News Archive (6192)
Planning Commission and Board of Supervisor meeting in April will resume the County General Plan
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador County Planning Department on Tuesday announced that a joint meeting of the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors has been set for April to look at the preliminary draft of Amador County’s updated General Plan.
Amador County Planner Heidi Jacobs announced the meeting, set for 1 p.m. Monday, April 4, with the next day set aside for a continuation of the meeting, to April 5, also at 1 p.m., if needed. The meeting will be held in the Supervisors chamber.
Jacobs in a release Tuesday said “as part of Amador County’s ongoing General Plan Update process,” the “preliminary drafts of the general plan, glossary and implementation plan have been prepared for review at a joint meeting of the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.”
“The purpose of this meeting will be for the Joint Panel to review these documents to ensure they contain the information and items on which direction was given at the previous joint meetings held in late 2008 through 2009,” the release said. “This review is not for the purpose of taking public comment on the merit of what is contained or proposed in the documents. That discussion will take place during the public hearing process which will be forthcoming when the final version of the Draft General Plan is released for public review along with the Draft EIR for the project, expected to occur later this summer.”
The documents are posted on the “Amador General Plan Update page” website. Documents are also available for viewing at the Jackson branch of the Amador County Library, the Planning Department office and the Board of Supervisors’ office.
A limited number of printed documents are available for purchase.
Text and maps developed to date in the General Plan Update process may be reviewed. The release said the “update process is ongoing,” and urged people to “continue to monitor the website and watch for notices of future public hearings, as changes to the proposed General Plan can, and will, be made up until the last meeting.”
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Volcano community input urges Supervisors to put the brakes on a speed limit change
Written by Tom
Amador County – After public persuasion Tuesday, the Amador County Board of Supervisors decided not to change the speed limit on Consolation Street in Volcano.
A traffic study determined the speed limit should be 35 mph on Consolation Street, but could be lowered to 30 mph. County Chief Administrative Officer Chuck Iley said the issue was whether it would be an “enforceable” speed limit for the California Highway Patrol, through use of a radar gun. He said leaving the speed limit at 25 mph would in effect make it unenforceable by CHP using radar.
The board voted to keep the speed limit the same after a “great confirmation among” the public in attendance, who asked that the speed limit be left the same.
Iley said the “speed study showed that the speed should be raised to 30 mph,” and “CHP would not enforce it without a speed study.” Since they kept it at 25 mph, based on radar, CHP cannot write tickets, but they “can write a ticket for traveling too fast for the circumstances.” Iley said Sheriff’s enforcement of the speed limit on Consolation Street was not brought up during the meeting.
Many Volcano residents spoke in support of keeping it the same. They also wanted a larger CHP presence, and thought people were going too fast on the road. Iley said Amador County staff had already decided to place a stop sign at Main and Consolation Streets. Some people in attendance asked for a second stop sign, with requests for a sign at either Consolation and Plug streets, or Consolation and Church Streets.
After discussion, the Board said it would go with just the one stop sign for now.
Stantec Consulting senior project engineer Roger Stuart in a Feb. 18 letter said the traffic study showed that the “current speed limit for Consolation Street is not consistent with the process outlined in California’s Speed Trap legislation, which dictates the procedures the county must follow to set or retain speed limits.”
Stuart said “speed zones unenforceable by radar are difficult to manage,” and “violation of the existing 25 mph zone will continue to be widespread.” He said “a large portion of speeding tickets may be appealed to the court, resulting in time loss from traffic enforcement. In some cases, courts have ordered local agencies to raise speed limits or discontinue all enforcement.”
“Unrealistically low speed zones also have unintended effects by increasing the variation in speeds,” Stuart said, and “it is generally accepted that posting a speed zone in compliance with the state law and nationally accepted procedure will result in the safest speed zone for roadway conditions.”
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Sutter Creek accepts a greenhouse gas inventory of city operations
Written by Tom
Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council received an inventory of its greenhouse gas emissions and discussed the meaning of the report, and next steps Monday.
The report said the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 “which requires the state to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.” A “Scoping Plan was developed to identify strategies for meeting the AB32 goal.” The Act, in part, recommends that local governments reduce their emissions by 15 percent below current levels, by 2020.
Sierra Business Council prepared the report for Sutter Creek, and SBC Program Director Nancy Richards attended the council meeting and took questions.
Mayor Tim Murphy said the study was a long time coming, and he and other council members thanked SBC for the report.
Richards said the inventory establishes the city’s base of emissions, with which emissions requirements for new development can be set. She said SBC can provide software so the city can update its emissions inventory. She said the city could also make a community-wide inventory.
Councilwoman Linda Rianda said the report was good, and very thorough, and asked about requirements the city faces.
