Amador County – The Amador County Indian Gaming Local Community Benefits Committee meets next week to look at funding requests for this year. The committee includes Amador County Supervisors Richard Forster and John Plasse; Jackson City Council members Wayne Garibaldi and Connie Gonsalves; Sutter Creek Mayor Gary Wooten; Jackson Rancheria Tribal Vice Chairman Bo Marks; and Jackson Rancheria Chief Executive Officer Rich Hoffman. The agenda includes “Conflict of Interest” and the committee will Review and possibly recommend adoption of a Conflict of Interest Code for the Committee. The agenda also will look at funding requests. The committee will review and possibly recommend consideration of applications received for Special Distribution Fund Appropriations. The meeting is 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 11th at the Rancheria. Story by Jim Reece.

Amador County – Executive Director Charles Field said Tuesday that the Amador County Transportation Commission began with “a 3-page MOU and a handshake,” and now, “$5.8 Million dollars later,” it has growing pains. Member entity, the Ione City Council talked about ACTC’s future Tuesday, and decided to have a workshop to learn more about its possibly becoming a Joint Powers Authority or a Transportation Authority. Councilman Jim Ulm said he’s “been on ACTC for a few years. I’m glad I’m off of it. But it’s a good thing to pass along to the other council members. It gives you a good understanding.” City Manager Kim Kerr said “we’re still owed another public hearing.” Mayor Lee Ard thought ACTC should have an “operational audit,” so they can see “what it’s been doing since its inception,” so they become a “true transportation authority” and “build some credibility.” Councilman David Plank and Kerr both said they did not want ACTC having power over land decisions inside city limits. Councilwoman Andrea Bonham said whether it stays an MOU or becomes a JPA or a Transportation Authority, she was “not sure everybody understands the role of ACTC.” Bonham suggested a workshop. Ard agreed and said he wanted a representative from ACTC there. Kerr said Field was the ideal person to do it. Supervisor Richard Forster said “this is a healthy discussion,” and ACTC’s board has been going over the same questions the last 8 or 9 months. He said the ACTC board did not know how much authority it should have. Questions included whether it should have the power to call ballot measures. If it had too much power, would a future board renig on duties? Forster said he doesn’t like Councils Of Governments, while Sutter Creek Councilman Tim Murphy likes COGs. And whenever Field gets an idea for ACTC, “he has to run to every member entity to get ideas passed.” Forster said ACTC “would like to actually run projects,” which are now led by Caltrans. One area of difference is environmental work, which Caltrans cannot do with a Negative Mitigated Declaration. ACTC has “encouraged a lot of projects, and delivered. The number is in the hundreds,” Forster said: Most were finished on time and under budget; “I think what (ACTC is) trying to do is evolve and become a better agency.” Kerr said she would plan a workshop on ACTC, likely presented by Field. Story by Jim Reece

State - Companies across the United States stepped up staff layoffs in February, feeding the latest set of grim unemployment statistics during this nationwide economic decline. The United States lost an estimated 778,000 jobs in February- the biggest one-month loss of the recession so far. 2.1 million jobs, or 1.6 percent of the nationwide workforce, have been lost in the last three months. This is the biggest loss since February of 1975. It is estimated that an additional 650,000 jobs will be lost in the next four to six months. Statewide, the jobless rate exceeds 10 percent for the first time in 26 years, forcing many homeowners into foreclosure if no action is taken. California’s unemployment rate was 10.1 percent in January, and nonfarm payroll jobs declined by 79,300 during the month, according to the California Employment Development Department. Unemployment statistics in Amador County are not seasonally adjusted, but rates in neighboring counties are a good indicator of what to expect. Both El Dorado and Sacramento county rates stand above 8 percent as of January 2009. On the bright side, California’s State Employment Development Department announced Tuesday that it began sending recipients of unemployment benefits an additional $25 a week in payments, thanks to the new stimulus bill signed into law in Washington D.C. two weeks ago. Although job losses increase, the latest Spherion employment report indicates that the statewide employee confidence index rose 5.5 percent to 43.2 percent in January. The monthly survey of California workers indicates that more workers believe that it is unlikely they will lose their jobs and more workers have confidence in their ability to find a new job. And despite the grim economic statistics Americans hear almost daily, a new poll shows high approval for President Barack Obama and his