Amador County – The Amador County Transportation Commission heard progress on a regional growth modeling project in Amador County on Tuesday. Staff and consultants reviewed a mapping work to create an “Amador County Regional Blueprint,” and took comments.

Consultants used a UPlan mapping tool created by the U.C. Davis Information Center for the Environment to prioritize limited funding for traffic, and understand development patterns and influences that can “factor into market trends and decisions.”

They said it can also “help ACTC verify, support, “understand land use decisions the cities and county have made from a high level perspective,” and “provide a more robust tool to link transportation and land use.”

The study used the existing General Plans of the county and cities to map data to 2030 and 2050, and listed attractors to and discouragers of development, and “masks” that create areas that can’t be developed.

Board Member John Plasse said he was concerned about a map of slopes over 45 degrees. He said “one appears to be on my family’s property at Silver Lake, and I’m a little concerned about that.” He said the local high school and grammar school are built on slopes greater than that.

Plasse said he would like to see the details of areas designated to be too sloped for development. The consultant said it contained areas in quadrants of 50 by 50 meters, in which all of the land must be sloped over 45 degrees.

ACTC Executive Director Charles Field said: “What you are seeing here is a work of art as much as it is a work of science,” and it “should only be used from 30,000 feet,” and once you try to focus any closer, you lose detail.

Field said: “I think the real value of this model is going to be known in the next five or 10 years.”

Board Member Richard Forster said listing “Camanche infill” as an attractor was a misnomer as there is “no ability to develop there now because of water and wastewater capabilities.” Field acknowledged that Ione City Planner Christopher Jordan made note of the moratoriums in Camanche due to water and wastewater problems.

Chairman Greg Baldwin found a problem with traffic maps calling Highways 49 and 88 main arteries, but not Ridge Road, even though it carries the same number of cars per day.

Baldwin said they “really need to weigh traffic volumes, because a lot of people are finding shortcuts and they are taking them.” The consultant said it was based on Caltrans designations of “arterials,” while Ridge Road is designated as a “collector.”

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

Amador County – The Ione City Council Monday approved a contract with its employees’ union, and an agreement with Amador County on the city’s sphere of influence.

The council in a special meeting Monday approved a five-year contract with Service Employees International Union. City Manager Kim Kerr said negotiations toward “long-term solutions” led to the agreement, which lasts through June 30th, 2015.

The building inspector/public works project manager agreed to a furlough through the end of the year, to work 16 hours a week for seven weeks. Salary changes include new hires paying their own retirement share, and existing employees eventually paying some of it, in 2 percent increases annually.

Kerr said the furlough will save $7,000, and starting in 2011, the PERS annual savings will be roughly $5,200, and grow to $20,800 in 2014-2015.

The council also approved a sphere of influence agreement with the county, which Kerr said the Board of Supervisors approved and signed Tuesday.

The council discussed the changes from the original document to the revised agreement, first presented at the first meeting of the council and supervisors. The memorandum of understanding was approved on a 4-1 vote, with Councilman Jim Ulm dissenting.

Kerr said the council directed staff at a second joint meeting to remove requirements for Amador County to designate certain land usage within the city’s sphere of influence.

The changes in the agreement stressed the importance of communication between the two agencies concerning development, Kerr said. They also had discussed land use, and authority over designations. The sphere of influence includes land outside a city limits, but considered part of its future growth area.

There was also attention given to the area to be annexed to city, so that it could be assured that a buffer area would be created between any rural and agricultural areas that would become adjacent to the development of any residential areas, Kerr said. The Amador County Local Agency Formation Commission adopted guidelines for the creation of those buffers, she said, and “we kind of built some of that same language into our city general plan.”

Ione City Council inducts its new council members at the beginning of the next meeting, starting at 6 pm Tuesday, Dec. 7th. Kerr said the council will accept a resolution from Amador County certifying the results of the election, and City Clerk Janice Traverso will certify the election for the city, and then administer the oath of office for the new council members.

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

Amador County – A public hearing to discuss the closure of Preston Youth Correction Facility will take place next Wednesday evening.

