Amador County – The Amador County Waste Management Department announced earlier this month that it is taking nominations for the 2011 Recycler Ricky Awards.

Amador Waste Department Director Jim McHargue announced March 15 that nominations would be accepted, through April 15.

He said the Amador County Local Task Force on Integrated Waste Management is now accepting nominations for the 2011 Recycler Ricky Award. The Recycler Ricky Award began as a contest to design, draw and name a new Amador County recycling mascot.

The winning entry, Recycler Ricky, was submitted by Amador High School senior Gina Salvador in 2004. Every year the Local Task Force honors a county individual or entity that represents Ricky’s positive message to “Be a Hero and Recycle!”

Part of the Recycler Ricky Award lore, its first recipient, George Coleman, a long-time employee with Amador County General Services Department. Coleman accepted the award dressed as Recycler Ricky.

The Local Task Force is soliciting nominations for school age recyclers, in grades kindergarten through 12th grades, who exemplify the qualities of Recycler Ricky. Nominations will be accepted until April 15.

Nominations should be a brief written description on one page, either typewritten or hand written, explaining the specific recycling-related actions the individual has taken to be considered for the award. Include the name and age of the student and a contact telephone number for a parent or guardian.

The young recyclers selected for the 20110 Recycler Ricky Award will be recognized with a special gift and personalized framed certificate.

Send nominations to Amador County Waste Management Department, 810 Court Street, Jackson, CA 95642; or fax it to (209) 223-6395.

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Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors this week postponed its next meeting on the county General Plan update, until possibly May or June, to allow people to read the latest version of the documents.

Supervisors issued a Planning Department press release Tuesday saying: “In light of expressed concerns and requests for more time to adequately review the preliminary draft General Plan Update documents released earlier this month, it has been decided to cancel the Joint Meeting of the Amador County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors scheduled for Monday, April 4.”

The release said: “Another meeting will be scheduled and notice will be given once a date has been set. Possible alternate dates being considered are the end of May to the middle of June.”

The statement apologized for delay but said “our overriding desire is to provide all parties with enough time to adequately review the documents.

The Planning Department announced March 8 that the “preliminary draft General Plan, glossary and implementation plan” were open for public review, and that the April 4 meeting (which was canceled) was for the Joint panel to review the documents, but “not for the purpose of taking public comment on the merit of what is contained or proposed in the documents.”

Several members of the Mother Lode Taxed Enough Already Party spoke out against the notice. Peter Carisetti of Jackson Pines said it has “160 pages of new material” and it “smells of Obama health care.” Virginia Manner said not having public input “is against our personal rights,” and she and others asked for more time to read the document.

Vince Destigter of Amador Citizens for Responsible Government asked Supervisors to “please disregard staff’s advice and allow corrections and amendments” to the document at the next General Plan update meeting. A woman said: “I downloaded that plan and I couldn’t even read it. It’s got too many funny words in it.”

Supervisor Chairman John Plasse told them, “I’ll take the fire” about the announcement, which said that the purpose of the meeting was for the “joint panel to review these documents to ensure they contain the information and items on which direction was given at the previous joint meetings.”

Plasse said after compiling and distilling down the information received after several years, they allowed staff to take the comments and place them into the documents. He said “from there we were hoping to avoid rehashing the same issues over and over again.” He said the meeting was “for us to verify” that staff had accurately followed through on direction given.

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Amador County – The Jackson City Council voted 5-0 Monday to send letters of support for legislation dealing with mobile home parks, but made sure that it would not affect the city.

City Manager Mike Daly said Senate Bill 444 dealt with the subdividing of mobile home parks, an issue the city has been addressing over the past few months with work on an application for subdivision by owners of Rollingwood Estates. The legislation attempts to clarify existing state code that has “been kind of a ping pong ball in the court system,” with conflicting rulings. The crux is whether or not a local agency must consider results of a survey of mobile home park residents when it considers approval, disapproval or conditional approval of a request for subdividing a mobile home park into individual parcels.

