Amador County – Amador County supervisors and planning commissioners last week discussed parts of the economic development element, touching on agriculture and other aspects. Jim Conklin, executive director of the Amador County Business Council, said the “more business-friendly that you can make the county within legal limit,” the more of a major benefit it will be to the county. He said he would “like to see improved communications infrastructure built so people can live here and work here.” And he urged a “relook at the economic development delivery process arm.” He said the Small Business Administration is that delivery structure, with loans of $75,000 dollars – “a really woefully inadequate amount.” He thought Amador “needs to send a professional business message to companies thinking of locating” here. Olive farmer Susan Bragstadd asked about “land use and conservations elements of the General Plan,” referred to in one portion of the economic. County Planner Susan Grijalva said the elements were not written, and the only things written were plans and policies. Conklin believed the “Land Use Element should compliment the Economic Development Element.” Art Marinaccio, of Amador Citizens For Responsible Government, said “ag is everywhere a cow used to be at one time,” and pointed to a Foothill Conservancy call to replace each acre of grazing land that is developed with 4 acres of grazing land to be set aside. Discussion continues at the next meeting, to be announced. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council last week discussed the promotion of events on Main Street banners, with sides differing on what events should be promoted. Councilwoman Sandy Anderson, chairwoman of the Sutter Creek Promotions Committee, talked about a petition circulating around town that would urge limiting the promotion of out-of-town events on the downtown banners in Sutter Creek. Resident Bart Weatherly asked what the petition was about. Anderson took one of the petitions to Weatherly in the audience, and said it was a protest about a banner that promoted the Jackson Rotary Club Mother’s Day Brunch at the Amador Senior Center in Jackson. Councilman Pat Crosby, a Promotions Committee member, said he knew all about the banners. Crosby said to get them up on the wire, between the two buildings at the corner of Main and Spanish Street, “you have to go through my wife’s living room,” their house above the Lizzie Ann’s Bubblegum Bookstore. Crosby said Ed Swift owns the hooks and wire, and Dennis Griffin and Russell Evitt own the buildings on either side of Main Street. Crosby said the banners stay hung until Police Chief Rob Duke tells the committee to take it down. Mayor Gary Wooten said he did not “want to offend anyone,” but “being offended by Jackson is wrong.” He said the city of Jackson has had an event shuttle bus to take people to shop in Sutter Creek. He said “we should be working together.” He said the Jackson Rotary has done a lot for Sutter Creek. That includes building a visitor’s event kiosk just completed on Main Street, on the south end of town. Michelle Grondin, manager of the Sutter Creek Farmer’s Market, said the banner has been a good thing. And someone pointed out that Belotti’s restaurant has run out of certain food items advertised on the banner. Ed Swift said on the cable on which the banner hangs: “That was my cable. I always considered it the city’s.” Councilwoman Linda Rianda said the then current Main Street banner was promoting the Kennedy Mine Barbecue, in Jackson, to benefit the Amador County Recreation Agency. The issue of Main Street banners was discussed at the May 19th meeting of the Promotions Committee. Discussion centered on the “committee taking care of banners and they be used solely for promotion of the city and county, not for private business.” Committee members Anderson and Crosby will write up a draft of guidelines. The Committee next meets June 15th at The Annex. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Construction already under way on a crossing of Sutter Creek will affect the city’s road traffic, as well as the location of the Saturday Farmer’s Market in downtown. The Sutter Creek Planning Commission last week approved a use permit for the market at its regular city lot, off Eureka Street, with an amended location to have it housed on the city’s southern edge lot, beside Main Street. That will allow Mountain Cascade to finish its work on the Amador Water Agency water pipeline to Plymouth. The pipeline will traverse the Sutter Creek waterway on a pedestrian bridge between the parking lot behind the community center and city hall. The bridge will connect that lot with the city lot on Eureka Street. Farmer’s Market manager Michelle Grondin said the market, which gets underway this month, had already advertised that it would be using the south lot, instead of a lot on Gopher Flat Road. The commission approved the use of the south Main lot, but also could change the location if needed. A resolution approving the use said the Amador Farmer’s Market has been operating in Sutter Creek since 1994. The market will operate from 8 a.m. to noon each Saturday, from June through October. The use permit includes changing a portion of Main Street will be “designated and limited to one-way north-bound vehicular traffic. The south exit of Main Street shall be designated as ‘right turn only’ onto south-bound Main Street.” Grondin said the Amador Farmer’s Market will operate June 13th through October. Workers for Mountain Cascade began work on the pedestrian bridge last week, cutting into the asphalt of both parking lots. The pipeline connects the city of Plymouth with the Tanner Water Treatment Plant on Ridge Road, and supply potable water to Plymouth. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Ione plans a Main Street Program discussion today at City Hall, hoping to speak with every business and property owner on Main Street and Preston Avenue. The council will hear a status report, and City Manager Kim Kerr said the meeting would focus on the Main Street Program’s organizational structure and other issues. The council will take no action, but could provide direction to staff. The meeting is 5:30 p.m. today in City Hall. Kerr said “We are looking for all business and property owners on Main Street and Preston Avenue to attend.” The city is “looking for interested community members and organizations to participate.” The Main Street Program is part of the Ione Community Preservation Project, which the city council and staff have been studying with public workshops. Once directions are determined for the project, the council can begin to spend $284,775 dollars, which came from 2 defunct Community Development Block Grants from the 1980s. Kerr said: “These grants are closed,” and, according the CDBG, “when there is no open CDBG grant, the funds are considered miscellaneous revenue … and can be used as the City sees fit.” The council has discussed 4 Ione Community Preservation Projects. Those projects and possible funding include the Main Street Program for $80,000 dollars; the Façade Program for $25,000; the Redevelopment Plan for $120,000; and an Economic Study for $60,000. Kerr said public meetings found 15 people interested in helping with the Main Street Program, and there are “different opinions on what the (organizational) structure should be,” and what it should look like initially and in two years. City funds will be used, causing public concern for “accountability and follow-through,” Kerr said, as well as concern for viability after start-up, so that “there is actually some impact in the downtown corridors.” Kerr said once the organizational structure is set, there will be a follow-up meeting with business owners. Mayor Lee Ard said he was still not sure if people wanted the council to carry out the community programs, and he wanted to see some “enthusiasm.” Councilwoman Andrea Bonham said she had seen enthusiasm at the last meeting. Councilman David Plank said “the second meeting was more rewarding than the first,” but the council was still missing 60 to 70 percent of business and property owners. Kerr agreed, saying it was the city’s goal to get business owners to recruit other business owners to join the project. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.