Amador County - The US Forest Service is seeking nominees for a 15-member Resource Advisory Committee, or RAC, that will evaluate and recommend projects and funding to improve Eldorado National Forest watersheds and facilities. The advisory committee will be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture and will represent a wide variety of interests. “I am looking forward to working with a Resource Advisory Committee,” said Eldorado National Forest Supervisor Ramiro Villalvazo, who is delegated to approve projects for the Secretary of Agriculture. “Bringing together 15 people who represent wide ranging interests in the National Forest will be good for everyone involved and will improve management of the National Forest Lands,” he added. RAC committee members are officially appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture for a term of four years. “The committee will have approximately $47,000 available each year for the next four years to use on projects it recommends to the Forest Supervisor for approval,” said Ted Novelli, chairman of the Amador County Board of Supervisors, adding: “Project funds were authorized by the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, and became available for use on Eldorado National Forest projects when the county elected to form a RAC under Title II of the Act.” The funds may be used for projects that improve maintenance of existing infrastructure, implement stewardship objectives to enhance forest ecosystems, and restore and improve land health and water quality. These projects are likely to create additional employment opportunities in the local economy. Applications for the RAC can be obtained on the Eldorado National Forest website and need to be submitted by April 20, 2009. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - On a 4-0 vote Monday night, the Jackson City Council approved a resolution opposing East Bay MUD's proposed expansion of Pardee Reservoir and encouraging EBMUD to meet its water needs through conservation, instead. Expanding Pardee is proposed as part of EBMUD's 2040 Water Supply Management Plan. The Mokelumne's Middle Bar reach, the historic 1912 Middle Bar Bridge, and part of the Mokelumne Electra Run would be submerged if the Pardee expansion plans move forward. The expansion would turn Middle Bar and Gwin Mine Roads into dead ends at the river and require the construction of a new Highway 49 bridge. The Jackson resolution, introduced by Councilman Keith Sweet, recognizes the importance of the Mokelumne's Middle Bar and Electra runs to local residents and visitors. It also points out the river's importance to Jackson as a source of tourism and recreation income and tax revenue.This resolution follows a similar 2002 city council resolution in support of opening the Middle Bar reach of the Mokelumne to public access. Sweet will present Jackson's Pardee expansion resolution at a public hearing to be held locally on EBMUD's water plan EIR. That hearing is scheduled for Monday, March 16 at 6:30 pm at the Amador Water Agency Boardroom, 12800 Ridge Road, Sutter Creek. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - Construction activity near Argonaut High School in Jackson signifies the first improvement project to be implemented as a result of the Safe Route to School Grant. Safe Routes to School is a concept aimed at increasing the number of children who walk or bicycle to school by funding projects that remove barriers that currently prevent them from doing so. The program has been adopted by the California Legislature and is available to qualifying cities and counties. A local match of 10 percent is required. Approximately one year ago, the City of Jackson qualified for a chunk of the $780,000 allocated for countywide improvements under the stimulus package. The first project on the list includes curb, gutter and sidewalk installation from Hoffman to Mariposa Street beginning Tuesday March 10 through March 20. Area residents and those travelling to and from the High School can expect delays from 5 to 10 minutes. Pacific Gas and Electric company will also be relocating some power poles. This may result in some interruptions of power service during this time. “It’s a great project in general and a great addition to the area near the high school,” said Jackson City Manager Mike Daly, adding: “The pavement there is in real bad shape.” He said the next project will be a reconfiguration of the intersection at Court Street and Highway 88, currently in the preliminary engineering phase. Many Jackson officials have stated their support for funding received through the grant and the cause it supports. According to CALTRANS, the legislation came partly as the result of a worrisome rise in obesity amongst children and teenagers. Thirty years ago, 60 percent of children living within a 2-mile radius of a school walked or bicycled to school. Today, that number has dropped to less than 15 percent. And back then, 5 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 11 were considered to be overweight or obese. Today, that number has climbed to 20 percent. Jackson is the first city to receive and implement funding through this grant in Amador County. