BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

 

                            DECEMBER 9, 2003

 

                                      

The Lassen County Board of Supervisors convenes in Regular Session on Tuesday, December 9, 2003, at 9:31 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 Chapman.

 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF ITEMS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION

Chairman Chapman announces that no closed session was held.

 

AGENDA APPROVAL, ADDITIONS AND/OR DELETIONS

It is moved by Supervisor Keefer, seconded by Supervisor Dahle and carried to approve the agenda as posted.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT

Chairman Chapman asks board members and all others to share any thoughts they have with Violet Stout as a contribution toward a Christmas Poem.

 

Violet Stout distributed "The Anthony Hargis Letter" covering the subject "Who Owns City Hall?"

 

UNAGENDIZED BOARD REPORTS

1.   Supervisor Dahle will be attending an RCRC meeting this afternoon and states they have been working on PILT Funding - will meet with a Washington, D.C., law firm to receive a briefing on the possibility of getting back past PILT funding; wants a letter of support on the next agenda to support an application for Federal Funding for a Tri-County fire clearing project proposed by Tom Esgate.

2.   Supervisor Keefer reports they are working on the County Fire Plan; he will make a presentation on the Goat Fire at the Western Forestry Conference tomorrow in Sacramento; will miss the RAC presentations on Wednesday, but will be back on Thursday for beginning discussions to sort and rate the RAC proposals.  He explains how the RAC allocation process works.

3.   Supervisor Pyle will be presenting a proposal to RAC for Highway 44 fencing at an approximate cost of $140,000; reports he attended a Dental Hygienists Flouride Varnish Clinic at Richmond School.

4.   Supervisor Hanson attended and reports on: the Sage Grouse Working Group meeting; LAFCO meeting; meeting to discuss base retention; and Quincy Basketball Tournament.

5.   Supervisor Chapman distributes the second draft of a resolution urging reform in financing local government; reports on the Transportation Commission meeting and asks board members to let him know about any sites where a safety issue exists that would benefit from the radar equipped speed limit signs; makes the following designations from his discretionary funds: $1,110 to the Susanville Railroad Historic Depot, $1,000 to the Lassen County Arts Council and $1,000 to the Susanville Library District; announces that he received word that Mike Smith is getting married January 16th.

 

CONSENT CALENDAR

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

 

COUNTY CLERK ITEM

Approve minutes of November 25, 2003.

       

COUNTY CLERK - PROPOSITION 65 REPORT ITEMS

Receive and file report #03-07, filed by Lt. H. N. Linschoten, Susanville Commander CHP, on 11/23/2003 - NOTIFICATION OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RELEASE:  On Friday, November 7, 2003, a tractor trailer combination was involved in a head on collision on U.S. 395 south of Bass Hill, resulting in the eruption of both saddle tanks and approximately 125 gallons of diesel fuel being spilled onto the pavement and dirt shoulder.  Clean up of the paved roadway was completed by the California Department of Transportation and excavation of the contaminated soil will be completed by a private contractor.  The cleanup should be completed by the end of November.

 

Receive and file report #03-08, filed by Lt. H. N. Linschoten, Susanville Commander CHP, on 11/23/2003 - NOTIFICATION OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RELEASE:  On Wednesday, November 12, 2003, a tractor trailer combination was involved in a head on collision on Hwy 36 west of Fredonyer Summit, resulting in the eruption of both saddle tanks and approximately 150 gallons of diesel fuel being spilled onto the pavement and the dirt shoulder on the north side of Hwy 36.  Clean up is being coordinated by the California Department of Transportation.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ITEMS

Approve contract for special investigative services with Frank Skrah, to cover the period of January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.

 

Approve contract for special investigative services with James "Pat" Devlyne, to cover the period of January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.

 

Approve contract for special investigative services with John Abbott, to cover the period of January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.

 

COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE ITEM

Adopt Resolution No. 03-080, establishing County Department Public Office Hours.

 

MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE ITEMS

Receive and file the following correspondence:

a.   Lassen County Technical Advisory committee revised meeting agenda for December 2, 2003.

b.   Lassen County Planning Commission meeting agenda for December 3, 2003.

c.   Land Conservation Committee meeting agenda for December 4, 2003.

d.   Lassen Transit Service Agency meeting agenda for December 8, 2003.

e.   Lassen County Transportation Commission meeting agenda for December 8, 2003.

f.   Lassen County Fair Advisory Board meeting agenda for December 9, 2003.

g.   Monthly meeting schedule of the Planning Commission and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for 2004 and their application deadlines.

h.   Local Agency Formation Commission of Lassen County (LAFCO) meeting agenda for December 8, 2003.

