By Alex Lane - Six truckloads of trash were removed from three locations along the Mokelumne River during the 2008 Mokelumne River Cleanup last weekend. Cosponsored by the Foothill Conservancy, New York Fitness and the East Bay Municipal Services District, the event was coordinated as part of the ongoing efforts to maintain the natural beauty of the Mokelumne river. “It was a gorgeous fall day by the river, and people worked very hard,” said Cleanup Coordinator Karen Friis, a retired teacher and Conservancy member. She added: “We’d like to thank everyone who came and donated all or part of their Saturday to clean up the Mokelumne and help our community.” The six truckloads of trash removed this year included beer and soda cans, bottles, broken glass, paper, fast-food trash, tires, car parts and batteries, large furniture items, household garbage, disposable diapers, fencing, pallets, CDs, computer accessories, clothing, and countless cigarette butts. “It’s a shame we have to do the cleanup at all. Maybe one day everyone will understand that leaving their picnic trash or dumping garbage along the river hurts fish, wildlife, water quality and other people,” said Foothill Conservancy Vice President Pete Bell. Many of the other event volunteers were folks with close ties to the river. They included kayakers, recreation enthusiasts; members of the Foothill Conservancy, Mokelumne Trailbusters, and Mother Lode Rockcrawlers; and teams from Rites of Passage in Calaveras County. They worked near Middle Bar Road, along Electra Road, and at the North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork Mokelumne crossings of State Highway 26. Bell added that there were places they still didn’t get to Saturday, saying: “ “We just ran out of time. We hope we can get back there with a crew before long.”

By Alex Lane - And now, our final report on the Propositions you’ll be seeing on the November ballot. Today we’ll discuss Proposition 12, which “would authorize 900 million in general obligation bonds for veterans to buy homes and farms, extending a program that originally started in 1921. Supporters say Prop 12, or the Cal-Vet Home Loan Program, “enables veterans to obtain low-interest rate (home) loans…without costing the taxpayer one cent.” Supporters say that “all costs of the program, including all administration costs, are paid for by veterans holding loans” and that Prop 12 will “generate thousands of housing industry-related jobs with millions of dollars in annual payroll.” Supporters include the Chairman of the Committee on Veteran Affairs and State Assemblymen. But opponents argue that claims that the program poses no cost to taxpayers are “deceptive.” To finance loans to veterans, California would sell bonds to investors. But since the interest paid to bond holders is tax-free, “state and federal taxpayers end up subsidizing the program and the homes purchased under it,” supporters say. According to the Sacramento Bee, these loans would “leave taxpayers on the hook for some $59 million in annual debt.” Opponents say that as of July of this year, there were “still about 102 million remaining from past bond issues for veterans, so there is no urgent need to pass a new bond issue.” On November 4th, you’ll have the opportunity to help decide.

By Jim Reece - The Amador Water Agency removed surcharges from all retail and wholesale water agency customers effective March 1, 2009. General Manager Jim Abercrombie said the “state raided property taxes” in July 2004, when the Governor signed the state budget. AWA replaced it with the surcharge. The budget included a property tax shift from cities, counties and special districts to the state to reduce the state’s deficit. The law took 1.3 billion dollars over two years from local governments and gave it to the state. Of that amount, 350 million dollars was to be transferred from special districts. Abercrombie said the Amador Water Agency created a surcharge to make up for the loss of income, with totaled approximately 280,000 dollars, or 1.7 percent of the AWA operating budget over a 2-year period. Michael Lee, AWA financial services manager, prepared a background report on the surcharge, and its impact on the AWA, noting that the board of directors in April 2005 reduced the fiscal year budget ending in 2005 by the amount of 47,500 dollars to help offset the property tax loss. The remaining shortfall of 232,500 was to be recovered from the surcharge, which would remain in effect until the agency recovered the lost property tax revenue. Lee said the surcharge has been in effect for all retail and wholesale water service customers since August 1st, 2005. Lee said that by August 30th, 2008, the AWA had collected all but 74,371 dollars of the 232,500-dollar goal. The agency also collected money from additional property tax valuations over the last three fiscal years. Lee said by March of 2009, the agency will have collected the entire 232,500 dollars needed to replace the lost funds and could then consider rescinding the charge without impacting the budget. Staff said the action recommended by AWA’s attorney, however, was to remove the surcharge. The item passed 5-0.

