Amador County – The Amador County Public Health Department on Wednesday announced two upcoming clinics to provide H1N1 vaccinations to all Amador County residents, regardless of age or medical condition. The long-awaited announcement comes after months of waiting for many residents who were denied access to earlier clinics because limited supplies were rationed for high-risk groups. According to a press release from Public Health, “H1N1 vaccine supply has increased this week within Amador County, providing the opportunity to vaccinate all Amador County residents.” Many local providers have also received additional shipments. “To date, Amador County providers have received 6,850 vaccine doses within our community. Amador County Public Health has administered 2,144 H1N1 vaccinations to high risk individuals. If you are in a high risk group, you are highly encouraged to attend one of these vaccine clinics or contact your local provider,” said Lori Jagoda, Public Health Nurse Supervisor. High risk groups are individuals age 6 months to 24 years old, pregnant women, individuals who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months, health care and emergency medical services personnel, and individuals who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications. The two upcoming clinics take place Tuesday, December 8 from 4 to 5:30 pm and Wednesday, December 16th from 11:30 am to 1 pm. For further information on H1N1 vaccination clinics call the Amador County Public Health Flu Line at 223-6697 for English, 223-6642 for Spanish, or Public Health at 223-6407. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador County Public Health Department on Wednesday announced two upcoming clinics to provide H1N1 vaccinations to all Amador County residents, regardless of age or medical condition. The long-awaited announcement comes after months of waiting for many residents who were denied access to earlier clinics because limited supplies were rationed for high-risk groups. According to a press release from Public Health, “H1N1 vaccine supply has increased this week within Amador County, providing the opportunity to vaccinate all Amador County residents.” Many local providers have also received additional shipments. “To date, Amador County providers have received 6,850 vaccine doses within our community. Amador County Public Health has administered 2,144 H1N1 vaccinations to high risk individuals. If you are in a high risk group, you are highly encouraged to attend one of these vaccine clinics or contact your local provider,” said Lori Jagoda, Public Health Nurse Supervisor. High risk groups are individuals age 6 months to 24 years old, pregnant women, individuals who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months, health care and emergency medical services personnel, and individuals who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications. The two upcoming clinics take place Tuesday, December 8 from 4 to 5:30 pm and Wednesday, December 16th from 11:30 am to 1 pm. For further information on H1N1 vaccination clinics call the Amador County Public Health Flu Line at 223-6697 for English, 223-6642 for Spanish, or Public Health at 223-6407. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday discussed a revenue sharing agreement for the Gold Rush Ranch and Noble Ranch annexation between the county and the Sutter Creek City Council. County Administrative Officer Terri Daly said Supervisors and the Sutter Creek City Council adopted the revenue sharing agreement on September 29, 2003, in order to address “revenue streams and the need to create new revenue streams.” Key points of the agreement include the establishment of a public safety fee, a fire protection parcel fee, a sales tax in which the County and City agree to share sales tax created in the area on a 90 percent and 10 percent basis, respectively, and a property tax split in which the County will keep the base property tax and the City and County will share new property tax created through the development on a 1/3 and 2/3 basis, respectively. Both entities would allocate 2 percent of these taxes to the Sutter Creek Fire Protection District. Also included is a County Facilities Fee in which the “City and County agreed that the annexed area would be subject to a County Facilities Fee that was projected to be $900 per unit at the time of the agreement, adjusted annually in accordance with a construction cost index.” Daly said that number is now higher. The Supervisors asked for more clarification as to whether the fee charged to Gold Rush will be based on the original $900 or a current higher fee. Daly said she will discuss that with Sutter Creek City Manager Rob Duke. Supervisor John Plasse raised concerns over the intended usage of the 1/3rd of the project on county land. “Given the fact that there is a significant (facilities) fee differential…I’m worried about (the developers) leaving land currently in the county without home sites on it,” he said. He wondered if there was anything in the agreement that required a certain number of units be built in both city and county land areas. Much of the discussion centered on a commitment by Gold Rush to dedicate a 3.01 acre site for a new main library site. Gold Rush had also previously made a separate agreement with the Amador County Unified School District to dedicate 17 acres for a new school site. County Counsel Martha Shaver said the 3 acre library site will be available for seven years before it reverts back into the hands of the school district. Supervisor Louis Boitano, whose district includes Sutter Creek, said he hopes the site “won’t revert back into a rock pile…if the School District doesn’t have the money.” Daly said she will bring a copy of the site map and a development agreement before the board for future review. Daly said she will develop a clarifying resolution between the county and Sutter Creek to address these issues. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council is scheduled to look at the “Decision Documents” Monday for the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort project. City consultant and project planner Anders Hauge said Tuesday that the packet of documents they call the “Decision Documents” was prepared with City Council’s direction, and were to be available Wednesday (yesterday) on the city’s website. Hauge said Tuesday that the City Council will have all of the documents it needs to make a decision, but staff was not sure when it would happen. He said City Attorney Dennis Crabb thought they would make a decision Monday. Hauge said he thought the council might go through the documents over several hours or even days, with details to be gone through, and he thought they might take a couple of weeks to stew on the decision, as the Planning Commission similarly did. Hauge said that details of the “Development Agreement” and the “Conditions of Approval” related to Gold Rush were still being negotiated. Hauge said some of those details include the 36-month time limit for completion of parts of the project, and some of those things may not be needed by that time, and could be changed in those agreements. Documents to be considered include certifying the project’s Environmental Impact Report and its “Specific Plan,” and amendments to the city “General Plan.” Hauge said if those all were approved, the City Council would also have to approve related resolutions, including one that modifies city zoning ordinances. Project sponsors are John Telischak, Bill Bunce and Troy Claveran. The project includes adding 12 new neighborhoods on a total of 945 acres. That includes 936 new homes on Noble Ranch, which is 833 acres, already annexed into and part of Sutter Creek city limits. Gold Rush plans would also place 398 new homes on the Allen Ranch property, consisting of 112 acres. Housing will be restricted to 40 percent of the land area. Also planned is an 18-hole “championship” golf course, “being designed by Mother Lode native golf architect Troy Claveran and golf course architect Gary Lynn.” Included in the plan is more than 300 acres of “permanent conservation area,” to be created on the western portions of the project site, and in between 9 residential neighborhoods. The resort at Gold Rush is planned to have 300 “vacation ownership units” and 60 hotel rooms. Hauge said it would also have 8.3 miles of trails. The meeting is Monday, December 7th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Ione City Council leaned toward an exclusive contract with ACES Waste Service Tuesday, and directed staff to look into the pros and cons of using a franchise agreements, instead of permits, for trash contracts. City Attorney Kristen Castanos said they cannot enact an exclusive franchise without taking necessary steps, including amending “municipal code.” Staff will bring back information on both methods, and give the council information on how to take those necessary steps. Earlier this year, ACES won the franchise contract to serve Sutter Creek, beating out the incumbent haulers Waste Connections, operators of Amador Disposal Service. After that, Waste Connections announced it would be ending its services in Ione effective August 1st. Ione City Council members expressed support of ACES, which took over the city trash routes. City Manager Kim Kerr in a report Tuesday said Waste Connections recently said it wants to return to Ione. Kerr said it was up to the council to direct staff on the matter. Mayor Lee Ard said he was a Waste Connections customer and received the notice letter like everyone else in town. He called ACES but did not say he was the mayor, and ACES told him “they were trying to digest Sutter Creek and it would take 2-3 weeks to get a barrel in front” of his house. They kept their word, Ard said, and he heard no complaints. He said ACES “had to shell out almost $500,000 overnight to take care of this,” and now Waste Connections wants to come back. Ard said he does not appreciate the fact they left, or that they want to come back. Councilman David Plank said he was “in favor of ACES under an exclusive franchise agreement.” He said Castle Oaks PGA golf pro Dominic Atlan was “adamant about the fine service they provide. Vice Mayor Skip Schaufel said “it’s almost a David & Goliath situation.” They got ACES “to commit a huge amount of money, then they come back and try to force them out of business.” Schaufel said “it is not a common practice” and “it is despicable.” Councilwoman Andrea Bonham said she did not favor an exclusive franchise, though she might support it if data shows it’s the best avenue. And she said there should be “some kind of penalty” for a trash permit holder who leaves and then comes back. Councilman Jim Ulm said he was not in favor of the exclusive franchise, but he also supported giving ACES an opportunity to get a return for its investment. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a distribution formula that will divvy up funds collected through Measure M, a ½ cent sales tax measure intended to support struggling fire districts in Amador County. The formula was approved last week by the Amador Fire Protection Authority (AFPA) and added to the Supervisors agenda for final authorization. The formula is based on figures from the California Department of Finance and divides money collected through Measure M between the Amador Fire Protection District, Jackson, Ione, Sutter Creek, Lockwood and Jackson Valley fire districts based on a 50/50 split between call volume and population. Some money will also come from Prop 172, a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment approved in 1993 that created a ½ cent sales tax to help fund public safety agencies statewide. During the last AFPA meeting, board member Connie