Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council on Tuesday authorized submission of grant applications for Indian Gaming Special Distribution Funds, to partly fund a patrol officer, and to purchase an outfitted patrol vehicle.

City Manager Sean Rabe said “the amounts are specified by statute per a specific funding formula.” The City is automatically eligible for $32,000, or about half of last year’s allocation, under nexus requirements. The City is also entitled to apply for and may be awarded “non-nexus” funding.

Rabe proposed an application similar to last year’s nexus application, applying for the full $32,463 to cover the salary and benefits, of a “mid-range police officer for two hours of patrol per day for a full year, a total of 730 hours.”

Rabe said the funds “would reimburse the City for one hour of patrol per shift in the impacted area,” and the “request will mitigate the law enforcement impacts by providing for reimbursement of direct salary and benefit costs associated with the time spent by Sutter Creek Police Officers enforcing laws in the impacted area, including along the Highway 49 and Ridge Road corridor.”

Rabe also proposed to apply for $22,000 in non-nexus funding to purchase a 2010 Ford Crown Victoria police vehicle, including outfitting and needed equipment. He said the “vehicle will mitigate law enforcement impacts by providing officers with the traffic control and law enforcement vehicle.”

Because the application is under the non-nexus category the City will compete for the funding with other local governments in Amador County. A total of $123,000 in non-nexus funds are available this year.

Non-nexus grants have normally gone to the County to offset its impacts, Rabe said. Grant applications are submitted for consideration by the Indian Gaming Local Community Benefit Committee, comprised of two members of the Board of Supervisors, two members of the Jackson City Council, a member of the Sutter Creek City Council, Mayor Linda Rianda, and two members of the Tribe. Upon approval, the Committee forwards the applications to the State for funding.

Rabe said the Special Distribution Fund grant proposals were approved by the Council. The applications will be submitted to the Local Benefit Committee on Friday, the due date.

Grant funding from California’s Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund is available to counties, cities and special districts impacted by tribal gaming. Rabe said grant applications must meet stringent nexus requirements to the impacts of Indian gaming on the City. The Special Distribution Fund was established for the receipt and deposit of money received by the State of California from Indian tribes pursuant to terms of their gaming compacts.

In Amador County, the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwok Indians operates the Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel and pays into the SDF.

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