Tom
Wednesday, 03 March 2010 01:15
Sutter Creek Mid-Year Budget Shows $80,000 in Projected Losses
Amador County – In a mid-year budget update, Finance Director Jeff Gardner said Monday that Sutter Creek should expect “$80,568 in projected losses” in the current year. With adjustments, the budget was $1.5 million at mid-year. Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe said Sutter Creek Police Department will be losing an officer, and the position will not be filled, which could drop the deficit from $80,000 to about $50,000 through the end of the year. Councilman Pat Crosby suggested the city look at more contracting, possibly including finance. And he said Plymouth and Pine Grove had good police agreements with the sheriff and he would like to look into that. “Pine Grove is at least as big as Sutter Creek,” Crosby said. “It has lots of commercial” activity, “lots of people and seems to be doing OK.” He said the areas the city should look at cuts are in police, city manager and public retirement costs. Wooten said: “We have a $900,000 police budget, and for the last 10-and-a-half years, we’ve had a police chief for nothing,” paying only a city manager’s wage to Rob Duke, who works very hard doing both jobs. Wooten said Duke has probably saved the city $1 million over his tenure. Councilwoman Linda Rianda said the budget committee is “still looking at contracting out,” and the council will hear from Amador County Sheriff Martin Ryan at its April 1st meeting. Ryan will address the council on costs to serve the city with law enforcement. Wooten said he thinks “in April, when Sheriff Ryan comes, you’ll hear” that they will not want to do the job “half way.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Local
Wednesday, 03 March 2010 01:14
Officials Discuss Impacts of Williamson Act Funding Cuts
Amador County – Elected leaders at both state and local levels are bracing themselves for the potential impacts of major reductions in Williamson Act funding from the state. Governor Schwarzenegger has all but eliminated state aid as part of a wide-ranging cost-cutting plan meant to help solve the state budget crisis. Officially known as the California Land Conservation Act of 1965, the Williamson Act enables local governments to provide extremely low tax assessments to owners of farm and open-space land in exchange for a ten-year agreement that the land remain undeveloped. Specifically, the Act is intended to promote voluntary land conservation. The statute applies to nearly 16.6 million acres in 53 counties- close to half of all California’s private farmland. During recent budget discussions, Amador County Supervisor Louis Boitano made it a point to say that Williamson Act funding cuts could change what the county has to spend to perpetuate local land conservation. State Senator Dave Cox, Chair of the Senate Local Government Committee, will lead a Legislative Oversight Hearing today on the Williamson Act titled “The Williamson Act: Past, Present, Future?” Also serving on the committee are Senators Kehoe, Aanestad, Price, and Wiggins. A briefing for the meeting says that since 1972, “the State General Fund has paid about $875 million as direct subventions to the participating county governments.” Exercising his constitutional authority, the Governor all but eliminated direct subventions by reducing the annual appropriation from $27.8 million to $1,000 earlier this year. The briefing says “landowners, conservation groups, and county officials now question the state government’s commitment to conserving farmland and open space.” The committee expects to hear testimony from county officials, landowners and conservation organizations. They will address the future of the program, including questions on statewide benefits, land base, tax relief, county programs and subventions. The Cox-led Senate Local Government Committee is meeting today from 9:30 am to 11 am in the State Capitol, Room 112. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Local
Wednesday, 03 March 2010 01:12
Camanche's Krisman Asks AWA Internal Operations Info
Amador County – The Amador Water Agency Board of Directors took a request from a Camanche resident last week seeking operations, financing and internal information about the makeup of the elected board, with an Upcountry resident applauding the request. Mike Krisman, a member of the Camanche sewer and water committee at Water Improvement District 7, said he was speaking as a resident. He said he was “interested in the structure of the board,” including AWA’s charter or articles of incorporation. He also wondered what the “responsibilities for each one of the individual directors might be in delineating responsibilities down to the operations group.” Krisman said: “I’d like to know the guidelines for accountability to your constituents.” He asked the board what exactly