Amador County – A joint session of the Plymouth City Council and Planning Commission heard the latest news on the status of two residential developments in the city, which optimistically could be two years away from starting, and 10 years away from completion.

Bob Reeder of Reeder/Sutherland said that was the “goal,” to build out the two projects, with 485 homes, in 10 years, but they are fastened in the reality of the economy and housing market.

Stefan Horstschraer, partner with Reeder, said “our plan as it is today is to start building in 2013,” with work to begin first on the 370-home Zinfandel Subdivision, and two years later, the start of the Shenandoah Ridge Subdivision, with another 115 homes. The developers showed the rough sketch of the 10-phase Zinfandel, and the four-phase Shenandoah, and answered questions from the council and commissioners.

Councilman Jon Colburn said “we have been told previously that there would be a specific fiscal analysis of this,” and he asked about the status of that. City engineering consultant Richard Prima said it was not a document to approve separately, but would be a part of the development agreement and conditions of approval, both being looked at by Prima, and Interim City Manager Jeff Gardner.

Colburn said the analysis should show that the projects are not impacting current residents. Prima said it could be five years before they see any building, and it would be better to set up the mechanism for making that analysis, then get the actual numbers closer to the start of building, so costs are current, as opposed to five years old. He said “the developer has to agree with the city to do that.”

Colburn said City Attorney Mike Dean was scheduled to speak with the council next week about development agreements.

Prima said a chart of infrastructure phasing was one of the exhibits form the development plan, which may change, but which discloses the intent of phasing.

Stefan Horstschraer said it is all somewhat reality based and market driven,” and as Planning Commissioner Melvin Cossairt had said at the last public meeting, somewhat “Utopian” in its goal. He said the last market analysis was in 2009.

Reeder said: “That’s our goal to build out in 10 years.” He said: “A market analysis based on today’s market wouldn’t mean anything.”

He said: “Right now, the market analysis would say simply: Don’t start.”

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Amador County – A State audit of Indian Gaming Special Distribution Funds released Tuesday pointed out problems in Amador County’s methods.

State Auditor Elaine M. Howle’s office reviewed tribal gaming grants received in fiscal year 2008-2009, and recommended Amador County make changes in how its benefit committees take action, and how the actions are recorded. The report said Amador County agencies had received 10 grants totaling $616,000 from the Jackson Rancheria Casino as of 2009.

The audit noted a California Gambling Control Commission reported that Indian tribes operated almost 65,000 slot machines in June 2010, and the National Indian Gaming Commission said “revenues from Indian gaming in California and Northern Nevada grew from $2.9 billion in 2001 to $7 billion in 2009.

The gaming special distribution fund allows disbursement of funds by tribes that have slot machines that predate state compact laws. Funds are placed into a county tribal account. The report showed Amador County has between 1,000 and 2,000 slot machines, and received up to $1 million in the county tribal casino account.

The report said Amador County Counsel Martha Shaver explained that Amador County’s grant award process differs from other counties “in that the applications are submitted directly to the chief executive officer of the local casino but are then reviewed by the benefit committee for selection prior to receiving tribal sponsorship.” That was unlike other counties, where tribal sponsorship seemed to determine grant awards. The audit said the “grant application also describes this process,” but “the county did not provide any meeting minutes or written procedures demonstrating how the applications were reviewed and processed.”

A “nexus set-aside” discrepancy was also noted, where $65,000 was set aside for Sutter Creek, “but the city was awarded only $31,000.” The audit said “Amador County set-asides were not documented.”

Amador was one of two counties where the benefit committees did not have “conflict of interest codes that meet the requirements of the Political Reform Act.”

The audit noted that the “benefit committee in Amador County provided a document with a conflict of interest code that meets the requirements of the Political Reform Act.” The County Clerk’s office reported the change “was on the benefit committee’s agenda for a meeting held less than a month before the 2009 filing deadline for statements of economic interests but there is no record that the code received approval.” Committee member filings were made, but two were late.

Howle’s report included a Jan. 19 letter from Amador County Administrative Officer Chuck Iley, who said the county “found the information provided to be useful and will use it in subsequent rounds of funding.”

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Amador County – A new state law requires all California public and private school students in seventh to 12th grades to be immunized against pertussis, commonly known as “Whooping Cough,” before they start school this fall.

Amador County Unified School District officials expect this to impact at least 2,000 students within the district. Amador County Public Health and Sutter Amador Hospital advise parents and guardians to contact their primary care provider now to “avoid the rush” since the law takes effect on July 1.

County Public Health announced the requirement Thursday, saying “state lawmakers passed the new policy after California experienced the highest increase in Whooping Cough cases since 1947. Last year, 10 infants died from the disease and more than 8,600 people were infected in the state.

The new immunization requirement can be met if the child receives one dose of the Tdap “tetanus/pertussis” vaccine on or after their 7th birthday.

