Amador County – The Mountain Ranch community and surrounding areas is planning a forum to discuss a rash of burglaries that has affected residents in the area in Calaveras County.

Mike Falvey of Mountain Ranch said it was the second meeting that has been scheduled to address the issue, with Calaveras County Sheriff Gary Kuntz, this time appearing with Calaveras District Attorney Barbara Yook. Falvey hoped Yook “will be able to tell us the crimes charged and the criminal disposition of any of the cases resulting from the rash of burglaries many of us have experienced in the last few months.”

The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, February 28 at Mountain Ranch Community Hall.

A representative from the Bureau of Land Management will also attend, and explain “the new fire suppression program which gives people the right to clear 200 feet onto adjoining BLM land for fire safety.” There will be forms to fill out if people are interested in participating.

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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency discussed its budget last week at the fiscal mid-year, hearing that cash was nearly double over last year.

Board President Don Cooper said water sales were 6.7 percent under budget, which he saw as a “red flag.” Director Gary Thomas said they should try to “identify which areas are hurting us the most.” Finance Manager Mike Lee said water usage in the budget is “completely seasonal,” with May and June being the biggest usage months. He said the usage trend has been flat, and they can attribute it to vacancies, foreclosures and people trying to use less water.

Director Paul Molinelli said he preferred “January to December actuals” to compare year over year details and variances. Director Robert Manassero said that pre-recession years were irrelevant.

Molinelli asked how actuals stand against the agency auditor’s “cautions,” and whether the agency will recover “fast enough.” General Manager Gene Mancebo said the agency is moving toward reduced capital and expenses, and increased revenue, but “I don’t think we’re there yet.”

Lee said: “We kept hearing that the Titanic was in front of us. Well, we’ve avoided the Titanic.” Cooper said: “Let’s talk about cash, because cash is king.”

Lee said total cash flow for January 2011 “will be $700,000 more than we were last year.” He said “we’re well above last year, and we’re going to be trending in the right direction.”

Thomas said with “$100 million in assets in the ground,” a cash reserve of 1 percent would be $1 million. Lee said that amount has been the rule of thumb, and that has dropped.” He said “the agency has gotten by with half a million” in reserve.

Cooper said net revenue at mid-year looks good at $267,000, but operation and maintenance was under budget. He asked: “Are we deferring operation and maintenance and accepting an overrun in benefits and salaries to meet the budget; and if so, why?”

Mancebo said the agency is “lean,” and staff is forced to make the budget work with available revenue. He said: “You don’t see a lot of operation and maintenance there because staff is doing what it was told,” which was to curb spending. He said there will come a time when “operators have to go out and operate.”

Four layoffs now show in the finances, Thomas said, and another $50,000 drop will come from board salary and benefit cuts. Molinelli asked when does concessions come up for review, and Mancebo said they expire June 30. Mancebo said they need a few months to sit with employee groups and discuss concessions, so by April, they need to be in that process.

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El Dorado County – El Dorado Sheriff’s Department deputies and crisis negotiators helped talk an apparently suicidal man into surrendering last week in an El Dorado Hills neighborhood, after a nearly 2-hour standoff.

El Dorado Sheriff’s spokesman Bryan Golmitz said in a release that deputies responded Wednesday, Feb. 9, to the 7100 block of Hearst Drive in El Dorado Hills after a report of a suicidal subject. Upon arrival, deputies contacted the Serrano Security company, which “had been standing by with two individuals from inside the residence.”

Golmitz said according to information from the individuals, deputies determined that a 25-year-old male was alone inside the Hearst Drive residence and was “possibly suicidal.” Deputies made attempts to establish a line of “communication with the subject on multiple occasions but were unsuccessful.”

“The subject, who had armed himself with kitchen-type knives, exited and re-entered the residence on several occasions,” Golmitz said. “At one point, deputies deployed a less lethal measure” to try to subdue the man, “but it was not successful.”

Based on the circumstances of the unfolding event, the El Dorado Sheriff’s SWAT team and crisis negotiators were requested and arrived on scene. Crisis negotiators established telephone contact with the distraught man, and “after a short time were able to convince the subject to exit the residence and surrender to authorities.”

The subject was transported to Marshall Hospital for medical treatment. During the nearly two-hour stand-off, neighboring residents were requested to remain in the shelter of their homes.

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Amador County – Jackson City Council today will discuss wastewater permitting and Dandelion Days, and Plymouth will hold a joint session to hear about Bob Reeder’s two residential developments.

