Daly said that the litigation process has been an “expensive fight”, and that the question before the public was whether the county should continue the fight and cost taxpayers millions of dollars, or cut their losses and accept an agreement with the tribe. Daly also said that if the county rejects the agreement, it was fairly certain that the tribe would take them to arbitration. Some items covered in the agreement wouldn’t be covered in arbitration, including funds for fire, law enforcement, and education.

The majority of the attendees from the Ione and the Camanche areas opposed the casino and encouraged the board of supervisors to continue litigation, stating that the elements of the agreement proposed by the tribe were not adequate to address the impact it will have on the community. The public’s main concerns ranged from increased crime and traffic, blight on the views and landscape, agricultural impacts, and water and wastewater issues. The next workshop will be held on Wednesday, February 13 from 6:30-8:30PM at the Oaks Mobile Home Park in Buena Vista, and on Saturday February 16 from 1-3PM at the Amador County Administration Building’s Board Chambers in Jackson. Attendees can obtain a workshop packet and obtain more information by visiting the county’s Web site at: www.co.amador.ca.us