Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisor allocated $94,000 in “Title 3” funding over the last three fiscal years, with $43,000 going to the Amador Fire Safe Council and $51,000 going to the Amador County Sheriff’s Department.

Title 3 funding, established by the “Secure Rural Schools & Community Self-Determination Act,” requires annual allocation renewals. In a 5-0 vote, supervisors re-allocated $23,000 from fiscal year 2008 to the Fire Safe Council to be used specifically for a Community Wildfire Protection Plan for Pine Grove and Volcano, which also will be paid with a $50,000 grant from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. As reimbursed or if not needed for up front expenses, the funds were allocated to also be used to develop the next priority Community Wildfire Protection Plan in Fiddletown.

The Board also allocated $20,000 in 2009 funds to be used to develop the Upcountry Community Fire Protection Plan, from Dew Drop and eastward, estimated at $15,000, with the balance to be used for public outreach in connection with Fire Wise Community development.

The Board allocated the balance of 2009 funds, of $17,317 and all of the 2010 funds of $33,631, for a total of just under $51,000, to the Amador County Sheriff’s Department for reimbursement of search and rescue and other emergency services on federal lands.

Undersheriff Jim Wegner said if Title 3 funds had been allocated, the Sheriff’s Department would have been able to reimburse the county General Fund for up to $53,000 in work done on National Forest land since 2009.

Wegner said the Sheriff’s Department has a reimbursement contract with the U.S. Forest Service for up to $23,000 in annual patrolling services in national forests. He said there is another contract for up to $15,000 in controlled substance investigations. He said in 2009, the department had 398 hours of deputy and response time that would have been reimbursable by Title 3 funds, and another 310 hours in 2010.

The funds can be used to reimburse the participating county for search and rescue and other emergency services, including fire fighting, that are performed on federal land in the National Forest system. It also can be used to carry out a “Firewise Communities” program, or be used to develop Community Wildfire Protection Plans.

Amador Fire Safe Council Executive Director Kathy Coos-Breazeal said the federal Firewise program was “putting the onus of labor and cost on the homeowner” for fire protection, with “intrinsic” rewards, for which the council must be a “cheerleader.” The board spoke more in favor of developing the Community Wildfire Protection Plans, but also supported the Firewise outreach, which could be used to secure other grants for work “on the ground,” such as fire-break clearing.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.