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Hundreds of rodeo riders will mosey into Plymouth next Friday for the 2009 Challenge of Champions Rodeo. The 3-day California High School Rodeo Association is the statewide high school championships and is set for March 20th to 22nd, next Friday through Sunday at the Amador County Fairgrounds. Committee Chairman and Plymouth local, Craig Williams said the Challenge of Champions marks its 12th year in Pokerville and 36th year overall. It spent its first quarter-century at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. Williams said the championship caliber of the contestants shows in their “exceptional athleticism and talent” with a “unique sense of spirit and sportsmanship.” The Challenges features the “top 3 contestants in each event from the 9 high school districts of the association in California.” Williams said the “association’s commitments encourage character building and team involvement, but also place emphasis on education with a required scholastic standing to compete. The event encourages a healthy, competitive spirit while bringing families closer together.” The Jackson Rancheria Casino Hotel & Conference Center is also marking its 12th year as the Challenge of Champions major sponsor. Williams said much community support, including from the Amador County Fair Board, “has made the Challenge a success.” Performances will be announced by nationally know announcers Chad Nicholson and Steve Goddard, along with performances all tree days by famous rodeo clown, Clint Sylvester, also known as “Wolfie.” On Saturday the “trick riding and roping group, Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls, will perform. The Riata Girls’ mission is “Empowering young people by building positive life skills, provide a safe and effective environment in which to learn and change lives by making good kids great citizens.” On Sunday, the award winning California Cowgirls Drill Team will appear. Cargill Incorporated and its six division, including Nutrena, has become a statewide sponsor for the Special Rodeo program, which allows the Challenge to share the sport of rodeo with young people with special needs. Friday’s cutting competition starts at 7 a.m. with the “final go” to follow. The rodeo performance is 6 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, the Special Rodeo is at 11 a.m. and the rodeo begins at 1 p.m. Sunday starts with Cowboy Church at 10 a.m., followed by rodeo finals at noon, with award presentations to follow. Admission is $8, with kids under age 6 free. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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

Amador County - At last week’s Board of Supervisors meeting Amador County was recognized by the National Weather Service, or NWS, as a “StormReady” community and now becomes the sixth out of fifty-eight counties to receive this designation. During the presentation, Dan Keeton, Meteorologist in Charge of the Sacramento Office, presented Board Chairman Ted Novelli, Sheriff Martin Ryan and Emergency Services Coordinator Lynne Olson with the official “StormReady” designation. “StormReady” is a nationwide program designed to help communities better protect their citizens during severe weather by focusing on improving communications and preparedness. The program is voluntary and encourages communities to take a proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations. To be certified as “StormReady”, communities must: establish a 24 hour warning point and emergency operations center; have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings/forecasts and to alert the public; create a system that monitors weather conditions locally; and develop a hazardous weather plan which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises. After the NWS presentation, Sheriff Martin Ryan detailed some of the county’s activities that support the “StormReady” program. The county receives weather alerts through the Sheriff’s Office 24 Hour Communications Center via State systems. NWS weather radios that are programmed to sound an alarm during severe weather warnings are also present in county buildings, in the Jackson, Ione, Plymouth and Sutter Creek City Halls, and all of the public schools in the county. The county also has the Reverse 911 community alert notification system for homes and businesses and a portable advisory radio system that can transmit messages to the motoring public via 530 AM radio when deployed. Additionally, the Office of Emergency Services and the County Public Health Department provides preparedness information to the public through the local media and at community events throughout the year. The “StormReady” program is a bit more established on the east coast and in the mid west where severe weather such as thunderstorms can turn into deadly tornados within minutes. It is slowly gaining more awareness on the west coast mainly due to flooding and the threat of tsunamis. Staff Report

Amador County – Ione held a workshop on transportation Tuesday and identified some of its policy wishes, which included establishing a system of trails and bicycle paths and also of keeping sidewalks, even if it means putting up with diminished automobile traffic. The joint session of the Ione City Council and planning commission was held to help the planning department focus its policy in drafting traffic plans as part of the city General Plan update. City Planner Christopher Jordan and consultant Daniel Hamilton led the discussion. Jordan said Thursday that most of the policy questions were answered in the affirmative, with the council wanting more study and information. He said the council wanted to decrease the “Level Of Service” standards for automobile traffic so that they are not taking out sidewalks. In doing so, he said they are “accepting a little bit more congestion on the existing roadway.” He said not taking out sidewalks helps increase the level of service for pedestrians, “so lowering a threshold of service to these roads was a good thing.” The council and planning commissioners also set a policy to identify a “backbone system” for foot trails and bicycle paths. Part of that would be to remove a bike path plan from the Silver Property, while staff will check to see that existing bike lanes were marked with proper paint striping on Shakely Road and Faiway and Castle Oaks Drives. Staff will look around town and also work on the system design with the General Plan Executive Committee. He said the intent is to have linked and circularly connected trails and bicycle paths, to give people route choices. Story by Jim Reece

