Amador County – The Amador Catholic Center is seeking a lot split and a Use Permit for its planned church in Martell, and the request will get consideration by the Amador County Technical Advisory Committee next week.

The Technical Advisory Committee Wednesday will consider a three-way lot split of the former Prospect Motors property and also the Use Permit request to allow a church on the property located west of State Route 49 in Martell, on the west side of Prospect Drive, in the Sierra West Business Park.

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Sacramento has proposed the division of the 11.61 acre parcel into three parcels of approximately 6.8, 3.25 and 1.56 acres each. The Bishop also is requesting a Use Permit for a church there, namely the Amador Catholic Center. The church would be located on a parcel that is zoned “M” for Manufacturing, according to county code.

The Technical Advisory Committee members, according to the announced meeting agenda, “will review the application for completeness prior to acceptance,” and will “evaluate potential environmental impacts, propose conditions” and/or “mitigation measures, and make a project recommendation to the Planning Commission.”

The Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, in Conference Room A at the County Administration Center in Jackson.

Three Amador County Catholic parishes and the Diocese of Sacramento purchased the former Prospect Motors building and land last December as a home to the all-new Amador Catholic Center, a multi-purpose facility to support the social and spiritual needs of all three parishes.

Sacred Heart of Ione, St. Patrick’s in Jackson and Immaculate Conception in Sutter Creek churches will continue having weekday and Sunday masses, but the three parishes will consolidate some social, educational and other activities at the new Center, including some masses.

Sacramento Bishop, the Most Reverend Jaime Soto in December said it was “the culmination of 10 years of discussion and planning,” and “with a declining number of priests we have to find ways to share resources.”

Father Liam MacCarthy, the former pastor of Immaculate Conception Church, was appointed by Soto to manage the project and serve as interim pastor of the three parishes, taking over for Father Tom Seabridge, who on January 1st was to begin a six-month sabbatical before his next assignment.

The Center will have worship space with up to 600 seats, a youth center and gymnasium, offices, classrooms, kitchen and a large social hall.

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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors discussed a perceived threat of litigation Tuesday regarding a staff email to Pacific Gas & Electric.

Agency Counsel Stephen Kronick said he researched an email sent by Engineering Manager Erik Christesen to PG&E in which he called seven local residents “activists.”

Kronick said he researched tort law, after a March board meeting during which the public raised concerns about the e-mail and questioned whether some of those statements may have been defamatory. Kronick found that it did not, in his opinion, meet the definition of libel, defined as a false writing that causes a person to be shunned, or injured in their occupation.

Kronick consulted a dictionary, which said that an activist is one who is an active or vigorous supporter, especially of a cause. He said people likely could not go a day without hearing the word activist, and he saw two in a recent edition of the Sacramento Bee. He reviewed Christesen’s email and found “his statements were not defamatory.”

Bill Condrashoff, a member of Ratepayers Protection Alliance, said he found the topic comical, and questioned why it was on the agenda, but suggested it be placed on a future agenda. Ken Berry, also of the RPA, said he was not worried about being called an activist, but was bothered by the word “ambush. He said “ambushers are kind of like terrorists.” Kronick said his legal memo also addressed “ambush.”

David Evitt said the email warned PG&E of the activists, which “taints the email” and shoots down Kronick’s argument. Evitt said “if you think this is a dead issue and whitewashes it, you are very much mistaken.” He said “the intent here was to do wrong,” and “I want a letter to PG&E that undoes that.”

Judy Jebian said “I was named in the email as an activist. I have been called a tree hugger, and a liberal commie pinko.” She said “yes, I am a democrat,” a liberal and “proud to be both.”

Thornton Consolo agreed with Jebian, and was “highly offended” by the email and manner it was sent. He also was bothered by Kronick approaching the issue as a tort. Consolo said “we’re not suing anyone,” and he wasn’t aware that any of the seven threatened a suit. He said “we are still due an apology.”

Kronick said he forgot specifics, but a letter, from his perspective “clearly implied there was a potential for a lawsuit.” Kronick later found the letter, dated March 22 from Judy Jebian, which referenced litigation. The letter mentioned that libel is a tort, and its definition, and Jebian in the letter wrote: “This is a serious matter which should not be lightly dismissed,” and directly mentioned “litigation.”

Director Gary Thomas motioned to direct General Manager Gene Mancebo to instruct Christesen to write a letter of apology, but the matter was not listed on the agenda for action. The board agreed to place it on a future agenda.

