A three member Council took on a suggested conflict of interest regarding Planning Commissioner Wayne Garibaldi at this week’s Jackson City Council meeting, as two council members were out of town. It was the hottest topic to appear on the agenda as the City’s legal representation Tom Gibson of Best, Best and Kreiger LLP, presented his written report on the matter declaring if the situation did indeed present a conflict of interest. The matter arose on May 7th when the Planning Commission met to discuss Jackson Hills and make a recommendation to the City Council on the project. Citizen Jack Georgette approached the Commission before they began and asked if Commissioner Garibaldi had a conflict of interest being as his boss, Larry Standing, had signed a petition in favor of the project.

Bald eagles are losing their protected status as their populations take off. The U.S. Department of Interior last Thursday formally announced the National Bird will be taken off of the federal endangered species list. The removal from the list is the result of a 40 year battle to repopulate and reestablish bald eagle populations. The effort began in 1963 when only 47 breeding pairs could be counted in the contiguous 48 states. In announcing the move, government officials said biologists have counted nearly 10,000 mating pairs of bald eagles, including at least one pair in each of 48 states.

Amador County’s budget has seen better days, or more specifically better years. CAO Terri Daly told the BOS on Tuesday that there is never an easy year for a budget and she said that is the way she thinks it should be, because a challenging budget ensures staff is being efficient for the year. “This year is especially challenging year because of reduced revenues from many sources,” said Daly. Since this is the first year that two Supervisors, Oneto and Novelli, are new to the board, Daly explained the budget process. She said the budget starts in January every year and the board issues budget instructions that include strategies for the upcoming fiscal year. She said this year those instructions were no new programs and personnel, and that the budget maintain a 3% contingency for the general fund, which she later explained is for emergency situations.

If you’re looking for a large animal to adopt the El Dorado County animal shelter may be able to help you out. Livestock currently looking for homes include “Roaming Joe”, a special needs quarter horse mix that is 23 years old and requires a special diet and regular veterinary care for his teeth.  Two other horses are also available:  “Woody”, a 10-year-old Arabian gelding, and “Dusty”, a 12-year-old mustang mix.  “Goldie” is a 13-year-old Jenny donkey waiting for a home.  All of these animals are in good health and came to the shelter as strays.  Owners were either not found or relinquished the animals to shelter staff.

Recreation managers for the Eldorado National Forest want to learn what people think about proposed minor fee increases at 15 Forest Service operated recreation sites and three new fee sites beginning in 2008. The Forest Service is proposing that campers pay two dollars more next year to camp in five different campgrounds in the Eldorado National Forest. Two dollar increases are also proposed for four trailheads and separate 10, 20, and 25 dollar increases are proposed for three recreation rentals. The additional funds collected at each site will help pay for repair, maintenance, and enhancement of the recreation facilities and other activities such as interpretive programs, recreation site restoration, law enforcement, and facility improvements.

Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park isn't the largest state park in the state but it is one of the better known parks as far as Native American tradition and education goes. The 135-acre park is located here in Pine Grove and it holds the largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America - an outcropping of marbleized limestone with 1,185 mortar holes used by the Native American population as grinding rocks for processing acorns for food. “They were a food processing tool states” Ranger Steven Walloupe. The park is also home to the Chaw'se Regional Indian Museum featuring a reconstructed Miwok village and ceremonial roundhouse. Many Native American celebrations, such as the Big Time, are also held in the park.

Amador County - A hay truck carrying large 1,200 pound bales of hay lost part of its load on the sharp curves of Climax Road near Highway 88 last Thursday at approximately 11:40 am. The driver was not quite clear on how or why the load shifted, but it is clear that it was not secured properly. Witnesses say it was lucky that no traffic was coming in the opposite direction, as the heavy bails would surely have caused significant damage or a wreck. Fortunately, a Cal Trans crew that was working roadside near the incident quickly cleared the bails from the road, allowing for thru-traffic. The hay truck driver had to wait for a special lifting tractor to be transported from the Lodi area so the bales could be put back on the trailer. The driver of the truck was cited by California Highway Patrol. By Bill Lavallie with Alex Lane

