Amador County – The Plymouth City Council hosted a public hearing on it General Plan update Final Environmental Impact Report last week, and took staff advice to consider giving relief to housing developments outside the city that annex into the city. That relief was suggested by City Attorney Steven Rudolph in the form of allowing housing projects located outside of the city limits and that are annexed into the city be exempt from the General Plan’s requirement that 20 percent of housing units be designed and built as “affordable housing.” Rudolph also suggested that the annexed property would be subject to other, future policy by the city council requiring affordable housing. Stefan Horstschraer (Horsetrader) said “if you don’t get rid of this 20 percent tonight,” his company Reeder Sutherland will have to wait for its housing plan to be reworked. He said the best estimate could have that taking half a month. Or it could take a year-and-a-half. And “in the worst estimate, it could never happen if you don’t have the money to do it.” Reeder Sutherland’s 2 developments, Zinfandel and Shenandoah Ridge, are planning to build 460 to 500 luxury homes on ¼-acre to 1-acre parcels. In public comment, Councilman Greg Baldwin asked if doubling the population from 1,000 to 2,000 people over the next years would be “outrageous” to ex-councilman Gary Colburn. Colburn said when they put 500 homes and 1,800 people out there, “then who controls the town? I’m not ready to hand over the keys.” Horstschraer said regarding voting and build-out: “We have proposed a very slow build-out, so the first people will be well established Plymouth residents by the time we reach build-out.” Maria Simon said she sees mansions built on top of hills in the Shenandoah Valley, and she would “rather see (mansions) built in the valleys and see vines growing on those hills.” Simon said she is “looking forward to Mr. Reeder’s development and other developments. None of us will be here.” The council continued the public hearing on the city General Plane and Final EIR to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, August 13th. The updated FEIR with “strikethroughs” will be available to the public on Friday, July 31st. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador County Air Pollution Control District issued an air pollution permit last Wednesday to allow TSS Consultants to operate the former coal-fired electrical power plant at Buena Vista using much cleaner wood wastes. Set to begin operations in July, the newly converted plant is expected to provide energy for about 16,000 homes across the Mother Lode though the burning of roughly 200,000 tons of biomass a year. Supporters and environmentalists say using the biomass wood waste is a major step towards solving environmental problems in our region. “This move will cut emissions by at least half of what they used to be,” said Jim Harris, Amador County’s air pollution control officer. The plant will provide a market for wood waste gathered through forest thinning and from various local properties. Harris said there’s a lot of biomass fuel in the forest, but he hopes vegetation from defensible space clearing that would otherwise go in landfills can also be used. It is also expected that the plant will generate jobs in Amador and Calaveras counties. The plant previously operated on lignite, a primitive form of coal used almost exclusively as a fuel for steam-electric power generation. TSS Consultants, a renewable energy and natural resource consulting firm specializing in industrial energy products, brokered a deal with plant owners the Oneto Group earlier this year to operate the plant. Amador District 3 Congressman Dan Lungren last August visited what was formerly known as the Cogen power plant, with a company from Tempe, Arizona, that was interested in reopening the plant to generate electricity. That deal fell through, but the company estimated the converted plant would bring as many as 20 jobs and about $1 Million in annual salary to Amador County. Lungren said at the time that the biomass plant was the next logical step in the power industry. “We’ve been trying to do that – wind, solar – all these alternative sources. It just makes sense now,” Lungren said. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Jackson City Council on Monday reviewed recommendations for the use of the 2008 Measure E funding and determined allocation of these funds. The recommendations came from the council-appointed Measure E Advisory Committee, which consists of Stan Lukowicz, Paul Molinelli, Jr., Tom Peyton, Tracey Berkner, Atul Patel and Councilman Keith Sweet. Voters approved Measure E in 2002, raising the City’s Transient Occupancy Tax from 8 to 10 percent. A resolution passed by the council soon thereafter declared “that the first priority expenditure of the additional 2 percent…shall be tourism and business promotion, economic development and downtown revitalization.” Vying for a portion of the funding were previous year’s recipients: the Amador Chamber of Commerce and the Amador Council of Tourism, or ACT. Funding for ACT has traditionally been divvied out to associations under the agency’s umbrella, including Main Street Theatre Works and the Historic Jackson Business Association, or HJBA. Also requesting funds was a website called InTownLive.com, which features online interactive panoramas of small towns in California. Council members had mixed feelings about giving a portion to InTownLive.com. Jackson resident Frank Blauvelt, Jr., yelled out from the audience that although the site is well assembled, he didn’t think giving them money was effective. The Measure E Committee recommended giving $9,000 to the HJBA, $8,000 to ACT, $4,000 to the Main Street Theatre Works, $9,000 to the Amador County Chamber of Commerce and $2,000 to InTownLive.com. Speaking on behalf of the Amador Council of Tourism, Maureen Funk said, “we are able to multiply six times the dollar investments we receive by partnering and negotiating with advertisers.” The council voted 4-1 to approve the committee’s recommendation, with Councilman Pat Crew opposed. Crew was also against allocating funds for InTownLive.com, but admitted he’s “not much of an internet guy.