Tom
Monday, 22 February 2010 04:54
Board of Supervisors Pre-Agenda Report wirh John Plasse 2-22-10
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Amador County Board of Supervisors Reports
Monday, 22 February 2010 00:55
Jackson Rancheria, Revitalization Committee Resume ''Shop Jackson'' Drive
Amador County – At a kick-off meeting for the 2nd year of the “Shop Jackson” business partnership program, members of the Jackson Revitalization Committee discussed the formation of a new “business association” to help further ties between businesses. Jackson City Councilman Wayne Garibaldi said the Jackson Revitalization Committee recommended forming a “Jackson-wide business association.” Garibaldi said “we are looking for volunteers for a steering committee,” in the goal of forming a business association “that represents all Jackson businesses.” He said the efforts are to see what city’s businesses are able to do together, to surpass what they can do by themselves, much like the “Shop Jackson” program. Jackson Mayor Connie Gonsalves said she has been asked how businesses outside of Jackson can join the “Shop Jackson” program. “You can’t,” Gonsalves said, because the program is for Jackson business only, operating under city business licenses and within the city limits. The program teams with the Jackson Rancheria Casino, which promotes shopping locally in Jackson with its visitors. The program offers promotional listings in its Arrow Magazine, which has a deadline of February 25th (Thursday) for its Spring edition. The Rancheria has 300,000 monthly visitors, and Arrow Magazine goes to the Rancheria’s 500,000 active Dreamcatchers Club cardholders, including more than 26,000 living in Amador and Calaveras counties. Participation requires a $45 fee for a 6-month campaign; a “Dreamcatcher-only promotional offer,” and contribution of a $50 gift certificate from the participating business, to be used as raffle prizes in September to cap off the campaign. The 12-member Jackson Revitalization Committee is appointed by the Jackson City Council. The JRC is chaired by Rich Hoffman, CEO of the Jackson Rancheria. Other members include Sally Bligh, Wayne Garibaldi, Connie Gonsalves, Gary Little, Stan Lukowicz, Aaron May, Craig Murphy, Supervisor John Plasse, Lana Vukovich, Jane Wilkinson and Mark Hirschel. For information on the JRC or the business association, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call City Manager Mike Daly at 223-1646. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Local
Monday, 22 February 2010 00:51
Ione City Council Throws Support Behind Ione Police Dept.
Amador County – The Ione City Council last week spoke in support of the Ione Police Department, as a pair of area residents began to gather signatures to force a vote to eliminate the department. City Attorney Kristen Castanos released a title and summary of a proposed initiative, sought by Jim Scully of Old Stockton Road and Ione resident Denise Roberston, of Stonybrook Road. Castanos said they filed a “petition for an initiative that proposes to transfer law enforcement services from the city of Ione Police Department to the Amador County Sheriff’s Department.” She was required by law to provide a title and summary of the initiative to the city clerk by February 16th. Castanos said the initiative appears to be “illegal and unconstitutional,” in part because it “attempts to compel the county” to “take over law enforcement services for the city.” Castanos said “it’s invalid because” the “right of the city to contract for police services is vested in the council’s discretion” and is “not a proper subject for an initiative.” Castanos said “the city is reserving its option to file a lawsuit to challenge this initiative, if it qualifies for the ballot or at a later date, if it is actually put on the ballot and it is approved by the voters.” 4 of the 5 council members said they will fight to protect the IPD, including Councilwoman Andrea Bonham, Mayor Skip Schaufel, Vice Mayor David Plank and Councilman Lee Ard. Councilman Jim Ulm said he will wait to see how it plays out. City Manager Kim Kerr said petitioners must collect signatures from 10 percent of the city’s 2,051 registered voters (or 205 signatures) to put the initiative on the ballot. She said staff in early March will lay out the steps and time-frame, “indicating to the city council at what point where we should intervene at, and what would make sense. But I think probably the biggest thing is letting people know not to sign the ballot initiative if they truly want to protect the city.” City Clerk Janice Traverso said Scully lives outside city limits, but was authorized to gather petition signatures by Robertson. The county elections office said the petition shall be filed within 180 days of February 16th release of the title and summary. Traverso said the rule did not mention holidays, Scully and Robertson must gather the signatures and file the petition by August 14th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Law Enforcement
Monday, 22 February 2010 00:48
Scully Needs 205 Signatures to Place Ione Police Dept Initiative on Ballot
Amador County – The Ione City Council last week in majority spoke of its support for the Ione Police Department, even as it released a title for an initiative, which effectively opens the issue to its proponents to gather signatures. Councilman Lee Ard criticized the process itself, and staff for not stopping the initiative, labeled “the City of Ione Law Enforcement Service Act.” Councilman David Plank said: “I would hope that this entire council would work cohesively with staff to support the police department … in the fine job that it’s been doing to the present date.” Councilwoman Andrea Bonham said: “I believe Chief Johnson and all the police officers have done a phenomenal job of providing that service to us.” She said: “I’m very disappointed that actually this has come about and I think a lot it’s just educating the public and understanding the level of service that they receive here from out police department, and what they can expect if they choose not to.” Mayor Skip Schaufel said: “While the initiative process is a right to every citizen and we have to, as a governing body, follow that right, it doesn’t make me any happier to see that right being misused in a way that makes our city less effective and less safe.” Schaufel said: “I think it’s a tragedy that this can go on, but that being said, we must follow the law according to the way it’s written, and therefore we have to continue with the process. But I guarantee that I will want to see this lawsuit follow.” Councilman Jim Ulm said: “I think at this time I’m not going to say anything. I’ll see how it plays out.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Law Enforcement