Amador County Health Officer Dr. Robert Hartmann said the health department expects “the number of students who will need a pertussis vaccine this year to be much greater than previous years,” and he urged people not to wait. He said: “Ask your healthcare provider to vaccinate your child now and take the documentation to your school before the end of the school year.”

All students entering 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grades – current, new, and transfers – in public and private schools will need to show proof of the vaccination before starting school in August. A copy of the immunization verification form can be found on the Amador County Public Health website.

Dr. David Stone, a pediatrician at Sutter Amador Hospital said: “Re-immunizing your loved one this year will not only protect your child but also scores of infants in the community who do not have the ability to fight off this very serious infection.”

Amador County Public Health officials have confirmed four new whooping cough cases reported in the county in early February. Pertussis is a lung infection that causes severe coughing fits, can have symptoms last for months and can be fatal, especially in young infants.

The immunity received in early childhood wears off over time, leaving older students and adults unprotected. Immunization with Tdap can protect students, schools and communities against whooping cough.

The child’s primary health care provider is the best resource to receive and document the pertussis vaccine. Other resources in the community include Amador County Public Health and some local pharmacies.

For clinic information call 223-6407.

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Sacramento – Millions of Girl Scout Cookies will flow into the Sacramento region Saturday during a “Girl Scout Cookie Mega Drop,” in anticipation of storefront sales beginning soon.

Jennifer Lemos of the Girl Scouts Heart of Central California regional district said the Girl Scouts will distribute a cool million boxes of cookies from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Cal Expo in Sacramento.

Lemos said semi-trucks full of Girl Scout Cookies will be for sale after the one-time mass distribution of cookies to local Scouts, and thousands of troop leaders will drive down a giant assembly line to fill their vehicles with cases of cookies. In the past, troop leaders have resorted to U-Hauls, trailers, even an old ambulance, creating a convoy to fill orders.

Regional sale director Helen Whitelaw said 958 pickups are scheduled, with close to 2,000 vehicles expected, and a crew of 500 volunteers will load vehicles, direct traffic and count cookies. The event is not open to the public, but afterward Girl Scouts will sell cookies in front of local stores, from Feb. 25 until March 20.

The local American Red Cross chapter will set up a kitchen to prepare food for Mega Drop volunteers through the day, using it as a training exercise for disaster volunteers.

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Amador County – The Amador County Recreation Agency plans its “Lonely Heart’s Club Disc Golf Tournament” Sunday, Feb. 20 at Mollie Joyce Park Disc Golf Course in Pioneer. The tournament is four rounds of nine holes, with a shotgun start at 9 a.m., and is a fundraiser for the disc golf course. ACRA program director Matt Nestor announced earlier this month that the agency will be getting four more new baskets, thanks to Steve and Karen Jackowski, Kip Taylor and participants in last month’s tourney. The event is “rain or shine,” though forecasts call for mostly sunny skies Sunday, with a 20 percent chance of rain. The park is on Woodfern Drive, off Carson Drive, in Pioneer. For information, call (209) 223-6349.

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Amador County – Law enforcement agencies regularly join forces at the Preston Youth Correctional Facility in Ione and Saturday was no different, despite a looming threat of closure of the facility.

Ione Police Chief Michael L. Johnson said Monday that “law enforcement efforts continue on the state grounds in the spirit of helping protect the community and maintaining the long standing professionalism at the institution.”

Regular partners, the Ione Police Department, Amador County Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team, and the Preston Tactical Team collectively organized a visitor search detail Saturday “to intercept illegal drugs, contraband, and address other violations occurring on the state property,” Johnson said.

Preston, like other California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities, is tasked with responsibilities of keeping drugs and other contraband from entering their facility, Johnson said. “The task requires diligence in the correctional officers’ efforts to screen, interview, search, and always keep a watchful eye on both the wards and the incoming visitors.”

The grounds are clearly posted with signs warning visitors that all entries on the property are subject to search of their person, vehicle, and personal property. At random times and dates each year, law enforcement details are organized to search all incoming vehicle and people as a matter of compliance checks to maintain the integrity of the institution, Johnson said. The combined agency effort is a “no tolerance” approach to those who attempt to introduce prohibited items into the facility via visitation.

Johnson said in total on Saturday, “two adults were arrested for being under the influence and in possession of methamphetamine, three vehicles were towed, marijuana was seized, drug paraphernalia was discovered and a Taser was confiscated.” He said in addition, “suspended and unlicensed drivers were cited, gang intelligence was intercepted, and several of the visitations were cancelled due to administrative action pursuant to discoveries in the searches.”

Johnson said Ione police drug enforcement agents of the county Combined Narcotics team typically “provide support to the operation by handling the criminal matters that are discovered during the searches.” IPD’s narcotics detection K-9 “Hawke” conducts numerous vehicle searches and locates concealed drugs.

“The operation was a success and a tribute to the Preston facility and staff,” Johnson said, and even as “personnel at the facility are working under the duress of displacement, layoffs, and for some, termination of employment, the dedication and commitment to duty was without flaw.”

He said the “Ione Community is grateful for their contributions.”

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