News Archive (6192)
AWA to seek rate increase and repair surcharge in Camanche’s water system
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors voted June 21 to ask Lake Camanche Village customers for more money to repair and operate their aging water system, with the hope that Amador County may pitch in funding and help reduce the need for a repair surcharge.
AWA General Manager Gene MAncebo said “customers will receive a rate increase notice for a one-year-only, 10 percent water rate increase to make up a current $39,000 operating deficit, and a $70-per-residence surcharge to repair Camanche’s out-of-service Well 14 and replace broken fire hydrants.” He said if “Amador County Supervisors approve a grant for repairs from the county Water Development Fund, AWA directors will not assess the $70 surcharge.”
Mancebo said “exploratory talks with two county supervisors raised the possibility of a grant from the Amador County Water Development Fund to pay for some of the infrastructure repairs needed on the Camanche system.” He spoke to Supervisors Richard Forster and Chairman John Plasse and they “indicated they wanted Camanche residents to support a rate increase to get the system out of the red, and if they do, the county may contribute money for infrastructure repairs.”
“There has been no increase in water rate in the Camanche system in five years,” Mancebo said, “and system costs were exceeding revenues even before the economic recession.” A 10 percent rate increase would mean about $3.80 per month for a typical home. Lake Camanche Village customers currently pay the lowest water rates among AWA water customers.
AWA has “reduced total labor costs in the Camanche system by nearly 40 percent and other operating costs more than 50 percent” since 2007-2008, “but these reductions still are not adequate to balance the budget,” Mancebo said. “We’re continuing to look for ways to reduce expenses; in the meantime, fuel, chemicals, pipe materials, and other operating costs continue to climb.”
The Lake Camanche Village water system was built by the subdivision developer in the early 1970s and operated by Amador County until 2003, when the County asked AWA to take it over, Mancebo said. Camanche’s groundwater wells have a history of water quality problems, and AWA staff is particularly concerned about heading into summer with a major well out of service.
Besides well issues, “a number of fire hydrants are known to need replacement or repairs, and many service line pipes are failing and developing leaks. The service lines are made of an early form of plastic pipe that has become brittle and is developing cracks.”
Mancebo said, Camanche is one of several AWA systems that may be running “in the red” next fiscal year.
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Congressman Dan Lungren congratulates a recent West Point graduate
Written by Tom
Amador County – Congressman Dan Lungren (R-CA) in mid-June extended congratulations to a new West Point graduate whom the Congressman nominated four years prior.
Lungren nominated and then congratulated 2nd Lt. Benjamin Asare after learning that the Antelope man was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army during ceremonies at West Point in May.
Lungren said: “It is always gratifying to learn that one of the Academy nominees you put forward was able to withstand the rigors and meet with success and be commissioned into the U.S. Army.”
The Third District Congressman and his office have been prolific at nominating candidates, and a dozen from his Third District are headed for military academies in the fall.
Lungren said “Asare is to be commended for his willingness to serve his country now at such a critical time in our history.”
Asare, 22, is the son of Mary-Ann and Philip Asare and is a graduate of Mira Loma High School in Carmichael. His parents, immigrants from Ghana, said they are extremely proud and grateful that Lungren nominated their son. The family issued a statement, saying “Benjamin’s hard work and dedication has paid off. Our family is grateful to Congressman Dan Lungren for nominating Benjamin to the academy – without which his West Point experience would have been impossible.”
Lungren serves as Chairman of the House Administration Committee in addition to serving on the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees.
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County Assessor said most notices will be available primarily on the Internet, starting in August
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador County Assessor’s office announced in late June that its assessment and other notices will primarily be available online, to save money on printing costs.
Amador County Assessor James B. Rooney delivered a notice June 28 to the attention of Amador County Taxpayers, saying that “starting in August of 2011, all Annual Assessment Notices and Proposition 8 Notices will be available primarily on our website.”
Rooney said people whom this change affects are those whose “property during 2010 has undergone a change in ownership, or new construction, or had its assessed value adjusted to reflect its market value as of Jan. 1, 2011.” Such changes will have the new value posted on the Assessor’s website, beneath its “Assessment Inquiry” link.
“As a cost savings measure,” Rooney said, “the above notices will not be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service unless specifically requested. Once the 2011-2012 Assessment Roll is completed in August, more information on how to access the online notices will be provided” on the Assessor’s website.
