Supervisors defer vote on coalition letter urging preservation of Lake Pillsbury until Oct. 6

Supervisors Sabatier and Crandall asked the Board to authorize them to sign a joint coalition letter from the Save Lake Pillsbury Coalition to the National Energy Dominance Council opposing decommissioning and urging keeping Lake Pillsbury and the Potter Valley project intact.

Sabatier said he and Crandall had worked with coalition members, including local officials and the county treasurer, and that the coalition’s connections to the National Energy Dominance Council could amplify the message. “We are attempting the best that we can to communicate with every group possible that might be helpful in our plight,” he said.

Several supervisors expressed reservations about using a coalition letter as the county’s only advocacy vehicle and suggested the county should send a separate letter on official Lake County letterhead. Chief Deputy CAO Matthew Ralston advised that authorizing the two supervisors to sign on behalf of the coalition would not preclude the county preparing its own, narrowly framed letter for a subsequent meeting. Because Supervisor Crandall was absent, the Board agreed to continue the matter to the Oct. 6 regular meeting so the full set of supervisors can participate and staff can prepare a county‑specific draft.

No vote was taken to sign the coalition letter at the Sept. 22 meeting.