Amador County – The Jackson City Council heard a report Monday that it may once again receive funding from the Jackson Rancheria Casino. After discussing city budget woes, City Manager Mike Daly said he had “good news: The Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund is back, after one year, after a slip of the blue pen by Mr. Schwarzenegger.” Daly recommended reviewing project ideas for the grant funding, with the application due to be submitted next Wednesday (February 18th) to the Indian Gaming Local Community Benefit Committee. That committee includes elected officials from cities within four miles of the casino, along with two members each from the board of supervisors and from the casino. The committee includes Mayor Connie Gonsalves and Vice Mayor Wayne Garibaldi of Jackson, Mayor Gary Wooten of Sutter Creek and Supervisors Richard Forster of District 2 and John Plasse of District 1. The Jackson Rancheria’s Rich Hoffman and Bo Marks round out the committee, which Daly said “has agreed to use the same application and review process used two years ago,” the last time funds were allocated. The amount to be shared with the communities will be $616,826 – the same amount total shared in 2007. Jackson Police Chief Scott Morrison said one project he would like to see paid for with the funding would be to outfit a vehicle for a new police dog, recently flown into Jackson from Germany. He said the dog will be handled by Reserve Officer Al Lewis, a recent retiree from the Bay Area. The vehicle would be outfitted with a special protective cage to keep the dog and passersby safe. It would also have an alarm to warn the handler of harmful conditions within the vehicle. Garibaldi suggested parking and road improvement since the Rancheria has directed all of its traffic to enter the Rancheria via Highway 88 and Dalton Way. Gonsalves asked about funding for programs about related crime. Morrison said since that was last mentioned, he has received “boxes and boxes of free literature” for that purpose and his department is going through it. Daly said “the funds are there for mitigating impacts in the community,” while the state keeps other funds for programs such as Gamblers Anonymous. Garibaldi said this could be the last year for the funding, due to “sunset laws.” Story by Jim Reece (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Amador County – The Amador Regional Planning Committee discussed potential projects for the upcoming year last week, hearing about water, wastewater, finances and regional solutions as possibilities. The committee met in Sutter Creek and Chairman Tim Murphy read an e-mailed suggestion from Krista Clem, whose husband, John O’Sullivan is developing two housing projects in Amador County. Clem suggested the committee look at and study being a part of the regional wastewater treatment plant. Ione Councilwoman Andrea Bonham said she thought that was a good idea, and she suggested that at a future meeting, each member give local updates on water and wastewater developments in the cities and the county. Bonham said “I’m not sure all of us understand what all of us already have.” Jackson City Manager Mike Daly, in attendance, said he thought the committee should have the Amador Water Agency attend to tell about the substantial work it has done for supplying water. Sutter Creek Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe (RuhBay) said the committee might want to divide the programs to have separate presentations on water and wastewater, given the likely extensive presentations that could ensue. Murphy said the wastewater meeting would have members “probably end up talking about a recycled water plant.” Bonham suggested that the members give presentations on or talk about information on economic stimulus funding or grant resources, in an effort to help generate information for the committee members and help with finances across the county. Jackson Mayor Connie Gonsalves agreed and suggested that because of trying economic times, the committee members give financial updates in March to tell what cities and the county are doing to cope with the recession, and what areas they are doing work. Murphy agreed and said that would be a good presentation topic for the Regional Planning Committee’s next meeting, March 4 in Sutter Creek. Story by Jim Reece (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Amador County – District Attorney Todd Reibe announced the arrest of Joseph Robert Maita, employee of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione. Maita, 49, of Ione, was arrested on November 25, following a seven-month criminal investigation. A felony complaint has been filed in Amador Superior Court alleging multiple counts of insurance fraud. The investigation indicates that Maita filed a workers compensation claim in March 2008 alleging a knee injury while working at Mule Creek Prison. Maita was allowed to take time off from work and began receiving workers’ compensation benefits and treatment. The investigation alleges Maita forged a medical document in order to extend his time off from work and continue to receive benefits. The case was investigated by the CDCR Office of Internal Affairs, the Workers Compensation Fraud Impact Team and investigators from the Amador County District Attorney’s Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit. The unit investigates insurance fraud cases in Amador, Placer and Calaveras counties through a grant provided by the California Department of Insurance. Staff Report (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Amador County - For the first time in decades, several local fisheries will not be stocked as part of a lawsuit brought forth by two environmental groups. Lake Amador and several fisheries in neighboring El Dorado County are among 200 California lakes and streams where trout plants from the Department of Fish and Game will be suspended until early 2010, when a comprehensive study on its stocking program will be completed. The action is intended to protect over 25 rare native fish and frog species. Sacramento Superior Court Judge Patrick Marlette was convinced by lawsuit backers - the Center for Biological Diversity and the Pacific Rivers Council - that scientific studies prove that fish stocking has a negative impact on existing species. The Kern River, where trout did not historically live above 7,000 feet, is one local example of the impact. The mountain yellow-legged frog was once the areas most common vertebra, but now occupies only a fraction of the range’s 4000 lakes.

