Amador County – Amador County Supervisors on Tuesday passed a preliminary budget with notes on the economic climate of the county, the state and the world.

Mark Bennett of Pine Grove thanked supervisors for keeping its reserves, and coming up with a reasonable budget. He said looking at bankruptcies and bleak economy, the economic problems are structural. He said gold mining permitting that took 8 years in Amador County could have been finished in 1-and-a-1/2 years in Canada.

Supervisor Brian Oneto said “we have regulated our economy to death. Everybody wants to live in Utopia but if you can’t survive in it, what good is it?” He said he did not take pleasure in laying off people, but “we’re here to keep the county in good financial health,” and though reduced, the county will sill get the services they are mandated to provide.

Supervisor Chairman Louis Boitano said “things in Sacramento are broke, and they don’t seem to be making anything better.” He said “the world economy is teetering on the edge.”

Supervisor Ted Novelli said this board knows it is detrimental to the county to lay anybody off. And regarding shoving things down the county’s throat, this governor keeps shoving the Bullet Train down our throat.”

Novelli said he closes three Amtrak stations and is spending $30 billion dollars, but it will not even cover people in regards to going from Point A to Point B. Novelli said Amtrak could go 100 mph if they fixed the bridges and tracks. And will the Amtrak employees be laid off? You better believe they will.”

Supervisor John Plasse said he has seen local level organizations oppose the entire timber harvesting industry, oppose any timber or mining of any kind, whether it is gold or aggregate, and yet the same people stand on the corner with an “Occupy” sign and “say the system is broken.” Plasse said they oppose the things that generate sales tax, property tax appreciation and they oppose all of the things that create income. He said tax revenue does not come from the government it comes from the private sector.

Doug Ketron of Amador Economic Development Corporation spoke on related matters later in the meeting. He said California ranks 50th of the 50 states in desirability to do business in. He said Ione has 100 different kinds of refractory glass. Amador County has lignite for wax, and aggregate, and yet it is cheaper to mine material in Canada and ship it to San Francisco than it is to open a mine in Amador County.

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Amador County – The Amador Business Council on Tuesday said it would pick up the cost to pursue a Transient Occupancy Tax increase for hotels and motels, and Amador County Supervisors approved language for a draft ballot measure, to consider at its next meeting June 26.

Supervisor Vice Chairman Richard Forster said: “I would like to hear that we will have support from the business community,” and he didn’t want to waste $10,000 to $20,000 it would cost to put it on the ballot.

Amador Business Council’s Al Bozzo said the strongest revenue stream right now is agri-tourism, and the opportunity is enormous. Bozzo said the Business Council already has commitments for some money, and the Amador Business Council is picking up the cost of the education campaign, through its member contributions.

Business Council member Jim Gullett said they would need to mount an organized campaign, with a cost estimated at $30,000 to market it. Supervisor John Plasse said if the business community is fully willing to raise the lions share to educate the electorate, and willing to run that significant risk, this board would take on the cost to print the ballot.

Supervisors voted 4-1 to direct staff to write up the draft ballot measure.

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Amador County – Robin Valencia, executive director of the Amador County Child Abuse Prevention Council said she is stepping down this month and her organization will be taken over by First 5 Amador.

Valencia said: “I am leaving the council this month to go full-time with Amador Transit.” She said First 5 Amador, directed by Nina Machado, “will assume the coordination and administrative functions of the council effective July 1.

Valencia said the “upcoming changes will afford the stability, structure and infrastructure for the council to grow in new ways, and expand outreach and educational opportunities for First 5.” She said it was “a win-win for both organizations.”

She said: Working for the Child Abuse Prevention Council “has been a great and rewarding position for me. I feel so fortunate to have been paid to do work for a cause I am so passionate about, to meet and work with so many wonderful people in our community and, I am proud of the accomplishments we have made over the last seven years.”

She was also excited about the “new challenges and opportunities with Amador Transit, working to increase the accessibility of public transportation for our community.”

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Amador County – Amador County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve a preliminary 2012-2013 budget of $67 million dollars, with a reduction of about 21 full-time equivalent jobs, as two weeks remain before the state budget must be approved.

Supervisors continue discussion with Service Employees International Union, and await potential funding restoration from the governor’s budget and legislation. More than 100 people attended; many wearing purple shirts in support of the SEIU. Union business agent Steve Bristow asked people to stand who were there in support of SEIU employees and a majority stood up. Bristow said he “had been called this morning to come back to the table.

Supervisor Vice Chairman Richard Forster said negotiations are ongoing with SEIU which could potentially play a role in the county’s final budget, but it was a closed session item they could not comment about. Basic Aid funding could be restored in the governor’s budget, giving the county $1.1 million. Forster said Assemblywoman Alyson Huber’s AB 1191 will be discussed Wednesday, June 13. It would restore triple flip funds in a five-year funding plan.

The county expected to end the year spending $2.1 million dollars more than it took in. County Administrative Officer Chuck Iley said 10% cuts agreed to by SEIU employees over three years do not make a 30% total, as Bristow has said. Iley said: “It’s still 10%. That’s an empirical fact.”

Iley said the “so called surplus carryover” has been as big as $10 million, and in this coming budget year it will be $2.7 million. Iley said revenue in the current year is down $1.2 million below expenditures. Iley said “you can spin it any way you want” but “the budget is down to where we need to make some significant cuts.”

Supervisor Brian Oneto said they could either make cuts or hit a brick wall and it would be very ugly as far as services received. Iley said the budget has a smaller carryover, and a $500,000 contingency, which is not the 3% supervisors wanted, but it is accessible without resolution, and reserves are above that.

Supervisor Chairman Louis Boitano said reserves help with major unknown projects. Supervisor John Plasse said the 24% reserve is carried forward for county operating cash and when the county is “burning through it at a million-and-a-half dollars a week, it doesn’t last very long.”

Supervisor Ted Novelli said AB109, reorganization of jails, might also mean the need to build a county prison. Forster said Triple-Flip funds and Basic Aid money are unknown, and with the “state of the state I’m not sure they are able to restore those.” He said the county is also prosecuting and defending two murder cases, with six defendants so there are several unfinished issues looming ahead.

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Amador County – Amador County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 Tuesday to direct staff to prepare a hotel-motel tax increase measure that would exclude any taxes on campgrounds in unincorporated Amador County.

The so-called Transient Occupancy Tax would change hotel and motel taxes from 6% to 10%. County Counsel Greg Gillott reported on a list of 13 campgrounds that could have a TOT tax, and 15 that were either state or federally owned and would not fall under county jurisdiction.

The board directed Gillott to prepare draft measure language for the board to consider June 26, and still be able to place it on the November ballot.

Supervisor Brian Oneto, dissented, and supported applying it to camping and RV parks. Jim Gullett of Amador Business Council said a Council member, the largest payer of TOT in Plymouth would be at a disadvantage as Plymouth is trying to raise its TOT ot 10%, and it would affect his park. But Gullett said the owner would not oppose the ballot measure and would remain neutral on the issue.

Supervisor John Plasse said TOT on private campgrounds puts them at a distinct disadvantage from a pricing standpoint alone, and federal campgrounds do not face the same regulations. He supported “bringing the county TOT in line with the cities, but I don’t think it’s the right time.” He didn’t want to waste money to make the effort right now.

Supervisor Ted Novelli said Tuolumne County’s measure to shift TOT to camping failed, and 12 of 15 fire protection tax measures failed in recent primary elections. Gullett said the Tuolumne defeat was substantial, but Amador Business Council strongly supports taking the TOT to 10 percent, and would support exempting camping and RV parks. Oneto said “even with a broad-based effort in this election environment, it could still fail.”

Gullett spoke to Mother Lode Tea Party, whose members supported separation of business from government. Al Bozzo of the Amador Business Council said they are in no way, shape or form trying to underwrite private entities. They are trying to promote Amador as a brand to try to compete with other areas spending millions to do what the Business Council is trying to do. That is to encourage people to visit and spend money, to move here and pay property taxes, and to move their businesses here.

Gullett said the public-private partnership builds jobs.

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Amador County – The Amador County Technical Advisory Committee next week will consider an application by two parcel owners seeking bed & breakfast permits for a wedding facility on Sutter-Ione Road, west of Sutter Creek.

The Committee will review the application for completeness, evaluate potential environmental impacts, propose conditions and mitigation measures, and make a project recommendation to the Amador County Planning Commission.

The Committee will look at a request by Jerry and Marilyn Foster for two Use Permits under county Bed and Breakfast Regulations, to operate two bed and breakfasts on adjacent parcels with up to 50 weddings per year, and up to 100 people per wedding.

The weddings were proposed to be hosted on the Fosters’ two parcels, with parking for the weddings extending onto another parcel. The agenda noted that the applicant is proposing that wedding receptions will cease no later than 9 p.m. and any outdoor music associated with the bed and breakfasts will cease no later than 10 p.m.

Breakfasts are proposed to be continental style and food service associated with weddings will be done by an appropriately permitted caterer. The property is located on the south side of Sutter-Ione Road, approximately 3 miles west of the City of Sutter Creek.

The Committee meets at 10 a.m. Monday, June 18, in Conference Room at the County Admin Building, at 810 Court Street in Jackson.

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Amador County – The body of a San Francisco man who went missing at Lake Camanche on Sunday was recovered from the lake on Wednesday.

Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner released details of the incident, saying that the body of Remigio Munoz Jr., 31, of San Francisco was recovered from the water on Wednesday, after four days of searching. An autopsy to determine the cause and manner of Munoz’s death is scheduled for Thursday, June 14.

On Sunday June 10, the Amador County Sheriff’s Department began a search at North Shore Lake Camanche for a swimmer that had been reported missing, and who was last seen swimming in the lake. A ground, aerial and underwater search was conducted that day, with the underwater search continuing on Monday, June 11.

On Tuesday June 12, the Amador County Sheriff’s Dive Team utilized two California Rescue Dog Association Golden Retrievers, certified in locating submerged decedents. The canines identified one area of interest. An underwater search determined the subject was not in the area alerted upon.

On Wednesday June 13, the Sacramento Dive Accident Recovery Team responded to assist with a specialized vessel-mounted Search and Rescue sonar system. The Team identified two areas of interest, and an underwater search by Amador Sheriff’s Divers resulted in the recovery of the decedent.

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Amador County – Jackson City Council denied an appeal of a demolition permit Monday for part of a structure on Court Street, on a 3-2 vote.

Planning Commissioner Dave Butow appealed the demolition permit of part of a building at 215 Court Street. City Manager Mike Daly said the Council held two hours of discussion of the appeal, with testimony by Butow, but mostly by two main speakers in support of the appeal, Gary Reinoehl and Bill Orescan.

Orescan is a neighbor of the home, whose owners, Jim Carter and Linda Cantando, want to tear down part of one structure for parking.

Daly said the demolition permit was approved and one of the requirements is that the owners have to acquire a performance bond, so if they start the project, that it is guaranteed to be finished. Dave Butow, who recused himself when the Planning Commission heard and approved the demolition permit on Jan. 30, filed a $200 appeal of the permit award on Feb. 9.

Butow, Orescan and Reinoehl argued that the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Daly said they were concerned that a portion of the building to be removed was historically significant to the appearance of the building. Daly said the section to be demolished was originally built as a covered porch, then later enclosed.

The National Register said the home, the Grace Blair DePue House was built in 1872, and the porches were enclosed in 1950. It was restored in 1980 to the 1900 appearance, “short of reopening the side porches.”

A Planning Staff report said “on Jan. 17, the Jackson Design Review Committee met and concluded that the addition is not a historic resource and that removal would improve the historic value of the main structure.” The “Committee voted unanimously to recommend Planning Commission approval of the demolition and directed the applicant to have the new exterior look ‘seamless’ with the remaining structure.”

Jackson Mayor Pat Crew and Councilwoman Marilyn Lewis voted against approval. Daly said the other three Council members felt it was not a significant portion of the building, and that it is in a dilapidated condition, and its non-consistency with the rest of the building permitted it to be demolished.

