NSBA Meeting June 17, 2009
Following is a recap of the June 17, 2009 North Shore Business Association meeting.
Leona Butts: Our Parks & Their Future
Our main speaker was Leona Butts, a member of the Autobahn.
According to a state spokesperson, “...closing parks wouldn’t have much of an impact. “(Tourists) come to (California) for Disneyland and might happen to wander into a park. Closing parks wouldn’t have much of an impact on tourism.”
Last week five visitors from Russia here specifically to visit Clear Lake State Park. “If you look at our guest register you see people from all over the world,” said Leona Butts “This happens week after week.”
A year ago both Clear Lake State Park and Anderson Marsh were on the chopping block, but Clear Lake was taken off the list. The reason Clear Lake was kept is that boats and water ways go through the park and the State feels that it is a source of revenue. A lot of money was spent in the park as well, making it almost completely ADA compliant. A total of $2.8 million have been spent on the park in improvements in the past few years.
Clear Lake basin was formed about 3 million bcd. About 800 BC indians. 1840 European settlers arrived. In 1945 the County accepted 40 acres and the following year over 200 additional acres were accepted.
In 1983 the Clear Lake State Park Interpretative Association was formed, which helps all sorts of local organizations. The Visitors Center opened in 1989.
“In Anderson Marsh and Clear Lake State Park the hiking trails are outstanding.”
In 1885 the land was first owned by John Still Anderson. They used the acreage for farming and raising cattle.
She got 5260 signatures on petitions, a huge percentage of the people in the County. They’ve decided to leave Clear Lake State Park alone, but Anderson Marsh is still on the closure list.
The governor has a new web site -
According to the speaker, for every dollar that goes to parks, $2.35 goes back to the state fund. That means that closing parks could actually cost the state $350 million, according to Butts.
ledolair@mchsi.com
Denise Rushing - Board of Supervisors
The construction is beginning in Upper Lake with completion expected for summer.
The gates are going in on the hills to prevent dumping.
The docks at Holiday Harbor are completed with docks available. A kayak rental facility will find its way there.
Tomorrow at 6 at the BOS chambers there will be a meeting regarding the Konocti trails. A company has been hired to plan the trails and your input is requested.
The present focus of the BOS is the State budget which, Denise described as a “...complete disaster. Whatever happens in the State budget will affect us.” For example, they may “borrow” the County’s road money. Right now there is about $18-20 million being spent on highway repairs, some of which has been in savings for years and some are Obama’s Stimulus Funds.