News Archive (6192)
First 5 Amador and Calaveras hosts a professional parenting seminar Saturday
Written by Tom
Amador County – First 5 Amador & First 5 Calaveras have partnered to sponsor “Celebrating Families and All Who Nurture Children,” a free “parenting opportunity” for parents to participate in a live presentation by Ann Corwin, Phd, the “Parenting Doctor” and Kent Williams, a National Fatherhood Mentor.
Cheri Garamendi Aguiar, School Readiness Coordinator for First 5 Amador said Corwin is one of Oprah Winfrey’s favorites. Corwin will present: “Why Mothers Aren’t Fathers, and Why They Shouldn’t try to be.”
Williams will present “Fathers and Men – Strengthening Families & Communities.” Garamendi said the free seminar is a perfect “parenting opportunity” for Father’s Day weekend.
Sponsors are the Resource Connection; Calaveras County Special Education Learning Plan Area Community Advisory Committee; Strengthening Calaveras Families; the Prevent Child Abuse Council of Calaveras; and Calaveras M.E.N.
The presentation is 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 18 at Bret Harte Theater, at 323 S. Main Street, in Angels Camp. Free child care is available for children ages 3-12. Registration is at 8:30 a.m. Call (209) 754-6914 to register.
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Celebration of life for Bill Hepworth is set for Friday in Sutter Creek
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Jackson City Council started its meeting with a moment of silence Monday for the late Bill Helpworth, a fellow former city councilman, Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem of Sutter Creek.
Jackson Mayor Connie Gonsalves asked for the moment of silence to honor Hepworth, whom she said was a college graduate, Eagle Scout, and a Native Son of the Golden West of Parlor Number 17 in Sutter Creek. She said Hepworth was a military veteran who fought in the Vietnam War, and was a Sutter Creek City Councilman, Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore, following in the footsteps of his father, who was the former mayor of Morongo Valley, California.
William Dennis Hepworth was born May 2, 1940 and died Thursday, June 9, 2011, at the age of 71. He was born in Los Angeles, moved to Amador County in 1976 and served on the City Council for 11 years, from 1998 to 2008. He was a long-time member of the city beautification committee, and was a member of the Amador County Cemetery Board, was a Trustee of the Monteverde Store.
Hepworth’s Celebration of Life will be 3 p.m. Friday, June 17th at Trinity Episcopal Church, at 430 Highway 49 in Sutter Creek.
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Jackson releases a Notice of Preparation for an EIR for its wastewater treatment plant proposals
Written by Tom
Amador County – The city of Jackson last week posted a Notice of Preparation for Environmental Impact Reports for various projects to remedy its wastewater treatment plant, opening a preliminary comment period, and setting a public meeting for July 6.
City Manager Mike Daly said the city “hired Pacific Municipal Consultants to undertake the Environmental Impact Report to review the impacts of the proposed projects to help the city meet the conditions in the (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) discharge permit.”
Daly said “PMC has been working on development of the project description and initiated some field work to get the review under way.” The Notice of Preparation was released on Thursday, June 9.
“As part of the EIR process,” Daly said “the city has worked with PMC to establish a special website that will continue to be updated with project information.” The website address is JacksonWWTP.com, and on it, people can find the link to the Notice of Preparation.
Daly said Monday that the site is meant to inform about the different approaches.
He said it will take a lot of funding to go through the Regional Water Quality Control Board’s requirements, such as getting 30 percent engineered project ideas, so they can be shown to be effectively working projects for the Regional Board to make a decision on them.
In addition to taking written comments during the comment period, a public meeting with consultants will be held 6 p.m. July 6 at the Jackson Civic Center, to take oral comments. Daly said Monday that the comment period opened June 8 and will close on July 8.
He said there has already been an extensive look into the options, with the Sewer Rate Committee meetings, and involvement in the wastewater issue the city has been dealing with.
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Amador County – Amador County Supervisors approved a contract amendment for the second year of a three-year pact with California Department of Fire Protection, and will decide at a later date where to have a single station manned by Cal Fire in the county.
Amador Fire District Chief Jim McCart said he polled seven fire chiefs at Kirkwood, Lockwood, Amador Fire Protection District, Jackson, Sutter Creek, Ione and Jackson Valley, and the most votes (three) preferred staffing the Sutter Hill station. Two voted for the Dew Drop station, and two voted for no station. He thought “it was important to take the chiefs’ concerns into account.”
