Amador County – The Sutter Creek Planning Commission heard a report on traffic impacts and mitigations for the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort Monday, with a report from Charles Field and public comments. The commission then advised staff to continue working on traffic mitigations in the city’s “conditions of approval” agreement with Gold Rush. Amador County Transportation Commission Executive Director Charles Field said he thought the numbers could be low for Gold Rush, and an ideal method of looking at its impacts would be the unfinished Community Mapping Exercise tool, or CMX. He said Gold Rush’s Greg Bardini “used the new CMX cost estimates where needed,” in his study, and Field “commented that he thought the numbers were low.” Gold Rush’s portion came out as a 6 percent share of the estimated $3 million upgrade project needed at the Highway 49 and Ridge Road intersection. Field said the impacts were seen as low because traffic at the location was already at its highest due to other projects already approved that would impact the intersection. Field said Sutter Creek’s “fair share” methodology with Gold Rush could be better served with the CMX. But he said the ACTC board has “wasted time” on the “fair share” issue, in spending time on it without approving it. City Environmental Impact Specialist Bob Delk said the “mitigation measures in the EIR are intended to identify the impacts,” and the “city must argue that the mitigation projects are not feasible.” Commission Chairman Robin Peters asked Field what he thought they should do. Field said they should “use language to have the CMX program approved, or a better program approved than the fair-share program.” Commissioner Robert Olson said the Gold Rush project will add 10,000 people to the city population. Field said ACTC’s Neil Peacock studied the fair-share impacts and found it to be $700 to $800 for the Martell area, while based on what that area actually pays, the “state and region are subsidizing the Martell area.” Peters told consultant Anders Haugue that when they talk about fair-share with Gold Rush, they need to talk about an index of costs and a nexus. The commission asked Hauge to work with City Attorney Dennis Crabb and the developers on the conditions of approval and traffic mitigations. Crabb said he knows what needs to be done to get those issues worked out. The commission next work on Gold Rush August 19th, and again August 24th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – The Jackson City Council approved an amendment to the city’s contract with the PERS program on Tuesday that will provide two years additional service credit retirement incentives for Jackson Police Officers. Also known as the “golden handshake” program, the incentive allows retiring officers age 50 and older to retire with an allowance based on their final salary and how many years of service they provided. City Manager Mike Daly said calculations are based on a 3 percent @ 50 retirement formula, making the City’s total cost 87 percent of the annual rate of pay. Two officers are currently eligible for retirement, making the highest possible cost to the city $103,951. Daly said only one employee has indicated a strong interest in retiring, which would cost the city $50,770 if that employee accepted. Daly said that in general, qualifying law enforcement officers can get up to 90 percent of their final pay in perpetuity. During the Fiscal Year 2009-2010 budget process, the city elected to offer an early retirement incentive in order to reduce the number of Police Officers from eight to seven and help alleviate budget concerns. The eliminated position was frozen last year and continues to remain frozen. City Attorney Andrew Morris said that since the authorization was put forward as an urgency ordinance, it requires a 4/5ths vote to pass as defined by California Government Code. This meant approval by all four attending council members. Mayor Connie Gonsalves was absent from the meeting. Councilmember Marilyn Lewis stated hesitation about voting for the amendment but voted yes. The urgency ordinance allows the City to implement the ordinance immediately. Daly said the interested officer has 90 days from Monday’s meeting to decide whether he will take advantage of the program. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Cogen owners the Oneto Group, attended an open house last Wednesday at the plant, hosted by Buena Vista Biomass Power. The company plans to reopen the plant and sell electricity, in effect, bringing power, jobs and a lot of money to Jackson Valley and Amador County. Rux Oneto said the Oneto Group is working on a lease/purchase agreement with Buena Vista Biomass Power. The latter partners and staff hosted the open house last week. One of the nearest neighbors, if not the nearest, attended. That was John Tang, spokesman for the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians, who’s 40-acre Rancheria is just down the road from the plant, across Coal Mine Road, and could be the closest beneficiary of the 18 megawatts of power generated there, when it opens its casino. Tang said they hope to break ground on their casino project in October. Managing partner of Buena Vista Biomass Power, Mark Thompson, said the company has taken over the Cogen plant and has spent 6 weeks “testing all of the 1,650 pumps, motors and valves.” He said they “want to understand the condition of the project as they try to generate