Amador County – A slight turnout for the Ione City Council Community Preservation Workshop had a bright side in letting the council share ideas last week. Mayor Lee Ard said council credibility was in jeopardy but he pledged support. Ard said the council will work with City Manager Kim Kerr on a brochure to recruit volunteers for the Main Street Program. Ard said: “I will go door-to-door to get volunteers, and I hope my peers will help too.” Kerr said staff was basically looking for council direction, but was “hoping to have a lot more comments” from the public. The 4 programs are for Main Street, downtown facades, an economic study and the creation of a redevelopment plan. Councilwoman Andrea Bonham said she loved the new downtown, with the Mexican restaurant and her Clark’s Corner coffee shop drawing people from Upcountry and Volcano to Ione downtown. She said she spoke with people who are 80 years old and had not been to downtown Ione in 10 years. When they came, they ran into people they had not seen in 10 years. She commended Jack Brotherton on his work on the Main Street Program, and supported starting it and the Façade Program. Councilman David Plank counted 22 or 24 Ione residents at the meeting, and only 2 were downtown business or property owners. He encouraged people to comment in a letter to the council, or by stopping in City Hall to talk to Kerr, or City Planner Christopher Jordan. Councilman Skip Schaufel said the “façade program really makes sense.” He supported the economic study, which would look at Ione residents’ spending through credit card data, which Kerr said could help locate businesses here or help local shops carry saleable items. Schaufel said “we need businesses that will thrive” to move downtown, and the council “should start all of these programs.” Ard said he thought the Main Street program have the city council as its initial “governing board.” After it is “running smoothly,” they can start a non-profit and get a director. Plank said he would like to see the meeting continued, for the “crucial element” of getting downtown business and property owners involved. He said the city should send letters to all of them to tell them about the next meeting. Kerr said she will get more in depth information on the Main Street Program and bring it to the April 21st council meeting. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.