Tom

Monday, 07 June 2010 06:02

Sutter Creek Could Appoint New Attorney Today

Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council today may consider hiring a new city attorney and could also seek proposals for a new financial auditor. The council meets a 7 p.m. today and could wrap up the hiring of a new attorney, after Dennis Crabb recently announced his retirement. Crabb has assisted the city council on finding a replacement firm. The council recently interviewed candidates. The council will hold a 6 p.m. closed session meeting today to appoint a new city attorney; and also to negotiate with the Police Officers Association and the city employees’ Service Employees International Union. The consent calendar includes approval of a contract with WTR Science Group for evaluation of the city sewer plant and preparation of a manual. The consent calendar also includes letters to state representatives, stating the city council’s opposition to a state “raid” of the cities’ Transient Occupancy Tax. The letters from Mayor Gary Wooten are to Senator Dave Cox and Assemblywoman Alyson Huber. The letters request the politicians’ “strong opposition to any legislation that would undermine the ability of our city to fully collect local transient occupancy tax from online sales.” The letter, copied to the governor’s office and Dan Carrigg of the League of California Cities, says that online travel companies are trying to “gut and amend” Senate Bill 625, so that it “would undercut TOT collection.” The council will also discuss and possibly act on requesting proposals for a financial auditor for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The board recently received the 2008-2009 audit report from long-time City Auditor Ralph Murcello, who recommended changing auditors because cities want to avoid over-familiarity by auditors. Also on the agenda today is an update on city budget and financial control issues. The finance audit committee came up with a list of “tasks related to financial control issues,” to address 25 issues raised by Murcello in the audit. All tasks will be completed this year, including some that took effect June 1st. Several address “sick leave” policy, including creating a “Sick Leave Audit Committee,” made up of Interim City Manager Sean Rabe and Councilwoman Linda Rianda. It will meet twice a month, and report monthly to the Personnel and Budget Committee. Rabe also has been identified as the city grants coordinator, “responsible for tracking all city grants.” He will also ensure that “city policy mandates are reviewed by city council” for “grant proposals prior to formal city approval.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Local

Monday, 07 June 2010 06:00

AWA Sets Special Budget Meeting Tuesday

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency will consider a draft budget for the coming fiscal year in a special meeting Tuesday (June 8th) at the agency office. The draft budget projects $11.1 million in revenue and $11.06 million in spending in fiscal year 2010-2011. It also shows capital expenses would increase by 81 percent over this year, from $4.6 million to $8.4 million. The budget foresees total sales of $8.8 million, a 9.9 percent increase over this year, led by expectations of nearly $4 million in residential sales; $1.4 million in resale; and $1.3 million in wastewater service charges. The draft spending budgets were led by $4.3 million in operating expenses (in the form of salaries and benefits). It also includes $2.6 million in total system operations and maintenance. The AWA board has been meeting 3 or more times a month to work on finances, and recently took a loan from the county to correct a cash problem. The board also has gone back on several internal loans to increase interest rates in order to restore potential income losses for lending systems. The meeting at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday will include discussion and review of the agency budget, by each individual system. The board could also review its 2010-2011 “Capital Improvement Projects,” as well as fixed assets and cash reserves. In reference to long-term water supply, Director Terence Moore said staff gave five different strategies for planning. General Manager Gene Mancebo said last month that the board might want to look at and discuss its strategic planning goals at a regular meeting, and then schedule a workshop at a later meeting. Board President Bill Condrashoff said each of the board members should write down their list of goals and “we can see if we have any in common, then we can make the list together,” and set a date for the workshop. He said they will “have to come to a consensus on what our goals will be.” Vice President Debbie Dunn said they should focus on overarching goals, and they would be doing general manager a disservice if they did not give him a contract. In public comment, Bob Farrington said people like to be able to follow along, and Condrashoff said they could use a computer slideshow on the conference room wall screen. Director Gary Thomas said “one of my goals is to have lunch that day,” referring to long sessions in the past eating into the lunch hour. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Water