Monday, 22 February 2010 00:46
Jackson Laboratory Thanks AWA for 31 Years’ Patronage
Amador County – The Sierra Foothill Laboratory President Sandy Nurse appeared before the Amador Water Agency board of directors February 4th to thank them for 31 years of patronage. Nurse told the board her lab is happy to still be in “our community, and employing 24 people, including 17 residents of Amador County.” She said though most people don’t even know about the company, it is prestigiously certified, in the field of testing water. Nurse said the “lab is fraught with detail and was proud to have achieved national accreditation from the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program in 2006. Sierra Foothill Laboratory has been AWA’s primary lab testing facility since 1979. Nurse said they are “1 of 8 labs in the nation” certified to test treated wastewater for discharge into surface water. Locally, they “handle just about everybody.” She said she was visiting AWA as new regulations near, including “the new Ground Water Rule,” to thank the agency for its employment. She also warned about having a lower price. She said SFL is a “partner in the rules” with its clients, and is “local and accessible.” “Many of your field people have our cell numbers,” she said. Their data can be retrieved remotely around the clock, “so they are using it for process control.” She said they are a “for-profit agency,” adding, “we don’t make a huge profit, but who does?” She closed saying “thank you for your trust, loyalty and support.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Water
Monday, 22 February 2010 00:44
Plymouth Spigots Flow With Mix of AWA, City Well Waters
Amador County – Amador Water Agency water is now mingling with Plymouth’s well water. Mayor Patricia Fordyce said Friday the city was using a mix of its main source of well water, along with water from the Plymouth Pipeline to serve its customers. The water is being mixed in the city’s 500,000-gallon water storage tank. Fordyce said city staff is not sure what of the percentage of the mix, but it includes treated water from AWA’s Tanner water treatment plant in Sutter Creek, and from Plymouth’s city water wells. The city water is treated in its treatment plant. In a February 11th AWA board meeting, AWA Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said Plymouth’s permit for the pipeline was in place and water was flowing into the city. He said the city was not yet being billed at full capacity flow. He said Plymouth will be metered, to pay for its portion of the water it gets from AWA. Mancebo was answering questions raised by Plymouth developer Stephanie McNair, who had wondered if Plymouth’s payment for water was paying AWA’s debt service for the cost of building the Plymouth Pipeline. Mancebo said “I would not say that.” McNair said the 544 hookups in Plymouth came out from under the violation in the city, and AWA needed to bring in a broader customer base to help the agency with finances. McNair, a development partner of Cottage Knoll in Plymouth, and Bob Reeder, partner on Zinfandel and Shenandoah Ridge housing developments, also in Plymouth, both urged the AWA board at its February 11th meeting to fund a study of the Tanner plant the system’s service to Ione. The study, approved 3-2, with Directors Terence Moore, Don Cooper and Gary Thomas in favor, will study ways to glean more capacity from the systems, to expand service and “conditional will serve” notices around the county. The 2 developers, McNair and Reeder, collectively have 786 single family homes on the drawing board in Plymouth. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Water
Monday, 22 February 2010 00:34
Amador County News TSPN TV with Alan Sprenkel 2-22-10
Published in
Video
Friday, 19 February 2010 00:51
Pioneer Home Searched in Burglary Investigation
Amador County – Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies executed a search warrant February 12 at a home in Pioneer for property reportedly stolen during the burglary of a cabin in Pi-Pi Valley, in El Dorado County, on or about January 29, 2010. Amador County Undersheriff James Wegner said the warrant included a search of one of the home’s residents. The search was conducted in cooperation with Detectives from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office to execute an El Dorado County Superior Court Search Warrant for the premise at 25241 Highway 88, Pioneer. Wegner said one of two persons suspected to be responsible for the burglary were located and detained at the residence. “A search of the location resulted in the recovery of a substantial quantity of property stolen from the cabin in PiPi Valley, including power tools, hand tools, a video game system, firearms ammunition, and a firearm,” said Wegner. He said five additional firearms, ammunition, suspected cocaine, suspected methamphetamine, drug use paraphernalia, and other property possibly associated with a burglary in Amador County were also located. He said the suspect searched was not arrested by the El Dorado Sheriff’s Deputies, but Amador County Detectives have routed a crime report to the Amador County District Attorney’s Office requesting prosecution based upon the items found at the scene. The report says the subject was a convicted felon in possession of firearms, ammunition, stolen property, a controlled substance, a narcotic controlled substance and other drug paraphernalia. Wegner said Amador County Detectives are conducting a follow up investigation into these subjects possible involvement in an Amador County burglary. Since officers did not arrest the suspect located at the scene, and no arrest warrants had been issued for the suspects, their names are not subject to release. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