Local popular trout fisheries impacted by the settlement include the Truckee River and the Kern River. Lake Kaweah and Lake Isabella will still be stocked. Lake Amador will not be stocked by the Department of Fish and Game, although they do have their own private trout planting program. According to Roland Knapp, research biologist at UC Santa Barbara's Sierra Nevada Research Laboratory in Mammoth Lakes, fish feed on frogs and tadpoles and play a greater role in species decline than disease and pesticides. Traditionally, stocking in California has been random without consideration for impacts on native species. Fishermen and businesses dependent on their business have been critical of the decision, fearing the financial impact this could have on fishing communities. Fish and Game officials said that while necessary and overdue, the ban could be unwarranted in certain waters. Although the stocking suspension will mean a major decline in trout population, Fish and Game said fish will still be available for the catch, just at a lower rate. Story by Alex Lane (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Amador County - Sheldon D. Johnson, Amador County Registrar of Voters, announced this week that the canvass for the November 4, 2008 General Election is currently underway and there are approximately 1,142 vote by mail ballots and 261 provisional ballots left to process during the canvass. Johnson also announced that the mandatory 1% manual tally started at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 in Conference Room E located on the 2nd floor of the Administration Center at 810 Court Street, Jackson, CA. The official canvass must be completed no later than December 2, 2008 and the entire process is open to the public. Staff Report (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

By Jim Reece - The Plymouth City Council meets Thursday. Among the council’s agenda items, City Manager Dixon Flynn is seeking council approval to take requests for proposals from law firms to select a qualified attorney for the city’s attorney services. At the council’s last meeting, Shasta Green, attorney for the city through attorney Mike Dean’s office, sought an audience with the council regarding payment for services. Green requested that the meeting be forwarded to a closed-session meeting with the council, because of the confidential nature of the subject matter. Also on Thursday’s agenda, in closed session, is a public employee performance evaluation, with council evaluating the job of city attorney, as handled by Dean’s firm. In regular session, the council will also consider Granting two Easements to the Amador Water Agency for the Plymouth Pipeline prior to the award of the construction contract for the pipeline. The council may also discuss appointment of Paula Daneluk to represent the city as an official voter at the League of California Cities 2008 Annual Conference Resolution. The council will review proposed Resolutions for the 2008 conference. Daneluk is Plymouth ’s Community Development Director. The council will also discuss Garbage Can and Dumpsters on City Streets and talk about placing a Credit card and Debit card machine in City Hall, so that city residents can pay their water and sewer bills with credit or debit cards.

Via News Release - The Foothill Conservancy this week announced the election of two new members to its board of directors. Charles R. "Bob" Leitzell of Mokelumne Hill and Dan Port of Ione were elected to the Foothill Conservancy Board of Directors last Thursday. They will serve two-year terms as directors of the local nonprofit conservation organization. Two incumbent Conservancy directors, founding members Pete Bell and Katherine Evatt of Volcano, were reelected to the board. Chris Wright, Conservancy executive director announced the elections in a news release last week. Leitzell is a self-employed consulting traffic engineer and the retired public works director of Calaveras County. Port is a farmer and rancher active in local agricultural land protection and conservation. He owns Winterport Farm outside Ione with his wife, Susan. Port is president of the Mother Lode Land Trust, a director of the Amador Resource Conservation District, and a member of the Amador County Agricultural Advisory Committee. He is a member of the Farm Bureau and a founding director and member of the Community Alliance with Family Farmers. Bell is current Foothill Conservancy vice-president. He is a self-employed sound engineer and hydroelectric relicensing consultant. Evatt is current president of Foothill Conservancy. She recently retired as marketing publications manager for CalSTRS. The newly elected Conservancy directors join the other Foothill Conservancy directors, Susan Bragstad of Amador City, Pamela Hill of Mokelumne Hill, Jane O'Riordan of Fiddletown, Gwen Starrett of Plymouth and Laurie Webb of Sutter Creek. The Conservancy's departing directors are Jerry Cassesi of Jackson Valley and Rick Torgerson of West Point.

