Amador County – Kirkwood Mountain Resort owners and management mourned the loss last week of their founder and visionary, Bud Klein, who lost his battle with cancer and passed away May 5 at age 83.

Kirkwood Resort management and owners said they were “deeply saddened” by the passing of Kirkwood’s “founder, patriarch and visionary.” To the management “Klein represented all things Kirkwood and he will be deeply missed.”

Klein’s “pioneering spirit, entrepreneurial vigor and tireless energy in the early 1970s” converted “a remote wilderness outpost at the pinnacle of the Sierra into one of North America’s most legendary ski mountains,” Kirkwood management said. Klein “saw opportunity where others saw challenges,” and he developed “not only the resort, but all the roads and infrastructure that would become our community.”

The book “Mountain Dreamers: Visionaries of Sierra Nevada Skiing,” chronicles Klein’s efforts and accomplishments, and the “incredible story will be further memorialized in the Kirkwood Inn, the spot where Klein first put together what became Kirkwood. He loved his views of the Kirkwood Meadow from his Sun Meadows unit and in his honor, that meadow will be renamed in a conservation trust bearing his name.”

While Kirkwood was only one of Klein’s many investments, resort owners and management “know it held a special place in his heart.” They said Klein’s “passion for Kirkwood cannot be replaced and his support for this community will be missed.”

They said: “Over the past several years Bud has encouraged us all to ‘finish the painting’ that he started and we intend to do everything we can to support his legacy.”

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Amador County – Amador Water Agency General Manager Gene Mancebo explained a draft employee reorganization plan last week, saying it would cut department heads, reassign jobs and duties, open some positions, and in total eliminate three positions. It was expected to cut $200,000 to $500,000 over two or three years.

The plan would remove five division managers and place a field operations manager over construction, distribution, installation, wastewater, water and engineering supervisors and departments. An office manager would head customer service and controlling divisions. Employees spoke to the AWA Board of Directors last week about the plan.

Engineering Supervisor John Griffin said the board may not have factored in $600,000 in new revenue in an agreement with Sutter Creek. There are grants that have not been applied for, and besides Fresh & Easy, there are 6 other vacant parcels on Sutter Hill.

Griffin read a list of 11 undone agency projects, including regulations; water plans; and bridge rebuild projects in Amador City and Sutter Creek. Three engineers cannot do all the work now, and two engineers would not be able to do it either, he said, and “we desperately need the Gravity Supply Line.”

Director of information technology Mitch Netto said companies he has worked for in the past have never had something like this. He called the plan “crass and very unprofessional,” and criticized management, saying the job had become horribly stressful, with threats from the administration. Netto said AWA’s technology network is ailing, with switches constantly failing, and not replaced because his program was typically under-budgeted “by 10s of thousands of dollars.”

Finance Manager Mike Lee said he has “enjoyed working here 11 years” and up until one or two years ago it had been a great place to work. He said the economy changed AWA, as it had water agencies all up and down the state. Lee said “our organizational structure is sound.” He said department heads and the general manager reorganized the agency about three years ago, and “we implemented about half of it last year.” He said the draft reorganization “does not really stand up to the hierarchy of any other water agency within 100 miles.” He said it will save money but it will not lead to a cohesive agency and will leave the financial side in chaos.

Mancebo said he thought a lot of what they heard was about sustainability, which is the real issue, and “failure is not an option,” because the agency provides water and wastewater services for this community. Mancebo said: “It is my recommendation that we do go forward with this,” though “it puts us in a precarious position with some activities.”

The draft reorganization plan’s final version could be considered by the AWA board 9 a.m. Friday (May 13).

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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board in a special meeting Thursday tentatively approved an employee reorganization plan that would lay off three people in efforts to reduce the agency budget by nearly three-quarters of a million dollars.

Employees and the public will have until the close of business today to submit comments on the draft reorganization plan. An ad hoc committee of Director Paul Molinelli and President Don Cooper will review comments, and could adjust the plan as needed. It will then be considered for possible final approval in a special meeting 9 a.m. Friday (May 13).

