Amador County – Amador County Supervisors in their last meeting of 2010 approved a letter to the California Department of Corrections notifying its director that a department decision to close the Preston Correctional Youth Facility violated state environmental law.

Deputy County Council Greg Gillott prepared the letter approved Dec. 21 and mailed Dec. 22. The letter to Matthew Cate, secretary of the California Department of Corrections, said its purpose was “to inform you that the recent decision to close the Preston” facility “appears to have been unlawful,” and out of compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. It requested a cease of the closure activities until the department complied with CEQA. It also asked for written notification by Dec. 31, 2010, or “the county will have no other alternative but to initiate legal proceedings, including a request for immediate injunctive relief.”

Gillott in the letter quotes rulings, including two that he said shows the “closure of Preston as project subject to CEQA,” and not exempt from CEQA. It also said the “closure decision is an activity directly undertaken by a public agency.”

The letter cited a 2004 suit against Yosemite Community College District, which successfully argued that closing the college shooting range and transferring it and classes to “another facility constituted the whole of an action and was a ‘project’ under CEQA.”

Gillot said in 2006, “the court concluded that there was “no dispute that the decision” to “close a (San Leandro) school and transfer students” is an “activity directly undertaken by any public agency.” He said “CDCR’s decision to close Preston is similarly, indisputably” an “activity directly undertaken by any public agency,” and satisfies “the first prong of whether the closure constitutes” a project under CEQA.

The letter noted that “closure of Preston will cause direct and indirect physical changes in the environment,” noting that the San Lorenzo ruling while it “may be unlikely that the closure of a single elementary school would have a significant environmental impact apart from its effect on the use of the property … the possibility cannot be rejected categorically.” The ruling said “transferring students to other locations would potentially cause significant effect on the environment.”

Gillott said, potential impacts could affect Amador Regional Sanitation Authority’s wastewater storage on Preston land. It could also increase the “potential for blight caused by a closed facility,” or impact the historic Preston Castle, or cause other impacts that “may be identified in a properly conducted initial study.”

The letter concluded that since the decision to close Preston was made without CEQA documentation, the “CDCR must immediately cease all further closure activities, at least until it has properly complied with CEQA.”

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Amador County – The Amador County Fair Board at its last meeting selected the 2011 fair theme, with a familiar ring: “Dancing with the Steers.”

Amador County Fair Chief Executive Officer Troy Bowers said Tuesday that the new fair theme, and the fair itself will be the general and usual topic, of the fair board’s monthly meetings.

The nine members of the board include five who were announced late at the end of the Schwarzenegger administration as being reappointed. The re-appointees are Laurie Forster, Michael Boitano, Jeanne Deaver, Frank Halvorson, and Janice Howard.

Bowers said the board sets policy, oversees finances and approves the budget and expenditures, that I submit to them for their approval. They also “keep him in line,” he said.

The reappointments at the end of December were in the line of regular happenings for county fairs. Bowers said: “This is the natural lifecycle” of fair board membership, appointments and reappointments.

The positions include no payment and no salaries for these community minded people. The nine-member board, all appointed by the governor, includes Ciro Toma, Chuck Simmons, Robert Manassero and Marilyn Hoopes. Manassero and Hoopes both are in terms that expired Jan. 1.

Bowers said the way it works, board members serve until someone is appointed to the spot. The reappointment by the governor follows application to the positions online, at division of fairs and expositions on the state website. People send in the applications, which are reviewed by the appointment secretary, who will speak to various members of the community about the appointment and then make their decisions.

Bowers said: “We are thrilled,” and we “continue to have what I believe is the best board of any fair in the state of California.”

The board meets the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at the fair administration office. Meetings are open to the public.

Business at the next meeting will include selecting who will be serving as the new board president, and the board will appoint a new president and vice president. Robert Manassero’s two-year term as president has expired, Bowers said.

Fair board appointments are not the highest priority typically for a governor, so the appointments are normally made at the end of a governor’s term.

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Amador County – The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection last week announced the promotion of the regional unit chief over Amador County, who will now be the head of the Cal Fire Northern Region.

CDF in a release Friday said Unit Chief Bill Holmes, head of the Amador-El Dorado-Sacramento-Alpine Unit has been promoted to Northern Region Chief effective Jan. 1. Deputy Chief Jody Gossner will become the Acting Unit Chief of the Amador-El Dorado-Sacramento-Alpine Unit until a permanent Unit Chief is appointed.

