Amador County – The Amador County Transportation Commission in a special workshop Wednesday discussed land use policy, and directed staff to prepare a draft list of policies for its meeting later this month.

Executive Director Charles Field gave a background of various development and traffic impact mapping tools now in use, and the board talked about some of their flaws. Field said the commonly used Regional Traffic Mitigation Fee Program had its problems, and “there’s no way it can cover all impacts of all developments in the county, especially major developments.” He said cities have increasingly relied on it.

Field said it grew as Caltrans traffic impact study guidelines were not working, so ACTC developed its own guidelines. He said the ACTC Technical Advisory Committee reviewed traffic modeling practices of ACTC, and recommended the commission should provide assistance and analysis, but should not advocate for enactment of mitigation measures.

Field gave a list of questions, which he tried to word as “bluntly” as he could. Among them, the board agreed they should submit input concerning traffic impacts and mitigations but not advocate for conditions of approval, or development project approval, or denial, unless they were requested to do so by the lead agency.

Field said one planning mechanism, the Circulation Mapping Exercise, known as the CMX, was adopted last week by the Plymouth City Council, as part of its traffic impact financial mitigation plan.

ACTC Program manager Neil Peacock assisted Plymouth in implementing it, and said it was a supplemental funding strategy, supported by Reeder Sutherland during last week’s meeting, and it was based on Plymouth’s general plan. Field said the Plymouth general plan was written to include Reeder’s two developments, even though they are not yet annexed into city limits.

Supervisor Richard Forster said the CMX was not always successful, as shown in the Martell business, where it calculated impacts too costly to implement. He also saw a problem with using it before all other county jurisdictions approved the CMX. He said “huge costs are involved with CMX,” such as one business, whose $600,000 impact fee would have gone to about $8 million.

Field said Plymouth adopted one universal fee plan, but “fair share” fees for impacts have been discussed, and have led to a “set of conditions” on some developments. Others, like the Jackson Valley Quarry are being discussed.

Field said Caltrans thinks the Quarry should be responsible for more of the intersection upgrade because its new development is sending more trucks, and triggering the need for a bigger intersection. The company disagrees. Field said “it will be up to the county to decide.”

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

Amador County – Amador County Behavioral Health announced this week that it will be hosting a public review of the annual Mental Health Service Act update.

The Amador County Mental Health Board and the public are both invited to attend a March 30 review of the Annual MHSA Update. A 30-day public comment period opened March 1 on the county’s Mental Health Services Act update and closes April 1, and a related public hearing is planned for April 30.

County consultant Rima Spight of Resource Development Associates announced the meeting, saying that “Mental Health Services Act legislation requires that counties submit an Annual Update documenting progress towards community goals over the past year (fiscal year 2009-2010) and outlining the implementation plan for each component of MHSA for the upcoming year,” fiscal year 2011-2012.

Spight said: “This year’s Annual Update presents an overview of services provided through the Community Services and Supports component of MHSA, which funds programs that provide direct, integrated services to individuals with serious and persistent mental health issues.”

The Annual Update also includes information on services that will be implemented during the next year through Amador health department’s plans for Workforce Education and Training, Prevention and Early Intervention, and Innovation.

The update reported that 3,807 individuals had been served in fiscal year 2009-2010, at a total cost of $703,000. It also listed 11 advocates or coordinators who participated in the stakeholder steering committee, in the local review process.

The update estimated that Behavioral Health would serve and support 3,767 people, at a total cost of $242,000 in fisal year 2011-2012. Total budget was estimated for $1.3 million, down 23 percent from this year’s budget.

Spight said a copy of the plan has been provided for review by the Amador County Mental Health Board, and the Annual Update has been posted on the county website. Paper copies of the plan are available by contacting Behavioral Health.

Following a 30-day public review period, a Mental Health Board meeting will be held to gather community feedback. Spight asked anyone with comments or questions to submit them prior to the meeting. During this meeting we will be presenting the Update to the Mental Health Board, and providing a forum for further community discussion.