Daly said the City Council should “not say anything that can prejudice itself,” in the event its pending decision on the Rollingwood application is later appealed by Rollingwood owners. He said if the council chooses to take action, it would be to help clarify the issue for agencies.

He said Assembly Bill 579 deals with rent control ordinances, and their legal defense by cities, or other jurisdictions. It would allow the city, if it won a challenge, to be able to get relief from the plaintiff for legal fees.

Shirley Dajnowski, president of Chapter 1605 of the Golden State Manufactured-Home Owners League, and a Rollingwood resident, said SB 444 would restore balance and provide homeowners security. She said it clarifies the original intent of the law, which “requires surveys to show support” for subdivision approval.

Dajnowski said AB 579 would allow local governments to recover attorney fees. She said she was able to talk with a staff member from Assemblywoman Alyson Huber’s office. The staffer gave her 45 minutes, but Dajnowski said the lawmaker was getting pressure from mobile home park owners.

Dajnowski said: “He listened very carefully, which they all do,” but told her park owners are really putting pressure on Huber, and “they want to be able to sue cities to get their money back.”

Dajnowski urged City Council support, and gave some information about the Rollingwood residents, saying 112 are widows or widowers. She said there are 186 homes and 206 people, making up 7 percent of the Jackson electorate.

Councilman Wayne Garibaldi said both bills “seemed to be in the city’s best interest.” Daly said the city attorney advised that the city could support the legislation to clarify the issue. Councilman Keith Sweet motioned to send support letters, as long as they do not prejudice the city’s future actions. The motion carried unanimously.

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Amador County – The Jackson City Council voted 5-0 Monday to send letters of support for legislation dealing with mobile home parks, but made sure that it would not affect the city.

City Manager Mike Daly said Senate Bill 444 dealt with the subdividing of mobile home parks, an issue the city has been addressing over the past few months with work on an application for subdivision by owners of Rollingwood Estates. The legislation attempts to clarify existing state code that has “been kind of a ping pong ball in the court system,” with conflicting rulings. The crux is whether or not a local agency must consider results of a survey of mobile home park residents when it considers approval, disapproval or conditional approval of a request for subdividing a mobile home park into individual parcels.

Daly said the City Council should “not say anything that can prejudice itself,” in the event its pending decision on the Rollingwood application is later appealed by Rollingwood owners. He said if the council chooses to take action, it would be to help clarify the issue for agencies.

He said Assembly Bill 579 deals with rent control ordinances, and their legal defense by cities, or other jurisdictions. It would allow the city, if it won a challenge, to be able to get relief from the plaintiff for legal fees.

Shirley Dajnowski, president of Chapter 1605 of the Golden State Manufactured-Home Owners League, and a Rollingwood resident, said SB 444 would restore balance and provide homeowners security. She said it clarifies the original intent of the law, which “requires surveys to show support” for subdivision approval.

Dajnowski said AB 579 would allow local governments to recover attorney fees. She said she was able to talk with a staff member from Assemblywoman Alyson Huber’s office. The staffer gave her 45 minutes, but Dajnowski said the lawmaker was getting pressure from mobile home park owners.

Dajnowski said: “He listened very carefully, which they all do,” but told her park owners are really putting pressure on Huber, and “they want to be able to sue cities to get their money back.”

Dajnowski urged City Council support, and gave some information about the Rollingwood residents, saying 112 are widows or widowers. She said there are 186 homes and 206 people, making up 7 percent of the Jackson electorate.

Councilman Wayne Garibaldi said both bills “seemed to be in the city’s best interest.” Daly said the city attorney advised that the city could support the legislation to clarify the issue. Councilman Keith Sweet motioned to send support letters, as long as they do not prejudice the city’s future actions. The motion carried unanimously.

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Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors this week postponed its next meeting on the county General Plan update, until possibly May or June, to allow people to read the latest version of the documents.

Supervisors issued a Planning Department press release Tuesday saying: “In light of expressed concerns and requests for more time to adequately review the preliminary draft General Plan Update documents released earlier this month, it has been decided to cancel the Joint Meeting of the Amador County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors scheduled for Monday, April 4.”

The release said: “Another meeting will be scheduled and notice will be given once a date has been set. Possible alternate dates being considered are the end of May to the middle of June.”

The statement apologized for delay but said “our overriding desire is to provide all parties with enough time to adequately review the documents.

The Planning Department announced March 8 that the “preliminary draft General Plan, glossary and implementation plan” were open for public review, and that the April 4 meeting (which was canceled) was for the Joint panel to review the documents, but “not for the purpose of taking public comment on the merit of what is contained or proposed in the documents.”

Several members of the Mother Lode Taxed Enough Already Party spoke out against the notice. Peter Carisetti of Jackson Pines said it has “160 pages of new material” and it “smells of Obama health care.” Virginia Manner said not having public input “is against our personal rights,” and she and others asked for more time to read the document.

Vince Destigter of Amador Citizens for Responsible Government asked Supervisors to “please disregard staff’s advice and allow corrections and amendments” to the document at the next General Plan update meeting. A woman said: “I downloaded that plan and I couldn’t even read it. It’s got too many funny words in it.”

Supervisor Chairman John Plasse told them, “I’ll take the fire” about the announcement, which said that the purpose of the meeting was for the “joint panel to review these documents to ensure they contain the information and items on which direction was given at the previous joint meetings.”

Plasse said after compiling and distilling down the information received after several years, they allowed staff to take the comments and place them into the documents. He said “from there we were hoping to avoid rehashing the same issues over and over again.” He said the meeting was “for us to verify” that staff had accurately followed through on direction given.

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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency this week announced it has set a series of informal meetings to discuss the future challenges to be faced in the Central Amador Water Project service area.

District 3 AWA Chairman Don Cooper and District 4 Director Robert Manassero will be hosting the meetings, set primarily in coffee shops throughout the Upcountry. Agency staff announced the series of meetings and said Upcountry water customers are invited to attend and meet with their water directors.

AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo in a release Monday said “Upcountry water customers will have the opportunity to meet with Amador Water Agency Directors and staff to discuss the challenges facing their water system at a series of informal meetings in April.”

He said Directors Manassero and Cooper “are holding meetings at Upcountry restaurants and coffee shops to get feedback from customers on how to address the most pressing issues on the Upcountry water system.”

He said about 40 times a year, the Upcountry water system breaks down. The service area is known as the Central Amador Water Project, or CAWP. Mancebo said the “aging and failing water system suffers from electrical and mechanical failures, computer and communication problems, and power outages. The pumped system is also subject to ever-increasing electric costs – currently about $300,000 per year.”

Mancebo said Cooper and Manassero “hope customers will take advantage of the drop-in, small group discussions to learn more about the upcountry water system, the current challenges facing it, what options are being considered, and how to participate in decision-making for the system that needs to happen soon.”

Meetings are scheduled for multiple dates and locations, beginning with a 9-11 a.m. meeting at Blue Moon Café in Pine Grove on Tuesday, April 5, then later that day, from 1-3 p.m. at Mace Meadow Restaurant in Pioneer.

A third meeting is 10-11 a.m. Thursday, April 7 at Sue’s Gold Country Coffee in Pine Grove, then later that day, from 1-3 p.m. at Blue Moon Café. Mace Meadow Restaurant hosts another meeting 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 12.

On Tuesday, April 19, Sue’s Gold Country Coffee hosts a meeting from 10-11:30 a.m.; and Blue Moon Café hosts another meeting, from 1-3 p.m.

The last scheduled meeting is from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 20 at the Buckhorn Veterans Memorial Hall in Buckhorn.

Additional information on the Central Amador Water Project system will be mailed to customers in their April CAWP water bill and will be available at the agency website at amadorwater.org.

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