Amador County – Authorities say a 63-year-old Oakdale woman was killed Tuesday afternoon on Highway 4 in Calaveras County when she was ejected from a motorcycle on which she was riding as a passenger.

The California Highway Patrol San Andreas Unit released details of the crash this morning, saying Marvin E. Gregory, 69, of Oakdale was driving the motorcycle, a 2004 Harley Davidson Road King, east-bound on Highway 4. Gregory was approaching a sharp right curve, just west of Pool Station Road, at approximately 45 mph. CHP said: “Due to his unsafe speed he entered the curve too fast and had to apply his brakes sharply.”

The motorcycle “began to skid and then went down on its right side.” It then “slid on its side into the west-bound lane and overturned.”

CHP said the passenger, Janet Gregory, 63, of Oakdale was ejected from the motorcycle “and sustained fatal injuries due to the collision.” Marvin Gregory sustained moderate injuries and was flown to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto.

CHP said “an initial report that a van had been involved in the accident was unfounded based on the investigation.”

Both the passenger and the driver were wearing helmets at the time of the crash, which was reported at about 2 pm Tuesday, during clear weather.

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Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council welcomed new Councilman Jim Swift and also seated Councilwoman Linda Rianda to her first elected term Monday in a ceremony before their first meeting.

The council and about 30 people in attendance also saluted outgoing Councilman Pat Crosby, who retired and did not seek reelection.

The two new council members took their oaths of office, as did newly elected City Treasurer Victoria Runquist, who ran a successful write-in campaign, albeit unopposed, as former Treasurer Cathy Castillo did not register as a candidate.

The council also appointed Deputy City Clerk Natalie Doyle as the interim City Clerk, because immediate past City Clerk Judy Allen did not run during the November election.

City Manager Sean Rabe recommended the appointment at interim clerk “until staff is able to provide definitive answers as to how the council should fill the vacant seat.” He said staff anticipates having the answers by the first meeting in January.

City Attorney Derek Cole said no one ran for city clerk, which creates a vacancy. The council can handle it by either calling a special election, or by appointing a person to the position. Cole also recommended making an appointment, due to the high cost of having a special election.

The city clerk position is required by city code to be filled by an election, for a four-year term. He said city code also requires that the clerk be a resident and registered voter of Sutter Creek, which Natalie Doyle is not.

Cole said the council can appoint her as interim clerk, and direct staff to interview candidates for appointment to the elected position. Those applicants also must be registered voters and city residents.

He said if no one applies, the council could change the city code to allow for an appointed, rather than elected city clerk.

Councilman Tim Murphy moved to make the appointment of Doyle and also reevaluate the position, “before we go out and look for a more permanent” action. He asked Rabe to get a proposed set of revised duties for the clerk.

Councilwoman Sandy Anderson asked that staff get the resolution prepared well before 2012, so they can be sure to have it make the ballot, if they decide to seek a change.

Wooten said the new city council will decide its new Mayor and Vice Mayor for the coming year in its first meeting in January. Wooten also decided to table an issue of appointing council members to the proposed “Gold Rush Ranch Implementation committee.” He said the new Mayor should establish those members.

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Amador County – Amador County Planning Commission last week approved documents and a permit for the proposed Buena Vista Biomass Power plant and what could be a $20 million power facility with $2 million in salaries.

The Commission certified a Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report, approved a permit amendment, made a finding of facts, and finalized a statement of overriding considerations to approve the project, setting in motion a two-week appeal period during which the decisions can be appealed.

BVBP President and CEO Michael J. Muston in an e-mail to the commission November 24th said the plant once open would employ 19 or more people and have a salary of $2 million to $2.27 million. He said “Overall construction expenses, including labor costs, are anticipated to be in excess of $20 million.”

The company would operate an electric power generation plant on Coal Mine Road, the former Cogen plant. They plant would burn woody biomass, and rely heavily on forest management trimmings to subside.

Chairman Ray Ryan asked that the commission and staff comment on whether they “all think it’s fully compliant with” the California Environmental Quality Act. No objections were made, and they voted 5-0 to approve the Final SEIR, which Ryan said “reflects the county’s independent analysis and judgment.”

After the votes, Amador County Planner Nathan Lishman said anyone who wished to appeal the Planning Commission actions must do so by letter and by paying an accompanying fee, with a deadline of 5 pm, Monday, December 13th.

County Assessor Jim Rooney said he visited the site of the plant last year because he thought construction would start soon (The plant’s construction was halted for the Final SEIR).

Rooney said it was a unique property and would be hard to assess, and “when we do an assessment like this, we rely on what they tell us.”

Rooney said BVBP was “very forthright” about their costs and value, and “said it would be about a $20 million to $25 million plant.” They also asked about their taxes, and Rooney said it would be 1 percent of the value, and he gave the example that a $20 million plant would pay $200,000. He said “it wasn’t an appraisal. We haven’t done an appraisal, and things have not happened out there in a year.”

He said “we would have to rely on them for what things are worth.” He said he could also talk to other states with similar plants to see how they have been assessed.

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Amador County – The Amador County Planning Commission last week approved the Buena Vista Biomass Power plant permit amendment and environmental documents after discussion of impacts, including jobs.

The commission unanimously approved the Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report on the former Cogen combustion power plant on Coal Mine Road, which its applicant said would employ 19 people.

Several people spoke about keeping jobs local, including Bill May of Jackson Valley Road. May said “Buena Vista Biomass Power is not willing to guarantee one single job,” and he urged the commission to require local hiring in the conditions of approval.

Greg Gillott, an attorney in the county counsel’s office said “there are constitutional limits on the kind of conditions you can place on businesses, and I believe Mr. May’s suggestion exceeds those limits.”

A woman from Mother Lode Job Training said about 18 months ago, she was contacted by 200 people who were interested in the “the likes of 20 jobs” at the Buena Vista plant, but she said any action with the prospective employees was stalled as the applicant worked on its Subsequent EIR.

Buena Vista Biomass Power’s applicant, Michael J. Muston, president and CEO of Otoka Local Renewable Energy, of Bloomington, Minnesota, said: “I find this a bit intriguing, the concept that we do not want to hire people from Amador County.” He was happy to hear Mother Lode Job Training was working with applicants, but he hadn’t worked with them yet.

Muston said the only reason he would bring people into the county to work was if another facility closed, but there was no other facility. He believes there is ample numbers of people available locally with good job experience.

He wants people born and raised here, with families and kids, who are more likely to stay. He said: “If you want me to come back and look you in the eye and tell you how many people we hired from Amador County, I’ll do it.”

Commissioner Dave Wardall said two Ione companies, Lou Yager Construction and Carson Yager Trucking, had both worked for Muston. Civil engineer Robin Peters said Muston has “kept seven or eight of us employed rather steadily to get this open,” including Weatherbee Reynolds, Chuck Cree Surveying, and Sweet Pea Septic. Peters said the applicant was looking for local workers, and asked him if he knew anybody else who could help them.

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