By Jennifer Wilson -

It looks like John Plasse will have the opportunity to serve on the Jackson Revitalization Committee after all. At the Jackson City Council meeting on Monday night, City Manager Mike Daly presented a recommendation from the committee to amend their guidelines to add a County Liaison position and appoint Supervisor-Elect John Plasse to the position. The amendment is the result of the committee’s first meeting, which was held on October 1, where many committee members spoke of Plasse’s commitment and hard work on the Jackson Economic Development committee. Council member Wayne Garibaldi, who is also a member of the committee, said that he experienced “100 percent support” for adding Plasse to the committee. At the city council’s September 22nd meeting, the council had decided not to appoint Plasse, due to the “appearance of a conflict of interest,” even though no such conflict legally existed. Instead the council appointed Shelley Scott, who also has been actively involved on the Economic Development Committee and was elected Vice Chair of the new committee on October 1. Monday night, council members briefly entertained opening up the County Liaison position to the public and inviting applications, but in the end, the seemingly overwhelming call for Plasse to be in that new position won out and the three present council members approved the amendment to the guidelines and added Plasse to the committee as the “County Liaison.” In addition to Plasse’s and Scott’s positions, Rich Hoffman was elected as the committee’s chair, and meetings will be held the second Thursday of each month at 6 pm at 33 Broadway in Jackson.

By Alex Lane -

A candidate’s forum for the Amador Water Agency Board of Directors is scheduled for Monday evening. It will be sponsored by the Amador Resource Conservation District, or ARCD. According to ARCD President Steve Cannon, the forum is an ideal place to pose, “relevant questions designed to promote the exchange of ideas relating to water in Amador County.” The candidates will answer questions pertaining to the management of local water resources, and all candidates shall be able to review those questions ahead of time. Time permitting, the moderator will also allow audience members to ask questions of the candidates. “We do not intend for this forum to be a debate, as such. Our intention is to enhance the public’s knowledge about the candidates’ position on certain water issues, their motivation for seeking a position on the Water Agency Board, and their general knowledge about water issues that qualifies them to serve on the Water Agency Board,” Cannon said. The Amador Resource Conservation District is a special district organized under Title 9 of the California Code whose stated mission is to “encourage the wise use of all natural resources in Amador County and assist the landowners of the county in the conservation and management of those resources.” The forum will take place at the County Administration Building, 810 Court Street in Jackson, beginning at 6:30pm. The moderator will be Giles Turner, a respected educator at Amador High School. The public is encouraged to attend.

Amador County – The Ione City Council discussed a Community Preservation Committee at its regular meeting Tuesday. And some of the council members attended a town hall meeting Monday centered on the committee’s formation. Mayor Lee Ard said Monday’s meeting showed him that the committee wants to hear from the public about what the city wants. He said he wanted the city council to guide the group, like a ship. And he said the people should decide what they want to do with downtown, and if they want to increase traffic to historic downtown, do they really want to bring people to a “block full of nothing?” He said a string of Main Street empty buildings might be in irreparable condition, and the “dirt” at the location might be worth more than some of the buildings. Councilwoman Andrea Bonham said the meeting Monday confirmed for her that the public wanted to have “grassroots” control over the Community Preservation Committee. She said they wanted to lead the committee, and preferred not to have the council lead it. City Manager Kim Kerr said Monday’s meeting drew about 20 people, including 7 business owners who wanted to participate. Councilman David Plank said council members would volunteer to recruit members in the community to help lead the committee, and he said they should urge each business member to help encourage at least one other business owner to join. Vice Mayor Skip Schaufel said downtown businesses should try to coordinate with and serve the crowds that come to town for special events, like this weekend’s Ione Homecoming. He said one business that serves food is normally closed on Monday, which last year was the day on which the July 4th holiday fell. The business was closed and he said he was a bad business move. Ard said he thought the council should lead the committee, or guide it, for a year, then a director could be hired. The other council members urged to have community leadership. Councilman Jim Ulm said he knew there were experts in town that could help with financing and business plans. Ard said 3 members of the council have retail business experience, which he thought could help. He said the main thing is to have a downtown that offers good and services that people want. Committee sign-up forms are on the city’s website, or can be found at City Hall. The council set another meeting, for 5 p.m. Monday, May 11th at City Hall, for the Main Street Program, to educate people about the program, so they can learn about it and decide if they want to be involved in helping run it. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Sutter Creek Business Association gathered together last Friday for a group photos symbolizing the strength of the business community and its overwhelming support for Gold Rush Ranch and Golf Resort. Approximately 94 percent of the association’s 100 plus members are in favor of the Gold Rush Ranch, a massive development project that will essentially double the size of the small city. Before the photos were taken, members gathered to socialize at the American Exchange Hotel. The first group photo was taken in the banquet room at the hotel. The group then made its way over to humbug hill for a second set of photos. City Manager and Police Chief Rob Duke graciously consented to shutting the street down until the photos were taken. At least one of the pictures was solely comprised of Gold Rush Ranch endorsers. Association members questioned by TSPN have said they are very happy with the association and the family of businesses it represents. Story by Alex Lane.

