Amador County – A group earlier this month learned it has succeeded in forcing a city-wide vote on the future of the Ione Police Department. Jim Scully of rural Amador County and Denise Robertson of Ione submitted a petition for the ballot measure, and the Amador County Elections Department certified that they had enough valid signatures to proceed with the ballot initiative. Ione City Clerk Janice Traverso said the measure would not make it on this November’s ballot. She said the election office indicated that the item instead would be placed on the next general election ballot for the city, in November 2012. Traverso said proponents turned in the petition August 15th and she must verify that information in the petition is correct. She said Scully and Robertson had 213 signatures and needed 206 to place it on the ballot. She said it “definitely will be addressed at the Sept. 7th meeting,” the next regular city council meeting. She was not sure if the city would take legal action. In February, Ione City Attorney Kristen Castanos released a title and summary of a “petition for an initiative that proposes to transfer law enforcement services from the city of Ione Police Department to the Amador County Sheriff’s Department.” Castanos said the initiative appeared to be “illegal and unconstitutional” because it “attempts to compel the county” to “take over law enforcement services for the city.” Castanos said “it’s invalid because” the “right of the city to contract for police services is vested in the council’s discretion” and is “not a proper subject for an initiative.” Scully said Wednesday that this was only Castanos’ legal opinion. He said: “This has been done in other places,” and “I don’t view that as the potentially strongest legal argument in the world.” Scully said they turned in the petition with 225 signatures on August 13th and have not received “any official word from the city.” He understood it was confirmed they had enough signatures, but they were told they did not make the November ballot. Ione City Manager Kim Kerr in a Sacramento TV news report Tuesday said Scully and Robertson’s complaints stem from a 2003 incident. But Scully said: “We’ve moved on to new problems, including two reports made by one officer” and witnesses that were not identified and not interviewed. Scully said one complaint is from a 2008 incident. Scully said: “We don’t care about 2003. It’s dead and gone,” but Tuesday “was the 3rd time the city came back and brought it up again.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Friday, 27 August 2010 03:18
Ione Police Department's fate could be on 2012 ballot
Amador County – A group earlier this month learned it has succeeded in forcing a city-wide vote on the future of the Ione Police Department. Jim Scully of rural Amador County and Denise Robertson of Ione submitted a petition for the ballot measure, and the Amador County Elections Department certified that they had enough valid signatures to proceed with the ballot initiative. Ione City Clerk Janice Traverso said the measure would not make it on this November’s ballot. She said the election office indicated that the item instead would be placed on the next general election ballot for the city, in November 2012. Traverso said proponents turned in the petition August 15th and she must verify that information in the petition is correct. She said Scully and Robertson had 213 signatures and needed 206 to place it on the ballot. She said it “definitely will be addressed at the Sept. 7th meeting,” the next regular city council meeting. She was not sure if the city would take legal action. In February, Ione City Attorney Kristen Castanos released a title and summary of a “petition for an initiative that proposes to transfer law enforcement services from the city of Ione Police Department to the Amador County Sheriff’s Department.” Castanos said the initiative appeared to be “illegal and unconstitutional” because it “attempts to compel the county” to “take over law enforcement services for the city.” Castanos said “it’s invalid because” the “right of the city to contract for police services is vested in the council’s discretion” and is “not a proper subject for an initiative.” Scully said Wednesday that this was only Castanos’ legal opinion. He said: “This has been done in other places,” and “I don’t view that as the potentially strongest legal argument in the world.” Scully said they turned in the petition with 225 signatures on August 13th and have not received “any official word from the city.” He understood it was confirmed they had enough signatures, but they were told they did not make the November ballot. Ione City Manager Kim Kerr in a Sacramento TV news report Tuesday said Scully and Robertson’s complaints stem from a 2003 incident. But Scully said: “We’ve moved on to new problems, including two reports made by one officer” and witnesses that were not identified and not interviewed. Scully said one complaint is from a 2008 incident. Scully said: “We don’t care about 2003. It’s dead and gone,” but Tuesday “was the 3rd time the city came back and brought it up again.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Latest from
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