Cooper said protests have stopped rate increases in the Central Amador Water Project, LaMel and Camanche service areas, and “a reduction in water sales has heavily affected the bottom line.” He said the board has “a fiscal responsibility here” and if they finally adopt the reorganization, they will have a lot of expenses in the first year paying severances, but “we’ve got to start somewhere.” He said the plan should be finalized to be used as they start work on the 2011-2012 budget in a workshop set for May 25th. Cooper said the draft plan “is a critical element for our budget to move forward.”

Director Robert Manassero said the change was not sudden, and Finance Committee work has been “scary.” He said Proposition 218 protests “killed rate increases” that should have been in place, and “now we’re playing catch-up.” He invited comment, saying: “If we can tweak something here that we haven’t seen, we’ll look at it.”

Molinelli said: “Failure is not an option, but it is a possibility.” Director Art Toy agreed, saying they “need $1 million to come out of the agency budget” or they will be headed for bankruptcy. They cannot cut field staff, and cannot raise rates, so the only thing they can do is eliminate management. Toy said he would “like people to make suggestions for what we can do to make it run right.” And “if there’s a better idea, we sure want to hear it.” He said: “I’ve never run a water agency before,” and staff “knows how to do it better than I do.”

AWA Controller Marvin Davis said in three months at the agency, he has not had the time to “drill down” into finances, but he was “not convinced the gap is that big.” He said the agency could merge metered systems to a single rate structure, and that should be reviewed across all systems. He said he would eventually “like to tear it apart.”

Mancebo said of the reorganization, “we know this alone is not going to fill the gap,” and the agency also must address employee concessions, and increase revenue.

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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency Board of Directors on May 1 signed a one-year contract with its general manager, and also was petitioned by its department heads to form a bargaining unit. The agency also called a special meeting Friday to discuss an employee reorganization plan.

The Agency Board on April 28th signed a one-year contract with General Manager Gene Mancebo after Mancebo accepted the permanent position of General Manager. The Board appointed Mancebo interim General Manager in September 2009, following the resignation of former G.M. Jim Abercrombie.

Mancebo in a statement Tuesday said his salary and benefits “reflects current efforts” by himself and AWA Directors to reduce costs. Mancebo signed a contract that started May 1, with a salary and benefits package that is $6,300 less than his compensation through April 30. The $137,000 salary (plus benefits) is more than $17,000 less than Abercrombie received as G.M. in 2008.

Mancebo said the “Water Agency Board and staff are facing significant financial challenges and the current economic downturn is testing the resourcefulness of employees and straining resources.” He said the “public depends on us to provide safe, reliable water and wastewater services,” and “failure isn’t an option.” He said he appreciated the “Board’s confidence in my abilities and the opportunity to continue at the helm of the Water Agency as general manager.” Mancebo has been with AWA since1988 and led the Agency’s engineering department for 17 years before becoming interim G.M.

In late March, the AWA Board of Directors received a petition from its four department heads, who are seeking to form an employee bargaining unit. Mancebo said the “Engineering, Administration, Construction and Operations department heads have not been part of an employee bargaining unit for three years.”

Members of the public at the meeting encouraged the Board to not recognize the new bargaining unit, so as to “maintain current control over department head salary and benefit costs,” Mancebo said. “Directors discussed whether the Board has legal standing to prevent a properly filed petition by the employees.” The matter was tabled pending clarification for the Board by the Agency’s labor attorney.

Last week, AWA in a special meeting approved a draft employee reorganization plan, and will reconsider that plan, with comments taken, in a special meeting 9 a.m. Friday, May 13. Board President Don Cooper participated in the meeting last week via telephone from Waltham, Massachusetts.

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Amador County – California for the seventh year in a row ranked last among all states in terms of how they are seen as home to businesses.

“Chief Executive” magazine last week released results its annual survey of 550 company Chief Executive Officers, who considered “taxation and regulation to workforce quality and living environment.” J.P. Donlon, executive editor of “Chief Executive” in a May 3 article, “Best/Worst States for Business” said the annual ranking shows “how each state fares on the factors most essential for a business-friendly environment.”

Texas ranked Number 1, according to the survey, and California, “to no one’s great surprise” ranked the worst, 50th out of 50, Donlon said. Both states have held those respective rankings seven years straight.