is it “responsible to do” for the people it represents. He asked about the direction methods and oversight for operators, auditing and finance. Krisman said: “We’re deep in the hole. I would have to say that the past boards were negligent in their fiduciary responsibility, allowing about $150,000 a year to be in deficit for the last 7 years,” and losing $1.2 million. He asked why the past board’s fiduciary responsibility was so lacking, and “just exactly who is responsible for the balance sheets, when we’ve been in the red for so long?” He said the board might think about a workshop and open house for all district members, look at reorganization; and express their roles. He said it was an information request and he would come in and read the information. He suggested they make such political, operations and financial information available to the public, “so people can understand how you function. Marty Stein of Jackson Pines was surprised and gratified by Krisman’s request. Stein said information he received through informal e-mail conversations with AWA Board President Bill Condrashoff “concerns me greatly in terms of whether indeed you have a set of policies, procedures, guidelines, directions, role definition, requisite skills and training for the people to initiate and manage projects.” Stein said he found AWA’s public document on the Gravity Supply Line “alarming in terms of some of the potential issues that it raised.” But “after a lot of time and discussions with various board members” and the community, he came to be more concerned about an “ongoing history” of “weaknesses” in the agency. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Water
Wednesday, 03 March 2010 01:11
Volcano Fugitive Arrested in Oregon
Amador County – A Volcano man sought by police on felony charges was captured last week in the Oregon town of McMinnville. Richard Thomas Hoofard, Jr., 35, was arraigned last Thursday in Yamhill County Circuit Court on one count each of first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, possession of methamphetamine, attempt to elude a police officer and reckless driving and recklessly endangering another person. The driving-related charges stemmed from a chase that ensued after police in the Oregon city confirmed that a vehicle with California plates registered to Hoofard had checked into a local Motel 6 last Wednesday. About 5:30 pm, an officer observing the motel spotted the vehicle leave the parking lot. Officers attempted to stop the car but the vehicle began accelerating rapidly. The driver, who was confirmed to be Hoofard, drove at speeds of 50 to 60 miles per hour, weaving in and out of traffic and blowing through a stop sign. Police reports say the officers were considering terminating the chase because of the high rate of speed on city streets, but the car crashed shortly before that order was issued. Hoofard reportedly skidded through an intersection before hitting a curb and landscaping, becoming airborne and landing in a college parking lot. Hoofard was arrested by a canine officer and his partner and booked in the local jail. Police reports confirmed Hoofard to be wanted for undisclosed felony charges in California. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Law Enforcement
Wednesday, 03 March 2010 01:09
7 Drug-Related Arrests Span County Over Last Week
Amador County – The Amador County Sheriff’s Office logged at least 7 arrests for drug-related offenses in the last week across the county, with the offenders including Pine Grove and Pioneer residents, and each of the 7 facing one or more felony charges. Various jurisdictions in Amador County last week made 7 drug-related arrests. 6 of those face felonies for possession of controlled substances. Randy Allen Reinhardt, 40, of Pioneer was arrested at 12:16 a.m. Wednesday in Pioneer. Enrico James Cocco, 30, of Jamestown was arrested 3:20 a.m. Sunday, February 21st at 105 Main Street in Jackson Mark Anthony Mastel, 20, of Lodi was arrested at 5:55 a.m. February 20th at New York Ranch Road and Trent Way in Jackson. Brian Jeffrey Wilhelm, 50, of Reno, Nevada, was arrested a 12:25 a.m. February 20th on Highway 88, west of Buckhorn. Debra Sue Wittenbrink, 39, and Larry Earl Lucas, 48, both of Modesto were arrested at 1:20 p.m. February 19th on Brickyard Road in Ione. The 7th was last Thursday, on Robin Road in Pioneer, when authorities arrested Nicole Bernie Lara, 27, of Pioneer on felony marijuana possession charges for possession of more than 28 grams of the drug. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Law Enforcement
Wednesday, 03 March 2010 01:08
Sheriff’s Office Applies for Off-Highway Vehicle Grant
Amador County - The Amador County Sheriff’s Office has applied for the 2010/2011 State of California Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) grant for law enforcement activities.
