Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors Thursday will consider taking ownership of 3 acres near Gayla Manor in order to build a new leachfield for wastewater treatment. The expansion would add 4,000 gallons a day of capacity to the Gayla Manor Wastewater System and bring it into full compliance with state law. AWA Engineering and Planning Manager Gene Mancebo in a report to the board said the improvement would add about “3,000 feet of leachfield disposal trenches on the 3 acre parcel,” located in an “existing Gayla Manor common area adjacent to the old highway alignment.” Mancebo said new trenches would “provide about 24 to 40 percent of the needed disposal capacity,” and would enable the system to meet a 100-year-occurrence “wet season” and satisfy the requirements of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board. The regional board has approved the project “in concept.” The project could also lift a “Cease and Desist Order” the regional board placed on the system in 2003, followed by a “Requirement Order.” Mancebo said construction of the leachfield was estimated at $275,000 dollars, with a total project cost of $310,000 dollars. The agency has been invited by the Department of Water Resources to “submit a full application with the intent of funding this project” with a “100 percent grant,” Mancebo said, through the latest federal “Stimulus Bill, now operating as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.” The Gayla Manor Homeowners Association, which owns the property, is willing to provide the property at no purchase cost, if the AWA makes “some minor improvements, such as placing some road base on an easement and walking trail that goes through the northern portion of the property. He said the estimated cost of construction is included the improvements. Mancebo said the Gayla Manor association “was concerned with an indemnification paragraph which would have required the (association) to defend the agency regarding hazardous wastes on the property, if any exists.” He said there are “no apparent signs of hazardous waste” on the property, and none were observed during design testing at 20 sites on the property, and on a neighboring property. Mancebo said the indemnification was “not included in proposed documents executed by the Gayla Manor Association. He recommended not requiring the “indemnification paragraph as there appears to be little risk of hazardous wastes on the property.” The board will consider authorizing Board President Terence Moore and General Manager Jim Abercrombie to enter into purchase and sale agreements to acquire property for construction of a leachfield. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Vicini family of Amador County last week announced the opening of their sons’ green material recycling operation on Willow Creek Road, and a regional specialist called it the first facility of this kind in Amador County. Merv Vicini said the facility will grind the natural products it gets and eventually be able to have a big enough store of materials to sell mulch, base material and wood chips to the public. The company takes natural clippings wood waste, and will also use its product to sell as fuel to a biofuel project at the former Co-Gen plant in the Buena Vista, Ione area, which burns materials for electrical generation. Merv said he and his sons were development graders by trade, but the projects lately had been slowed by the economy. He said their company, Amador Mechanical Incorporated, has done all of the projects of Bob Reeder’s Reeder Sutherland development company. The developers has 2 projects in the works around the city of Plymouth, that could build out to as many as 500 luxury homes on ¼ to 1 acre sized lots. In the meantime, the Vicini's developed a brush and tree clearing surpluses of material, which they can now turn into usable byproducts at their facility on Willow Creek Road. Merv, and sons Tony and Rick, own some machinery and they hosted the company Rayco, of Wooster, Ohio, on Tuesday (July 14th). The company showed its grinder and a tree trimmer and brush cutter. Merv said he had already purchased a grinder, and they opened 2 weeks ago as the Vicini Brothers Green Waste Recycling facility. Jill Firsh, specialist with the California Integrated Waste Management Board, attended the demonstration and was pleased with the new facility. She said Vicini Brothers’ recycling was “the first facility of this kind in Amador County.” Firsh said it will assist the county in meeting requirements of Assembly Bill 939, which says counties must divert more than 50 percent of its waste from landfills, with diversion and recycling. She said “Amador is very proactive already,” and under Jim McHargue, the Amador County Waste Department is already diverting more than 50 percent of its waste from landfills. Firch AB939 requires annual reporting by September 1st, and this year starts a new process. Vicini Brothers currently gets green waste from ACES Waste Service of Pine Grove, CALTRANS and Waste Connections of Ione. The facility, at 15850 Willow Creek Road, will also accept loads from the public. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador County General Plan update panel worked on language in water goals and policies last Wednesday, including cleaning up wording for a “gray water” system. They moved toward promoting reuse of water without mandating it. They changed a water policy to say: “Where available, new development should participate in the extension of reclaimed water facilities (either off-site or on-site) for beneficial use.” Planning Commissioner Ray Ryan said as a grape grower, he saw some problems with requiring the gray water participation. He said grape farmers already conserve water and use “best management practices.” He proposed promoting the gray water system, and not mandating it. Commissioner Andy Byrne said he is doing a remodel at his house and “would love to use gray water,” but he does not know how to do so. He said he would like to seek Amador County as a resource for that information. Supervisor Richard Forster said the gray water systems should be encouraged but not mandated, because “one size does not fit all.” Amador County Planner Susan Grijalva agreed, saying they would not take such a system over miles. She said the county and planning department “can deal with specifics in implementation.” Byrne said it would not matter until such a recycling and reuse system was in place. Supervisor