capital.” They are looking for a $20 million capital investment. During construction they will have anywhere from 30 to 50 people on staff. And in full operation, they’ll have 20 full-time workers and an annual salary over $2.3 million. They have already put $2 million in the plant, and have qualified for a federal grant of between $1.5 million and $3 million. Thompson said they also hope to go for some of the state firefighting money, as a industry that will burn fuel for wildfires in a controlled combustion chamber and generate power. He said the state last year spent $800 million in fire suppression. Thompson said the Cogen plant “is in good condition because of numerous people trying to reopen it.” He said: “We will reopen it.” Buena Vista Biomass Power was issued a permit from the Amador Air District in early July. Amador Air District Officer Jim Harris said the facility has already undergone 2 Environmental Impact Reports, including the initial one in the 1980s and a Supplemental EIR in the 1990s. He said: “In essence, it’s a facility that’s not running.” The existing facility meets legal environmental requirements, but people have questioned what is happening, so the Air District board of directors is holding a public meeting August 25th, to let people know what is happening there and to take public comment. Harris said his consulting engineer reviewed the permit application and no rules or regulations required any special EIR. Harris said the permit includes burning lignite and rubber tire fuel – pellets – and wood byproducts. Buena Vista Biomass Power plans to burn only wood byproducts. Harris said its emissions will be reduced by 50 percent, “so in operations, it is predicted to be very clean.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson - Two young philanthropists from Jackson did their part on Tuesday to help raise much-needed funds for some respected local organizations. Jackson residents Hannah Williams, age 8, and Arianna Madrigal, age 9, came up with the idea of having a lemonade stand to help support the current needs of the Interfaith Food Bank and the Amador County Animal Shelter. The girls served delicious glasses of lemonade to visitors from 12 to 4 pm Tuesday in the Sierra Homes and Properties parking lot next to Jon’s Pit Stop. All of the proceeds will go to the Food Bank and the Animal Shelter. In total, $75 were raised for the Food Bank and $36 were raised for the Animal Shelter. Special thanks was given to SH & P Realtor and Owner Kellee Davenport for allowing the girls to use her parking lot. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors answered public questions about water supplies, but in the end focused on the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. The result could mean later public workshops on water supply assessments. The special meeting last Tuesday began with Moore describing “a unique situation: We have no staff report and we have no staff recommendation.” Instead, he chose to start with a motion, then discussion. Engineering & Planning Manager Gene Mancebo described a new set of tables that looked at projects with submitted plans to be served by the Amador Water System, including Gold Rush. He said the agency does “not have extremely good numbers for water uses,” but they felt “400 gallons a day is pretty accurate.” Mancebo said engineers also “felt it would be a good assumption that the golf course would be required to use reclaimed water.” He said the Water Supply Assessment lists recycled water, “but the supplier of recycled water was left open in the WSA.” Marilynn Nutter of Sutter Creek asked why the water supply assessment did not include drought preparation. AWA Chairman Terence Moore said that is an important issue, but also a different issue. The WSA is about use of existing water rights. He said “our water rights are secure,” and “once we have it in the pipeline, it’s imperative that we stretch that water as far as we can.” AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie said the WSA “must include planned projects, but not unplanned or speculative ones.” Director Debbie Dunn said the WSA was created by relatively new legislation, and suggested public education, in the form of a future WSA workshop. Dunn said the county as a whole, with the exception of the economic downturn, was looking at a series of developments. The board voted to support future education efforts, and voted 3-1 to take no further action on the Gold Rush Ranch WSA. Directors Don Cooper, Gary Thomas and Moore voted yes, Director Bill Condrashoff voted no and Dunn did not vote, saying she was undecided. Abercrombie said a water supply assessment workshop was a good idea, and the agency would also be redoing its Urban Water Management Plan, which looks at growth 25 years into the future, but not at specific projects. He said that would also be a good topic for a workshop. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors answered public questions about water supplies, but in the end focused on the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. The result could mean later public workshops on water supply assessments. The special meeting last Tuesday began with Moore describing “a unique situation: We have no staff report and we have no staff recommendation.” Instead, he chose to start with a motion, then discussion. Engineering & Planning Manager Gene Mancebo described a new set of tables that looked at projects with submitted plans to be served by the Amador Water System, including Gold Rush. He said the agency does “not have extremely good numbers for water uses,” but they felt “400 gallons a day is pretty accurate.” Mancebo said engineers also “felt it would be a good assumption that the golf course would be required to use reclaimed water.” He said the Water Supply Assessment lists recycled water, “but the supplier of recycled water was left open in the WSA.” Marilynn Nutter of Sutter Creek asked why the water supply assessment did not include drought preparation. AWA Chairman Terence Moore said that is an important issue, but also a different issue. The WSA is about use of existing water rights. He said “our water rights are secure,” and “once we have it in the pipeline, it’s imperative that we stretch that water as far as we can.” AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie said the WSA “must include planned projects, but not unplanned or speculative ones.” Director Debbie Dunn said the WSA was created by relatively new legislation, and suggested public education, in the form of a future WSA workshop. Dunn said the county as a whole, with the exception of the economic downturn, was looking at a series of developments. The board voted to support future education efforts, and voted 3-1 to take no further action on the Gold Rush Ranch WSA. Directors Don Cooper, Gary Thomas and Moore voted yes, Director Bill Condrashoff voted no and Dunn did not vote, saying she was undecided. Abercrombie said a water supply assessment workshop was a good idea, and the agency would also be redoing its Urban Water Management Plan, which looks at growth 25 years into the future, but not at specific projects. He said that would also be a good topic for a workshop. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Amador Water Agency General Manager Jim Abercrombie resigned Tuesday afternoon, and announced today that he accepted the General Manager position of the El Dorado Irrigation District. AWA Board President Terence Moore said the board yesterday in closed session accepted a mutual separation request from their general manager. Abercrombie said El Dorado Irrigation District finalized his hiring last night, and he authorized a press release to be sent out today by EID announcing his hiring. Abercrombie said he has not yet signed a contract with EID, whose board agreed to hire him and will consider his contract at its August 10th meeting. Abercrombie gave the AWA board a 30-day notice and a letter of resignation effective September 4th. Abercrombie said in his office today that he was excited about his new opportunity at EID, which is about 4 times the size of the AWA. EID will be implementing a computerized maintenance management system, and paperless documenting, which he has done at AWA. He said he will miss AWA, which “has been a great organization to work for. We’ve done some great things for Amador County.” He said he is proud of his 12 years as general manager, and “accomplishments that will serve Amador County for a long time.” Those include a “state-of-the-art water treatment plant at Buckhorn, which is well supported by the community” and replaced a run-down plant. Also, they were able to finish the Amador Transmission Pipeline, which was a 20-year goal of the county. Under Abercrombie, the AWA provided “a reliable water supply to Plymouth,” rebuilt La Mel Heights and Gayla Manor, got people talking about recycled water, and put two projects on the cusp of the current board’s approval, the Gravity Supply Line to Buckhorn, and improvements at Camanche. Moore, in his 11th year on the board, said today he was shocked by the resignation, and told staff “you don’t know what you’ve lost until it’s gone.” Moore said “he’s been one of the finest general managers I’ve worked with. I think they have a lot of challenges at EID and he’s going to be very successful.” Abercrombie has recommended that the board name Engineering & Planning Manager Gene Mancebo as interim general manager, and spend the next 6 to 12 months looking at what they want in the position. He said “Gene is extremely competent and capable” and has been with AWA for more than 20 years. Abercrombie, who lives in Placerville, was selected from 41 applicants by the El Dorado Irrigation District board. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – As Amador Water Agency General Manager Jim Abercrombie discussed his resignation Wednesday, Board Chairman Terence Moore said his 12th year at the organization will be his last as well. Moore, in his 11th year on the board, said he will not run for reelection, and next year will be his last. He said 3 terms was enough and he wanted to make room for a younger person to take over. He called Abercrombie one of the finest general managers he had worked with, and said the board likely will really begin to miss his organizational skills in a few months. Abercrombie accepted the General Manager position of the El Dorado Irrigation District, and will leave AWA effective September 4th. He remembers getting to the agency and implementing a “badly needed Capital Improvement Plan.” Abercrombie will be running the EID, about a 4 times larger budget and larger Capital Improvement Plan, “so it’s going to be a challenge.” He said he hopes the new board members can work together and become a stronger board. Abercrombie said the “new board is struggling to work together for the benefit of Amador County.” They are