counsel John Ketelsen, County
Administrative Officer (CAO) Andy Whiteman and County Clerk Theresa Nagel. Following the flag salute, the invocation is
offered by Supervisor Keefer.
ANNOUNCEMENT
OF ITEMS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION
Chairman
Chapman announces that no closed session was held.
AGENDA
APPROVAL, ADDITIONS AND/OR DELETIONS
Supervisor
Chapman requests the meeting be adjourned in memory of Harold Miles.
It is
moved by Supervisor Keefer, seconded by Supervisor Dahle and carried to approve
the agenda with the noted change.
PUBLIC
COMMENT
Poet
Laureate Violet Stout reads a poem entitled Christmas Love.
UNAGENDIZED
BOARD REPORTS
1. Supervisor Dahle attended the RCRC meeting
and reports the State revenues are up about $1.9 billion and there are plans
for making cuts in the amount of $1.2 billion, but things are still looking
very grim. There is also talk about
raiding special district reserves.
He
notes the Healthy Forest Initiative was signed by the President and there is a
need for County-Wide Community Fire Protection Plans to be prepared and adopted
by the Board.
He
presents information received from Attorney Allan Saltzman who has been
investigating PILT payments which have never been fully funded as required by
Federal law. There is case law, in the
past, and he wants to sue the Federal Government for the money that has never
been allocated to counties. There is a
need for funding a lawsuit and Lassen County's share would be $18,000. County Counsel John Ketelsen states his
initial reaction is skeptical of the success of such a lawsuit, but he will
further study the case law and make a future report to the Board.
2. Supervisor Keefer reports on the RAC meetings
where $1.4 million in requests were presented.
The RAC will make recommendations with the final decision being made by
Forest Supervisor Ed Cole. They are 90%
finished but need additional information, from some project applicants, to make
the determination on the last $100,000 to be awarded. A final recommendation will go to the Forest
Supervisor on February 24, 2004.
He
reports the Community Fire Plan is getting very close to finalization and will
probably be submitted to the Board the first part of January.
Once
again he addresses the Mental Health Department 10 hour, 4 day work week
stating that he met with the Auditor and examined the timesheets from May 30
through September 5, 2003 and found that on most Fridays only one person worked
the entire 10 hour day. There were one
or two other persons working on Fridays, but they worked less than 10
hours. He states that he finally got the
answers he was looking for and will not be addressing this issue again.
3. Supervisor Pyle reports on the Highway 44
Fencing presentation he made to the RAC last week. The project will improve safety of motorists,
improve rangelands and improve the watershed.
He thanks the members of the fencing committee who worked hard to come
up with ideas.
4. Supervisor Hanson reports that he and CAO
Whiteman attended the Herlong Utilities Cooperative meeting last week, had
lunch with the Doyle Senior Citizens, and attended the reopening of the library
at Herlong.
He
participated in a conference call relating to Congressman Doolittle's 2557
Plan, that will provide $25 million for water projects to several Northern
California counties. Each county will
receive $5 million with phased distribution over several years.
He
notes it is a dark day for Lassen County with the announcement that Sierra
Pacific Industries (SPI) is closing their Susanville mill. There is one small bright spot because some
jobs at Sierra Army Depot will dovetail with the mill positions. He states there is no manufacturing left in
Lassen County - agriculture could be the next victim - it is going to be tough.
5. Supervisor Chapman states the closing of SPI
is not only a dark day but a very sad day for Lassen County.
He
reports that Los Angeles County has voted to endorse the Local Taxpayers and
Public Safety Protection Act and he was waiting for that action before
recommending that Lassen County endorse the initiative. With Los Angeles on board the initiative has
a better chance of passing.
RECOGNITION
COMMITTEE - PRESENTATION
CAO
Whiteman presents a County coffee cup to Supervisor Pyle for five years of
employment.
Chairman
Chapman makes the following presentations for years of service:
Fifteen
years: a two pen desk set to Jeffery Nelson (Public Works) and Michelle Schull
(Health and Human Services) who was not able to be present.
ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH
Environmental
Health Chief Doug Ames introduces the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA)
Contractor Martin A. Winston.
SUSANVILLE
RANCH PARK
Trail
Coordinator Peter Heimbigner presents a progress report on Susanville Ranch
Park.
Chairman
Chapman presents appreciation plaques to Susanville Ranch Committee
members
for their service: Catherine Wheeler and
Stan Bales are present to receive their plaques. Members Melanie Ernaga, Delores Guitierez,
Walt Zinko, Marcena Welker, Rosalee Bradley, John Abbott and Jim Reichle are
not present.
Recess
10:39 - 10:48 a.m.
CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING - ZONING ORDINANCE
AMENDMENT #318.24, LASSEN COUNTY
The
public hearing is reopened at 10:49 a.m. to consider an amendment to various
chapters within Title 18, Lassen County Zoning Ordinance 467 to update language
and add definitions of terms; implement minor changes to regulations within
some zoning districts and within the general and special provisions, add
chapter 18.33 "Commercial-Residential District" to the code, and
other similar changes. The amendment
will not change the zoning of any parcel of land.
Planner
Rick Simon presents the staff report reviewing the changes contained in the
proposed ordinance.
No one
speaks in opposition to, or in favor of the amendment and the hearing is closed
at 11:07 a.m.
It is
moved by Supervisor Keefer, seconded by Supervisor Dahle and carried
unanimously, on a roll call vote, to introduce and adopt, by title only,
Ordinance No. 467-AC, implementing the amendment.
UNITED
STATES FOREST SERVICE
Community
Liaison Heidi Perri distributes and reviews a fact sheet on the implementation
of the Healthy Forests Initiative.
Discussion is held on what needs to be done with the small diameter
material that will be coming off of the forest.
The Energy Bill still needs to be passed to address this issue.
She
distributes the Lassen RAC 2004 Proposals (22) and indicates that $524,636 has
been recommended by RAC for funding, out of a total $632,831 available. The
following proposals will receive RAC recommendation: Lassen County Combined
Efforts for Weed Control; Tribal Summer Youth Crew; Champs Flat & Gordon
Creek Restoration; County AG Commission A-Rated Noxious Weed Eradication; Pine
Creek Archaeological Investigations; Eagle Lake Trail Repair; Bizz Johnson
Trail Stabilization; Day Bench Fuel Reduction; Highway 44 Fencing; Big Valley
Rim Fuel Reduction; Ash Valley Fuel Reduction; and Repaving Swain Mtn.
Trailhead.
In
regard to the closing of SPI she states that Lassen National Forest (LNF) has
been the largest timber producing forest in Region 5 over the last ten
years. Supervisor Keefer notes there has
been a large reduction in the board feet of saw logs produced. Supervisor Chapman reads from SPI's press
release which shows the timber sales from LNF has gone from 108 million board
feet in 1990 down to 17.9 million in 2002.
He asks that Ed Cole be informed the Board would like to hear from him
on these discrepancies. Supervisor Dahle
feels it is too late to save the mill.
PSA 2
- AREA AGENCY ON AGING
It is
moved by Supervisor Dahle, seconded by Supervisor Hanson and carried to appoint
Diane Grose, for a two year term, to fill a vacancy on the Lassen County
Advisory Council.
CONSENT
CALENDAR
It is
moved by Supervisor Dahle, seconded by Supervisor Pyle and carried to take the
noted action on the following Consent Calendar items:
COUNTY
CLERK ITEM
Approve
minutes of December 9, 2003.
ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES - PERSONNEL ITEM
Receive
and file Personnel Movement report for October, 2003.
AGRICULTURE
COMMISSIONER ITEMS
Approve
contracts with the Department of Pesticide Regulation for FY 2003/2004
pesticide regulations for pesticide enforcement ($6,043) and for pesticide use
data entry ($376); and authorize the Chairman to sign the contracts.
Approve
contract with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) for
Organic Producer Registration and Inspection in the amount of $500; and
approval of a contract amendment with CDFA for Contract #03-0137, Nursery Stock
Nematode Inspections in the amount of $900; and authorize the Chairman to sign
the contracts.
BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS ITEM
A
letter from Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to Board of Supervisors
regarding the Request for Attorney General's Opinion on Conflict of Interest is
referred to County Counsel.
MISCELLANEOUS
CORRESPONDENCE ITEMS
Receive
and file the following correspondence:
a. Lassen County Air Pollution Control District
Governing Board Meeting agenda for December 17, 2003, and minutes of October
21, 2003.
b. Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board meeting
agenda for December 18, 2003.
c. Mental Health Advisory Board meeting agenda
for December 9, 2003.
CORRESPONDENCE
A
letter from the Governor's Office of Emergency Services stating the U. S. Small
Business Administration (SBA) has declared the counties of Alpine, El Dorado,
Inyo, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, San Bernardino and Sierra a disaster area
due to damages caused by drought and insect infestation that occurred on
January 1, 2003, and continuing in the neighboring State of Nevada, is received
and filed.
ADMINISTRATION
SERVICES - PURCHASING AND COUNTY CLERK
It is
moved by Supervisor Dahle, seconded by Supervisor Pyle and carried to waive the
formal bidding process; and approve the purchase of LegisStream Paperless
Agenda, Questys Document Imaging System, and associated licenses, training and
maintenance agreements for the purchase price of $29,030.16.
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT - PLANNING DIVISION
Community
Development Director Robert Sorvaag presents information on Agricultural
Preserve #2003-174, Delores E. Palmer: to consider approval of application to
enter 258.98 acres into a Williamson Act contract. The project site is located approximately 1
mile northwest of Milford, (APN No. 135-060-20).
