Amador County – The Amador County Transportation Commission in its April meeting Wednesday could request the participation of the Local Agency Formation Commission in ACTC’s UPlan population and traffic mapping program. ACTC Executive Director Charles Field in recent Amador County General Plan Update meetings has taken questions about the 5 cities in the county, all of which are working to change their respective Spheres of Influence. The ACTC board of directors will consider sending a letter to the Amador County LAFCO requesting its participation in the Amador UPlan, which uses current populations in cities to map out traffic impacts, to analyze mitigation fees. The letter is part of the board’s consent agenda. Also related to the UPlan, the board will consider a staff request for authorization “to hire a student intern to assist with the refinement of the UPlan model and the County Geographic Information System database.” The board will also consider submitting a project for federal transportation funding; specifically for work at the intersection of Highway 104 at Prospect Road and Bowers Drive. The ACTC board will also discuss Tri-County projects under the State Transportation Improvement Program and the State Highway Operation and Protection Program. Staff will also give a report and submit a resolution to support transit and roadway projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act or the Federal Economic Stimulus Program. The board will also hear a report from the California Department of Transportation, and could also authorize Field to execute an agreement with the CALTRANS Disadvantage Business Enterprise for local agencies. ACTC meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the administration building, 810 Court Street in Jackson. 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 announced its Sixth Annual “Clean Our Green” litter clean-up to correspond with Earth Day. Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22 since 1969, and is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. “Clean Our Green (on April 25) is a community wide effort to give Jackson a spring cleaning by providing helpful participants with litter bags and gloves to remove litter in public areas throughout the community,” said Jackson City Manager Mike Daly. The Kiwanis Club of Amador, the Argonaut High School Key Club and Boy Scout Troop 78, all graciously volunteered their time to assist in the effort. The event is headquartered at Detert Park next to the Jackson pool, where participants are provided the litter bags, gloves and a free participant t-shirt. From there they can go anywhere in the city to collect litter and return it to the Detert Park bins provided by ACES Waste Services. The Kiwanis Club will provide free barbecued hot dogs, refreshments and other snacks for participants from 10:30 am until noon. The event is funded with California Department of Conservation funds granted to the City from the deposits on beverage containers. Recycling is also encouraged during this event. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council made 2 unanimous votes last night, one to name Linda Rianda the new city council member, the other to award the city trash hauling franchise to ACES Waste Service. The council fielded presentations and asked questions of 5 applicants for the city council seat vacated by the resignation last month of Mayor Pro Tempore Bill Hepworth, then made a 4-0 vote to select Linda Rianda for the position. Rianda is a former teacher and retired peace officer with 21 years’ service, including as Associate Warden. She worked at Mule Creek State Prison from 1987 to 1993 as a Correctional Counselor. In a standing-room-only crowd, Rianda and the other 4 applicants answered questions from the council in open session, including Mayor Gary Wooten’s identical question to each. Wooten asked what was the biggest issue facing Sutter Creek and what was each applicant’s solution. All 5 said finances or budget, or, in Rianda’s answer, the economy. She said loss of revenue and business closures were part of the problem. Her solution would be to meet with the city manager to get up to speed on the current budge. She would also “review long-term possibilities of revenue increases” and “work on ways to increase tourism.” She said “resolution to our budget is certainly work for more than 1 person and 1 council member.” After the 4-0 vote, City Clerk Judy Allen administered the oath of office and Rianda took a seat with the council. The council then heard presentations from 2 companies vying for the city’s garbage hauling franchise. Guy Davis of Amador Disposal and Paul Molinelli Sr. of ACES Waste Service both spoke and answered council and public questions. Molinelli said with his company, “every customer will see a reduction in their rates.” He said 56 percent of Sutter Creek commercial customers use 2-yard bins, and the ACES contract would save each of those customers $400 dollars a year. Molinelli said “those of you who know us can attest … We are a part of Sutter Creek.” The council voted 5-0 to direct staff to prepare a waste hauling contract with ACES and bring the paperwork to the council’s next meeting. 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 Board of Directors on Thursday morning will consider a staff report asking that it send letters to various regional entities to hold comments on a potential Pardee Lake expansion, pending results of more studies. General Manager Jim Abercrombie will ask the AWA board to consider sending letters to the East Bay Municipal Utilities District board and also Jackson City Council explaining AWA’s position on the proposals that are part of East Bay MUD’s “2040” water management plan. Abercrombie will submit for approval draft letters to the 2 groups, with copies of the letter to Jackson to also be sent to mayors of Ione, Plymouth, Sutter Creek and Amador City; and Amador County Board of Supervisors Chairman Ted Novelli. The letter to Jackson would answer a letter from Jackson City Council asking AWA to “urge East Bay MUD to adopt higher conservation levels in its 2040 Water Supply Management Plan instead of expanding Pardee Reservoir.” Abercrombie in a staff memo to the AWA board said he expects East Bay MUD to do appropriate environmental work, and he also urged the AWA board to send a letter to East Bay MUD encouraging that they answer all comments from a meeting AWA hosted last week on the 2040 plan. Abercrombie also would urge future