Fire Prevention Specialist 2 Teri Mizuhara announced the promotions in a release from the AEU Unit on Friday, Dec. 31. Holmes in the release said the decision to “leave AEU after seven-and-a-half years was not an easy one,” and he still felt like he “just got here” and was “full of ideas for the Unit".

Holmes said: “It’s been an honor and a pleasure to serve the people of the counties of Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento, Alpine and San Joaquin. This has been one of the highlights of my career.”

Holmes will be Chief over 12 units in Northern California, stretching from the Oregon border to the Bay Area. Doug Wenham, chief of the Shasta-Trinity Unit, has been selected to be assistant Northern Region chief.

Chief Holmes started his career with CDF as a seasonal firefighter in 1969 while attending college. He worked his way up through the ranks to become the Unit Chief for the Amador-El Dorado-Sacramento-Alpine Unit (AEU).

Holmes is a Cal Fire and State Fire Marshal certified Chief Officer. He is also qualified as a Type 1 National Incident Commander; Operations Section Chief; and Agency Administrator; and served at major emergency incidents throughout California, Wyoming, Montana and Oregon.

In 2007, Holmes co-chaired the Branding Committee that developed and recommended the new Cal Fire logo. He has also received Cal Fire’s Directors Leadership Award, Directors Commendation, and twice received the Directors Superior Accomplishment Award.

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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency expects to get proposals back this month for a study of a regional water reclamation and reuse program.

On Dec. 9, the AWA board discussed the grant of $50,000. Director Gary Thomas said “we do have the grant already.” He said the ARSA board talked about the grant at its meeting Dec. 8, and the need for the study.

AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo said a request for proposals is already out for the impending study. Mancebo said stakeholders are already identified, the agency has sent out information, and the proposals are due to be returned in early January.

The AWA board, Sutter Creek City Council and members of the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority last month all discussed the regional study. Sutter Creek Mayor Gary Wooten said “Jackson might not be able to put their tertiary water down Jackson Creek any more,” and likely will be interested in participating in reclamation.

Sutter Creek Vice Mayor Tim Murphy asked how they would get all the different parties involved in regional reclamation. ARSA members are Sutter Creek, the Amador County Board of Supervisors, and Amador City. The state owns Henderson Reservoir and Preston Correctional Facility, and is party to agreements with Ione, but not part of ARSA. AWA is also a party to agreement, with Martell Community Service Area 4, but is not a voting member of ARSA.

City Manager Sean Rabe (RUH-BAY) said “everybody is open to looking at potential avenues of what ARSA is, and how it interacts with Sutter Creek, Ione and other members.”

The AWA board has two special and one regular committee meetings this week. The personnel committee, directors Robert Manassero and Paul Molinelli Senior, has a special meeting 1 p.m. today (Jan. 4) to discuss filling the AWA controller position.

The engineering committee of directors Art Toy and Don Cooper is scheduled to have a special meeting 10 a.m. Wednesday (Jan. 5). Topics include Water sales to the Jackson Valley Irrigation District, via Jackson Creek, and a request by the city of Jackson for sale of water to JVID with financial augmentation by the city for benefits received.

The Budget and Finance Committee, of Cooper and Manassero, has a regular meeting set for 2 p.m. today with an extensive agenda.

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Amador County – The Amador Child Abuse Prevention Council plans its third annual “Bowl-A-Thon” March 26 at Gold Country Lanes in Sutter Creek.

Program director Robin Valencia said ACAP couldn’t do many special services “without the funds raised through our annual Bowl-a-Thon.”

The public can join by forming a “five-person team and collecting a minimum of $250 per team in donations.” Bowlers get free pizza, soda, and a chance to win prizes.

People can also donate a raffle prize or a silent auction item, or become an event sponsor.

Valencia said: “One of our council members once commented,” that “we get a lot of bang for our buck,” and “when you look back at our activities for 2010 we hope you will agree.” She said more than 1,000 community members benefitted from Amador Child Abuse Prevention Council’s free workshops.

They hosted eight Child Abuse & Neglect Mandated Reporter Training sessions with 104 attendees. She said more than 200 school faculty and staff were presented information.

