Sutter Hill – The Amador Water Agency board of directors on Thursday toasted its soon-to-be-former General Manager Jim Abercrombie with a cake and refreshments. Board Chairman Terence Moore, who said he will not seek another term in office after next year, said Abercrombie’s leaving was “like a brother going away.” Moore said they had been with AWA for a long time, and started their career there at about the same time. Director Don Cooper noted Abercrombie’s bringing good utility experience from work for Pacific Gas & Electric as a regional manager in El Dorado County. Director Bill Condrashoff said: “Talk about seeing eye to eye.” He said famous disagreements between himself and Abercrombie encouraged Condrashoff to learn more about the “minutiae” of the AWA. He said it “changed (his) life” and inspired him to run for a seat on the board. Interim G.M. Gene Mancebo announced that Mountain Cascade had asked to open the footbridge over Sutter Creek on the same day that Abercrombie will have his last day on the job for the agency, before heading to be the general manager for the El Dorado Irrigation District. Mancebo said “the rest of the pipeline is not going to be running,” but Mountain Cascade asked to have a ceremony marking the bridge’s opening, because the public and the city administrators have been looking forward to using the pedestrian bridge. The bridge was put in place as a creek crossing for the AWA water pipeline from the Tanner Water Treatment Plant to Plymouth. Mancebo said they will be laying asphalt on approaches to the bridge, which then officially opens Friday, September 4th. The bridge will connect the creek-side public parking lots behind City Hall and next to the Gold Rush Ranch office. Abercrombie also introduced Erik Christeson, supervising engineer, who he called the de facto “new interim engineering manager,” and who, with Ken Hunt, has kept all of the big AWA projects very close to being on budget. Abercrombie said that includes the Plymouth Pipeline, which is less than half of 1 percent over budget. Christeson said “point-three-eight percent is my career average, by the way.” He said it was a big measure of pride in his work. That included his managing a $220 million trolley system budget in San Diego that ended at .6 percent over budget, he said, and “that blew my average a little bit.” Christeson has been handling Mancebo’s work as he takes on general managing duties. The bridge opening ceremony in Sutter Creek is set for 10 a.m. Friday, September 4th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Angels Camp - Sierra Hope, an Angels Camp-based non profit assisting people with HIV and AIDS, is the latest regional non-profit to be affected by state budget cuts. “It hurts,” said director Jerry Cadotte (CUH-DOT). “These cuts are affecting not only us but all of the AIDS service agencies throughout the state.” Faced with a $26 billion state budget deficit, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed off on $16.1 billion in cuts and spending reductions in July, which included $52.1 million cut from the Office of AIDS Prevention and Treatment. Sierra Hope has lost $104,000 this year in government contract funding, about one third of its total budget. As a result, its four staffers, including Cadotte, are now all part-time workers. Cadotte said Sierra Hope serves approximately 124 people living with HIV and AIDS in Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. In Amador County, the non-profit currently serves three people with HIV and 20 people with AIDS, although Cadotte said “there may be others who have not requested our help.” Since the state first started tracking HIV/AIDS statistics, there have been 8 HIV cases and 50 AIDS cases reported in Amador County. Only 24 of those AIDS patients are currently living. Sierra HOPE has a nurse and social worker who travel to visit clients in their homes and assist with treatment, counseling, trips to the hospital and emergency financial assistance when necessary. “Because of the distance, clients can’t always come to us,” said Cadotte. He said that because funding is so limited, fundraisers are now more important than ever. He encouraged residents to attend the Sierra AIDS walk on September 19 at the Big Trees State Park in Tuolumne County. Registration is open from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Sierra HOPE has a long history serving the region, beginning in 1990 when the organization was known as the Sierra AIDS council. The organization was re-christened Sierra HOPE in 1996 and has since served all three counties. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – Representatives of the Amador Water Agency and the City of Jackson met Wednesday to discuss wastewater updates and the city’s future water storage needs. The casual outreach meeting focused on a number of topics and was meant as a way to brainstorm ideas. Referring to a recent study on creek flows in Jackson Creek, Jackson City Manager Mike Daly said the “study’s conclusion was that there is no significant detriment to creek habitat if we were to stop discharging effluent in summer months.” He said the next challenge is meeting wastewater discharge permit requirements by October, 2012, that require the city to lessen its volume contribution of wastewater effluent into Lake Amador to lower than 5 percent of what is in the lake. He estimated it would cost $80,000 to complete an alternatives analysis study but he expected to have that completed by the end of this year. Amador Water Agency Director Bill Condrashoff suggested using more wastewater for grazing cattle and crops. Daly said they have also considered discharging into the