News Archive (6192)
The Jackson Planning Commission held a public hearing Tuesday to discuss the application for a Conditional Use Permit to relocate The Fargo Club bar move from its present location at 2 Main Street, to 160 Main Street.
Applicant Jacqueline Harrison seeks to relocate to the former location of Funk’s Gallery.
A Planning staff report said Historic Commercial zoning limits bars to those associated with restaurants, unless allowed by a Conditional Use Permit. The restrictions are meant to protect or enhance tourism on Main.
Staff recommended Conditions of Approval is the move was approved, including “interior and exterior security cameras,” lighting plans for security, and management “measures to discourage any loitering,” all to be approved by the Chief of Police.
Staff recommended permit review in six months for consistency and additional conditions if necessary, and said “signs shall be reviewed by the Planning Department for content and Mother Lode Design appropriate to the location on Historic Main Street.”
The report listed relevant facts provided by Harrison that The Fargo Club “has been a part of downtown for many years,” must relocate “due to circumstances,” and wants to stay downtown. It said 160 Main “has been a bar in the past,” and it would be less attractive to people congregating outside because it is further from the city park, there is no corner, and the sidewalk is narrower.
Harrison wrote: “There is also an outside space behind the building that would allow us to have an area away from the public to smoke.”
The Planning Commission received a letter from Christine A. French, owner of Bella Cucina Catering and Event Planning, a neighbor of the proposed new location, at 162 Main. French opposed the move, saying it would affect “very nice high-end stores, an insurance company and a hair salon.”
French said Stan Lukowizc purchased the building that houses The Fargo and “has chosen not to renew Jackie Harrison’s lease which has made her seek a new location.”
She said Sal La Ferrera, owner of 160 and 162 Main, “is not taking into consideration” the “impact of having another bar with noise, smoking and vagrants hanging out at all hours of the day.”
French said her business shared a back patio with the proposed bar location, and was told cigarette smoke drifts into the windows of nearby buildings. She said smoking areas next to her back door will “increase possible theft and damage and who knows what else.”
Story by Jim Reece. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Amador County Board of Supervisors approved allocation of Secure Rural Schools funding, to be finalized at the end of September.
All Title 3 funds will go to go to the Amador County Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue team and the office, for emergency services performed on National Forest Service lands.
Supervisors considered the Search & Rescue team for funding, and also a demonstration garden proposed by Amador Fire Safe Council, seeking $8,000. The low-water, fire-safe garden was seen as duplicative of another program funded previously.
The Board heard from Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner, and Fire Safe Council’s Kathy Koos-Breazeal. Wegner said a recent three-day search in national forest land, which ended with the safe recovery of a hiker, also cost the Sheriff’s Department $11,000. The Title 3 funds amount to $26,700 in this cycle, and must be allocated by Sept. 30, with public hearings and all notices having been carried out. Supervisors asked about direction of the funding.
Consultant John Hofmann said Supervisors can direct expenditures of the Amador County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC), which distributes $76,000 in Title 2 funds this program cycle. Hofmann said it was not a coincidence that Sept. 30 is the last day for the RAC and also for Supervisors to allocate money. He said Supervisors can say they want to allocate to the weed project, but the RAC must OK it and send it back to Supervisors by a certain date. Then, if they choose, Supervisors can pull the funding and put it elsewhere.
Supervisor Chairman John Plasse said he was not happy with Amador Resource Advisory Committee, because they always seem to be “too busy finding reasons why they cannot do” projects, saying that they discuss environmental tests next to dynamite holes, which if the species had survived, then no project should impact them.
Supervisor Richard Forster said he thought they should keep the funds as local as they can, for fire and police. Supervisor Brian Oneto said: “I don’t know how beneficial the garden project would be.”
Plasse said the three-day search and rescue in the end was an $11,000 impact to our general fund. Plasse said “I would like to reimburse the Sheriff’s Office for that.” He said at the previous meeting, the Board decided against changing its approval of $150,000 for the University of California Cooperative Extension office, and “I don’t support another $8,000 to do the same thing.”
