News Archive (6192)
21-year-old Ione woman arrested after IPD discovered meth on her person
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Ione Police Department on Monday made a drug-related arrest for methamphetamine possession and transportation, and also apprehended a Sacramento man wanted on multiple charges in Sacramento County.
Chief Michael Johnson said IPD continues its “drug campaign” with an arrest early Monday. He said a “suspicious vehicle in a residential area of the Ione community prompted the Ione Police Department to investigate the circumstances, which led to the arrest of two subjects.”
Ione police were on routine patrol at about 2 a.m. Monday “when they discovered a parked, occupied vehicle in an unusual location within a residential district,” Johnson said. “Officers contacted the occupants and obtained their identification.” In inquiry through dispatch returned saying that one of the subjects was wanted for “multiple outstanding no bail” warrants, leading to the arrest of 26-year-old Dejuan Williams of Sacramento. Williams was immediately placed in custody.
Further investigation into the incident led to the arrest of 21-year-old Sara Curry of Ione, for possession and transportation of methamphetamine, Johnson said. “IPD officers recovered controlled substances from Curry’s person and from a container within the vehicle,” and “Curry was placed in custody.”
Both Williams and Curry were booked into the Amador County Jail. Johnson said “Williams will be extradited to Sacramento County to answer for his outstanding warrant wants.” Curry will face felony drug charges in the Amador Superior Court system.
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Plymouth City Council to hear the city’s history of revenue, expenditures and cash flow
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Plymouth City Council hear a city budget history Thursday, and could officially end “phase 1” its sewer upgrade.
City Manager Jeff Gardner, also the city finance director, will give a “review of historical revenue/expenditure cash flow data for all city funds.” He will address city council questions as they arise throughout the review. Gardner will also be “highlighting significant cash flow events impacting different funds in the city on an annual basis from 2003-2004 to 2009-2010.” Gardner, the interim city manager, has been the city’s finance director for more than 20 years.
The council could also discuss recent correspondence from the State Board of Equalization. The Board sent a notice to city and county finance officials Jan. 19 with regard to the “estimated statewide growth rates,” to assist in coming budget preparations.
The council could also move toward making changes to the city’s tree cutting law. The agenda includes review, discussion and potential direction to staff to “make possible changes to the tree ordinance correcting a discrepancy in the wording making it cheaper to residents to remove trees and pay a fine in lieu of working with city staff regarding any tree situation.”
Mayor Greg Baldwin requested the issue be addressed, and in a previous meeting has compared the city’s fines to those levied in Sacramento.
The council will also consider bids for the city sewer plant on Old Sacramento Road, and may hear from Public Works Director Selby Beck. The city is seeking bids for the installation of a new water well that would feed water to the headwaters at the sewer plant.
City Development Coordinator Richard Prima is also scheduled to give two presentations. One will give information on the street maintenance project which is using Proposition 1B funding. The council is expected to be asked to prioritize what streets are to be included, after discussion.
Prima will also lead the city council in a review of the wastewater treatment plant’s “phase 1” upgrade using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. The council will be asked to consider a resolution that would indicate a “notice of completion” for the project.
A closed session is scheduled for after the regular meeting, as a conference with real property negotiators regarding the Arroyo Ditch and related water rights.
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Supervisors to discuss reestablishment of the Gas Tax Swap
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors was expected to approve a letter today to send to Senator Ted Gaines (R-District 10) asking that he support reenactment of a “gas tax swap” that could have the affect of reducing road operations and maintenance fund in Amador County by millions of dollars.
Supervisor Chairman John Plasse, in a draft letter to be considered today said supervisors are “extremely concerned with the likely ramifications if the Legislature does not take steps to reenact the gas tax swap in light of the recently passed Proposition 22 and Proposition 26,” in the November 2010 general election.
Regional Council of Rural Counties Legislative Advocate Paul A. Smith summarized the resulting issue in a Jan. 11 letter to the RCRC board of directors, saying the state Legislature on a “majority vote” passed a “very complex scheme known as the Gas Tax Swap.” Statewide voters last November repealed the changes in a move that would “greatly impact the current configuration of transportation funding” in California.
Proposition 22 limits the use of “Highway User Tax Account” funds for “bond debt and General Fund relief as required in the Swap.” Smith said: “More importantly, Proposition 26 invalidates the majority vote replacement taxes approved in the Swap. Without legislative reenactment of the Swap, these replacement taxes will be invalidated in November 2011.” Without reenacting the Gas Tax Swap, it would leave California “transportation funding severely reduced by approximately $2.5 billion annually.”