Brian Oneto opposed the best management practices, saying the term was too broad. Oneto said he didn’t “want to be responsible for going and telling someone that they are not farming the right way.” Forster said if they were “going to adopt best management practices, it should be adopted by the Board of Supervisors and the Amador Water Agency.” Supervisor John Plasse noted that Amador Environmental Health asked who would be responsible for development and implementation of those practices. They changed the policy to say: “In consultation with the county’s water suppliers, develop reasonable best management practices for water conservation in the county.” They also removed a phrase that would “incorporate the California State Water Plan,” after consultant Jeff Goldman of EDAW said he did “not know that incorporating the entire (state) plan by reference would be adequate.” They also made a blanket move to take out references to the Amador Water Agency, instead choosing to generally refer to water suppliers in water goals and policies. Byrne said that developers of wells worked in association with the public health department, and they added a reference to agencies as well. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Vicini family of Amador County last week announced the opening of their sons’ green material recycling operation on Willow Creek Road. The Vicini Brothers Green Waste Recycling Facility opened the first week of July. Kathy and Merv Vicini said their sons, Tony and Rick Vicini opened and will operate the facility. Last week, the brothers told about a posted “link to a slide show of our first days of the Vicini Brothers Green Material Recycling project.” Kathy Vicini, in a letter to District 1 Supervisor John Plasse, said the Vicinis wanted Plasse “to see the results of all (his) work and great support.” She said “not only is ACES (Waste Service of Pine Grove) hauling into the plant,” but the California Department of Transportation is “bringing their roadside brush trimmings to us now.” Vicini said “if things work out right, (CALTRANS) will be buying the brush back as chips for highway landscape mulch,” a “win-win” for the Vicinis and CALTRANS. She told Plasse that the Vicinis “truly appreciate” all that Plasse has done to help them with the venture. As part of the opening of the business, Vicini Brothers plans a demonstration 10 a.m. Tuesday at the facility. Kathy said “they are bringing in other equipment and they are going to show chipping and shredding and the making of green material.” She said the facility takes all manner of grown, green waste, and the public will be able to drop all yard waste, weeds and brush, for a load fee, which has not yet been set. Vicini said “We run it all through a mulching ‘beast’ – a chipper-grinder that chews up all of the material.” They take only green things, things that were grown, such as trees, brush, grass, and flowers. She said there will be a fee for dumping, then people “will be able to buy compost and mulch, when we get our supplies up.” They just opened the first week in July and were taking material loads from ACES, Waste Connections of Ione, and CALTRANS. The public is invited to the Vicini Brothers demonstration, 10 a.m. Tuesday (July 14th) at the facility, at 15850 Willow Creek Road, about half a mile off Highway 16, west of the Highway 124 intersection. 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 at the end of April sought a water and wastewater sub-element in the Amador County General Plan. And last week, an AWA board member offered her board president and vice president to work on that element. District 4 AWA board member Debbie Dunn made the offer during the county general plan panel’s Wednesday discussion of the “Economic Development Element.” General Manager Jim Abercrombie said Dunn was not appointed by the board to deliver an address or message to the General Plan panel. He said the discussion at a previous AWA board meeting centered on Board President Terence Moore (District 5) and Vice President Bill Condrashoff (District 1) volunteering to go through the Calaveras County general plan’s new “water element.” Abercrombie said he thought the things Dunn said to the board, though not authorized by the board, were things the board would offer and support. In an April 28th letter to Supervisor Chairman Ted Novelli, Abercrombie said “the AWA board discussed and specifically supported the inclusion of adding a sub-element to the general plan’s economic element that addresses both water and wastewater issues.” The letter requested that the county “prepare this sub-element during the general plan update,” and “requested that the county respond back in writing to this request.” Dunn in a letter to the county panel last week said “as discussed by the board at the Amador Water Agency, our president, vice president and staff will create this sub-element by extrapolating the existing goals and policies on water and wastewater scattered throughout the current revision of the update.” County Planner Susan Grijalva said the joint panel of Amador County Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission “will decide if it’s going to be included, and if it is, what policies it will have,” she said. Grijalva said the AWA president and vice president will see if those documents contain “anything the want to incorporate into the Amador sub-element. They will “then turn it over to the county to be reviewed.” Dunn said the Amador County Joint Water Committee, including Amador Supervisors Novelli and John Plasse and AWA board executives Moore and Condrashoff, will review the sub-element June 29th, then take a recommendation to the Amador joint panel at its next meeting, 9 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, July 8th. Grijalva said “from there, we’re starting the environmental review process.