By Alex Lane - Amador County Director of Animal Control John Vail is refuting rumors that a “wild pit bull” is on the loose in the area surrounding Irish Town Road. Back on October 14th, a pit bull found its way into a pen containing goats and sheep. The owner of the goats called Animal Control, who sent an officer to the scene. The officer found one goat dead and another severely distressed. The pit bull was taken into immediate custody by Animal Control, only to be claimed shortly thereafter by its owner. According to Vail, “the dog’s owner and the owner of the goats and sheep turned out to be living on the same property.” As much as Animal Control wants to contain any animal that could be a potential hazard to others, it cannot do so when that incident is contained on one piece of private property, he said. The owner of the goats decided not to press charges against the owner of the pit bull.

Shenandoah Valley Vineyard owner Ken Deaver was moved to the front of the Amador County Planning Commission agenda Tuesday evening, where the Commission voted 3-2 to approve a building permit at his vineyard. The Commission rethought a July 8th decision to deny Deaver’s request for a boundary line adjustment that would allow one single family dwelling and two farm labor quarters on a 42-acre parcel located at Deaver Vineyard off of Shenandoah Road. Deaver has already constructed one mobile unit intended for farm laborer housing on the property, but had yet to obtain a permit from the County. The Planning Commission originally denied the request for a permit on the grounds that the boundary adjustment would exceed the total number of farm labor quarters allowed under the County Housing Ordinance, which was passed in 2005. On August 19th, the Board of Supervisors was scheduled to hear Deaver’s appeal. Because of new information obtained on the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s 2007 conditions for farm labor units, the Board sent the matter back to the Planning Commission for reconsideration. At Tuesday’s meeting, the issue of the boundary adjustment was settled in Deaver’s favor, in light of the Housing Ordinance’s incompatibility with HCD conditions. But an interpretive question remained on whether the County should issue a Conditional Use Permit, or a Ministerial “over-the-counter” permit. Commissioner Ray Ryan argued that HCD’s conditions were meant to ease restrictions on farm labor housing, and that the permit should be ministerial. Commission Chair Andy Byrne debated Ryan, taking the position that the county should be able to issue a conditional use permit in order to insure proper land use. Byrne also worried about setting a precedent for future housing policy. In the end, the Commission voted 3-2 to issue a ministerial permit, with the stipulation that the decision be specific to this application only. Deaver also will be reimbursed for fees associated with the process.

By Holly Boitano - The City of Sutter Creek is back in business! Last week, the ‘Sutter Creek City Limits’ sign at the northern end of town was replaced after being down for an entire week. According to a member of Sutter Creek Public Works, the sign was refurbished with new letters by Skunk Hollow Sign Company. The letters on the old sign were becoming faded with age, and the City's population number had not been updated for quite some time. "It was just time," said the worker, in regards to the restoration. Sutter Creek residents can now breathe a sigh of relief, as the missing sign was the source of many speculative rumors in the last two weeks.

By the same 3-2 vote, the council approved a 5 percent raise in salary for City Manager Kim Kerr. Ulm asked if she had not already received a raise and Kerr affirmed that, saying by contract she received a 3 percent raise in October 2007 to mirror the raises of the Service International Employees Union employees at the city. The 6,200 dollar pay increase raised Kerr’s annual salary to 129,780 dollars. Ard said he considered the raise a reward for the finest city managing in Ione city history. “Ione is well managed and in good shape financially,” Ard said. Bonham agreed, saying that she had been on the council four years and Kerr had accomplished more in one year than the city had accomplished in all of the other three years.

An alleged drunk driver sparked havoc across Amador County Sunday afternoon after weaving through traffic before finally wrecking her vehicle in a front yard on Ridge Road. California Highway Patrol Officers first picked up a muddled report that a white van was driving erratically on Highway 88 between Ione and Jackson. A CHP officer headed in that direction, spotted the car heading in the opposite direction on Ridge Road, and made a u-turn in an attempt to catch up with the vehicle. The officer indicated that the driver was driving so fast and taking such chances passing other vehicles that he could not safely catch up to the van. Soon, however, a report of a white auto rollover on Ridge Road near New York Ranch road would prove to be his original suspect. The female had lost control on a curve and rolled several times into the yard of a home on Ridge Road. She was injured seriously enough to require a helicopter ride to an area hospital. Initial tests indicated that she had been drinking, but a blood analysis will be done to confirm her exact intoxication level. Shaken witnesses at the scene indicated that the woman was driving erratically and had several near-misses with other vehicles. According to one witness, “She seemed to be driving in a total reckless manner with no regard to other drivers on the roadway.”