administration. A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows Obama has a 60 percent approval rating with 67 percent favorability- even though 76 percent of those surveyed also think the economy will continue to get worse. In California, 65 percent of registered voters approve of the job Obama is doing, compared with 21 percent who do not. Among voters non-affiliated with the two major parties, 69 percent are favorable towards Obama. Opinions about Obama’s economic stimulus plan are more polarized, with 52 percent of the voters approving while 36 percent disapprove. Obama’s plan to use the government to jolt the economy back to life signals the most significant ideological shift in Washington since President Reagan took office in 1981. Story by Alex Lane 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 – Police investigated a minor mudslide yesterday above the public bathrooms at the intersection of Highway 49/88 and Main Street in Jackson. The hillside gave way after being battered for over a week by intermittent rains. Police arrived on the scene Wednesday afternoon to make sure there was no damage to the bathroom structures. “This has happened many times before with this hillside and it was just a matter of when it would happen again,” said concerned Jackson resident Kevin Clark at the scene. “Water could seep through the rock and cause a bunch of damage,” he added. Fortunately, the parking lot is surrounded with a sturdy retaining wall that prevented the dirt from damaging the restrooms or making its way to the street. 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 talked about a directional sign to help some downtown businesses Monday, then tabled the issue for more work. City Manager Rob Duke proposed a couple of locations for a sign that would point out the businesses on the Chaos Glassworks side of town. Duke said the corner of Main Street and Gopher Flat Road was an option, but he recommended the corner of Main Street and Hayden Alley. The need was because “businesses on Hanford Street need advertisement on Main Street in order to encourage pedestrians to continue around the corner onto Hanford Street.” They think “nobody knows where they are,” Duke said. He said the sign should be “put high enough so that a person can walk under it without smacking their head.” John Mottoros asked about businesses at the other end of Main Street and why they would not get a sign. He also asked who would be paying for the sign, the pole and the paint, the people or the businesses who want to be on it. Duke said businesses would pay for space on the sign and the funds would reimburse the city for the sign’s cost. Sharyn Brown said the Main and Gopher Flat was barely visible walking down the street, and “the planter is a much better place.” She also suggested locating it near the school crossing sign or on the stop sign. Duke said “those signs are already occupying that post.” Brown said Days Inn, Gray Gables, Chaos and many of the total 16 businesses on the north side of town want to be on the sign. Duke said if you put a sign at Main and Gopher Flat, people want to cross the road there. Mayor Gary Wooten said “you don’t want any visual obstructions and that is still one of our busiest intersections.” Planning Commissioner Frank Cunha said the discussion was evidence the city “sign ordinance needs to be redone.” He suggested a temporary sign until the ordinance is revised. Councilman Pat Crosby said “we can talk about this forever. Let’s just put up a sign where Rob says,” at Main and Hayden Alley, and “very soon we can find out whether it’s a good, bad or indifferent location.” Brown asked what she should tell the owners of Chaos Glassworks. Wooten said “tell them it’s not dead and we’re working on it.” Wooten said he liked the idea of the sign being illuminated and placed near a city parking area, so people can have the time to read it. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The public is invited to comment on the 2009 applications the Bureau of Land Management has submitted to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division. David Christy of BLM Central California’s public affairs, said the public review and comment period will run from Tuesday, March 3rd through Wednesday, April 1st. Christy in a release Monday said “The OHV grant applications are an annual process that is a key part of the partnership between BLM and the state of California, which issues grants to a variety of entities to improve or mitigate Off-Highway Vehicle recreation.” Under the process, BLM applies for grants from the state each year to help fund and coordinate its Off-Highway Vehicle program. View the applications online at www.ohv.parks.ca.gov. Copies are also available at the state office in Sacramento. For copies of grant applications being submitted by the Desert Managers Group and for California public lands along the Colorado River, contact the California State Office. Information is also available on BLM's website. The draft 2009 BLM applications total about 90 projects, which include law enforcement, facility developments, trails projects, restoration work and