Jackson City Council meets tonight and could consider a special event permit for a proposed addition of a beer and wine garden during the Jackson Lions Club Dandelion Days, set for March. The council could also review and determine action on a wastewater permit compliance planning. The council could also review a request from the Jackson Revitalization Committee for Measure E funding for preliminary engineering for the Jackson Creekwalk Project.

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, a joint meeting of the Plymouth City Council and Planning Commission will hear a presentation and overview by Reeder/Sutherland Incorporated about Bob Reeder and company’s two residential projects.

The panel will hear about the Zinfandel and Shenandoah Ridge housing development projects, and the meeting is for information only, with no action to be considered.

Later, the Plymouth Planning Commission could consider a Feb. 3 letter from Department of Housing and Community Development regarding review of Plymouth’s “Revised Housing Element” in the city General Plan. A public hearing will be held on the matter at 7 p.m. on March 2.

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Amador County – More than 90 children received free dental care from the Jackson Creek Dental Group and other local dentists, with the generosity of the 2011 Smiles For Kids program.

An essential part of the annual program is “making sure they all have access to needed follow-up treatment,” said Jackson Creek Dental Group’s Sandy Garcia. She said “children were sporting big smiles” as those who qualified underwent free exams, x-rays, teeth cleaning, sealant application, fluoride treatments, and emergency treatment.

Children who “would not otherwise be able to receive dental care” were treated by three local dentists, their staff and other licensed staff from neighboring dental offices, along with community members, all giving the care on a volunteer basis. They treated 62 children on Jan. 22 for pro-bono services totaling over $17,000. The remaining 29 children will be seen over the next two weeks.

Dentists participating on Smiles for Kids day were Doctors Ask, Roda and Simpson of Jackson Creek Dental Group, who will also be offering crucial follow-up treatment. Other doctors who will help with the follow-up treatment are Doctors Durkin, Eaton, Kinzer, Montalbo, Ordonez, Schiappa and Valencia.

So far, 38 of the children were referred to local dentists for further treatment as part of the program, and 14 were sent to specialists in Sacramento as part of the Sacramento District Dental Society’s Adopt-a-Child, Orthodontic, and Specialty Referral Care Programs.

“We were very pleased to see so many parents bringing their children in to be seen during Smile for Kids day,” said Dr. Leon Roda.

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Amador County – Supervisor Chairman John Plasse briefly addressed a contract agreement with the Amador County Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Hartmann, after a member of the public spoke on the issue last week.

Jackson Radiologist Dr. Lincoln Russin read a copy of a letter to the board during “matters not on the agenda” at the Feb. 8 Supervisors’ meeting, stating support for Hartmann. The letter was signed by Dr. Raymond H. Pierson III, chief of medical staff at Sutter Amador Hospital.

According to Pierson’s letter, it was submitted to Supervisors “on behalf of the Sutter Amador Hospital medical staff on Jan. 26.” Pierson in the letter said: “We understand that the Board of Supervisors has offered Dr. Hartmann a six-month renewal contract, rather than continue his contract through 2013.”

Pierson said: “We are concerned that the administration of the Public Health Department is being questioned. We want to indicate our strong support for both the staff of the Public Health Department and in particular, for Dr. Hartmann as Public Health Officer.”

The letter said: “We see no reason to change a well-functioning public service, or to replace an exceptional public servant.” The said they believed “Hartmann should be publicly recognized for the contributions he has made in this field,” and urged Supervisors to sign a long-term contract with Hartmann.

Retired Amador County Mental Health Director Pat Houghton also wrote in support of Hartmann, saying: “Supervisors shortened his contract, and they're still paying him less than the only other doctor employed by the county even though state and federal funds are available to cover his contract.”

Supervisor Chairman John Plasse said that the Board of Supervisors had to consider a request by Robert Hartmann for a 37 percent pay increase. He said at the same time, they also had to consider “which people in the room deserve a 10 percent decrease.” Plasse said supervisors by a majority vote agreed to a compromise, giving Hartmann a raise and a one-year contract extension.

Plasse said that if either Dr. Hartmann or Supervisors were unhappy with the contract, “there is a termination clause,” with which either party can end the contract at any time. He said the contract is for an annual salary of $84,000, as a part-time position working 20 hours per week, and if Hartmann was unhappy with it, he could terminate the contract.

He said Supervisors knew the commitment and dedication Hartmann brought to the position.

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