Amador County – Amador Water Agency staff took its board of directors through the intricacies of running a wastewater agency with small systems built around septic tanks and community leach fields. But the inevitable bad news Thursday morning was that the staff may have to eventually recommend wastewater rate hikes. Operations Manager Chris McKeage said the agency was entering the fourth – and most expensive – stage of state and federal regulations that have been under implementation since 2006. Other stages have been undertaken, said Engineering Manger Gene Mancebo, but the detail of the fourth stage leaves the agency wondering whether it will have the staff to handle the extra work “in-house” or if it will have to contract the work. Board Member Bill Condrashoff asked if the new areas of work, such as wok to limit Fat, Oil and Grease in the systems, would have the effect of increasing wastewater capacity. McKeage said if the system were cleaned aggressively, it could increase capacity a little bit. Board Chairman Terence Moore said “capacity is pretty much fixed on the design of the leach field. We’re probably not looking at increasing capacity here.” McKeage said the Sanitary Sewer Management Plan will include developing an overflow and emergency response program, establishing or confirming legal authority, developing an operations and maintenance program and developing a Fats, Oils & Grease program, all by next February, while other portions must be fulfilled by next August. The management plan to be implemented by AWA includes an operations and maintenance plan, design and performance standards, a monitoring and measurement plan, a system evaluation and capacity assurance plan and an audit program. Moore said after the program was introduced in 2006, he said he and the board at the time made no secret of telling ratepayers that eventually, “we are going to raise the wastewater fees and we are not going to increase the service one iota, because of state wastewater regulations.” The state and federal requirements are aimed at reducing and eliminating Sanitary Sewer Overflows. Story by Jim Reece.

Amador County – Amador County resident Ken Berry has appealed the certification of the Wicklow Way Subdivision Final Environmental Impact Report, making the initial filing November 7th. He filed another document Tuesday at the Amador County Planning Department. Planner Heather Anderson said the county would prepare an answer to the appeal letters, before the December 16th hearing, 10:30 a.m. before the Amador County Board of Supervisors. Anderson said the staff report should be finished by December 12th. Berry filed the appeal on his own behalf and for the Concerned Citizens of Jackson, saying “we are affected by the proposed project both personally and by being residents and neighbors of the city of Jackson.” The appeal alleges that the Amador Planning Commission failed to “fully disclose significant facts concerning the effects and impacts of the project on the environment in the FEIR” and that the commission violated the California Environmental Quality Act. The letter refers to an October 17th letter by Berry that “notified the Planning Department of 2 significant defects in the FEIR,” including “internal inconsistency resulting from incorporation of the Amador County Transportation Commission’s Regional Transportation Plan and the failure to comply with water code” on water assessments. On Tuesday, Berry filed a supplement to the appeal, alleging Public Resources Code violations. The letter said that the Amador Water Agency exceeds it maximum rate of water delivery from Lake Tabeud and will not be able to meet peak water demands. It concludes that the “AWA has rights to sufficient water to supply the Wicklow Subdivision, but it lacks the right to transmit water at a rate sufficient to meet its planned commitments during the period of maximum demand.” It said recycled and stored water would help AWA meet the needs, “however, both solutions require the planning and approval of infrastructure that does not exist.” The letter alleged that “certification of the Wicklow Subdivision project EIR is unlawful and must be set aside.” Berry notes in the October 16th letter that his pending lawsuit against the AWA on its Amador Transmission Pipeline could affect the availability of water, should the agency lose the suit and be forced to mitigate pipeline impacts on Jackson and Jackson Creek. Story by Jim Reece. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Ione City Council last week voted to rename a street to honor recently retired longtime Ione priest, Father Thomas Relihan. A crowd of Relihan’s neighbors and supporters attended the meeting and some offered words of encouragement to the council. A new law to allow renaming of streets was passed at a previous meeting in April, then on April 21st, the council unanimously renamed West Washington Street as Relihan Drive. The 1-block section of road leads to Church Street. City Planner Christopher Jordan said “the backers are here in full force.” Councilman Jim Ulm stepped down before the council heared the item, saying he “Might want to comment on it.” Relihan, who did not attend the meeting, was also honored with a resolution of appreciation last November by the Ione City Council and former Mayor Andrea Bonham, after taking his retirement. One of the group supporters last Tuesday, Joyce Ghan, said Father Relihan “has retired here, he plans to stay here and he plans to be buried here.” Another, Karen Hudson, encouraged “the city council