Plasse said “I can’t support demonstration gardens over search and rescue operations.” Oneto agreed. The Board voted 4-1 to put Title 3 funds in its entirety in the Sheriff’s office and Search and Rescue emergency work on national forest property
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The Jackson Rancheria Casino on Monday announced that it will raise the age limit of gamers allowed into its establishment to age 21 effective the middle of next month, in part to create a “more mature setting” at the casino and hotel.
Publicist Nick Kump released details of the age limit change, which was first reported Monday on Sacramento television news. Kump said that “with the remodel of its hotel and casino nearing completion, Jackson Rancheria announced” that effective Sept. 15, “the minimum age to gamble at the casino will be raised from 18 to 21.”
The “change comes as a result of repeated requests from casino guests as well as recommendations from a recent report by casino consultants that it is necessary to create a more mature gaming atmosphere,” Kump said.
Jackson Rancheria CEO Rich Hoffman: “We want our guests to enjoy their gaming, dining and entertainment experiences as much as possible. This new direction will establish a more mature setting that is similar to almost every other casino.”
Hofmann said: “Being responsive to our guests has always been our top priority, so when we learned about the desire to update our minimum gaming age, it made sense to do so now in conjunction with the other changes happening on the property.”
Though the new age limit will reflect more standard gaming industry practices, guests should not expect a change in the casino’s alcohol policy, Kump said. Since its inception, Jackson Rancheria has elected not to serve or allow alcohol on its casino premises with the hope that guests can focus on and more fully enjoy the gaming and entertainment experience.
Hofmann said: “That’s Rancheria Style.”
The $100 million property remodel will consist of major improvements to the hotel, scores of additional slot machines and gaming tables, as well as all new restaurants and a freshly updated casino experience for visitors.
Located in Jackson, in the Sierra foothills, the Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel is owned by the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians, a federally recognized Indian tribe. A sovereign government, the Rancheria is dedicated to developing projects that not only enhance the tribe’s ability to remain self-reliant, but also reflect a commitment to be a good neighbor.
Jackson Rancheria is Amador County’s largest employer, with about 1,250 workers.
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Jackson Rancheria’s new ‘Green Business’ practices redirected 2.5 million pounds of waste
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Jackson Rancheria’s new property-wide recycling program has been both comprehensive and successful and in the past four years has recycled over 2.5 million pounds, or more than 1,250 tons, of materials that would otherwise have gone into landfills.
The Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel announced details of its “Green Business” practices. A property-wide universal recycling program recycles materials generated by everything from gaming to restaurants to construction. In the past four years, Jackson Rancheria has recycled over 2.5 million pounds of materials that would otherwise have gone into landfills. The sale of the materials generated over $400,000 in revenue.
The Landscaping Department continually removes non-native and invasive weeds throughout the property and plants most areas with native, drought-tolerant plants to reduce water usage. Jackson Rancheria operates its own water treatment plant, which produces high quality reusable water generally used for landscape irrigation. All reclaimed water meets or exceeds state and federal standards.
The Rancheria also constructed seven arched culverts under roadways to maintain a natural substrate for storm water runoff protection and ecological preservation. There are now Tribal ordinances requiring the protection and preservation of storm water drainage.
The Rancheria produces an average of 10,000 pounds of grease waste per week, which goes to a bio-diesel plant to be turned into fuel. All lights in the six level parking garage use more energy efficient types.
The custodial staff has identified and put into use numerous everyday products that are kinder to the environment. Toilet tissue is made from almost 100% recycled base paper, processed without chlorine, and exceeding the EPA guidelines for post-consumer products. Various products used for cleaning at the facility have earned the Green Seal certification.
The Marketing Department has also found products and vendors that reduce their impact on the environment.
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ACTC will get $1.7 million from the state for the Pine Grove Improvement Project
Written by Tom
Amador County – Amador County Transportation Commission last week was listed as recipients of $1.77 million in state funding to build a bypass, or widen Highway 88, between Climax Road and Mount Zion Road.
ACTC was listed to receive $1.77 million in state administered funding for a project on Highway 88, according to information released Thursday by the California Department of Transportation. The notice from Caltrans District 10 Public Information Officer Christopher Mayfield said the project is near Pine Grove, from Climax Road to Mount Zion Road, and it will fund either the widening from two lanes to four lanes, or to construct a two-lane bypass. The notice listed “contributions from local sources” of $500,000. The funding is from the State Transportation Improvement Program in the State Highway System.