Friday, 04 June 2010 06:00

Mentor Works! Program Seeks Mentors to Help At-Risk Youths

Amador County – The Mentoring Works program in Amador County is looking for adult volunteers. Mentors are asked to commit to the program for at least one year, and be willing to spend two hours a week with their match. Program Coordinator Lori Halvorson said the “Mentoring Works program matches at-risk youth in a one-to-one relationship with a caring, consistent adult volunteer.” She said in a release last week that research shows youths who are involved in mentoring activities are “significantly more likely to develop attitudes and habits that help ensure their success.” She said “some very impressive statistics” are linked to youths who are matched with mentors. Halvorson said compared to youths without mentors, “children with mentors are 46 percent less likely to begin drug use and 27 percent less likely to begin using alcohol.” Mentored youths also reported that being involved in a mentoring program improved their ability to stay out of trouble, and 59 percent of those in a mentoring program showed an improvement in their grades at school. The Mentoring Works program has been in existence in Amador County for more than 12 years, most recently in 2007. At that time, there were more than 20 matches between mentors and their protégés. If people “are interested in becoming a positive influence in a young person’s life,” they may contact Lori Halvorson to learn more about the program. Call (209) 223-1485 ext. 242 or e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. TSPN TV News Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in News Archive

Friday, 04 June 2010 06:02

Amador Planning Commission to Consider Trailers, Church Permits

Amador County – Ongoing vandalism and other illegal activity at Molly Joyce Park has prompted the application to keep a caretaker’s trailer at the Pioneer park, one of 3 such applications to be considered next week by the Amador County Planning Commission. All 3 applications will be considered in planning commission public hearings. Each seeks a “use permit to allow a temporary caretaker trailer” for “a maximum time frame of 2 years,” and all 3 seek categorical exemptions on their environmental documentation. Amador County Recreation Agency’s application seeks a permit for a trailer to be located near the baseball fields in order “to provide security due to vandalism and other criminal activity at the park.” The park, in Supervisor District 3, is located on both sides of Highway 88, and is accessed by Carson Drive and Woodfern Drive in Pioneer. Commissioners will also hold a hearing on a permit application to place a trailer for up to 2 years “at Silver Lake to facilitate patrol of El Dorado Irrigation District facilities,” such as “the day use and boat launch areas,” and to “perform watercraft inspection for invasive mussel species.” Applicant is the El Dorado Irrigation District, and the location would be at the former “Sandy Cove Picnic Area,” on the north shore of Silver Lake, also in District 3. SGC Materials also seeks a 2-year trailer permit for its Irish Hill Quarry, Equipment and Plant Structure, on the east side of Irish Hill Road, about a mile north of its junction with Highway 104, in Supervisor District 2. The trailer would a caretaker to stay on the property for “24-7 onsite security services.” The planning commission, which meets 7 p.m. Tuesday (June 8th), also is scheduled to hold a public hearing for the application of a church facility on “Hurricane Hill” on Highway 88, for up to 125 people. Calvary Ione Fellowship Church is applying for a permit to operate a facility there for mid-week and weekend events; along with occasional weddings (of up to 12 in number per year). It would also hold funerals there and needed, and locate a church business office there, at 10501 Highway 88, in Supervisor District 2. The application also seeks a categorical exemption for its environmental documentation. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in News Archive

