LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County's two state legislators celebrated the opening of their new district office in Lakeport with a gathering of local, state and federal officials and community members.
Assemblyman Bill Dodd and state Sen. Mike McGuire together cut the ribbon at the Tuesday evening grand opening of the new office, located at 885 Lakeport Blvd., next door to the Lake County Agriculture Department.
Even before the two men were elected to their first terms in the state Legislature last year, they had discussed opening a district office in Lake County, Dodd said.
McGuire reported that the opening represents the first time in nearly four decades that a joint legislative district office has been located in Lake County.
“We're committed to Lake County now, we're committed to Lake County tomorrow,” McGuire said.
Both Dodd and McGuire have given Lake County considerable attention since taking office last December, with both advocating for the county on myriad issues, from lake health to education to affordable water rates.
This summer, as Lake County has been devastated by three major wildland fires in a row – the Rocky, Jerusalem and the Valley – the advocacy of both Dodd and McGuire has become even more concentrated on the community, with both men working to get the county the needed resources and assistance.
Discussion of the Valley fire, which firefighters have not yet fully contained – it remained at 97-percent containment on Tuesday evening – figured prominently at the Tuesday night event, with Cal Fire and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials on hand.
McGuire said he and Dodd had three goals – to focus on continuing fire resources to get the fire out, housing for displaced residents, and economic development and jobs as the county moves into the recovery phase.
Based on estimates so far, McGuire said the county will experience a 12-percent hit to its sales tax, a 5-percent decrease in property tax, a 35-percent drop in transient occupancy tax – or bed tax – and 16-percent decrease in geothermal revenue as a result of the fires.
He said a team composed of representatives from state agencies including the Department of Water Resources, Cal Fire, California Office of Emergency Services and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are exploring the wildfires' impacts – including erosion, mud and debris – on the county's environment and watersheds with a view to protecting Clear Lake.
A final report on their findings is expected to be released next week, McGuire said, with additional funds expected to be directed to the county to deal with those environmental concerns.
Dodd and McGuire also lauded the work of local officials in response to the fires, including Sheriff Brian Martin – who Dodd called an “incredible leader” – and the Board of Supervisors.
McGuire noted that at different times through the Valley fire Supervisor Rob Brown has been carrying out various services on the ground, from directing traffic in the early hours of the incident to delivering dumpsters to the Cobb area earlier on Tuesday.
Brown told the group, “Nothing prepares you for the events we just had.”
He said both Dodd and McGuire have impressed him for their dedication to the county during its time of greatest need.
“The thing that I've felt so strongly about throughout this entire two and a half weeks is there are no Republicans or Democrats, there are only Lake Countians. And you don't have to live in Lake County to be a Lake Countian at this time,” Brown said.
McGuire and Dodd also honored Congressman Mike Thompson – whose district representative Brad Onorato was on hand – for his efforts on behalf of the county during the Valley fire.
Dodd pointed out that Thompson had been set to return to Washington, DC the first week of the fire but instead stayed so he could be in Lake County to respond to the need.
Invited to offer his own remarks, Martin lauded Dodd and McGuire for opening the office in Lake County, which he said was the right thing to do.
He said authorities will be responding to issues related to the Valley fire for at least a couple of years to come. “This affects our entire community,” he said.
Martin added, “This impacts all of us and it's going to be a long process to get through.”
He said he's working to implement extra patrols in the fire area on an ongoing basis, with plans to continue those patrols during the reconstruction process in order to protect building sites.
Martin warned that the community needs to be on the lookout for scammers, explaining that earlier in the day he met with the National Insurance Crime Bureau to discuss protecting the community.
Todd Derum of Cal Fire said the Valley fire remained at 97-percent containment on Tuesday evening,
“We're not out of fire season yet,” said Derum, who was operations chief on the fire in its early hours. He added that he's not sure the 2012 fire season ever ended.
At the event AT&T representatives announced they were donating $25,000 to the fire relief effort, and handed out three checks in the amount of $2,500 each to local organizations making special impacts, including Lake Family Resource Center, North Coast Opportunities and Canine Companions for Independence.
The new district office can be reached at telephone 707-576-0400.
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Dodd, McGuire celebrate opening of new Lake County district office
- Elizabeth Larson
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