Amador County – The Amador County Grand Jury, investigating the city of Ione has reportedly cost the city more than $1,700 in document requests, according to a staff report for today’s Ione City Council Meeting.

Ione staff said it spent 35 hours to fill a request by an independent auditor working for the Grand Jury to turn over copies of 24,500 pages of city documents.

City Manager Kim Kerr in a report for today’s meeting said that staff had spent 35 hours making copies to answer the Grand Jury’s independent auditor’s request for information, and had submitted 24,500 pages of documents, not including copies of canceled checks.

Kerr said “staff submitted the requested documents to the auditor hired by the Grand Jury on May 31,” and “after submitting the requested documents, the staff realized we had failed to submit copies of the canceled checks, which staff submitted on Monday,” June 6. Kerr worked six hours on the request, the finance manager worked 13 hours, the account technician worked 5 hours and support staff worked 12 hours, for the total cost to fill the request, minus the check coping, totaling $1,725.

Recently, staff reported on document requests of varying detail, including getting 28 document requests over a two-month period, many coming from Ione Resident James Nevine. Those included several years of budget information.

Also today, Ione City Council will get an update on the Ed Hughes Memorial Arena restroom project. Kerr in a report said Park Grant Funds of $81,848 are available from funds already allocated through the State Resource Bond Act of 2002. She said park impact fees and funding from the Amador County Recreation Agency will assist with paying for the $180,000 project, including about $100,000 from ACRA. Kerr said “the project is in progress, is on schedule and is under budget.”

Kerr in the report said she had heard an update from Anne Baird of Assemblywoman Alyson Huber’s office about “the city’s request to extend our grant” funding for the restroom project to fiscal year 2011-2012. Baird said it “is pending adoption by the state Legislature,” and she “indicated the extension should be approved.”

The Ione City Council also will hold a special meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday to have a workshop on its newly released financial audit for fiscal year 2009-2010.

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