News Archive
Friday, 19 February 2010 00:52
Ione Attorney Calls Scully Initiative Illegal, Unconstitutional
Amador County – A majority of the Ione City Council vowed Tuesday to fight to protect the Ione Police Department from a citizen-driven initiative to force the sheriff’s office to take over law enforcement in the city of Ione. The fight included filing a lawsuit against the initiative, the proponents of which are now gathering signatures to place it on a ballot before voters. Mayor Skip Schaufel said after closed session that they had authorized City Attorney Kristen Castanos to release a title and summary of a proposed initiative, and issue a report explaining the issue. City Manager Kim Kerr said the council waived attorney-client privileges so Castanos could speak. Castanos said: the city received a “petition for an initiative that proposes to transfer (quote): ‘Law enforcement services’ [unquote] from the city of Ione Police Department to the Amador County Sheriff’s Department.” Castanos said “Per the requirements of the elections code, I was required to provide a title and summary of that initiative to the city clerk by today, which I have done; and your direction in closed session was that title and summary be released to the petitioner so that they can proceed with signature gathering.” Castanos said her “legal review of the initiative” leads her “to believe that the initiative is illegal and unconstitutional for a number of reasons.” She said: “It suffers from being vague because the term ‘Law Enforcement Services” is not defined. It also attempts to compel the county to take an action – that is, take over law enforcement services for the city – and a city initiative does not have the ability to compel the county to take action.” Castanos said: “I believe it’s invalid because” the “right of the city to contract for police services is vested in the council’s discretion, and this initiative therefore is a matter of statewide concern that’s committed to the discretion of the council and not a proper subject for an initiative.” Castanos said it also “interferes with an essential government function by failing to provide for a companion initiative to ensure that law enforcement services will be provided in the city if the initiative passes.” Councilwoman Andrea Bonham asked her to clarify that, and Castanos said: “If it passes and the county refuses to accept service for the city, then the city does not have an ability to provide law enforcement services within the city. Those responsibilities would have been removed from the police department.” Castanos said: “For those reasons, I believe that the initiative is invalid.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
News Archive
Friday, 19 February 2010 00:55
Ione resident Mounts Drive to replace the Ione Police Department with the Sheriff’s Office
Amador County – An Ione resident and a Jackson Valley resident were authorized Tuesday to mount a signature drive on an initiative that would remove the law enforcement authority of the Ione Police Department and replace it with the Amador County Sheriff’s Office. Jim Scully, a long-time critic of Ione police, and Ione resident Denise Robertson of Stonybrook Road, both requested the city to release a title of the initiative. The city council did so Tuesday, entitling the initiative the “City of Ione Law Enforcement Services Act.” City Clerk Janice Traverso said Scully is not a resident of Ione and is not eligible to sign a petition, but was authorized in a filing by Robertson to gather signatures. In the initiative, Scully and Robertson declare that “it is essential that Ione law enforcement have an open, transparent, and responsible official procedure to receive, investigate and process citizen complaints” regarding “actions by law enforcement.” It lists among its purposes to provide Ione citizens “with law enforcement that would be professional and competent.” It seeks to “transfer responsibility for providing law enforcement service from the Ione Police Department to the Amador County Sheriff’s Department.” Purposes say it would “eliminate redundancy, enhance efficiency and lower the cost of law enforcement,” and “build community trust and support via a formal and responsive citizen complaint system.” The initiative seeks to allow “Ione to use savings to balance the budget or provide other emergency service.” City Attorney Kristen Castanos told the Ione City Council Tuesday it was an illegal and unconstitutional initiative, but state law required release of the title, which initiates the process to collect signatures to place it on a ballot. Castanos said the city reserves “its option to file a lawsuit to challenge this initiative.” Councilman Lee Ard said: “I don’t agree with this at all. I don’t believe that we should put an excellent police department up to public scrutiny, just to satisfy a few people, who don’t have anything better to do than take shots at the city.” Ard said: “I’m totally opposed to this process and I felt that it should have been shut down now, and I’m very disappointed in staff and this council because it was not.” Councilwoman Andrea Bonham said she “will fight tooth-and-nail to keep” the local department, and Mayor Skip Schaufel said “I guarantee that I will want to see this lawsuit follow.” Vice Mayor David Plank said: “This no doubt will require a challenge on the city’s part.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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News Archive
