LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors continued emergency proclamations due to the drought and wildfire conditions, and approved an agreement for the establishment of a veterans treatment court.
County Administrative Officer Matt Perry took the extension of the emergency declaration for the drought – which first was made in March 2014, and has been continued monthly since then – and the more recent wildfire emergency declaration which the board first ratified last month.
Perry said the drought conditions are continuing, and while the wildland fires – the Rocky and Jerusalem specifically – have been fully contained, “The conditions still exist for fires in Lake County,” he said.
He added of the latter declaration related to the wildland fires, “The proclamation is essential to our recovery efforts.”
In separate motions, Supervisor Jim Comstock moved to continue both emergency declarations, with each receiving unanimous approval from the board.
In other wildfire-related news, this week, the supervisors were able to approve a resolution designating the county departments that will act as the agents for the California Disaster Assistance Act funding the county has received due to the Rocky and Jerusalem fires.
The Governor's Office of Emergency Services last week reported that Gov. Jerry Brown had issued an executive order to expedite funds to Lake County because of the fires, as Lake County News has reported.
Comstock offered the resolution, which the board approved unanimously.
In other business, county Chief Probation Officer Rob Howe took to the board a request to approve an agreement between the county of Lake, Lake County Probation Department and the Superior Court of California for the operation of a veterans treatment court.
The term of the agreement began April 1 of this year and will continue through April 30, 2017, with the Lake County Superior Court to pay the county of Lake a maximum of $176,000 under the agreement.
Howe said he, Judge Richard Martin and Court Executive Officer Krista LeVier attended a two-day conference in San Francisco a few years ago on collaborative courts, including veterans courts.
He said California Penal Code section 1170.9 allows judges to take issues like post traumatic stress disorder into account in cases involving veterans.
Howe said earlier that morning veterans court had convened with two participants.
“We hope to grow significantly,” he said.
Comstock, himself a Vietnam veteran, thanked Howe, noting the proposal was an important thing for veterans.
Howe said he thinks it will be a good program, and runs along with his department's day reporting center's offerings.
It also is similar to the drug court that has existed in the county for more than 20 years, Howe said.
Veterans participating in the court program must report to the judge every two weeks. “They've got a good motivation to keep up with it,” Howe said.
Howe said other agencies like Behavioral Health and the District Attorney's Office also are involved.
The funding term is for two years. Board Chair Anthony Farrington asked about future funding.
Howe said they're not yet sure of how the effort would be funded in the future, although some counties manage to continue them.
“A lot of it is a little unknown to us,” Howe said, adding they are looking at other counties' programs.
“A lot of it is how much participation we get,” he said, adding they are working to get the word out about the program.
Farrington noted the mental illness component in many crimes, and that people who served the country in the military and return home with mental illness and addiction issues should get help.
The board unanimously approved the agreement.
On Tuesday the board also read proclamations designating the month of September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and designating the week of Sept. 7 to 13, 2015, as Suicide Prevention Week; and voted to consolidate elections for school district seats, community services districts, fire protection district and water district elections on the November ballot.
An appeal that had been filed by the Middletown Rancheria of the Lake County Planning Commission's approval of minor modifications to use permits for Calpine to construct an above-ground pipeline to connect its West Ford Flat Steam Field to an existing pipeline serving the Calistoga Steam Field was withdrawn.
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Supervisors continue emergency declarations, approve veterans treatment court agreement
- Elizabeth Larson
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