News Archive (6192)
Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council appointed a new city attorney Monday, and also approved advertising for a new financial auditor. City Attorney Dennis Crabb was applauded for 7 years with the city, and helped lead the search for his replacement. He said seven proposals were narrowed to 4 candidates and the city council conducted the interviews last Friday (June 4th) in closed session. He recommended a standard legal services contract, for the new attorney, Derek P. Cole, a partner of Cota Cole & Associates, a Roseville law firm. Crabb, who is retiring, said “it has been an honor serving Sutter Creek, coming up on 8 years.” He said he and his wife “will be visitors here, and I’m looking forward to the fun part.” Mayor Gary Wooten said Cole “seemed that he had done the most legwork to see what we needed here.” Vice Mayor Tim Murphy added that all considered, “he still applied.” Crabb said he was “very pleased with the way the process went” and they had “excellent interviews and candidates.” Cole said: “We’re very honored to have been selected” and they will try to work hard for the city. He said they had “enormous shoes to fill.” His law partner Scott Huber will be assistant city attorney, and Cole said Huber is “a member of a very large school board,” and will bring that experience to the council. Councilwoman Linda Rianda said she was impressed at their “promise to work tirelessly” for the city. Wooten said another good thing is that Cole is not charging mileage to go back and forth from Roseville. Cole was appointed on a 5-0 vote, and Crabb said his official first day was Tuesday, June 8th. Also Monday, the council agreed to publish a request for proposals for city services as a financial auditor. City Manager Sean Rabe said Auditor Ralph Marcello recommended that the city bring in a new auditor, which is normal after 3-4 years. The city has had Marcello in the position for 5 years, and Rabe also recommended the change. Councilman Pat Crosby asked if the city was required to hire an auditor. Crabb said “you have to have at least a biannual audit.” He said an auditor’s contract typically was “a 3 year term, terminable at the end of any year, and really terminable at any time.” Crabb said in the rest of the cities he works for, all of them change their auditor after 3 years, with the main reason being to maintain “fresh eyes.” The council directed staff to go out for requests for proposals for the position. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – The Amador County Election Department was expected to resume the counting of votes in the Sutter Creek election today (June 14th) in a tightly contested Measure N race that had an 8-vote difference in its outcome. Provisional and absentee ballots were scheduled to be counted today, with Measure N deciding whether to uphold or repeal city council action approving the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. The election last Tuesday (June 8th) closed its polls at 8 p.m., and shortly after that, the election department tallied a count of the early ballots it had received – nearly 7,000 ballots county-wide. Of those, 777 ballots were from Sutter Creek. With the first tally, made at 8:05 p.m. on election day, the “yes” votes on Measure N led the count with 57 percent of the vote, or 443 votes. The “no” side had 334 votes, or 42.99 percent. The votes came in from precincts around the county, including 2 different voting places in Sutter Creek, at City Hall and at the Sutter Creek Fire Station Number 1 on Old Highway 49 heading toward Amador City. The boxes were brought from precincts all over Amador County, arriving around 8:30 p.m. at the county administration building, and were brought into the voting counting area in the elections office. The county was staffed by county volunteers, including District 1 Supervisor John Plasse, County Counsel Martha Shaver and others. County staff unpacked the paper ballots, which were run through electronic vote counting machines by the volunteer group. District 3 Supervisor Ted Novelli and board Chairman, Supervisor Brian Oneto of District 5 (with Social Services Director Matthew Zanze) brought the ballot boxes into the voting area on carts. Novelli and Oneto both were reelected to their positions in uncontested races in the vote last week. By 9:12 p.m., the first ballot box from Sutter Creek had been counted. With 146 more ballots, the Measure N “No” side gained 99 votes and nearly 4 percentage points, to trail the vote 47 percent to 53 percent. The “yes” side gained 47 votes. The next ballot box from Sutter Creek was counted with the results released at 9:44 p.m. Of the 257 ballots that were counted, the No’s outnumbered the Yes votes, 161 to