Amador County – The $10 Million Dollar Plymouth potable water pipeline may break ground as early as Monday (Feb. 23rd), the Amador Water Agency reported last week. AWA Engineering Manager Gene Mancebo said the contractor, Mountain Cascade, has been delivering pipe to property for the start of the project and may start excavating next week and setting pipe in the ground, weather permitting. Mancebo gave a staff report to the AWA Board of Directors last Thursday and introduced Mountain Cascade’s Tony Bautista in the audience. District 5 board member and Chairman Terence Moore asked Mancebo if the project would have two crews, working from both ends of the 6-mile, 6-segment pipeline that will link the Plymouth water storage tank on Fiddletown Road with the Tanner Water Treatment Plant on Ridge Road. Mancebo they will have to “wait and see. Right now they are starting in Plymouth and working this way.” He said in advance of laying pipe, the contractor will excavate along the route to see the need to make the digs deeper. Board Member Bill Condrashoff asked if they were fabricating pipe at the work site. Mancebo said Mountain Cascade will be using C900 pipe, which is “easy to cut in the field and to add elbows.” The company and AWA are targeting March 4th as an official groundbreaking ceremony. The original site was found to be a Catholic Cemetery, but the new site of the ceremony will be at a Winery in the Shennandoah Valley. In another report, AWA Finance director Mike Lee said AWA is planning a Martell area wastewater financial plan rate study workshop. The agency must look at a new rate to dispose of an effluent flow that has now doubled 2 years in a row. Lee said it has grown from 45,000 gallons 2 years ago to 200,000 gallons. The Martell rate workshop is set for February 26th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - Longstanding Public Works Director Larry Petersen became the first of two Amador County employees to volunteer for the county layoff program. The program is part of the county’s continuing efforts to cutback staff and hours in order to meet budget restrictions. Petersen, who has been instrumental in providing oversight on infrastructure maintenance and construction, waste management and land development, accepted the terms of the program early last week. His term will officially last until the end of February. The voluntary layoff program, originally proposed last year by County Administrative Officer Terri Daly, encourages employees approaching retirement in management, confidential and mid-management positions to leave their positions for certain early retirement incentives. Employees who are laid off will be placed on recall lists in case the budget improves. The offer went out to a total of 68 employees. So far, a confidential employee in the board office is the only other person to volunteer. She was immediately rehired in the Social Services Department. “This is a bumping process,” said Terri Daly. She added that “people eliminated from their positions may bump into other positions.” She said she hopes retirements will play a part in this, opening up spots for displaced employees. Daly believes that very few jobs will actually be eliminated and most of the employees who are laid off through the program could be rehired into the Social Services Department, which is expanding. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County –Amador County Recreation Agency Executive Director Tracy Towner-Yepp asked her board of directors Wednesday to consider putting a Special Tax Measure up to vote for permanent funding for the agency. The board voted unanimously to have ACRA’s attorney, Greg Gillett, investigate the legality of having the Joint Powers Authority levy taxes, and also to draft an amendment to ACRA’s agreement. Amador County Board of Supervisors Chairman Ted Novelli said Thursday that he supports ACRA, its staff and its board of directors “but I do not support a special tax.” He said as board chairman, he would do everything in his power to oppose it. Ione Mayor Lee Ard said he would not support anything that would take the control of Ione’s park land out of the hands of Ione. Ard said Ione was also a year to a year-and-a-half away from seeking its own tax measure for park funding. Gillett said in his research of the legality of a JPA levying a tax, he has “never found a JPA that has done it.” But he said the Joint Powers Act says “entities that share a common power can join together and exercise a power together, but it has to be spelled out.” Towner-Yepp said she and Gillett disagreed on JPA language. She thought ACRA’s ability to pursue “financing” allowed taxation. Gillett said he thought it had to be clarified. Consultant John Bliss recommended a direct-mailed special election. He said a full election, handled by his firm and two associate firms, would cost about $100,000 dollars. It would begin with a survey costing $20,000 to $25,000 dollars, which would determine how much money people would be willing to pay to support ACRA. Gillett said levying a tax could be stymied by an ACRA member opposing it, but ACRA could dissolve and reform with agreeing members. Sutter Creek Mayor Pro Tempore Bill Hepworth said Amador County has a gigantic population of elderly, unemployed people on a fixed Social Security income, and 21 percent unemployment. Bliss said he understood an uphill battle. Hepworth said a recent sewer rate increase brought a stack of complaint letters, and the rate hike was only $7 dollars. Hepworth said: “I’m a positive person: But I think you would be throwing away $25,000 dollars” (paying for the survey. He said: “I’m afraid that the answer you are going to get is ‘We don’t want to pay a damn dime’.” The board directed Gillett research the tax levying issue, and write a proposed JPA amendment, which Towner-Yepp would take it to members entities for review. Story by Jim Reece