News Archive (6192)
Monday, 15 February 2010 08:32
AWA Considers Commitments, Finances in Ione, Tanner Study Approvals
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors considered its commitments to future customers and its finances last week before approving studies of the Tanner and Ione water capacities. Acting Engineering Manager Erik Christeson said the Amador Water System has a typical peak flow of 2.6 million gallons a day, but this year’s peak was 2.2 million gallons. Christeson the agency has “over-committed our will-serves” by 226,000 gallons a day, and 3 million gallons a day is all they “can push through” the Tanner water treatment plant, which serves Ione and the Amador Water System. The system is permitted for a total of 3,384,900 gallons a day, which is a number that was used in issuing “will-serves,” which are promises, often conditional promises, of water service. President Bill Condrashoff said “since then we have learned we should go with the actual capacity.” Director Don Cooper said he wanted to clarify that “we are over-committed if all of those existing will-serves were built out.” And he asked if money was collected on the will-serves. Christeson said only 2, when Wildflower built a 2 million-gallon tank, and JTS Communities built a “booster pump.” Interim General Manger Gene Mancebo said most will-serve holders “have made a participation fee payment,” and the board has a reimbursement agreement with Wildflower and JTS. Cooper said 10,000 per “Equivalent Dwelling Unit” was $3.21 million, and one of his concerns was “stranded assets.” Director Terence Moore said it could be stranded assets, but funding for this study “has already been paid for with participation fees, and this is an appropriate use of these funds.” Director Gary Thomas said “for the past year, we’ve been looking at interim studies for this.” He said “we have to move forward,” and “our job is to provide water for the communities.” They have $3.2 million in will-serve commitments, Condrashoff said, but in the last 2-and-a-half years, “35 houses have cashed in their will-serves and built.” He said “growth didn’t come to pay for” the Amador Transmission Pipeline, whose customers now are paying for it. Condrashoff said the AWA cut $1.2 million from operating revenues last year and might have to buy capacity from Ione at $750,000. Thomas said he understood being “cash strapped,” but conservation at the prison and elsewhere is meant to enhance capacity, and with the interim study, they can find more ways to “eke out capacity and help all of the customers.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Monday, 15 February 2010 17:00
AWA Plans Special Meeting at Camanche Homeowners Association Meeting
Written by Tom
Amador County – Amador Water Agency has announced 3 meetings this week, all set for Thursday, including a special board meeting to be held during the Lake Camanche Homeowners’ Association meeting. The AWA board of directors announced the special meeting for 7 p.m. Thursday to allow board members to attend the meeting and discuss AWA matters without a violation of the Brown Act. The agency discussed the Camanche water improvement district at its meeting last week, which is currently in the application process for upgrades. Financial Services Manager Mike Lee said the Camanche project application for a grant was still being processed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. District 2 Director Gary Thomas asked if the project is “slipping” and if it will “be further down the road” before it receives funding. Lee said “the state will give the most funding, and the USDA money would be our share.” Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said AWA received environmental questions, and consultants were working on the answers, regarding the project to improve the Camanche groundwater system with a new tank, well and piping. The Camanche upgrades are 3 parts, including a new connection pipeline, and building a newer, bigger storage tank. The plan included replacing its existing 100,000-gallon storage tank with a 1 million-gallon tank, or something smaller, depending on funding. AWA held a water rate workshop for Camanche Water District 7 in December, looking at possible rate increases to fix a “structural cash deficit.” Lake Camanche Village water and wastewater systems have not seen a rate increase since 2006. AWA has been working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on grant to add a water storage tank, at an estimated cost of $1.8 million. The AWA on December 31st approved a revised financial plan for the project, and planned a February public hearing. The agency has already spent about $100,000 toward the project, and staff said the “sunk costs” likely could be reimbursed through the grant. Also Thursday, AWA has 2 committee meetings schedule, including a 9:30 a.m. meeting of the Public Relations Committee, and a 2:30 p.m. meeting of the Rules & Rates Committee. 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 Villages LLC representative Rob Aragon and his partners asked the Amador Water Agency board of directors for one last condition to be met in its drive to further develop Ione, and the board obliged, on a narrow, 3-2 vote last week. The board approved studies of increasing capacity in Ione and the Tanner water treatment plant, with Aragon and other developers getting their wishes. For Aragon, it was about trust. AWA Vice President Debbie Dunn said “Castle Oaks and Wildflower have gotten this far because there are conversations” with the AWA, and she thought their relationship was one of trust. She said the agency’s cash shortage had her worried about funding a $228,000 study. AWA President Bill Condrashoff said he was worried that the studies being funded by the Amador Water System would draw on internal agency loans to other water systems, which might then have to scramble to pay off the loans, at up to 7 percent interest, which on a million dollars would be $70,000. AWA Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said the Amador Water System has a budget surplus