CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Clearlake Oaks resident Jim Steele has announced that he will run for Lake County District 3 supervisor in next year's election.
District 3 currently is represented on the Board of Supervisors by Denise Rushing, who has said she will not seek a third term.
Steele joins a field that includes longtime Lake County businessman and former planning commissioner Marvin Butler, as Lake County News has reported.
Steele said his main reason for deciding to run for supervisor is Clear Lake.
As a young biologist, he fell in love with Clear Lake, the study of which was one of his early jobs.
“Clear Lake is the underpinning of our economy and essential to our quality of life. It is an ecological treasure with an abundance of wildlife and physical attributes that make Lake County a perfect place to live and visit,” Steele said. “I know I can help guide the decisions necessary to restore Clear Lake to its natural vitality. I have already begun meeting with groups and I look forward to continuing discussions with the community about the issues of importance to them including the potential hitch listing, affordable drinking water and more.”
Steele has an extensive science and business background, and has worked both in the private and public sectors.
In the private sector, he has owned three businesses – tax and business consultant, martial arts dojo and water rights consultant – and still consults on a selective basis, assisting farmers, landowners and others with water rights and permitting issues.
As a former consultant to the county of Lake, Steele conducted experiments with the University of Nevada to develop a method that stops quagga mussels should they infect the lake, and created a true or false test for boaters seeking quagga stickers.
In the public sector, Steele has worked as a biologist and ecologist. He also is a registered professional forester, has taught at the community college and state university levels and developed focus courses for agency specialists.
He led restoration projects on endangered species, coastal streams and fish populations, protection programs for old growth forests and investigated difficult water pollution problems.
Steele is a policy advisor and liaison to the Board of Forestry and the Water Resources Control Board and served two governors as technical advisor on environmental issues.
After a distinguished 30-year career with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Steele moved to Lake County in 2002.
Since moving to Lake County Steele has become actively involved in number of volunteer organizations.
He is president of the Lake County Search and Rescue Association, serves on a technical advisory committee that is analyzing information from satellite imagery to find solutions to the problems plaguing Clear Lake and has served on the Clearlake Oaks Water District Board. He writes a column on the lake and has a radio show focusing on Clear Lake twice monthly.
Steele said he wants to help build a thriving economic community by focusing on the restorative processes needed to return Clear Lake to its natural vitality, doing so in a way that maintains the integrity of the lake's ecosystem and beauty, and increases its destination appeal for tourists.
An honorably discharged veteran of the armed services, he is married to Olga Martin Steele, currently representing District 3 on the Lake County Planning Commission.
For more information visit Steele's Web site at www.jimsteeleforsupervisor.com .