Jackson – The Amador County Board of Supervisors addressed the current moratorium regarding medical cannabis dispensaries in Amador County, highlighting a growing statewide debate on marijuana legalization for medical purposes. Robert Allen of the Gold Country Harvest organization urged the Board to repeal its moratorium in light of President Barack Obama’s recent announcement that his administration will not seek to arrest medical marijuana users and suppliers as long as they conform to state laws. Allen highlighted the personal importance of his request with a story about his late mother, whose appetite he said was restored and pain reduced by the use of medical marijuana in her final days. Supervisor Brian Oneto recounted his experience with a former neighbor and young cancer-patient whose “skin turned black” from early radiation treatments. He said medical marijuana was used in that case to help relieve the boy’s pain. In June of 2004, the board adopted Ordinance 1598, making medical cannabis dispensaries within unincorporated areas effective as an urgency ordinance. One year later, the board adopted ordinance 1620, repealing that prior approval. Both decisions were made in cooperation with various local agencies. Board Chairman Ted Novelli asked if Obama is “working with his DEA agents and saying ‘don’t go out and arrest people’.” Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe emphasized that Obama’s statement did not change federal law. He said that “as a practical matter, it’s probably true that there has been less intervention where federal authorities are involved.” He said it is possible to have local dispensaries that are compliant with the compassionate use act, a state proposition approved in 1996 that allows patients with a valid doctor’s recommendation, and the patient’s designated primary caregivers, to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal medical use. He warned that having local dispensaries “does not make you the primary caregiver.” Amador City resident Ethan Turner said conflicting legal definitions on medical marijuana use have created a “legal quagmire.” He said the constitutionality of Senate Bill 420, which clarified the scope of the Compassionate Use Act and established the Medical Marijuana Program, is being challenged in California Supreme Court. Robert Allen suggested putting in place a program to “control and regulate” local dispensaries. Supervisor Louis Boitano said he was open to developing guidelines, but said he doesn’t want it bringing “a lot of riff raff” from the bay area. Supervisor Richard Forster said he liked the idea of developing guidelines “so we’re not scrambling…if the president changes the law and makes it legal.” The board agreed to put together a staff workgroup to research the issue further. It will likely include representatives from the Sheriff’s Department, the District Attorney’s office, Social Services and members of the public. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – Developer Bill Bunce said Monday that Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort was designed to make it feasible, and he was standing by the 1,334 units it would build in 20 years in Sutter Creek. The Sutter Creek City Council heard form Bunce Monday. Critic Ed Arata suggested discussing a smaller number in a committee. Planning Commissioner Mike Kirkley said he found that since Bunce and development partner John Telischak, were “not willing to change the golf course or the number of units, my only choice was to vote no.” Commissioner Frank Cunha said they “never discussed a smaller project.” He said the 924 acres and 1,334 homes in Gold Rush were the same as there are in the city right now, effectively doubling its size. But Cunha said he thought if the 330-acre portion was sold, the new owner would seek to develop it as well. The bottom line for him was, “we don’t need another lot in Sutter Creek if we don’t get a golf course.” Cunha said the project includes “300 acres that will go into a conservation easement for our children or our children’s children.” He said “that 945 acres is pretty well contained, and we know what it will be forever.” Bunce said the project was designed to be feasible from the start and “there has always been a significant material infrastructure burden” involved. He said traffic impacts “will not go away if you cut the project size by half,” and the “project’s roads, parks and trails are linked, so it is not a reality to say you can cut the number of units in half and still have those.” He said “shrinking the project is not going to make it more feasible, it’s going to do the opposite.” Bunce said he was prepared to talk a long time about the need to keep the number of units the same, and he offered to prepare a formal presentation to answer questions raised by the council and public who spoke. Councilwoman Sandy Anderson sided with Mayor Gary Wooten and Councilwoman Linda Rianda in saying the number of units should remain as recommended by the Planning Commission, in its 3-2 vote. Wooten then tabled and continued discussion on the project’s size until the city council receives an updated fiscal impact analysis. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – The Sutter Creek City Council reached a 3-2 consensus Monday on keeping the number of housing units the same in the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort, then tabled the issue without a decision, pending the results of a new fiscal impact analysis of the project. Mayor Gary Wooten and councilwomen Linda Rianda and Sandy Anderson all sided with developers on leaving the project with 1,334 units, while Councilman Pat Crosby and Mayor Pro Tem Tim Murphy wanted to find a smaller number of units. The issue is the last area on which to give staff direction for the Gold Rush specific plan. Murphy gave a presentation to the council on reducing the number of units from 1,334 to about 700. He said the council in 1998 withheld approximately 333 acres from the project in an effort to keep it smaller, and he said they identified 10 significant impacts in the Environmental Impact Report, and must reduce the number of units to change that. Murphy said the reduction would lower impact costs from $9 million to $6 million and “will reduce the impacts in proportion to the project’s size.” He said even reduced to 700 units, the size would make it 5 times bigger than the biggest project in city history. He said they need to discuss the “900-pound gorilla in the room,” and talk about having a smaller project. Wooten disagreed, saying “if you cut it in half, you cut the benefits to the city in half and I would not be in favor of this.” Crosby said they should await the fiscal impact study, as previously planned, and in the mean time have a committee work with developers on the issue. Wooten said “if we were waiting on the fiscal impact analysis, then why did we start this?” Crosby said “when it comes to the council, it’s certainly in our power to decide” the size of the project. Wooten said the 1,334 units is “what’s been discussed all along – this is not a surprise.” Murphy said his concern was that “it has never been discussed at the planning commission – or anywhere else – whether it was feasible at that size.” Wooten announced after a break that he had set up an ad hoc committee. After several speakers, Anderson said she saw no need for a committee and would support Gold Rush at its current size. Wooten agreed, as did Rianda. Wooten then tabled the issue, to “continue discussion on the project size,” as they had originally planned, after they receive a fiscal impact update. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – The Amador County Board of Supervisors addressed the current moratorium regarding medical cannabis dispensaries in Amador County, highlighting a growing statewide debate on marijuana legalization for medical purposes. Robert Allen of the Gold Country Harvest organization urged the Board to repeal its moratorium in light of President Barack Obama’s recent announcement that his administration will not seek to arrest medical marijuana users and suppliers as long as they conform to state laws. Allen highlighted the personal importance of his request with a story about his late mother, whose appetite he said was restored and pain reduced by the use of medical marijuana in her final days. Supervisor Brian Oneto recounted his experience with a former neighbor and young cancer-patient whose “skin turned black” from early radiation treatments. He said medical marijuana was used in that case to help relieve the boy’s pain. In June of 2004, the board adopted Ordinance 1598, making medical cannabis dispensaries within unincorporated areas effective as an urgency ordinance. One year later, the board adopted ordinance 1620, repealing that prior approval. Both decisions were made in cooperation with various local agencies. Board Chairman Ted Novelli asked if Obama is “working with his DEA agents and saying ‘don’t go out and arrest people’.” Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe emphasized that Obama’s statement did not change federal law. He said that “as a practical matter, it’s probably true that there has been less intervention where federal authorities are involved.” He said it is possible to have local dispensaries that are compliant with the compassionate use act, a state proposition approved in 1996 that allows patients with a valid doctor’s recommendation, and the patient’s designated primary caregivers, to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal medical use. He warned that having local dispensaries “does not make you the primary caregiver.” Amador City resident Ethan Turner said conflicting legal definitions on medical marijuana use have created a “legal quagmire.” He said the constitutionality of Senate Bill 420, which clarified the scope of the Compassionate Use Act and established the Medical Marijuana Program, is being challenged in California Supreme Court. Robert Allen suggested putting in place a program to “control and regulate” local dispensaries. Supervisor Louis Boitano said he was open to developing guidelines, but said he doesn’t want it bringing “a lot of riff raff” from the bay area. Supervisor Richard Forster said he liked the idea of developing guidelines “so we’re not scrambling…if the president changes the law and makes it legal.” The board agreed to put together a staff workgroup to research the issue further. It will likely include representatives from the Sheriff’s Department, the District Attorney’s office, Social Services and members of the public. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – The Sutter Creek City Council reached a 3-2 consensus Monday on keeping the number of housing units the same in the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort, then tabled the issue without a decision, pending the results of a new fiscal impact analysis of the project. Mayor Gary Wooten and councilwomen Linda Rianda and Sandy Anderson all sided with developers on leaving the project with 1,334 units, while Councilman Pat Crosby and Mayor Pro Tem Tim Murphy wanted to find a smaller number of units. The issue is the last area on which to give staff direction for the Gold Rush specific plan. Murphy gave a presentation to the council on reducing the number of units from 1,334 to about 700. He said the council in 1998 withheld approximately 333 acres from the project in an effort to keep it smaller, and he said they identified 10 significant impacts in the Environmental Impact Report, and must reduce the number of units to change that. Murphy said the reduction would lower impact costs from $9 million to $6 million and “will reduce the impacts in proportion to the project’s size.” He said even reduced to 700 units, the size would make it 5 times bigger than the biggest project in city history. He said they need to discuss the “900-pound gorilla in the room,” and talk about having a smaller project. Wooten disagreed, saying “if you cut it in half, you cut the benefits to the city in half and