It is
moved by Supervisor Keefer, seconded by Supervisor Dahle and carried to: 1) receive the Land Conservation Committee
recommendation on the amendment of an agricultural preserve and offer of a
Williamson Act contract; 2) adopt Land
conservation committee findings; 3) adopt
Resolution No. 03-085, amending
agricultural preserve (Resolution #84/85-520);
4) authorize Chairman to execute
a Williamson Act Contract; and 5)
authorize County Recorder to record without a fee.
Community
Development Director Robert Sorvaag presents information on Agricultural
Preserve #2003-173, Estill Ranches LLC:
to consider approval of application to enter 8,691.73 acres into a
Williamson Act contract. The project
site is located approximately 26 miles east of Madeline.
It is
moved by Supervisor Pyle, seconded by Supervisor Hanson and carried to: 1)
receive the Land Conservation Committee recommendation on the amendment
of an agricultural preserve and offer of a Williamson Act contract; 2) adopt Land Conservation Committee findings;
3) adopt Resolution No. 03-086, amending
agricultural preserve (Resolution #82/83-70); 4) authorize chairman to execute a Williamson
Act Contract; and 5) authorize County
Recorder to record without fee.
ADMINISTRATION
SERVICES - PERSONNEL DIVISION
Reclassifications-Mental
Health Department:
It is
moved by Supervisor Pyle, seconded by Supervisor Hanson and carried, to
reclassify Position #9124 from Psychiatric Nurse (Range U24, Classified,
NonExempt) to Chief, Clinical Records/ Administration, Position (Range MM26,
Classified, NonExempt); reclassify
position #2005 from Secretary (Range U12, Classified, NonExempt) to Senior
Admin Clerk (Range U10, Classified, NonExempt); and reclassify Position #9138
from Admin Clerk (Range U8, Classified, NonExempt) to Senior Admin Clerk (Range U10, Classified, NonExempt).
Salary
adjustments:
Personnel
Director Lynne Margolies states that in response to a request to look at
internal inequities in salaries between certain positions, she is submitting a
list that contains requests from Department Heads covering 27 positions/38
employees and from the Unions covering 18 positions/57 employees. She reviews what a study would entail and the
estimated costs. Her recommendation is
that an overall analysis be delayed and instead consider commissioning an
outside study in fiscal year 2005/2006.
Supervisor
Chapman states that obviously inequities exist but this is the worst time to
address them given the fiscal crisis.
Supervisor
Keefer expresses his frustration with this list because only a few positions
were brought up and it has mushroomed into this.
Supervisor
Dahle has three positions he wants to be looked at, Assistant Treasurer/Tax
Collector, Assistant County Clerk and Assistant Assessor, and that is because
the Board has messed around with the Auditor and CAO Assistants and created
inequities.
Assessor
Ken Bunch felt the inequities in his department began two years ago. He reviews the things that have occurred to
create the inequities between his appraisers and the Community Development
Planners.
Chairman
Chapman directs the CAO and Personnel Director to prepare an appropriate
analysis for the assistants to the Assessor, Treasurer/Tax Collector and County
Clerk and in the appraisers category, and bring it back on January 13, 2004.
CAO
Whiteman asks "wasn't the Fair Manager on the original list" and
Supervisor Dahle responds to just do what you have been directed to do.
Supervisor
Hanson notes there are two ways to address inequities between positions, one of
which is to drop the higher one down.
Reclassification-Probation
Department:
Assistant
Chief Probation Officer Debbie Rives provides information on the need to
upgrade two positions due to their lead responsibilities requiring them to work
out of their classification within the department.
Discussion
is held among board members.
It is
moved by Supervisor Dahle, seconded by Supervisor Pyle and carried to approve
reclassification of two Deputy Probation Officer I/II positions (Position
numbers 9216 and 2008) to Senior Deputy Probation Officer positions.
Recess
12:13 - 1:37 p.m. (Supervisor Hanson enters at 1:42 p.m.)
VLF
FUNDING STUDY SESSION
CAO
Whiteman presents and reviews a packet of information on the Vehicle License
Fee (VLF) Funding.
Supervisor
Chapman has a sample letter that the public can use to communicate with the
State representatives relating to local government funding.
Discussion
is held in relation to the Local Taxpayers and Public Safety Protection Act
Initiative and direction is given to place a resolution on the next agenda.
Supervisor
Dahle feels if nothing has happened early in January some plans need to be put
together.
ADJOURNMENT
IN MEMORY
There
being no further business, the meeting is adjourned at 2:27 p.m. in memory of
Harold Miles, a life-long member of the community.
__________________________________________
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
ATTEST:
_______________________________________
THERESA
NAGEL, CLERK OF THE BOARD