Amador County – In the wake of a county lawsuit dismissal against 1 of 2 new casino projects being sought in Amador, the Ione City Council heard from casino foes and voted to support the county in its legal battle last week. Mayor Lee Ard was the only “no” vote in the 4-1 passage of a city resolution urging Amador Supervisors to keep up its legal challenge of an Indian gaming compact between the Buena Vista Band of Miwok Indians and the State of California. Councilman David Plank asked if the council was being premature on the resolution, and if it should wait until she had read the ruling. City Attorney Kristen Castanos said Amador County apparently filed the suit without the appropriate cause of action and it may be able to re-file that suit, but Castanos said it was not premature to send a resolution of support. City Manager Kim Kerr said the resolution states the city’s support for the county in what it does. She reminded the council that it had voted to allow Amador supervisors to negotiate on behalf of the city of Ione. Flying Cloud Casino opponents Jerry Cassesi and former Ione city administrator George Lambert both stated support for the resolution. Cassesi told the council to look at the $100,000 it was getting out of an agreement now in place, negotiated by Supervisors. He said the funds would cover about one police officer and one vehicle for one 8-hour shift a day, with no funding going to fire or emergency services. Lambert said the “Supervisors look like they are already headed in the right directions, trying to get the decision overturned.” Lambert said there is “too much at stake, and having 3 casinos in this little county is just too much for anybody to bear.” Castanos said the $100,000 for Ione was part of the agreement put in place by the mandatory arbitration decision. Councilman Lee Ard asked if it was true that the casino can go forward with its plans. Castanos said the project can only be stopped with a court injunction. Councilman Jim Ulm said they gave the county negotiating power for the city so that they could act as one on the issue. Councilman Skip Schaufel said a Home Town Radio non-scientific poll found that 75 percent of listeners were in favor of the county continuing to oppose the Flying Cloud Casino. 25 percent were against that opposition. Ulm said “if we are going to oppose the casino, we should continue.” Ard said “I don’t want casinos, but I feel that this one will go in.” He thought that supervisors should not continue the fight, and should “know when to cut their losses and run.” Story by Jim Reece