Since when does a boat take a road trip? Last Thursday, motorists heading West on Highway 88 through downtown Jackson were surprised to find themselves behind a very unusual site on the highway – a very seaworthy traffic jam – a 32-ton Boat making its way from the East Coast to the Port of Stockton. With an escort of 3 California Highway Patrol vehicles, and two pilot cars, traffic jammed up last week on Amador County’s Highway 88 behind a huge boat called an Ocean Rocket. According to the driver of the truck, the boat is 75 feet long and 20 feet wide and weighs 64,000 pounds. The pilot car driver said that they had left New Jersey more than a month ago and traveled across the United States to deliver the boat to the Port of Stockton. Based on the manufacturer’s website, it seems that Stockton may soon have one heck of a boat ride. For information online, see www.oceanrockets.com.

The Plymouth City Council voted 4-0 Thursday to renew its membership with the Amador County Recreation Agency at a cost of 5 dollars per capita. ACRA Executive Director Tracey Towner-Yep addressed the board in the request to renew, saying her 10-member board of directors included Vice Mayor Patricia Fordyce, presiding over the meeting in Mayor Jon Colburn’s absence. Towner-Yep said ACRA tries to “provide choices in the realm of recreation where there were none before.” She said ACRA is going out and earning money, getting grants and going after money. “I think this is the best 5 dollars per person that you can spend in the county,” Towner-Yep said. She commended Councilman Greg Baldwin on his backing of the county ski bus to Kirkwood last winter and she said ACRA is planning to sponsor the ski bus next year. Baldwin asked if ACRA, which runs the Plymouth pool at the fairgrounds, could keep the pool open another month on weekends. Towner-Yep said that will be done, with arrangement with City Manager Dixon Flynn. Plymouth will pay 5,165 dollars based on per capita numbers, for its annual ACRA membership. The council also appointed Community Development Director Paula Daneluk as the city council’s designated voter at the upcoming League of California Cities Annual Conference at the end of the September in Long Beach. City attorney Heather Kenny wrote up a resolution for the designation to be made so that the city could vote on the conference’s issues. Kenny said that council members could and should advise Daneluk on how they wish she would vote on issues, but they should do so in an open session.

In Sutter Creek last week, the City Council and Planning Commission held a second public workshop to discuss the provisions of the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed Gold Rush Ranch and Golf Resort. The City’s review process for the project’s Draft Environmental documents, which began with the release of the DEIR on the first of July, has been encountering difficulties in keeping officials updated on a constantly changing array of documents. The architects of the DEIR, Hauge Brueck Associates, have updated the project’s documents with city official’s comments, additions, and omissions after each of four lengthy city meetings held on Gold Rush in the past month and a half. Officials are then presented with a new set of altered documents for each meeting, and have found it hard to keep up. The meeting last Wednesday was no exception; council members and commissioners were provided with four extra packets of updated information after receiving their initial agenda packet, and the first part of the meeting was spent straightening out exactly what information belonged where, and making sure everyone was on the same page. “With all due respect, this is very confusing to us. You all live and breathe this project, but we have other stuff going on, and I…am having a hard time keeping track of the details,” said Planning Commissioner Robin Peters in reference to the affect that this (VIDEO) communication overflow is having on city administrators, as well as members of the public. In addition to difficulties with the paper tiger, project administrators also faced a somewhat larger presence of local activist groups at Wednesday’s workshop than at previous meetings on Gold Rush. Kathy Allen, chairwoman for Amador Citizens for Smart Growth, questioned the absence of several Specific Studies in the DEIR that were used to formulate the analysis of biological site conditions. Chris Wright, Executive Director of the Foothill Conservancy, also spoke at the meeting. Wright stated that according to his group’s calculations, the Gold Rush Development will actually diminish the waste water disposal capacity of the site. The primary initial reason for the city’s acquisition of the property was to provide space for the disposal of treated waste water. The next public workshop has been rescheduled for September 2nd, at 6pm. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.