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Jackson City Council on Monday reviewed applicants and made appointments to the new Jackson Architectural Regulations Committee. At there April 13 meeting, Council “directed staff to advertise for potential committee members who could provide more detailed answers as to how architectural review could work in the City of Jackson,” wrote City Planner Susan Peters in a memo to the council. A total of nine applicants with varying backgrounds applied to fill the five person committee. Staff had originally recommended a five member committee consisting of at least one contractor familiar with historic renovations and restorations, at least one architect, a person familiar with Jackson’s history, and two general members of the public. Peters said the committee will “outline architectural regulations and present recommendations to the Planning Commission and City Council.” Those who applied consisted of David Carlson, Broker/Owner with Coldwell Banker Award Realtors; John Gonsalvez, a contractor; Kevin Fritson, a Civil Engineer and Architectural Designer; Ron Regan, a Business Owner and Developer; Phillip Giurlani, Owner of Teresa’s Place Restaurant and a contractor; Kathryn Devlin, a retired teacher and fitness center owner; Errol Esbit, an architect; Dan Gottstein, a contractor; and Shannon Hewitt, a retired office manager. Mayor Connie Gonsalves recused herself from the decision, saying she felt “uncomfortable” discussing the matter. Three of the applicants, Devlin, Gottstein and Hewitt, were present at the meeting. During public comment, Amador County Historical Society member Judy Jebian expressed concerns that the “architectural review guidelines don’t include anything about historic preservation.” She though the committee should consist of more architects than the one required. Citizen Thornton Consolo said he hopes “we can bring together people who have talent, but people who also have…our charm and history in mind.” Councilmember Keith Sweet said he was happy with the large number of “qualified” applicants and proposed accepting all nine, but said he would want a consensus vote from at least seven. Councilmember Pat Crew proposed five and two alternates or seven and two alternates. Councilmember Marilyn Lewis said she had concerns with applicants “Regan and Esbitt” but would not elaborate as to why. The council unanimously approved of Sweet’s recommendation to accept all applicants. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Calaveras County – The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors announced during Thursday’s meeting that they have hired a new Planning Director and Public Works Director. Both positions are essential roles in the complex makeup of county government, said one official. New Planning Director George White has over 20 years of community and planning development assistance. He was appointed Planning Director after the past eight years as the Assistant Director of Community Development for the City of Petaluma. Thomas Garcia, a registered civil engineer who has worked for Sacramento County and CALTRANS, will take over as Public Works Director. He spent the last 10 years as a Transportation Engineer for the City of Folsom. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

By Alex Lane -

A typically serene morning was transformed by the raw power of scores of bikers making their way through central Amador County last week. Their destination: Street Vibrations in Reno, Nevada, a celebration of “music, metal, and motorcycles.” The annual event is an homage to the biker culture and its emblem, the Harley Davidson motorcycle. The “Biggest Little City in the World” was transformed last weekend by enthusiastic attendees celebrating a longstanding subculture. Amador County is no stranger to motorcyclists. A number of bars and restaurants stretching along Highways 88 and 49 have traditionally welcomed the bikers and their business. While some residents blame the bikers for traffic, increased crime and noise pollution, others welcome them with open arms. “Everyone should be welcome here if they have a dollar in their pocket and want to spend it,” said Martha Perez, Owner of Jose’s Restaurant in Jackson. “We should all welcome each other – that’s the American way.” One Jackson resident believes it is too easy to blame the decay of Jackson’s downtown businesses on transient motorcyclists. “I doubt that someone who can afford a 50,000 dollar bike is going to waste their time committing crimes that jeopardize their freedom to explore the open road,” he said. But local law enforcement still receives complaints of traffic and noise pollution whenever large biker groups pass through the county. According to sheriff’s reports, road blockage and traffic violations are the most common citations given to bikers.

Amador County - Assemblymember Alyson Huber is reminding residents of the 10th Assembly District of her Mobile District Office Hours. Residents can stop by to discuss the state budget, problems with state agencies, past or future legislation, and community issues with staff. Informational brochures will also be available. The Mobile District Office hours for Amador County are the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Human Resource offices of the Amador County Building, 810 Court Street in Jackson. For more information visit www.asm.ca.gov/huber or call the District Office at (209) 333-5530. Staff Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Small but mighty Amador County showed last week it has some of the best grapes and wine in the state – and arguably the United States. Amador County vintners brought home 55 medals from the 2009 California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition. The competition, known as the Grape and Gourmet event, was held last Thursday at the Sacramento Convention Center. The Competition is one of the oldest and most prestigiously judged competitions in the United States. It has been held for more than 150 years. Amador’s medals came among 600 participants and 2,623 wine entries in this year’s field. Kevin Clark, TSPN TV advertising executive, said “Amador County's grape growers and winemakers can be very proud!” Jeff Runquist Wines, located in Shenandoah Valley, took home the most prestigious award, winning “Best of Show” for all red wines in the state, with its 2007 Amador County Barbera, made with Cooper Vineyard Grapes. Runquist Wines also took 10 more medals, including “Best of Class” for its “Z” Zinfandel with grapes grown at Fox’s Massoni Ranch, also in Shenandoah Valley. Amador’s Vino Noceto and owners, Jim and Suzy Gullett, attended the event and their wines garnered 8 medals in the competition. The award for the best Sangiovese in California went to Obscurity Cellars and winemaker John Smith, with grapes grown at Murrill Vineyard in Sutter Creek. Smith also took “Best of California” for his Oakstone Winery Bordeaux. Clark said: “All in all it was a great year for Amador County’s grape growers and wineries.” This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.