Supervisor Chairman John Plasse agreed, but said he would like to do it with more conversation. McCart said it benefits the county when you put it in Pine Grove, but it is pretty much keeping the engine in the up-country for 90 percent of the calls. He said medical aid accounts for 80 percent of our calls. Plasse pointed out that the poll included two fire departments, Ione and Jackson, which chose not to “participate in our consolidation efforts.”
McCart said it is an annual poll he has taken since 2003. He said “you do not have to decide today” as the end of fire season could be October or November this year. He said the Highway 88 corridor, between Jackson and Meadow Drive was the “largest area not to have 24-hour staffing,” and “it’s a high-volume area.”
Plasse said “that speaks to me to keep the Pine Grove station staffed.” Supervisors Brian Oneto said he would like to see the survey results.
Richard Forster said: “I think we need to talk about it face-to-face,” and Plasse said they should put it on the next AFPD agenda, though he must miss that meeting. McCart said it could be discussed in late July or early August.
CDF Assistant Chief Brian Kirk said “I think the board is on the right track,” and call volume and statistical weights need study. He said Cal Fire can work with the entities and show them a map of incidences, and “kind of see where the delivery of services might be most appropriate.”
Kirk said Cal Fire operated the Pine Grove station last year, but “97 percent of the time we staffed an engine there” in Sutter Creek. He said CDF has the discretion to provide fire services to the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians. If it did so, “funds have to come from the casino to the county to fund this contract.” He said the “budget contingency clause allows a quicker exit that normal,” the norm being 120 days.
Kirk said “if mitigation functions of Jackson Valley were initiated,” it would significantly change and shift staff toward the western part of the county. Then it would be best to staff the Pine Grove station.
Forster said “all of us here would like to have three stations open” but increasing costs become an issue.
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Three new cases confirm that Whooping Cough is “not taking a summer vacation” in Amador County
Written by Tom
Amador County – Amador County Public Health confirmed three new cases of Whooping Cough have been contracted in Amador County.
Public Health confirmed Monday that “Pertussis isn’t taking a summer vacation.” The illness, known as “Whooping cough” can be deadly, especially to children under 6 months old, who are not yet vaccinated.
Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Hartmann said of the three new cases in Amador County that “all close contacts have been advised of their exposure. Statewide, the number of pertussis cases is greater than during the same period last year.”
Hartmann said: “Whooping cough is an illness that is highly contagious, particularly to infants. It typically starts with a cough and runny nose for one to two weeks, followed by weeks to months of rapid coughing sometimes ending with a whooping sound. Un-immunized or incompletely immunized young infants are especially vulnerable.”
He said: “Sadly, illness in this age group frequently leads to hospitalization and can be fatal. This is a prime example highlighting the reason behind the new California law requiring all public and private school students in grades 7-12 to be immunized against pertussis before they start school this fall.”
State lawmakers passed the new policy after California experienced the highest increase in whooping cough cases since 1947. Hartmann said last year, 10 infants died from the disease and more than 9,300 people were infected in the state. Parents should be aware that the protection from childhood immunization to pertussis wears off, and adolescents may be at risk for infection without a booster.
The child’s primary health care provider is the best resource to receive and document the pertussis vaccine. Other resources in the community include Amador County Public Health and some local pharmacies.
For Public Health immunization clinic information call 223-6407 or call your local pharmacy to ask if they are offering the vaccine.
Dr. David J. Stone, a Jackson pediatrician said: “This is a reminder to the community on how important it is to get immunized against a potent, potentially lethal germ.” Pertussis is the leading vaccine-preventable disease.
The next immunization clinic is 2-6 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, at the health department building on Conductor Boulevard in Sutter Creek. Pertussis shots for adults and children are $10 each. The next clinic after that is 2-6 p.m. Tuesday July 5, also in the Public Health building.
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School Board directes staff to revive a Special Education Learning Plan
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador County Unified School District Office of Education board of trustees on Wednesday directed staff to work on reviving a Special Education Local Plan Area, and figure out the process of forming a corresponding Community Advisory Committee.
Special education teacher Terry Goodall, vice president of the Special Educators of Amador County (SEAC), urged trustees to work with the various teachers’ groups to find a solution to the School District’s special education woes. Goodall said the media quoted her as saying the Special Education system is “broken,” but it missed the point, which is: “How do we fix it? How do we move forward?”
