Amador County - The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) will hold a meeting today to inform public officials about the details behind its intention to close the Preston Youth Correctional Facility. The meeting takes place today at 3 pm at Ione City Hall.

Although not a regular a public forum, the public is still welcome to attend.

The Amador County Supervisors and various officials representing the cities within the county are expected to attend.

Alyson Huber, Assemblywoman representing the 3rd District, will also be in attendance. Huber has reportedly expressed major disappointment in the CDCR’s decision.

The closure would affect roughly 400 staff, most of whom live locally. As many as 224 juvenile wards will be incorporated into remaining youth facilities throughout the state, which include the O.H. Close and N.A. Chaderjian youth correctional facilities in Stockton. If it goes forward, it will take place June 30, 2011.

Preston is one of four California youth facilities recently considered for closure. The DJJ has closed nine institutions and conservation camps in recent years. The CDCR has not said whether the Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp will be affected. Story by Alex Lane. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Amador County - The Amador Central Railroad was sold to the Recreational Railroad Coalition (RRC) Historical Society by Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) for $1 on Saturday, ending months of negotiation over the future of the historic tracks.

RRC President Larry Bowler confirmed that the tracks, adjacent land and all associated equipment officially changed hands and will become the joint property of the Amador County Historical Society (ACHS) and Bowler’s nonprofit group.

“We are overjoyed that Sierra Pacific has been so generous with this gift,” said RRC President Larry Bowler. “Although it was a valuable asset to SPI, the company chose to preserve the rail line rather than develop the property for other uses.”

“This is a model of corporate philanthropy and is appreciated by historians and rail buffs throughout the nation” he added. “The RRC Historical Society represents a group of dedicated rail enthusiasts who use the tracks for recreational and historical purposes on small rail cars known as “speeders.”

SPI made the donation “to assure that this piece of Sierra foothill history will be preserved and maintained in the future,” said Amador Council of Tourism President Maureen Funk in a release.

Larry Cenotto, President of the ACHS, stated “The Amador Foothills Railroad is one of the most valuable historical assets in Amador County - a central piece of the county’s history will now be preserved thanks to Sierra Pacific Industries.”

In all, thirty three parcels across 11.8 miles of land were included in the deal. The line stretches from Highway 88 in Martell to Ione. Beginning in 1904 and operating for a century, the Amador Central Railroad was the main connection with the Southern Pacific Company at Ione and Martell. The carrier served the areas gold mining communities and hauled lumber products from nearby sawmills. Sierra Pacific Industries purchased the rail from another forest products company in 1997 and has since allowed RRC members to use the rail for recreational purposes.

A formal press conference detailing the sale will be held on Wednesday, October 27th at 11 am at the Ione Railroad Depot. Speeder cars will be on hand as well as representatives from the involved organizations. Refreshments will be provided.

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

Amador County – Amador County Registrar of Voters Sheldon Johnson said Monday that he expected about half of the 12,106 absentee ballots sent out to county voters to be returned this week.

The election office was gearing for next Tuesday’s election, with county staff delivering ballots, and patrons hand-delivering their ballots at the Court Street office.

Amador County Election Supervisor Debbie Smith provided a list of cumulative ballots issued by voting precinct, showing 11,235 permanent absentee voter ballots have been sent out to voters for the November 2nd election. As of 11 a.m. Monday (October 25th), the office had received 3,464 of the ballots. A total of 12,106 ballots had gone out early through various means.

Johnson said he expected 50 percent of the absentee ballots to be returned to the office this week. Those received before election day will be tallied when polls close at 8 p.m., offering a first look at five local races, featuring 17 candidates vying for 8 positions. 

In Amador Water Agency races, District 1 had 37 percent of its absentee ballots returned by Monday. District 4 had 27 percent of its absentee ballots returned, and District 5 had 26 percent.