By Jennifer Wilson -

The City of Jackson has implemented a commercial “temporary sign” ordinance, which will limit the size and use of temporary commercial signs within the city. At Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, council members conducted a 2nd reading of the ordinance and agreed that it was time to take action. The new ordinance will allow a temporary sign only to advertise a special promotion or sale, and may not be used as a permanent sign for naming the business. New businesses will be allowed to use a temporary sign for 60 days while a permanent sign is being made, and current business owners in Jackson will have six months to replace any temporary sign. Additionally, use will be limited to two signs at any given time, which may be erected up to three times per year, for a period of 30 days each. A permit fee of 25 dollars will apply, and sign size will be limited to sixteen square feet. Exceptions to the size limit will be considered, and will be charged 10 dollars for each additional four square feet or portion thereof. The sign ordinance applies to commercial signs only, as the city recently adopted a separate ordinance that covers non-commercial signage, such as non-profit organizations and political signs. The temporary sign ordinance will take effect 30 days from adoption, which will be on November 13, 2008. For more information on either ordinance, you can call Jackson City Hall at 223-1646.

Amador County – Renee Chapman, “at-large” representative on the Amador Regional Planning Committee, attended the Pine Grove Community Council meeting Wednesday, saying she was trying to get in touch with “at-large” areas of the county. Attendees suggested Chapman invite the Planning Committee to meet at Pine Grove Town Hall. Council member Andy Byrne said the regional committee was formed “for the very same reasons why we exist as a council.” Chapman said she had an idea for the county as a whole, to invite someone from the Economic Development Administration to “look at Amador County on a more regional level.” District 3 Supervisor Ted Novelli said he had discussed this with the Amador County Business Council, and he is planning to meet with them, representatives from the five cities in Amador, county representatives and county businesses. He said he hoped that a regular bi-monthly or quarterly meeting of those groups could be established. Supervisor Louis Boitano said corporations, such as PG&E, have endowment grants to finance such meetings. Byrne asked about the possibility of forming a “Council of Governments” with the Regional Planning Committee. Boitano, a founding 2-year member of the committee, said there may be interest “as time goes on.” A majority of the Regional Planning Committee members oppose a Council of Governments. Debbie Dunn, District 4 Board member of the Amador Water Agency, said 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 “the fact that they picked Renee (Chapman) as the at-large member is a good move in that direction.” 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.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Coming back from a slim early deficit to take a 3-vote re-election win November 4th, Councilman Greg Baldwin took another victory last Thursday in being named Vice Mayor of Plymouth. He will be second to Mayor Jon Colburn, who was chosen remain as mayor for another year, on a 3-1 vote. Councilwoman Patricia Fordyce was the only “no” voter, saying before the vote that her only problem with it was that she would rather see the rotating representation in the mayor position. Councilmen Baldwin and Colburn and Councilwoman Patricia Shackleton took the oath of office near the end of the regular session, with the oath administered by City Clerk Gloria Stoddard. Fordyce then passed the baton of vice mayor by nominating Baldwin, and the council approved the nomination 4-0. Councilman Michael O’Meara was absent. Mayor Colburn then appointed Fordyce to represent the city council on the Amador Regional Planning Committee, which has members from the Amador County Board of Supervisors and the cities of Ione, Sutter Creek and Jackson. Fordyce said the committee originally met on Thursday nights but moved the meeting day to accommodate Plymouth City Council’s membership. She said the committee also is looking for a public member, preferably a resident of the unincorporated area of the county. Former public member, and Plymouth veterinarian Elida Malick resign the position in November. To get information about the committee, contact Sutter Creek City Councilman Tim Murphy. Story by Jim Reece

