Amador County – The Amador County Planning Commission last week approved the Buena Vista Biomass Power plant permit amendment and environmental documents after discussion of impacts, including jobs.

The commission unanimously approved the Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report on the former Cogen combustion power plant on Coal Mine Road, which its applicant said would employ 19 people.

Several people spoke about keeping jobs local, including Bill May of Jackson Valley Road. May said “Buena Vista Biomass Power is not willing to guarantee one single job,” and he urged the commission to require local hiring in the conditions of approval.

Greg Gillott, an attorney in the county counsel’s office said “there are constitutional limits on the kind of conditions you can place on businesses, and I believe Mr. May’s suggestion exceeds those limits.”

A woman from Mother Lode Job Training said about 18 months ago, she was contacted by 200 people who were interested in the “the likes of 20 jobs” at the Buena Vista plant, but she said any action with the prospective employees was stalled as the applicant worked on its Subsequent EIR.

Buena Vista Biomass Power’s applicant, Michael J. Muston, president and CEO of Otoka Local Renewable Energy, of Bloomington, Minnesota, said: “I find this a bit intriguing, the concept that we do not want to hire people from Amador County.” He was happy to hear Mother Lode Job Training was working with applicants, but he hadn’t worked with them yet.

Muston said the only reason he would bring people into the county to work was if another facility closed, but there was no other facility. He believes there is ample numbers of people available locally with good job experience.

He wants people born and raised here, with families and kids, who are more likely to stay. He said: “If you want me to come back and look you in the eye and tell you how many people we hired from Amador County, I’ll do it.”

Commissioner Dave Wardall said two Ione companies, Lou Yager Construction and Carson Yager Trucking, had both worked for Muston. Civil engineer Robin Peters said Muston has “kept seven or eight of us employed rather steadily to get this open,” including Weatherbee Reynolds, Chuck Cree Surveying, and Sweet Pea Septic. Peters said the applicant was looking for local workers, and asked him if he knew anybody else who could help them.

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

Amador County – Amador County Planning Commission last week approved documents and a permit for the proposed Buena Vista Biomass Power plant and what could be a $20 million power facility with $2 million in salaries.

The Commission certified a Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report, approved a permit amendment, made a finding of facts, and finalized a statement of overriding considerations to approve the project, setting in motion a two-week appeal period during which the decisions can be appealed.

BVBP President and CEO Michael J. Muston in an e-mail to the commission November 24th said the plant once open would employ 19 or more people and have a salary of $2 million to $2.27 million. He said “Overall construction expenses, including labor costs, are anticipated to be in excess of $20 million.”

The company would operate an electric power generation plant on Coal Mine Road, the former Cogen plant. They plant would burn woody biomass, and rely heavily on forest management trimmings to subside.

Chairman Ray Ryan asked that the commission and staff comment on whether they “all think it’s fully compliant with” the California Environmental Quality Act. No objections were made, and they voted 5-0 to approve the Final SEIR, which Ryan said “reflects the county’s independent analysis and judgment.”

After the votes, Amador County Planner Nathan Lishman said anyone who wished to appeal the Planning Commission actions must do so by letter and by paying an accompanying fee, with a deadline of 5 pm, Monday, December 13th.

County Assessor Jim Rooney said he visited the site of the plant last year because he thought construction would start soon (The plant’s construction was halted for the Final SEIR).

Rooney said it was a unique property and would be hard to assess, and “when we do an assessment like this, we rely on what they tell us.”

Rooney said BVBP was “very forthright” about their costs and value, and “said it would be about a $20 million to $25 million plant.” They also asked about their taxes, and Rooney said it would be 1 percent of the value, and he gave the example that a $20 million plant would pay $200,000. He said “it wasn’t an appraisal. We haven’t done an appraisal, and things have not happened out there in a year.”

He said “we would have to rely on them for what things are worth.” He said he could also talk to other states with similar plants to see how they have been assessed.

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

Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council welcomed new Councilman Jim Swift and also seated Councilwoman Linda Rianda to her first elected term Monday in a ceremony before their first meeting.

The council and about 30 people in attendance also saluted outgoing Councilman Pat Crosby, who retired and did not seek reelection.

The two new council members took their oaths of office, as did newly elected City Treasurer Victoria Runquist, who ran a successful write-in campaign, albeit unopposed, as former Treasurer Cathy Castillo did not register as a candidate.

The council also appointed Deputy City Clerk Natalie Doyle as the interim City Clerk, because immediate past City Clerk Judy Allen did not run during the November election.

City Manager Sean Rabe recommended the appointment at interim clerk “until staff is able to provide definitive answers as to how the council should fill the vacant seat.” He said staff anticipates having the answers by the first meeting in January.

City Attorney Derek Cole said no one ran for city clerk, which creates a vacancy. The council can handle it by either calling a special election, or by appointing a person to the position. Cole also recommended making an appointment, due to the high cost of having a special election.

The city clerk position is required by city code to be filled by an election, for a four-year term. He said city code also requires that the clerk be a resident and registered voter of Sutter Creek, which Natalie Doyle is not.