California, “once a business friendly state, continues to conduct a war on its own economy,” Donlon wrote. “According to the Pacific Research Institute, it has the fourth largest government of all U.S. states, with spending equal to 18.3%” of its Gross Domestic Product. (In Texas, that number is 12.1%). Survey respondents uniformly said California regulators are hostile,” including one California CEO, who said: “No one in his right mind would start a new manufacturing concern here.”

California “seems uniquely oblivious to the effect its labor and other regulations are having on its innovative and growth-oriented Silicon Valley,” Donlon said. “Job growth in the Valley has flat-lined. Firms keep their headquarters there, but pursue growth in friendlier states. Google, Intel, Cisco and other companies locate new plants in states such as Arizona, Utah, Texas, Virginia or North Dakota.”

“Sacramento seems to take perverse delight in job-killing legislation,” Donlon said, such as the “Green Chemistry Initiative” of 2008, which mandated that “manufacturers seek safer alternatives to toxic chemicals in their products, and create tough governmental responses for lack of compliance.”

Chapman University Law professor Hugh Hewitt, in the Washington Examiner, wrote: “Take whatever you think is the worst regulatory regime out there, and expand it exponentially.” He said “California’s new rules will mandate testing and labeling changes on tens of thousands of products, likely triggering product recalls.”

Donlon said according to the Small Business Roundtable, the California carbon emission law (AB 32) will costs the state 500,000 jobs in 2011, and 1.3 million jobs by 2020.

One CEO responding to the survey said: “We need some political backbone to control spending, address out-of-control debts, and use common sense on environment … Quit demonizing businesses. Who do they think provide real jobs?”

Source: ChiefExecutive.net.

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Amador County – Amador County and state officials honored George Cusak for 7 ½ years of volunteer service in establishing the Amador Auxiliary Communications Service Plan.

Sheriff Martin Ryan offered “personal thanks” to George for his work in the area of emergency service, and for his work in establishing and training volunteers for disaster communications, for helping in responses.

Bill Pennington, assistant chief of communications at the California Emergency Management Agency, said “Amador County’s Auxiliary Communications Service plan is on our website as an example.” He wished Cusak the best.

Supervisor Chairman John Plasse said “thank you very much for what you have done.” Supervisor Brian Oneto, agreed, saying that communications are very critical in emergencies.

The Amador County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution honoring Cusak. It said Amador ACS is made up of volunteer Disaster Service Workers who work with the Amador County Sheriff’s Office “to provide auxiliary communications support and services to Amador County government agencies,” in the event of disaster or communications emergency.

The resolution said Cusak was ACS Officer for 7 ½ years, and provided “volunteer amateur radio operators skilled in radio emergency communications, operations of conventional land-mobile radio, phone and the Road Runner Portable Advisory system.” He also coordinated communication tests with and between Sutter Amador Hospital, Amador Unified School District, American Red Cross, shelters and the County Emergency Operations Center.

Plasse, in reading the presentation Resolution, said “George was instrumental in establishing the first Auxiliary Communications Service Plan for Amador County which is used as a model plan by the Cal-EMA for other jurisdictions to emulate and has represented amateur radio interests at state level meetings.” Cusak also established a fully equipped government communications trailer, and has coordinated monthly ham radio-to-radio tests with surrounding counties.

Plasse, reading the resolution, said Cusak’s “contributions have been invaluable to the county in disaster preparedness operations and he exemplifies the spirit and expertise volunteers can bring to Amador County.”

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Amador County – The Amador County Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday with several items to consider, including a request by Dick Cooper for a permit for a Barbera Festival. Cooper seeks a user “permit to allow for a one-day, annual outdoor event, including wine tasting, food, vendors, live music and displays for approximately 1,800 attendees the first year with the possibility of growing to 2,500 attendees in future years, at Cooper Vineyards.”

Brian Miller is the organizer of the District 5 Barbera Festival, which would be held on the west side of Shenandoah School Road, about a mile south of the intersection of Shenandoah Road, in the Shenandoah Valley.

The Commission also will consider an application by the Mace Family Trust to divide a 160 acres into two parcels of 40 acres each, and one parcel of 80 acres. The land is in District 2, “west of Carbondale Road, extending north to Lambert Road, approximately ¼ mile west of the most northerly Carbondale Road and Lambert Road junction.”