Smith said reenactment of the Swap requires a two-thirds vote of the Legislature, “which means that Republicans will need to support the reenactment even though there was not one single Republican vote for the Swap last year.”
Smith requested that each “RCRC member county endorse the legislation which reenacts the Gas Tax Swap,” and member Supervisor Boards identify at-risk projects and personnel. Plasse in the draft letter said the Amador County Roads & Public Works Department would face a 15 percent budget reduction of $1 million, and Amador Regional Transit System would have to cut $180,000, without reenactment of the Gas Tax Swap. Amador County Transportation Commission Executive Director Charles Field in a Jan. 25 memo said it “could also impact gas tax revenues to the cities.”
ACTC could lose $1.76 million a year in State Transportation Improvement Program funding, Field said, and it could lose state money spent in Amador County by Caltrans on maintenance and operations. Statewide, that would be about $200 million, if there was a “failure to reestablish the Gas Tax Swap.”
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Foothill Conservancy waits to hear the ruling in its suit to stop expansion of Pardee Reservoir
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Foothill Conservancy argued in Sacramento Superior Court Friday in its suit seeking to stop expansion of Pardee Lake, and now must wait up to 90 days for a ruling.
Chris Wright, executive director of the Foothill Conservancy said the judge “seemed to favor most of our key points,” the primary one being that East Bay Municipal Utility District needs to do an Environmental Impact Report on its “2040 Water Supply Management Plan.”
When a lot of Foothill Conservancy’s points were made, the judge “seemed to nod and concur,” Wright said, although he admitted that it was “sort of conjecture on my part. I could be reading his body language entirely wrong.”
Attorneys for both sides spoke and answered the judge’s questions over a couple of hours. Foothill Conservancy argued that if East Bay MUD was building a dam on the Mokelumne River, it should make an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on that project. He said East Bay MUD argued that it did not need to do an EIR because the plan was “some kind of theoretical project” that they may never build.
Wright said East Bay MUD a few years ago “did a really poor EIR” on a plan to expand Pardee Lake by building up its dam. The EIR “found significant impacts, and suggested some mitigation” in the region, but “they left it out of this, and we have no idea why.” He thought the judge would include the old EIR in considering other documents in the suit.
If the ruling requires the EIR, “they would have to go back and redo the analysis,” and take it back to the East Bay MUD board of directors for a vote, Wright said, then Amador and Calaveras County residents would get to comment.
Wright said Contra Costa Water District is expanding capacity at Los Vaqueros Dam and asked East Bay MUD to be a partner in the project, but East Bay MUD declined. The “off-stream reservoir” at Los Vaqueros would have “a lot fewer impacts” and is “on the other side of the Delta,” Wright said, and their decision to decline “should definitely be reevaluated.”
The judge has up to 90 days from the Feb. 4 hearing to make a ruling. Wright said Foothill Conservancy feels pretty confident about its case, and while awaiting the ruling they will continue to pursue “Wild & Scenic” legislation for the Mokelumne River. He said they have support of three Calaveras County Supervisors on that issue, but none of the Amador County Supervisors support it. He said 1,800 residents and 100 businesses in Amador County do support the designation and 5,000 people overall have signed up in support.
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Sutter Creek approves a Regional Traffic Mitigation Fee program annual report
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council heard and approved an annual report for the Regional Traffic Mitigation Fee program on Monday, which showed funding going into the program totaled about $100,000 in the last year, down from about $1 million or more countywide in better times.
Amador County Transportation Commission Executive Director Charles Field said the total of $143,000 that went into the fee program, from builder mitigation fees, included about $43,000 in interest earned, meaning the program only took in $100,000 among its county-wide members through building fees. He told the council that the amount was down from more than $1 million taken in through the program in some years.
Field said the report for fiscal year 2009-2010 was an annual report required by law. He said the report showed that Sutter Creek owed $400,000 in funding loaned within the program for road work.
Field said there is no new recommendation, with the exception” being “to pay back those loans.” He said there were “no fee increases” recommended “at this time or foreseen for next year.”
The Regional Traffic Mitigation Fee Program oversight committee recommended that the program’s “nexus be amended to reflect actual traffic numbers in this county, instead of national averages.” Field said they also want to work on simplifying the program.
