Amador County Recreation Agency Director Tracey Towner-Yep presented an annual report and request for funding to the Board of Supervisors during Tuesday’s meeting. The fast-growing local agency has been prolific in its efforts to provide parkland and recreation opportunities for the citizens of Amador to enjoy. An enthusiastic Towner-Yep presented the agency’s accomplishments through a power point presentation. “You’re the lion’s share of our membership contributions,” she said in reference to the Supervisors. “As our budget grows, it’s on me and our agency to garner funds from other places, but I’ve never been more willing to ask anybody for money in my life until after I got this job,” she said.

ACRA came to fruition in 2004 after years of banter between County officials and staff over the need for an agency that would control and regulate the county’s recreation services. Since 2004, ACRA has grown rapidly, acquiring more than 100 acres of parkland, including the recent acquisition of Mollie Joyce Park in Pine Grove. Tuesday’s request to the Board of Supervisors was to cover the funding for all the unincorporated areas of the county, or 64 percent. As outlined in the proposal, the rest of the funds will come from each of Amador County’s cities and will equal out to about 5 dollars per person. Towner-Yep was quick to point out that “since 2003 until now we have gone after more and more outside funding so we aren’t completely tied to (the Board’s) membership contributions.” Towner-Yep says the funds will go towards expanding ACRA’s services to the community and maintaining full-time and part-time staff members. The Board was equally enthusiastic and receptive to Towner-Yep’s proposal. But Supervisor Forster warned Towner-Yep against expanding the agency too fast and “empire building.” Towner-Yep heeded his suggestion. The proposal to approve funding for ACRA for the upcoming fiscal year was approved unanimously by the Board members.