to do a very simple recognition of a man who has given much of his life to the community.” Another said that a member of the fire department said response safety with the name change of the road would actually help to differentiate between East and West Washington Streets. The council voted 4-0 to pass Resolution Number 1719, to change the name of West Washington Street to Relihan Drive. The Ione City Council last week also heard from Ione Business & Community Association President Rich Kreth, who gave a financial report and an update on happenings with the association. He said IBCA has a typical annual budget of $15,000 to $20,000 dollars, “thanks to a city grant last year” they were at 20,000. He said the group partnered with the Amador Council of Tourism, and purchased advertising from 12 print media companies, including 4 Sacramento-area periodicals, and the Ledger Dispatch. Kreth said they also did promotions with Home Town Radio. They also sponsored 12 grants for local groups. He said the IBCA’s next big project is to build a second lighted road sign on Highway 124. He also said at the recent town hall meeting at Evalynn Bishop Hall, someone said: “How come Ione doesn’t have a phone book? We do and it’s out now.” The IBCA business directory lists Ione and regional businesses, with the front cover showing the Ione Elementary School student body on the campus front approach-way, and also a snapshot of Preston Castle. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Amador Water Agency board members and staff spoke at a workshop hosted by supervisors last Friday to learn about the East Bay Municipal Utility District’s regional water plans. AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie said a loosely projected need for 20,000 acre feet of water in Amador likely won’t be needed until 2030 or 2040. And he said enlarging the dam at Pardee “would not be a reliable water supply if we did this project ourselves,” because the county only would have rights to 10,000 acre feet. Looking at other plans in the region, a groundwater recharging plan in San Joaquin County, the Duck Creek Reservoir and the Pardee expansion, he said it didn’t “seem viable to do 3 unrelated projects.” But combining them in the Integrated Regional Conjunctive Use Program could make them possible and decrease their collective scopes. He said not needing the 20,000 acre feet of water for 30 years in Amador County could help finance a Lower Bear River Reservoir project being studied by PG&E. The utility is looking at raising Lower Bear’s dam by 6 feet for pump storage. Abercrombie said looking at the “synergies” in both plans, the AWA could give its water to PG&E for power generation “to pay off the debt service” of the dam at Lower Bear, then “get the water when we need it.” Abercrombie said the “IRCUP concept is not well defined now.” It came from Amador, Calaveras and East Bay joining forces after years of opposition to each other’s projects. IRCUP would use seasonal excess flows. Abercrombie said the flow of the Mokelumne River “is fully appropriated, except for winter flows.” But Amador County’s problem is adequate storage. Parts of the 2040 plan would address that. Supervisor Richard Forster asked how a dam expansion at Pardee might affect the Middle Bar. Abercrombie said “maybe it’s a smaller dam down stream that doesn’t affect levels.” AWA board member Bill Condrashoff said the board opposed the expansion of Pardee because it was the only details given in the 2040 plan. AWA Chairman Terence Moore agreed, and he read from the state water plan that cites conjunctive use as the preferred approach to handling global warming. Symptoms include more flooding in the winter, and solutions include building more storage and routing water to drought areas, like groundwater recharging would do for the San Joaquin County area. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sacramento – The state assembly committee on Public Safety this week was slated to discuss an assembly bill that would regulate the sale of handgun ammunition. AB 962 was written by Assemblyman Kevin De Leon (District 45, Los Angeles), who held a news conference Tuesday on the 10th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado. Later Tuesday, AB962, was to be discussed in the committee. AB962 requires that by July 1st, 2010, anyone that “sells or transfers more than 50 rounds of handgun ammunition in any month to register as a handgun ammunition vendor.” The seller must be “licensed by the Department of Justice.” At the time of the purchase, the bill would require the vendor to record the buyer’s driver’s license number; the brand, type and amount of ammo; the right thumbprint of the purchaser; the buyer’s full residential address and telephone number; and date of birth. Exemptions include manufacturers, wholesalers, law enforcement, state, federal and local agencies, and transfer “between immediate family members, spouses, or registered domestic partners.” Assembly Chief Counsel Gregory Pagan said fiscal effects of the bill were unknown. De Leon said AB 962 “seeks to safeguard California communities by combating the easy accessibility to handgun ammunition that fuels gun violence and criminal activity." He said a similar ordinance helped Sacramento Police make 156 prohibited purchase arrests, leading to 109 felony charges, with 36 convicted and dozens pending. Resulting investigations led to 48 search warrants, and seizure of 84 illegal firearms, along with illegal drugs, stolen property and cash. The National Rifle Association