Amador County Recreation Agency Director Tracey Towner-Yep presented an annual report and request for funding to the Board of Supervisors during Tuesday’s meeting. The fast-growing local agency has been prolific in its efforts to provide parkland and recreation opportunities for the citizens of Amador to enjoy. An enthusiastic Towner-Yep presented the agency’s accomplishments through a power point presentation. “You’re the lion’s share of our membership contributions,” she said in reference to the Supervisors. “As our budget grows, it’s on me and our agency to garner funds from other places, but I’ve never been more willing to ask anybody for money in my life until after I got this job,” she said.

ACRA came to fruition in 2004 after years of banter between County officials and staff over the need for an agency that would control and regulate the county’s recreation services. Since 2004, ACRA has grown rapidly, acquiring more than 100 acres of parkland, including the recent acquisition of Mollie Joyce Park in Pine Grove. Tuesday’s request to the Board of Supervisors was to cover the funding for all the unincorporated areas of the county, or 64 percent. As outlined in the proposal, the rest of the funds will come from each of Amador County’s cities and will equal out to about 5 dollars per person. Towner-Yep was quick to point out that “since 2003 until now we have gone after more and more outside funding so we aren’t completely tied to (the Board’s) membership contributions.” Towner-Yep says the funds will go towards expanding ACRA’s services to the community and maintaining full-time and part-time staff members. The Board was equally enthusiastic and receptive to Towner-Yep’s proposal. But Supervisor Forster warned Towner-Yep against expanding the agency too fast and “empire building.” Towner-Yep heeded his suggestion. The proposal to approve funding for ACRA for the upcoming fiscal year was approved unanimously by the Board members.

Amador County’s Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCO, has finalized the county’s Municipal Services Review, or MSR. Copies of that document are now available to the public. You can either pick up a free CD at the Planning Department counter at 810 Court Street in Jackson, or if you would like a printed color copy, they are available in binder form, but due to the high cost of printing and the large size of the document, the cost is 48 dollars. You can also download the document for free at www.co.amador.ca.us/lafco/. Due to a government legislative mandate,

LAFCO must review and update the county’s sphere of influence not less than once every five years. As part of that process, the commission must conduct an MSR, which provides detailed information on the county’s municipal services. Specifically, the review includes information on Amador’s residential and commercial growth and development, employment growth, fire and EMS providers, and water and wastewater services. Roseanne Chamberlain, Executive Officer of LAFCO, calls the MSR “an encyclopedia of local government agencies in Amador County.” The commission will hold a public hearing on the document at their next meeting on July 31st at 7PM at 810 Court Street, in the Board of Supervisors Chambers.

In times of economic hardship, it is the sign of a great community to bind together and provide support for its own. That is the impetus behind a new community dinner program put out by the citizens who run the Upcountry Community Center in Pine Grove. The meal takes place on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month is sponsored by a host of local businesses, including Sanghera’s Market, IGA Market, the Up Country Rotary and various community members. “At a time where the economy is stretching everyone’s wallet thin, this may be the best deal around,” said resident Bill Lavallie, who attended the meal last week and photographed the happy eaters. The menu is put together by Tonya Johns, who, along six other volunteers, prepares the food and serves it at the UCC center. There is a suggested donation of $3.00 per person or $12.00 for families of four or more, but according to a volunteer named Ruthella, the “donation” is optional. The UCC only asks that you RSVP so they know how much food to provide. The UCC is justly putting the “community” in Up Country Community Center with this great deal and opportunity to sit down and have a meal with your neighbors. 

The Ione Planning Commission also held a public workshop on the City of Ione’s zoning code. City staff is currently working on streamlining the zoning code document and will begin to scour over the pages to correct any discrepancies, according to City Planner Christopher Jordan. “This zoning code update ties in well with the (County’s) general plan update,” said Jordan. A number of questions were raised and answered during the workshop, including ‘What is the zoning code?’; ‘What do the zoning code policy guidelines mean?’; and ‘What are the next steps to be taken?’. The zoning code is a primary tool in land use planning, and is utilized for regulation and prescription regarding allowed uses in the designated areas. It is also universally applied and comprehensive. The method currently utilized by the City of Ione is Euclidean which allows both building block zoning and conventional zoning, and is the most prevalent type of zoning code used in the United States. The city’s current code has been described as lengthy and complicated.