Amador County – Amador County registrar of voters Sheldon Johnson announced last week the candidate filing dates for the Uniform District Election Law Election which will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 to fill vacancies in a number of special districts. These include the Drytown County Water District, Fiddletown Community Services District, Ione Memorial District, Lockwood Fire Protection District, Pine Acres Community Services District, Pine Grove Community Services District, Rabb Park Community Services District, Ranch House Estates Community Services District, Ridgewood Acres Community Services District, River Pines Public Utilities District, Sunset Heights Community Services District and Sutter Creek Fire Protection District. Each District has available openings for three to five directors. Nomination petitions for eligible candidates may be obtained from the office of the secretary of the district or the Registrar of Voters at the County Administration Center, 810 Court St., Jackson, CA 223-6465, on or after July 13, 2009, and must be filed not later than 5:00 p.m. on August 7, 2009. If nomination papers for an incumbent are not filed, the voters shall have until 5:00 p.m. on August 12, 2009 to nominate candidates other than the incumbent for such office. For all offices candidates must be a registered voter residing within the District; however, for two of the positions on the Ione Memorial District candidates must be a veteran in addition to a registered voter residing within the District. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Election Department at (209) 223-6465, Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Ione City Council received a report this week of the Ione Preservation Project workshop, which several attended in March, before Monday’s second related workshop, on the Main Street Project. The projects are all to be funded by two Community Development Block Grants form 1982 and 1983, which were discontinued. City Manager Kim Kerr in a report to the council said: “As indicated in the 7 Month Status Report on March 3rd, the city has $284,775 dollars from two closed CDBG grants.” The grants were closed and pursuant to a 1990 letter from the state CDBG department, “when there is no open CDBG grant the funds are considered miscellaneous revenue” and the funds are “not subject to the requirements of Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, and can be used as the city sees fit.” Kerr said based on the letter, staff reviewed options to use the funds and proposed spending it on the “Main Street Program,” including $25,000 dollars this year and $50,000 next fiscal year. Staff also proposed putting $25,000 into a Façade Program over the next 2 years; $120,000 for a Redevelopment Plan study; $60,000 for an “Economic Study”; and $4,775 to set up the Main Street Program. The City Council authorized the City to join the Main Street Program and the membership cost $250. Staff completed the application and obtained material from Main Street Program to help set up the project. Staff presented this item originally to the City Council on March 17th, but no decisions were made and a Town Hall meeting was recommended. Based on the meetings to date, staff is recommending that the Ione Community Preservation Project be broken down into three parts. The first is the Main Street Façade Grant Program, the second would be the Main Street Program and its organization along with the Economic Study, and the final piece would be the Redevelopment Plan. At its meeting on April 21st, the council approved the Main Street Façade Improvement Program. Kerr said: “The City Council could elect not to fund one or more of these projects or allocate the funds differently,” but added that “this is a great opportunity to lead the way in revitalizing the City and specifically Main Street.” Monday’s meeting was strictly informational on the Main Street Program. The council could consider the funding of the other programs at its meeting next Monday. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Ione City Council ended years of work by a Castle Oaks Subdivision resident to settle an ownership issue, with a July 7th decision to give ownership of 2,737 square feet of land to a property owner who has maintained the property for 10 years. The council voted 2-1, with 2 recused members sitting outside the hearing room. Councilman Jim Ulm voted against it, and Councilwoman Andrea Bonham and Vice Mayor Skip Schaufel in favor. Real estate attorney Ken Smith, speaking for the landowner, Charles Hambaugh and his property on Fairway Drive, said “the property has little or no value to the city, and it cannot be valued the same as property with street access, because it has no street access.” The city owned the property, but he said they should not worry about this setting a “precedent.” He also reminded the council that the Planning Commission did approve Hambaugh’s application, will “increase the size of the lot by 2,737 square feet to a total of 11,381 square feet.” City Planner Christopher Jordan said the “adjustment would resolve an issue regarding how the property was represented upon initial sale compared to the recorded property boundaries.” Part of the property was also owned by JTS Communities, and offered for dedication to the city by JTS. Dominic Atlan, Castle Oaks PGA golf pro, said the house stood alone by itself, fully landscaped, and the contention of who owns the property has been going on for 10 years. Atlan found out in 2002 that it was not golf course property, and was glad because he did not have to cut weeds. He said he did not think it was the “buyer’s responsibility to check lot lines when they make a purchase.” In public comment, Greg Murphy said “it will set a precedent” and Hambaugh spending money to tend the property could not be justification “for a gift of public funds.” City Attorney Kristen Castanos said the opposite was true, and the money spent by Hambaugh, calculated at $14,000 dollars over 10 years to keep up the lawn, would offset the value of the property and the city would “not be giving away property.” Jordan said the land value was not formally appraised, but it was calculated using the most recent assessor’s land value figures. Its value was estimated at $11,618 dollars. Hambaugh’s costs included $6,000 dollars in 1-time landscaping projects, and maintenance costs of $8,247 dollars. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.