Clearlake council appoints Terry Stewart to planning commission; names Michael McKeown to marketing committee

The Clearlake City Council on [date] appointed Terry Stewart to fill an unexpired Planning Commission term ending in March 2025 after interviewing three applicants.

Stewart, who told the council he has lived in Lake County since childhood and holds a contractor’s license in the flooring trade since 1979, emphasized decades of local real-estate and construction experience and said he can attend the commission’s first- and third-Tuesday meetings. “I think I have some pretty good analytical skills,” Stewart said during his interview (Terry Stewart).

Council members praised the three finalists’ qualifications while noting different strengths. Councilman Claffey and Vice Mayor Purdock said Stewart’s familiarity with zoning and building processes made him most able to “hit the ground running.” Councilman Kramer moved to appoint Stewart; the motion was seconded and carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Earlier on the agenda the council unanimously approved Michael McKeown’s appointment to the Clearlake Marketing Committee. McKeown, who identified his business as ECHO / Wine Country Web Services and said he has been doing web development and hosting for about 30 years, told the council he wants to expand Clearlake’s regional exposure and assist the committee’s marketing work.

The council heard brief interviews from the other planning-commission candidates: Thomas Burnett, who noted IT and youth-coaching experience and expressed willingness to study staff reports thoroughly, and Jim Schulz, who described decades of local business and volunteer service and prior appointments to local boards. Council members repeatedly thanked all applicants for their willingness to serve and urged those not appointed to consider future civic roles.

Stewart’s appointment is effective immediately and the council said staff will notify the Planning Commission and update rosters at the next meeting.