According to Jordan, the updated version will include both tables and graphics that are more concise and easier to use. Chairman Plank stated that, “although this is a good start, there are a lot of items we (the commission) want to take another look at.” Councilman Joe Wylie was skeptical, referring to the latest round of updates as “just another layer”. During public comment, Ione resident Agynes Clay expressed skepticism in regards to the new plans. “I heard a lot of dreams here tonight. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but Ione is a ghost town.” She continued by saying “we need to focus on bringing people in. I am a business owner. I have been in the same spot for the past 4 years and today I made 7 dollars.” The planning commission will hold hearings on the updated zoning code in November and December of this year.

Ione City Council once again postponed a proposed rate approval of the cost per gallon for sewer treatment. Concerns arose regarding the ordinance and the confusing nature of its language, so a fee study was also requested. The last fee study done for the City in regards to this project was back in 2004, and according to City Manager Kim Kerr, “it is in need of an update in the future.” This item will be back for consideration on a future agenda. Ione also approved changes to the Development Agreement with JTS company, developers of the Castle Oaks property.

Council members Sherman and Ulm were both specifically opposed to the sewer connection fees designed to be set regulations for the next 10 years. Councilman Ulm claimed it would be a “windfall to the city” to raise safety fees for new residents of Castle Oaks. The original Development Agreement held the fees paid by new residents set at 3 hundred dollars; however, the new agreement sets the fees at 5 hundred dollars. Councilman Sherman is not opposed to allocating more money for police and fire, although he dislikes what he calls a,“three tier tax bracket in the City and raising taxes unfairly.” He supplemented his answer by stating that “some of the residents of Ione will be paying 5 hundred dollars monthly, some will be paying 3 hundred dollars monthly, and some will be paying nothing. Everyone should pay a fair share.” The Council generally agreed that new development brings new problems which need to be addressed, and that the need for more funds is directly linked to the new residents- so they should front some of those costs. 

Amador County’s budget situation is in better shape than many of its neighbors, but special considerations must be made ahead of time to ensure it remains stable in the future, according to County Administrative Officer Terri Daly. In a presentation to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday, Daly sought the Board’s approval on a proposal for a new Early Retirement Incentive Program designed to “reward longevity and loyalty to the County.” “We prefer options that are voluntary. We still have choices. Having no choices means mandatory layoffs,” said Daly.

Amador County faces serious concerns when it comes to its budget, but has yet to face catastrophic cuts or dig into  emergency savings like Sacramento County. Board members agreed with Daly that Amador County must put programs in place that will anticipate the impact of statewide cuts to vital local services. “We have to be proactive, we’re looking at cuts to social services and mental health,” said Supervisor Forster. According to Daly, the County’s proposed budget in the coming year is in excess of 3 million dollars out of balance. The County must consider future expenses like its investment in a new location for the County Jail and a landfill closure.

One bright note is that Amador County still has 27 million dollars in emergency reserves which has not been tapped.County employees who volunteer for early retirement would receive 1000 dollars for every year they have been with the County. The money would go tax free into a savings account. As long as that money is being used for health related reasons, it can be withdrawn tax-free. The program includes a contingency fund built into the budget each year to generate an estimated 1.3 to 1.4 million dollars. “We’re balancing the budget using the worst case scenario,” said Daly. The Board approved the concept of the proposal. Daly and staff will continue to revise the proposal’s language and make another presentation at a future Board meeting. The proposed early retirement incentive program is a volunteer furlough program.

Another controversial discussion at the Amador County Planning Commission on Tuesday centered around an amendment to the County Zoning Code that would establish a design review process and associated standards for development projects. Amador County Planner Nathan Lishman has spearheaded this project, which will establish architectural standards for new buildings in Amador County, in order to avoid “big box development.” The discussion revolved around the issue of whether it is too costly for developers for the County to impose design standards on buildings. Developer and local business owner Jerry Wright took the stand to oppose the standards. “You guys are driving the county into the ground,” he stated. “I have been driving up here for years. Plymouth is a slum that is not changing. Thank God the Indians are coming in to clean the place up, because there aren’t too many nice places here, and everyone wants to keep it the same.”