From Ione, where six candidates are running for three seats on the city council, 34 percent of the absentee voters by Monday had returned their ballots to the election office. From Sutter Creek, where four candidates vie for two positions on the city council, 27 percent of the absentee ballots had been returned.

Ione has 2,126 eligible voters for Tuesday’s election, and Sutter Creek has 1,740. Registrants by District in the AWA race include 4,051 voters in District 1; 4,333 voters in District 4; and 4,452 voters in District 5.

Johnson said as with the primary, the general election day tallies will be run in counting machines at the election office, with the proceedings open to the public. Smith said the precinct votes should be tabulated as they arrive from their respective voting locations.

There are 21,354 registered voters in Amador County, with 57 percent receiving absentee or early-vote ballots. The registration as of October 22nd showed 7,077 Democrats and 9,750 Republicans registered in the county. Another 3,431 registrants “decline to state” their parties, and 1,096 claim other parties.

Overall voter registration went up by 409 people since the June 8th primary, when 20,935 people were registered. By comparison, after the June 2008 primary, 1,109 more people registered to vote that November.

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

Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council last week heard a treasury report that spending outpaced revenue in the first quarter this year, and a separate report that staff is trying to catch up on finance administration.

City Treasurer Cathy Castillo said the city “only deposited $104,000” for the first quarter of this fiscal year, with $170,000 in operations, and had a negative ending balance of $12,000.

Castillo said the cash balance was $1.5 million, and the city is “continuing to experience negative cash flow.”

She said “almost at the end of the first quarter of the new fiscal year, we are finally getting sales tax that was due to us June 1st,” which “has been standard operating procedure by the state.”

Castillo said “what we received in September, we really should have received in June or July.” She said the “state has the legal authority to issue these checks when they feel like it,” and “their cash is the city’s budget.” 

Castillo said the city keeps “having more cash out than we are taking in, and the finance directors still have not closed out June or July or August.” She recommended increasing a city investment with Umpqua Bank to increase returns for the city, which the council approved 4-1 with Mayor Gary Wooten against.

Wooten said he noticed that Umpqua reimbursements were still addressed to former City Manager Rob Duke and former Finance Director Jeff Gardner. Wooten said: “It would be good if that was changed, by tomorrow.” City Manager Sean Rabe said he “noticed that too, and their names are already taken off the account.”

Councilwoman Sandy Anderson said the change in investments amounts to savings of “a couple of hundred dollars,” and it was “not worth agonizing over it.”

In public comments, Dan Riordan said: “Do we have a balanced budget or not?” Castillo said “when you are not receiving cash flow on a timely basis, you get this kind of distortion.”

Wooten said: “We need our financial director here to answer questions,” and asked Riordan to stop talking. Riordan protested and City Attorney Derek Cole said: “As a general rule, the public has a right to speak.” Cole said the council has gotten into the practice of “soliloquies.”

Riordan said “it’s the first time I’ve seen the actuals, so it’s a big deal.” He said Rabe “can handle himself,” and told the mayor: “I have a right to speak here.”

Rabe said the problem was that cash flow is behind. He said there are also “ongoing issues that we’re finding in the finance department.” They “basically had to rebuild the payroll,” and the new finance director keeps encountering setbacks.

Wooten later apologized to Riordan, and asked: “Are there any more political statements?” Story by Jim Reece. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sacramento - All four candidates for State Senate District 1 will appear tonight in a debate at William Jessup University in Rocklin.

Republicans Barbara Alby, Ted Gaines and Roger Niello and Democrat Ken Cooley will field questions from students, faculty, media and community members.

All four candidates have been campaigning for a relatively short period of time to fill the seat left empty by the late Senator Dave Cox, who passed away in July. The upcoming Election Day on November 2 is a primary for the seat, with the actual election to take place in January.

State Senate District 1 is a geographically diverse, mostly rural district which includes all or portions of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Plumas Sierra, Nevada, Placer and Sacramento counties.

