Opting to construct a Martel plant would also increase current rates in Sutter Creek by 30%. The second option defined in the study was to have the regional plant be in Sutter Creek by improving the current Sutter Creek plant to a tertiary level. Duke told the council that this option would benefit ratepayers from all of the effected cities. He also stated, “The Sutter Creek plant would be more likely to clear through the California Environmental Quality Act because we would be upgrading to operate at a cleaner level, and the construction would be taking place on an existing site.” The improvements to the Sutter Creek plant were estimated to reach completion in the spring of 2012. The third and final regional wastewater solution was to have a sub regional plant in both Martel and Sutter Creek. This option would increase Martel user’s rates by 8 to 10 dollars. The construction of the Sutter Creek sub-regional plant was projected to end in June of 2011 and the Martel sub-regional plant in December of 2012. Duke told the council that the total cost for building each of the three options was virtually the same, approximately $90 million dollars.

The study’s findings showed that based on location, time consumption, hook up cost, and user rates, the best option for Sutter Creek was either a regional or sub regional plant. Duke told the council that the Water Agency has been most interested in option one of building a regional plant in Martel because they would have more control over of the plant. He stated, “We are somewhat at odds with the Water Agency, and that’s sugar coating it, but I can’t emphasize enough how much of a team sport this is.” Duke suggested that they start working on the environmental and follow up engineering on the expanding Sutter Creek Plant. The council Directed Staff to move forward based on Dukes suggestion. Duke later commented, “Our plant is the regional plant and we are fully supportive of a regional plan, but we are not in support of the Martell option. We will no longer be doing any research on whether the Martell plant is suitable. We will be directing all of our efforts and resources towards expanding the plant at the Sutter Creek site.” With Sutter Creek working on expanding their existing plant and no longer participating in the Regional focus, this could mean that a Regional solution will no longer be pursued by any of the others involved in the research, as the cost of the proposed solutions split between the existing players, which no longer include Sutter Creek, would be enormous.

The council then discussed issues with signage along the Highway 49 bypass. Scott Maas, project manager for the Amador County Transportation Commission (ACTC) presented the council with several changes that will occur with the signs on and approaching the 49 By Pass. Signs directing traffic toward the Jackson Rancheria along highway’s 104 and 49 near the intersection of 49 and Ridge road will be removed because they direct traffic to use Ridge Road.  Maas told the council that Cal Trans will now be directing all Rancheria Traffic to Highway 88. Also, he asked for the council’s direction in possibly extending Main St. from the City Hall, to the intersection of Valley View Dr. and the bypass. This would change a drivers orientation so that when they are going south, towards Jackson, on the by pass at the Valley View intersection they would be turning left on to Main St. The council entertained the idea of possibly changing the sign to say “to Main St.” instead of actually extending Main St. which would require several people along that stretch of Highway 49 to change their addresses.

The council decided to put that item on their next agenda for further discussion. Maas also reported to the council that Cal Trans will be studying traffic at the intersection of the by pass and Sutter Ione rd. Several Sutter Creek residents, including a representative from Sutter Creek Elementary, expressed to the council that they feel the intersection is hazardous for regular traffic, and especially unsafe for school busses because of drivers driving at dangerous speeds. The citizens strongly suggested that a traffic signal be put in place, or that the speed be lowered in that area to 45 MPH as it is before Drytown.

Maas told the council that the while intersection is wired for a traffic signal, it was engineered so that a traffic signal was not required. Rob Duke told the council and the public that the standard speed limit for a highway is 55 MPH and to change that, it would require cooperation with the CHP. He said it would also require CHP to conduct a traffic study and, by law, the speed limit would be adjusted according to the speed that 85% of the traffic drove during the study. Council Member Gary Wooten stated, “The only way to get everybody to go the speed limit is to put a black and white car behind everyone. And we obviously do not have the resources to do that.” Councilman Pat Crosby stated, “I think we have come out with one safe intersection in this by pass: Valley View. All the others are suspect. We were promised a lot, and we didn’t get much, other than a bypass.” Maas told the council that Cal Trans is moving forward with traffic studies, which is the first step in attaining the required “warrants” to change the signage at the Sutter Ione rd. intersection.