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County –Amador County this week is following the lead of other in trying to help youths connect with nature. The “Amador Children in Nature Movement” group holds its first meeting Thursday, said Liz MacLeod, of the Amador County Recreation Agency. Experts say because children have fewer opportunities for “unstructured, outdoor play, they are at a greater risk for health and social problems,” MacLeod said. “Amador Children in Nature Movement” advocates the importance of outdoor play for children’s health and well-being. The group formed after an April showing of PBS’s “Where Do the Children Play?,” attended by more than 50 parents, educators and leaders. Sybil Griffith, an Ione instructional assistant, said “the stigma that if your child is hanging around, they are doing something wrong” can be a barrier to getting children outside. Ione Elementary Principal Laurie Amick said: “I will really try to get my staff to focus on play and access to play.” Children In Nature’s main purposes are: To address health, education, policy and the environment; and be a hub for sharing information in getting children to experience nature through play. MacLeod said: “The only prerequisite is having an interest in connecting our community’s youths to the outdoors.” The movement is a collaboration between ACRA, First 5 Amador, Amador Child Care Council and The Resource Connection. For information, call First 5 Amador or ACRA.. Story by Jim Reece

Amador County – The Amador County General Plan update panel discussed agricultural interests last week, including the agricultural economic value of $32 million dollars for Amador County in 2008, but also the specter of a potential cut in fund for the Williamson Act. Jeffrey Gibson, president of the Amador County Wine Grape Growers’ Association, said “we need a statement that the county supports the Williamson Act.” He said it was “Number 1 on our list, and we believe you should include that.” Gibson said “we are going to reaffirm and strengthen the right to farm,” so they can spray their fields without being sued by new neighbors. Supervisor Richard Forster said “when you say ‘as a matter of right,’ it means you have to let me do everything I want,” and he said the General Plan needs a glossary of terms. Supervisor Brian Oneto said he agreed with that idea. Gibson said it was like an old farmer once told him about good farming: “You need to take care of the dirt.” Gibson said he did not understand verbiage making ag uses “scaled to fit.” He said “to me, that means ‘We’ll approve it if we like it’.” Forster said the “state may get rid of the Williamson Act,” which focuses on ag lands. Gibson said he knows “the county is going to suffer because of the dysfunctional Legislature,” which “takes all the money that it can.” He said he and the Grape Growers’ Association are “asking the board to say we support and are going to argue for its extension.” In a letter to the board, Gibson said “agricultural endeavors (excluding wineries) contribute $30 million to $40 million dollars to the Amador County economy annually and enhance tourism and recreational related businesses.” He said a “significant portions of this gross income create jobs and are used to purchase goods and services within the county. Amador County Agricultural Commissioner Mike Boitano said the 2008 Amador County Crop report shows the county grape value was about $15 million dollars in 2008. Boitano said his crop report grape “figures are just the production end of it, the grapes themselves,” and they do “not consider wine or juice sales.” The report found that overall total agriculture production in 2008 in Amador was about $32 million dollars. The 2008 Amador crop report, covering the last calendar year sales, should be available online next week. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – County Administrative Officer Terri Daly gave a dire report on the status of the 2009-2010 county budget and deficit during the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday. “It’s as bad as you can possibly imagine, and then ten times worse,” said Daly, referring to opinions she gathered at a recent CSAC Legislative Conference. “So far I’m happy to report that the vast majority of (Amador County) Departments are very, very conservative with their money,” she said. Even then, Amador County is now facing an approximate $2.6 million deficit. Daly said that because of mandated expenditures, “we will have to dip into the General Fund for the first time ever.” She said the only “pleasant surprise” is that the estimated bid of over $2 million to close the Amador County landfill came in closer to $775,000. That leaves a significant balance, but its up to Daly to see if there’s any other costs involved. Even then she warned that the landfill was still under notice of violation from three regulatory industries. No fines have been levied thus far. Of the not so pleasant surprises, Daly anticipates next year’s social services budget could be “out of whack” by close to $2 million. To make matters worse, the state has proposed borrowing from local property taxes as just one of many measures to deal with its $24.3 billion deficit. The state has also discussed cutting out Williamson Act subvention funds and cutting some programs altogether. “I’m sure that whatever the state does to balance its budget, it will hit us,” Daly said, adding: “I anticipate that whatever the state does, it means more layoffs for us.” Supervisor Brian Oneto said he agreed with Daly. “I like keeping (our reserves) for a rainy day, but I think that rainy day is here,” he said. While discussing the state’s budget negotiations, Supervisor Louis Boitano said “I guess they can’t figure it out, but when they’re in a hole they have to stop digging.” Daly said that from her discussions with representatives in other counties, things will never be the same. “(In the future) we have to figure out how to run our government differently,” she said. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Pine Grove Council and the Pine Grove Civic Improvement Club, two quasi-political groups in the upcountry, will meet Wednesday to discuss redistricting and upcountry representation, among other items. The council has been discussing the option for some time with Supervisors Louis Boitano and Ted Novelli, whose districts both include the Pine Grove area. Debbie Dunn, who is a member of the Amador Water Agency, the Pine Grove Council and Co-chair of the Upcountry Community Council, has been the driving force behind the move. Dunn and other upcountry residents have been critical of “a lack of representation” in county decisions, mainly because Pine Grove is not an incorporated city and therefore not entitled to a seat in many county government entities. At the Pine Grove Council meeting May 8, Dunn said if one person on the Pine Grove Council in the last 6 years sat on ACTC, it would benefit Upcountry. Dunn said “2/3rds of the county” is not represented because they live in the Upcountry. Election office records show that 4,044 registered voters live in District 3, the fewest in any district. District 5 has the most voters with 4,517; District 2 is a close second with 4,408; District 4 has 4,236; and District 1 has 4,087. Dunn also says Pine Grove and Upcountry residents have “no representation on the Amador Regional Planning Committee,” and it is “leaving 2/3rds of this county out.” Dunn said she “went to whine about representation” at a past meeting and Sutter Creek Councilman Tim Murphy told her he did not think the Regional Planning Committee was “going in that direction.” The discussion continues Wednesday, June 3rd, at Pine Grove Town Hall. The Pine Grove Council meets at 5:30pm and the Pine Grove Civic Improvement Club meets at 6:30. Also on the agenda, the club will get updates on the County Fair window for Pine Grove, Hot August Nights - a Pine Grove sponsored music event in Pine Grove Park, and the Town Hall Renovation Project. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Jackson Revitalization Committee has issued an invitation to all Jackson businesses to participate in its new “Shop Jackson” marketing and business promotions campaign. In an exclusive interview with TSPN, Jackson Mayor Connie Gonsalves called the revitalization of Jackson’s diminishing downtown “essential” to the city’s future. The Jackson Revitalization Committee was recommended by the city’s Economic Development Committee and approved by the city council late last year. The new committee, now being referred to as the JRC, will focus on recruiting and retaining new businesses and industries, sustaining a growing economy, and thus “enriching the lives and experiences of Jackson property owners, merchants, residents and tourists.” The JRC operates as a public/private non-profit organization. Jackson’s downtown, as compared to nearby Sutter Creek or Amador City, has notably suffered under the weight of the nation’s current economic recession. The “Shop Jackson” campaign will take place Wednesday, June 3rd at the Jackson Civic Center, Broadway and Highway 88 in Jackson. Anyone whose business or profession is located within the Jackson city limits is invited to attend. Goals of the meeting will be to discuss the development of a new marketing and business promotion campaign, discussing upcoming county fair publicity as well as ongoing print and mail exposure, and reaching “over 300,000 new and local customers each month. A welcome reception complete with complimentary food and beverages takes place at 5:30pm and the business promotions presentation takes place from 6 – 7pm. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Calaveras County - There was an unmistakable political presence at this year’s Calaveras County Frog Jump competition. 1st District Senator Dave Cox and 70th District Assemblyman Chuck DeVore – both recent interviews here on TSPN - were on hand to participate in the local tradition dating back to 1928. In total, this year’s event attracted 33 participants and their supporters. Cox hosted the lunch time event to promote the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee, which ran from Thursday, May 14 through Sunday, May 17 in Angels Camp. “This lighthearted lunchtime tradition is a fun way for elected officials to come together and help promote the Calaveras County Fair,” said Cox, whose district includes Calaveras County. Devore, who was in the area to spark up interest in his bid for Barbara Boxer’s Senate seat in 2010, was one of the participants in the frog jump. 17th District Senator George Runner's "Taxed to the Max" frog left quite an impression after it leaped about 3 feet in its first jump and made a quick turn to the right, startling Susan Bassett, formerly with the California Medical Association and her 1-year-old son, Jack. It then hopped up a nearby pine tree, never to be seen again. This year’s prize categories included longest jump, shortest jump and media winner. The winner for the longest jump is “Susan Boyle,” jockeyed by Chris Holtz of the Assembly Republican Fiscal Office. Complete with foamed, incredible Hulk forearms, Holtz coached “Susan Boyle” to leap 11 feet, 4 inches. The shortest jump trophy went to Assemblyman Bill Emmerson whose frog, “Mine That Frog,” hopped 2 feet, 8 inches. “Bubba,” jockeyed by James Myers of Capitol Television News Service, retained his championship in the media category with a mark of 8 feet, 6 inches. Cox's “No Tax Max” made a decent effort and jumped 7 feet, 5 inches. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - The City of Jackson has updated its website in preparation for a whole new year of challenges. City Manager Mike Daly outlined the updates in detail during the last Jackson City Council meeting. The new site was touted as a “one stop” link to information about Jackson and city government. “Hopefully this will reduce a lot of unnecessary copying and wasted paper,” said Daly. New updates include a cleaner, more colorful format with easy to read links, an up-to-the-minute list of agenda and meeting schedules, and a councilmembers link complete with photos. A list of monthly meetings and when they take place is easily readable along the column of every page. To see for yourself, visit Jackson’s website at: ci.jackson.ca.us. Story by Alex Lane