Gonsalves said there is currently around $1 million in Measure M and Prop 172 funding in an account through the auditor’s office. County Administrative Officer Terri Daly said the formula was approved only after much deliberation over its accuracy. Jackson City Manager Mike Daly said CAL FIRE assisted in determining accurate call volumes in certain districts and excluding certain types of calls like medical aid when the fire department was not dispatched and vegetation management calls. He said there was a meeting between representatives of the different fire districts in which they came to an agreement on the current formula. He said another issue was finding accurate census counts in unincorporated districts like Lockwood and Jackson Valley. Terri Daly said measures were taken to ensure that the money being spent was going towards personnel only, a Measure M stipulation. She said each fire department has “agreed to submit reports each year or…perhaps attach their financials.” Supervisor Richard Forster asked how often the formula will remain in affect. County Counsel Martha Shaver said it will be in affect until such time it is changed by the board and the “percentages can be updated any time you have new information.” Mike Daly said it would be good to base any updates around the beginning of the fiscal year. The board approved 5-0 to put the formula in effect immediately. The Measure M ½ cent sales tax increase was part of the November 4, 2008 ballot and was passed by voters with 69 percent approval. It is intended to support the first publicly funded fire program in Amador County. In related news, Supervisor Louis Boitano said he is stepping down as the board’s representative on the Amador Fire Protection District because he “needs a break.” Novelli agreed to take his place. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – With municipal concerns about its Regional Traffic Plan update, the Amador County Transportation Commission on Monday set 2 of its District 2 members to work with staff on wording of land-usage issues. The ACTC board of directors received a letter of complaint from Ione City Manager Kim Kerr that questioned cities’ representation on a 24-member roundtable of stakeholders that will guide community input in the Regional Traffic Plan update. Kerr told the commission that a community meeting in Ione raised the city’s interest in making sure its new land-usage maps in its all-new General Plan would qualify the city for state funding, or if the county’s new plan would affect that eligibility. ACTC Executive Director Charles Field said he thinks “Ione made a mountain out of a mole hill,” and ACTC knows “how to work with cities.” He wanted to help remove some of the “paranoia” being put forth by Ione. Forster said he did not want to rely on an ACTC consultant to pick members of the roundtable committee. Forster said a community roundtable was tried when he was on the Amador Water Agency board of directors. The roundtable was supposed to look at how to have the Amador Transmission Pipeline and minimize its affects on the Amador Canal. Forster said instead, the committee had its own preferences and came back with a plan to have both the pipeline and the ditch, “which defeats the whole purpose of the pipeline.” He said that roundtable set back the AWA 10 years on the project. Kerr said she did not believe the city made a mountain out of a mole hill. She said the Regional Traffic Plan is tied to funding, and ACTC told Ione that the funding will start with the 2004 Regional Traffic Plan. And she said the plans must coordinate with airport boards, though neither the Eagles Nest or Amador County Airports had given input. ACTC Chairman, Supervisor Louis Boitano asked for volunteers to work on the issue with the RTP program coordinator, Neil Peacock, and Forster. Ione Councilman David Plank volunteered to help. Field said he did not think the plan is going to have an alternate land use plan. He said “ACTC has no land-use authority,” but it does pass funds for roadway improvements to the cities. Field said “ACTC did not have a chance to work with Plymouth and Ione” on their general plans, due to staffing. Instead, they chose Amador County’s General Plan. But he wanted to “alleviate some of these fears that ACTC is trying to do something without concern for cities.” He said the objective was to have a Regional Traffic Plan, and land usage would fall to cities and the county. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – A domestic violence call from Fiddletown Monday resulted in a police pursuit that ended when a couple fleeing a potential crime scene crashed on a roadside, injuring themselves and two small children. The incident began at approximately 6:45 am when a Fiddletown woman called 9-1-1 to report that her daughter was assaulting her. The call came from 20000 Timberline Drive. “As Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies responded, the reporting party called back and stated that the suspect had left the residence with her two children and a 25 year old male in a black Volkswagen Jetta,” according to a release from the Sheriff’s Office. Responding deputies encountered the vehicle “traveling west bound at a high rate of speed” on Fiddletown Road, east of Fiddletown. The Volkswagen swerved at the Sheriff’s vehicles, crossing into the east bound lane and causing one vehicle to leave the roadway to avoid collision. A second deputy activated his emergency lights and pursued the Jetta. The release said the deputy found the Volkswagen “approximately 3/10ths of a mile from where the deputy turned around” and the vehicle had “left the roadway and rolled over onto its roof.” Inside the Jetta was the daughter, her boyfriend and her 5-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter. All four occupants were transported to area hospitals for treatment. No information has been released on what injuries were sustained. , Chace McKenzie Summey, 25, the boyfriend who was driving the Jetta, was arrested at Sutter Amador Hospital and charged with two counts of child endangerment causing injury, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm on a peace officer and one count of obstructing a peace officer. Summey’s bail was set at $50,000. Fire department first responders and officers from the California Highway Patrol also responded to the incident. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors held a short public hearing Tuesday and then took the first step for a new county jail with the purchase of 201 acres of land on Wicklow Way for just over $1.8 million. General Services Administration Director John Hopkins recommended supervisors “consummate the purchase of the 201.37 acres” and authorize Chairman Ted Novelli to execute a purchase agreement as approved by the county attorney. Supervisors voted 5-0 to make the purchase. Hopkins said the county had been negotiating in good faith with Sierra Pacific Industries for a possible purchase of 8.2 acres on “Lot 53” of the Amador Central Business Park. But he said the Wicklow Way property “literally sort of fell out of the sky,” and staff did not know about it. He said the $2 million asking price of the 8.2-acre Lot 53 “was a good deal at the time,” but the $1.8 million cost to buy the Wicklow Way property was a much better deal. The Amador County Planning Commission rejected a tentative subdivision map for the 201-acre Wicklow Way Subdivision, a housing and commercial development project sought by owner John Lemke. The denial said the project would impact the surrounding environment with traffic and other issues. The property then fell into foreclosure and Lemke filed an appeal of the commission ruling, then withdrew the appeal, leading to an auction by the owning bank, Umpqua Bank, which settled a debt of $4.8 million on the property by reverting to a purchase of the property at a price of $1.48 million. Hopkins said a search for a jail site had been going on for 2 years, during which he looked at more than 60 or 70 properties. Assembly Bill 900 brought $22 million for a new jail in Amador, pending property purchase. He said the purchase was supported by Amador County Sheriff Martin Ryan and the property committee. Leroy Carlin of Pine Grove criticized the purchase, saying the county’s purchase would take away construction jobs and taxes on $4.5 million worth of property. Supervisor John Plasse said the county would be looking at the 201 acres with a master plan, and there were other forms of growth that can generate jobs and taxes. Supervisor Louis Boitano noted a recent, multi-million-dollar settlement in Monterey County over an inadequate jail, and Supervisor Richard Forster said “we’re out of compliance on the jail now.” He said it was a “much better deal for taxpayers,” but didn’t they would build a bigger jail. Novelli said the land “will possibly address our housing problems,” and also could address “problems with our water and wastewater.” Novelli said “those 2 things will benefit the people of the county, not just the county.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors held a short public hearing Tuesday and then took the first step for a new county jail with the purchase of 201 acres of land on Wicklow Way for just over $1.8 million. General Services Administration Director John Hopkins recommended supervisors “consummate the purchase of the 201.37 acres” and authorize Chairman Ted Novelli to execute a purchase agreement as approved by the county attorney. Supervisors voted 5-0 to make the purchase. Hopkins said the county had been negotiating in good faith with Sierra Pacific Industries for a possible purchase of 8.2 acres on “Lot 53” of the Amador Central Business Park. But he said the Wicklow Way property “literally sort of fell out of the sky,” and staff did not know about it. He said the $2 million asking price of the 8.2-acre Lot 53 “was a good deal at the time,” but the $1.8 million cost to buy the Wicklow Way property was a much better deal. The Amador County Planning Commission rejected a tentative subdivision map for the 201-acre Wicklow Way Subdivision, a housing and commercial development project sought by owner John Lemke. The denial said the project would impact the surrounding environment with traffic and other issues. The property then fell into foreclosure and Lemke filed an appeal of the commission ruling, then withdrew the appeal, leading to an auction by the owning bank, Umpqua Bank, which settled a debt of $4.8 million on the property by reverting to a purchase of the property at a price of $1.48 million. Hopkins said a search for a jail site had been going on for 2 years, during which he looked at more than 60 or 70 properties. Assembly Bill 900 brought $22 million for a new jail in Amador, pending property purchase. He said the purchase was supported by Amador County Sheriff Martin Ryan and the property committee. Leroy Carlin of Pine Grove criticized the purchase, saying the county’s purchase would take away construction jobs and taxes on $4.5 million worth of property. Supervisor John Plasse said the county would be looking at the 201 acres with a master plan, and there were other forms of growth that can generate jobs and taxes. Supervisor Louis Boitano noted a recent, multi-million-dollar settlement in Monterey County over an inadequate jail, and Supervisor Richard Forster said “we’re out of compliance on the jail now.” He said it was a “much better deal for taxpayers,” but didn’t they would build a bigger jail. Novelli said the land “will possibly address our housing problems,” and also could address “problems with our water and wastewater.” Novelli said “those 2 things will benefit the people of the county, not just the county.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.