Cole said the council can appoint her as interim clerk, and direct staff to interview candidates for appointment to the elected position. Those applicants also must be registered voters and city residents.

He said if no one applies, the council could change the city code to allow for an appointed, rather than elected city clerk.

Councilman Tim Murphy moved to make the appointment of Doyle and also reevaluate the position, “before we go out and look for a more permanent” action. He asked Rabe to get a proposed set of revised duties for the clerk.

Councilwoman Sandy Anderson asked that staff get the resolution prepared well before 2012, so they can be sure to have it make the ballot, if they decide to seek a change.

Wooten said the new city council will decide its new Mayor and Vice Mayor for the coming year in its first meeting in January. Wooten also decided to table an issue of appointing council members to the proposed “Gold Rush Ranch Implementation committee.” He said the new Mayor should establish those members.

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

Amador County – Women participating in certain medical programs may be eligible for a free mammography screening Friday at Safeway in Martell.

Natalie Pettis of St. Joseph’s Medical Center said in a release Monday that the St. Joseph’s Medical Center plans to have its “Mobile Mammography Unit” open and available for screenings, by appointment only, this Friday, December 10th at Safeway in Martell.

Pettis said: “Women can conveniently receive a mammography screening at the Martell Safeway store on Friday, December 10th.” She said “mammograms are provided by St. Joseph’s Medical Center through an innovative program that brings mammography services to patients who may not otherwise have access to these resources.”

She said “low-cost mammograms will be available for only $80,” and “women enrolled in certain medical programs may be eligible for a mammogram at no cost.”

The screenings are available by appointment to any woman with a physician’s referral. Pettis said St. Joseph’s Mobile Mammography Unit is a full-service, self-contained mammography clinic on wheels featuring state-of-the-art digital mammography technology and service.”

The Mobile Mammography Unit is sponsored by such partners as the Safeway Foundation, Avon and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

The St. Joseph’s Mobile Mammography Unit will be scheduling mammograms appointments between 9 am and 3 pm Friday, December 10th at Safeway, located at 12110 Industry Boulevard in Martell. Pettis said women of all ages needing a mammogram can make an appointment by calling toll-free at 1 (866) 430-8222.

The full-service mammography clinic is housed in an 18-wheel tractor-trailer, and is licensed by the state of California and accredited by the American College of Radiology and the Food and Drug Administration.

Pettis said the clinic “meets all requirements for performing screening mammography. The digital images from all screenings are read by licensed radiologists,” and “results are sent to patients and their physicians within two to three weeks of their exams.”

St. Joseph’s Medical Center is a 365-bed, not-for-profit, fully accredited, regional hospital. It is the largest hospital and private employer in Stockton.

Pettis said St. Joseph’s is committed to delivering high quality, compassionate health services. St. Joseph’s is a member of Catholic Healthcare West, a system of 40 hospitals and medical centers in California, Nevada, and Arizona.

For information, see the St. Joseph’s website at www.StJosephsCares.org.

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

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency installed three new board members last week, and the new board of directors will get to work immediately, including selecting two new officers, and will consider putting the Gravity Supply Line project out for bids.

Friday, after the new board members took their oath of office, AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo said the agency’s new board of directors will have its first meeting Thursday (December 9th). Its first action will be to choose its new president and vice president, and then it will decide and the president will assign committees.

The new board members, Paul Molinelli Senior, Robert Manassero, and Art Toy were sworn in Friday morning at a special ceremony at the AWA office. The three replace two two-year members who were voted out of office, and 12-year veteran Terence Moore, who retired and chose not to run for re-election.

Molinelli takes over District 1, from immediate past President Bill Condrashoff, and Manassero takes over District 4, from immediate past Vice President Debbie Dunn, who was next in line for the board presidency. Toy succeeded Moore in District 5, having won the three-way election over John Asmus and Dale Turner.

The three new members join District 3 Director Don Cooper, and District 2 Director Gary Thomas, both of whom have two years’ experience on the board. Manassero, Molinelli and Toy each started four-year terms to serve through 2014. Cooper and Thomas both were elected in 2008 and their terms expire in 2012.

The board will also consider an agency operational reorganization study begun by the previous board, and also is scheduled to look at the next step in the Gravity Supply Line project, in getting it ready to put out for bids.

The board will discuss making direction to staff “to proceed with all steps necessary to bid the Gravity Supply Line Project as soon as possible, for an amount not to exceed $69,630.”

Mancebo said Friday that retailing members of the Central Amador Water Project in their recent quarterly meeting “overwhelmingly supported” continuing to analyze the GSL, and getting the project out to bid.

After seeing the bids and costs, Mancebo said he expected the board to take 90 to 120 days to determine whether it would go forward with the project. The agency has already applied for a $5 million USDA loan for the project.

Mancebo said the economic climate for construction was good, and he expected the GSL bid to be lower than engineering estimates. He noted as example that the bid to build the Mission Boulevard extension in Jackson recently came in 50 percent under estimates.

The AWA board meets 9 am on the second and fourth Thursday each month. The meetings are open to the public.

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

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency last week greeted its three new directors, who will start work this week.