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Amador County Historical Society plans a mine exhibit reopening ceremony July 16
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador County Historical Society last week announced that it will reopen its popular exhibit of mine models at the Amador County Museum on July 16.
Larry Cenotto announced the planned opening, saying the public is invited to a brief ceremony and tour of the exhibit, set for 10 a.m. Saturday, July 16.
At a recent meeting of Amador Historical Society’s museum committee chaired by Trevor Mottishaw, long-time museum curator and ACHS member Georgia Fox was named the mining model staffing coordinator. People interested in becoming docents at the exhibit should contact Fox or the society.
The exhibit includes operating scale models of the stamp mill of the North Star mine, between Sutter Creek and Amador City. Models include the fallen Wheel No. 2 of the four tailing wheels of Kennedy Mine and the Kennedy Mine headframe itself.
The models were crafted by the late Bob Post and sold to the county for $4,500 in about 1972. His father, master mechanic Elbridge Post, oversaw rebuilding of the real Kennedy wheels in 1922.
Tentative plans call for the exhibit to open July 16 and every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with docent programs, approximately 45 minutes long, given at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Admission will be $2 for adults and $1 for children under 10. The Historical Society anticipates it will open the exhibit more days as demand increases.
Cenotto in a release said “Amador County closed the museum and adjacent exhibit three years ago because of budget shortfalls. In the interim,” the Amador County Historical Society “negotiated an agreement with the county to manage the museum grounds and work to reopen the exhibit and museum.”
Cenotto said the terms of the Historical Society’s agreement with Amador County on the mine model exhibit “allows the society to retain all proceeds but pay for most expenses.”
In recent weeks, the Historical Society “has expended about $10,000 of its own funds to resurface the museum parking area and delineate handicapped parking space and pathways to meet disability requirements,” Cenotto said. “It also had to construct a fenced concrete landing or entryway to the exhibit building to meet ADA standards.” The Society also held a cleanup day of the exhibits July 6. The county will provide a porta-potty but the Historical Society will have to pay for its servicing.
Society President Gary Reinoehl said the group “is also negotiating with the county a long-term lease and another agreement to manage and reopen the museum too. But the museum also requires work to accommodate the disabled and to bolster the brick walls of the 1859 building.”
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Committee to look at “critical” sewer issues for Sutter Creek
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Sutter Creek Sewer Committee meets at 1 p.m. today to discuss a list of “critical path issues” the city faces in its sewer system.
The city committee assigned a subcommittee to itemize these “critical path issues,” and time frames. City Manager Sean Rabe in a report for today’s meeting said he would recommend the committee look at the list, and spread sheets of pending issues and decisions, and “provide direction as appropriate.”
The Wastewater Planning Subcommittee was made up of Rabe, City Engineer Grant Reynolds, Planning Commissioner Robin Peters and Councilman Jim Swift. Rabe said the subcommittee was appointed June 20, and “put together a short list of options for the city’s wastewater planning.”
Rabe said the “subcommittee was also charged with creating a flow chart with critical path issues that need to be dealt with as soon as possible.” The list of issues “reflect a significant amount of work done by Robin Peters,” in an “attempt to capture the key issues with the city’s wastewater planning,” Rabe said.
He said a flowchart outlines “key policy and operational decisions that must be addressed as soon as possible” and he recommended the full committee address them, and make recommendations to the City Council. He also recommended they “use the flow chart to eliminate from further consideration some of the options listed.”
The critical issues include work that must be done on Amador Regional Sanitation Authority and Henderson Reservoir infrastructure by the end of next year, to 2016. It includes a lower drain replacement, adding spray fields to eliminate the need for an Ione secondary pond, and a buttressing project, all at Henderson Reservoir.
ARSA also faces a potential 5-year notice of termination by Ione, and paying Ione for treatment, both of which “could happen any time.” The city must also “complete and adopt wastewater treatment plant and ARSA master plans within 12 months” of conclusion of litigation centered on the Gold Rush Ranch and Golf Resort project. Gold Rush also must get a contract for planned improvements within two years of that, and get construction of the master planned improvements within four years.