By Alex Lane - The intersection of Ridge Road and New York Ranch still proves to be a dangerous gamble for motorists. Another accident at the intersection yesterday afternoon sent two to the hospital. At a Board of Supervisors meeting on August 12th, Public Works Director Larry Petersen announced the approval of two federally funded grants that will go towards traffic safety improvements at the intersection. The improvements were supposed to consist of a new traffic signal, lengthening the existing merge lane and improving the “road profile” west of the intersection. Resident and former supervisorial candidate David Pincus said he lives right near the intersection, or at “ground zero.” He says the improvements are “long overdue.” But whether improvements have been made, accidents are still occurring, and yesterday’s head on collision was the latest example. A van and a sedan collided yesterday in the early evening hours. The van had one passenger that claims to have been on board during the fatal accident when a bus rolled over while headed for Colusa Casino October 6, 2008. Police are still investigating the accident.

By Jim Reece - The Griffin Company and the American Exchange Hotel have brought back its Haunted Hotel for another Halloween Season, with the attraction scaring visitors starting last Friday. Bridget and Lynn Griffin along with Heather and Daniel Bruen helped build the haunted hotel display, which is on the ground level floor of the Belotti’s Italian Restaurant building, in the back room area where bands often used to play. The maze of curtains includes pirates and spooks alike of various ages. Bridget and Lynn Griffin, daughters of owner Dennis Griffin, said the American Exchange Haunted Hotel will give a portion of its proceeds to the Amador County Unified School District. Chris Gannon, one of the hotel’s managers said the Griffin Company has been doing the haunted hotel for the last three years. He said it takes about 2 weeks to put together, then another week-and-a-half to disassemble afterward. The haunt employs about 20 people a night, consisting of hotel employees, family members and volunteers. Gannon said it has become an annual tradition and the organizers have a goal of surpassing last year’s attendance of about 400 people. Gannon said “it was just somebody’s wild scheme, scaring people from throughout the county,” and has come to be a benefit for the schools. He said, compared to last Friday and Saturday, “judging by the screams,” people are having a good time. The haunted hotel opened to visitors last Friday and will be open this weekend. The Griffins said they expected a large crowd on Friday night, Halloween night. The cost is 2 dollars for students and 4 dollars for adults. The American Exchange Hotel is at 53 Main Street in Sutter Creek. For information, call (209) 267-0242.

By Jim Reece - Two races for the Amador Water Agency Board of Directors heated up last week. A mailer from a political group called “Concerned Amador Property Owners” called AWA candidates Debbie Dunn of District 4 and Bill Condrashoff of District 1 “radical special interests” trying to control the Amador Water Agency Board. The mailers said “What you don't know could cost you money and control of your land.” The mailer said Dunn and Condrashoff “are or were recently affiliated with the Foothill Conservancy” and the two candidates “would limit the Amador Water Agency service area and thus cause higher water rates by pushing the Conservancy agenda to guide and/or control land use in Amador County.” The letter, sent to voters by mail and e-mail, listed information that Condrashoff countered with his own e-mail. He said he is not, and never has been a member of the Foothill Conservancy. His company has done work for them, as it has for hundreds of others. He said he was a member of Protect the Historic Amador Waterways but resigned when he started his campaign for the AWA board. Condrashoff said the group "Concerned Amador Property Owners" mailed its letters from a commercial post office box address. He said “a form filed with the Secretary of State on October 3rd names the organizers of this group, which was formed to support the three AWA incumbents and to oppose (Condrashoff) and Debbie Dunn. The organizers are Treasurer Stevan Moren of Ione; Chairman Ray Brusatori of Sutter Creek; and Chairman Marc Bowman of Pine Grove. Condrashoff said “Bowman's name was removed in an amended form filed October 21st. The Foothill Conservancy employed Dunn as a contractor from September 2007 to August 2008, but she left the job to run for office. The Conservancy’s website answers some of the claims from Moren, Brusatori and Bowman, saying it is not a “no growth” group. “We know our counties will grow over time. We want to protect agriculture, open space, scenic beauty, and wildlife habitat by focusing that growth in and around towns.” The site said the National Wild and Scenic River designation for the Mokelumne River would protect about 37 miles of the Mokelumne River for people, wildlife, and fish. It would bar new dams and diversions only on those designated sections. Wild & Scenic designation would not keep the county from using its water rights. It would not prevent the Water Agency from building or raising dams outside the designated sections, including the Lower Bear River Reservoir.