The candidates forum is hosted by William Jessup's public policy department and the Roseville Chamber of Commerce. It is scheduled to begin at 6 pm tonight (Monday, October 25) in the Lecture Hall at the university, located at 333 Sunset Blvd.

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

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency discussed deferring some big costs on the horizon last week, including a sewer treatment plant capacity improvement agreement with Sutter Creek.

Finance Manager Mike Lee said he deferred a budgeted payment of $250,000 to Sutter Creek toward future sewer treatment capacity, saying the agency does not have an agreement in place.

He said meeting the budget still will require negotiations with bargaining units and a reduction in salaries. The board meeting Thursday includes discussion of the agency’s proposed reorganization.

General Manager Gene Mancebo said they are “starting to discuss that capacity” agreement, and he suggested trying to pay Sutter Creek for the sewer expansion over a number of years, instead of paying the “whole nut” at once.

AWA Attorney Steven Kronick said “the AWA participated because it would get capacity,” and it needs to meet waste discharge requirements.

When the Sutter Creek treatment plant “went online, they were having trouble operating,” Mancebo said. “Since then, there have been changes to the agreement” by attorneys on both sides, and the city also hired a new attorney after Dennis Crabb retired.

Kronick said the agency needs “verification of additional capacity that was expected.” Mancebo said the “terms of the agreement are subject to the board’s approval, in my opinion.”

Vice President Debbie Dunn said the city “can speed it up on us,” and Mancebo said there is not a big rush or demand for new capacity, and the project “has not been the highest priority” for the agency.

Dunn said “this is a bargain” and “we don’t want to lose this,” and Mancebo agreed, but said he would like to spread the payments over time. Director Terence Moore suggested that they try to pay their share at the rate Sutter Creek is paying back its loan.

The board has a regular meeting 9 a.m. Thursday, and the agenda includes the agency’s reorganization. The board could also discuss a draft strategic plan, and could have an “update, discussion and possible direction to staff regarding the Wild and Scenic Designation” of the Mokelumne River.

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 on Tuesday agreed to look at delaying a rent increase at Castle Oaks Golf Course, due to the economy.

Councilman David Plank said the council should do everything it can do to help and support Castle Oaks, which is a significant employer in Ione, with 50 employees.

Castle Oaks Golf Pro Dominic Atlan said many employees are part-time but about 80 percent are Ione residents. He said they “try to hire locally, and not within 100 miles, within 2 miles.”

Atlan said they ask only for 1 year of paying the same rent, figured at 2 percent of the golf course’s total revenue, instead of 3 percent, for its land rent.

In public comment, Gary Thomas asked if the city golf course committee was still meeting, and recommended it meet again to be fair to Portlock International, owner of Castle Oaks. Atlan agreed, saying it had not met recently and he suggested it meet three times a year.

Councilman Lee Ard said Castle Oaks is the only retailer in Ione that pays rent to the city.

Councilwoman Andrea Bonham said Castle Oaks helps the city with fundraisers and is home to the city tertiary wastewater plant. She said the lease has been vague, and they should address whether the city can do an audit of the golf course first, so they don’t spend money unnecessarily.

City Manager Kim Kerr said if they did an audit, the city could contract with a Utah company, or ask Portlock to bring its books to town.

Atlan said Castle Oaks has had a three-year pay freeze, lost its dental insurance and its owner has written personal checks to cover costs. He said this year they have made a $60,000 property tax payment and a $40,000 Mello-Roos payment and have not passed on costs to Ione residents in green fees.

Larry Rhodes asked if the city was still “subsidizing” the tertiary plant. Kerr said the city does pay part of that, due to a lawsuit ruling.

Atlan said Castle Oaks pays 85 percent of tertiary plant costs, and the ruling was the result of having city operators cause damage to plant equipment. He said it was not fair that Castle Oaks should pay for city errors.

Kerr said the city does get a report of Castle Oaks fiscal year profits and losses. She said she will report back soon on whether the lease agreement would allow a city audit of the company’s books.

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