If awarded, the grant will allow the Amador County Sheriff’s Office to maintain a successful partnership with the United States Forest Service and continue to provide the public with outstanding OHV recreation opportunities. The State is using an Internet-based “On-Line Grant Application” application process as the means to apply for this state funding. This grant application requires the Amador County Sheriff’s Office to seek public comments on the proposal. Public comments may be submitted from March 2 through April 5, 2010. A two-step application process will allow public comment and feedback before final submittal of the grant application. The preliminary application is due March 1. This will open a 30-day public review and comment period and will follow with final applications due on Monday, May 3. Current State regulations require annual public participation in the OHV fund allocation process. State-wide the agreements support OHV management activities in the national forest, including operations and maintenance, restoration, law enforcement, education and safety. The preliminary application will be available online by visiting the California State OHV Grants and Cooperative Agreements program at www.ohv.parks.ca.gov. Copies may also be requested by contacting Amador County Sheriff’s Deputy Andrew Mendonsa at 209-223-6785. For additional details please contact the Amador County Sheriff’s Office at (209) 223-6500. A TSPN TV Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Law Enforcement
Wednesday, 03 March 2010 00:59
Amador County News TSPN TV with Alan Sprenkel 3-3-10
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Video
Monday, 01 March 2010 17:00
Ione Police Sting Operation Leads to 4 Drug Arrests
Amador County – The Ione Police Department helped conduct a successful sting operation over the weekend at the Preston Youth Authority prison in Ione that led to the arrest of 4 people who are facing drug charges. Ione Police Department Sergeant Rocky Harpham said in a news release Monday that Ione Police personnel participated in a “multi-agency visitor compliance detail” on Saturday at the Preston Youth Authority facility, which led to the drug arrest, various vehicle citations and the impounding of vehicles. Harpham said the operation was “a cooperative effort by local law enforcement to control illegal activity associated with visitation on state property.” The detail included law enforcement agencies from the “Tactical Team” of the California Youth Authority at Preston; a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation K-9 team; the Amador County Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team; and personnel from the Ione Police Department, including its IPD narcotics detection K-9 named “Hawke.” Four visitors were arrested and booked into the Amador County Jail on drug-related charges and outstanding warrants, Harpham said. There were 7 additional citations issued for misdemeanor California vehicle code infractions, and a total of 8 vehicles were towed and impounded. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
News Archive
Monday, 01 March 2010 17:00
Amador County Tax Collector Announces Property Auction
Amador County - The Amador County Tax Collector will hold a public auction of tax-defaulted property on Wednesday, March 10 at 10 a.m. in the board of supervisors' chambers, located in the Amador County Administration Center, 810 Court St., Jackson. Parcels become subject to sale by the tax collector at the end of five years from the date of tax default. The available parcels will be offered for sale on an oral bid basis for at least the established minimum bid. The parcels will be sold to the highest bidder. The primary purposes of the public auction are to collect the unpaid delinquent property taxes that are owed to the county and to return the property to a tax-paying status. Michael E. Ryan, Amador County tax collector, would like to remind interested parties that these parcels must be withdrawn from the sale in the event that the tax amounts due are paid by the day prior to the auction. Parcels may also be withdrawn in the event certain conditions exist that affect the sale parcels. Information is available at www.co.amador.ca.us, under "Government," "Treasurer/Tax Collector," "Tax Sale Information" and then "2010 Tax Sale." A TSPN TV Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
News Archive
Monday, 01 March 2010 17:00
Girl Scout Cookie Recall Does Not Apply to Cookies Sold Locally
Amador County – Despite some persistent rumors, cookies being sold by Girl Scouts in our region are not affected by recent reports of substandard cookie quality, according to a release from the organization. The statement says Girl Scout Cookies sold locally were not obtained from Little Brownie Bakers, which recently recalled batches of its Lemon Chalet Cremes cookies after consumer complaints that the cookies had an odd smell and taste. According to a press release on their website, the Louisville, Kentucky-based company found no traces of bacteria. “Certain lots of Lemon Chalet Crème cookies contain oils that may be breaking down which can result in an off taste and smell,” the statement said. None of the other famous Girl Scout Cookie favorites were affected. The Girl Scouts Heart of Central California serves more than 30,000 girls and 10,000 adult volunteers in 18 counties including Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Mariposa, Merced, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba with the corporate office located in Rancho Cordova. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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News Archive
