Clearlake council seeks federal funds for Burns Valley, authorizes demolition, approves staffing changes and land sale; rejects lone splash-pad bid

Clearlake — The Clearlake City Council on April 7 approved a package of actions intended to advance local facilities and public-works capacity while rejecting a single, above-estimate bid for a splash-pad project.

City Manager Flora told the council the city would request up to $2,000,000 in federal community-project funding for the Burns Valley Sports Complex and Recreation Center, describing the project as eligible under the current appropriations process and urging quick council action so the application can meet the congressional deadline.

"We're recommending that we make a request of, not to exceed $2,000,000 for this project," City Manager Flora said. Councilmember Kramer moved to adopt Resolution No. 2022-19 to submit the Burns Valley proposal; the council approved the resolution by voice vote.

On a separate procurement matter, staff reported the city received only one bid for the planned splash-pad project and that the lone bid — $522,096 — substantially exceeded the engineer's estimate of about $300,000. "Staff is recommending that council reject this bid and rebid the project," staff told the council. Councilmembers voted unanimously to reject the single bid and direct staff to rebid.

The council also authorized the city manager to execute a demolition and abatement contract for 14525 Lakeshore Drive with Chernow Excavating Incorporated for $53,439, with authority for a change order if asbestos remediation is required. The staff report said the city had previously afforded the property owner time to comply and that the award would be held until any administrative appeal is exhausted.

On personnel and compensation, the council approved two separate resolutions to create a Public Works Construction Project Manager classification and to amend the management employees' classification and benefits plan. Staff said the new at-will position would sit in the management classification consistent with the public works superintendent and is intended to meet increased technical demands from Measure B-funded projects; the council approved both resolutions unanimously. (The staff report contains the exact salary-range figures; the meeting transcript contains garbled numeric formatting, so the packet should be consulted for precise salary amounts.)

The council also approved a sale of a small, non-buildable city parcel at 12121 Lakeshore Boulevard — staff said the lot measures roughly 2,500 square feet — to adjacent property owners and authorized the city manager to execute the sale agreement.

All formal motions recorded in these agenda items passed unanimously. Council members voiced few objections in the meeting minutes aside from concerns over the splash-pad bid exceeding the engineer's estimate.

What happens next: staff will prepare the Burns Valley federal funding packet and seek letters of support; staff will rebid the splash-pad project; the demolition contract will not proceed to a notice to proceed until any pending appeal is resolved; and the new management classification will be implemented per the adopted resolutions.