and would not affect the other systems. Financial Service Manager Mike Lee said an internal loan could affect the other systems, but an external loan (in the form of running a line of credit) would not affect the other systems. Dunn told Aragon that the AWA has a bond payment coming up for its Amador Transmission Pipeline, which “was one of your conditions,” and she asked Aragon to come back when he had a “timeline” because she was not really comfortable approving the study. Aragon said “my timeline would be post haste, because it’s going to take time to understand.” He said they are not going get a developer to say: “well, we’re going to pull 50 permits in late 2010.” He said one of the conditions of the will-serves is “improvement to the Ione system” and he asked: “Can you tell me what that is?” He said a 4-6 month delay is a deal-breaker for him. Dunn later made a motion to approve both studies, but only after the AWA board approved its budget in June. The motion failed for lack of a second, and the board later voted to approve the studies, 3-2, with Directors Terence Moore, Gary Thomas and Don Cooper in favor. Voting against were Condrashoff and Dunn. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Monday, 15 February 2010 17:00
Constitutional Convention Proponents Suspend Efforts to Seek Ballot Measure
Written by Tom
Amador County – Proponents of a constitutional convention in California have cited a lack of funding and public support as reasons to suspend signature-gathering efforts to place the measure on the November ballot. Reform California, an east bay coalition of reform, advocacy and business groups, said last week it has spent about $1 million towards gathering the 694,364 necessary signatures, but expected more donations. If the measure were to go forward, it would establish a statewide delegation of citizens, mostly from outside the political establishment, to propose various types of government reform. The coalition said our state government suffers from “drastic dysfunction” and our state’s founders gave us the ability to form a convention as a tool for reform. They said the California Constitution is 75,000 words and has been amended more than 500 times, compared to the US Constitution, which is 4,500 words and has been amended 17 times. The coalition initially gained major support but has suffered from internal disputes over what areas of reform should be addressed and whether delegates should have political experience. They have alleged that efforts have been stymied by some private signature-gathering firms it says are violating state and federal antitrust laws and the constitutional rights of the movement's organizers. The group’s attorneys sent letters to these firms outlining the alleged misdeeds in early February. “I was very disappointed to learn that the efforts to gain the public’s support for a constitutional convention have been suspended,” said Assemblymember Alyson Huber, 10th District representative and one of the many elected leaders backing the movement. “We must have a dialogue with the citizens of California in order to fundamentally shift they way we do business. I hope the legislature can find the courage to listen and act to implement the reforms our state so desperately needs,” she said. Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman, whose group helped launched the effort, told the Associated Press that the effort would be dead unless it raised more than $3 million by March 1st. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Monday, 15 February 2010 08:33
Amador Council of Tourism Preps for European Vacationers
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador Council of Tourism on Thursday discussed its upcoming 49er Treasure Trail, and also heard a report on possible future European vacationers coming through the Mother Lode. Maureen Funk gave a short presentation on the 49er Treasure Trail event at the Jackson Revitalization Committee meeting last Thursday night. Funk said the tourism council has struck a deal with the Ledger Dispatch for 2 full pages of ads in the paper, and a couple of spaces remained for sponsorship. She said TSPN and Hometown Radio were also giving ad deals. Funk said the Amador Council of Tourism is looking for a location to hold its March 11th meeting, the last before the 49er Treasure Trail event, March 27th and 28th. Funk also reported on her trip to the “Go West, Sacramento” travel show the first week of February. She said the Amador Council of Tourism and the Gold Country Visitors Association partnered to have a booth at the show, and had many European travel agents attend. She said European agents “depend on these offices to line them up with unusual trips,” after standard runs to San Francisco and the Bay Area. Funk said “after you’ve been there and done that, we’re another alternative.” She said European travel is very different from America, and it is thriving. She said she and another booth worker at the show had appointments all day for 2 days, and she “developed relationships with 40 people,” including travel agents and even some journalists who had been to Amador County that day, and needed information. Funk said she also got a stack of business cards at the show and she “will be following up with the agents, so Amador County will benefit from this.” Another travel show for Amador Council of Tourism was planned for this past weekend, hosted by the Los Angeles Times. The ACT office last weekend moved into the new Transit Center on Valley View Way in Sutter Creek. For information, call (209)267-9249 or e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Online see www.touramador.com. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Monday, 15 February 2010 08:35
Jackson Rancheria, Revitalization Committee Resume ''Shop Jackson'' Drive
Written by Tom
