Tom

Tuesday, 14 September 2010 06:57

Plymouth OKs funding to write up a traffic improvement program

Amador County – Plymouth City Council last week heard about its Circulation Improvement Program and approved a final $5,000 to finish writing up a program plan. Amador County Transportation Commission planner and program manager Neil Peacock gave a progress report on ACTC’s work with city staff to develop the Circulation Improvement Program, based on the city General Plan and Environmental Impact Report. He said ACTC has spent $40,000 in matching funds and another $90,000 in funding from the California Department of Transportation to make the program study. Peacock said the project has two goals. One is to “plan for improvements that can adequately accommodate the transportation demands of new development anticipated in the Plymouth area in a way that reflects its rural character.” The second goal is “to accurately estimate the likely cost of these improvements and to identify reasonably foreseeable funding sources which can ensure that they are constructed.” The program looked at a 20-year build-out in the general plan of 1,734 residential units; and a final general plan build-out of 3,405 residential units. The program recommended three intersections to have either roundabouts or signal lights. Peacock said they had $5,000 left of the funding, with which the city could either fund further revisions, or fund relevant city implementation documents, which the city will need to draft and adopt. He said city consultant Richard Prima told him creating the documents would take less than $5,000. Councilman Jon Colburn called the study “flawed because the general plan is flawed.” He said “nobody in this room” believes the city will have a build-out to 3,400 homes by 2025. He said there are 415 homes in Plymouth now. Peacock said they are “intended to be living programs that you can change as you go.” Colburn said the program “should have a more realistic idea of what the population will be in 2025. He said if they have half the development, they would have half the money to pay for the road improvements in the new plan. Vice Mayor Greg Baldwin said development in Amador County “is not going to slow down.” He said “it is easier to get money form Caltrans if you have a plan,” and “that’s why they gave (the city) a grant.” City Manager Dixon Flynn said they can amend the general plan four times a year. The other council members, Mayor Pat Fordyce, Councilman Mike Omeara and Baldwin voted to approve spending the $5,000 toward writing up the plan. Colburn voted against it. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Local

Tuesday, 14 September 2010 06:55

Jackson’s Mayor announces new iPhone/Android App.

Amador County – Jackson City Council announced Monday it plans to employ an “android” to take reports of complaints such as graffiti or service problems. City Manager Mike Daly announced that the city will use new “iPhone Android” application technology, which “Jackson residents can use for reporting graffiti, potholes, water leaks or any other service request of the city of Jackson.” Daly announced the idea in an e-mail before the council meeting Monday. Daly said: “For those of us with GoPhones or other cell phone technology, we’ll still have to report these things the old fashioned way, but it does provide a useful tool for those with this technology in hand.” Daly in the release said Mayor Connie Gonsalves planned to unveil the “myJackson” iPhone application at Monday’s city council meeting. Gonsalves in the e-mail said the “application will allow residents with iPhones to point, click and send photos of potholes, graffiti, water leaks, illegal dumping” and other concerns that require city services. The “myJackson” application allows them to send the information directly to city staff. The mayor said the “application will capture all data including photos” and send it “electronically to a database as well as alert the resident of the job’s completion if desired.” iPhone users may download the “myJackson” application for free from the “iPhone App Store” by searching with the keyword “myJackson” or finding the “Google Android” phones at the Android App store. Gonsalves said once installed, users will simply open the application and follow the prompts to take a picture of the problem and then tap “submit.” With a “built-in global positioning system technology, the application will attach a location to the picture and send the complaint to the city.” She said the “program will give many residents a new and more efficient way to tell us about service needs as well as assist our law enforcement in monitoring vandalism.” She said by making the complaint process easier, the city will address neighborhood issues as fast as possible. The “myJackson” application was created by App-Order.com and provided to the city free of charge. App-Order.com specializes in creating innovative custom iPhone and Android applications to make local governments more efficient. App-Order.com general manager Barry Steinhart said that the company has “more than 200,000 applications already available and downloaded every day.” He said smart phones “make life simpler, and that is exactly what the myJackson application will do.” Edited by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Local

Tuesday, 14 September 2010 06:53

Councilman criticizes Plymouth’s General Plan, as the city writes up its traffic plan