The ACTC Board of Directors will be getting an update on Wednesday from its Pine Grove Corridor Improvement Project Committee, which will make a recommendation to the board, during its regular meeting, starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17, in the Supervisors’ Chambers, at the County Admin building in Jackson. The Committee had about 14 different projects it was considering, though most of those were dismissed due to exorbitant costs.
The announcement Thursday from Caltrans said the funds to Amador County were part of $2.2 billion allocated by the California Transportation Commission to 146 transportation projects around the state, and it will “help drive the state’s economic growth.”
Acting Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty said: “We are putting transportation dollars to work creating jobs and making transportation improvements that will benefit Californians now and for decades to come.”
Public information officer Christopher Mayfield said Caltrans is “continuing the push to rebuild California’s infrastructure and spur job growth.” The $2.2 billion in new funding will go to 146 highway, transit, and rail projects statewide.
The funding included $863 million from Proposition 1B, a 2006 voter-approved transportation bond. To date, Mayfield said, “the state has allocated more than $9 billion in Proposition 1B funds.”
Calaveras County received $231,000 toward projects in Angels Camp and Mokelumne Hill projects. It includes improvements to a Town Hall, including the installation of bicycle racks, 60 feet of sidewalk, handicapped ramps and a handicapped parking space.
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Amador Business Council seeks to fund a three-year budget for new Economic Development Corporation
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador County Business Council sought $50,000 over two years from Amador County Supervisors last week, when it formally took a proposal to the full board.
The request seeks a two-year investment in “the newly created Amador County Partnership Economic Development Corporation,” what the letter, signed by Business Council board members, called “an aggressive, well focused and well-funded Economic Development Corporation.”
The letter to Supervisor Chairman John Plasse, said the new EDC will be designed to “expand Amador County’s economic base through county-wide cooperation.” It also would “secure new investment and jobs,” create a “more favorable image of Amador County as a place to do business” and “provide Amador County the necessary resources to act as a catalyst for business deals impacting its future growth.”
It already had $80,000 collected from private businesses, and sought Supervisor investment, toward a goal of $360,000, an estimated three-year budget.
Supervisor Louis Boitano asked how much Calaveras County spends on economic development. Jim Conklin, Business Council Executive Director, said: “I would be surprised if they spent a nickel.”
Supervisor Brian Oneto said: “What are we going to compete for, or with?” Conklin said they could consider Littleton, Colorado, which in 10 years turned around its revenue by 100 percent “by investing in programs to expand existing businesses.” He said Littleton invested “$650,000, spent exclusively on internal businesses, to get better placing on Internet searches.” They started with an investment of $50,000, and have “doubled their job base.”
Boitano said “mining put us on the map” and “there’s a good chance that mining will be coming back.” Conklin said the new EDC should consider Sutter Gold Mining’s position, and “what about the wineries?” He noted Lodi has had a significant increase in tourism, and wine sales and production.
Supervisor Richard Forster pointed at San Joaquin County’s high unemployment rate of 17-18 percent, and asked how the new EDC would help employment. Conklin said leadership of the EDC would determine who they want to market to, and how it is led.
Amador Economic Development Corporation’s Ron Mittelbrunn said Mariposa County has a public economic director, but funding is low. He said Amador cannot compare to Tuolumne County, triple the size, with a successful EDC.
In public comment, Kay Reynolds said she has 37 years’ experience in economic development, Amador-based since 1994. She said Mittelbrunn has AEDC website linked to “tools for business success,” forms and paperwork for marketing, “how to go global,” and “economic gardening.” Reynolds said Supervisors “should really be aware of what is being done, and what has been done,” and “how you kept that multi-year funding coming.”
Jillian Murphy of the San Joaquin College Small Business Development said Mittelbrunn has brought $11 million and 80 jobs to the county, and has free workshops online.
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Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors will consider laying off 17 county employees at a special meeting Tuesday as bargaining units failed to approve 36-hour furlough work weeks.
