Tom
Thursday, 20 May 2010 06:14
Air Quality Study Ranks Schools Nationwide Based on Pollution Levels
Amador County – An extensive new study titled “Toxic Air and America’s Schools,” and conducted by USA Today reveals that several Amador County schools rank in the lowest third nationwide where industrial pollution and toxic chemicals in the air threaten the health of students. USA Today says it used the government’s “most up-to-date” EPA model “to track the path of industrial pollution and mapped the locations of almost 128,000 schools to determine the levels of toxic chemicals outside” over an eight-month period. The result is a ranking of 27,800 public, private and parochial schools across the nation. The lowest ranking school for air quality in Amador County was Independence High, which fell into the 23rd percentile. The air is worse at only 29,290 schools across the nation. Amador High and Sutter Creek Elementary fell into the 33rd percentile, or better than 41,992 other schools. Argonaut High was ranked 34th, beating out just 43,244 schools with worse air quality. On a good note, many local educational facilities were also ranked in the top percentiles. Pioneer Elementary ranked at a County high of 92, North Star Independent Study ranked 91st and Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp ranked 90th. Many other local schools fell into the high 80’s. USA Today said the study revealed “potential problems” that were “widespread, insidious and largely unaddressed.” Scientific data shows that children are particularly susceptible to elevated levels of toxic chemicals. After the study revealed Ohio as one of the states within the highest number of low ranking schools, the Ohio EPA “concluded the risk of getting cancer there was 50 times higher than what the state considers acceptable.” USA Today said the U.S. EPA has “all but ignored” examining air quality in school areas, despite investing millions of dollars into new pollution models. Barbara Boxer, Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, vowed Tuesday to “do what I have to do” to make sure children get the protection they need. She said she would be raising the issue during confirmation hearings for President Barack Obama’s next nominee to head the EPA. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Thursday, 20 May 2010 06:13
Dunn Requests AWA Board Reagendize $900K County Bridge Loan
Amador County – Amador Water Agency Director Debbie Dunn last week requested that the board today reconsider a “bridge loan” it approved to correct a cash flow problem. Dunn then wondered why her request set off a series of e-mail exchanges, culminating in her e-mail Monday to the other 4 board members asking: “What in the world is happening here?” Dunn sent the first e-mail (Friday, April 14th) to General Manager Gene Mancebo and board President Bill Condrashoff, saying that after studying the Amador Transmission Pipeline’s “Series A bond agreement, it appears that the board may have taken a vote with information that is contrary to the agreement.” She said “unless there is a simple explanation that differs from what I am reading, I believe it prudent and feel obligated to request an item be added to the May 20th agenda to entertain a motion to reconsider these items and this decision.” The AWA board last Thursday approved seeking a $900,000 loan from the Amador County Water Development Fund to free up cash so the agency can make a payment on 2006 bonds that financed the Amador Transmission Pipeline. Mancebo shared Dunn’s e-mail with agency attorney Steve Kronick, and neither of them knew what Dunn was referring to as “information contrary to the agreement.” A follow-up e-mail from Condrashoff said Dunn was concerned the Pipeline bond payment was not due May 15th, as Finance Manager Mike Lee told the board. Kronick, in an e-mail to the entire board, said he consulted bond attorney Jim Boyd about the specifics of the 2006 bond, which Boyd worked on. Boyd wrote that Lee was correct on the payment date, and noted that the June 1st interest payment date is not the same as the date the agency must make its payments. The bond issuer typically wants “some lead time to make sure” the “payments can be made, particularly where there is no reserve fund.” The agency used “bond insurance” instead of “funding a reserve” on the bond. Kronick said he “copied the other board members in transmitting (Boyd’s) response so that they also could benefit from the information that he provided.” Dunn’s e-mail to the other board members said: “I noticed a couple of inconsistencies but I didn’t think it was that big a deal.” Her initial e-mail included a quote of the “Rules of Order” on procedures to make a “motion to reconsider,” and a copy of a page from the AWA Employee Handbook, with portions of it highlighted, including employee obligations, and the definition of the term “improper practice” by employees. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Thursday, 20 May 2010 06:11
Ione City Engineer Brings Caltrans Experience