96, and the No’s took an 8-vote lead, with 50.34 percent of the vote, to 49.66 percent. The election department has 28 days from election day to certify results of the primary election. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors voted 3-2 toward charging a 5 percent of developer fees up-front fee to issue a conditional will-serve, directing staff to revise an ordinance to change the fee policy. The board in late May had voted 3-2 to remove any up-front fees, after an original draft of the proposed ordinance would have charged 10 percent at the time of signing up for the will-serve. Gary Thomas was the only AWA director to vote for both, siding with Don Cooper and Terence Moore on May 27th to direct staff to remove the 10 percent. Then on Thursday (June 10th), Thomas said he would “vote for a compromise,” approving the 5 percent fee, to be prepared by agency attorney Steve Kronick. Thomas voted with President Bill Condrashoff and Vice President Debbie Dunn to make the change, which also would include making the up-front 5 percent non-refundable, and earmarking it to be used for “more global” improvements to benefit all customers in an area, said General Manager Gene Mancebo. Moore said “I have no intention of voting for ‘no growth,’ ” and he would not hesitate to call anyone who voted for it a “no-growth-er.” He said it would only have the effect of making developers move on to another county, or hold their request for a conditional will-serve until the last minute. The draft ordinance also set time periods for fee installment payments for the will-serve, including a 10 percent fee to renew a conditional will-serve. Thomas asked about the letter to the board saying Ione Villages was not being given its will-serve commitments, after 4 months. Kronick said “the agency is within his rules” and he was not worried about it. He said a 60-day time period would end June 15th to give those commitments. Moore asked if the letter was correct in alleging that the fees violated state law. Kronick said the letter referred to an improper code section, while another section “specifically says” that law “does not apply to water and sewer capacity fees.” He said developers seem to think the agency is increasing its participation fees, but it is not, “it only has to do with the timing of payments.” Condrashoff urged bringing back his original 10 percent up-front fees, say it would make up for years of stranded assets, including 600 “free” will-serve commitments in the Central Amador Water Project area, and 1,400 total around the county. He said the uncollected fees of $9,000 to $10,000 each would amount to about $14 million. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – Ione Police Department arrested 2 juvenile boys Wednesday (June 9th) for charges of burglary and theft of a peace officer’s pistol, with at least one of the boys admitting that he is a member of a gang. The 2 reportedly were tied to other local burglaries and thefts. Ione Police Chief Michael L. Johnson announced the arrests in a release this week. Johnson said the juveniles were booked at the Amador County Probation Department on first degree burglary, grand theft, and criminal conspiracy charges. He said: “One of the arrested youths claimed affiliation with a nationally recognized street gang.” Both boys were later transferred to Placerville Juvenile Hall. Johnson said on Wednesday (June 9th), Ione police responded to a burglary report in the 600 block of Oakshire Drive. He said the “burglary occurred in the middle of the day,” and the “2 male juvenile suspects (known to the victim family) unlawfully entered the dwelling and stole items throughout the residence.” Among several property items stolen in the burglary was a 9mm semi automatic duty handgun owned by a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officer. Johnson said the “handgun stolen in the burglary was secured in a locked safe,” and the “investigation revealed that the juveniles had maliciously pilfered an estimated $2,000 in property.” The CDCR victim assisted the Ione Police Department in the investigation, which recovered the gun and most of the property and led to the 2 arrests in the burglary on Oakshire Drive, and also led to evidence from other theft cases. Johnson said that while investigating Wednesday’s burglary, Ione police personnel “recognized property that had been reported stolen in another unrelated incident.” Still more property was identified as stolen in unreported theft incidents. With the findings, “IPD has opened a separate investigation into the burglaries and thefts associated with the discoveries and will purse additional charges as appropriate,” Johnson said. Ione Police said Thursday that because the 2 boys who were arrested are juveniles, the IPD cannot release their names. The city police department has had an increase in gang-related incidents, including several arrests. The Ione department and Amador County both have noted increased gang presence, authorities have said. Story by TSPN News This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Friday, 11 June 2010 06:16
ACUSD Board Vote Discontinues Nearly 13 Full-Time Positions