Amador County – The Plymouth City Council last week approved more work to finalize a traffic improvement plan for the city, based on what Councilman Jon Colburn called a flawed General Plan. Colburn said the “Sphere of Influence” in the general plan was supposed to contain land the city would annex in the future. City Manager Dixon Flynn said maybe the city “did too much future planning,” but they still need the traffic improvement plan. Flynn said: “If we try to develop a perfect plan, we’ll never have one.” Colburn said “we spent $140,000 on a plan based on flawed information.” Amador County Transportation Commission planner Neil Peacock said “they are both living documents” and “in an ideal world, you change this circulation plan every time you change your general plan.” He said they need one in place first. Peacock said he is “really at a disadvantage to comment” on the city general plan, but city consultant Richard Prima found realistic barriers to annexation in the sphere of influence, such as Williamson Act farmland, and 50-year easements given for agricultural land. He said the city first needs to decide where it needs to develop traffic improvements. He said some “traffic calming” turn lanes in the plan may not be needed in 50 years, but big projects need proper access. That included locating the access for Far Horizons trailer village off of Highway 49. Vice Mayor Greg Baldwin said Far Horizons owner Chuck Hays was aware of that future need, and he was OK with it. Councilman Mike O’Meara said “the plan helps us move faster to get funding from Caltrans,” and he voted with Baldwin and Mayor Pat Fordyce to approve $5,000 left in the project budget to finalize the nexus and ordinance. Peacock said Caltrans District 10, leading the way on Highway 49 development, said the “level of service” grade Caltrans wants on Highway 49 is typically a “C” or a “D.” Caltrans said as long as the city preserves a right-of-way for the future expansion to four lanes on the roadway, the plan would be allowed to move forward. Peacock said that way, the “locals can be in the driver’s seat” and control the design, like they are doing in Pine Grove. The plan recommended roundabouts (or signal controls) at the Zinfandel development entrance; at 49 & Main; and at Empire Street in Plymouth. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Local

Tuesday, 14 September 2010 06:50

Date set for Alumni "Big Game"

Amador County – About 42 former local football players will take to the Calaveras High football turf next weekend for an Alumni “Big Game” featuring former players from Amador and Argonaut high schools. With the help of the company California Alumni Football, two teams will face each other, with alumni from Amador, Argonaut and Independence high schools, and they are set to play at 8 p.m. Saturday, September 25th at the Calaveras High School football stadium. Alumni squads from Calaveras and Bret Harte high schools will also compete in an alumni “top rivals” game, in which the company helps to arrange contests between alumni from old, staunch high schools rivalries. Calaveras and Bret Harte will play at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, September 25th, before the Amador-Argonaut game. The Alumni Football USA website also listed a Bret Harte-Linden alumni game is set for some time in October, with the date yet to be set. As of Monday, Argonaut had 18 players signed up, with players from the class of 2010 to as far back as 1998. One Independence High player was also signed up, along with 24 alumni from Amador High School, from 2010 classes, to as far back as 1994. The Thundering Herd squad includes four players from the class of 1997. Alumni Football USA supplies the infrastructure for the full contact alumni football game, including pads and helmets, referees, announcers and other personnel, to help the game run smoothly. Teams are limited to 45 players, and the game will have 12-minute quarters, unless there are more than 40 players signed up on both teams, in which case they would play 15-minute quarters. Alumni Football USA is made up of football coaches and past players who “still love the game” and “have found that many young adults miss this game and want the opportunity to play at least one more time.” Founder and president Bob Cazet lives in Santa Rosa. Tracy Cavender, Teams Coordinator said “every game is different, but almost all games are serious, competitive, and hard hitting.” The game is played “at your own risk, and the company recommends getting checked out by a doctor before playing, and also not playing without health insurance. The company provides required liability insurance for schools and their facility, but does not provide health insurance. Players can sign up online, and look at a posting of the list of players who have already signed up for the Amador-Argonaut game. Players can sign up and get information at http://calaverasfootball.eventbrite.com. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Local

Tuesday, 31 August 2010 18:00

ATCAA in Action 9-1-10: Lifeline - History

Published in ATCAA

Tuesday, 31 August 2010 18:00

ATCAA in Action 9-1-10: Lifeline - Installation

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 9-1-10 - ATCAA in Action host Laurie Webb sits down with Ralph Salinas and Joanne Hazen to discuss Lifeline system installation.

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Published in ATCAA

Tuesday, 31 August 2010 18:00