other Off-Highway Vehicle-related projects proposed throughout BLM’s 16 state field offices. Comments will be taken on grant applications for BLM offices in Folsom, Bishop and Bakersfield. Jim Keeler, BLM Off-Highway Vehicle coordinator, said BLM is also reaching out to interested members of the public through mailings, public meetings, personal contacts and through BLM-California's e-newsletter, News.bytes. For further details on BLM grant applications, contact Keeler at (916) 978-4654 or email, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - Public comment by a homeless man during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting held the attention of county officials when he addressed misconceptions about homeless persons and alleged police harassment. David Hammock, a homeless man who lives in a van, said that despite opinions expressed before the Board, “not everyone out here that’s homeless is a drug addict.” He said that many he has encountered have been pushed out of their homes after losing their jobs. He also said that Jackson police regularly go under the library and confiscate tents and sleeping bags given to the homeless by the Interfaith Food Bank. According to Hammock, the homeless are ordered to leave the area. “I’m not asking for anything except for the county not to push the homeless people on other counties,” said Hammock. He said “Amador needs to step up to the plate” and address this problem. “There are smokescreens and they’re designed to hide the truth,” he said, referring to an “inaccurate” 2007 survey on the local homeless population. The issue alludes to a bigger problem for the county – a volunteer, county wide survey in January revealed that the number of local homeless could be twice or three times more than previously estimated. According to Beetle Barbour, housing director of the Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency, homeless numbers are likely twice the 57 people counted in 2007. Some residents were outraged in February after hearing a false rumor that the National Hotel would begin housing homeless from the Bay Area. Hammock expressed his frustration at a system he felt ignored the homeless. However, private organizations are making efforts to strengthen the network of community organizations that help homeless persons. First 5 Director Nina Machado and Lynda Miller, Grant Director for Operation Care, are working to model a support network based on other county’s examples. Matthew Zanze, Director of Social Services, said the frustration expressed by Hammock is an all too common problem in Amador County. “People don’t see them as part of the landscape,” said Zanze. “This is my county, too,” Hammock added near the close of his comment. Supervisor Louis Boitano thanked him for his courage in coming to speak before the board. The board did not discuss the issue further. 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 – Board President Terence Moore called a special meeting of the Amador Water Agency board for today to consider starting preparation work for the agency’s Gravity Supply Line Project. Board secretary Cris Thompson announced the special meeting Monday. The agenda includes the single item of discussion and authorization for General Manager Jim Abercrombie to execute a consulting agreement to perform geotechnical work needed for the design of the Gravity Supply Line. The line would connect the Buckhorn Water Treatment Plant on Highway 88 in Pine Grove with Tiger Creek, via a 20-ince pipeline, 33,000 feet in length. Abercrombie in a summary of the project earlier this year said the “project will also include a strategic placement of fire hydrants along the route that will improve capabilities of fire suppression in a corridor vulnerable to forest and grass fires.” In November 2008, the AWA approved a $6,875-dollar contract with consultants PBS&J to complete “Federal Cross-Cutting Environmental Regulations, to evaluate the Gravity Supply Line’s potential effects pursuant to 13 different state and federal environmental laws. The Gravity Supply Line would serve the Central Amador Water Project, and replace a pipeline installed 30 years ago as an “emergency repair,” but which has been in place since. It was placed in service by the former local Water District during a drought, to restore lost water pressure and ease the district’s extremely high fire danger. The Gravity Supply Line is one of 11 projects the AWA listed as its top jobs for which to seek funding in the Federal Stimulus Package. The estimated cost of the project is $11 million dollars. The project would reduce electric use by the agency equivalent to “nearly 50 percent of the total annual operation and maintenance budget” of the agency. The AWA board was already scheduled to hold a special meeting today for a closed-session conference regarding its suit against Kenneth Perano, as Trustee of the Ernest W. Perano Exemption Trust. The closed session starts and 9 a.m. and the open session starts at 9:30 a.m. today in the AWA office, at 12800 Ridge Rd in Sutter Creek. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.