The State Department of Water Resources has announced the grant winners under the first stage of the Proposition 50 funding designed for Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWMP) Implementation Grant Program. Those awards went primarily to Southern California entities, with the lone exception of a Humboldt County group. The Amador Water Agency has been participating with other Mokelumne River water users in and integrated Regional Plan. Partners include the East bay Municipal Utility District, Calaveras County Water District, San Joaquin County water agencies and various cities through out Amador County. However, according to Jim Abercrombie, General Manager of the Amador Water Agency there is still an opportunity for the county and its partners to get a share of the 380 million dollar pie.

The Ione Band of Mi-Wok Indians has applied to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for a determination of land trust status under Federal Indian gaming rules for 229 acres in Plymouth. The tribe plans to purchase and then develop the property into a gaming facility and resort. Currently, the property is owned by a private individual who is not a member of the tribe. The tribe was given approval for the first step toward their casino project last fall when officials from the Department of the Interior declared that the land was indeed restored tribal lands because the tribe could prove a historical tie with the land in question.

The Jackson Planning Commission met this week for what many thought would be a short meeting, however considerable discussion on the agenda’s two items led to an well over an hour and a half of time. The first item to appear was a Public Hearing for a variance for applicant’s Robert and Letitia Sexton. Commissioner Sexton stepped down for the discussion and left the building since she was the applicant on the variance. The Sexton’s are requesting a variance to allow construction of a seven foot fence along their street side yard at their single family residence located at 12 Frontier Drive to encroach five feet into the required 15 foot side yard setback.

The Amador County Recreation Agency held their first meeting of the year earlier this week. A new board chairwoman and vice chairwoman were elected at the meeting; the new madam chairwoman being Debbie Dunn and new vice chairwomen, the former chair of 4 years, Rosalee Prior Escamilla. The board was presented with an informational item regarding a 30 acre piece of land along the Jackson Creek Watershed and highway 88.

The strip of land, which had once been considered for development as a RV park, is located between Previtali Rd. and East Clinton Rd. A Sierra interest Conservancy has applied for a state grant that would allow the property to be bought and transferred to the county and then transferred from the county to the Recreation Agency. ACRA executive Director Tracy Towner Yep liked the idea, however she recalled that a "2nd phase" environmental impact report, must be prepared before any property can be given to the agency, as required by the county.

Amador County is one step closer to constructing a new bus transit center in Sutter Hill. Last week, the Amador County Transportation Commission voted to approve design modifications and authorize execution of related documents for the construction of a new transit center off of Valley View Drive, at the dead end extension of Bowers Drive. Thursday night, the commission heard an hour long presentation on the project from Matt Boyer of Dokken Engineering. The project will be completed in two phases. The first phase involves the construction of the new transit center and a parking lot. The second phase includes the extension of the parking lot to accommodate a park-n-ride service, as well as the possible addition of a new office for ACTC. In addition to being a transit center, the new facility will also serve as a welcome center for tourists.

Boyer noted that his engineering firm had partnered with Maureen Funk of the Amador Tourism Council, and that in addition to local transportation services, the center would accommodate tourist busses. The Tourism Council would also establish a 24-hour presence on the site, which Boyer said would help to alleviate safety concerns. Boyer also detailed some of the design elements of the project. He noted that the architecture of the transit center would include some design elements from the old Martell Railroad Depot, and may even include an exhibition on the history of the Amador Railroad. Supervisor Richard Forester inquired about the “green aspect” of the center, asking about the incorporation of solar panels and recycling facilities. Boyer responded that his firm was looking at incorporating solar panels on the Phase 2 parking facility, and that he would make sure that there was a system for recycling on site. In sum, the new transit center is budgeted at 3.2 million dollars, and if all goes well with funding, will go out to bid July 1st.

Today marks what could be a resolution to the ongoing cliffhanger decision facing the Board of Supervisors. The Board’s pending decision to approve or reject the Intergovernmental Services Agreement with the proposed Buena Vista Casino has been debated for months. After a lengthy Board Meeting last Tuesday that included hours of emotional public input, the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to postpone their decision until today while they deliberate further details in the agreement. Last Thursday, Governor Schwarzenegger “respectively declined” the County’s recent plea request for his assistance, stating in a letter that he, “stands by the amended compact entered into with the tribe.” Today’s Board meeting begins at 9 am at the County Administration Center in Jackson.

The Amador County Board of Supervisors has announced that they, and the Buena Vista Band of Me-Wuk Indians, have agreed to a 30 day extension for continued discussions, and negotiations, regarding the proposed gaming facility that the tribe wants to build on 67 acres in the Jackson Valley area, specifically on Coal Mine Rd.. Back in May the tribe released their newly completed Final Tribal Environmental Impact Report and that started a 55 day clock for the county, and the tribe, to reach a negotiated agreement regarding how the tribe will mitigate and compensate the county, and its citizens, for the impacts that the proposed Flying Cloud casino will generate. The 1314 page document, according to the report’s explanatory page, incorporates changes from the draft version of the report, including the comments that were received from the community and other municipalities in the county, region and state. The report also includes responses to those concerns by the tribe’s technical specialists. The draft report was circulated from mid January through Mid march with the tribe holding public workshops on February 16 and 17th 2007.

Yesterday the AWA held a special dedication ceremony for the completed Amador Transmission Pipeline. Many Local dignitaries attended including, Supervisors Richard Forster, Ted Novelli, Louis Boitano and Brian Oneto. Al Nunes from the City of Jackson attended, as well as Peter Tatishi from Congressman Lungren’s office, and Dana Jorgensen from Senator Cox’s office. General Manager Jim Abercrombie kicked the ceremony off at the Tanner Reservoir and began with some history regarding the project, which took 13 years in the making. The 8 mile pipeline was constructed to replace the 23 mile Amador Canal that ran throughout Amador County and that served as an important component of our water supply since 1874.

Last Thursday the AWA board of directors reviewed a request to fund up to $10,000 toward the Local Agency Formation Commission’s Municipal Service Review. LAFCO Executive Officer Roseanne Chamberlin was present to further explain to the Board what the Municipal Service Review (MSR) is. The MSR is required by the Government Code she explained and includes service reviews of agencies for whom LAFCO sets boundaries and a sphere of influence. “…because other private and government entities are also integrated in the organization of services provided by local governments, they are included in the descriptive sections of the report,” said Chamberlin.

The Jackson City Council reviewed City Planner Susan Peters’ compiled comments, both the Councils and her own, regarding the Wicklow Way project on Monday night. At a previous meeting the Council voiced their concerns regarding the close proximity of the project to the Jackson City limits and the impacts it will have on the City, in terms of traffic, public services, noise and many others. The City successfully requested for the comment period to be extended allowing another 60 days, and the opportunity for Peters to return before the City Council to review the assembled comments. Planner Peters reported that she met with the County’s Planning Director Susan Grijalva several times about the proposed project and that she was encouraged by the County’s willingness to work collaboratively with Jackson on making sure their concerns are addressed. Peters then went over the comments that would be sent to the County in regards to the project. She broke the comments into different topics with the first being Land Use Consistency.