Amador County – The Plymouth City Council heard from a prospective manager of the Arroyo Ditch water right for the city last week, and set a special, closed session meeting for last weekend to continue discussion.

The council scheduled a special meeting of the city council in a closed session 8 a.m. Saturday (November 20th) at City Hall. They were to have a conference with its real property negotiator City Manager Dixon Flynn to discuss the Arroyo ditch and related water rights, prices and terms of payment.

Mayor Pat Fordyce said Shenandoah Management Company “can’t sit in on a closed session,” and “won’t be involved in it.”

 Fordyce said: “This is really to sort out some things we want, and then an agreement would be created. …Once a contract is put together, then it will be an open item on the agenda.”

They decided to hold the special session on Saturday “because it needs to get done” because at the “next council meeting, the council is going to change.”

Fordyce said they “just decided to have a special meeting and a closed session and deal with it.” She said the council “only had one meeting this month because of holidays.”

The Mayor said: “This is going to take some time and for the new council, it would be hard to pick up on something we’ve been doing for a couple of years.”

The council was expected to spend four hours on the subject Saturday.

The new council member, Peter Amoroso, will be sworn in at the December 9th meeting, and Fordyce will hand over the mayor’s gavel (to whoever the new council selects as the new Mayor). Fordyce and Councilman Mike O’Meara both did not seek reelection.

The council Thursday also discussed options for handling the replacement of Sean McGinness, who was elected to the city council on November 2nd, but resigned November 3rd because he moved out of Plymouth.

City Attorney Laura Hollender said they may make an appointment to fill the position, or call a special election within 30 days. She said they could not take any action at the meeting last week.

Fordyce said the decision “will be left to new council.” She expects to preside over the Dec. 9th meeting, “until we swear in the new members.”

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

Amador County – The Plymouth City Council heard from a prospective manager of its Arroyo Ditch Thursday, and planned to work through the weekend on an agreement with the company.

City Manager Dixon Flynn gave a report on an effort that began in December 2008 to find a company to manage the Arroyo Ditch and get its water flowing. Shenandoah Water Company has worked to make water flow in the ditch for the last three years.

Flynn said the state requires that the city show and measure “beneficial use” of the water, meaning it must install meters. The city believes its “pre-1914 water right on the Cosumnes River” gives it the right to divert at least 31 cubic feet per second from the river, or 23,000 acre-feet of water. Flynn said that right has not yet been “adjudicated,” and the agreement they seek to manage the Arroyo Ditch would include securing the rights.

The council in open session heard a presentation by Flynn and by Shenandoah Management Company, which made a proprietary agreement with the city to keep details of the company’s offer confidential.

Flynn said the company wanted to pursue the deal if it was “economically viable,” and would pay with “venture capital.” Flynn said the latter was “really broad.” The company also requested a 45-year contract, but Flynn said “over the last two years, the city has been fairly firm in its maximum of 20 years” for a contract.

Shenandoah Management Company partner Mark Suden of Pine Grove said he is a general engineer, with experience in mining, tunneling, drilling, blasting and ditch work. He and his partner, Josh Lyman, of Shenandoah Valley have been involved in the Arroyo Ditch for the last three years, beginning when Councilman Jon Colburn called him to blast some rock that had fallen in the ditch.

Originally Shenandoah Water Company, Suden said “we have not been in direct negotiations with the city since November 30th, 2009.”

Suden said: “We’re involved because we see the potential to make some money.” He said “we may be good guys, but we intend to make a profit on this.” He did not expect the city to pay the initial investments but “we do want to be paid back if we are successful in selling water.”

Suden said they wanted a long-term contract and would work with the city on a time frame.

The Shenandoah Management Company partnership includes Downey Brand Attorneys LLP, including water rights special counsel J. Mark Plymouth City Council heard from a prospective manager of the Arroyo Ditch water right for the city last week, and set a special, closed session meeting for last weekend to continue discussion.

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

Amador County – The Amador County elections department will be reducing the election voting places to seven locations for one time only, for the special election after the first of the year in State Senate District 1.

Sheldon D. Johnson, Amador County Registrar of Voters, announced Friday that polling locations for the upcoming January 4th, 2011 Special General Election will be consolidated to seven in Amador County, as voters decide the successor to the late Senator Dave Cox in District 1.

Candidates are Ted Gaines, a Republican from Granite Bay, and Ken Cooley, a Democrat from Sacramento.

Johnson said “for this election only, there will be seven polling locations countywide instead of the regular 26 locations.” Sample ballots for poll voters will be mailed between November 25th and December 14th, and “voters are encouraged to check their sample ballot for the location of their polling place.”

The polling locations for the January 4th, 2011 special general election are Jackson City Hall, Evalynn Bishop Hall in Ione, Sutter Creek Auditorium, New Life Christian Center at 19751 State Highway 88 in Pine Grove, the Plymouth City Hall, Lockwood Fire House at 23141 Shake Ridge Road in Volcano, and Mace Meadow Golf Course in Pioneer.

