Amador County – In other Sutter Creek news, the Sutter Creek Police Department reported a vehicle was suspected stolen by a parolee-at-large on Wednesday morning after the suspect fled another vehicle being pursued by police. According to Sutter Creek Police Chief Rob Duke, one of his department’s officers saw a white GMC Yukon driving erratically on Old Highway 49 south from downtown Sutter Creek towards the new 49 bypass at approximately 5 a.m. Wednesday. After the officer turned around, the Yukon spun out as it turned south onto the bypass and the suspect had fled on foot by the time the officer arrived. “Both front doors were left standing open possibly indicating that there were two suspects. Officers and Deputies from Jackson P.D. and Amador Sheriff's Office responded to assist with the search but the suspect (or suspects) were not located,” said Duke. He said officers discovered a handgun and a small quantity of drugs, and an allied agency check on the Yukon led to the discovery that it had been involved as evidence in a domestic violence case in Sacramento on the previous evening. The SCPD believes the Yukon was driven by the suspected parolee-at-large from the domestic violence incident. Later that morning, an unattended running Toyota Corolla was stolen from a driveway on Foothill Drive, located approximately a quarter mile from where the Yukon was abandoned. Duke said all times for the incidents are approximate. For further information, contact Rob Duke at 209-304-8269. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Ione City Council directed staff to prepare for an ordinance change to allow signing a franchise agreement for trash hauling services, with a majority of the council preferring a non-exclusive agreement. The council also selected a new mayor and vice mayor, in split votes. Skip Schaufel took over as mayor for 2010, on a 3-2 vote supported by council members Andrea Bonham, Jim Ulm and Schaufel. Mayor Lee Ard was nominated to remain in the position this year, but his nomination lost on a 2-3 vote, supported by Councilman David Plank and Ard. Voting no were Bonham, Ulm and Schaufel. Plank was selected as vice mayor for 2010 on a 5-0 vote. Later, the council gave staff direction to modify the city health ordinance from a permit to a franchise system for garbage hauling services. Kerr said the council on a 3-2 majority wanted to go with a non-exclusive franchise agreement, thinking that “they would like competition.” She said they “won’t know until they make the final vote on the ordinance.” She did “expect it will be a franchise” because it gives the city “more leverage.” In a report to the council, Kerr said the ordinance change will allow a franchise, and those “revisions could also include particular franchise terms that the city would require be included in a franchise agreement.” She said the “revisions may provide that a franchise be exclusive or non-exclusive.” Kerr said the council could “set the standard on whether they wanted to do an exclusive,” when it decides the ordinance amendment. Paul Molinelli Junior of ACES Waste Service said he was disappointed with the council’s vote, with Schaufel, Bonham and Ulm opposing an exclusive franchise without a bid, but the company would continue to work with Ione and has “never walked away from a contract.” Molinelli said they would prefer an exclusive contract, which “allows us to borrow money to buy equipment through capital leases.” ACES spent nearly $500,000 to take over service of Ione, after Waste Connections ended its operations there last year. In related developments, Molinelli said Wednesday that ACES recently made a “handshake agreement” to work toward taking over Waste Connections’ 3 remaining contracts in Amador County, including operation of the Buena Vista material recovery facility, Amador County Franchise Area 1, and the city of Plymouth. Molinelli said ACES is in the process of doing “due diligence” toward “final sale of their local assets to us.” He said those acquisitions would first have to be approved by the Amador County Board of Supervisors and the Plymouth City Council, which signed the franchise agreements with Waste Connections. 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 on Monday renamed Mayor Gary Wooten and Mayor Pro Tempore Tim for another year, then took the nearly final action to approve the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort development project. The council approved “first readings” of a zoning amendment and a development agreement for Gold Rush, including minor revisions. Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe said changes were not significant and the “conditions of approval stayed the same.” Rabe said the “entitlements don’t take effect until the 2nd readings,” but the actions “pave the way for them to start to building.” He said “they are basically approved (but) we need to do the formal reading of those 2 ordinances, and then they will be 100 percent approved.” Opponents said the project – with 1,334 equivalent dwelling units – had too many houses and was too big. He said speakers were the same people who opposed it over dozens of meetings up to Monday. The Gold Rush Ranch “specific plan” passed on a 4-1 vote with Murphy against, while the 2 ordinances were approved unanimously, Rabe said. It could be years before Gold Rush starts building. The Development Agreement allows a hiatus of 3 years before they build. He said “they haven’t told me if they were going to be building right away or not.” In other business, the council reported that it had directed staff to “continue moving forward with the new offer to the owner” of the Knight Foundry, based on a revised offer given to the city council in closed session. He could not discuss details of negotiations, ongoing between City Manager Rob Duke and Knight Foundry LLC. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council saw the silver lining among the gray skies of the recession Monday when it voted 4-1 to approve the final documents for the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. They had “first readings” of related zoning amendment and development agreement, which will official finalize approval in “second readings” at the council’s next meeting. Newly re-appointed Mayor Gary Wooten said: “If everything works out as planned, it will be a beautiful addition to Sutter Creek and Amador County.” He said the Gold Rush “Specific plan is well designed” and “in-line with what the city needs.” Wooten said: “If we don’t grow and stay stagnant as we are, we will go broke.” He said Gold Rush, built as designed, “will not change historical downtown Sutter Creek” but “it will actually save” the downtown. Wooten said it will provide income to the city and help businesses and restaurants, as “people will come to visit others, and spend money.” But it will take time to see the benefits. Wooten said Gold Rush