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Amador County – In early May, organizers sought a permit for a Barbera Festival in the Shenandoah Valley. On Thursday, promoters said festival tickets are now sold out.

Organizers said: “If you haven’t purchased tickets for the first-ever Barbera Festival, scheduled for June 11 in Plymouth, you’ll have to wait until 2012 to taste from the 80-plus participating wineries as the event is completely sold out.”

Brian Miller, organizer of the Barbera Festival anticipated selling about 1,200 tickets for the festival’s first year, but ended up selling out June 1st, at 1,500 tickets. Miller said “it’s a testament to wine lovers’ interest in the barbera varietal. We appreciate the continued support from those that are eager to be there, but we must adhere to our attendee limit.”

Miller said it is intended to be an annual event with net proceeds benefiting the Amador Community Foundation. The festival will be held at Cooper Ranch, on the west side of Shenandoah School Road, about a mile south of the intersection of Shenandoah Road.

According to Miller, there are no tickets available online or at the door. He recommended people become Facebook fans and submit their email address at the event website to receive alerts about the 2012 event and take advantage of early bird ticket discounts.

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Amador County – The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Amador-El Dorado Unit started its wildfire safety and awareness campaign this week, with one of the big recommendations being to initiate and practice a “Family Disaster Plan.”

New AEU Unit Chief Kelly Keenan said “preparing and practicing your Family Disaster Plan is critical,” and “being ready for wildfire season is your best defense. Preplanning for a disaster can save your life and the lives of the ones you love.”

Preparing and practicing your families disaster plan is also key to being ready for fire season, Keenan said. The plan can make evacuating ahead of a wildfire or other disaster far less stressful.

Creating a “Family Disaster Plan” is the first step in preparing for a disaster, Keenan said. “It is important that every member of your family understands what to do in the event of a wildfire in your area.”

Keenan recommended that families “practice the plan on a regular basis so that each member of your family knows their role and what they need to do.” Keep a copy of the written plan in an accessible place so you can refer to it quickly and easily.

Things to include in the plan are: meeting locations away from the home; and communication and evacuation plans for the family and pets. Families should identify where gas, water and electrical shut-offs are and how to use them.

People should plan several evacuation routes in their neighborhood and drive them so they are familiar with them day or night. Keenan said to “assemble emergency supply kits and have them ready for yourself, family and animals. Don’t forget to include a portable radio and/or scanner so you can stay updated.”

He said finally, take steps to make your home more fire resistant. If you are building a new home or renovating your home, consider making “fire resistive measures” for “hardening your home.”

“Roofs are the most vulnerable surface on your house,” Keenan said. “Make sure your roof is made out of Class A materials, such as composition, metal or tiles. Rain gutters should be screened or enclosed to prevent accumulation of plant debris which can catch on fire from a flying ember during a wildfire.”

Home exterior should be made of ignition resistant materials such as cement siding, stucco or fire retardant treated wood. Windows should be double paned with one of the panes made of tempered glass which will reduce the potential of the heat from a wildfire breaking the window and catching the interior of the house on fire.

If a home is dependent on a well for water, Keenan said, people should install a backup generator so they have water in case the electricity goes out.

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Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council unanimously approved a 5.26 percent rate increase for solid waste services Monday.

ACES Waste Service requested the adjustment based on a “Refuse Rate Index,” per the franchise agreement struck with the city in 2009. The Council made the 5-0 approval vote without reopening a public hearing that was closed at the last meeting in mid-May.

ACES accountant Paul Timba made a written response to a letter from Bill Condrashoff of the “Ratepayer Protection Alliance.” The letter asked about rate methodology, and also for credit for customers who leave recycling on the curb for ACES pickups. Timba said ACES agreed that the rate adjustment should consider savings for customers based on recycling.

Timba said Condrashoff’s comments were relevant to the third year of the franchise schedule, when a “detailed rate adjustment” takes place using “Rate Adjustment Methodology.” City Manager Sean Rabe agreed, saying “I do not believe that the detailed information requested” by Condrashoff “is relevant to the proposed action for this year’s increase. However, the information is very relevant to any increase proposed for next year.”

Councilman Jim Swift asked Timba to compare the city’s 5.26 percent increase, with the 2.13 percent recently approved by Supervisors for ACES Service Area 2. Timba said he could not specifically answer that without the county’s figures before him, which he did not have. He said generally, things like distance driven and routes affect the adjustment. ACES President Paul Molinelli said “given the fact that we’ve increased it 5.26 percent” means that “people with a 32-gallon container will be paying 17 cents more.”