Local Boy and Cub Scouts are gearing up for their annual Emergency Preparedness Fall Camporee. The event, which is much more than just a campout, will feature demonstrations by multiple local agencies, including the Jackson and Ione Fire Departments, CHP, Amador Sheriff, Office of Emergency Services, Cal Fire, and Civil Air Patrol. Collectively, these and other agencies will be putting on a Midway Display Saturday afternoon, which will include emergency vehicles and helicopters, and is open to the public. Scouts of all ages will have the opportunity to learn about emergency preparedness. Boy Scouts, who are typically in grades 6 through 12, can earn an Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge by completing a series of requirements before and during the event. Cub Scouts, who are typically in grades 1 through 5, can earn the Emergency Preparedness BSA Award, which includes a pin, pocket card, and certificate. This award is available to all Scouts, as well as Adult Volunteers, and Venture Scouts, who are boys and girls age 14 to 20. All participants will learn how to respond to a myriad of emergencies, including saving someone in danger. The scenarios include rescuing or attending to someone who has touched a live electrical wire, or whose clothes have caught fire, or who is drowning, as well as many other situations. The boys will be required to chart their responses to each emergency, using the aspects of Recognition, Prevention and Reaction. Additionally, the Scouts will learn about the variety of emergency services available from local agencies. Besides all this hard work, the kids can participate in a Dutch oven bake-off, a Pioneering competition, and a Scout Spirit Competition. The event will also include a Saturday night campfire program and show, as well as an awards ceremony. The Fall Camporee will be held at Howard Park in Ione, September 26th through the 28th. The deadline for Scouts to sign up is September 16th. The Midway Display on Saturday is from 3 to 5 PM and is free and open to the public. For more information call Dick McCleery at (209) 274-4188, or Jim Whitaker at (209) 296-7776.

Amador County - The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a new rate adjustment methodology for each of the two Amador County waste haulers. “Due to numerous requests for rate changes, and due to dynamic forces affecting the economics of garbage collection and the disposal businesses, the rate adjustment requests were getting hard to keep consistent,” said Solid Waste Program Manager Jim McHargue. As a result, an Ad Hoc Committee was convened to develop a systematic method to analyze haulers’ rate requests. The result was a new Rate Adjustment Methodology, or RAM. The RAM is a complex hybrid model for the next four years. The first year will be cost-based and the following three years will be index based, consisting of five separate indices: labor, vehicle maintenance, vehicle replacement and diesel fuel. Fuel became the main topic of conversation during the presentation. Supervisor Boitano questioned whether the model was feasible when considering the unpredictable cost of fuel. According to Public Works Director Larry Petersen, the program effectively factors in the cost of fuel increases and decreases. Paul Molinelli of ACES Waste Management said he was satisfied with the methodology. A motion to approve the new rate plan carried 5-0. The schedule to apply for annual rate adjustments requires the hauler to provide the detailed and index rate applications no later than March 15th. The new rates will become effective July 1st, 2009. Story by Alex Lane (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Amador County - Protesters against Proposition 8, which would ban gay-marriage in California, created quite a stir off Highway 49 in Jackson Monday morning. Five high school students from Amador High School enthusiastically jumped up and down as some passing motorists honked their horns. Earlier in the morning, a number of male demonstrators in favor of the proposed constitutional ban were demonstrating in the same spot. But, according to business owner Kam Merzlak, whose store sits adjacent to the demonstrations, “the No on 8 supporters were getting a lot more recognition and response from the passing motorists.” “We have friends who want the same rights as we have,” said one student when asked to explain his motivation for demonstrating. Voters across California will decide on this controversial issue today, November 4th. Story by Alex Lane (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

By Jim Reece - Sticking points for a purchase agreement of the Knight Foundry by the City of Sutter Creek were not stalled on the purchase price last week, heading into a Friday deadline on negotiations. Both sides agree to a 1.3 Million-Dollar purchase price of the 136-year-old water powered Industrial Age relic. But owner Richard Lyman and the Sutter Creek City Council were at odds over the terms of the purchase – escrow, grants, getting the funding the city needs to make the purchase. Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe said the two sides had agreed on the 1.3 million dollar purchase price but were haggling on the details. The City Council gave a “last and final offer” in September, which Lyman followed with a counter-offer earlier this month. “Rabe said the “city basically counter offered his counter offer with another final offer.” The issue, Rabe said, is that the city does not have enough money in the general fund to pay for the Knight Foundry. The city has won a California Cultural and Historical Endowment grant for 580,000 dollars, to put toward the purchase of the foundry. The city also applied for a 692,000-dollar grant from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and awaits a decision on the grant award, expected in March. Rabe said between both of the grants, the city could basically have enough money to make the 1.3 million dollar purchase. Part of the agreement negotiations with Richard Lyman is that the city does not want to formally commit to the foundry’s purchase until the city knows that it has gotten that other grant. Rabe said he expected a reply by 5 p.m. Friday from Lyman and would know today what was the outcome of the negotiations. The Sutter Creek City Council negotiated the purchase details in a closed session last Monday night at the end of the city council regular meeting.

By Alex Lane - And now, our continuing report on the Propositions you’ll be deciding on in the November ballot. Today we’ll discuss Proposition 9, which would amend the constitution to require that crime victims be notified and have input on phases of the criminal justice process, including bail, pleas, sentencing and parole. Prop 9 sees strong support from victim’s rights groups, including Justice for Homicide Victims, Justice for Murdered Children and The National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children. Supporters say Prop 9 “levels the playing field.” “California’s Constitution guarantees rights for rapists, murderers, child molesters, and dangerous criminals…Prop 9 guarantees crime victims the right to justice and due process.” Proponents say Prop 9 would mandate that crime victims be notified if their offender is released, would allow parole judges to increase the number of years between parole hearings, and prevents politicians from releasing dangerous inmates to alleviate prison overcrowding, among other stipulations. But opponents say Prop 9 will “cost taxpayers billions” and “preys on our emotions in order to rewrite the State Constitution and change the way California manages its prisons and jails, threatening to worsen our overcrowding crisis at both the state and local levels.” Opponents believe that “taking money out of a cash-strapped budget to pay for an unnecessary initiative could mean cuts to every other priority of Government.” On November 4th, you’ll have the opportunity to help decide.