will grow and “it will be several years before it has an impact on the city,” and “If we have a few more people coming to downtown restaurants, it will benefit Sutter Creek tremendously.” Entitlements would include a 3-year hiatus, for Gold Rush partners, including Bill Bunce, John Telischak and golf course designer Troy Claveran. Wooten said: “If they don’t have things going by then, they have to put up some bonds toward the sewer and other” infrastructure improvements. He said the city would not feel impacts in the short term, and “in the long run it will help us tremendously.” He said the “economy is shot,” but when it takes off, the city will get walking trails, a tertiary treatment plant, and golf course and resort. Wooten said “it will bring people,” and “if they build it the way they are supposed to build it, it will be a really nice golf course.” Critics say golf courses are not feasible, that people don’t play golf, but Wooten said Tuesday afternoon that he was “coming home from playing golf,” as were his friends. Wooten said he thinks Gold Rush is “going to be a benefit to Sutter Creek and the entire community surrounding us.” He said Amador County has a lot to offer and it will be enhanced and improved by Gold Rush golf course and resort creating a destination in the county. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council saw the silver lining among the gray skies of the recession Monday when it voted 4-1 to approve the final documents for the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. They had “first readings” of related zoning amendment and development agreement, which will official finalize approval in “second readings” at the council’s next meeting. Newly re-appointed Mayor Gary Wooten said: “If everything works out as planned, it will be a beautiful addition to Sutter Creek and Amador County.” He said the Gold Rush “Specific plan is well designed” and “in-line with what the city needs.” Wooten said: “If we don’t grow and stay stagnant as we are, we will go broke.” He said Gold Rush, built as designed, “will not change historical downtown Sutter Creek” but “it will actually save” the downtown. Wooten said it will provide income to the city and help businesses and restaurants, as “people will come to visit others, and spend money.” But it will take time to see the benefits. Wooten said Gold Rush will grow and “it will be several years before it has an impact on the city,” and “If we have a few more people coming to downtown restaurants, it will benefit Sutter Creek tremendously.” Entitlements would include a 3-year hiatus, for Gold Rush partners, including Bill Bunce, John Telischak and golf course designer Troy Claveran. Wooten said: “If they don’t have things going by then, they have to put up some bonds toward the sewer and other” infrastructure improvements. He said the city would not feel impacts in the short term, and “in the long run it will help us tremendously.” He said the “economy is shot,” but when it takes off, the city will get walking trails, a tertiary treatment plant, and golf course and resort. Wooten said “it will bring people,” and “if they build it the way they are supposed to build it, it will be a really nice golf course.” Critics say golf courses are not feasible, that people don’t play golf, but Wooten said Tuesday afternoon that he was “coming home from playing golf,” as were his friends. Wooten said he thinks Gold Rush is “going to be a benefit to Sutter Creek and the entire community surrounding us.” He said Amador County has a lot to offer and it will be enhanced and improved by Gold Rush golf course and resort creating a destination in the county. 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 on Monday renamed Mayor Gary Wooten and Mayor Pro Tempore Tim for another year, then took the nearly final action to approve the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort development project. The council approved “first readings” of a zoning amendment and a development agreement for Gold Rush, including minor revisions. Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe said changes were not significant and the “conditions of approval stayed the same.” Rabe said the “entitlements don’t take effect until the 2nd readings,” but the actions “pave the way for them to start to building.” He said “they are basically approved (but) we need to do the formal reading of those 2 ordinances, and then they will be 100 percent approved.” Opponents said the project – with 1,334 equivalent dwelling units – had too many houses and was too big. He said speakers were the same people who opposed it over dozens of meetings up to Monday. The Gold Rush Ranch “specific plan” passed on a 4-1 vote with Murphy against, while the 2 ordinances were approved unanimously, Rabe said. It could be years before Gold Rush starts building. The Development Agreement allows a hiatus of 3 years before they build. He said “they haven’t told me if they were going to be building right away or not.” In other business, the council reported that it had directed staff to “continue moving forward with the new offer to the owner” of the Knight Foundry, based on a revised offer given to the city council in closed session. He could not discuss details of negotiations, ongoing between City Manager Rob Duke and Knight Foundry LLC. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – In other Sutter Creek news, the Sutter Creek Police Department reported a vehicle was suspected stolen by a parolee-at-large on Wednesday morning after the suspect fled another vehicle being pursued by police. According to Sutter Creek Police Chief Rob Duke, one of his department’s officers saw a white GMC Yukon driving erratically on Old Highway 49 south from downtown Sutter Creek towards the new 49 bypass at approximately 5 a.m. Wednesday. After the officer turned around, the Yukon spun out as it turned south onto the bypass and the suspect had fled on foot by the time the officer arrived. “Both front doors were left standing open possibly indicating that there were two suspects. Officers and Deputies from Jackson P.D. and Amador Sheriff's Office responded to assist with the search but the suspect (or suspects) were not located,” said Duke. He said officers discovered a handgun and a small quantity of drugs, and an allied agency check on the Yukon led to the discovery that it had been involved as evidence in a domestic violence case in Sacramento on the previous evening. The SCPD believes the Yukon was driven by the suspected parolee-at-large from the domestic violence incident. Later that morning, an unattended running Toyota Corolla was stolen from a driveway on Foothill Drive, located approximately a quarter mile from where the Yukon was abandoned. Duke said all times for the incidents are approximate. For further information, contact Rob Duke at 209-304-8269. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.