Richards said AB32 establishes guidelines to be met by 2020, to reduce to 1990 levels. But she said since data is typically not readily available from 1990, they suggest getting back to 15 percent of emissions levels of 2005. She said “it’s a guideline. The mandate is still in the works.”
The inventory counted emissions for the city hall building, the civic building, and the Monte Verde Store, the former Sutter Creek Brewery. Councilman Jim Swift said he was all in favor of putting in efficient lighting, but he did not like the portion of the inventory that compiled data on employee commuting habits.
Swift said: “Whether they walk to work or drive a one-ton dually, that’s none of my business.” Richards said the survey looked at employee travel habits and practices. City Manager Sean Rabe said the state is ratcheting back the emissions footprints with the questions. Swift said driving to work is not done on company time, because they are not driving company vehicles.
Richards said “there are no laws in place that require” any of the inventory or emissions reductions. Murphy said people will tend to “not get excited about recommendations,” as compared to reactions to requirements.
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Amador County’s $1.1 million “Triple flip” losses could be aided by a Legislative fix
Written by Tom
Amador County – Amador County faces budget losses including a “triple flip” that could take $1.1 million from the county, though that and other issues might be fixable by the Legislature.
Amador County Chief Administrative Officer Chuck Iley said Wednesday that the county budget problem is simple, the county does not have enough money. And most solutions are unknown. He said the county has “been hit in a number of places” by the state budget practice changes.
A change in the designation of the Amador County Unified School District to being designated a “basic aid” district would take money from a “triple flip” that is normally taken from the county and from cities, dispersed to the school district and then given back to cities and the county. Iley said the change leaves “no mechanism to give it to us,” though Legislative action could change that.
The triple flip change will likely cost Amador County $1.1 million, and it will likely cost the five cities in the county a combined $100,000. He said the county is “hoping it will be fixed,” but “right now, we’re looking at losing about $1.1 million in the general fund.
The flip takes vehicle license fees, then returns it through the school system. He said the cities lose their portion also. Iley said “the whole triple flip thing is a big convoluted mess.”
One of biggest losses was about a $900K cost increase in personnel retirement costs, through the Public Employement Retirement System. Another problem was a draw-down of the “cash carried forward from last year.” The bulk, untouched cash totaled $5.4 million as carried forward last year, and now it is down to $4.2 million.
Despite the budget problems, Supervisors did approve $12,500 for the county’s booth at the California State Fair. The funding was approved Tuesday for the Amador Council of Tourism. Iley said the board had set aside $5,000 in the budget for the state fair booth, and supervisors agreed to each put in $1,500 of their district discretionary funds to reach $12,500. The approval was short of the requested $12,800. It includes paying for fair admittance and parking passes for 150 volunteers who staff the county’s fair booth throughout the fair.
Amador Council of Tourism’s Maureen Funk said the booth will give out coupon books and “phone apps” to help show the supervisors the “return of investment” on the fair booth’s effectiveness for encouraging tourism in the county.
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Real estate investor pleads guilty to bid-rigging at public foreclosure auctions
Written by Tom
Amador County – Federal authorities received a fifth guilty plea last week in a wide-spread bid-rigging scheme related to foreclosures in San Joaquin County.
The justice department said a real estate investor pleaded guilty Friday in Sacramento U.S. District Court to “conspiring to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions held in San Joaquin County.
Christine Varney, Assistant Attorney General of the justice department’s Antitrust Division announced that Yama Marifat, 38, of Pleasanton, “pleaded guilty to conspiring with a group of real estate speculators who agreed not to bid against each other at certain public real estate foreclosure auctions in San Joaquin County.”
According to court papers, the “primary purpose of the conspiracy was to suppress and restrain competition and to obtain selected real estate offered at San Joaquin County public foreclosure auctions at non-competitive prices.”
Varney said: “After the conspirators’ designated bidder bought a property at a public auction, they would hold a second, private auction, at which each participating conspirator would bid the amount above the public auction price he or she was willing to pay. The conspirator who bid the highest amount at the end of the private auction won the property. The difference between the price at the public auction and that at the second auction was the group’s illicit profit, and it was divided among the conspirators in payoffs.
Marifat participated in the scheme from about April 2009 to October 2009. To date, five individuals, including Marifat, have pleaded guilty in connection with the investigation, including Anthony B. Ghio, John R. Vanzetti, Theodore B. Hutz, and Richard W. Northcutt.
Marifat pleaded guilty to bid rigging, a violation of the Sherman Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Marifat also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, carrying a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
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Amador School District’s diversity programs continue to grow
Written by Tom
Amador County – In the wake of the confidential settlement of a civil rights lawsuit by a student, the Amador County Unified School District continues to increase its diversity programs and training.
