LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council this week will consider an agreement with a consulting firm for a hotel feasibility study and discuss the flooding event that began last month, including continuing the emergency declaration and getting an update on the law against price gouging.
The council will meet beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, in the council chambers at Lakeport city Hall, 225 Park St.
At the start of the meeting, Lake County Water Resources Department Director Philip Moy will update the council on the lake level and the county’s urgency boating ordinance.
On Tuesday, Community Development Director Kevin Ingram will present to the council a proposed professional services agreement with HVS, a division of TS Worldwide LLC, for the development and implementation of the hotel market and development feasibility analysis.
Ingram's report to the council explained that the city was awarded $40,000 by the USDA Rural Business Development Grant to develop a hotel market and development feasibility analysis.
The city issued a request for proposals in November and received three, settling on HVS following a selection process that included a committee and interviews with two of the firms.
Ingram said the hotel feasibility study is estimated to cost $20,100, with the remaining $19,900 to be used to actively market the city of Lakeport to either build or obtain financing for a hotel.
In other business, staff will ask the council to continue the proclamation declaring a local state of emergency due to flooding and extreme weather that City Manager Margaret Silveira declared on Feb. 14.
City Attorney David Ruderman also will update council members on the applicability of state law that prohibits price gouging during a state of emergency, which he said was automatically triggered by the city's emergency declaration.
Ruderman's report to the council explained that, under state law, it is unlawful to charge a price that exceeds, by more than 10 percent, the price of an item or service – food, emergency supplies and cleanup services, storage services, hotel accommodations and rental housing – before the declaration of an emergency.
Violators can face misdemeanor prosecution, with conviction possibly leading to a fine not to exceed
$10,000 and/or imprisonment for up to one year, with civil enforcement actions also possible, he reported.
The state law that prohibits price gouging remains in effect for 30 days after the declaration of an emergency, which Ruderman said the council can decide to extend for a 30-day period “if deemed necessary to protect the lives, property, or welfare of the citizens.”
Also on Tuesday, Public Works Director Doug Grider will ask for direction to advertise for competitive bids for the Giselman Street Waterline Replacement Project.
Grider's report said the project will replace approximately 1,356 feet of the main 8-inch water line and
provide new service lines to the homes in the project limits, at a total estimated cost $408,412. He said the project's construction is scheduled during the summer school break.
On the meeting's consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; the warrant register dated Feb. 28; minutes for the Feb. 21 council meeting; and approval of Application No. 2017-010 with staff recommendations for the 2017 Camp & Shine event to be held on Park Street on June 17.
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Lakeport City Council to discuss hotel feasibility study agreement, consider continuing local emergency
- Elizabeth Larson
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