struggling to effectively govern the agency” and the board is “somewhat dysfunctional because it is split in some areas.” Moore agreed, saying he thinks “the new board needs to be more trusting of staff.” He said new members come in and think the way to get things done is to do it themselves, but “it is the staff’s job.” Abercrombie has recommended to the AWA board of directors that it appoint Engineering & Planning Manager Gene Mancebo as Interim General Manager. He said he suggested they let Mancebo manage the agency over the next 6 to 12 months as they decide what they want in a G.M. He said it would be good for Mancebo’s career and for the agency. El Dorado Irrigation District board in a release Wednesday said it will consider Abercrombie’s contract at its August 10th meeting. EID Board President George Wheeldon in the release said “we had 41 well-qualified applicants, and Jim clearly stands out in that excellent field.” He said Abercrombie is very knowledgeable about the water industry, knows El Dorado County well, and “oversaw the successful completion of the $24 million Amador Transmission Pipeline.” Abercrombie has 30-plus years’ management experience, including 20 years for Pacific Gas & Electric, 11 as El Dorado District Manager. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency voted 3-1 Tuesday with one non-vote to officially “close the book” on the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort Water Supply Assessment. A special board meeting was called to address District 1 Director Bill Condrashoff’s questions about the WSA, which was approved 18 months ago by the previous board. Directors Don Cooper, Gary Thomas and Chairman Terence Moore voted to “take no further action with respect to revising or amending the Water Supply Assessment for Golf Rush.” Director Debbie Dunn said she was undecided. Engineering Manager Gene Mancebo gave an oral report of water uses and projections in 5-year increments, with inclusion of Gold Rush, the Wicklow Way Subdivision in Jackson, and planned Amador Water System projects. Mancebo omitted all prospective, or unknown projects, and also “the formerly proposed Jackson Hills Golf Course, because there is no longer a pending application.” Mancebo said after reviewing the state legal guidelines for Water Supply Assessments, he found that the WSAs talked about Planned Future Uses, but state law did not define the term. Instead, the WSA itself defines that use. Mancebo’s said new tables with the omissions showed a current usage of 5,754 acre-feet per year, and projected that in the year 2030, annual usage would be 8,906 acre-feet a year, at a flow requirement of 22.35 cubic feet per second. Condrashoff stood by his analysis that it would really require 42 cfs to meet demands in 20 years, and questioned Mancebo’s use of 400 gallons a day water usage in figuring the residential impacts. Condrashoff said the number should be more like 450 or 500 gallons a day. He said the tables show “virtually no growth between 2025 and 2030, but an 8 percent growth rate in early estimates. Mancebo said he thought the growth would be more spread out, “but after rereading the guidance manual, we think this will be more appropriate.” Condrashoff criticized usage estimates around Ione, and said the WSA should include recycled or reclaimed water. He said: “Is staff recommending we do not supply recycled water to Gold Rush for any amount of time?” AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie said: “That is a board decision when the time comes” and “there’s no golf course today, there’s no recycled water today.” Condrashoff said raw water to the golf course would amount to 1 cubic feet per second of flow, or about 448.8 gallons a minute. Mancebo said they could add 1 cfs to the total and still be under the county’s water rights maximum of 30 cfs. Mancebo said recycled water was listed in the WSA, but the supplier was left open. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sacramento – As of Wednesday, three major fires are wreaking havoc in northern California - a sure sign that fire season is in full swing. The Knight Fire in Stanislaus County is now 50 percent under control. 926 personnel are currently committed to battling the 5,078 acre blaze near Twain Harte that has been ravaging mountain canyons since it began on Sunday, July 26. CAL FIRE estimates that is has so far cost $9,755,000 to fight that fire. The cause of the Knight Fire is still under investigation. CAL FIRE Public Information Officer Debbie Santiago said in a press release that steep, rock and inaccessible terrain combined with extreme fire behavior have made combating the blaze difficult. Two fires continue to burn in Shasta and Lassen counties. Both fires are believed to have been started by lightning strikes, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection today. The Hat Creek Complex fire has burned 8,558 acres and is 15 percent contained. Hundreds of firefighters, 54 engines and four bulldozers are fighting the fire in the Hat Creek and Old Station area of Shasta County. So far the effort has cost $2.2 million. That complex of fires has been burning since Sunday. The Cassel Fire near the Burney region in Shasta County had burned 7,634 acres as of Wednesday and was about 18 percent contained. Another fire, the Backbone fire in Trinity County, is about 90 percent contained after burning more than 6,300 acres in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.