Goodall said Superintendent of Schools Dick Glock told her to “just keep doing what you’re doing,” but “we’re divided in SEAC” and the Office of Education, and Amador County Teachers Association. Goodall said “I believe people should be able to talk and to hear with their hearts and minds.” She said “I saw a board member effectively silence a parent” at a previous meeting, which she said was wrong.
“I said it was broken,” Goodall repeated, “but the real point is how do we fix it. I said we, and I said fix… We need to focus on the future,” to “show respect to others.” She asked: Do we “really want to focus on what is right and what is wrong?” She told trustees to “ask yourself: What will help our students?”
Theresa Hawk, executive director of Special Education, said Amador County’s Office of Education board, SELPA and the School Board are nearly unique in the state, in that they all are made up of the same board. She said only San Francisco is the same in California.
Hawk said a Special Education Learning Plan Area (SELPA) was last written in Amador County in 2007, along with Community Advisory Committee bylaws. She wished to reactivate and rewrite it, and she looked “to the board for direction on how to do this.”
Trustee Pat Miller recommended they consider allowing one school board member to sit on the Advisory Committee, because the 2007 bylaws did delineate that possibility. Hawk said they could activate the committee then have a simple majority of the Committee vote to establish its makeup. Trustee Lynette Lipp said she would rather the School Board establish that, so the Committee could not go against the Board’s wish for inclusion.
Glock said that could be done, and the Board could also interview applicants for the Committee. He said the Board could add more people to the Committee than the bylaws recommend. Board President, Trustee Wally Upper said “we’ll figure out the process and when the smoke clears, we will have a board member on the Committee.”
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Ione now seeks a new city attorney along with an Interim City Manager
Written by Tom
Amador County – Ione City Council now hunts for a new city attorney, along with its search for an Interim City Manager.
City Attorney Kristen Castanos is leaving the employment of the city, as is City Manager Kim Kerr. Kerr gave notice in April, after accepting a position as assistant Chief Administrative Officer of El Dorado County, under Terry Daly.
Ione Mayor David Plank said the city has been searching specifically for an interim city manager and has had a lot of people apply and they have conducted some interviews. He said people may say, why would anyone want that job, but “you’d be amazed.” They have gotten inquiries from several good, very qualified candidates.
The city is also looking at hiring a new attorney service, as city Counsel Kristen Castanos has notified the city that she is leaving. Plank said Castonos has told the City Council that “she will be available to us for particulars for the wastewater treatment plant.”
Plank said Castanos is “recognized as one of the leading water and wastewater control legal minds in Northern California, and in land use as well. She is an extremely brilliant, knowledgeable woman, a busy gal, and a very hard worker.”
Castanos has helped the city get its new wastewater treatment plant to the point where it is nearly ready to sign a contract to design, build, finance and operate the plant, though the council tabled that decision Tuesday.
Plank said Castanos’ fee is $300 an hour, and on certain highly specialized work, it goes to $350. He said “she’s right there in the norm as far as rates.”
He said “we’ll probably reduce our rates by maybe a 100 bucks an hour,” as attorney costs for basic city council work may be around $170 an hour. He said “you don’t get anything for free,” and you don’t get as much as you used to for it either.
At a recent meeting, one woman asked about the legal fees the city has paid, and was given a full itemization. Plank said the costs include lawsuit fees, wastewater fees, and when you get into creating a wastewater plant, you must deal legally with the federal government, the state and the Environmental Protection Agency. He said they also have done the city General Plan Update, and had a couple of lawsuits that were unsuccessful.
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Ione approves a contract rollover with sewer operator PERC Water
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Ione City Council on Tuesday approved another 2-year rollover contract for its existing sewer plant operating firm, but deferred action on a bigger contract with the same firm to design, build, finance and operate the city’s new wastewater treatment plant.
Mayor David Plank said the council approved a contract rollover of another 2 years with PERC Water Incorporated for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the city’s existing sewer facility, but Plank said the “Council could not come together for a decision” to initiate a design-build-operate-finance contract with PERC Water, for the city’s new wastewater treatment plant project. He said two of the Council members were unsure of the decision, and the council “tabled it to the next meeting. It will be one of the early items on the next agenda.”