Alesa Schachter, an attorney for the School District and its Tuolumne Joint Power Authority, said she could not comment directly on the settlement, signed last August and September. She said a confidentiality clause kept her from commenting directly about a part the settlement, which required the School District to put in place a diversity or tolerance program by the year 2011-2012. Schachter said she could provide information in general about tolerance and diversity programs in ACUSD, including past, present and future programs.
Schacter provided a list of diversity and tolerance training programs, including “programs and curriculum beginning in 2010-2011 and beyond.”
It said “Breaking Down the Walls,” which began in April 2008, and “is a powerful, interactive program that creates a unique environment of self reflection and community building.” Staff and students at Amador and Argonaut High Schools and Ione and Jackson Junior High Schools “have already all participated in and completed this training and workshop.”
In April, teachers and district leaders will participate in the Anti-Defamation League’s “A World of Difference Training.” The League in 2010 presented a training program, “Making Diversity Count,” for all high school teachers and administrators, “including Principals, vice principals and counselors.”
A “Tolerance and Acceptance Committee” meets the first Tuesday of each month during the school year, with “at least one representative from each school site, district administrators, parents and other community members.” It is open to all, and will “discuss and disseminate information regarding bullying, tolerance and acceptance” in schools and “how to effectively prevent intolerance, discrimination and bullying.” It will give school sites articles for discussion during staff meetings, to give “real world scenarios they can work through.”
In January was “Anti-Bully Week,” and the district is also in the process of adopting the “Peace Builders” program. There is a plan for “Holocaust Remembrance Day,” Sunday May 1, and the district will encourage sites and teachers to discuss the Holocaust during the week of May 2-6.
In August 2009, teacher Jennifer Norton, a certified trainer with the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C., provided training to the District’s principals for those principals to “work through their start of the year staff meeting discussion on the issues of inclusion, tolerance and cultural diversity.”
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Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council on Monday was to consider a mid-year budget report that showed an increase in revenue enough to fund the city swimming pool, and also pay the city’s share of a county narcotics investigation unit. But it also showed some errors in budgeted spending.
City Manager Sean Rabe in a report to the council dated Monday recommended approval of a resolution to update the city budget for the fiscal year 2010-2011 as of December 2010.
The draft resolution, in part, said “city staff has determined that certain estimated revenues in the General Fund can be increased.” It listed “revenue accounts amounting to $75,951 of increased resources for the fiscal year.” It also said “staff has determined that certain expenditure accounts will be needing additional funding or reductions in funding to conclude the fiscal year.” It showed expense accounts with “$52,487 of net increases.” The amendment would restore funding in the swimming pool program to its original budgeted amount.
Rabe in the report said: “In general, the budget is looking to be in good shape,” and noted “increased revenue projections result in the contingency fund increasing from the budgeted $72,000 to $91,000.” The contingency included his recommended budget restorations of the pool, and also participation in the Amador County Combined Narcotics Enforcement Taskforce.
The council in November transferred “$35,000 from the pool fund to the Police Department to offset the costs of the ACCNET positions, with the understanding that the council would revisit this by the end of February.” The actual cost to Sutter Creek for ACCNET was about $18,000 from December 2010 to June 30, he said.
Rabe said as a result of increased revenue, the city’s portion of the cost “does not need to come from the pool fund.” He said it was also possible the state would reimburse the city for costs associated with ACCNET.
Though increased revenue was “good news,” Rabe said “there is significant concern over a potential property tax reduction of $60,000.” The “issue is still not completely decided yet and involves issues with the Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund,” which “frankly puts Amador County in the unenviable position of being a test case for the state.”
“In terms of other revenues,” Rabe said “all other sources are hitting their targets or are performing better than anticipated.” Transient Occupancy Taxes are ahead of budget. He said some expenses are exceeding budgeted amounts, and a majority “stem from erroneous budgeting.” One example was no budgeting of fuel for Public Works vehicles. Other errors included under-budgeting police hours, and “an unrealistic budget assumption” in police overtime.
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ACRA, Jackson take public input on Oro de Amador property
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador County Recreation Agency and the Jackson City Council are taking input from the public on what they want in Jackson in terms of a park or other facilities at the Oro De Amador park property.
The city and ACRA are teaming to get a grant for the revitalization of the park, and ACRA Executive Director Tracey TownerYep said public meetings will be held to take input on the Oro de Amador Property in Jackson. A couple of those sessions are next week.
Towner-Yep said Monday that the “Amador County Recreation Agency and the city of Jackson are applying for grant funding through California State Parks for a new park development in Jackson.” She said the city and ACRA “are currently holding public meetings to get the opinions of Jackson residents to ensure that the park we build is the park that you want.”