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Amador County – The Amador County Unified School District Board voted unanimously on Wednesday not to reemploy some certificated employees for the 2010-2011 school year based upon budget reductions and a decline in attendance. The equivalent of 12.83 full-time positions will be discontinued in subjects mainly considered to be extracurricular or oriented to a specific skill-set. Possible courses for elimination or reduction include agriculture, art, auto mechanics and business. The matter of the reductions was put before an Administrative Law Judge in a hearing last month. Judge Karen J. Brandt concluded that cause exists to reduce these positions “due to a reduction or elimination of particular kinds of services and/or due to a decline in the average attendance in all schools in the District for the first six months in which school was in session for the current year.” The reductions are expected to save the district approximately $785,097. During public comment on the matter at a meeting last month, Amador County Agricultural Commissioner Mike Boitano urged the board to reconsider eliminating courses “essential to the history and future” of Amador County. “For those kids who aren’t going on to college, these classes are needed to give these kids a chance to become productive citizens,” he said. Board President Karl Knobelauch said he was saddened by the fact that they were even having this conversation, and he never thought he would be “presiding over such a wholesale dismantling of our education system.” He called it a “very sad place the State of California has brought us to.” Board member Pat Miller noted Wednesday he is “personally apprehensive about eliminating these programs in one fell swoop.” He said “all programs are just as important across the board.” The ACUSD has been forced into finding ways to close its budget gap. The State Department of Education predicts another $5.6 million is expected to be added to the difference between projected versus actual funding for Amador County education in 2010-2011, increasing the total reduction in funds to $13.9 million. The approved resolution authorizes Superintendent Dick Glock or a designee of his choosing to notify the certificated employees that their service will no longer be required for the ensuing school year. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – Longtime Sutter Creek Police Chief Rob Duke is negotiating a contract for the same job in the city of Huron, according to reports from Huron City Manager Gerald Forde made to the Fresno Bee on Tuesday. Duke, who has served Sutter Creek in the dual capacity of police chief and city manager for the last 11 years, is reportedly scheduled to be sworn in by Huron officials on June 16. Forde told the Fresno Bee that Duke’s move is still being negotiated, but it is “more than likely” he will be the new chief. Sutter Creek Interim City Manager Sean Rabe confirmed with TSPN that “Rob has a conditional offer” from the City of Huron, but said Sutter Creek has not received any kind of resignation. As for whether the City has discussed who will fill Duke’s position if he leaves, Rabe said “it would be premature for us to do that without a resignation.” Duke stepped down from his position as City Manager last month as part of a plan to reorganize city finances and personnel. Then Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe, who Duke described as “very capable” of taking over that duty, was subsequently promoted to city manager in an interim capacity. Former City Finance Director Jeff Gardner, in an e-mail press release unaffiliated with the city, said at the time that “Sutter Creek staff were informed…Rob would be taking a cut in pay and reduce to police chief and Sean would be the new city manager.” Duke was unavailable to comment at the time this story was written, and it is unclear whether that pay cut had anything to do with his likely move to Huron. Councilwoman Sandra Anderson told TSPN that as far as she knew, Duke has talked to the personnel committee, and it was Duke’s suggestion to the city council to reorganize city administration by stepping down from the city manager position and remaining as the chief of police. Duke would replace the former Huron Police Chief Robert Herndon, who stepped down in April. Huron is a small city in Fresno County located neat Interstate 5 with an official population three times that of Sutter Creek. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – The California State Assembly last week, on an overwhelming, bipartisan vote, passed two far reaching governmental reform measures authored by Assemblymember Alyson Huber. The legislation if implemented will push government to identify waste, duplication and inefficiencies in state departments and agencies. AB 1659 and AB 2130 create a process to conduct, comprehensive and regular review of the state’s many boards, commissions, agencies and departments. “For many years the legislature and the Governor have created governmental entities that were designed to solve particular problems,” Huber said. “I think the time has come for us to review each of these bureaucracies, keep the ones that work and eliminate those that have outlived their usefulness. This will ensure taxpayers that their money is being spent wisely.”
