Amador County – The Ione City Council Tuesday discussed its future wastewater treatment plant, and regional options when it opens. City Manager Kim Kerr reported on recent discussions with the Joint Water Committee, Amador Water Agency, supervisors, Sutter Creek, California Department of Corrections, Amador Regional Sanitation Authority and Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. Discussions are on-going over “wastewater and the possibility of working together in the future,” Kerr said, adding that Ione’s whole Environmental Impact Report, for its wastewater treatment plant, “is based on partnership” and the city will continue to talk with the groups “about coming into our system.” Kerr said meetings emphasized that Gold Rush, if approved, “will make a significant impact on Sutter Creek and Ione.” Kerr said “if it goes in,” Ione can sit with the parties and discuss regional partnerships. She said Gold Rush plans show “maximum flows,” but its developers will look for other disposal methods. Kerr said “one of the key players of Gold Rush is a key player in Arroyo Seco, which surrounds us, and which may give the city some leverage.” Arroyo Seco developers Bill Bunce and John Telischak, are partners with Troy Claveran on Gold Rush in Sutter Creek. AWA District 2 Director Gary Thomas told the council he thought Kerr has the right idea of having only “tertiary treated water for the (Jackson) Valley.” Thomas said Kerr is right, in “waiting to see what Gold Rush actually does.” He said the best way to look at regional solutions was to “find the need and work backward” to sources. Mayor Lee Ard said they will have meetings “with all potential customers” and Ione is “going ahead and building a wastewater treatment plant.” Ard said “we’re building one while everyone else is talking about it.” Ard said: “We can be a true regional facility,” and Ione should “end up with a wastewater plant that’s good for 30-50 years and everybody’s benefiting because everybody’s contributing.” Councilman David Plank said even if Gold Rush had 300 houses, it will “take a long time to sell them.” Councilman Jim Ulm said “they need a tertiary plant” in Sutter Creek, because Ione is “not going to pump water uphill.” Ulm said if Ione reuses water, “it just makes water more useful everywhere,” and “frees up raw water for the AWA.” Thomas said on December 10th the AWA board will continue discussion of joining ARSA. He said ARSA has debt and a lot of pipeline needing maintenance. Studies showed a $30 million to $50 million cost fully restore the ARSA system. Thomas said ARSA’s 9 miles of secondary effluent conveyances between Sutter Creek and Ione carry “a lot of liability” for ARSA members. Thomas said he thinks “tertiary is the way to go” in Ione. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – A recent tour of abandoned mine sites in the Mother Lode highlighted pollution and other risks remaining since the California Gold Rush for a team of congressional staff members from the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. According to David Christy of the Bureau of Land Management Central California Division, BLM hosted a field tour at the subcommittee’s request after a hearing November 23 in Sacramento on risks from abandoned mine lands. The tour group included 20th District Congressman and committee chair Jim Costa, 4th District Representative Tom McClintock, and representatives from BLM, the U.S. Forest Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, the State Water Resources Control Board, the State Department of Toxic Substances Control and the Sierra Fund. The tour visited the remnants of large hydraulic mining operations at the You Bet pit north of Colfax, a tunnel at the BLM South Yuba River campground and the Davis stamp mill, where ore was further processed to extract gold. One major culprit to the environment is mercury, which renders fish unsafe to eat and risks the health of at least 100,000 people, according to one recent study by University of California Davis ecologist Fraser Shilling. He said the pollution disproportionately hurts poorer populations who rely on fishing from local waterways to supplement their diets. “Tens of thousands of subsistence anglers and their (families) are consuming greater than 10 times the U.S. EPA recommended dose of mercury, which puts them at immediate risk of neurological and other harm,” Schilling told the Associated Press. The California Gold Rush left behind at least 550 mercury mines. Many mercury mines have been cited as the biggest sources of pollution across northern California, from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the San Francisco Bay. According to a study by Canadian scientists, the three largest points for mercury emissions in the United States are the three largest gold mines, and gold production accounts for 11 percent of worldwide mercury pollution. Christy said the subcommittee’s mine tour addressed this and other issues, and stressed “cooperation by numerous agencies in addressing the risks due to mixed land ownerships and agency responsibilities and expertise.” He said the “source of mercury on BLM land may be on private land further upstream, so a coordinated effort is needed to successfully clean up the site.” Other aspects of the tour included viewing a tunnel at the Yuba River campground with a culvert that allowed bats to enter but keeps people out. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - The Amador County Fair Board of Directors announced Wednesday that “Amador County Fair Safari, It’s a Jungle Out There!” will be the theme for the 2010 county fair, July 29 to August 2. “I can’t wait to see the decorations and fantastic fun ideas that our exhibitors, staff and community will come up with for this year’s Amador County Fair,” said Amador County Fair Board President Robert Manassero. He said “pith helmets, expedition gear, exotic animals and fun” will be used to set the mood. “We always look for a fun theme that our staff can decorate around, we can create fun contests for exhibitors, and coordinate our entertainment so that we can keep things fresh for fair visitors to enjoy,” explained Sherri Elliott, Amador County Fair office manager. The Amador County Fair is the largest community event in Amador County and is proud to partner with local organizations such as 4-H and FFA, Interfaith Food Bank, Jackson Lions Club, Jackson and Plymouth Foothills Rotary and others to raise funds for community services. In choosing the theme, the board considered the tough economic times and wanted to create an exciting affordable adventure here in Amador County. Next year will be the 72nd edition of the Amador County Fair. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador Regional Transit System board of directors on Monday approved acquisition of 2 free trolleys from the city of River Bank, which will become part an express bus route between Jackson and Sutter Creek. ARTS Executive Director James A. Means found 2 trolleys, worth $250,000 each, which River Bank donated this week to ARTS, as part of a federal asset transfer program. Means said the Federal Transit Administration’s asset transfer procedures were approved by the California Department of Transportation “authorizing the transfer of 2 trolley-style buses at no cost to Amador Regional Transit System.” The trolleys operate on both Compressed Natural Gas and on diesel fuel, and were originally purchased by River Bank for $506,000. Means said all that was required of the ARTS board of directors was to approve him picking up the trolleys, which he planned to help drive to Amador County on Tuesday. ARTS board members asked about the trolleys, including Vice Chair, Plymouth Vice Mayor Greg Baldwin, who asked about the mileage. Means said odometer readings were “low for a transit bus” at 60,000 miles. Councilman David Plank of Ione asked if it would be good for ARTS and ACTC to develop its own Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) capabilities. Means said it might be, and ACTC does not have a CNG fueling station, but he had already arranged with the nearest such facility to have the vehicles refueled there. That is in Rancho Cordova, 32 miles away, he said. Means said CNG fuel is $1 per gallon cheaper than diesel. Based on the mileage of the route the trolleys will run, it will last a couple of days between CNG refills. He said the trolleys will require “air brake endorsements” for drivers, noting that he already has that endorsement, but will not drive the trolley routes. The board voted 6-0 to authorize Means to pick up the trolleys, and also to approve implementation of a new express, non-stop bus route between Jackson and Sutter Creek. Means said the new trolleys, with the board’s approval, with be the express shuttle, which “will run on a more frequent” 60-minute round trip “schedule to make local businesses more accessible to the general public.” He said it would be designed as a fixed route with no “deviations,” to “maintain efficiency and ensure on-time performance.” The “deviations” meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for off-route pick-ups of riders. Means also proposed having 4 deviated fixed routes (down from 8 routes) to serve the Jackson-Sutter Creek areas, and meet federal requirements. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – A recent tour of abandoned mine sites in the Mother Lode highlighted pollution and other risks remaining since the California Gold Rush for a team of congressional staff members from the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. According to David Christy of the Bureau of Land Management Central California Division, BLM hosted a field tour at the subcommittee’s request after a hearing November 23 in Sacramento on risks from abandoned mine lands. The tour group included 20th District Congressman and committee chair Jim Costa, 4th District Representative Tom McClintock, and representatives from BLM, the U.S. Forest Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, the State Water Resources Control Board, the State Department of Toxic Substances Control and the Sierra Fund. The tour visited the remnants of large hydraulic mining operations at the You Bet pit north of Colfax, a tunnel at the BLM South Yuba River campground and the Davis stamp mill, where ore was further processed to extract gold. One major culprit to the environment is mercury, which renders fish unsafe to eat and risks the health of at least 100,000 people, according to one recent study by University of California Davis ecologist Fraser Shilling. He said the pollution disproportionately hurts poorer populations who rely on fishing from local waterways to supplement their diets. “Tens of thousands of subsistence anglers and their (families) are