 

AUDITOR

It is moved by Supervisor Dahle, seconded by Supervisor Keefer and carried to approve the sole source purchase of IBM computer hardware/software used in processing county payroll from Advance Data Systems (ADS) in the amount of $28,477.  The purchase was included in the 2003/2004 budget from CCC Mitigation funds. 

 

TREASURER / TAX COLLECTOR

It is moved by Supervisor Pyle, seconded by Supervisor Dahle and carried to adopt Resolution No. 03-081, approving the sale of tax defaulted property at public auction and sealed bid sale on May 5 and 6, 2004, and May 12 and 13, 2004.

 

It is moved by Supervisor Pyle, seconded by Supervisor Hanson and carried to approve agreement with Bid4Assets, Inc. of Silver Spring, Maryland, to advertise and hold a public auction of tax defaulted properties on the internet at a rate of $75.00 per parcel; and authorize the Treasurer/Tax Collector to execute the agreement. 

 

COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

Military Base Retention:

It is moved by Supervisor Hanson, seconded by Supervisor Pyle and carried to adopt Resolution No. 03-082, supporting Military Base Retention.

 

VLF Funds:

CAO Whiteman learned yesterday that a pro-rated smaller payment of vehicle license fee (VLF) funds will be paid in December and the county will receive no backfill in January as the funds will be used to make refunds to persons who paid the higher license fees.  He goes on to review the projections to County funds due to the loss of VLF funding.

 

LEGISLATION

It is moved by Supervisor Dahle, seconded by Supervisor Hanson and carried to adopt Resolution No. 03-083, to support AB 5X 3  (Cox), and SB 5X 1 (Brulte) regarding the backfill of the Vehicle License Fee (VLF) to local government.

 

Supervisor Chapman provides a lengthy explanation of how tax allocations have changed since 1972 as a review of the resolution urging reform in financing local government services.

 

It is moved by Supervisor Hanson, seconded by Supervisor Dahle and carried unanimously, on a roll call vote, to adopt Resolution No. 03-084, urging reform in financing local government services by the governor and State Legislature.

 

Recess 10:34 - 10:45 a.m.

 

COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

Mental Health Department:

CAO Whiteman responds to a request from the board members for a report on the Mental Health Department Business Plan by asking Interim Health and Human Services Director Tom Gauthier to make a presentation.  Tom Gauthier reads a statement which offers viable solutions, and asks for help in moving forward. A few important improvements in place are:  scheduling for each Case Manager and Therapist is managed from a new central function and is set at 80% of available clinical time; clinic hours are transitioning to full staffing at 5 day, 40 hour weeks; client appointment "no-shows" are being actively managed; and collaboration with Probation Department (general relationship needs a lot of work) and the Child Protective Services Department (already a fact).  He summarizes that the reorganization and new management in Mental Health are producing marked improvements in productivity and efficiency.  The cost of community services outside the Mental Health clinical mandate is greater than revenues can support; an infusion of new clients can raise revenues to a workable level to sustain both the clinic and the services; these clients must come from collaboration with other county units who work with Medi-Cal eligible people.  Finally he asks the Board to take the lead in insisting that all of us "servants of the community" learn to "play nice in the sandbox" - and collaborate fully with each other in running the business of the people as effectively as possible.

 

Supervisor Keefer compliments Dr. Gauthier and staff for a good report and notes customer service is his main concern.  He feels that productivity would improve if there is even staffing from Monday through Friday.  He likes the move toward a 5 day - 40 hour work week. 

 

Supervisor Hanson feels their efforts to address the "no-shows" will be helpful.

 

INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD

Supervisor Chapman announces that Assemblyman Cox will hold a town hall meeting on December 19th at 9:30 a.m. in the Board Room.

                                   

CORRESPONDENCE

1.   A letter from the Governor's Office of Emergency Services stating the   U. S. Department of Agriculture granted a Secretarial disaster designation for Lassen County as a Contiguous County due to agriculture losses caused by drought and insect infestation that occurred January 1, 2003, and continuing, is received and filed.

 

2.   A letter from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger responding to Lassen County and Mendocino County joint letter of concern protesting CDF's removal of seasonal firefighting resources, is received and filed.

 

APPOINTMENT SUPPORT

Supervisor Keefer presents a letter of support for appointment of Gary Gilbert as Director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.  He has known Mr. Gilbert for forty years and states he has good background in resource and fire management.  He states there are also other very good candidates and wants to be sure the board members are aware of that.

      

It is moved by Supervisor Dahle, seconded by Supervisor Hanson and carried unanimously, on a roll call vote, to approve, and authorize the Chairman to sign, a letter of support for appointment of Gary Gilbert as Director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

    

There being no further business, the meeting is adjourned at 11:15 a.m.

 

 

 

                                __________________________________________

                                  CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

 

ATTEST:

 

_______________________________________

THERESA NAGEL, CLERK OF THE BOARD