By Jim Reece -

An over-capacity crowd filled the seats and aisles of the Amador County Board of Supervisors chambers Tuesday in the first of a 3-day serial meeting to hash through Land Use for the county’s new General Plan. County Planner Susan Grijalva introduced staff, county department heads and consultants who in turn presented the status of updates for land use at staff level. At nearly 2-and-a-half years old, the General Plan update might still see another year of discussion before supervisors take action. Grijalva said one public hearing is the minimum requirement for a general plan update, but the county will have a minimum of two, possibly more. She said the General Plan is not zoning, as the two are distinct layers in law. Amador County Geographic Information Coordinator, Keith Johnson, introduced a digital mapping system, the U-Plan, which builds models and helps show current and prospective new land uses around the county. “U-Plan does not decide where development goes,” he said, and it does not develop policy. But it will show areas, such as federal lands, water bodies, and high-fire-risk areas, where development cannot occur. Grijalva told supervisors and planning commissioners in the joint meeting that the object was to find out what is desired, pinpoint areas of the county that need more information, identify what options need to be explored, and bring back the findings after the first of the year. County Attorney Martha Shaver talked about conflicts of interest and said she could talk individually with supervisors and commissioners if needed. Amador County Transportation Commission Executive Director Charles Field talked about modeling. “We’re not going to be looking at the parcel level.” He said “Our traffic infrastructure is not keeping up with growth,” but the ability to remedy problems was made difficult with the high cost of highway bypasses and the lack of federal funding, which the state has done little to supplement. Field said that even if the funds were there, the Amador communities are so drenched in historic value that expansion of roads would be difficult. Public input will be taken today, Thursday, 1 to 5 p.m. at the Supervisors Chambers.

By Jennifer Wilson  -

Parents of Amador High School soccer players are experiencing problems finding a parking space for evening games. According to one mother, the upper parking lot has been closed and locked this year, drastically reducing the number of spots available, which has ultimately taken a toll on game attendance. The concerned mom spoke at Wednesday’s Unified School District Board Meeting on behalf of about 25 Amador High School parents and area residents who signed a petition requesting that the lot be made accessible during soccer games, as that lot is open during football games. “Is soccer a second class sport?” she asked, and says that “people are struggling to get from the lower parking lot, carrying chairs, and coolers…and then having to carry things back down in the dark – not a very safe endeavor at all.” Also, a number of game-goers have received 50-dollar tickets for parking in the gym parking lot. According to the mom, Kevin Neville, the Athletics Director of Amador High, says that allowing students to take money is a safety issue. In light of this, numerous parents have offered to volunteer monitoring the gate and taking parking fees during the game. When contacted, Neville confirmed that he thought students should not be collecting money at the upper lot as its “isolated up there.” He also announced plans to have the upper lot available for the last four games of the season. “We’re going to try it and see how it goes,” says Neville. Board Member Terry Porray brought up the issue at last week’s School Board meeting, and stated that she would like the matter looked into, and asked why the lot is closed. TSPN will bring you more information on this matter as details develop.

The final Amador County Fair numbers have at last been released, and the results are good. Amador County Fair CEO Troy Bowers reports that attendance was about 29,500, up from last year’s 28,815. “Paid gate (sales) were actually down. What we did well with (this year) was our presale (tickets). A lot of people took advantage of the discount.” Also, about 200 youngsters took advantage of this year’s promotion, which was free admission for all those dressed as a crawdad. The fair drew people from as far away as Livermore, reports Bowers. “The rodeo was a big draw this year, but the rodeo and the derbies both did extremely well.” The junior livestock auctions also did well. Bowers says it was “a good, solid auction,” slightly less than last year, which was a “record auction” for the fair. Overall, 227 lots, or animals, were purchased for a total of 300,444 dollars, all of which goes straight to the kids for upcoming college expenses, and for “socking away for next year’s projects,” says Bowers.