consuming greater than 10 times the U.S. EPA recommended dose of mercury, which puts them at immediate risk of neurological and other harm,” Schilling told the Associated Press. The California Gold Rush left behind at least 550 mercury mines. Many mercury mines have been cited as the biggest sources of pollution across northern California, from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the San Francisco Bay. According to a study by Canadian scientists, the three largest points for mercury emissions in the United States are the three largest gold mines, and gold production accounts for 11 percent of worldwide mercury pollution. Christy said the subcommittee’s mine tour addressed this and other issues, and stressed “cooperation by numerous agencies in addressing the risks due to mixed land ownerships and agency responsibilities and expertise.” He said the “source of mercury on BLM land may be on private land further upstream, so a coordinated effort is needed to successfully clean up the site.” Other aspects of the tour included viewing a tunnel at the Yuba River campground with a culvert that allowed bats to enter but keeps people out. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Ione City Council Tuesday discussed its future wastewater treatment plant, and regional options when it opens. City Manager Kim Kerr reported on recent discussions with the Joint Water Committee, Amador Water Agency, supervisors, Sutter Creek, California Department of Corrections, Amador Regional Sanitation Authority and Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. Discussions are on-going over “wastewater and the possibility of working together in the future,” Kerr said, adding that Ione’s whole Environmental Impact Report, for its wastewater treatment plant, “is based on partnership” and the city will continue to talk with the groups “about coming into our system.” Kerr said meetings emphasized that Gold Rush, if approved, “will make a significant impact on Sutter Creek and Ione.” Kerr said “if it goes in,” Ione can sit with the parties and discuss regional partnerships. She said Gold Rush plans show “maximum flows,” but its developers will look for other disposal methods. Kerr said “one of the key players of Gold Rush is a key player in Arroyo Seco, which surrounds us, and which may give the city some leverage.” Arroyo Seco developers Bill Bunce and John Telischak, are partners with Troy Claveran on Gold Rush in Sutter Creek. AWA District 2 Director Gary Thomas told the council he thought Kerr has the right idea of having only “tertiary treated water for the (Jackson) Valley.” Thomas said Kerr is right, in “waiting to see what Gold Rush actually does.” He said the best way to look at regional solutions was to “find the need and work backward” to sources. Mayor Lee Ard said they will have meetings “with all potential customers” and Ione is “going ahead and building a wastewater treatment plant.” Ard said “we’re building one while everyone else is talking about it.” Ard said: “We can be a true regional facility,” and Ione should “end up with a wastewater plant that’s good for 30-50 years and everybody’s benefiting because everybody’s contributing.” Councilman David Plank said even if Gold Rush had 300 houses, it will “take a long time to sell them.” Councilman Jim Ulm said “they need a tertiary plant” in Sutter Creek, because Ione is “not going to pump water uphill.” Ulm said if Ione reuses water, “it just makes water more useful everywhere,” and “frees up raw water for the AWA.” Thomas said on December 10th the AWA board will continue discussion of joining ARSA. He said ARSA has debt and a lot of pipeline needing maintenance. Studies showed a $30 million to $50 million cost fully restore the ARSA system. Thomas said ARSA’s 9 miles of secondary effluent conveyances between Sutter Creek and Ione carry “a lot of liability” for ARSA members. Thomas said he thinks “tertiary is the way to go” in Ione. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - The Amador County Fair Board of Directors announced Wednesday that “Amador County Fair Safari, It’s a Jungle Out There!” will be the theme for the 2010 county fair, July 29 to August 2. “I can’t wait to see the decorations and fantastic fun ideas that our exhibitors, staff and community will come up with for this year’s Amador County Fair,” said Amador County Fair Board President Robert Manassero. He said “pith helmets, expedition gear, exotic animals and fun” will be used to set the mood. “We always look for a fun theme that our staff can decorate around, we can create fun contests for exhibitors, and coordinate our entertainment so that we can keep things fresh for fair visitors to enjoy,” explained Sherri Elliott, Amador County Fair office manager. The Amador County Fair is the largest community event in Amador County and is proud to partner with local organizations such as 4-H and FFA, Interfaith Food Bank, Jackson Lions Club, Jackson and Plymouth Foothills Rotary and others to raise funds for community services. In choosing the theme, the board considered the tough economic times and wanted to create an exciting affordable adventure here in Amador County. Next year will be the 72nd edition of the Amador County Fair. 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 – 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 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.