Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council feted retired Mayor Pro Tempore Bill Hepworth with a resolution Monday and also selected his successor, picking former Mayor and Councilman Tim Murphy as Mayor Pro Tempore. Hepworth attended the meeting and was gifted with the resolution and a plaque for his 10 years service to the city council. He agreed to remain a member of the city Beautification Committee, as a member of the public. The council agreed to that when later appointing new committee assignments. The council first declared an emergency agenda addition to select a new Mayor Pro Tempore, after Mayor Gary Wooten said he would be absent from the next council meeting, along with new Councilwoman Linda Rianda. Councilwoman Sandy Anderson nominated Murphy’s appointment to Mayor Pro Tem, Rianda seconded the nomination, and his appointment passed 4-0, with Murphy abstaining. Wooten appointed Rianda to Hepworth’s committees for the Amador County Recreation Agency and the Kennedy Mine Foundation, and also tabbed her for the Administration committee, the Finance Committee and the personnel committee. Councilman Pat Crosby took new assignments on the trash rate increase board, and Murphy took Wooten’s spot on the Personnel Committee, while Wooten took his spot on the Sewer and Public Works Standing Committee. In matters not on the agenda, Sharyn Brown asked about the new roadside kiosk booth that “just appeared” on south Main Street. Brown said “that is a historic district” and the kiosk’s white paint is an eyesore and should blend with surroundings. She asked why it had not gone to the Architectural Review Committee for review, saying “it needed to start looking a little bit more historic.” City Manager Rob Duke said the white paint is primer. Bart Weatherly talked about the local newspaper’s online poll question that asked “are you for or against Gold Rush Ranch.” Weatherly said the poll was less about Gold Rush and more about promoting the website, “which is the direction the paper is going.” He said 4,600 voters split 55 percent for, 45 percent against Gold Rush, and “emotions are running high on both sides.” Wooten said Jack Mitchell, the local publisher, told him that 2,000 of those votes against Gold Rush “were made by 2 people, one male and one female.” Weatherly said “I don’t know anything about that.” The Sutter Creek Planning Commission hosts a meeting 7 p.m. Monday as part of the Draft Environmental Impact Review revision, to look at a revised traffic impact study and take public comment. The city council meeting set for May 4th has been cancelled. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.