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Monday, 22 February 2010 17:00

Ione Remains Non-Exclusive in its Draft Trash Franchise Ordinance

Amador County – The Ione City Council last week voted to remain non-exclusive in its trash service franchising, and also approved 3 suggestions by ACES Waste Service. City Manager Kim Kerr said staff shared a draft franchising ordinance with ACES owners Paul Molinelli Senior and Paul Molinelli Junior, with comments including that they would like to see an “experience requirement,” so that someone with a truck cannot try to vie for the professional services. She said staff agreed that comments by ACES should go in the ordinance language. Councilman Lee Ard said the city council “took a major hit from going non-exclusive,” and said he supported exclusive franchising. Ard said the council took “a lot of hits all over the county about what we are doing.” He said there is “no competition in the county now, because Amador Disposal (the former city trash contractor) has left” the city. He said the council’s “integrity” was questioned all around the county. He urged a 5-year contract review, and a stipulation that “rate increases, if there are any, not exceed” the Consumer Price Index. Staff recommended options with or without mandatory service requirements in city limits, but the council declined that. Ulm said he supported non-exclusive franchising to allow “more competition,” which could keep costs down. Vice Mayor David Plank said he “brought up mandatory” language because of trucks sitting around town with full loads of trash bags. He said: “we’re in the 21st century,” and piles of trash can attract rodents, and larger animals of prey. He agreed the CPI is fair, as did Councilwoman Andrea Bonham, but she opposed mandatory service. She said: “I don’t think it’s a public nuisance, and it’s not my job to spend their money.” The council voted 3-2 against mandating service. It also voted 5-0 to approve ACES recommendations, including that applicants must demonstrate an “experience threshold,” and that “collection vehicle standards must be met.” The same vote limited fee increases not to exceed the CPI, with that language to be made part of specific agreements. They also limited rate increases to once a year. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Tuesday, 23 February 2010 04:54

Connie Gonsalves - Amador Fire Protection Authority 2-23-10

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Wednesday, 24 February 2010 01:00

Recycler Ricky Award 4Nominees Sought

Amador County - The Amador County Local Task Force (LTF) on Integrated Waste Management is now accepting nominations for the 2010 Recycler Ricky Award. Every year the LTF honors a county individual or entity that represents Ricky’s positive message – Be a Hero and Recycle! The LTF is soliciting nominations for school age recyclers that exemplify the qualities of Recycler Ricky. Nominations will be accepted until March 31, 2010 and can be sent to the LTF care of the Amador County Waste Management Department via email, fax, or US Mail. Nominations should be a brief written description, one page typewritten or handwritten, explaining the specific recycling-related actions the individual has taken to be considered for the award. Please include the name and age of the student and a contact telephone number for a parent or guardian. The young recyclers selected for the 2010 Recycler Ricky Award will be recognized with a special gift and personalized framed certificate. For questions or more information, please contact Jim McHargue at (209) 223-6429. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Wednesday, 24 February 2010 01:04

Ione Discusses Receiving Rescue 2 From AFPD

Amador County – The Ione City Council last week discussed the future of the city’s “Rescue 2” ambulance, which in some incarnation has served the city over the last 3 decades. City Manager Kim Kerr said the Amador Fire Protection District board of directors asked if Ione wanted to receive Rescue 2, but the board did not elaborate. Kerr said “this vehicle is our initial response on all medical calls.” It was mentioned in the 1983 documentation of the AFPD-Ione agreements, which AFPD “paid $2,200 a year for us to operate,” Kerr said, but it no longer is listed in that documentation. The vehicle carries a used “Jaws of Life” extrication tool, which was donated from surplus by Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department. Kerr said recent grant funding for Amador Fire Protection Authority to supply member fire departments with “Hurst” extrication tool kits did not include Ione Volunteer Fire Department, so the vehicle does not have any other tools. Kerr said she did “not know if they will be willing to donate (Rescue 2) outright,” but it has become “not appropriate for AFPD to pay for the vehicle.” Ione Fire Chief Ken Mackey said Rescue 2 is a brand new vehicle, and its back-up vehicle is “Rescue 6.” Rescue 6 “was Rescue 2 for 15 years,” Mackey said, and it “put in its battle time.” Rescue 6 is “put into service when Rescue 2 is being serviced for 1 hour to 2 days type of things,” he said. Kerr said they would like to keep the agreement with AFPD “as is,” or to “take over costs, operations and maintenance.” Kerr said the original value of the vehicle was $90,000, and it has an annual operational cost of $2,500. Mackey said it is a 2006 model and “we just hit 6,000 mile on it.” And “it doesn’t go on all the calls now.” The Rescue 2 unit’s coverage area was reduced and now responds only to calls in Ione. Kerr was hoping they could get the vehicle as a gift, the city could pay, or they could “work out a deal” with Amador Fire Protection District. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Wednesday, 24 February 2010 01:06

Amador Economic Development Corp. Seeks $35,000

Amador County – The Amador Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) succeeded in convincing the Board of Supervisors Tuesday to provide some support in order to keep the struggling organization afloat. AEDC Executive Director Ron Mittlebrunn asked the county to invest $35,000 in economic development and to be included as a regular line item in future budget cycles. He said AEDC engages in a number of non-revenue generating activities “essential to Amador County…such as business attraction, business consulting and managing loan workout modifications.” Its primary duty is to arrange and package business loans through the US Small Business Administration (SBA). He said a number of factors led to his request before the board, including a decline in service fees due to “an unusual amount of SBA loans seeking lower interest rates through re-financing, an unprecedented number of project cancellations after or during the loan approval process requiring the refund of deposits, and a complete lack of new loan requests since early 2009 – a major source of revenue.” “Conceivably, AEDC could have survived any single of these events, but all within a relatively short period of time has proven to be financially overwhelming,” said Mittlebrunn. As a result, the agency’s loan revenue stream has declined and its loan portfolio is down from $8 million in 2006 to just under $5 million today. Mittlebrunn said beginning last year he voluntarily took a 50 percent pay cut. Since its beginning 30 years ago in the attic of the old El Dorado Bank building in Jackson, AEDC has provided business loans to many well-known companies now considered cornerstones of the community. These include the Best Western Amador Inn, Pokerville Market, Jeff Holman’s Auto Sales, TASTE Restaurant and the Feed Barn, to name a few. Mittlebrunn said incentives his organization has offered, like short-term property tax reductions, have attracted major businesses like ISP Minerals located in Ione, which now generates an annual property tax of $149,000 for the county. He also cited US Tile and Lowe’s as successful examples of big business attraction that resulted in significant sales and property tax generation. Gillian Murphy, Director at San Joaquin Delta College, said AEDC is essential because it is also a small business development outreach center affiliated with the San Joaquin Delta College Small Business Development Center. Pine Grove resident Doug Ketron said “economic development is needed to sustain our population and keep our young people.” He said Supervisors should look at this as “an investment and not a cost.” Supervisor Louis Boitano said the “path out of this recession is small business.” The Supervisors agreed to consult with staff to find a business space in county facilities in order to cut operation costs and to provide at least some of the money requested. County staff will flesh out the details and bring the item back for discussion at a later date. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Wednesday, 24 February 2010 04:51