Policy decisions were multiple in Peters’ flow chart, including several questions, such as: “Should ARSA system be abandoned due to looming costs?” Also: “Should the city plan for gold Rush development directly and as currently entitled?” and “Should the city commit to and plan for participation in a future Martell-area regional tertiary plant?”
Potential issues included whether the city should be part of an Ione regional plant, or a long-term option expecting that “tertiary treatment will eventually become mandatory.”
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Cal Fire plans a live fire training exercise next Tuesday and Thursday
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador-El Dorado Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
is planning a live fire training exercise on two separate days next week, on a ranch at the Amador-Sacramento County line.
Cal Fire Prevention Specialist Teri Mizuhara said the media was invited to view the live fire training activities, to be conducted by the Amador-El Dorado Unit on Tuesday July 12 and again on Thursday July 14, from 9-11 a.m. on both days.
Unit Chief Kelly Keenan said “now that we have our full complement of fire fighters hired, we will hold this live fire training as a part of our continued fire fighter training program.”
Keenan said the event “serves two purposes: It is an excellent training tool for all of our personnel and it also assists a local rancher in controlling star thistle and medusa head, two species of invasive weeds that have spread onto his rangeland.”
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Amador County – The Amador County Sheriff’s Department announced last week that a warrant has been issued related to the robbery of the Pine Grove Bank of Stockton last December, after a suspect reportedly confessed to the crime, and five other bank robberies in the region.
Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner issued a release last week with details about the investigation. He said on June 7, based upon a complaint filed by the Amador County District Attorney’s Office, Amador County Superior Court Judge David Richmond issued a “No Bail” Amador County Superior Court arrest warrant for robbery for Phillip Dale Selfa, 58, of Stockton.
Selfa admitted to robbing included Bank of Stockton in Pine Grove on Dec. 27, 2010; Bank of the West in Lockeford on Jan. 13; Farmers and Merchants Bank of Linden on Feb. 25; West America Bank of Turlock on March 30; Bank of the West of Ripon April 29; and Bank of the West in Lodi May 9.
“On April 26, Amador County Sheriff’s Detectives received DNA analysis results from the California Department of Justice for evidence collected” which cleared a suspect in San Joaquin County in the Pine Grove case. On May 12 the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office “notified the Amador County Sheriff’s Office that analysis of clothing found at the scene” of a Jan. 13 robbery of Bank of the West in Lockeford “led to a positive DNA match” for Selfa.
Wegner said Amador “Sheriff’s detectives conducted supplemental investigation and were able to place Selfa within Amador County a few hours prior to the Bank of Stockton robbery on December 27, 2010.”
On May 18, “the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 1872 West Acacia Street in Stockton. Selfa was arrested without incident and subsequently confessed to all six bank robberies. Selfa was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail.”
Wegner said on May 19, “Amador County Sheriff’s Detectives conducted follow up interviews with Selfa. Selfa again confessed to the robbery of the Bank of Stockton in Pine Grove, providing details of how and why he committed the crime. The Sheriff’s Office investigative reports were forwarded to the Amador County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution against Selfa.”
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Amador County Fair’s annual, destructive, grand finale is its Destruction Derby
Written by Tom
Amador County – With the theme of “Destroy or be Destroyed” and the “crash ‘em and smash ‘em” Destruction Derby event is slated for the Grandstands arena on Sunday, July 31, the annual grand finale of the Amador County Fair.
Fair organizers said the “destruction reigns while the crowd cheers” at the Benny Brown Arena, in Plymouth. Organizer said “this isn’t watching your neighbor back into your car. This is total battery. The harder the hits, the bigger the dents, and the more smoke in the air, the louder the crowd cheers.
Drivers do their best, while driving in reverse, in a bed of mud, to smash the other cars to smithereens. The audience cheers as mud flies, wheels spin in the gooey mess, and one car after another is annihilated or the overworked and overheated engines give up in a smoky haze.
Between the multiple heats, “teams madly pull out major dents that might keep a wheel from turning, weld broken parts, and tinker with barely running engines in order to make it back out to the next heat.” The last car running in each heat goes on to the final championship event.
Sponsored by the Jackson Rotary Club, the Destruction Derby is a major fund-raiser for the club, which supports community services such as the Interfaith Food Bank. ¶ People who plan to attend the Amador County Fair Destruction Derby, should get their tickets in advance as the lines form early for the annual sell-out event. Tickets may be purchased in advance.