Mokelumne River, but called that the most “politically sensitive” option. Also discussed was Jackson’s dry weather water flow, which is steadily decreasing and is expected to be about 420,000 gallons a day by November. Daly said that is 60 percent of the City’s capacity. Gene Mancebo, AWA interim General Manager, said his agency “has been told they would receive a regional recycling grant for close to $270,000 through the state.” Condrashoff said it would be useful for Jackson to think of places they can use recycled water. Mancebo said “regional projects tend to get dollars more frequently and are looked at more favorably than individual projects.” This transitioned into the topic of future water storage needs for the city. Jackson currently has a 1.25 million gallon clearwell tank near the La Mel Heights area and another .25 million gallon tank at the south end of the city. The 1.25 million gallon tank is under serious consideration for replacement because of leaks and a capacity barely suitable to assist in serving all of Jackson’s customers. A Jackson rep said he received estimates that it would cost $1 million to replace the tank. Mancebo said that was “awfully affordable in today’s economy.” All these topics will be discussed again during future meetings. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – Plymouth Rock Partners LLC is looking to have a day in the planning commission soon in the city of Plymouth, and statewide looking to push the envelope of the “Green Builder” industry. Partner Stephanie McNair said Wednesday that the group of 5 partners expects its Cottage Knoll housing development to have its Environmental Impact Report “hit the streets” in about 30 days. McNair, who appeared on the noon news show Wednesday, said it’s been a years long endeavor for her and Plymouth Rock, including years she spent attending Plymouth Planning Commission meetings on the city’s General Plan update. That was approved by the City Council August 13th, setting in motion work commissioned by the city with Planning Partners to resume work on the EIR. McNair said the EIR is under way and work awaited completion of the General Plan, to determine the Cottage Knoll development’s consistency with and conformity to the General Plan. McNair said the planned development includes 86.2 acres, about 27 percent of which would be open space, including use for a horse arena. The development, which is on land northeast of the Highway 49 and Main Street intersection, would also be a rural residential development that is livestock friendly. McNair said it would be located on land on either side of the Arroyo Ditch, and would also abut a “working ranch” to the east. She said the plans built in a “buffer area” with a no-build zone between houses along the ranch, and it would also have an equestrian trail between the development and the ranch. In the plans, the trail circles a portion of the development and horse riders could ride along a trail next to the Arroyo Ditch. McNair said the plan was to eventually have a riding trail – and a multi-use pedestrian, bicycle and horse trail – where people could ride their horses, walk or bike to the Amador County Fair Grounds, further down the ditch, in Plymouth. She said the property is all outside of Plymouth and would be annexed to the city. McNair’s partners include Tony and Peter Zeiter of Stockton’s Affordable Luxury Homes/Zeiter Construction Co., who have build many of Visionary Home Builders’ projects. McNair said they have worked with California Green Builder Program, who in a June 2008 letter told Plymouth City Planner that Cottage Knoll “is pushing the envelope of the industry” by “agreeing to build their homes 35 percent above” standards. The letter, from Justin Dunning of the company ConSol, said: “The homes at Cottage Knoll will be among the most energy efficient homes we have worked on in our history.” Other Plymouth Rock Partners include Joseph Zeiter, one of the country’s leading laser surgeons, of Zeiter Optical in Stockton. McNair said another partner is Jim Ferguson, a real estate attorney, and a city councilman in Palm Desert, Calif. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ione - Employees at juvenile facilities in Amador and San Joaquin counties are bracing themselves after an announcement this week that pink slips will be distributed to 1,300 California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation workers. 1,200 of these layoffs will be within the Division of Juvenile Justice and will impact juvenile and adult facilities in Amador and San Joaquin counties. In a two-page letter to employees from Department Chief of Staff Brett Morgan, he cited $16.1 billion in state spending reductions and $1.2 billion in cuts for the CDCR as the impetus for the decision. “As a result of this reduction, CDCR must take appropriate and critical steps to implement reductions within the department,” said Morgan. In Amador County, this will impact employees at the Preston Youth Facility in Ione. The correctional facility is already stretching under the weight of prior cutbacks, and the announced layoffs are expected to further impact the programs the facility offers. These include intensive treatment programs, counseling, and a full range of instruction including special education, basic skills, high school coursework, GED preparation, and vocational education. San Joaquin County is home to the N.A. Chaderjian and O.H. Close youth facilities and the Deuel Vocational Institution, an adult facility east of Tracy. According to CDCR spokesman Seth Unger, cutbacks to the population in this area of the corrections system has gone from 10,000 to about 1,600 inmates over the last decade. Unger confirmed that the latest layoffs could affect local workers. In his letter, Morgan said, “these truly are difficult times, and your concern and frustration are shared.” The employees who are cut will be put on a state appointment list, giving them first shot at other CDCR jobs throughout the state during the transitional period before they are laid off. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jacskon – The Amador Air District Board of Directors sought to answer questions about the Buena Vista Biomass Power company Tuesday, after a public meeting. The main question was whether or not the county can transfer ownership of permits – and whether they might need to do a new Environmental Impact Report – at the former Cogen combustion power plant on Coal Mine Road. Buena Vista Biomass Power Managing Partner Mark Thompson said that since the company is in the process of acquiring the plant from the Oneto Group, “we wanted to have ownership of the site before we came before the county.” Right now, BVBP has the original construction permit, and is looking to get the original operating permit. He said the company was determined to open the plant, and if needed, would carry out EIR proceedings. Supervisor Richard Forster asked if there is “a legal requirement for a new EIR,” and whether the permit was transferable. Board Chairman Ted Novelli directed staff and the county attorney to answer those questions at the air board’s September 2nd meeting. Four members of the public spoke. Jackson Valley’s Jerry Cassesi said burning wood waste was good, but he was concerned about the permitting process. He said the permit cannot be transferred, and it expired in 2006. And he asked if an EIR done in 1996 was sufficient for a project in 2009. He also asked about oversight and monitoring. Board member Jon Colburn said he was “amazed that the EIR would carry over that long.” Bill May of Jackson Valley Road wanted a copy of any existing county legal opinion on the matter, and was concerned about trucks taking wood chips to the plant 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Donna Ogilvie of Ione said she lives “within breathing distance” of the plant, was told that “protesting this is too late, the horse is already out of the barn.” She told the board: “You better get that horse.” Kathy Dobois (DooBwah) asked about “residual toxins” and impacts on air and a pond there. Thompson said the plant will operate around the clock, using a 35 days’ supply of material (in 3-inch wood chips) stored at the plant. It will accept truck deliveries only on weekdays and for safety, trucks will not run at night. He said the plant would not discharge any water. Thompson said the company would answer the more technical questions in writing online. That includes issues such as toxins, emissions, monitoring and fire safety. See the answers at www.bv-biomass.com. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – About 30 local and regional business leaders and politicians attended a public input session Tuesday at Days Inn in Sutter Creek with new Amador Regional Transit System manager, James Means, and got a local consensus: Local residents want to see the Kirkwood ski bus continue, and they want Saturday bus service. That came with a list of other ideas from the brainstorming groups, who were polled by Means as to their support of the 2 main ideas. Jackson City Manager Mike Daly added the proviso that he would support the Kirkwood bus, but “not at the expense of a weekday services compromise.” Means said “you can have it all, you don’t have to settle.” Amador County Transportation Commission Executive Director Charles Field said his board of directors talked about cutting the Kirkwood bus, and he said “it’s my job to remind you” that his “board gave him the directive to cut the Kirkwood service.” He said the meeting was a great first start for Means and ARTS, which is part of the ACTC. Means said he does intend to find funding for the Kirkwood service. Field said “just the price of gasoline could change everything you are talking about.” Amador County Recreation Agency Executive Director Tracey Towner-Yep, who founded and runs the Kirkwood ski buss program with ARTS, said the program is a “go,” it’s just a matter of getting funding. The program started 3 years ago and had its most popular year last year, when so many people took the $10 ride to Kirkwood that about 6 times last year, they had to send 2 busses. Also last year, Debbie Dunn set up “Sierra Tickets” to allow online ticket purchases. And the program received cost-sharing from Kirkwood. But bottom line, Towner-Yep said the program lost money. Chip Seamans, general manager and chief operating officer of Kirkwood Mountain Resort said he admired how ACRA and ARTS “stuck with it last year.” Seamans said Kirkwood is its “own separate entity up there,” part of Amador, Alpine and El Dorado Counties. Seamans said he would help “you figure out how to help us,” and “there’s a cost to both of us to make it happen.” He said it is important to Kirkwood to get kids involved in skiing and snowboarding at an early age. ACTC’s Mell Welsh said Kirkwood gave the program $150 for each 10 passengers it brought to the resort last year. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ione – The Ione City Council last week approved the release of a “request for qualifications” from companies that might want to build the city a new wastewater treatment plant. The object is to fix the system’s ills, and appease the state. City Manager Kim Kerr said “we have to do something with the wastewater facility to get out from under a cease-and-desist order.” She said the council will inevitably have to decide whether it wants to make improvements on its existing system, “or build a whole new facility.” Kerr said one option, which the council approved, 3-1, was to advertise a “request for a statement of qualifications.” Then the Wastewater Committee, consisting of Mayor Lee Ard and Vice Mayor Skip Schaufel, and financial experts, will review and rank the submissions, and bring in the 3 top firms to participate in a “Request For Proposals (RFP).” Kerr said that could include presentations by the companies to the city council, on separate days. Kerr said the RFPs “will come back (as) 30 percent complete” projects. She said the companies will, in effect, say: “We believe this is a project,” and submit a draft plan, but do nothing until the city council says so. Kerr said the council “can contract with someone to analyze the financing in the statements of qualifications. She said the companies’ financial data is proprietary and will not be open to the public (unless the company is publicly traded). Staff said the request for a statement of qualifications for the project was already written. Councilman Jim Ulm voted against the request for a statement of qualifications, saying that the city would be better off phasing in the city wastewater plant upgrades. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – The Amador Vintners Association earlier this month reported 3 new wineries have joined the association, including 2 vineyards that are open to the public in the Shenandoah Valley, and 1 still working toward opening, on Latrobe Road. Jamie Lubenko, executive director of the AVA said the wineries will have tasting rooms and produce wine, and brings to 33 the number of wineries the association now has as members. The new members include Borjon Winery, Driven Cellars and Serra Fina Cellars. Borjon is located on Shenandoah Road. It’s owned by Islander (zilander) Borjon, and his wife, Iliana. Islander “is the son of Jesse Borjon, one of the area’s largest labor contractors,” Lubenko said, so she was “sure it’s a great realization for them to finally have their own winery.” At about age 24, she said Islander “is probably one of the youngest winery owners in the state.” Borjon’s has a “Spanish style” setting, surrounded by rockwork, a picnic area, and flowers. Another new winery to join AVA is Driven Cellars, located on Steiner Road, also a Shenandoah Valley winery. Driven Cellars is owned by Chris Chinco. Lubenko said: “It has a tire track on the label, and a delicious barbera.” The third new member to association is Sera Fina Cellars, whose owners have joined the association but have not yet opened for business. Owned by Paul Scotto, Sera Fina is “a first generation winery from a fifth generation winemaker.” Its tasting room opens this fall on Latrobe Road. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek –The Sutter Creek Planning Commission voted 3-2 early Tuesday Morning to recommend approval of the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort “Specific Plan,” and related documents. The documents then go on to the City Council for consideration. The council likely will meet September 8th, and hear a staff report and an explanation of what comes next in the process. An estimated 300 people attended the meeting, which began at 7 p.m. Monday in the Sutter Creek auditorium, and ended after 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. Attendees included about half a dozen people holding hand-lettered support signs, with messages such as: “Gold Rush is good for Sutter Creek,” and “Vote Yes on Gold Rush.” Those with green “I support Gold Rush” stickers outnumbered opponents, who wore red circle/slash stickers, crossing out “Gold Rush.” Foes included Foothill Conservancy Executive Director Chris Wright, who wore the anti-Gold Rush sticker. On the other side, former Sutter Creek auto dealer Frank Halvorson was among the many green-stickered supporters. The meeting opened at 7 p.m. and spanned 6-and-a-half hours, with the Planning Commission eventually approving the Gold Rush Environmental Impact Report in a 5-0 vote. They also worked on conditions of approval, on which Commissioner Frank Cunha said the commission stood firm. Cunha said there were no changes in requirements for grading, tree retention, the golf course, community parks and hiking and biking trails. Cunha and Commissioner Robert Olson and Chairman Robin Peters voted to pass a resolution recommending approval of the specific plan of Gold Rush, along with city General Plan amendments, zoning amendments, and a “phased vesting large lot tentative subdivision map.” Voting against the resolution were Commissioner Mike Kirkley and Vice Chairman Corte Strandberg. Cunha said the vote showed that the commission – by a 3-2 majority – “thought it was the best specific plan for the land” and the best use for “that 945 acres.” He said the commission made a lot of changes, as it looked through last-minute revisions that Gold Rush sought. The commission elected to go through each item, and it took public comment. Kirkley said the last-minute list of changes from Gold Rush’s Greg Bardini put pressure on the commission. Peters said he thought the commission needed to look at the list and digest it. Cunha agreed, saying “the attachments are by far the most important section of the Specific Plan, because they allow mass grading and mass building.” The commission still worked another 4 hours on the documents, going through each request and also taking public comment. Mary Beth Van Voorhis, clerk of the commission, said the meeting adjourned at 1:37 a.m. Tuesday. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.