The owners are working with the city Building Department to get the performance bond. Daly said part of the discussion was the owners’ ultimate plan for the property. They would like to convert the building into a duplex. In order to do that, he said they need to go through a conditional use hearing before the Planning Commission, in part to assess whether it would have enough parking. Daly said it would probably start with the city Site Plan Review Committee, made up of staff, and the appointed group, the Design Review Committee.

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Amador County – A mediated negotiation session between the United Food & Commercial Workers and Raley’s ended Friday, June 8, and no new talks were scheduled, with the contract extended on a day-by-day basis.

The Union offered a proposal which Raley’s management rejected, saying it would increase the company’s operating costs. Raley’s spokesman John Segale, released details of the mediation Friday, saying the union also is “demanding that we provide the union with the full authority to develop a new contract agreement with no input from Raley’s while guaranteeing it would win approval from its members.”

Segale said Raley’s was “stunned and disappointed to receive such an outrageous contract offer from the union leadership.” He said it would “increase our operating costs an additional $20 million in just the first year of the contract including requiring us to pay signing bonuses, provide wage increases and increase the cost of our health and welfare plan.”

He said “union leaders demanded that we give them complete authority to develop a final agreement without any input” on what our company would be required to pay. “It is very frustrating to attempt to negotiate with a union leadership that seems so out of touch with the realities of today’s economy.”

He said Raley’s faces “tremendous competitive pressures and we must lower our operating expenses immediately. Clearly, the union leadership is ignoring these facts and seems intent on destroying Raley’s while eliminating the jobs of 3,400 of its members.”

UFCW’s Local 8 President Jacques Loveall made a statement Friday saying the union’s “goal is to avoid a labor dispute, to stabilize morale, to regain harmonious labor relations and to protect the Raley’s brand. Our intention is to structure an agreement to address the legitimate competitive challenges of the employer while maintaining the security and dignity of the Union membership.”

Local 8 proposed that the parties agree to an “audit to justify the company’s claims of need for financial relief.” They also proposed “instruction of the Union and Employer accountants and actuaries to establish a budget for labor costs based on the audit findings.”

The proposal also sought “empowering of the Union bargaining committee to structure an overall settlement for membership recommendation.”

Loveall in the statement said the Union bargaining committee “has an unparalleled depth of experience in designing benefits packages, administering and negotiating contracts, understanding the expectations of the membership and creating sensible solutions.”

He said “with the cooperation of the employer in this efficient process, the Union will design a settlement within the agreed-upon budget, in an expedited fashion with the assurance of an unconditional recommendation of ratification to the membership.”

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Amador County – Assemblywoman Alyson Huber’s AB-1191 to restore funding to Amador County made it through the Senate Governance and Finance Committee Wednesday, and next will go before the full Senate for a vote.

Jackson City Manager Mike Daly attended the hearing at the state capital in Sacramento and was encouraged by the unanimous vote. He said he believes the next step is a full Senate vote, and “given the unanimous vote of the committee, I expect that that should go well.”

Daly said the funding was the most significant variable still unknown for the city’s budget, and AB 1191 is a “potential fix to the unanticipated loss in the General Fund due to a quirk in the ‘triple flip,’ vehicle license fee (VLF) swap and Education Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF), a process established to satisfy the state deficit bonds issued in 2005 and meet funding requirements of Proposition 98.”

Daly, in a report to the Jackson City Council Monday, said that “due to the decline in property tax and the recently determined ‘basic aid’ status of the Amador County Unified School District, a portion of the VLF swap amount due to the cities and county was redirected to ACUSD. This resulted in a loss of approximately $100,000 in property tax revenue the past two years.”

He said “two potential fixes in the form of a State budget supplement and Assembly Bill 1191 introduced by Alyson Huber could remedy this problem. The budget amendment has cleared the early hurdles and AB1191” had a critical hearing in the Senate committee Wednesday, June 13, passing unanimously.

Daly said the budget language would reimburse the county and cities for losses in fiscal year 2010-2011, and AB 1191 moves forward with the start of fiscal year 2013. He said 1191 would require legislative reauthorization to reimburse the losses, and it provides a mechanism for that to occur.

Daly said it goes about as far as it needs to fix the losses. Jackson would get about $100,000, Ione about $200,000, and Amador County about $1.1 million. Sutter Creek and Plymouth would also get funds.

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