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Amador County – The Ione City Council on Tuesday hired a new interim city manager, and also signed a contract with a new legal firm for city attorney duties, the latter getting to work quickly in checking out the particulars of a recall notice filed June 21 against the Mayor.
Ione Mayor David Plank filed a response last week to a notice of intent to circulate a petition for his removal from office by recall, and City Clerk Janice Traverso said new City Attorney James Maynard is looking over the original filing to make sure it contains all of the necessary information before the petitioner can commence gathering signatures.
Once that approval is given, the proponent, James Nevin, and his group “Voice in Ione,” would have 60 days to gather signatures from 25 percent of the city voter registry, which totals about 2,100, meaning about 526 signatures would be needed to put the recall onto a ballot.
The Council on Tuesday hired Jeff Butzlaff as interim city manager, with a six-month agreement, starting July 11 and lasting to Jan. 11, 2012, paying $52,000. Former City Manger Kim Kerr, who will continue to live in Ione, prepared a report on the recommended contract, saying the City Council reviewed 10 resumes from the League of California Cities and three received by mail. The Council interviewed five candidates and selected Butzlaff “based on his qualifications and experience.”
The Amador County Civil Grand Jury report was released June 6, and part of it criticized the city for having no reconciliation of monthly bills, and no monthly finance reports. The agenda packet included such reports through May of this year. The Council on Tuesday did not discuss the report, and it is unknown when it will be on the agenda, Traverso said.
On Tuesday, the council approved a contract for a new city attorney with the firm Cota Cole LLC of Roseville, and its partner, James Maynard will work with the city. The firm already works in Amador County, and its associate, Derek Cole, is the Sutter Creek City Attorney.
Maynard replaces former city attorney Kristen Castanos, and Butzlaff replaces Kerr, who resigned effective June 30 to take a job as an assistant to the El Dorado County Chief Administrative Officer Terry Daly, who is the most recent past CAO of Amador County.
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Ione Mayor David Plank files a response to a notice of intent to recall him
Written by Tom
Amador County – Ione Mayor David Plank last week
filed a formal response to a notice to recall him from political
office, saying, among other things that he cannot act alone to approve
Ione City Council decisions, and recordings show that no one was
deprived of their chance to speak at Council meetings.
Plank filed a response June 27 with City Clerk Janice Traverso, listing answers to a filing by resident James Nevin, and his group, “Voice In Ione,” who made a “notice of intention to circulate a recall petition.”
Plank said for his service from December 2008 on the Ione City Council, including since January as Mayor, he addressed claims within that period. He said “by law, no Mayor can act independent of Council on Capital, Budget or Contract decisions,” as Nevin claimed in his filing, saying Plank “approved the current Ione City Budget.” Plank said: “Recall elections waste $10,000 to $14,000 of your taxes depleting Ione’s budget.”
He noted that “Council follows common governmental strategy using expense reductions and fund reserves to cover budgeted expenditures; while maintaining services. Never have fund balances reached unacceptable, dangerous levels. Current fund balance is 38 percent.”
Plank said the “Council approves attorney charges for specified, budgeted projects and services.” He said prior to his tenure, in September 2008, the “Council directed staff to issue request for competitive bids, under law, for a wastewater plant.” Construction companies “Teichert and Auburn sent withdrawal letters.” He said PERC, another company, was a “compliant bidder” and the “Council voted to proceed with PERC” in January 2009.
“Presently, cost figures are unavailable for wastewater plant construction and sewer rates,” Plank said. “Council directed staff June 21” to negotiate a Design, Build, Finance and Operate “agreement with PERC” and simultaneously commence a rate study with consultant PMC. “Approximately 90 days from contract signing accurate construction costs and sewer rates will be determined.”
Plank said the “Council approved extension of the Police Chief’s employment contract in lieu of accepting annual salary reduction of $15,000 a year for three-and-a-half years, saving Ione $52,500 and potentially reducing pension.” ¶ Nevin in his filing said Plank as “Mayor of our City you alone denied an Ione citizen his Constitutional Right to freely express his opinion before the City Council.”
Plank said “citizens are not denied the right to speak during Public Comment,” and it was “confirmed by tape recordings.” He said the Public comment “rule is published and/or announced.”
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