The Lake County Board of Supervisors is digging into next county budget. They’re holding the first budget hearings starting this week on the fiscal 25-26 budget, which has to be approved this month and adopted by October. 2nd, The total recommended budget so far is 418.6 million dollars, which is 21 million more than the current plan. The county says the increase is due to more appropriations for several county agencies, including Behavioral Health Services, Public Safety, and the Northwest Regional Wastewater system. Expenses in the general fund part of the budget are actually DOWN under the proposal. The first of the public hearings will be tomorrow and Wednesday at 9 AM at the county courthouse.
The Lake County Air Quality Board says its finances are in good shape even though Board Manager Doug Gearhart has told supervisors that the state doesn’t offer much support, so the Board passed a resolution asking the state to provide funding for clean air programs. The board says the state probably won’t spend any more on county air quality agencies because it’s facing a significant budget deficit for the next fiscal year. The board has a contingency fund, but may have to turn to higher fees to implement state and federal air quality mandates. Gearhart says he would like to add staff and that normal replacement costs for equipment are rising.
A step back in time to the 50s is ahead for the Lakeshore Lions Club’s 67th annual Redbud Parade and festival. The event is planned for July 5th, with the Parade stepping off at 11 am from Redbud Park, and running along Lakeshore Drive to Austin Park. The theme is Crusin’ the 50’s After the parade, there will be a carnival at Austin Park, a concert at 7 PM, and fireworks at dusk. The day is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Lions Club.
A new partnership will help adults in Lake and Mendocino Counties learn new skills or pursue a college degree. The California Community Colleges, the California Department of Aging, and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency have launched a program setting guidelines to assist older students and people with disabilities. Under the program, the schools will connect students with resources and support, whether they’re going back to school, back to work, or starting a new career. The Chancellor of the State’s community colleges says it fits the school’s mission to offer more opportunities to more people. Chancellor Sonya Christian says older students face unique challenges and that this is a way for the state to address them. She also says it’s not just students who will benefit. She calls older workers an untapped resource who can bring a lifetime’s worth of experiences and perspectives to potential employers
The state says the Three Rivers Charter School for Math and English Language Arts in Fort Bragg gets an “A” for its performance. Mendocino County says recent state test scores for the 28 charters in California with similar size and student demographics rank the school number one in both English and math. Three Rivers has been teaching grades 1 through 8 for 20 years and has about 80 students in its four classrooms on the Mendocino College Coast Center Campus.. The school is open to families living in any school district on the Mendocino Coast.