Amador County – Ione City Manager Kim Kerr introduced the Ione City Council Tuesday to its newly contracted engineer, to get to know him and learn about his work so far. She said City Engineer John Wanger has been “gathering information and working on various projects for the city,” and she wanted the council to meet him. Among projects he had looked at were a “Pavement Management System,” a Capital Improvement Program, and construction of bathrooms at the Ed Hughes Memorial Arena. Mayor Skip Schaufel asked the engineer “how many dealings” he has had with Caltrans. The mayor said Ione is “surrounded by highways,” and to get projects completed, you must have Caltrans place them on their 5-year State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) list. Wanger said he has worked with Caltrans in 4 different districts, including Amador County’s District 10, based in Stockton. He said as a city manager, he has “been the recipient of a bypass through the town” he worked for. Schaufel said Highway 104, and sidewalks along Preston Avenue and Church Street were priorities, as was the Ione Bypass. Schaufel said he has spoken with past city council members “who never got along with Caltrans, so they never talked to them,” and the Ione Bypass never made it to the STIP list. Wanger said he has made high-level contacts with Caltrans on past projects. He said: “I have had to talk to the district director because it had risen to that level, and I have had to talk to a legislator, because it had risen to that level.” Vice Mayor David Plank asked if Ione was the first city in Amador County that Coastland has worked for. Wanger said it was the first city, but the company has worked for the county in the past. He recommended Ione create a 5-year Capital Improvement Program, and he offered an 18 to 21 week schedule. It included a “project kickoff meeting,” gathering background information, establishing project parameters, prioritizing projects, “establishing funding parameters,” and completing a CIP document. The process would include meetings throughout, he said. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Thursday, 20 May 2010 06:09
Ione PD Remodel Cost Rises With ADA Regs.
Amador County – The Ione City Council held a workshop with its new city engineer Tuesday and discussed upcoming civic projects, including the police office remodel, circulation improvements, and other work. City Engineer John Wanger of Coastland Engineering said a renovation of the police office inside of city hall grew in cost over the original estimate. That was due to the need to bring city hall’s public areas compliant to Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility requirements. Wanger said a “certified access specialist” looked at city hall and the police department plans, then the plans were changed to meet ADA specifications. Wenger said during the process of looking at ADA and the police department remodel, there were several meetings with City Manager Kim Kerr and Ione Police Chief Michael Johnson, so the engineer could get input and approval on changes to the plan. He said “the plan now comes into compliance with ADA, but it goes over budget.” To keep costs down, the engineer said the city can bid out portions of the work and complete the remodel in stages. Kerr said $60,000 was budgeted for the police department remodel, and the original quote was $30,000. Kerr said the city does not have to make the entire city hall building ADA accessible because it is not all accessible to the public, but the city must make it ADA accessible “from the parking lot all the way to the bathrooms.” Kerr said until they know the final numbers, staff did not want to spend a lot of money. She told the council that leasing space for a police department office “would not be cost-effective.” Wanger said the police department remodel project likely would take 30 to 40 days. Circulation improvement was also discussed, with a “Pavement Management System,” which the engineer also worked on. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Thursday, 20 May 2010 06:06
ACUSD Bands Get Big Honors At Forum Music Festival
Amador County - On Saturday, May 15th, the Amador County Unified School District Sixth Grade Honor Band and Jackson Jr. High Intermediate and Advanced Bands took a field trip to the Forum Music Festival in the San Francisco Bay area. In the morning, each band performed for nationally recognized adjudicators at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill. After the performance, an awards ceremony took place where the Sixth Grade Honor Band and Jackson Junior High Intermediate Band were presented with a Silver rating and the Jackson Junior High Advanced Band was presented with a Gold rating. “The Forum Music Festival and others like it are like standardized testing for Music,” explains the bands’ director, Christopher Tootle. “The bands are judged on concepts such as Tone, Intonation, and Technique, then given a rating that describes their progress on a national level for their age group,” he said. Tootle explained that “Silver and Gold ratings puts them in the top 10-20 percent of the nation’s student musicians. That is a phenomenal achievement!” The performances were followed by a trip to Six Flags, Discovery Kingdom to celebrate. Outstanding Musicianship awards were presented to Analysa Spears, 6th Grade Honor Band percussion; Will Newey, Intermediate Band baritone; and Ariane Clifford, Advanced Band flute. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Wednesday, 19 May 2010 02:48