The meeting will be held 3:30-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30 at the Health and Human Services Building, 10877 Conductor Boulevard in Sutter Creek.

For questions, or special accommodations contact Lynn Thomas at (209) 223-6814.

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

Amador County – Last year, the California Department of Public Health announced that California hospitals have reached the goal of vaccinating 60 percent of their health care employees against influenza. Last week, Sutter Amador Hospital in Jackson exceeded that goal itself by vaccinating 80 percent of its healthcare employees.

Jody Boetzer, public relations coordinator at Sutter Amador Hospital, announced the developments last Wednesday.

SAH Employee Health and Disaster Coordinator Joyce Friday said: “We’ve been working hard to increase employee vaccination rates through education and ensuring that vaccination clinics are easily accessible for all employees.”

She said: “We even increased our vaccination rate by 4 percent from the previous year. This means Sutter Amador Hospital is a safer place for patients, visitors, volunteers and hospital staff during flu season.”

Boetzer said “California law requires hospitals to offer onsite influenza vaccination free of charge to employees. Employees can opt not to get vaccinated, but must do so with a written declination.”

Friday said the hospital encourages “all hospital employees, volunteers and physicians to receive the influenza vaccination.”

To ensure the safety of patients and workers, SAH also requires staff to complete an annual TB test. In addition to TB testing and influenza vaccinations, the hospital also screens all employees for measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox immunity. If no immunity exists, they offer free vaccinations to the employee.

Due to the increase in cases of Pertussis (Whooping Cough) in the United States over the last four years, SAH now also offers Tdap vaccinations to all staff and physicians.

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

Amador County – The El Dorado National Forest announced that it will be applying for some of the $27.1 million available in the current funding cycle from the California Parks Service for off-highway vehicle programs.

Preliminary grant applications are due Monday, March 7, for the 2010-2011 Off-Highway Vehicle Grants program though the California Parks Service. The El Dorado Forest OHV grant application will be available for review online starting Tuesday, March 8, for a 30-day comment period.

The program has $27.1 million available for nonprofit agencies and organizations, which have until March 7 to submit preliminary applications, which may be applied for online at the California State Parks website, ohv.parks.ca.gov.

Grant funds are available in four categories for the upcoming cycle, including a total of $1.3 million for education and safety; $5.2 million for law enforcement; $13 million for operation and maintenance; and $7.6 million for restoration.

Forest Recreation Officer Lester Lubetkin said the El Dorado National Forest is developing an application for Off Highway Vehicle Cooperative Funds for the upcoming 2010-2011 grant cycle.

Lobetkin said: “We are developing a preliminary application … which includes a strong emphasis on trail maintenance and repair, restoration of trails and impacted areas, law enforcement across the four Ranger Districts, printing and distribution of the Motor Vehicle Use Maps, construction of a bridge on the Barrett 4WD Trail, and planning for necessary rerouting of trails in other areas.”

He said the grant applications will be posted on the Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation website on March 7, when preliminary applications are due.

The 30-day public review and comment period for the 2010-2011 Grants and Cooperative Agreement Program begins March 8 and ends April 4. This period provides an opportunity for the public to review preliminary applications submitted to the OHMVR Division for consideration during the current grant cycle.

The public may provide comments, suggestions, or letters to both the applicant and the OHMVR Division. The El Dorado National Forest will also host an Open House 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 10 to discuss its grant applications and to hear the public’s thoughts. The Open House will be held in the large conference room at the Forest Supervisor’s Office, 100 Forni Road, Placerville.

For information, call (530) 622-5061.

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

Amador County – The Amador County Teen Driver Council is sponsoring its annual Teen Driver Night for current and future drivers, next week at Amador High School.

Teen Driver Night is for parents and teens, and will feature guest speakers and presentations. Speakers include Amador County Health Officer Dr. Robert Hartmann, and fourth year medical student Dan Stein.

