Amador County – California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation representatives provided few if any satisfactory answers at a public meeting Tuesday on the closure of Preston Youth Correctional Facility.

The meeting notice was submitted to a select few county officials, but word spread quickly via email among outraged community members who turned out in droves to pack Ione City Hall.

The crowd included numerous local city officials, members of the Board of Supervisors, 1st District Senate candidate Roger Niello and 10th District Assemblymember Alyson Huber, who requested the meeting.

“The reality is, our department cannot continue to operate above its means,” said CDCR Undersecretary Scott Kernan. He said his department has lost billions in the last several years and budgetary cutbacks have forced them to choose a facility for closure. He admitted a substantial number of employees will lose their jobs as a result.

Few in attendance argued whether a closure was necessary, but many questioned what criteria were used to determine why Preston was chosen to get the ax.

Huber compared the prison to a school, saying it was illogical to close the best school in a district. She pointed out that Preston is well-known for providing a large number of rehabilitative programs to youth, and ranked highest in the state under the criteria of the Farrell lawsuit, which led to a consent decree agreeing to remedy serious ongoing problems in the juvenile justice system.

“I hear the words but I’m not following the logic,” she said over rounds of applause. “It’s not enough to say closing our best performing school would save the most amount of money.”

Kernan obliged to provide Huber with the data that led to this decision, which she will use at an oversight hearing on November 4th.

Huber and others were most critical of the behind-the-scenes process that led to this decision. One Preston employee referred to the public meeting as a “complete afterthought.”

“It doesn’t seem to be anything other than a dollar sign that made this decision,” said Ione councilmember Andrea Bonham. “There may be issues you guys aren’t even aware of because you haven’t asked anybody in the community.”

Kathleen Harmon, Director of the Interfaith Food Bank, said Preston is the “one facility left in this county that still offers decent wages.” Shaking with emotion, she said she just visited an incarcerated youth who grew a garden to help support her struggling nonprofit.

Others challenged the numbers used to determine the closure as compared to the money saved through lowered recidivism rates and rehabilitation programs.

Many employees worried about when and where they could secure another job. They referred to Preston as a “generational institution” that has provided jobs for their families for over a century.

Still others questioned how the closure will impact Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp in the upcountry. PGYCC employee Richard Forster said facilities in southern California won’t tolerate the incorporation of gang members from rival northern California factions.

Preston employs over 400 staff, approximately 40 percent of whom live in Amador County. Amador County currently has an unemployment rate over 12 percent.

The closure is planned to be completed on June 30th, 2011.

Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Paid staff have taken the wheel of Amador Fire Protection District fire engines around the county this month after a four-day training session in Sutter Creek.

AFPD District Administrator Dominic Moreno said: “It’s a huge step forward for Amador County and one of many we’ll be making over the next 10 or 20 years.”

Moreno coordinated a fire fighter academy class, along with the new AFPD Battalion Chief Dave Bellerive, on October 11th, and the new staff took over their first work shifts October 14th in Plymouth, Pioneer and Sutter Creek.

Ron Watson, board member of the Sutter Creek Fire Protection District, said the fire academy at Sutter Creek’s main station showed Measure M money being spent the way that voters wanted. He said about half the class was local volunteers, while the others were from around the state.

Moreno said the class – 11 men and one woman – make up the new paid personnel hired to staff AFPD stations around Amador County. The training was to familiarize the personnel with the equipment and the way things are done in Amador County. They also got to meet those they will be working with on AFPD calls.

The personnel are nine engineers who will work full time and three fire fighters to work weekdays. Moreno said on “days, nights, and weekends, the volunteers are still going to respond.”

Moreno said “there’s probably 100-120 volunteers in Amador County,” the main force for emergency services, and they have “slowly started supplementing them with paid personnel,” since passing Measure M.

If there is a call in Sutter Creek, the engineer will drive the engine to the scene, and volunteers will meet them there, Moreno said. Sometimes the volunteers will not be needed, so they are not closing their shops or leaving their jobs. The goal is to eventually handle calls around the clock with paid personnel.

Moreno said the engineers and fire fighters trained four days, during which AFPD was trying to immerse the individuals and change them from volunteer workers to full time employees. They taught them how the district handles calls in Amador County and “talked a lot about customer service.”

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Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council last week decided to allow a downtown crooner to keep singing to shoppers and diners outside the American Exchange Hotel.

The council voted 2-1 to allow an encroachment permit to December and allow Harry Jordan to spend Friday nights signing at the American Exchange Hotel.

Jordan sings 3 to 9:30 pm Friday nights in the street between two restaurants owned by Dennis Griffin. He also sang on a recent Saturday “Ladies Night.”

Councilman Pat Crosby stepped down because he lives and owns a business within 500 feet of the hotel, but remained to comment because he also lives there.

Crosby said: “Harry’s music is an asset to our town,” but he is “too damn loud, always has been.” A dozen or more people spoke, including Griffin and Jordan.

Griffin said the artist does not sing rap or rock and not very many Christmas tunes. He said Jordan has heard the concern and “can turn it down, a lot.” He also thought permits he had sought would address the issue.

Jordan said turning down the music is “just an adjustment.” He said he sings “overtime because I love doing it.” He also knows 30-35 people who come to town to hear him sing, and they spend money.

Downtown hotelier Lindsay Way said she did not know how Griffin got two parking spaces on Main Street to use for music, and suggested she could draw a crowd as well with “Chippendale boys” in the street. She said “my guests feel differently about it than your guests.”

Frank Cunha said Sutter Creek is a compact town without a typical “gathering area.” Cunha said “everybody knows that to survive, we need to bring people into town.”

Councilwoman Sandy Anderson asked that the encroachment permit “really control the volume,” keep it at a reasonable level, as “determined by the city manager.”

Mayor Gary Wooten directed staff to “clean up our outdated noise ordinance,” and bring it back to the council.

City Attorney Derek Cole said the noise “ordinance on the books is outdated and not consistent with current practices.”

Cole said “the city clerk issues the sound permit and the police department determines if the amplified sound permit would affect traffic.” He said the “council can approve an encroachment permit for this performer and others. You just can’t have amplified music after 7 p.m. because it’s against city code.”

Wooten said he would like to see the permit allow singing in the parking area, instead of in the street’s parking lane.

Murphy agreed, saying it was “not appropriate” to allow singing in the street. He said he heard a lot of consensus that it is quality music, but it is too loud.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – With Halloween on the horizon, Sutter Amador Hospital has offered some tips to help with all-around safety.

David Stone, a doctor with the Sutter Amador Pediatric Center gave some tips to keeping safe, whether people plan to stay home and greet trick-or-treating children at the door, to drive to a costume party, or to accompany children on their quest for treats.

Stone said if “driving, be especially cautious on Halloween” because “it’s worse than the first day of school.” He said children will “dash across a street to a promising house” with the big Snickers bars or other big payoffs.

He said people should expect “large groups of young children walking, sometimes running” on “darkened neighborhood streets” and he urged drivers to “take extra precaution.”

Most kids aren’t used to wearing long skirts, capes or oversized shoes, but when choosing their costumes, they aren’t considering how well they fit, but how cool they look, Stone said.

“As a parent, our job is to be sure they can safely navigate the neighborhood or front yard without landing on their nose,” he said.

Staying at home, people should prepare their porch. Make sure steps are clearly lit and walkways are free of obstacles. Candles should be out of harm’s way, and battery-operated lights offer a “worry-free glow in jack o’lanterns and luminaries” on front steps and walkways.

Stone also urged people to secure pets, who may be spooked by visiting children.

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Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council last week heard a treasury report that spending outpaced revenue in the first quarter this year, and a separate report that staff is trying to catch up on finance administration.

City Treasurer Cathy Castillo said the city “only deposited $104,000” for the first quarter of this fiscal year, with $170,000 in operations, and had a negative ending balance of $12,000.

Castillo said the cash balance was $1.5 million, and the city is “continuing to experience negative cash flow.”

She said “almost at the end of the first quarter of the new fiscal year, we are finally getting sales tax that was due to us June 1st,” which “has been standard operating procedure by the state.”

Castillo said “what we received in September, we really should have received in June or July.” She said the “state has the legal authority to issue these checks when they feel like it,” and “their cash is the city’s budget.” 

Castillo said the city keeps “having more cash out than we are taking in, and the finance directors still have not closed out June or July or August.” She recommended increasing a city investment with Umpqua Bank to increase returns for the city, which the council approved 4-1 with Mayor Gary Wooten against.

Wooten said he noticed that Umpqua reimbursements were still addressed to former City Manager Rob Duke and former Finance Director Jeff Gardner. Wooten said: “It would be good if that was changed, by tomorrow.” City Manager Sean Rabe said he “noticed that too, and their names are already taken off the account.”

Councilwoman Sandy Anderson said the change in investments amounts to savings of “a couple of hundred dollars,” and it was “not worth agonizing over it.”

In public comments, Dan Riordan said: “Do we have a balanced budget or not?” Castillo said “when you are not receiving cash flow on a timely basis, you get this kind of distortion.”

Wooten said: “We need our financial director here to answer questions,” and asked Riordan to stop talking. Riordan protested and City Attorney Derek Cole said: “As a general rule, the public has a right to speak.” Cole said the council has gotten into the practice of “soliloquies.”

Riordan said “it’s the first time I’ve seen the actuals, so it’s a big deal.” He said Rabe “can handle himself,” and told the mayor: “I have a right to speak here.”

Rabe said the problem was that cash flow is behind. He said there are also “ongoing issues that we’re finding in the finance department.” They “basically had to rebuild the payroll,” and the new finance director keeps encountering setbacks.

Wooten later apologized to Riordan, and asked: “Are there any more political statements?” Story by Jim Reece. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Amador County – Amador County Registrar of Voters Sheldon Johnson said Monday that he expected about half of the 12,106 absentee ballots sent out to county voters to be returned this week.

The election office was gearing for next Tuesday’s election, with county staff delivering ballots, and patrons hand-delivering their ballots at the Court Street office.

Amador County Election Supervisor Debbie Smith provided a list of cumulative ballots issued by voting precinct, showing 11,235 permanent absentee voter ballots have been sent out to voters for the November 2nd election. As of 11 a.m. Monday (October 25th), the office had received 3,464 of the ballots. A total of 12,106 ballots had gone out early through various means.

Johnson said he expected 50 percent of the absentee ballots to be returned to the office this week. Those received before election day will be tallied when polls close at 8 p.m., offering a first look at five local races, featuring 17 candidates vying for 8 positions. 

In Amador Water Agency races, District 1 had 37 percent of its absentee ballots returned by Monday. District 4 had 27 percent of its absentee ballots returned, and District 5 had 26 percent.

From Ione, where six candidates are running for three seats on the city council, 34 percent of the absentee voters by Monday had returned their ballots to the election office. From Sutter Creek, where four candidates vie for two positions on the city council, 27 percent of the absentee ballots had been returned.

Ione has 2,126 eligible voters for Tuesday’s election, and Sutter Creek has 1,740. Registrants by District in the AWA race include 4,051 voters in District 1; 4,333 voters in District 4; and 4,452 voters in District 5.

Johnson said as with the primary, the general election day tallies will be run in counting machines at the election office, with the proceedings open to the public. Smith said the precinct votes should be tabulated as they arrive from their respective voting locations.

There are 21,354 registered voters in Amador County, with 57 percent receiving absentee or early-vote ballots. The registration as of October 22nd showed 7,077 Democrats and 9,750 Republicans registered in the county. Another 3,431 registrants “decline to state” their parties, and 1,096 claim other parties.

Overall voter registration went up by 409 people since the June 8th primary, when 20,935 people were registered. By comparison, after the June 2008 primary, 1,109 more people registered to vote that November.

Story by Jim Reece. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Amador County - The Amador Central Railroad was sold to the Recreational Railroad Coalition (RRC) Historical Society by Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) for $1 on Saturday, ending months of negotiation over the future of the historic tracks.

RRC President Larry Bowler confirmed that the tracks, adjacent land and all associated equipment officially changed hands and will become the joint property of the Amador County Historical Society (ACHS) and Bowler’s nonprofit group.

“We are overjoyed that Sierra Pacific has been so generous with this gift,” said RRC President Larry Bowler. “Although it was a valuable asset to SPI, the company chose to preserve the rail line rather than develop the property for other uses.”

“This is a model of corporate philanthropy and is appreciated by historians and rail buffs throughout the nation” he added. “The RRC Historical Society represents a group of dedicated rail enthusiasts who use the tracks for recreational and historical purposes on small rail cars known as “speeders.”

SPI made the donation “to assure that this piece of Sierra foothill history will be preserved and maintained in the future,” said Amador Council of Tourism President Maureen Funk in a release.

Larry Cenotto, President of the ACHS, stated “The Amador Foothills Railroad is one of the most valuable historical assets in Amador County - a central piece of the county’s history will now be preserved thanks to Sierra Pacific Industries.”

In all, thirty three parcels across 11.8 miles of land were included in the deal. The line stretches from Highway 88 in Martell to Ione. Beginning in 1904 and operating for a century, the Amador Central Railroad was the main connection with the Southern Pacific Company at Ione and Martell. The carrier served the areas gold mining communities and hauled lumber products from nearby sawmills. Sierra Pacific Industries purchased the rail from another forest products company in 1997 and has since allowed RRC members to use the rail for recreational purposes.

A formal press conference detailing the sale will be held on Wednesday, October 27th at 11 am at the Ione Railroad Depot. Speeder cars will be on hand as well as representatives from the involved organizations. Refreshments will be provided.

Story by Alex Lane. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Amador County - The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) will hold a meeting today to inform public officials about the details behind its intention to close the Preston Youth Correctional Facility. The meeting takes place today at 3 pm at Ione City Hall.

Although not a regular a public forum, the public is still welcome to attend.

The Amador County Supervisors and various officials representing the cities within the county are expected to attend.

Alyson Huber, Assemblywoman representing the 3rd District, will also be in attendance. Huber has reportedly expressed major disappointment in the CDCR’s decision.

The closure would affect roughly 400 staff, most of whom live locally. As many as 224 juvenile wards will be incorporated into remaining youth facilities throughout the state, which include the O.H. Close and N.A. Chaderjian youth correctional facilities in Stockton. If it goes forward, it will take place June 30, 2011.

Preston is one of four California youth facilities recently considered for closure. The DJJ has closed nine institutions and conservation camps in recent years. The CDCR has not said whether the Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp will be affected. Story by Alex Lane. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..