Adjustments are made based on salaries and all labor costs, and costs of fuel, repair & maintenance, depreciation and all other costs. Disposal costs are adjusted based on actual costs.

Mayor Tim Murphy introduced the issue, saying the council needed “to focus on the issues related to the decision we need to make tonight.” Later, Councilman Gary Wooten said he would like to make a decision and did not want to reopen the public hearing. Councilwoman Sandy Anderson agreed, saying most of Condrashoff’s issues were “not relevant.”

City Attorney Derek Cole commented on the applicability of a Proposition 218 notice of the rate increase, which would allow for public protest to stop the increase. Cole said the “city is not providing the services, so this is not a fee that is subject to Proposition 218.”

He said a private entity is not subject to Prop 218, and he would be concerned that if the city represented it as a Prop 218 issue and it failed, then the city might be obligated to not approve the increase. Cole said some municipalities have taken the step, but “I don’t think it is necessary.”

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Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-8-11 - TSPN's Tom Slivick sits down with Sean Kriletich of UC Davis Cooperative Extension to discuss an upcoming value-added livestock processing seminar.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-8-11

·       Sutter Creek approved a 5.26 percent solid waste increase.

·       Amador Water Agency discusses a staff e-mail that pointed out citizens as foes of the agency’s project.

·       CDF says having a Family Disaster Plan is critical to surviving a wildfire.

·       First-ever Barbera Festival sells out at Cooper Ranch

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-8-11

·       Sutter Creek approved a 5.26 percent solid waste increase.

·       Amador Water Agency discusses a staff e-mail that pointed out citizens as foes of the agency’s project.

·       CDF says having a Family Disaster Plan is critical to surviving a wildfire.

·       First-ever Barbera Festival sells out at Cooper Ranch

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-8-11 - TSPN's Tom Slivick sits down with Sean Kriletich of UC Davis Cooperative Extension to discuss an upcoming value-added livestock processing seminar.

Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council unanimously approved a 5.26 percent rate increase for solid waste services Monday.

ACES Waste Service requested the adjustment based on a “Refuse Rate Index,” per the franchise agreement struck with the city in 2009. The Council made the 5-0 approval vote without reopening a public hearing that was closed at the last meeting in mid-May.

ACES accountant Paul Timba made a written response to a letter from Bill Condrashoff of the “Ratepayer Protection Alliance.” The letter asked about rate methodology, and also for credit for customers who leave recycling on the curb for ACES pickups. Timba said ACES agreed that the rate adjustment should consider savings for customers based on recycling.

Timba said Condrashoff’s comments were relevant to the third year of the franchise schedule, when a “detailed rate adjustment” takes place using “Rate Adjustment Methodology.” City Manager Sean Rabe agreed, saying “I do not believe that the detailed information requested” by Condrashoff “is relevant to the proposed action for this year’s increase. However, the information is very relevant to any increase proposed for next year.”

Councilman Jim Swift asked Timba to compare the city’s 5.26 percent increase, with the 2.13 percent recently approved by Supervisors for ACES Service Area 2. Timba said he could not specifically answer that without the county’s figures before him, which he did not have. He said generally, things like distance driven and routes affect the adjustment. ACES President Paul Molinelli said “given the fact that we’ve increased it 5.26 percent” means that “people with a 32-gallon container will be paying 17 cents more.”

Adjustments are made based on salaries and all labor costs, and costs of fuel, repair & maintenance, depreciation and all other costs. Disposal costs are adjusted based on actual costs.

Mayor Tim Murphy introduced the issue, saying the council needed “to focus on the issues related to the decision we need to make tonight.” Later, Councilman Gary Wooten said he would like to make a decision and did not want to reopen the public hearing. Councilwoman Sandy Anderson agreed, saying most of Condrashoff’s issues were “not relevant.”

City Attorney Derek Cole commented on the applicability of a Proposition 218 notice of the rate increase, which would allow for public protest to stop the increase. Cole said the “city is not providing the services, so this is not a fee that is subject to Proposition 218.”

He said a private entity is not subject to Prop 218, and he would be concerned that if the city represented it as a Prop 218 issue and it failed, then the city might be obligated to not approve the increase. Cole said some municipalities have taken the step, but “I don’t think it is necessary.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.