“Pursuant to the California Elections Code, several precincts have been designated as mail ballot precincts for this election only,” Johnson said. Beginning December 6th, vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed to voters in designated mail ballot precincts and the permanent vote-by-mail voters. The Voter Instructions and Information Pamphlet will also be included with the official ballots.

The three precincts designated as mail ballot precincts are Amador City, Volcano, and River Pines.

Johnson said he “implemented these changes over concerns in not being able to secure enough poll workers due to the holidays, a predicted lighter than usual turnout, the high number of permanent vote-by-mail voters (54.59 percent of the registered voters), and in an effort to keep costs down.”

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

Amador County – As many as 23,000 foothill residents were left without power beginning early Sunday morning due to heavy winter rain and snow storms.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) company officials reported blanket power outages occurring Sunday and Monday in portions of Amador, Calaveras, Nevada, Placer and El Dorado counties.

In total, 3,200 were without power in Alpine Amador, Calaveras and San Joaquin counties. The largest outage hit West Point, where 1,700 customers were without power much of Sunday.

PG&E said the outages occurred after multiple spans of wires fell in various areas. They warn residents to use caution when driving and stay clear of downed lines. Crews have been dispatched throughout the area to restore power.

Multiple brief outages also knocked out power for businesses in downtown Jackson Monday morning.

As of late Monday morning, multiple reports of downed lines in Amador County were still coming in. As of 10:25 am, Highway 88 was closed between Meadow Pine and Sugar Pine Drive because of downed power lines. Another line was reported down on Woodland Road in Pioneer.

As of 11:30 a.m. Monday, Highway 88 at the Carson Spur was also closed due to heavy snowfall.

The National Weather Service has put in place a winter storm warning that will remain in effect until 6 pm Tuesday above the 2,500 foot elevation. The agency expects another cold front dropping southward into the region tonight bringing another round or showers and snow to 2,500 feet or lower, and gusty winds of up to 50 miles per hour in some very high elevations.

Residents are advised to use extreme caution while driving.

If you want to report or have concerns about downed power lines, please call PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000.

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

Amador County – As many as 23,000 foothill residents were left without power beginning early Sunday morning due to heavy winter rain and snow storms.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) company officials reported blanket power outages occurring Sunday and Monday in portions of Amador, Calaveras, Nevada, Placer and El Dorado counties.

In total, 3,200 were without power in Alpine Amador, Calaveras and San Joaquin counties. The largest outage hit West Point, where 1,700 customers were without power much of Sunday.

PG&E said the outages occurred after multiple spans of wires fell in various areas. They warn residents to use caution when driving and stay clear of downed lines. Crews have been dispatched throughout the area to restore power.

Multiple brief outages also knocked out power for businesses in downtown Jackson Monday morning.

As of late Monday morning, multiple reports of downed lines in Amador County were still coming in. As of 10:25 am, Highway 88 was closed between Meadow Pine and Sugar Pine Drive because of downed power lines. Another line was reported down on Woodland Road in Pioneer.

As of 11:30 a.m. Monday, Highway 88 at the Carson Spur was also closed due to heavy snowfall.

The National Weather Service has put in place a winter storm warning that will remain in effect until 6 pm Tuesday above the 2,500 foot elevation. The agency expects another cold front dropping southward into the region tonight bringing another round or showers and snow to 2,500 feet or lower, and gusty winds of up to 50 miles per hour in some very high elevations.

Residents are advised to use extreme caution while driving.

If you want to report or have concerns about downed power lines, please call PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000.

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

Amador County – The Amador County elections department will be reducing the election voting places to seven locations for one time only, for the special election after the first of the year in State Senate District 1.

Sheldon D. Johnson, Amador County Registrar of Voters, announced Friday that polling locations for the upcoming January 4th, 2011 Special General Election will be consolidated to seven in Amador County, as voters decide the successor to the late Senator Dave Cox in District 1.

Candidates are Ted Gaines, a Republican from Granite Bay, and Ken Cooley, a Democrat from Sacramento.

Johnson said “for this election only, there will be seven polling locations countywide instead of the regular 26 locations.” Sample ballots for poll voters will be mailed between November 25th and December 14th, and “voters are encouraged to check their sample ballot for the location of their polling place.”

The polling locations for the January 4th, 2011 special general election are Jackson City Hall, Evalynn Bishop Hall in Ione, Sutter Creek Auditorium, New Life Christian Center at 19751 State Highway 88 in Pine Grove, the Plymouth City Hall, Lockwood Fire House at 23141 Shake Ridge Road in Volcano, and Mace Meadow Golf Course in Pioneer.

“Pursuant to the California Elections Code, several precincts have been designated as mail ballot precincts for this election only,” Johnson said. Beginning December 6th, vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed to voters in designated mail ballot precincts and the permanent vote-by-mail voters. The Voter Instructions and Information Pamphlet will also be included with the official ballots.

The three precincts designated as mail ballot precincts are Amador City, Volcano, and River Pines.

Johnson said he “implemented these changes over concerns in not being able to secure enough poll workers due to the holidays, a predicted lighter than usual turnout, the high number of permanent vote-by-mail voters (54.59 percent of the registered voters), and in an effort to keep costs down.”

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