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Amador County – The Jackson City Council received a report last week on police activity in the city for April, which included more than 600 calls for services and 72 crime reports.

Jackson Police Chief Scott Morrison in a report to the City Council dated Friday, May 6, noted 646 calls for service to the Jackson Police Department in April. Stemming from that included 72 crime reports, 19 reports of disturbing the peace, and nine reports of violence, including one report of domestic violence. All nine reports of violence were “cleared by arrest.” There were also three traffic collisions reported in April, which were responded to by Jackson Police.

Morrison said JPD records showed one vehicle theft and four reports of grand theft, with two reports of petty theft. There were also four fire or ambulance assists, and 116 traffic stops, with 28 traffic citations issued, not including parking violations.

JPD made 20 security checks and 19 arrests in April. Of the arrestees, 17 were adults, with seven of those on felony charges, and 10 for misdemeanors. Two of the arrests were of juveniles involved in fighting.

Jackson Fire Chief Mark Morton reported on Jackson Fire Department activity for April, in a report submitted to the City Council for its Monday meeting. Morton in the report said there were 122 total calls in April, of which seven were fire-related; 12 were traffic collisions; 21 were for public assistance; and 82 were medical calls.

Morton reported that Jackson Fire averaged 4 calls a day, and as of April 30th had answered 409 calls for service for the year. On average, 31 calls a month come from outside Jackson city limits.

Jackson Fire had 107 total service runs in January of this year, 84 in February, 96 in March, and 122 in April. That number was up 54 calls compared to April 2010, where there were 68 total calls. Annual total to date on April 30, 2011, were a total of 275 calls for Jackson Fire.

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Amador County – A U.S. Court of Appeals Judge in the District of Columbia ruled Friday that the District Court must make a decision on whether the Buena Vista Band of Me-Wuk Indians really has “Indian Land” on which they plan to place a gambling casino.

Amador County argued that the Buena Vista Rancheria’s compact with the state of California received a “no action” approval by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Kenneth Salazar, but that it must also be consistent with the provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, relative to the tribe’s land qualifying as “Indian land.” The District Court had ruled that the “no action” approval of the Secretary of the Interior also approved the land as properly qualified. Amador County argued that the land was not “Indian land” because it was not used as a reservation.

Jude David S. Tatel, writing an opinion of the three-judge panel’s decision issued Friday, May 6, said that “although the District Court rejected the Secretary’s argument that Amador County lacked standing, it dismissed the suit, finding the Secretary’s inaction unreviewable under several provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act.” Amador County appealed. Tatel said: “We agree with the District Court that the County has standing, but because we conclude that the Secretary’s inaction is in fact reviewable, we reverse and remand for the District Court to consider the merits in the first instance.”

Dennis J. Whittlesey argued the appeal for Amador County, which argued that the Buena Vista Me-Wuks’ land was not a reservation because Amador County taxes the property.

Tatel said the “parties agree both that the sole question at issue is whether the Rancheria qualifies as ‘Indian land’ and that if it does, the Secretary had authority to approve the compact.” He said the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act defines “Indian land” as “all lands within the limits of any Indian reservation” and land held in U.S. trust or land “over which an Indian tribe exercises governmental power.” Tatel noted that the land is “owned in fee by the Tribe rather than held in trust by the United States,” and “it appears that the land can qualify as ‘Indian land’ only if it is an ‘Indian Reservation’.”

The Secretary argued that Amador County agreed in a 1987 case, Amador v. Hardwick, that Rancheria lands “were never, and are not now, lawfully terminated under the California Rancheria Act” and that the “original boundaries” of Rancherias were restored.” Amador County “contends that these sweeping provisions” must be “interpreted in light of the issue being litigated,” that being the “County’s ability to assess property taxes on the former Rancheria lands.”

The decision, “at the parties request,” remands “to give the District Court an opportunity to assess the merits in the first instance.”

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Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 5-9-11 - Supervisor Richard Forster sits down with Tom Slivick to discuss the agenda for the upcoming board of supervisors meeting.