Amador County Administrative Officer Chuck Iley announced the pending decision Friday, saying the “cuts come after several years of declining revenues, accompanied by persistent increases in the costs of employee benefits.”
He said: “Recent contract agreements with the various bargaining units have increased the contributions by employees to their retirement packages, but those additional contributions have not offset the recent pension contribution increases that the County has experienced. The pension contributions by the County will be even higher next fiscal year. Property taxes have also declined another 3.88 percent this year, and the County also faces the loss of approximately $1.2 million in vehicle license fee funds.”
Iley said “with all of these impacts, the General Fund is down 9 percent from last fiscal year. Until now, the shortened workweek and employee concessions have allowed the County to avoid significant layoffs this deep into the recession.”
He said the County has “been unable to reach agreement with most of the represented bargaining units for an extension of the 36 hour workweek, thus necessitating the Board’s consideration of layoffs.
The 17 positions to be considered in the “General Unit workforce reduction,” to be considered at Tuesday’s meeting, include two Animal Control officers; a finance assistant in the Auditing department; and a coordinator and counselor in Behavioral Health. One Animal Control Officer 2 will be requested for extension through Oct. 19. The other is an “extra help” level 1 officer.
Other positions to be considered for layoffs are a Building inspector; a Code officer; a Cooperative Extension secretary; a GIS coordinator in Information technology; and two assistant civil engineers in Public Works. Also three employees each may be laid off in Environmental Health (an assistant, a specialist and a technician); and three in the Facilities Department, including a maintenance worker, a construction worker and a custodian.
Iley said: “Employees who are laid off will be given three weeks’ pay. In addition, they will be placed on recall lists in case the budget situation improves and positions are filled.” The special meeting is 1 p.m. Tuesday. A closed session is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. and includes a conference with labor negotiators.
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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors voted unanimously Thursday to amend an agreement with JTS Communities for early payment of standby participation fees for 148 Castle Oaks units that could bring in $1.1 million to the Agency by 2013.
Agency General Manager Gene Mancebo recommended the agreement which used a portion of previous rate studies to determine and set a participation fee of $8,000 per unit for 148 units in Castle Oaks Village 3. It was reduced from $11,300 in fees per “Equivalent Dwelling Unit” (EDU) in a previous study, because it took out part of what was studied.
Mancebo said the “water treatment plant” for the participation study was specifically replaced. The fee structure removed the future assets from construction of the plant, and it instead used a portion of the study that looked at “incremental expansion and the costs associated with it,” at Ione and Tanner water treatment plants.
Critics, including Bill Condrashoff said it was selling assets that belong to the Amador Water System, by selling water capacity to JTS. Condrashoff said they were selling “units for 70 cents on the dollar” and AWS was funding all of its $12 million pipeline. He said “AWS is balanced. What is the fire Sale for?” Ken Berry said it “may be a 100 percent discount” because upgrades were at a plant that would be discarded.
Board President Don Cooper refuted that, saying the $11,300 per EDU rate was “associated with a regional water treatment plant that will not be there in the foreseeable future.”
Kronick said what was being overlooked was that the new agreement provides significant financial benefit to the AWA, and JTS is making significant financial concessions. In the agreement, JTS would pay all fees for 148 lots by the end of 2013. At $8,000, that is $1.18 million. Kronick said in the agreement, JTS is paying the fees “well in advance” of the existing agreement, which predates the new standby fee policy. The current agreement would not have payments occur until lots are sold, a home is built, or service is requested, which could take “many, many years.”
Kronick said JTS has a right to $112,000 in fee credits earned from paying for a pump station at the new 2 million-gallon water tank built near Wildflower Subdivision. Kronick said JTS in the agreement is deferring using their fee credits, another “significant financial concession.”
Kronick said: “No asset is being sold at a Fire Sale. The asset does not exist and it may never happen” because Mancebo “came up with the interim improvements,” which means they may not need to have a new plant to have increased capacity.
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Amador County – Amador County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday discussed a potential $150,000 grant to Amador Water Agency to help fix deficiencies at Camanche water system that dated to when the county owned the systems.
AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo said “incorrectly installed” lines run through residents’ yards, and the county “put rocks back into the hole,” which rub holes into pipes.