Field requested a $9,000 reimbursement from Sutter Creek to ACTC for its share of the nexus study, and the council approved that with a resolution, also approving the annual report.
He also reported that the California Transportation Commission had OK’d a grant written by Dokken Engineering for the road alignment project at Bowers Drive and Prospect Drive, “but the state probably will not have bonds issued until next fall, which means we might miss the construction season.”
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Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors observed a moment of silence in its meeting Tuesday in honor of Mathew Zanze, who passed away suddenly on Feb. 1 at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento.
Supervisor Chairman John Plasse asked for the moment to observe Zanze’s passing, and in honor of his children, Aaron, Joshua and Kristen, and their mother, Linda Zanze. Plasse said as Director of the Amador County Health and Human Services, Zanze was a friend and co-worker, and “he will be greatly missed.”
Supervisor Ted Novelli said Zanze was a Navy medical corpsman attached to the First Tank Marine Division, and he “used to call him Doc.” He said Zanze was a “good friend and a good comrade.” Novelli, as a former county worker, knew him from that position, and knew as a corpsman he had a higher drive and dedication.
Supervisor Louis Boitano said Zanze “really had a passion for his job,” which he saw when Zanze “took on Child Protective Services years ago.” He said “I will miss him.” He said there will probably be some young adults who remember him and appreciate him.
Supervisor Brian Oneto said he liked Zanze, who did not do his job for the money, but genuinely liked doing it. Oneto worked volunteering on election nights with Zanze, carrying ballot and election material from delivery vehicles to the election office. Oneto said he loved this county and he loved people, though he did not always agree with you.
Supervisor Richard Forster said Zanze worked in probably one of the toughest areas, with child protection services, and he kept the confidentiality. He was bound by law and he did his job. Forster said he was able to go out in the field with him and was able to see his work ethic first-hand.
Plasse said a visitation is planned for 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10 at Daneri Mortuary in Jackson. Zanze’s funeral is 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 11, also at Daneri’s.
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Sierra Nevada Conservancy seeks input on its Strategic Plan
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Sierra Nevada Conservancy in January announced a series of workshops for its new “Strategic Plan,” and also to take input on how it will give out its grants in the future.
In a letter to “stakeholders,” Sierra Nevada Conservancy asked for input as it develops its new “Strategic Plan.” Joan Keegan, Assistant Executive Officer said Sierra Nevada Conservancy is “in the process of developing a new Strategic Plan to guide our work over the next three years.”
She said: “With input from many stakeholders, we have refined our future direction into four main areas of focus that cut across our existing programs.” The areas of focus are healthy forests; watershed protection and restoration; agricultural lands; and tourism and recreation.
Keegan said the Conservancy needs stakeholder help to develop the goals and “determine the specific actions we’ll undertake for each area of focus.”
She said it was “extremely important to us that we get as much stakeholder input as possible to our new Strategic Plan,” so they planned a series of regional workshops to hear stakeholder thoughts and ideas. She said the Conservancy will also “be sharing ideas we are considering for how to structure our future grant program.”
The meetings will be held Monday, Feb. 7 in Auburn, Susanville and Sonora; and Thursday, Feb. 10 in Oroville, Bishop and Visalia.
If people cannot attend the meetings, the Conservancy will be broadcasting the 30-minute workshop over the Internet, on both Feb. 7 and Feb. 10. She said interested parties will be able to submit suggestions and ideas electronically, by registering at the SNC website.
Keegan said the public’s “views and ideas will help shape the future direction of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. ¶ For information, call Janet Cohen at (877) 257-1212.
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Stockton Ports holding auditions for the chance to sing the National Anthem
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Stockton Ports are “calling all singing Ports fans” to audition for the chance to sing the National Anthem at the baseball team’s games.
The Stockton Ports Professional Baseball Club announced that it would be holding auditions from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15 at Sherwood Mall in Stockton. The farm team of Oakland Athletics will have representatives at Center Court of the Sherwood Mall, and “singing hopefuls should come prepared to sing the National Anthem.”
Ports community relations manager Margaret Sacchet said the club was excited to be holding its own “American Iodol-like” auditions this year. She said: “Last year we had a lot of great performers and we would love to add to that this season. We are also looking for people who play instruments.”
Ports Media Relations Manager Allison Mandel said “fans that cannot make the Feb. 15 audition date need not worry.” She said the Ports will be holding a second audition in March, about which more information will be made available at a later date.