City Manager Mike Daly said a couple of city council committees have looked at developing ballparks at Oro De Amador, to supplement Detert Park, the only city ball field. Another idea was interpretive trails, or a trail system connecting the tailing wheels, which could easily connect with the rest of town. Daly said there have been thoughts about a skate park, or an approved aquatic facility, though the latter would require high operational costs.
Daly said the key to the project is grant funding, and ACRA would be lead agency in seeking the highly competitive Proposition 84 recreation grant, through the California Department of Park & Recreation. The grants max out at $5 million.
Oro De Amador Park is a 160-acre property between New York Ranch Road and North Main, which the city acquired in December 2006 for free from Chubb Insurance Company, which acquired it after a real estate foreclosure in the mid-1980s.
Towner-Yep said the “meetings and public input are necessary to qualify for the funding so please help us by coming to a meeting or filling out a survey online.”
Two upcoming meetings are next week. The issue is on the Jackson City Council agenda at their meeting starting 7 p.m. Monday, March 14 at the Jackson Civic Center. ACRA and the city will also host a kiosk outside City Hall from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 19, during Dandelion Days.
People may check the ACRA website or Facebook for more information and more upcoming meeting dates, or they can call (209) 223-6349.
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Amador Sheriff’s office announces it will be seeking an off-highway vehicle grant
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador County Sheriff’s Office is seeking public comments on its proposal for the 2011-2012 State of California Off-Highway Vehicle grant program.
According to state requirements, public comments can submitted from March 8 through April 4.
Sheriff Martin Ryan said in a release Friday that “this year a two-step application process will be required to allow public comment and feedback before final submittal. The preliminary application is due March 7.”
The application submission opened a 30-day public review and comment period. After that will follow the final applications, which are due on Monday, May 2. The State is using an Internet-based “On-Line Grant Application” process as the means to apply for State funding.
The Amador Sheriff’s Office grant application is for law enforcement activities. The preliminary application will be available online by visiting the California State OHV Grants and Cooperative Agreements program website. Hard copies may be requested by contacting Amador County Sheriff’s Sergeant Andrew Mendonsa at (209) 223-6785.
Current State regulations require annual public participation in the fund allocation process. The agreements support Off-Highway Vehicle management activities within the national forest, including operations and maintenance, restoration, law enforcement, education and safety.
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Resource Connection’s new director wants to reach out to Amador County
Written by Tom
Amador County – Resource Connection seated its new Executive Director George Chimiklis March 1, and he hopes to see the good of his work first hand.
Chimiklis said Monday he was born and raised in Stockton and has spent years working for the Sacramento-based Rural Community Assistance Corporation, helping local rural communities expand their infrastructure.
Chimiklis said he came into the Rural Community Assistance Corporation “as employee number 18 and when I left we had grown into 130.” It was “established when I came along, but I was very much a part of its growth and maturing.”
RCAC helps small communities develop their own infrastructure by developing water and sewer and other special districts, mostly in the four-state area of New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Oregon. It helped organize and set up agencies and train people to run them.
In California, Chimiklis worked with Mercy Housing in Jackson and Amador County on water line or sewer line extensions, about 10 years ago. RCAC did mostly California-based projects in the 1980s then expanded field offices in the four states. Chimiklis first did grant writing and fund development, was an out-of-state field person for three years, and then went into management for nine years.
At Resource Connection, Chimiklis said he “would not put infrastructure out of the discussions,” as affordable housing remains an issue. But he didn’t think Resource Connection “is going to be putting hammer to nail” anytime soon. He said “market dynamics are such that you don’t just go out and build a 40-unit complex.” It must start at a smaller level.
He said Resource Connection programs include Head Start, Early Head Start, Women Infants and Children and a crisis center. It runs a 24-hour intervention hotline, a safe house for escape from abuse, and counseling programs. It operates the Oats Thrift Store in San Andreas, and a food bank and emergency shelter in Calaveras.
Chimiklis said Resource Connection could not operate without its dedicated staff, achieving success with the “outrageous hardships” of economy, making it though the holidays with dozens of donations. He said the Calaveras food bank last year distributed more than 1 million pounds of food.
They don’t just write a check and it is paid by Washington D.C., he said: The “money comes from your neighbors and yourself,” people “doing good things for neighbors and friends.”
Chimiklis said: “It’s great to be here,” and he is often asked why he is here. He said: “It has everything to do with living among the people that we are serving, and seeing the results of what we are doing.” He “never got to see the end result of what we were trying to do” at RCAC, but he expects a different experience at Resource Connection.
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