GSL Loan Obligates CAWP Customers in AWA
Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board discussed obligations for a $900,000 loan it approved last week to help balance cash flow in the agency. Director Terence Moore said staff and the board have been working for 3 months on the expected cash shortage, as May 15th neared, the date for the third payment on the Amador Transmission Pipeline. Finance Manager Mike Lee said the payments have been getting larger and this is the maximum payment the agency will have to make. The loan from the Amador County “Water Development Fund” will pay for Gravity Supply Line “sunk costs,” and free up cash for the bond payment. President Bill Condrashoff said the loan “obligates all AWA customers as a whole,” and could lead to a levy on all properties in the district. Finance Manager Mike Lee said the Central Amador Water Project wholesale system is getting the loan, and will have to pay it back. AWA Attorney Steve Kronick said “the loan is for the benefit of CAWP,” so its customers must repay it. District 3 Director Don Cooper said a 2001 agreement obligates CAWP, but he also gets “a little uncomfortable separating a county organization from the Amador Water System,” because there were systems within the AWA organization that will never be able to pay all of such project costs. Condrashoff said they must repay the loan by raising rates in CAWP, for which the board recently approved preparing notices. CAWP rates have not changed since 2006, and the loan will repay sunk costs of $1 million spent on the Gravity Supply Line, which included reserve fund loans from the Amador Water System. Condrashoff said “this is a potential catastrophe for this agency.” Kronick said the agency has the authority to tax its customers to repay the loan, if needed, but it would require a two-thirds election of all affected properties,’ and “that would only occur if the agency did not make payment.” He said it would not be a county-wide tax, and would not be an issue until after the first of the year. The loan must be repaid by December 31st, and the agency expects to get revenue sufficient to make the repayment in the next 3 months of June, July and August, when water usage is typically the highest. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Wednesday, 19 May 2010 02:52
Bera Out Raises Lungren Four Consecutive Quarters
Amador County - Dr. Ami Bera is proving to be a formidable opponent in the 3rd District Congressional race after announcing Sunday that he has successfully out raised Republican incumbent Dan Lungren for the fourth consecutive quarter. Lucinda Guinn, Bera’s campaign manager, announced Sunday that the Elk Grove resident finished the first quarter of 2010 with over $977,000 cash on hand, after raising $384,511 in the first quarter of 2010. Bera has raised $1.25 million to date. Bera’s fundraising figures have garnered national attention because they make him the only California challenger who has raised more than the incumbent in a House race. Lungren reportedly raised $219,955 and finished the quarter with $649,991 cash on hand, giving Bera a $327,400 cash advantage as they head into election season. “I’m deeply humbled by the outpouring of support our campaign has received. It's clear that people are concerned about the things we’ve been talking about – creating good jobs, and improving our schools and making health insurance more affordable,” said Bera in a release, adding: “With the hundreds of people that have already signed up to help our campaign, I’m certain we will have the strength and energy this region needs to bring that voice to Congress.” A spokesman for the Lungren campaign told the Stockton Record that Bera’s announcement is “grossly misleading.” Rob Stutzman, Lungren’s campaign consultant, disputes Bera’s claim of “amassing resources from low dollar donors and a strong grassroots operation” because he says it suggests Bera’s support comes mainly from the district. Nearly half of Bera’s financial support so far has come from the East Indian immigrant community, including at least 25 donors who share his last name. Guinn’s announcement says “over 729 individuals have contributed to his campaign this quarter – almost 500 of those supporters gave less than $200.” She adds that “almost 80 percent of those individual contributors are Californians and more than 61 percent are from the greater Sacramento region.” Bera, 45, is a lifelong Californian and the former chief medical officer of Sacramento. He and his wife, Dr. Janine Bera, have been residents of Elk Grove for over 15 years and have a 12-year old daughter. Congressman Dan Lungren is a 31-year political figure best known for his time as California Attorney General from 1991 to 1999. He has represented the 3rd Congressional District since 2005. Bera and Lungren are unopposed in the June primary and will square off in the November general election. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Wednesday, 19 May 2010 02:51
