Amador County – Amador County Supervisors last week unanimously approved a 20-year deed restriction on Pine Grove Town Hall in order to get state reimbursement of $464,000 from Proposition 40 grants received through applications by the Amador County Recreation Agency.

Supervisors discussed whether the restriction would affect future use. Supervisor Chairman John Plasse said the contract contradicts itself, because the restriction seeks additional assurance that the terms of the agreement are being fulfilled. Supervisor Ted Novelli asked if it would affect the contracted use of the Hall by the Pine Grove Civic Improvement Club, and if the state could change the uses.

County Counsel Greg Gillott said when the county sought the grants it promised to use Pine Grove Town Hall for recreation activities in the future. He said community center uses are varied, and the agreement with the Improvement Club would fit that description, and the state “won’t be able to change our obligations once this is signed.”

The deed restriction allows an extension of grant funds past a Dec. 1 deadline. Supervisor Richard Forster said “we missed our deadlines because the state missed several of their deadlines,” and it caused everyone in the state to miss the dates.

Gillott said there is some flexibility in that Dec. 1 date. He said they needed the deed restriction as a requirement of the new contract for reimbursement, and the deed restriction will go away with the sunset date, June 30, 2031.

Plasse asked if our application includes dates and times for the facility to be open. ACRA Executive Director Tracey Towner said: “No. I was told that the less specific you are, the more latitude you have.”

Supervisors approved a resolution authorizing County Administrative Officer Chuck Iley to sign the deed restriction. The reimbursement contract expired June 30, the same day a state budget bill reverted back to the state all grant funds previously appropriated by Prop 40 that had not been spent by grant recipients before June 30. The Legislature then made the funds available to the projects for which they had been allocated.

ACRA’s projects had been allocated $1.2 million, and the balance remaining was $464,000. The county has already spent the funds for recreation facility remodels, and the agreement will complete the reimbursement.

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