Clearlake finance director reports Measure B receipts exceed expectations; committee reviews budgets and staffing

Kelsey Young, Clearlake’s new finance director, presented the committee with the Measure B fiscal report and said sales-tax receipts have outperformed conservative budgeting assumptions. Young told the panel that the city originally budgeted $1.75 million for the fiscal year but updated numbers show an adjusted amount of $2.563 million.

Young said salary spending produced savings in the reported year and recommended revisiting salary levels as the program takes on more projects. Committee members pressed for clarity about the fiscal reporting period (current reports cover July–October rather than a full fiscal year) and noted four full-time road positions are vacant, which has constrained simultaneous grading and maintenance crews.

Young also described a $1.7 million internal loan from capital projects to cover near-term needs and said the city expects to be able to repay it quickly if sales-tax collections remain strong. Committee members asked about line-item details, and Young explained that some variance comes from salary savings and timing of project reimbursements.

The committee asked staff to provide more granular mileage and grading numbers in future meetings to show progress against Measure commitments (for example, grading of dirt roads and the promise to grade annually). The meeting record shows staff committed to provide additional mileage reporting in future agendas.

Jim Scholz was sworn in during the meeting, and the committee subsequently approved Resolution OC2021-01 with a recorded five-aye vote after a brief amendment. The meeting adjourned with routine minutes and attendance matters handled.