Amador County – A signature-gathering period continues for a pair of locals trying to put Ione Police Department’s fate to a vote. The Ione City Council will see if it needs to answer an August 15th call to protect its police department. Denise Robertson of Ione and Jim Scully of the Jackson Valley requested a title and summary for a ballot measure in February. Since then, they have been able to gather signatures on the measure, called “the City of Ione Law Enforcement Service Act.” It is an “initiative that proposes to transfer law enforcement services from the city of Ione Police Department to the Amador County Sheriff’s Department.” Last month, City Clerk Janice Traverso said the city attorney provided an “initiative check list” that spelled out when the signatures are due. It said signatures and all portions of the initiative must be filed 180 from the day the petitioners received the title and summary. The title and summary were received February 16th, Traverso said, so the deadline ends August 15th. City Attorney Kristen Castanos in February supplied the measure title. Castanos said the initiative appears to be “illegal and unconstitutional” 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.” Councilman Lee Ard said “nobody has seen anybody on Main Street,” or at the Ione Picnic, trying to gather signatures, and there has been no talk in his Castle Oaks neighborhood. He said “95% of people in Ione think the whole thing is ridiculous, and would in no way, shape or form support it.” He did not think it should have gotten to the stage it did. Ard and Vice Mayor David Plank supported filing suit to stop the initiative, but the council majority wanted to wait to see how it played out with the public. Ard said the city has excellent police staff, “and they deserve our support.” He said if Scully and Roberston “don’t get enough signatures by the deadline, then it dies.” They need 206 signatures to place the measure on the ballot. Ard said the “damage has kind of been done” by council inaction, but at least it “finally voted to say they don’t agree with the initiative.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.-
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Amador County – A signature-gathering period continues for a pair of locals trying to put Ione Police Department’s fate to a vote. The Ione City Council will see if it needs to answer an August 15th call to protect its police department. Denise Robertson of Ione and Jim Scully of the Jackson Valley requested a title and summary for a ballot measure in February. Since then, they have been able to gather signatures on the measure, called “the City of Ione Law Enforcement Service Act.” It is an “initiative that proposes to transfer law enforcement services from the city of Ione Police Department to the Amador County Sheriff’s Department.” Last month, City Clerk Janice Traverso said the city attorney provided an “initiative check list” that spelled out when the signatures are due. It said signatures and all portions of the initiative must be filed 180 from the day the petitioners received the title and summary. The title and summary were received February 16th, Traverso said, so the deadline ends August 15th. City Attorney Kristen Castanos in February supplied the measure title. Castanos said the initiative appears to be “illegal and unconstitutional” 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.” Councilman Lee Ard said “nobody has seen anybody on Main Street,” or at the Ione Picnic, trying to gather signatures, and there has been no talk in his Castle Oaks neighborhood. He said “95% of people in Ione think the whole thing is ridiculous, and would in no way, shape or form support it.” He did not think it should have gotten to the stage it did. Ard and Vice Mayor David Plank supported filing suit to stop the initiative, but the council majority wanted to wait to see how it played out with the public. Ard said the city has excellent police staff, “and they deserve our support.” He said if Scully and Roberston “don’t get enough signatures by the deadline, then it dies.” They need 206 signatures to place the measure on the ballot. Ard said the “damage has kind of been done” by council inaction, but at least it “finally voted to say they don’t agree with the initiative.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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