LAKEPORT, Calif. – After failing to approve either of the two candidates put forward to fill a vacancy on the Lakeport Planning Commission, the Lakeport City Council on Tuesday directed staff to readvertise the position.
Last month, citing health reasons, Planning Commissioner Jeri Driver submitted her resignation to the city, according to City Clerk Kelly Buendia.
Driver was appointed to the commission in December, along with Mark Mitchell, as Lake County News has reported.
At that time, an ad hoc advisory committee of two council members – Stacey Mattina and Mireya Turner – suggested Driver, Mitchell and Brandon Disney to fill three expiring terms on the commission.
Those three new candidates were proposed over existing commissioners Michael Froio and Kipp Knorr. After Froio and others argued in support of his reappointment, the council selected him over Disney.
With Driver’s resignation last month, Buendia reported that the city had contacted Disney and Knorr to see if either were still interested in serving. By the time the city released its agenda and supporting reports late last week, Disney had responded but Knorr had not, and staff recommended Disney be appointed to succeed Driver.
City Manager Margaret Silveira said Disney had planned to attend Tuesday night’s council meeting, but he wasn’t there.
However, Knorr was, and told the council that he hadn’t responded to the city’s inquiry about his continuing interest due to family issues out of state. Silveira said both Knorr and Disney had been notified late of the vacancy.
Knorr, who had served six months on the commission – succeeding longtime Commissioner Harold Taylor – before the ad hoc committee passed him over for reappointment in December, said he has spent more than 40 years as a general contractor. He also served two years on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission.
He said planning commission decisions should be made based on experience, adding he believed he has great experience, and didn’t just rubber stamp projects that came along. Knorr added that he loves Lakeport and intends to live there for the rest of his life.
Froio also spoke in support of Knorr’s appointment. He invited Disney to come to planning commission meetings and participate as a member of the public.
Knorr, Froio said, always came prepared with construction knowledge and life experience. He performed well on the commission for more than six months, experience other candidates didn’t have.
Councilman Kenny Parlet said that, with Disney not in attendance, it put the council in a difficult position.
City Attorney David Ruderman said the council had options, and that the commission wouldn’t be deprived of a quorum – which is three members being present at a meeting – if the council didn’t take action.
Councilman George Spurr moved to appoint Knorr to the commission, but the motion died for lack of a second.
Mattina then moved to appoint Disney, which Turner seconded. However, while Mattina and Turner voted yes, Mayor Tim Barnes, Parlet and Spurr voted no, so the motion failed.
Barnes asked if the position had been advertised. Staff said it was.
Ruderman suggested that by advertising the planning commission vacancy once again, it wouldn’t stop Disney and Knorr from reapplying.
The council, after a few moments of silence and quizzical looks, reached consensus to direct staff to repost the planning commission decision.
In other business, the council began the evening with a half-hour budget workshop ahead of opening the regular meeting.
Finance Director Nick Walker gave the council a quick look at the 2019-20 fiscal year budget, the final version of which will be presented in two weeks.
The proposed budget has $12.7 million in revenue and $16.3 million in expenditures, with the difference explained due to funds the city already has received for projects, Walker said. He said the budget is structurally balanced, with about $1 million in one-time funds to be spent in the coming year.
The budget has been crafted based on goals determined by the council, with a strong focus on public safety, roads, human capital, project execution, cost control and economic development, Walker said.
In business conducted during the regular meeting, Silveira said city staff had gotten together and raised money for a scholarship for the child of an employee. The first $600 scholarship was awarded to Madison Ferguson, daughter of Lakeport Police Lt. Jason Ferguson.
Also on Tuesday, the council approved the purchase of Laserfiche software as part of its ongoing work to digitize and manage city records.
Council members also approved a new police lieutenant and captain classification series, with monthly salary changes for the lieutenant and the police chief positions, and salary range for the captain position, effective July 2, and a deputy city clerk III-records supervisor classification, effective July 1.
Buendia gave the council a report an a plan to establish a full-time assistant city manager position for the latter half of the upcoming budget year. That proposal will be brought back at a later time, with funding for it included in the budget.
In other business, the council unanimously approved a wastewater connection fees and water capacity fees deferral agreement/loan with AMG & Associates – Pacific West Communities for the 48-unit affordable family rental housing project it’s building on Martin Street.
Silveira’s report said the total for wastewater connection fees deferred is $706,041 and the total water capacity fees deferred is $188,310. Those deferrals, she said in her written report, will allow the project to proceed.
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Lakeport City Council directs staff to hold new planning commissioner recruitment
- Elizabeth Larson
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