Registrar Sheldon Johnson administered the oath of office Friday morning for Paul Molinelli Senior, Robert Manassero and Art Toy, who gave brief statements. Manassero said he “won’t go for a rate increase immediately,” as the crowd laughed, “but things change.” Toy said he was happy to be there, but often in the campaign wondered why he was running, and Molinelli said he “still has no clue.” Molinelli apologized in advance for “alienating you,” and said he will ask a lot of questions at first, but then he will be ready to move forward.

Three supervisors also spoke, with John Plasse of District 1 saying he had frequent lunches with Manassero and Molinelli in the campaign, and often had to remind them why they were running for public office. He said he did so with a quote from Plato, around 400 B.C., saying: “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”

Supervisor Chairman Brian Oneto said he met a lot with Toy in his campaign, and Supervisor Ted Novelli said as a former AWA director, he looked forward to seeing the board improve how it works together, expecting it to be better than it has in the last several years. Novelli said he also looked forward to seeing people again being pleased with the decisions and actions of the AWA directors.

The induction ceremony Friday was followed by a retirement reception for District 5 Director Terence Moore, who was retiring after three terms. Moore told directors that for 12 years, the AWA board members have received $119.80 for each meeting they attend. He said he tried for 12 years to get the board a 20-cent raise, and that fight now falls to the new board.

AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo, with 20 years at the agency, said Moore was an asset to attaining the Amador Transmission Pipeline, and he saw several incarnations of that project over his term.

Moore said the last two years on the board of directors has been tense and stressful. His wife said the “outgoing board member” is “already gone,” and she expected his “Scotch consumption will go down on Thursdays.”

Moore also jokingly said he looked forward to attending AWA board meetings as a member of the public, and “telling you what to do.”

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

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dan. Lungren (R-CA), who represents California’s 3rd District including Amador County, has been named Chairman of the Committee on House Administration for the 112th Congress.

After serving as Ranking Member in the 111th Congress, Lungren awaits the challenge to undertake the difficult task of reducing spending and protecting voting rights.

“It has been a privilege to serve as Ranking Member alongside Mr. Brady, and I am honored to serve all Americans as Chairman of the Committee on House Administration. With the largest incoming class of new members in 60 years, I am looking forward to continuing their transition into the 112th Congress. The Committee will also do its part in finding ways to reduce spending in Washington D.C. and bring a more efficient, responsible government back to the people,” said Lungren.

He continued: “I am also dedicated to preserving the integrity of elections and ensuring all service members overseas have an opportunity to have their vote counted. The Committee will work diligently and will be up to the task of defending this fundamental right for all Americans.”

Lungren serves as Ranking Member on the House Administration Committee in addition to serving on the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees.

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

Amador County - Amador is among 19 counties eligible to receive a portion of millions of dollars in federal grant funding for energy efficiency retrofits on homes.

The CRHMFA Homebuyers Fund (CHF) was awarded a $16.5 million grant in late November from the California Energy Commission (CHF). It is designed to help homeowners improve energy efficiency.

The CHF is described on its website as “a government sponsored Joint Power Authority that issues tax-exempt and taxable bonds to create affordable single-family mortgage loan programs.” It has 30 member counties, mostly rural. The energy grant program intends to provide loans and grants to “single family residence owners,” in turn saving them money, according to the CHF.

“Replacing windows, sealing air spaces, super-insulating existing walls, floors, ceiling or roof, and upgrading heating and cooling equipment are just a few examples of home retrofit work that can significantly reduce your household energy consumption and slash your energy bills,” say the CHF on their website.

In addition to Amador, member counties include Alpine, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Imperial, Inyo, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Benito, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne and Yuba.

It is expected that the program will create as many as 490 jobs in the fields of construction, trade and energy efficiency installation throughout the 30 member counties.

It will also provide more than 1,100 loans and grants to current homeowners as well as 1,200 grants to people purchasing or refinancing a home while work is done as part of a rehabilitation loan or other energy efficiency mortgage.

The CHF says “homeowners can apply for a grant in addition to a 3 percent fixed interest rate 15-year loan from CHF to help with the cost of energy efficiency upgrades.”

The CHF puts homeowners in touch with approved contractors, who “will provide you with a personalized analysis of your home, a checklist of recommended energy efficiency improvements and help you with the application for financial assistance from us.”

The CHF also plans to launch a mortgage credit certification program to offer a tax credit to first-time homebuyers.

For more information or to apply, contact CHF at (855) 740-8422.

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

Amador County – The deed of ownership for the National Hotel was transferred to a Los Gatos-based corporation last Tuesday, as confirmed by TSPN.

New World Properties, described on manta.com as “a private company categorized under Operators of Nonresidential Buildings,” reportedly paid between $457,500 and $458,000 for the historic building, which originally went up for sale for a reported $1.9 million in February 2009.

The state Alcoholic Beverage Control had issued an order to close the doors of the National Hotel and bar in May 2008 due to 7 violations, including selling alcohol to a minor.

Bill Smith, the National Hotel’s owner at the time, said he was seeking to sell the property for its intrinsic, historic value.

Jeff Taylor, listed agent for New World Properties, was not available for comment before this story aired.

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