Local developer Leroy Carlin also spoke against the standards, stating “this is too burdensome for developers, it adds a lot to the cost.” The planning commissioners, however, defended the project. “I invite everyone to read this document before you stand here and criticize us all. I am very pro property rights, as a fiscal conservative, but I like what I have seen as a result of Folsom’s design review,” stated commissioner John Gonsalves. Commissioner Ray Ryan expressed his support for a design review committee, stating, “the committee has to be balanced. It is going to be made of developers and people who know what is going on. We don’t want to look around and see a square box on the corner, it devalues the land.” At the end of the discussion, the Planning Commission decided to continue the topic to their August 12th meeting, and directed staff to research more about other cities’ design review committees, and appeals processes.

Twenty-three people were injured late Friday evening when a swing ride at the Jumping Frog Jubilee at the Calaveras fair grounds collapsed at nearly full speed. Witnesses on the scene said the giant Yo-yo swing ride was at full capacity when it malfunctioned at nearly full speed and collapsed, sending riders tumbling some 25 feet to the ground. At least 2 air ambulances as well as several ground ambulances were requested to land at the Frog Town location.  “We think the main motor shaft just collapsed in the middle of the ride,” said one fair vendor. “We were afraid the ride would collapse on top of people. Folks were screaming, it was complete chaos.”

According to a Stockton news source, the Yo-Yo ride at the fairgrounds near New Melones Lake and Columbia State Parkchain that swing outward as the ride picks up speed. The arms rise and fall as they spin around a center pole, putting the seats horizontal to the ground. A Calaveras County sheriff's spokesman said three people were severely injured and another 20 fairgoers suffered lesser injuries. Most of the riders were children, and all suffered some form of injury. The three most seriously injured riders, a woman and two girls, were airlifted to three different hospitals. The fair's carnival area was immediately closed, though other fair attractions remained open. The carnival section was expected to remain closed until at least Saturday. Calaveras sheriff's investigators along with Cal-OSHA inspectors were expected to look over the ride for a possible cause of the collapse. The ride was operated at the fair by the company Midway of Fun, based in Oroville. has metal arms, each with a seat at the end attached by a

21 Northern California dairy producers seeking a new buyer for their milk after their contract was terminated by Crystal Cream & Butter Company may have relief in sight. Crystal has been a major employer in Amador County and was one of the first major dairy distributors here. A short- term deal has been proposed with Hilmar Cheese Company of Ripon for the purchase of milk from farmers whose contracts with Crystal Cream and Butter Company will be terminated on June 30, following the sale of Crystal last year in Sacramento. The Crystal brand was initially purchased last May by HP Hood LLC, a dairy company based in Massachusetts. Then in October, HP Hood turned around and sold Crystal to Foster Farms Dairy of Modesto. In December, Crystal’s milk suppliers were notified that their contracts would terminate this June.

The deal with Hilmar Cheese Company, the world’s largest single-site cheese and whey products manufacturing operation, would offer a short term fix for the dairy producers, many of whom have been providing milk to Crystal for over 40 years. The deal would begin July 1st and would last 6 months until December 31st, and offers a temporary answer for the producers, who have been anxiously seeking a solution to the situation.  "I applaud Hilmar Cheese's ownership for making room for these folks who were in a very difficult situation," said Western United Dairymen Chief Executive Officer Michael Marsh. Milk and Cream is California’s top commodity, and 2007 was a record year for the industry with total revenue of $7.33 billion, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Many view the major problem facing California’s dairy industry to be the lack of processing facilities within the state. Much of California’s unprocessed Milk is sent out of state, a costly endeavor for smaller companies who face a lack of processing capacity and a simultaneous surge in feed costs.

The Amador Citizens for Responsible Government and Amador County Association of Realtors will be hosting an Amador County Supervisor Candidates Forum, with all new candidates and incumbents scheduled to attend. Six candidates are vying for 2 district seats. District 4 candidate David Pincus is up against incumbent Louis Boitano. Rosalie Pryor Escamilla, Ken Berry, John Gonsalves and John Plasse are all competing for the District 1 seat, soon to be vacated by current Supervisor Rich Escamilla. Ledger Dispatch Publisher Jack Mitchell will moderate, asking prepared questions sequentially and in a randomly determined order. The forum takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, May 12 at the Board of Supervisors chambers in Jackson.