By Jim Reece - The Amador Water Agency opened bids for the Plymouth Water Pipeline Project with nine companies all undercutting the latest estimated cost and the low bid totaling a politician-pleasing 5.3 Million. Mountain Cascade offered the lowest bid for the water pipeline that would link the Tanner Water Treatment Plant on Ridge Road with the Plymouth water tank on Fiddletown Road. Mountain Cascade offered 5,299,549 dollars to finish the project. Plymouth Finance Director Jeffry Gardner looked through the Mountain Cascade bid Thursday in Plymouth City Hall, two hours after the 2 p.m. bid opening. Gardner said the bid was 3.8 Million Dollars less than the latest engineering estimate on the project, which was 9.1 Million Dollars. He said the low bid was 42 percent less than the engineers’ estimate. In part, that was because Segment 6, to be paid for entirely by the city of Plymouth, was 50 percent below estimates. Segment 1, to be paid for 76 percent by the AWA and 24 percent by Plymouth, came in at 55 percent of estimated costs. Gardner said the low bids in lean economic times had another potential bonus for ratepayers. “So we are going to try to find out if we are even going to have to do a rate increase now,” Gardner said. The Plymouth City Council got the ball rolling on the bid process by determining rate hikes in order to have a financial plan in place to finance loans for the pipeline. Gardner said that Plymouth’s share of the pipeline, with participation fees, would be about 4.5 million to 5 million dollars. The latest estimate, 9.1 million dollars, would have cost Plymouth about 6.8 million dollars and the AWA about 2 million. All bids came in under 9 Million Dollars. The highest was 8.75 Million dollar bid by McGuire and Hester. Second lowest bidder was JMB Construction at 5.8 Million. Teichert & Sons bid 6.06 Million, Veerkamp General Engineering bid 6.3 Million, T&S Construction bid 6.5 Million, and Sundt Construction bid 6.9 Million. Ranger Pipelines, builders of the Amador Pipeline, bid 7.4 million dollars and HPS Mechanical bid 7.6 Million. Two of the 11 companies that took the bid walk along the pipeline footprint between Sutter Creek and Plymouth, but did not bid. Not bidding were Granite Construction and Vinciguerra Construction. An August 28th report by the Amador Water Agency estimated the Plymouth Pipeline as an 11.5 Million Dollar project.

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 11, which would reform how the state draws legislative districts every decade. Lawmakers currently have the power to draw their own districts - a method criticized by many because it can be used to ensure that incumbents are reelected and the status quo is maintained. “There is a serious conflict of interest when legislators are allowed to…divide up neighborhoods and communities to create districts where they are virtually guaranteed reelection,” say the Prop’s supporters. Prop 11 would establish an independent citizen’s commission made up of different political affiliations to draw districts under uniform standards. Supporters of the Prop include the League of Women Voters, the California Taxpayer’s Association and The Sacramento Bee. Supporters say that on the “no side of this measure are politicians, political insiders, and political party elites…who will do and say almost anything to stop change.” But opponents call Prop 11 “another nonsensical scheme” that “undermines democracy” because it gives the “entire state to a 14-member redistricting commission.” Opponents say “Prop 11 doesn’t keep politicians out of redistricting- it just lets them hide behind a tangled web of bureaucrats picked for their political ties.” Opponents, who include the California Federation of Teachers and the Fair Political Practices Commission, believe that because 10 of the 14 commission seats could be “partisan members of the two biggest political parties, infighting will be encouraged and few decisions will be made. On November 4th, you’ll have the opportunity to help decide

By Alex Lane - As one might expect in our current economic climate, the local statistics on foreclosures are looking grim. There were more than 7,700 new foreclosures in 2008 in the eight-county Sacramento region, which includes Amador, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties. That brings the 2008 tally to more than 19,000. Since the beginning of January 2007, more than 29,000 capital-area households that have been displaced by foreclosure. Statewide, the epidemic has reached 79,511 foreclosures in the third quarter. That's more than 190,000 the first nine months of this year - and nearly 275,000 since the beginning of 2007. According to Amador County Assessor Jim Rooney, Amador County hasn’t been hit as hard as some of the surrounding counties and Sacramento. “However, the foreclosures we do see happening are being sold at very low prices, and they are affecting property values as a result,” he said. Rooney said this causes a chain reaction, where values affect assessments, which in turn affect the county as a whole. But Rooney believes that on the upside, this is an ideal time and opportunity for low-income buyers to get a piece of the market.

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.