The meeting is the second compelled by 10th District Assemblymember Alyson Huber following a decision by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDC) announcement in October that they will downsize the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), which includes Preston.

“At this point, there seems to be no clear vision or plan that CDCR is following to meet the needs of a dwindling youth offender population and a shrinking budget,” says Huber. “The process by which Preston was selected for closure remains unclear despite numerous public hearings and requests for information.”

Huber was the driving force behind a public meeting in Ione that came shortly after the closure announcement, and chaired a subsequent Joint Legislative Audit Committee in which she looked to compel the CDCR to answer questions about how the decision was made and how they will mitigate impacts of the closure.

“I will continue to ask questions of the Department and look for opportunities for the public to voice their concerns since they weren’t allowed that chance prior to the closure announcement,” Huber said.

The upcoming public hearing takes place on Wednesday, December 8th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the Amador County Board of Supervisors Chambers in Jackson. Everyone is welcome to attend.

For more information, call Huber’s office at 916-319-2010.

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

Amador County – Amador County Public Health issued a statement today (December 3rd) notifying the public that someone is illegally making telephone calls and claiming to be with the Public Health Department.

Public Health Nursing Supervisor Lori Jagoda said Public Health wants to immediately inform the community that on Thursday, December 2nd, multiple incidents occurred where a male caller telephoned local residents, falsely identifying himself as “The Health Department.” The caller then proceeded to tell them that they have a communicable disease.

The number that appears on the caller ID is the Public Health main number. Based on the information received, it is thought the male perpetrator is using technology based software to display the incoming number as the Public Health Department main number.

When an actual employee of Public Health does telephone a patient, Jagoda said, the employee will identify themselves by name after confirming that they are speaking to the patient themselves. “For example,” she said, “I would identify myself” by saying “This is Lori, a nurse from the Health Department.”

If members of the community receive any suspicious telephone calls, they are asked to call Public Health during business hours to report the incident and the descriptive information.

Normal business hours for Public Health are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and the office is closed between noon and 1 p.m.

The Amador County Sheriff’s Department is aware of the criminal activity, and Public Health is cooperating fully with the Sheriff’s Department in the investigation.

Contact Public Health at (209) 223-6407, or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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

Amador County – A public hearing to discuss the closure of Preston Youth Correction Facility will take place next Wednesday evening.

The meeting is the second compelled by 10th District Assemblymember Alyson Huber following a decision by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDC) announcement in October that they will downsize the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), which includes Preston.

“At this point, there seems to be no clear vision or plan that CDCR is following to meet the needs of a dwindling youth offender population and a shrinking budget,” says Huber. “The process by which Preston was selected for closure remains unclear despite numerous public hearings and requests for information.”

Huber was the driving force behind a public meeting in Ione that came shortly after the closure announcement, and chaired a subsequent Joint Legislative Audit Committee in which she looked to compel the CDCR to answer questions about how the decision was made and how they will mitigate impacts of the closure.

“I will continue to ask questions of the Department and look for opportunities for the public to voice their concerns since they weren’t allowed that chance prior to the closure announcement,” Huber said.

The upcoming public hearing takes place on Wednesday, December 8th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the Amador County Board of Supervisors Chambers in Jackson. Everyone is welcome to attend.

For more information, call Huber’s office at 916-319-2010.

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

Amador County – About 35 people attended a ceremony this morning (Friday, December 3rd) to watch the induction into office of the Amador Water Agency’s three new board members.

Amador County Registrar of Voters Sheldon Johnson led the new members in their oaths of office, as Paul Molinelli took over the directorship of District 1; Art Toy took the seat in District 5; and Robert Manassero took over in District 4.

AWA sitting board members, both with two years’ experience, Director Don Cooper of District 3, and Director Gary Thomas of District 2 also attended, as did supervisors Ted Novelli, John Plasse and Chairman Brian Oneto.

General Manager Gene Mancebo said the new board of directors will have its first meeting 9 am Thursday, December 9th, and should begin with electing its president and vice president, and assigning its members to various board committees.

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