ConnectingCalifornia.org

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Lake County Supervisors ask community for $2.5 million for Mt. Konocti

(photo from http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5174/764/)

By Tiffany Revelle, 9/6/2008

http://www.record-bee.com/ci_10394358

LAKE COUNTY -- Preserving more than 1,600 acres on top of Mount Konocti is the focus of a fundraising campaign approved Tuesday by the Lake County Board of Supervisors.

Public Services Director Kim Clymire spearheaded efforts to buy the property. After the board approved the purchase of five parcels on the county's centerpiece mountain from Buckingham Peak, L.L.C. and the Fowler Family Trust in August, Clymire asked the board's permission to solicit funds for the $2.5 million the county still needs to raise after making a $100,000 down payment. "People are going to have to step up to the plate - $5, $10, $15, $20 - it all makes a difference. If people think this is a good idea and all they can afford is $5, that's great. It amounts to the issue of pride in participation," fundraising committee member Chuck Lamb said.
Organizations including the Bureau of Land Management, Lake County Land Trust and Sierra Club, among others, are contributing, according to Lamb. He said the county is counting on individual donations to make up most of the purchase price.

The county opened escrow on the property in August and has until Sept. 31, 2009 to pay the balance of the $2.6 million price tag for the largest piece of the mountaintop land on Wright Peak, Howard Peak and Clark Peak. The land includes 1,512 acres between four contiguous parcels, and neighbors land owned by the Bureau of Land Management.

The county used a surplus of geothermal royalties to purchase a 176-acre parcel on Buckingham Peak for $1.2 million.

The county's Chief Administrative Officer, Kelly Cox, said whatever money is raised will be used to purchase the five parcels, which he said will free up geothermal royalty money the county hopes to use to buy land or easements that will connect the county's 176 acres on Buckingham Peak to Clearlake State Park. He said that would allow hiking trails to be established.

Lamb set up a Web site, http://preservekonocti.com, as a central fundraising point. On Friday, a donation tally at the site said $1,300 had been collected. Cox said Clymire presented that figure to the board Tuesday, adding that he knew at least $500 more had been donated since then.

The site also has a "store" link, where visitors can see items the group will be selling to add to the purchase. The items include a T-shirt, calendars, holiday cards and a tote bag, all featuring photographs of the mountain. He said visitors will be able to purchase items starting this weekend, and can make donations electronically starting Tuesday.

Donators may also make donations at the Lake County Public Works Department, located at 333 Second St. in Lakeport. Lamb said checks should be made payable to the County of Lake, with "Mount Konocti acquisition" on the note line. For more information, call Clymire at 262-1618.