Mancebo said Well 14 is off-line, needing rehabilitation from bacteriological and turbidity problems, and had the system “on the edge of meeting demand,” though that was helped by a milder than average summer.
Bill Condrashoff read a letter from Camache Board member Vera Ferguson, who questioned a water caution. Condrashoff said “there is skepticism that there’s any problems there at all” in Well 14. Condrashoff remembered at a past AWA board meeting, a staff member “kept shaking the water because it was settling so fast.”
Mancebo said “Bill’s wrong” and test results showed bacteria problems and suspended solids, and “it took days to settle out.” There was also an odor. Supervisor Richard Forster said: “To me, that’s fear mongering” and people who doubt the issue should go to the Agency to see reports and test results. Supervisor Ted Novelli said Well 14 problems began a year after it went on-line.
Debbie Dunn questioned the “drop dead urgency” about Well 14 last October and said “the majority of customers are unhappy with the Agency and they do not trust them.” Condrashoff said “they can’t get the water agency to show them where the money’s going.”
Mancebo said annual audits are available, but analysis is “not always down to the level” requested, and they can’t show sensitive staff information. He said at a Camanche workshop, a community group “had a list of issues they wanted addressed. Some were staff issues.” He asked where they learned the information to request, and was told that it came from “two previous board members.”
Mancebo said AWA replaced 80 connection lines; put roofs and hatches on storage tanks; and built Well 14. System expenses have dropped from $400,000 to about $250,000 a year. Forster said “the cuts are commendable” but it was “late in coming.”
Camanche resident Craig Walling asked about protocol if AWA stopped operating Camanche, and if the state would take over. Novelli said that is exactly correct. Forster said at a workshop, he heard a non-Camanche resident say that maybe “the state can do it cheaper.” Forster said “the state doesn’t do anything cheaper,” and “you will still get mandated rate increases.”
“It was hardly a workshop,” Forster said, with 6 or 7 ratepayers. Everyone else was from “out of the area” with nothing positive to say.
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Amador County – Amador County Supervisors discussed the present and future of economic development Tuesday, after the Amador County Business Council presented a plan to form a new Economic Development Corporation.
The Business Council requested $50,000 over two years to fund the new EDC, but Supervisors discussed how that would affect Amador Economic Development Corporation, run by Executive Director Ron Mittelbrunn.
Supervisor Chairman John Plasse said there was $15,000 in the budget from Transient Occupancy Taxes for economic development, and they could pull another $10,000 from contingencies.
Plasse said one issue was whether to pursue retention and expansion of existing companies, or to pursue attraction of new companies. The board would also decide if it wanted a staff position to head economic development, or to hire someone. Most importantly, they must decide if they want to merge the AEDC and the Business Council’s EDC, or have them work together.
Supervisor Richard Forster said if they de-fund Mittelbrunn, and give the money to EDC, they would only have one vote. Forster said: “I’ve seen the work you have done, and I’m not going to support this if you are going to be aced out.” But he also saw they should not have the redundancy of two corporations.
Supervisor Brian Oneto said they need small business loans to help farms, and “one way or another that has to stay.” Supervisor Ted Novelli said he would like to see promotion of existing businesses. Plasse said he favored funding Mittelbrunn in the past, and if the two were not merged, they might have to cede the duties to one of the corporations.
Jim Conklin, Business Council Executive Director, said as investors, Supervisors and other EDC board members would decide how to spend money. Conklin said “the difference between the new EDC and the old EDC is that they are going to have money on the table and you will expect reports and progress.” He said “loan packaging and financing should be a major part of the EDC.”
Plasse said Mittelbrun is “generating money from loans,” and “if you put in money, you will be more demanding.” Mittelbrunn said his budget is “totally dependent on fees from loans,” and “I’m working on $3.5 million worth of loans, so there will be some more money coming in.”
Supervisor Louis Boitano said the request came to the Administrative Committee two weeks ago and by an internal error was not given to the board. County Administrative Officer Chuck Iley said it should have followed to the agenda.
Boitano said it was probably a good idea that the groups met one more time, and they table this for a couple of weeks. The Admin Committee was delegated to discuss it with AEDC and the Business Council.
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