California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Craig Harmon will also speak, as will parent, Tina Wurzburger. Jackson Police Officer Chris Rice will talk about narcotics, and Anne Lintz of State Farm Insurance will talk about insurance.

Organizers said: “Our goal is to help parents and teens understand the many issues surrounding the pressures on the teen driver” and to offer safety ideas and tips. “It is clear that the more parents involve themselves in the activities of their teen drivers the fewer accidents occur.”

The Teen Driver Night is 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 8 in the Amador High School cafeteria in Sutter Creek.

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

Amador County – Fire safety grants are now available for assisting with fallen tree removal after the recent winter storms and another grant is available to help low-income seniors and the disabled to clear away defensible spaces around their homes.

Cathy Koos Breazeal, executive director of the Amador Fire Safe Council said the nonprofit organization has a couple of federal grants that can help residents clean up after these storms. Koos Breazeal said: “We can work until the funds run out” and she said people should call the Fire Safe Council for an appointment, at (209) 295-6200.

One of the programs is free roadside chipping, Koos Breazeal said, and it has no qualifications. But it does have some requirements. People must cut and stack their branches and the Fire Safe Council crew will chip it. She said “residents should drag and stack their downed branches near their driveway or the street,” but should “make sure they won’t fall into the street or impede the snowplows,” so that “the chipper crew can drive up to the stack.” She said branches need to be stacked with cut edges facing the driveway, so the chipper crew can easily grab the branch and shove it in the chipper.

Another federal grant program helps low-income seniors and the disabled to create defensible space around their homes. The program is free to qualifying residents. Koos Breazeal said: “Our contractor will create defensible space around your home at no cost.” Qualifications are that you must be age 62 and have a low income, that being a household of 2 with an income of $23,000. Or, you may have “verifiable disability and low income.”

For more information, call (209) 295-6200.

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

Amador County – The California Department of Transportation on Tuesday announced a mandatory pre-bid meeting for an estimated $77 million project on Interstate 5.

District 10 Caltrans public information officer Chantel Miller said the mandatory pre-bid meeting will be based on the “Interstate 5-North Stockton widening project,” and prime contractors and subcontractors interested in bidding on the project should attend.

The I-5-North Stockton Widening Project is Contract No. 10-0G4704. The mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled for 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, March 23 at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, 1658 South Airport Way, in Building Number 5 in Stockton.

Miller said the “project proposes the widening of I-5 in Stockton from six to eight lanes from Country Club Boulevard to Eight Mile Road, within existing right-of-way.” She said the “Underutilized Disadvantaged Business Enterprise” goal is 4 percent, and the estimated construction cost is $77 million.

Prime-contractors are mandated to attend the pre-bid meeting in order to bid the contract. This is a great opportunity for Small Businesses, Disadvantage Business Enterprises, and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises to become certified and to network with prime contractors.

Miller said those interested in attending should RSVP by Friday, March 18 to Silvia Dayak, by phone at (209) 948-7855.

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

Amador County – The Sutter Creek Volunteer Fire Department has set a dinner in late March at the Italian Benevolent Society grounds.

The volunteer brigade invites the public “to help us celebrate: Fire Chief Charles ‘Butch’ Martin 48 years of putting fires out.”

Sutter Creek Fire Protection District Chief Dominic Moreno asked people to attend to “please help us thank Chief Butch Martin, Sutter Creek Fire District, for 48 plus years of service to the citizens of Amador County.” Moreno said: “Come join us to recognize Chief Martin for all his years of service.”

The retirement dinner is set for 6 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at the Italian Benevolent Society grounds, at 581 State Highway 49 in Sutter Creek. A no-host bar opens at 6 p.m., a tri-tip and chicken buffet dinner is at 7 p.m., and presentations begin at 10 p.m.

Tickets are $20 per person, and RSVP are requested by March 16, to Moreno at (209) 267-0285.

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