Plank said the contract “did not include any upfront money to proceed with a 30% design” of the project by PERC. Two council people could not decide, at a meeting that went until 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, and the item was tabled.
Also Tuesday, the council on a 3-2 vote approved the hiring of Robertson-Bryan Incorporated (RBI) to do the “seepage compliance plan” for the city’s wastewater storage ponds. The plan is part of list of agreements made with the Regional Water Quality Control Board for answering to the release of the sewage, and working to lift the city’s Cease & Desist order. Plank said that plan has to be submitted to the Regional Board by Jan. 12. Vice Mayor Ron Smiley and Councilman Lloyd Oneto dissented in the vote.
On Tuesday, Plank said the City Council received and discussed the auditor’s preliminary report for the city’s finances for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. Plank said the preliminary audit was done by Larry Bains, who had also just finished the cash flow statement, which “still needed to be tweaked and revised.”
The good news on the budget, Plank said, showed if “you look at where we started out 4-5 years ago.” He said it showed “we’re much more improved” in using the “proper accounting procedures.”
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Amador County – Long-time Former Sutter Creek Councilman and Mayor Bill Hepworth has passed away.
Sutter Creek city administrators issued a press release Thursday announcing the passing of Hepworth, and the Sutter Creek City Council’s condolences.
The note stated: “The Sutter Creek City Council is saddened to hear of the untimely passing of Bill Hepworth, one of our most beloved and renowned citizens.
“On behalf of the residents of Sutter Creek, the City Council wishes to extend its condolences to the family and friends of Bill Hepworth. Bill loved Sutter Creek, serving as City Councilperson, Mayor Pro Tempore and Mayor.
“He was a dedicated advocate for the preservation and success of the City and its residents. The City Council encourages everyone to pause, look around the City, and thank Bill for his many contributions.”
Hepworth stepped down from his Mayor Pro Tempore position on March 8, 2009, citing health concerns and a doctor’s order that he take it easy.
Hepworth’s letter of resignation said: “My doctor has advised me that my health will no longer permit me to keep my commitment to the City Council.” He wrote: “It’s no secret that I haven’t been well, and although I had hoped things would get better, I find I can no longer keep up the standard of work that I prefer to do.” He thanked then Mayor Gary Wooten and other council members, with whom he “enjoyed serving the community since 1998.”
Hepworth was a regular attendee of special and regular city council meetings, and remained active with Black Bart Days and other committees.
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AWA sets budget workshop, president expects a late mid-July final budget
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors announced plans for a budget workshop next week, and its president predicted a late balanced budget.
Board President Director Don Cooper said he expected the budget to be finalized by mid-July, after the start of the fiscal year. Agency General Manager Gene Mancebo said negotiations continue with employee bargaining units.
In “public matters not on the agenda,” Bill Condrashoff asked for the May “cash flow chart.” He also mentioned that information requests by the public were delayed or denied. Mancebo said “there are some pretty voluminous requests” and “some are not clear, and we’re asking for requests to be a little bit more definitive.” He said the cash flow chart typically takes about 10 days to produce.
Thornton Consolo said he was concerned about how much money the AWA owes to Sutter Creek, and if it was delinquent. He asked if there was an amount “agreed upon” to be owed for municipal wastewater capacity improvement.
Mancebo said “there is no agreement for past due dollars,” and the agency is waiting for a response from Sutter Creek. He said the agency paid some invoices, but there will not be more payments until Sutter Creek makes the final computation of the cost share. At their last meeting, Mancebo said Sutter Creek’s City Manager Sean Rabe was awaiting confirmation of numbers from City Finance Director Joe Aguilar, who needs to get the right numbers to find the correct shares.
Mancebo said “we are making an attempt to settle this.” Consolo asked him if the agency had a “minimum amount agreed upon” that it owed Sutter Creek. Mancebo said there was not. Agency Counsel Stephen Kronick then stopped Consolo, saying that the “public comment period is for comment. It’s not for cross examination or interrogation.”
Consolo said “there should be a summary given” and he believed “you owe Sutter Creek more cash than you have.” Director Paul Molinelli said “it is safe to say the agency owes Sutter Creek some money.” The directors said they fully intend to pay the city what it was owed.
Mancebo said until the numbers are finalized, they did not know the amount, though they could estimate the cost the agency owes.
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