registered opposition to the bill, saying “proponents of AB962 claim that new legislation is needed to stop the transfer of handgun ammunition to criminals. In California, the transfer of ammunition to a prohibited person is a crime and the possession of ammunition by a prohibited person is a crime.” NRA argues that a “provision of AB962 would resurrect a federal program of ammunition sales registration … that was repealed due to the lack of effectiveness.” The NRA also argues that the “purchaser registration requirement would expose consumers to possible identity theft problems with sensitive personal information being required to be given to retail businesses.” NRA also said the bill “could expose citizens into committing crimes for simply sharing ammunition with their friends at competitions and students in training classes,” it “would ban the sale of ammunition at gun shows and expositions” and “would ban all Internet and mail order handgun ammunition sales." Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency on Thursday will discuss requesting input in the planning process for the Amador County General Plan Update, including a possible suggestion or recommendation on a Water Element. AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie said in the joint water committee meeting Monday that the board might feel the need for a separate element or a sub-element in the County General Plan. Supervisor Chairman Ted Novelli said supervisors have talked about it and a consensus agrees that “rather than a separate element, like Calaveras County has, ours would probably be a sub-element, and part of some other element.” AWA Chairman Terence Moore said he and Vice President Bill Condrashoff agreed that they would look at Calaveras County’s Water Element in its General Plan, and if its good, they would take it to their board, and then maybe take it on to the Amador General Plan update panel. Amador City farmer Susan Bragstad asked why the county needed 20,000 acre-feet more water. Abercrombie said it was bases on data gleaned from planning departments at the county and at each city based on estimates for pending and future development projects. Condrashoff said you “don’t do a general plan and say, ‘this is what we will have next year.’” He asked that if it happens in 10 years, would it be quick, and a 50-year growth to need 20,000 acre-feet of water, “would it be more reasonable?” He said he did not know and other members of the committee “may know better.” Abercrombie said no one added up the pending and proposed Equivalent Dwelling Units of all county development, but he asked if “doubling is what the county wants” for its population. The AWA board will also get a verbal report of federal stimulus grant applications, and talk about participation in the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority “Regional General Plan Growth build out.” The board will also discuss the Recycle Wastewater Master Plan and the Integrated Regional Conjunctive Use Project. The board meets at 9 a.m. today. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The public comment last week at Alyson Huber’s Town Hall Meeting in Jackson had some good reviews and a few complaints. A man said he sent an e-mail 2 weeks before but had not heard back from Huber. The District 10 Assemblywoman said her office just became fully staffed the week before, and her policy is a 7-day minimum response to all constituents’ queries. Amador Supervisors Chairman Ted Novelli said he received phone calls from Huber, who gave him information about both the septic tank issue (AB885) and East Bay MUD’s proposed expansion of Pardee Lake. Steve Cannon said he also received a quick response from Huber, by phone, on AB885. Ken Deaver of Deaver Vineyards said she should educate her “comrades in the Senate” that “one size does not fit all in rural communities.” Deaver urged that the legislature “look at the unintended consequences of our rules and regulations.” Huber agreed, saying a court ruling in Los Angeles Unified means all state school districts must test for certain chemicals “because they did not do it.” She “gut-checks” her own proposals for state-wide problems, asking: “Where did this problem happen and where is the evidence that it is happening everywhere else?” One man asked about the “temporary tax” taking effect. Huber said: “Look, it’s got to stop. This is the worst possible time to be raising revenue.” She said she did not want to defend the state budget, but she did not know “which school to close,” whether to close prisons, or to close the state colleges and universities. Huber said: “I am listening to the people who are saying: Don’t cut education, don’t let prisoners out, keep funding those.” She said everyone says do not cut certain programs, but no one tells here “which programs to cut.” Supervisor Richard Forster asked about AB32 Air Resources regulations, which caused his brother-in-law to implement layoffs to fund $1 Million dollars in changes in his company. Huber said she supported “giving businesses time to reach the goals” that the government wants them to reach. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – A near capacity crowd filled the County Supervisors’ chambers Wednesday in Jackson as State Assemblywoman Alyson Huber hosted her first “Town Hall” meeting in Amador County, since taking office in December. The freshman Assembly member for the 10th District told of her selection to committees and also her disdain for the state budget, saying she voted for a negotiated budget that had enough votes to pass, “but it’s still a bad budget.” She called the state deficit horrible at $8 Billion Dollars, but if upcoming “ballot measures don’t pass,” it will be $14 Billion Dollars. She said “unless we undo the hand-tying we have done,” the state is in for trouble. She then said she wanted to “talk to you about building a Constitutional Convention.” As the crowd went completely quiet, she said: “Nothing quiets a room like that idea.” Huber said some states have Constitutional Conventions every 20 years, but she said California’s 165-page constitution has come to represent special interests, such as out-of-state companies that put initiatives on the ballot, such as a “green technology” that only their own company makes, and the initiative requires the use of that technology. She said she would rather have state legislators arrange the Constitutional Convention and call the shots, than have special interests dictate the forum. Huber said she knows “it’s radical” and “scares a lot of people,” but she was “not advocating for any particular changes.” She said she and Ted Gaines spoke with state water board on the individual septic system legislation, and the board is “pulling back and starting over.” She said she was still gathering information about the proposed Pardee Lake expansion, but she felt that East Bay MUD had “not taken into account local comment and feelings on the issue.” She urged more meetings on the 2040 Plan. She said the project seeks 92 million gallons a day, and they must pick between a dozen different proposed projects, “but they won’t even vote on whether that will happen until 2012 or 2015.” She said she thought underground water storage in the San Joaquin Valley would be a better solution that expanding Pardee. Huber said East Bay MUD “needs to get more vigilant and make sure they hear what we think locally.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Ione City Council will host a special meeting Thursday for a workshop on historic preservation, and to consider opposing the expansion of Pardee Reservoir. The resolution would urge East Bay Municipal Utility District to increase conservation instead of expanding Pardee Reservoir. The council will discuss a letter from the Jackson City Council, with a copy of a similar resolution the Jackson council passed March 9th. The draft resolution states, in part, that expansion of Pardee Reservoir “would inundate the Middle Bar Bridge, Middle Bar Run, and part of the Electra Run, reducing the (Mokelumne River’s) value as a recreational, historical and natural resource.” It says “loss of these priceless resources would directly impact the tourism-based economy in Ione and surrounding communities.” The special meeting starts at 6 p.m. Thursday at Evalynn Bishop Hall. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Plymouth drew criticism for its ambitious draft Sphere Of Influence last week as the Amador County Supervisors and Planning Commission ended a 3-day General Plan Update meeting Thursday in Jackson. Talk turned to inclusion or exclusion from city spheres of any property that would get a proposed new land designation, that is, the “Urban Reserve” designation. The panel also talked about possible adverse affects on properties. The sphere of influence, the imaginary line around cities, indicates areas a city council intends to annex. County Planner Susan Grijalva said if a property is not annexed, the property owner can request to be removed from a city’s sphere of influence. She said “if a city has no general plan adopted for a sphere, then the county’s designation would remain.” Sutter Creek Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe said “city planners do really feel that this is a good thing.” Property splits can still happen, but in the sphere, the owner goes to the city, rather than the county. Grijalva said rejection of annexation of a property into a city limit does not create an “automatic ejection from a Sphere of Influence.” The property owner must ask the Local Agency Formation Commission for removal from a Sphere. Supervisor Brian Oneto asked what would happen if a request were rejected by LAFCO. Grijalva said the property would then be “stuck” in the Sphere. Rabe said annexations are rejected because projects on properties are not built to a city’s standards. Grijalva said “some cities’ spheres have been overbroad” and they cannot serve the land they seek to annex. She said “LAFCO must approve a city’s ability to serve its sphere.” In public comment, Art Marinaccio of Amador Citizens For Responsible Government said the issue “needs to be clearly understood” and “a lot of background information should come forward” for the panel to decide the Urban Reserve question. He said “it is unfair to criticize Plymouth” for looking farther than 10 years out in their plan. Supervisor Richard Forster criticized the ambition of Plymouth, which he said has a draft Sphere of Influence in which it would be “looking at 8-and-a-half square miles of total annexation.” Marinaccio said “let’s ask for actual information, rather than speculation.” Forster recommended supervisors workshop the issue with commissioners, and Grijalva said staff will get more information on Urban Reserve and bring it back to the panel, which resumes the meeting 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 8th in the Supervisors’ chambers. A second meeting, if needed, would convene noon to 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 9th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.