By Jim Reece - Two races for the Amador Water Agency Board of Directors heated up last week. A mailer from a political group called “Concerned Amador Property Owners” called AWA candidates Debbie Dunn of District 4 and Bill Condrashoff of District 1 “radical special interests” trying to control the Amador Water Agency Board. The mailers said “What you don't know could cost you money and control of your land.” The mailer said Dunn and Condrashoff “are or were recently affiliated with the Foothill Conservancy” and the two candidates “would limit the Amador Water Agency service area and thus cause higher water rates by pushing the Conservancy agenda to guide and/or control land use in Amador County.” The letter, sent to voters by mail and e-mail, listed information that Condrashoff countered with his own e-mail. He said he is not, and never has been a member of the Foothill Conservancy. His company has done work for them, as it has for hundreds of others. He said he was a member of Protect the Historic Amador Waterways but resigned when he started his campaign for the AWA board. Condrashoff said the group "Concerned Amador Property Owners" mailed its letters from a commercial post office box address. He said “a form filed with the Secretary of State on October 3rd names the organizers of this group, which was formed to support the three AWA incumbents and to oppose (Condrashoff) and Debbie Dunn. The organizers are Treasurer Stevan Moren of Ione; Chairman Ray Brusatori of Sutter Creek; and Chairman Marc Bowman of Pine Grove. Condrashoff said “Bowman's name was removed in an amended form filed October 21st. The Foothill Conservancy employed Dunn as a contractor from September 2007 to August 2008, but she left the job to run for office. The Conservancy’s website answers some of the claims from Moren, Brusatori and Bowman, saying it is not a “no growth” group. “We know our counties will grow over time. We want to protect agriculture, open space, scenic beauty, and wildlife habitat by focusing that growth in and around towns.” The site said the National Wild and Scenic River designation for the Mokelumne River would protect about 37 miles of the Mokelumne River for people, wildlife, and fish. It would bar new dams and diversions only on those designated sections. Wild & Scenic designation would not keep the county from using its water rights. It would not prevent the Water Agency from building or raising dams outside the designated sections, including the Lower Bear River Reservoir.
Monday, 27 October 2008 18:00
AWA Race Incurs Mudslinging
By Jim Reece - Two races for the Amador Water Agency Board of Directors heated up last week. A mailer from a political group called “Concerned Amador Property Owners” called AWA candidates Debbie Dunn of District 4 and Bill Condrashoff of District 1 “radical special interests” trying to control the Amador Water Agency Board. The mailers said “What you don't know could cost you money and control of your land.” The mailer said Dunn and Condrashoff “are or were recently affiliated with the Foothill Conservancy” and the two candidates “would limit the Amador Water Agency service area and thus cause higher water rates by pushing the Conservancy agenda to guide and/or control land use in Amador County.” The letter, sent to voters by mail and e-mail, listed information that Condrashoff countered with his own e-mail. He said he is not, and never has been a member of the Foothill Conservancy. His company has done work for them, as it has for hundreds of others. He said he was a member of Protect the Historic Amador Waterways but resigned when he started his campaign for the AWA board. Condrashoff said the group "Concerned Amador Property Owners" mailed its letters from a commercial post office box address. He said “a form filed with the Secretary of State on October 3rd names the organizers of this group, which was formed to support the three AWA incumbents and to oppose (Condrashoff) and Debbie Dunn. The organizers are Treasurer Stevan Moren of Ione; Chairman Ray Brusatori of Sutter Creek; and Chairman Marc Bowman of Pine Grove. Condrashoff said “Bowman's name was removed in an amended form filed October 21st. The Foothill Conservancy employed Dunn as a contractor from September 2007 to August 2008, but she left the job to run for office. The Conservancy’s website answers some of the claims from Moren, Brusatori and Bowman, saying it is not a “no growth” group. “We know our counties will grow over time. We want to protect agriculture, open space, scenic beauty, and wildlife habitat by focusing that growth in and around towns.” The site said the National Wild and Scenic River designation for the Mokelumne River would protect about 37 miles of the Mokelumne River for people, wildlife, and fish. It would bar new dams and diversions only on those designated sections. Wild & Scenic designation would not keep the county from using its water rights. It would not prevent the Water Agency from building or raising dams outside the designated sections, including the Lower Bear River Reservoir.