The Council held 22 Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention workshops that reached a total of 595 people, including all students in freshmen health classes at Amador and Argonaut high schools.

The Council held 11 Digital Safety and Cyber Bullying Prevention workshops, attended by a total of 268 students and parents. And the Council’s 12 Stranger Awareness presentations gave information to 104 children and their parents or guardians since the program was started in July.

Valencia said: “We accomplished all of this with a volunteer Council of community partners, part-time staff, and a whole lot of community support.”

Other 2010 activities included the second annual Bowl-a-Thon, with 120 participants, which raised more than $13,000. Bowl-a-Thon participants also donated 194 pounds of “kid-friendly” food to the Inter Faith Food Bank.

To reserve a team lane, call Valencia at 223-5921, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., go to www.amadorcapc.org.

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Amador County – A new joint venture, the Amador Central Rail Road will meet Saturday in Ione to discuss short-term and long-term plans for the rail spur.

The Amador Central Railroad is a joint venture agreement that formed to purchase the 10-mile railroad spur that links Ione to Martell. The groups formed a managing committee, which is meeting this weekend to work on short-term and long-term plans.

The committee has equal representation from its two owners, the Amador County Historical Society and the Recreational Railroad Coalition Historical Society. The two non-profit corporations acquired about 10 miles of the old regular-gauge rail line from Sierra Pacific Industries in October 2010.

The 2010-2011 managing committee includes Historical Society members, Chairman Larry Cenotto, Debbie Cook, Andy Fahrenwald and Gary Reinoehl. Railroad Coaltion members of the managing committee are Larry Bowler, Mitch Haik and Grant Vogel.

The managing committee will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Ione City Hall chambers.

The meeting will be in two sessions, with routine business in the morning, scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon. After a lunch break, the afternoon session will begin with intensive planning for the Ione Rail Fair, scheduled for May. The committee will also consider other requests from “speeder” groups for access to the historic Amador line.

A committee from the two partners will continue work on a permanent joint venture agreement which will govern all railroad operations as co-owners of the Amador Central Rail Road.

The group is also planning a small inaugural speeder run out of Ione on Jan. 29 for ACHWS directors, to familiarize them with the operation, and for local press. The run is being limited to about 20-25 people. If interested, contact AMCRR soon.

For information, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Amador County – With 500 homes total, and annexation on the horizon, two housing projects were discussed by a non-quorum of the Plymouth Planning Commission last month.

Commissioners Sandy Fuller and Melvin Cossairt discussed the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Shenandoah Ridge and Zinfandel residential development projects, for which a comment period ended Dec. 31.

Project developer Reeder Sutherland Incorporate partner Stefan Horstschraer (HORS-SHRAR) said all comments would be answered in the Final EIR.

Cossair (COS-AIR) said he thought they were “realistically dreaming on building out that fast,” and “it could be 15 years.”

Horstschraer said both projects were designed around a 10-year time frame, but they realized the market may change that. He said Zinfandel would start a couple of years before Shenadoah Ridge. He also said they also would “build primarily single-story homes because that’s what research shows we will sell.”

City Planner Jeffrey S. Beiswenger (BESS-WENGER) said the Dec. 15 meeting was not for commission action, but meant to let people learn about the projects.

Zinfandel is 365 acres with about 217 acres to be developed. It would have 365 single-family homes in one residential neighborhood, with three parks, 6.5 miles of “natural trails” and large permanent open spaces,” open to the public. It is planned to have 17.5 acres of parkland and 130 acres of open space.

Shenandoah Ridge plans for 147 total acres, with 137 homes developed on 115 acres. It would have 1 acre of parkland and 31 acres of open space, both accessible to the public. Both projects will incorporate a “natural trail network” and link to undeveloped lands for “future regional trail development.”

Fuller asked about an easement to access Old Sacramento Road, and Horstschraer said they were trying to “hammer out a solution.”

Fuller said she was trying to figure out how much impact the projects will have on schools, and asked if developers has spoken with the district. Horstschraer said Superintendent Dick Glock “appeared here (in City Hall) and said Plymouth Elementary is able to accept students for all foreseeable growth into the city.”

City Planner Beiswenger said a rough schedule would have the Final EIR back in 2 weeks to a month, by February, and then there is a 180-day window before the city can certify the EIR. He said “that may not happen prior to the annexation.”

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