Supes Approve Consolidation of Regional Child Support Agencies
Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors reviewed and approved three regular agenda items Tuesday, with the most discussion relative to a proposed consolidaiton of Tuolumne County Department of Child Support Services with the Central Sierra Child Support Agency Joint Powers Authority. Catherine Giannini, Executive Director of the Central Sierra Child Support Agency, said the consolidation will allow her agency to stay within it’s state allocaiton of funds and “remain finacially conservative.” Supervisors Louis Boitano said the move is intended to supercede any state action to consolidate department’s as a way to alleviate the state budget deficit. “If we consolidate with Tuolumne County now and go up a category into a defined smaller agency, according to state standards, it improves the chances that state money will be there for us that wouldn’t be if they forced us to consolidate,” said Boitano. Giannini said her agency’s Board of Directors, which consists of Supervisors from Amador, Calaveras and Alpine counties, agreed to the deal only if Adele Hendrickson, Executive Director for Tuolumne County, take over as head of the consolidated departments. This would occur after Giannini’s retirmenet later this year. Hendrickson will reoportedly split 50 percent of her time between Tuolumne County and sites in Amador, Alpine and Calaveras. The Board approved of the consolidation 4-1, with Supervisor Ted Novelli against. The agreement will be discussed by the Central Joint Powers Authority Board this Friday, where they will negotiate details. The agreement then must be approved by the Board of Supervisors in each county. Also during the meeting, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved to replace the annual audit with a finacial review for the Pine Acres Community Services District, and approved propoerty located at Highway 88 and West Clinton Road for compliance with the California Land Conservation Act in order to receive Williamson Act funding. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Wednesday, 19 May 2010 02:54
Sutter Creek Makes Duke Chief, Rabe Interim City Manager
Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council reorganized its city administrators Monday, placing Police Chief and City Manager Rob Duke into a full-time chief position, and appointing Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe as interim city manager. Duke recommended the reorganization, saying the council should appoint Rabe as his successor on an interim basis for 4 months, after which they could assess his job performance and decide if they want to offer him the full time post. The council’s personnel committee of Councilwoman Linda Rianda and Mayor Pro Tempore Tim Murphy will look at possible layoffs and contracting city jobs. The committee will look at contracts and whether they want to go the private sector route of having “at will” and non-union employees, as described by City Auditor Ralph Marcello, who said it is a solution being used by cities throughout the state to correct budget problems. Murphy said the council has been in the process of looking at having contract employees, and part of that was looking at contracting with Sheriff Martin Ryan to handle police duties in the city. The sheriff’s presentation to the council in April included costs to handle city law enforcement, which Murphy said were not well received. The committee also must look at the city’s financial system. It must also talk with the unions and see about contracting. He said he thought it was best for the council to make a reorganizing move on the 2 positions they know they will be changing, Duke’s and Rabe’s positions. Duke in a report said the council’s “2009-2010 Work Plan” was created to improve the city’s financial conditions. He said the current budget was approved with the council’s “commitment to pursue operational efficiencies throughout the city including” a “potential outsourcing of various city services.” Duke said the first part of the administrative reorganization would be separation of the dual role of the city manager/chief of police, whose “duties have been combined into a single position for the past 10 years.” The assistant city manager position was created to assist the workload of the manager/chief post. He recommended combining the assistant and manager post to one city manager position. He recommended a 4-month interim position for Rabe as city manager, and then the council could evaluate Rabe’s performance and decide whether or not to offer him the full time position. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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