LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — For the first time in 16 months, the Lakeport City Council returned to its chambers on Tuesday evening for an in-person meeting.
About half a dozen people, other than staff and council members, were in the mostly empty chambers on Tuesday evening.
It was the first time that freshmen council members Michael Green and Michael Froio took their place on the dais alongside their colleagues.
Green and Froio were elected in November and took office in December, being sworn in virtually and meeting via Zoom since then.
Tuesday night’s meeting did not see the entire council in attendance, however. While Froio, Green, and council members Stacey Mattina and Mireya Turner were back in their seats — all of them unmasked, as were city staff — Mayor Kenny Parlet attended by Zoom.
After the meeting was called to order and the Pledge of Allegiance took place, Parlet launched into a statement decrying the larger COVID-19 response and how he is unable to travel and do other things because he refuses to wear a mask and has not taken the vaccine.
Parlet’s comments were apparently in response to the city’s requirement that those who are not fully vaccinated for COVID-19 were required to wear a face covering at the meeting, in accordance with state guidance — particularly revised Cal OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards.
“My liberty has been taken away,” said Parlet, who made a passing comment that suggested he had COVID-19 last year.
He said he would attend the meetings on Zoom rather than coming into the chambers and having to wear a mask. “I remain brave enough to go without a shot and a mask,” even if he has to go it alone, Parlet said.
Supervisor Tina Scott gave the council a short update during public comment about the Board of Supervisors’ unanimous passage earlier in the day of a resolution to urge community members to mask while at indoor events. It’s an action other counties and cities across the state also are taking.
“Our numbers are skyrocketing here in Lake County,” said Scott, who was herself wearing a mask. She added that it’s up to each person to do the right thing.
In addition to Parlet not being present on Tuesday night, the meeting also was missing the presence of the Lakeport Police Department’s new K-9, Olin, who along with handler, Officer Kaylene Strugnell, had been scheduled to meet the council.
The young German shepherd is Lakeport Police’s first K-9 since 2009, when K-9 Max retired. He and Strugnell started working together last month.
Chief Brad Rasmussen told Lake County News before the meeting that Strugnell and Olin were unable to make it and their appearance will be rescheduled to another meeting.
Closing out grant funding, discussing police use of force
The council’s return to the chambers was an otherwise short meeting that ran just over 40 minutes, during which council members voted to close out a grant, addressed general plan-related issues and discussed police use of force.
On the agenda was a public hearing on closing out Community Development Block Grant funding under grant contract 14-CDBG-9883.
Finance Director Nick Walker presented the item to the council, explaining the funding had been used for completing the Lakefront Revitalization Study, issuing five loans totaling nearly $400,000 and contributing $153,593 toward the nearly $300,000 Carnegie Library Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility projects. Walker said all projects are now complete.
The council voted unanimously to approve closing out the grant, which has been underway for several years, and direct staff to submit the final close out documents to the state.
Community Development Director Jenni Byers presented a resolution to approve an amendment to the safety element of the general plan, which she said can be found on the city website. The council also unanimously approved that item.
In police business, Chief Rasmussen discussed with the council the Lakeport Police Department’s 2021 Use of Force Analysis Report, which is on page 83 of the agenda packet.
Like all California police agencies, the Lakeport Police Department must report to the state Department of Justice all incidents where the use of force by an officer resulted in serious bodily injury to a subject, Rasmussen reported.
He said they transmit that data as it happens, and what he presented to the council was his department’s internal analysis of the incidents it reports to the Department of Justice.
The information doesn’t have to be released publicly but Rasmussen said he thinks it’s important for the community and the council to know what the police department is using to reduce such incidents.
From 2018 to 2020, the incidents have steadily declined, by 50% each year. Rasmussen said there were four in 2018, two in 2019 and one in 2020.
As a result of the analysis, Rasmussen said they had identified future internal training recommendations relating to firearms and de-escalation, among other topics. He doesn’t believe the department has critical equipment needs.
Rasmussen said he doesn’t believe law changes reduce use of force incidents. “It takes constant training and the right policy.”
He explained during the discussion that he established a department policy requiring staff to conduct this analysis for the use and betterment of its personnel.
Mattina said that when she’s talked to Rasmussen in the past about such incidents, he’s said it came down to a lack of training. She commended him for going above and beyond to address the matter. “Well done.”
Parlet said Rasmussen always seems to be ahead of the curve and lauded him for “exemplary action.”
“I could not be happier with you as our chief,” Parlet said.
Turner moved to receive and file the report, which Mattina seconded and the council approved 5-0.
In the last item of business for the night, the council appointed Turner to act as the voting delegate at the League of California Cities annual conference, which will be held Sept. 22 to 24. Mattina will be the first alternate and Froio the second.
During wrap up comments at the meeting’s end, City Manager Kevin Ingram said the situation with meetings remains dynamic, with Walker having handled the hybrid meeting operation on the computer. Ingram said he would keep everyone informed if changes to the format are needed.
“So happy to be back in this room,” he said.
Mattina said she was happy to see everyone’s face.
Green, responding to Parlet’s comments at the top of the meeting, took the opposite view about the pandemic’s impacts.
“When people make choices to not vaccinate, there are consequences,” said Green.
Part of the consequences now, he suggested, are that masking up is necessary and the city needs to amend its policies, noting that the emerging Delta variant is very transmissible.
While Green said he was grateful the community is past the worst of the first wave, there are plenty of warning signs about second and third waves.
“So buckle up,” he said, adding he appreciates those who did get vaccinated.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
072021 Lakeport City Council agenda packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd