Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-7-12

• Hermanson wins 62% of the Amador County vote, unofficial results showed.

• Amador School Board narrowed a list of legal firms to three, and plans interviews.

• Cal-Trans Prop 1B grant cycle includes $750,000 for Amador Transit buses, truck, upgrades, and equipment.

• Amador Airport Land Use Commission will hold a public workshop toward an update of its Land Use Compatibility Plan.

• Jackson Band of Miwuk’s Volcano restoration project grows with the perseverance of volunteers & donors.  

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-7-12 - TSPN's Tom Slivick talks with Ione Band of Miwok Indians Tribal Chairwoman Yvonne Miller about the tribe’s proposed casino in and around Plymouth. 

Amador County – Amador County residents elected its newest Superior Court Judge Tuesday according to unofficial results showing Steve Hermanson took 62 percent of the vote, to defeat Jeffrey D. Seaton in the 2012 countywide election.

Provisional ballots and other absentee ballots remain to be counted, and the vote still requires canvassing and certification. With 10,463 ballots cast, Hermanson received 6,111 votes and Seaton received 3,731. The ballot count released as of Wednesday constituted a turnout of just over 50 percent in Amador County.

Three Amador County Supervisors were also reelected, unopposed on the countywide ballot. John Plasse was reelected as Supervisor of District 1, Vice Chairman Richard Forster was reelected in District 2 and Chairman Louis Boitano was reelected in District 4.

California Secretary of State listed results showing U.S. Congress, District 4 representing Amador County was led by Republican Tom McClintock, who took 64% of the vote. His opponent, Democrat Jack Uppal took 36%. They both move to the November election ballot. Under new open primary rules, the two top vote getters regardless of party move to the November ballot. They were the only two candidates on the ballot.

McClintock had 88,000 votes to Uppal’s 49,000. The U.S. Congressional District 4 includes Amador County, the city of Auburn, and all of Alpine, Calaveras, El Dorado, Madera, Mariposa, Mono and Tuolumne counties.

Former Amador County Congressman Dan Lungren (R-Gold River) also advanced to the November election with a 12% margin of victory in U.S. Congress District 7, fully contained in Sacramento County. Also advancing was his opponent of the last two elections, Democrat Ami Bera. Lungren received 41,000 votes or (53%) and Bera was second with 31,500 or (41%). Two others in the race, Douglas Tuma (Libertarian) and Curt Taras (decline to state) each took just under 2,500 votes or (3.2%).

In the State Assembly District 5 race, representing Amador County, Republican Rico Oller led the 6-candidate race with 33.4%. Republican Frank Bigelow from Madera County was second, with 29%. Both advance to the November election, pending finalization of the votes. They defeated two Democrats, Tim Fitzgerald (18%) and Marc Boyd (13%).

In the State Senate District 1 (representing Amador County) incumbent Republican Ted Gaines took 48% of the vote to advance. Democrat, Julie Griffith-Flatter was second with 30%. Les Baugh was third with 16%, and Bo Ambrozewicz had 5%.

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Amador County – The Amador County Unified School District Board of Trustees in May narrowed a list of prospective legal firm contractors from eight to three, which will be interviewed by the superintendent and staff.

Assistant Superintendent of Business Tim Zearley said on May 9, the District received responses and proposals from eight legal firms to begin the selection process for selecting a legal services contractor. He said Trustee consensus at that meeting was for each board member to select three to five applicants for the May 23 meeting. Votes would be counted and the top three would be selected by consensus to be interviewed.

Trustee Pat Miller said he thought they voted to have two board members serve on a selection and interview committee. Board President Wally Upper said a third board member wanted to be involved, then a fourth joined. Even with just a third member, it became a quorum of the board and required noticed meetings.

Trustee Mary Walser said they decided to have each board member nominate 2 or 3 names. Upper said consensus was reached May 9 to have Trustees all pick names and nominate them, then opened the floor for nominations. Miller chose not to make nominations. Other Trustees Lynette Lipp, Rose Oneto, Walser and Upper read their nominees.

Upper counted the votes and said the top three were Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo; Girard, Edwards & Hance; and Lozano Smith. These three will be interviewed. Upper said board members should consider questions for the firms, for when interviews are undertaken.

Teri Crain of the Superintendent’s Office said legal firm applicants also included the Gutierrez Law Group; Liebert, Cassidy, Whitmore; Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard; Dannis, Woliver, Kelley; and Fagen, Friedman & Fulfrost.

Walser said Superintendent Glock should lead the way on interviews. Miller said they should ask the District office personnel for their input on the firms.

Zearley said: “I’m comfortable with the board’s suggestions.” He tried to provide a summary of the firms, but it was hard to gauge strengths from a response to a request for proposals. Zearley was “comfortable these are all reputable firms” and was comfortable interviewing all of them, or the three that were recommended.

Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti, assistant superintendent for curriculum, agreed. Nancy Gamache, executive director of personnel said she had worked with three of the firms and knew all were very capable and competent.

Upper said Glock would spearhead interviews. Glock said: “I agree with these three. As we talked about it in cabinet, these three rose to the top in my mind.”

Glock said by next week the search for a legal firm may be more narrowed, though he was not sure if a decision would be made by then.

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Amador County – California Department of Transportation last week announced $350 million dollars in grants in the latest cycle, including $750,000 to go to Amador Transit.

Angela DaPrato of Cal-Trans District 10, announced the funding releases last week.

Amador County received approval for $748,218 in grants to the Amador County Transportation Commission for projects in the Amador Regional Transit Systems, now known collectively as Amador Transit.

The funding will upgrade a facility; replace three buses; and purchase an Amador Transit shop truck, a nitrogen air compressor and a dispatch voice system.

Amador Transit grants include $400,000 to purchase three buses and $125,000 to purchase the shop truck. Amador funds also includes $168,000 for the facility upgrade; $25,000 for the nitrogen air compressor; and $30,000 for a dispatch voice override system.

The announcement said Calaveras County received $80,000 in Prop 1B funds, through the Calaveras Council of Governments. The funds will purchase an automated vehicle location system; do bus stop rehabilitation; and purchase schedule holders.

DaPrato said to date, Proposition 1B has provided $1.7 billion dollars in funding to more than 700 transit projects statewide, with 216 having been completed.

Cal-Trans announced that the funding cycle last week awarded $350 million in grants to improve public transit across California. She said 78 “projects will upgrade transit service, purchase eco-friendly buses, modernize transit stations and create jobs throughout the state. The grants are funded through Proposition 1B, the 2006 voter-approved transportation bond, which is providing $3.6 billion over a 10-year period to improve public transit in California.”

Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty said the projects “are a direct investment in our state’s public transit system and will help energize California’s economy.” He said: “Not only will these projects help create jobs, they will also reduce traffic congestion, clean the air, and provide Californians with more viable alternatives to rising gas prices.”

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Amador County – The Amador County Airport Land Use Commission plans a public informational workshop Monday, June 11 to work toward an update of its Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan.

The Airport Land Use Commission is in the process of updating the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan for Amador County’s Westover Field Airport. The Plan, originally adopted in 1987, is used by Amador County and the cities of Sutter Creek and Jackson reviewing development proposals, including building permits. It is used for various consistency determinations such as building construction standards, population intensities, and height and land use restrictions.

The types of compatibility concerns addressed in the Plan are generally exposure to noise attributable to aircraft operations; annoyance and other general concerns arising from routine aircraft flight over a community; protection of people on the ground and in the air from accidents; and protection of airspace from flight hazards. Hazard examples are building height, electrical interference, lighting, glare, smoke or other impairments to visibility. Another hazard is uses which attract birds and create bird strike hazards.

The Commission is holding an informational Public Workshop to review the criteria that apply to all existing and future development located within 5,000 feet (approximately 1 mile) in all directions from the airport runway.

The agenda for Monday’s meeting notes that the Public Workshop will be held to provide background and information regarding the update to the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan for the County’s Westover Field Airport located east of Highway 49, just south of Ridge Road at the end of Airport Road in Martell. The agenda also notes that the Commission could have discussion and give direction to staff relative to the content or process of the Westover Field Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan update.

The Workshop will be held 3-5 p.m. Monday, June 11 in the Supervisors Chambers at the County Admin Center, 810 Court Street in Jackson. For information, call the Planning Department at (209)223-6380.

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Amador County – Adam Dalton of the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians gave his weekly report on the field and park restoration project Wednesday, saying that “excitement perseveres in Volcano this week.”

The small town somehow seems larger now as volunteers clear overgrown landscape and trim details with fresh new paint. Dalton said the “ongoing support of Volcano’s local community has become a catalyst that is helping the project advance further within town. New details emerging include a new rock garden patio behind the Café and recycling of the old tree burl on Main Street as it becomes the vision of a local chainsaw artist.”

Dalton said: “We are also personally assisting a fellow project partner Sharon Lungren with a few renovations as she prepares for the reopening of the St. George Hotel. Volcano is a project that continues to grow successfully thanks to volunteer efforts and donor contributions.

Once renovations are complete within Volcano; The Amador County Park Restoration crew will begin renovation on its third project, with the exact location yet to be determined.

Dalton again asked people to join and help renovate park and recreation areas of communities. He said: “Summer is approaching and provides the perfect opportunity to engage with your children in learning the value of community outreach. Contact the Project at (209)223-8405.

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Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-6-12 - Heather Murdock sits down with Pastor John Stout.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-6-12 - Heather Murdock discusses how you can get closer to God during difficult times in your life.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-6-12 - John and Sharon Stout discuss John's book "Weakness Unto Strength".