Amador County – The Fiddletown Preservation Society made a request before the Board of Supervisors Tuesday for a loan of $100,000 to assist in paying outstanding bills associated with the restoration of historic buildings in Fiddletown. The restorations referred to are for the Chinese Gambling Hall and Chinese General Store, both over 150 years old. The buildings came very close to imploding as the walls bulged and the cracks widened and were only months away from becoming ruins when the restoration crew completed restorations last December. Repairs have been going on over the course of seven years as funding comes in. Society member Carl McDanel recapped the long history the Society has had with the county, both in applying for grants and as caretakers for the historic Chinese buildings. He said the Society is facing a “Catch-22.” The California Cultural and Historical Endowment and Prop 12 require a holdback amount of their grants until all invoices are paid, but the Society can’t pay off the invoices until the grant funding is released. In addition, the Prop 12 resolution to release the funds expires on June 30th of 2009. “Your support so far…has made it all possible, but we need more help,” said McDanel. The Supervisors sympathized with McDanel as he outlined the complex requirements of obtaining funding through the state. “It seems like they hold all the strings and pull them the way they want to,” said Supervisor Louis Boitano. Supervisor Brian Oneto asked County Counsel whether the county would become liable for not helping the Society with its debts. “If we don’t help them, it becomes our problem.,” he said, adding: “We’ll be happy to do what it takes to help the Society.” The Supervisors approved 4-0 a motion for County Counsel to draft an agreement for a bridge loan to the Society in the amount of $100,000. Supervisor Richard Forster was absent from the meeting. McDanel said the money will be paid back “the day we get our checks.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – The Fiddletown Preservation Society made a request before the Board of Supervisors Tuesday for a loan of $100,000 to assist in paying outstanding bills associated with the restoration of historic buildings in Fiddletown. The restorations referred to are for the Chinese Gambling Hall and Chinese General Store, both over 150 years old. The buildings came very close to imploding as the walls bulged and the cracks widened and were only months away from becoming ruins when the restoration crew completed restorations last December. Repairs have been going on over the course of seven years as funding comes in. Society member Carl McDanel recapped the long history the Society has had with the county, both in applying for grants and as caretakers for the historic Chinese buildings. He said the Society is facing a “Catch-22.” The California Cultural and Historical Endowment and Prop 12 require a holdback amount of their grants until all invoices are paid, but the Society can’t pay off the invoices until the grant funding is released. In addition, the Prop 12 resolution to release the funds expires on June 30th of 2009. “Your support so far…has made it all possible, but we need more help,” said McDanel. The Supervisors sympathized with McDanel as he outlined the complex requirements of obtaining funding through the state. “It seems like they hold all the strings and pull them the way they want to,” said Supervisor Louis Boitano. Supervisor Brian Oneto asked County Counsel whether the county would become liable for not helping the Society with its debts. “If we don’t help them, it becomes our problem.,” he said, adding: “We’ll be happy to do what it takes to help the Society.” The Supervisors approved 4-0 a motion for County Counsel to draft an agreement for a bridge loan to the Society in the amount of $100,000. Supervisor Richard Forster was absent from the meeting. McDanel said the money will be paid back “the day we get our checks.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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