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Upcountry fire committee sees hydrant conditions as an issue worth addressing
Written by Tom
Amador County – Upcountry Community Council’s subcommittee on fire safety discussed fire issues for what is considered the most hazardous area of the county, the Pioneer, Volcano and Buckhorn areas.
Fire Safe Council Executive Director Cathy Koos-Breazeal and consultant Jim Simmons discussed the newly released draft of a Pioneer and Volcano Community Conservation and Wildfire Protection Plan, primarily written by Simmons.
Co-chair of the UCC committee, Rich Farrington said an executive summary of a 1991 Bartholomew Engineering study of the Upcountry water system where he found “the system cannot maintain a 20 (pounds per square inch pressure) residual in all areas during high flow periods and cannot meet the fire flow criteria in most areas.”
Farrington said: “I believe that Gene Mancebo,” general manager of the Amador Water Agency “said that none of the recommended improvements have been made to this Upcountry system.”
Farrington said he thought it was “important to address this as an issue in the Pioneer-Volcano Wildfire Protection Plan, and should “be addressed by the appropriate government agencies” such as the Amador County Board of Supervisors, AFPA, AFPD, AWA, Mace Meadow Water Agency, Rabb Park CSD, Pine Grove CSD, and the public.
He said: “The goal should be to develop a plan to bring the fire hydrants in CAWP up to current standards. I realize this will be expensive and it could take 50 years to make it affordable, but a plan is needed.”
He said Jackson Valley Fire District had found a number of hydrants where when a valve is turned, “nothing comes out.” He said he has heard two or three have been found, but even as many as 13.
He said Upcountry has a lot of old “standpipes put in 30 years ago,” with 2-inch diameter, as compared to the 4-inch hoses used by fire departments. Some are also situated within existing roadways. Farrington said during the meeting, Ray Blankenheim, chief of fire volunteers, said it was “possible that some of the valves in the roads have been paved over and are not accessible.”
Farrington said there is a “need for better coordination over hydrant maintenance inspections, and if a1991 study said virtually none of AWA’s hydrants met standards, with nothing done, the problems are compounded.
He hoped to have some kind of written policy within a month which would allow “fire staff to turn on and check to see that water comes out of the hydrants, and check the threads.” Mancebo said he was working closely on the issue and expected to have guidelines soon, and possibly in writing.
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Amador County – California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection last week issued a reminder to people to burn safely.
Katrina Blumer, fire prevention bureau chief of the Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit in a release last week reminded “foothill residents and property owners that wildfires occur year-round, even in the Mother Lode.”
“Within hours after the sun comes out following a storm, the top layer of needles, leaves, or dead grass and weeds can become dry enough to burn,” Blumer said. During the last week of January, her unit responded to several escaped debris burns, which “quickly threatened surrounding properties, and subjected the people who started the fires to fines, and the cost of damages and suppression.”
She said it is “essential that you make your property fire safe with 100 feet of defensible space around all structures.” Winter and early spring is a good time to do the work, when people can dispose of the brush, limbs, and other trimmings in burn piles.
Simple rules to remember include obtaining any permits required. “Some homeowner associations and incorporated cities require, and issue their own permits year-round,” she said. Cal Fire burn permits will be required on May 1, but the safety precautions outlined on the permit will help people burn safely year-round.
People are responsible for their fire at all times, and “if the fire escapes your control, you will be responsible for the costs involved in putting it out, as well as for any damage it causes.”
Before burning each day, you must check burn day status by calling the Air Pollution Control District with jurisdiction over your area. Permissive burn days are determined on the basis of air quality, not whether it’s actually safe to burn. Burn days are frequently windy days. The wind helps smoke disperse rather than allowing it to stagnate over neighborhoods, but it also carries sparks or embers to nearby dead leaves, needles and grass that have dried out surprisingly fast after rain or snow. Blumer said if materials “crunch underfoot, they will burn.”
Another rule is to “clear flammable material 10 feet from all burn piles, and keep a shovel, rake, and charged water hose near your burn pile,” and “having a cell phone handy will allow you to quickly call 911 if your fire does escape your control.”
Blumer said people should “be a good neighbor: Burn safely, and legally, and make sure your defensible space is ready to face a wildfire.”
For more information about defensible space requirements, and safe burning practices, contact your local CAL FIRE station.
For Amador “burn day” or “no burn day” status info, and burn permit requirements call (209)223-6246.
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