Amador County – About 60 business owners and employees attended the 2nd “Shop Jackson” campaign kickoff meeting Thursday at the Civic Center. Mayor Connie Gonsalves led off the meeting of the Jackson Revitalization Committee by introducing its members. She said the second installment of the “Shop Jackson” Program plans to use Facebook for publicity. Gonsalves introduced the recent $5,000 winner of the Shop Jackson grand prize, Realtor Kellee Davenport. Martha Perez, seller of the winning ticket at her Jose’s Restaurant, said she had told her employees how important it would be for the restaurant to have given out the winning ticket because of the publicity they would get from the award. Councilman Wayne Garibaldi said Jose’s had given out approximately 45 percent of the total Shop Jackson drawing tickets. Robert Mees said the next step for the Shop Jackson campaign was to re-sign members and get new member sign-ups. Part of that, he said, will be to ask for $50 gift certificates to the businesses. He said if enough of those are gathered, they will be able to give them away in a bulk of 20, worth $1,000 in gift certificates, at the next drawing. The other gift certificates would be given to other prize winners. Mees said the benefit is that it brings shoppers to the businesses in Jackson, and when the shoppers cash in the prizes, they fill out a form, that can then be used to direct-market to those existing customers. Membership for the next Shop Jackson program has deadlines in February and June because of the Jackson Rancheria’s Arrow Magazine publishing deadlines. The magazine goes to the Jackson Rancheria’s 500,000 active Dreamcatchers Club Cardholders. Shop Jackson participating businesses can capitalize on the “thousands of casino visitors and local Dreamcatcher’s market.” The Rancheria has 300,000 monthly visitors and more than 26,000 Dreamcatchers live in Amador and Calaveras counties. Mees said members get distribution, promotion and exposure at event in the county, and a map identifies all participating businesses. The deadline is February 25th for Spring Promotions, including Dandelion Days, 49er Treasure Trail, and the Sutter Creek Duck Race. June 1st is the deadline for Summer promotions, and the raffle drawings are in September. Garibaldi said the Jackson Revitalization Committee is looking for volunteers for a “Shop Jackson” steering committee. For info, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call City Manager Mike Daly at 223-1646. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Monday, 15 February 2010 08:37
Local Group's Lawsuit Hopes to Stop Proposed Buena Vista Casino
Written by Tom
Amador County - Friends of Amador County (FOAC), a local activist group, announced last Thursday that they have filed a lawsuit in federal court aimed at stopping further development of the proposed Buena Vista Casino. The lawsuit alleges the creation of the Buena Vista tribe was illegal under the Indian Gaming and Regulatory Act (IGRA) of 1988 and unconstitutional under the California State Constitution, among other laws and agreements. FOAC claims it is made up of residents who are “aggrieved by the erroneous, arbitrary, capricious and illegal decisions of the (U.S. Department of the Interior) Secretary Kenneth Salazar and…George Skibine, acting chairman and Commissioner of the National Indian Gaming Commission.” Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is also listed as a defendant for failing to properly “negotiate tribal-state compacts…in a lawful manner.” The lawsuit outlines a long and complicated history beginning in 1934 with landowners who were “not a federally acknowledged Indian tribe” and leading up to current plans headed by Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians leader Rhonda Morningstar Pope to construct a gaming facility on 67.5 acres in the rural setting at Buena Vista. FOAC says the real motivation for the creation of this “tribe” occurred in the 1980s “in order to take advantage of casino gaming opportunities developing in California at that time.” That applicant, Donna-Marie Potts, was not a descendant of any of the land’s original occupants. FOAC says that “until at least 1994 there was no official record of, or any proper acknowledgement or federal recognition of, any ‘tribe,’ ‘band’ or ‘community’ of Indians known as the ‘Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians.’” The tribe currently consists of Potts, Morningstar Pope, her children and other relatives. FOAC claims some of its members “will be irreparably and negatively impacted, injured and damaged by the increases in traffic, noise, vision and light pollution, crime and other significant impacts arising from the proposed operation.” FOAC also claims that Morningstar Pope, Potts and their relatives, using that status as a “purported Indian tribe…have been collecting over $1 million a year from the California Tribal Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund.” The FOAC group is asking the court to issue an injunction with the ultimate hope of permanently preventing any proposed construction of a gaming operation. Amador County has been actively fighting the establishment of more casinos since 2003, and filed a lawsuit of its own in 2005 alleging that amendments to the gaming compact between the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians and the State of California were in violation of the IGRA. A U.S. Judge granted a motion to dismiss, stating that the Secretary Salazar’s choice to take no action to allow the approval of an agreement of the gaming compact between the tribe and the State of California is not subject to court review by the express terms of the IGRA. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Monday, 15 February 2010 17:00
$4.8 Million Energy Efficiency Program Comes to Sierra Nevada
Written by Tom
Amador County - Local governments and businesses in 14 Sierra Nevada counties will have new access to energy efficient technology through a new collaboration between Sierra Business Council and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). From 2010 to 2012, Sierra Business Council, a non-profit organization based in Truckee, will be offering free energy audits and low-cost retrofits to commercial PG&E customers in the Sierra Nevada through a new program called the Sierra Nevada Energy Watch.