meetings on the plan be held in Amador and also Calaveras and Alpine counties. In the memo, Abercrombie notes that the AWA is “responsible to provide water supply to the land use agencies like the city of Jackson.” He said the agency drafted a “comprehensive water demand projection,” which forecasts the need for 20,000 feet more of additional water supply to meet Amador County needs, based on projected growth. In the memos and in the draft letters, Abercrombie noted that the AWA was the lead agency the last few years in developing the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan, which lists potential future projects that include expansion of dams at Bear River Reservoir and Pardee Lake. Both would be used to increase surface water for Amador’s water supply, while reducing rain runoff and adding to surface water, which San Joaquin County could inject into its aquifer for storage. Abercrombie noted that partners in the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan, included Calaveras County Water District, the cities of Jackson and Ione, and the Amador County Board of Supervisors. He said all members approved the IRWMP agreement, which included the Pardee and Bear River lake expansions. AWA meets 9 a.m. Thursday to consider the item and other matters on its regular agenda. 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 Board of Directors heard news last week that pipe was being buried and ground had already been broken for its partnership project, the Plymouth Water Pipeline. Engineering Manager Gene Mancebo said “most of the work is being focused in the Plymouth area, near the city water storage tank.” He said the contractor has been doing quite a bit of work, and has started with “Segment 6,” which is the length of the pipeline that connects to the storage tank. Mancebo said work includes roughing-in along the cross country terrain for preparation to lay the pipeline. He said they have been installing pipe and the weather has been cooperating. The ceremonial grand opening was rescheduled, due to weather. Mancebo said line improvements in Sutter Creek were nearing an end, entering last week with 20 feet more of pipeline left to install. Workers also relocated a fire hydrant, upgrading an old-fashioned, 2-inch pipe and spigot, with a new hydrant. They will also put in another hydrant at the intersection of Badger and Allen Ranch Roads. Work has encountered rock, and replaced corroded pipes. Mancebo said, “in short, I think our crews have done an outstanding job in light of the obstacles.” He said the project was authorized by the AWA board for $170,000 dollars and “we’re estimating that it’s going to cost $195,000 dollars,” with a little less than a 10-percent cost overrun. Mancebo said both he and Operations Manager Chris McKeage will be attending a water reuse seminar, which will go toward reclamation projects for the agency. Board member Bill Condrashoff asked why the Sutter Creek pipes were wrapped in plastic. Mancebo said it was done to protect nuts and bolts on the pipes, when they are secured with concrete, when needed. It can also be used to project the pipes when the ground is corrosive in nature. AWA’s next regular board meeting is next Thursday, while the Quarterly meeting of the Central Amador Water Project is this week, meeting 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Volcano Communications Center in Pine Grove. 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, whose job it is to keep a close eye on the county’s budget, sought Supervisor approval during Tuesday’s meeting on proposed mid-year budget revisions. She said that usually a county will bring budget revisions when there is some major unexpected change in the environment. “Normally we do not do a mid-year revision,” said Daly, adding: “This is not a normal year.” The revisions reflect adjustments made as a result of cost-cutting programs, such as the Early Retirement Incentive Program implemented in early 2009. Twenty six people retired under that program and three positions were backfilled with people within the county. The revisions do not take into account effects from the State budget, which have not been fully realized. Daly when line-by-line through the revisions. There was a substantial increase in the amount paid for public defenders cost, equaling a change in expenditures up to $59,864. Two deputy positions were filled, equaling a change in revenues of $56,762. These monies are reimbursed by the courts. The county also received grant subsidies to house aliens in the county jail totaling $12,000. The Public Health Department received a grant of over $62,000 for emergency preparedness programs. There was also an increase in airport fuel costs, which would be reimbursed later. The Net Difference after the new revisions is $4,320. The Board approved of the revisions unanimously. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - The Board of Supervisors heard a presentation Tuesday asking them to submit additional appropriations requests in preparation of two federal grants for the Sutter Hill Transit Center. The item also asked for approval to continue working with Federal Lobbyist David French in order to obtain the requested funding. Amador County Transportation Commission Director Charles Field and Matt Boyer of Dokken Engineering outlining proposed plans to widen the street on Valley View Way and add solar shade structures, or a “solar farm”, over the Park and Ride facility. Field said he believes grant funding will be able to cover all three phases of the Sutter Hill project. The total projected cost of the Valley View Way widening is approximately $2.5 million, which includes adding bicycle paths, a neighborhood electric vehicle lane, a center turn lane and median landscaping. The Solar Farm project involves construction of a solar energy collection and distribution system, including connections to supply power to off-site public agency facilities. That cost estimate is just over $2.9 million. “We’re lucky to have funds to construct solar systems,” said Boyer. Supervisor inquiries centered on ways revenue can be generated off of the site and power collected for other public buildings in the vicinity. Boyer said capture technology is getting better all the time and recent laws are moving towards making public facilities able to share excess power. When asked how likely there would be excess power generated, Boyer said “very likely.” He said solar panels and collection devices are big ticket items, but when you break it down they are “almost disappointing in terms of simplicity.” The Board approved the motion unanimously. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Sutter Creek Planning Commission last week wanted an access road to be built in the Gold Rush Ranch & Gold Resort. Commissioner Frank Cunha said “an access road must be built before building permits are issued,” in Phases 3 or 4 of the project. He said “originally, it was not required until occupancy permits were issued.” Commission Chairman Robin Peters agreed, said that Gold Rush “could have 200 homes on the west side of town 90 percent completed,” in two months, and “you’d have an awful lot of emotional leverage to hold over the city.” He said he had “seen it before, before this commission.” Cunha said it was important to have the access road built before Phase 3 or 4, because past projects had asked to do phases out of sequence, to avoid paying for things like the access road, “and the city council approved it.” Other items of discussion included the number of single-family homes by lot sizes. Gold Rush’s Greg Bardini said the developers had “no crystal ball,” but the plan said that the “majority of the lots are not less than 7,000 square feet.” But he did not have a specific number. Cunha said Sutter Creek’s General Plan does not allow “mass grading, but if you put in all 5,000-square-foot lots, the only way to do it is with mass grading.” Consultant Anders Hauge suggested the commission use a unique designation for the Gold Rush specific plan, then work with the applicant on single-family lots and percentages thereof. Commissioner Cort Strandberg said: “The economy constantly pushes everyone to produce cheap crap.” He said in spite of that, he found himself nodding in agreement with the developer’s proposals, then later thinking: “Hmm, well what’s going to happen?” Commissioner Mike Kirkley said he agreed with Cunha that he was “most worried about getting mass grading,” especially if another developer came in later with “crap – cookie-cutter” housing. Hauge said they should work with the applicant, who is offering to meet the commission’s goals to give “affordable housing by design” and to preserve oak trees, among other things. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – A new limited liability company has been looking lately at powering up the old Ione-area Cogen electric generating plant. Amador Air Pollution Control Officer James L. Harris said Tuesday that the new company, Buena Vista Biomass Power LLC, was looking at reopening the Cogen incendiary power generating plant on Coal Mine Road. Harris said if it opened, it would burn only bio-mass, that is, yard waste and natural trimmings. Harris said the emissions would be better than the Cogen’s initial incarnation, when it burned lignite, a low form of coal. Harris reported to the Amador County Air District Board of Directors on Tuesday that “all back fees due for the power plant on Coal Mine Road in Ione have been paid.” He said the “revenue was anticipated in the budget and the amount paid to the District puts us on track to meet our projected revenue of $406,411, with several thousand (dollars) for carryover into fiscal year 2009-2010. Harris said the new Buena Vista Biomass Power company paid the past due Air District fees. Amador District 3 Congressman Dan Lungren last August visited the Cogen power plant, with a company from Tempe, Arizona, that was interested in reopening the plant to generate electricity. The company called it a “green energy plant,” and hoped to open by May 1st of this year. The project was slated to bring as many as 20 jobs and about $1 Million in annual salary to Amador County. Lungren met with the Cogen plant’s owners, the Oneto Group principals, Rux and Eddie Oneto at the plant on Coal Mine Road, along with a representative of the Arizona company, and Harris. The company interested in the deal that fell through said the plant would burn 200,000 tons of biomass a year. The Air District board next meets April 28th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The California Alcoholic Beverage Control was set to post a 20-day-to-indefinite closure of the National Hotel bar late Wednesday night, as agreed upon by the owner. The bar was open earlier this week, with a worker installing locks on the front doors to close down the bar for the allotted time, 20 days or more, depending on the results of the owner applying for a new liquor sales license. Lori Ajax, ABC administrator for the Sacramento District, including Amador and 10 other counties, said the National Hotel bar last July faced 7 violations from an investigation that began last March, which culminated in the sale of alcohol to a female under age 21. Ajax said the “minor decoy operation” was conducted last May 8th after ABC learned that the National was operating under a restaurant and bar liquor license but had not operated a restaurant in 2 years. Undercover ABC officers visited the National to request food on four separate dates, March 22nd, April 4th, April 10th and May 8th of last year. That resulted in charges of four violations of state Business and Professions Code. Also May 8th last year, investigators found 6 tainted liquor bottles, which Ajax said likely had bugs crawl into improper pouring spigots. That resulted in a Penal Code violation of selling “an alcohol solution of a potable nature containing a … poisonous substance.” The state of those bottles also brought a count of violation of Health & Safety Code, “for the sale of alcoholic beverages” … “which were adulterated in whole or part in a diseased, contaminated, filthy, putrid or decomposed substance, or were otherwise unfit for food.” Ajax said the other charges were lesser to the accusation of sale of alcohol to a minor. She said the delay in closing the bar Wednesday, more than 9 months after the violation date last May, was because owner Bill Smith requested an administrative hearing, which was scheduled for last week. Just before the hearing, Smith settled the charges by agreeing to the 20-days-to-indefinite closure of the bar. It will be closed “until he gets the kitchen going,” Ajax said, or until he applies for and receives a bar license. She said Smith indicated “at the hearing that he was going to apply for a different license.” Ajax said Smith has held the liquor license at the National Hotel since November 13th, 1985, with no record of past disciplinary action. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.