AB 1659 would take existing legislative resources and re-direct them to the Joint Sunset Review Committee which would conduct a comprehensive analysis of state government agencies to determine if the agency is still necessary, should be reorganized or is cost effective. In order to compel action on recommendations, it is the intent that automatic sunset dates would be established for entities scheduled for review. Prior to the committee’s recommendation each agency scheduled for sunset would be required to submit a report to the committee. Then, the committee would take public testimony and evaluate the agency prior to the agency’s scheduled sunset. AB 2130 serves as starting point to define which government entities will be subject to the Committee established by AB 1659 and sets the sunset timetable for the first years of reviews. Democratic Senator Mark DeSaulnier and Republican Assemblymember Roger Niello are co-authors of both bills. As far back as 1989, the Little Hoover Commission issued a report, entitled Boards and Commissions: California's Hidden Government, which found that, “California's multi-level, complex governmental structure today includes more than 400 boards, commissions, authorities, associations, councils and committees. These plural bodies operate to a large degree autonomously and outside of the normal checks and balances of representative government.” The Commission concluded that “the state's boards, commissions and similar bodies are proliferating without adequate evaluation of need, effectiveness and efficiency.” Huber said that she is very encouraged by the bipartisan support that her measures have received stating, “It is our duty to spend the public’s money wisely and I hope my legislation is the start to implementing an improved system of common sense governmental oversight.” This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County - Amador County Historical Society members and the general public are invited to celebrate the founding date of Amador County (June 14, 1854) with a gala picnic on the grounds of the Amador County Museum, 225 Church St., Jackson, 11:30 a.m., Saturday, June 19. Festivities will include comments from county supervisors and other local dignitaries. Historical Society President Larry Cenotto, who was involved in the organization of the county’s Sesquicentennial events, will give a brief talk about the division of Calaveras County and the formation of Amador County. He will also offer an overview of the Society’s progress on various preservation fronts. A box lunch at $7 each, catered by Motherlode Market, is included. RSVP with choices and checks payable to the Historical Society by June 10. Send checks to Georgia Fox, P.O. Box 846, Sutter Creek, CA 95685. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County - The Jackson City Council on Monday reviewed a report on the feasibility of adopting a redevelopment area, but opted against the project until the local investment climate improves to the point where there is strong demand for future development. According to a memo from representatives of Fraser & Associates and Urban Futures, Inc., the two companies hired by the city to create the analysis, the feasibility of creating such a project was based on whether there is sufficient blight within the study area of the City according to the basic definitions of blighting conditions laid out in California Community Redevelopment Law. “A study area was identified following a block-by-block field survey of older commercial, industrial and residential areas in the City,” said the memo. In their report, the two redevelopment and planning companies determined redevelopment project feasibility based upon a “five-part test.” This determination takes into account whether an area is urbanized, whether it has “prevalent physical and economic blight,” whether that blight causes “ a lack of proper utilization of the area,” whether that improper utilization burdens the community, and whether the burden cannot be reversed by private enterprises or the City acting alone without the help of a redevelopment agency. A financial analysis was then “undertaken to determine whether the area could generate enough tax increment to fund in whole or part a successful redevelopment program.” The companies determined that a “redevelopment project area would have only limited resources and growth potential at the present time.” Project consultants from both companies were in attendance and recommended delaying formation of the project until the local investment climate improves. The council unanimously chose to follow the recommendation of both the consultants and City Manager Mike Daly to defer approval. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – Protect Historic Sutter Creek hinted at legal questions in voter registries this week, but said the Measure N vote outcome, if lost by the group, would not face a legal challenge. Bart Weatherly, head of Protect Historic Sutter Creek, said his group never wanted to stop Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. They just wanted a smaller project than its 1,300-plus single-family homes. Weatherly said: “Even the Yes On N people in their heart of hearts wanted a smaller project. I talk to them all the time. They are my friends and neighbors.” He said they were not given another option and felt that “it was all or nothing.” They wanted the project’s benefits, so they gave the project support. Weatherly said if his No On Measure N side eventually loses, “Protect Historic Sutter Creek has no intention of filing a lawsuit,” but “that doesn’t speak for other groups out there.” He said they “are just thankful that the people of Sutter Creek got a chance to vote on this issue.” The weeks leading up to the election included allegations by a Jackson business owner that someone from the Protect Historic Sutter Creek group was harassing her voting eligibility in the June 8th election. A list reportedly named registrants with questionable eligibility. Weatherly said: “We do not have that list. At one time we turned it in to (Registrar Sheldon) Johnson.” Weatherly said “we’re not going to pursue any of that” at the moment. He said he would not tell the names that were on the list, and he criticized a newspaper article on the subject, saying it started as “story about possible illegal voter registration and it went to a story of alleged harassment on our end.” Weatherly said: “We never harassed anyone.” The group has 70-80 people who are loosely in group, who would help put stamps on fliers. Then there is the core group of roughly 25, who came up with the information for the fliers. They expected a larger margin, and had tried to estimate people’s votes leading up to the election day, to help direct flier campaigns. They rated people on a 1-5 scale. The 1-2 rated people supported Gold Rush, those rated a 3 were undecided, and those rated 4-5 were supporters of the No vote. Weatherly said they “had a rough idea of the 4s and 5s out there, just like we had a rough idea of the 1s and 2s.” He said he thought more people supported it than had admitted. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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