“During this tough economic downturn, we are excited to be able to support our local businesses and governments by offering cost-cutting energy efficiency services,” said Steven Frisch, President of the Sierra Business Council. In addition to offering energy efficiency services and products, the program will help local governments conduct greenhouse gas inventories and develop climate action plans to help the state meet its AB32 emission reduction goals. The program takes a comprehensive approach to the region’s energy needs. The Sierra Nevada Energy Watch program is funded by California utility ratepayers under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. It offers services for municipal, special district, and non-profit facilities as well as small and medium businesses throughout the PG&E service area from Lassen to Mariposa Counties. Those interested in participating in the program or learning more should contact Sierra Business Council at 530-582-4800. A TSPN TV Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – The Ione City Council is scheduled to discuss a draft solid waste franchise ordinance and also solid waste permitting, at its meeting 6 p.m. today. Staff prepared the draft ordinance which could help the council decide on exclusivity of service. A majority of the city council, led by Councilman Jim Ulm, Councilwoman Andrea Bonham and Mayor Skip Schaufel have said they support a competitive market for trash service in Ione, and that they would give customers potentially better prices with a non-exclusive franchise agreement. On January 5th, the council directed staff to prepare the amended solid waste ordinance “that would change from a permit to a non-exclusive franchise agreement,” City Manager Kim Kerr said in a report to the council. “Based on direction at a January 5th” council meeting, City Attorney Kristen Castanos “drafted a new solid waste ordinance for discussion.” Kerr recommended the council review the draft ordinance and direct staff on “the issue of mandatory collection by a solid waste provider.” The council in early December “discussed whether to modify the city’s municipal code regarding solid waste management to “require a franchise agreement or permit for solid waste pickup.” Kerr said “currently, the city of Ione authorizes solid waste pick-up within the city via a permit system.” Permits are generally issued for a 5-year period, require the permit holder to pay an annual fee of “2 percent of gross annual income generated within the city, and include additional permit terms.” Kerr said per “municipal code, the city has the discretion to limit the number of permits issued,” and “if the city wants to provide for an exclusive permit, the city must find that it is necessary to preserve the health, safety and welfare of the people in the city.” Staff study also found that “if the council elects to transition its solid waste handling system to a franchise system, then the city also has the ability to provide for an exclusive franchise, using the same criteria that apply to limiting the number of permits.” An exclusive or non-exclusive franchise or permit system may be implemented with or without competitive bidding. 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 received countywide support for a study it approved Thursday to look expanding water capacity in Ione. Rob Aragon of Ione Villages LLC said since Castle Oaks received its “original entitlement (in 1989), we’ve been having this same discussion.” He said the last “Conditional Will-Serves” condition was “improvements to the Ione system.” He asked the AWA board if they could explain it. Cottage Knoll developer Stefanie McNair said Plymouth has paid $1.34 million in participation fees, and she asked whether that paid for AWA’s share of the Plymouth Pipeline. AWA Interim General Manger Gene Mancebo said that was not true, but the pipeline allows for new hook-ups and the city will be metered. Mancebo said Plymouth’s “permit is in place and the water is flowing.” McNair said the pipeline lifts Plymouth out of violation, and brings a broader customer base. Before the Canal was replaced by the Amador Transmission Pipeline, Mancebo said the agency did not have capacity for new development and hookups. The pipeline changed that. Mancebo said a study like this can help expand capacity further. He said: “We’ve taken some of the bottlenecks out, but we need to analyze more.” McNair asked the AWA board “loosen up the language in its conditional will serves” for Cottage Knoll. McNair said her will-serve says she must “participate in a Community Facilities District for a $26 million improvement to Tanner.” She said her “up-front costs are enormous.” Bob Reeder, developer of 2 projects in Plymouth, said a study in Ione could help the agency increase it customer base, and he wanted to see how Plymouth’s participation fees were allocated. Reeder said he is not sure the 1.3 million gallons a day allocated to Plymouth could be met, and AWA needed the studies to see determine that. Ione City Planner Christopher Jordan said Ione has been in the same boat as AWA, only Ione has limited wastewater capacity. Jordan urged the board to take action “today.” He said new development is coming to Ione, the biggest of which is in the city business park, including “several million square feet” and Ione City Hall has “a specific plan for that today.” Jordan said the study of Ione water capacity is “very important and if it doesn’t move forward, it hamstrings us.” Director Debbie Dunn asked Aragon and Jordan if a 4- to 6-month delay in a decision would kill the projects. Aragon said it was a deal-breaker, and Jordan said he must rely on what he hears from the development community, and it would also cause problems in Ione. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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