Friday, 04 June 2010 06:03

Martell Wire Theft Costs Thousands, Impacts Businesses

Amador County - The brazen theft of copper and aluminum wire from power boxes in the Martell business park over the Memorial Day holiday has impacted surrounding businesses and is adding up to thousands of dollars in damage. Law enforcement investigators suspect the burglaries to be tied to similar crimes at schools in the Sacramento area. The Amador CHP reports that PG&E workers were on scene before first light Monday (May 31) to repair several pad-mounted transformers and power panels that had been cut open with a blowtorch sometime late Sunday evening or earlier in the morning. An unknown number of vandals stole high-grade and highly conducive copper and aluminum wire and broke into an empty building in the business park. Police suspect the thieves will attempt to resell these metals, as there price remains high during the economic downturn. Investigators also suspect the crime to be tied to a similar burglary Monday night at Bancroft Elementary School in Sacramento, where thieves cut live power lines to steal about 100 feet of copper cable running to a wing of classrooms. They believe multiple people were involved in the crime, which required lifting a heavy cement slab to reach wires underground. Susan Manning of the Feed Barn, which sits adjacent to the business park, said she came in Monday morning to discover the Ford Super Duty truck her business uses to haul supplies was missing. She suspects it was stolen by the thieves. She immediately filed a report with the CHP, who discovered it the next day parked behind the Health and Human Services building on Conductor Boulevard. “It’s kind of scary to think there are people like this out there committing these sorts of premeditated crimes,” she said. The company’s Barn Manager said mats used to line the floor of horse stalls were also stolen and found on the bed of the truck. She speculated that the mats were laid down to prevent electric shock as the suspects transferred the stolen wire to the bed. Manning said the thieves also made an unsuccessful attempt to steal wire from the power pad at the Feed Barn. She discovered the panel door and gate open, but no wire was stolen. Marry Simoni, an employee at Skintique Day Spa, said employees were left in the dark Tuesday when they discovered they had no electricity or phone service. “We had to wait until repairs were made, and it messed up our AT&T connection,” she said. PG&E employees restored power to the business later that day. PG&E has responded to similar burglaries in the Central Valley, and most are considered to be coordinated efforts where thieves had some knowledge of power distribution. Damage estimates are as much as $8000. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in News Archive

Friday, 04 June 2010 06:06

County Assessor Debate Highlights Accomplishments, Intentions

Amador County – A debate Wednesday between County Assessor candidate Jay Elias and incumbent Jim Rooney included many pointed questions and answers, and got personal after a neighbor of Rooney’s used the opportunity to bring up a property dispute. Approximately 20 people were in attendance for the almost two hour debate at the Jackson Civic Center. The debate was hosted by Elias, who currently works in Rooney’s office. In what he described as a “loose” format, moderator Dane Addison read three questions the candidates had written for their opponent, who was then given roughly 60 seconds to respond. Each candidate was then offered 30 seconds for rebuttal. Rooney focused on his accomplishments during his seven and a half years in office. During that time, he said he has “proactively lowered over 3000 property assessments,” put “taxpayer forms and information online,” and “met a 68 percent workload increase during a time of staff reductions.” Elias spoke of her 23 years of appraisal experience, including 16 years as an Advanced Appraiser. She said that despite Rooney’s many claims of cost efficiency during a time of budget reductions, “there are still many efficiencies that can be introduced to save time and money.” If elected, she vowed to propose to exempt small homeowner projects like sheds and decks from assessment and reinstate declarations of new construction. She said that “many time saving innovations in that office have already come from my desk,” including putting “cost sheets on electronic spread sheets” and a “statistical method to process value reductions.” She also wants to increase transparency by making all roll corrections, or changes to the taxable value of a property, open to the public. She denied Rooney’s claim that there has been a 30 percent increase in wages, saying, “I know I haven’t seen that.” Rooney asked two questions related to Elias’ endorsements, and stressed “how important it is that an Assessor has a good relationship with the (Board of Supervisors) and (County Administrative Officer) because you’re budget and technology depend on it.” He spoke highly of his own relationship with surrounding counties, and said many of his endorsements have provided “moral and financial support.” Last year, he was voted by his peers to be executive secretary of the California Assessors’ Association, which puts him on track to be the group’s president in 2013. Elias spoke proudly of her endorsement from J.J. McClatchy, well-known owner of The Sacramento Bee and CEO of the McClatchy Management Company. The debate took a different tone after a man who is Rooney’s neighbor spoke of disputes they are having over their property line and “tree branches hanging into his yard.” The neighbor said it speaks to Rooney’s integrity. Addison said it was an “inappropriate” time for these comments, but Rooney chose to answer, saying he would be glad to settle the issue later. TSPN will have another story on this debate in an upcoming news broadcast. The Assessor’s race will be decided after votes are tallied on June 8th. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in News Archive

Friday, 04 June 2010 06:10