I would not be in favor of this.” Crosby said they should await the fiscal impact study, as previously planned, and in the mean time have a committee work with developers on the issue. Wooten said “if we were waiting on the fiscal impact analysis, then why did we start this?” Crosby said “when it comes to the council, it’s certainly in our power to decide” the size of the project. Wooten said the 1,334 units is “what’s been discussed all along – this is not a surprise.” Murphy said his concern was that “it has never been discussed at the planning commission – or anywhere else – whether it was feasible at that size.” Wooten announced after a break that he had set up an ad hoc committee. After several speakers, Anderson said she saw no need for a committee and would support Gold Rush at its current size. Wooten agreed, as did Rianda. Wooten then tabled the issue, to “continue discussion on the project size,” as they had originally planned, after they receive a fiscal impact update. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – Developer Bill Bunce said Monday that Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort was designed to make it feasible, and he was standing by the 1,334 units it would build in 20 years in Sutter Creek. The Sutter Creek City Council heard form Bunce Monday. Critic Ed Arata suggested discussing a smaller number in a committee. Planning Commissioner Mike Kirkley said he found that since Bunce and development partner John Telischak, were “not willing to change the golf course or the number of units, my only choice was to vote no.” Commissioner Frank Cunha said they “never discussed a smaller project.” He said the 924 acres and 1,334 homes in Gold Rush were the same as there are in the city right now, effectively doubling its size. But Cunha said he thought if the 330-acre portion was sold, the new owner would seek to develop it as well. The bottom line for him was, “we don’t need another lot in Sutter Creek if we don’t get a golf course.” Cunha said the project includes “300 acres that will go into a conservation easement for our children or our children’s children.” He said “that 945 acres is pretty well contained, and we know what it will be forever.” Bunce said the project was designed to be feasible from the start and “there has always been a significant material infrastructure burden” involved. He said traffic impacts “will not go away if you cut the project size by half,” and the “project’s roads, parks and trails are linked, so it is not a reality to say you can cut the number of units in half and still have those.” He said “shrinking the project is not going to make it more feasible, it’s going to do the opposite.” Bunce said he was prepared to talk a long time about the need to keep the number of units the same, and he offered to prepare a formal presentation to answer questions raised by the council and public who spoke. Councilwoman Sandy Anderson sided with Mayor Gary Wooten and Councilwoman Linda Rianda in saying the number of units should remain as recommended by the Planning Commission, in its 3-2 vote. Wooten then tabled and continued discussion on the project’s size until the city council receives an updated fiscal impact analysis. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson - The Amador County Board of Supervisors considered sending letters of support to prominent elected officials relative to the construction of a compressed natural gas (CNG) station, with the discussion tabled until the matter is addressed further by the Amador County Transportation Commission (ACTC). The proposed station would provide fuel for Amador Regional Transportation System (ARTS) vehicles and other potential future fleets. In a letter to the board, ARTS Transit Manager James Means said they are planning an expansion and possible purchase of the closed Ford auto complex and maintenance facility in Martell in order to convert it into a “regional service, maintenance and vocational education center.” Means said a local natural gas station will “position Amador County Transportation and ARTS as leaders in environmental responsibility and provide local impetus and infrastructure to support conversion of county, school district and other public fleets to clean, inexpensive CNG fuel.” Representing ARTS at Tuesday’s meeting was Media Relations Manager Terry Grillo, who said “funding for all this is going to have to come through the federal government one way or another.” He reiterated Means’ request to send letters to Assemblymember Alyson Huber, Senator Dave Cox and Congressman Dan Lungren to solicit support for the project. Supervisor Richard Forster disagreed with some of the wording in Means’ request, and called any implication that the county will consider buying the Ford facility a case of “putting the cart before the horse.” “I have not heard we are moving forward with the Ford facility because of the cost involved,” he said. Grillo said he will be happy to consult Means and redraft the request. Supervisor Brian Oneto was skeptical about the proposed purchase, saying, “I don’t know how big we want to see public transit get.” He said that expansion could potentially take money from roads funding. Forster said “county lobbyists will be the ones to make the in-roads immediately” in terms of acquiring funding and said a request for support should first be made to Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein. County Administrative Officer Terri Daly said David French, Amador County’s Federal Lobbyist, will be coming later in the month to “hash this out” in a meeting with ARTS and ACTC. She suggested holding off on the letter. Supervisors agreed to table discussions until after that meeting takes place. “I would hate to confuse our state legislators about what our priorities are,” said Daly. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Plymouth – Plymouth Mayor Jon Colburn and Amador Water Agency President Terence Moore turned the ceremonial spigot to mark the completion of the nearly $10 million AWA-Plymouth water pipeline Monday at the city’s water tank on Fiddletown Road. The big news was that the pipeline from Tanner Water Treatment Plant to Plymouth was under budget and ahead of schedule. Ceremonial water flowed from a pipe that ran into a ditch beside the water plant. Plymouth City Manager Dixon Flynn climbed down to the pipe and scooped up the “first drink” of the pipeline. The city has budgeted to activate the services with the AWA by January 1st. AWA Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said the project’s construction cost was about $5.5 million, and utilized a $4.2 million USDA grant. Construction numbers were still coming in, Mancebo said: Construction, with contingencies was estimated at just over $6 million, and it was looking like it would finish at about $5.6 million, or $400,000 under budget. The project total cost would be under $10 million. Moore introduced the other 4 AWA board members, all in attendance, and thanked USDA’s Rural Utility Service members, including Frank Risso, for helping fund the project. Flynn said “this has been a project that has been a long time coming.” He said for councilmembers and AWA board, “this was not an easy decision,” but “it was made and we were able to move forward.” He thanked Jack Scroggs of KASL Engineering, saying “this thing was engineered to a T.” And he thanked consultant Richard Prima. Colburn said: “It is pretty unusual that I am here to talk on behalf of the Plymouth City Council, because I am the one who voted against it.” He said he was concerned with the payment process, and preferred the original project of a dam and reservoir for improving city water. Colburn said he was “amazed that it came in under budget.” Councilwoman Patricia Shackleton said “it was a very difficult decision for the council members. I know it was for me.” She said Colburn “is working very hard on a project with the (Arroyo Ditch)” to see if the city can reduce costs to the people. Councilwoman Patricia Fordyce said: “I am looking forward to turning on my faucet and being able to drink it.” Flynn thanked Fordyce for her help with the pipeline, and he noted her determination in making things happen. City Finance Director Jeff Gardner said due to budgeting, the pipeline was expected to actually go online by January 1st. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson –Assemblywoman Alyson Huber told some stories of her first year to members of the Amador County Business Council last week, in a meeting at Sutter Amador Hospital. Huber had no cell phone signal – a good segue into one of her battles for District 10. She said she lobbied in Washington D.C. to get broadband grants steered to Amador County. Council member Frank Lenschinsky of Volcano Communications said he “heard that loud and clear” and could help phone reception in Amador. Huber said broadbands use “tele-medical” capabilities “to get benefits from the U.C. system into our rural communities.” Amador Business Council President Anne Platt and Sutter Amador Hospital CEO said the hospital already uses that technology and has U.C. Davis medical students living in Amador, in a donated home, and “getting the experience of rural medicine.” Huber apologized for not being able to meet with the council until her 11th month in office. She said: “I’m going to let you make your own decision about my record of being business-friendly.” A member of the Jobs & Economic Development Committee, Huber said state “enterprise zones” are a “tool in our tool box right now, just not a very sharp one.” She said a big issue will be trying to refill the hole left by lost manufacturing jobs. She said she is “trying to talk with those less business-friendly in the Legislature.” Business council member Ken Deaver, owner of Deaver Vineyards, said “let us know if you want some help.” Council Executive Director Jim Conklin said Governor Schwarzenegger had vetoed Huber’s bill that would have audited the workload of the state’s 1,000 or so appointed commissions and boards. She said the state budget is $88 billion, yet pays some commissioners $130,000 a year to meet once a month. She said the state will soon face retirement deficits, in vested and contractual pensions, and will “have to pay it off” and “can’t go back and undo the decisions of the ‘60s and ’70s.” She said the governor vetoed her audit bill, saying it could be done in a 1-time audit. Huber said there is “no systemic way to review – from the top down – the entire government structure, and see where we are losing money.” She said she would bring people in to testify about government waste. The council asked Huber to meet with them once a year and will ask her to also have an aid attend its monthly meetings. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson - Police are currently seeking an unknown driver who led officers on a brief high speed pursuit last Friday before losing control of his vehicle and skidding off a sharp turn on Climax Road. Jackson Police Chief Scott Morrison was travelling westbound on Highway 88 east of Climax Road last Friday afternoon at approximately 2 pm when a the driver of a 1993 Honda passed his and several other vehicles “at an extremely high rate of speed.” According to the California Highway Patrol collision report, Morrison, who was driving an unmarked Jackson Police vehicle, initiated procedures to attempt an enforcement stop of the vehicle for the unsafe passing and excessive speed. The report says the “violator began to evade the red lights and siren” and continued to drive. The unknown driver turned off quickly onto Climax Road and “attempted to negotiate a sharp right hand curve that had an advisory speed of 20 miles per hour.” Due to his high rate of speed, the driver lost control of his vehicle and left the south side of the road and overturned. After his vehicle came to rest, the driver fled the scene of the accident and was not located. The driver’s vehicle was impounded for evidence and the incident is still under investigation. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.