Wednesday morning the Amador Water Agency Board of Directors gathered together with key members of staff at the Jackson Rancheria Conference Center Fire Room to evaluate their organization. The Strategic Planning meeting is a yearly gathering that focuses the agency and its board on the mission of the water agency, evaluates the current status and looks forward into the future. Given the complex nature of water supply and delivery, as well as the agencies other hat as a waste water processor, the future looks busy for the expanding agency. Of key importance to the Board of Directors is the strategic plan process which in past years has lead toward the Transmission Pipeline Project that will provide 10,000 new water connections, which the agency estimates should take the county’s growth into the next 20 years. This process, according to General Manager Jim Abercrombie will prevent any unwanted surprises like unexpected growth or lack of infrastructure to support community needs.

The proposed Jackson Hills Golf Course and Residential Community project was the center of intense discussions at Monday night’s Jackson City Council meeting.  New Faze Development and local broker Tom Blackman, the developers of this project, requested that the council rescind two resolutions that were approved by the council on November 13, 2007. The first resolution approved the Final Environment Impact Report, and adopted the Findings of Fact and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program.  The second resolution adopted a General Plan Amendment for the first phase of the project.  Both resolutions are scheduled for the June 3rd ballot. The meeting was truly divided, with the developers on one side, and a large number of citizens on the other.

The developers say they want to “take a step back” and put more time into solving and researching issues, such as wastewater, citing that state and federal regulations have repeatedly changed during this process. Public comment went on for almost two hours and shared the same theme. Local citizens repeatedly asked the council to not rescind their decisions and allow the measures to stay on the ballot. Some citizens implied that the council accommodated New Faze Development by approving the zoning changes needed by the developers. Jack Georgette accused the council of “greasing the skids to accommodate New Faze Development.” Despite public opposition, both resolutions were approved by the council, effectively removing the measures from the ballot. Per the Election Code, these measures cannot be put back on the ballot for a period of twelve months.