Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board last week discussed issue related to a proposed Gravity Supply Line that would serve Upcountry customers in the Central Amador Water Project. Director Don Cooper asked for a couple of issues to be added to the agenda, including support or “representation of board decisions.” He said he wanted to clarify responsibilities as directors in relation to board decision. He said as members speak publicly, it was “easy to slip into your opinion,” as opposed to the board opinion. He noted the agency’s code of ethics that says opinions in board discussions are healthy, but once a decision is made, they should stand by the board decision. Cooper said the Gravity Supply Line “has been a clear AWA project,” so he thought board members should quantify their words as their opinion when they speak about it. Board Vice President Debbie Dunn asked Cooper the origin of his words calling the Gravity Supply Line a “project of priority,” which she said is “not anything I’ve ever heard with this board.” Cooper said the gravity line “was a project of preference because it appeared to be the most economical.” Director Terence Moore said “we have always been studying it and trying to get it built.” President Bill Condrashoff said the study was to see if the project was viable. Finance Manager Mike Lee said the Gravity Supply Line was among the AWA’s pending grant applications. He said “we applied to them initially in 2005 and came back and updated the information in 2008.” Lee said repairs to the existing pump system that serves the Central Amador Water Project were a project that was excluded from grant seeking because the project was seen as too expensive. Dunn said she did not know that the entire $13.4 million for the Gravity Supply Line was sought in grant applications, and she thanked Lee. The agency has heard from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that its application for the Gravity Supply Line will likely be awarder a $5 million grant. The board also heard form AWA Attorney Stephen Kronick, who explained how the agency uses inter-fund loans to finance studies, such as for the GSL project, on which the agency now has spent $930,000 over the years. Kronick gave a copy of a 1993 memo to the board that “provides the legal authority” for those loans. The memo also included AWA resolutions from 1993, 1995 and 2004 making such internal loans. Requirements include that funds are surplus, “fully repaid at a reasonable rate of return” and in a timely manner, and that “there is a source of money available to ensure such timely repayment.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Plymouth City Council heard an update on the status of the new city water pipeline last week, learning that the city’s storage capacity is 250,000 gallons shy of state requirements. The pipeline was completed last year, but the city has been working to answer some of the concerns that the state has regarding the city water system. City Clerk Gloria Stoddard said the state requires a 750,000-gallon storage tank for a city the size of Plymouth, but the city storage tank is only 500,000 gallons. Consultant Richard Prima told the city council Thursday that the state is requiring the city to find backup storage to meet that threshold. Stoddard said they are “trying to be able to use wells as that backup storage,” and “since wells basically have been used to run the city for the last 10-15 years,” city officials “know the wells will produce” adequate water flow. The Amador Water Agency board of directors, partners in the pipeline, also discussed the permitting earlier Thursday. AWA Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said the state is going to “allow the city to bring in other sources of water.” Director Gary Thomas was worried about the city’s 84 delinquent water bills with pending “shutoff notices” in the city, even as they turned the spigot on the Plymouth pipeline. District 5 Director Terence Moore said “you don’t understand the city of Plymouth.” He said he has been on their shutoff list before, and the only way you can pay the bill “is by mailing it in or walking it in” to City Hall. Mancebo said he cannot speak to the delinquency, which is up to the city. AWA Attorney Stephen Kronick said in an agreement, Plymouth agreed it “shall use all of its authority and resources to meet these obligations.” He said failure to do so could lead to “shutting off the entire system.” Mancebo said AWA advised the city that it will begin billing as of mid-December for its rather substantial “water service charge,” billing half the charges in December, and the full service charges in January. Mancebo said Plymouth has “limited ability to use AWA water, and will use their own water plant until they get the water permit in place.” After permitting, Plymouth will not be able to use it water treatment plant regularly, and only will be able to use it as a back-up. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Local law enforcement is reporting two updates in cases related to crimes against children in our area. In Calaveras County, Copperopolis resident Stephen Christopher Hamblin, 51, was sentenced to state prison on January 11 for sexually molesting two girls from 1999-2003. The Calaveras Sheriff’s Department first became aware of the molestations when one of the girls made a report in December of 2007. The second girl came forward shortly thereafter. Calaveras District Attorney Jeffrey Tuttle said that when confronted about the crimes, Hamblin admitted having “made mistakes” and giving in to “temptations.” Following a Preliminary Hearing on April 17, 2009, Hamblin was ordered held to answer to the charges after the Court heard sworn testimony of both victims describing years of sexual abuse which occurred at Hamblin’s Copperopolis home. On October 28, 2009 Hamblin pled guilty to 16 counts of child molestation, 8 counts of penetration with a foreign object, 1 count of statutory rape, and 2 counts of oral copulation with a minor. Hamblin was facing a minimum of 6 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years and 4 months. The Honorable Thomas A. Smith, Assigned Superior Court Judge, sentenced Hamblin to a total of 16 years and 6 months in state prison, Hamblin was also ordered to register as a sex offender. In Amador County on Friday, Undersheriff James Wegner reported that his office cooperated in the arrest of an Elk Grove Unified School District employee for “crimes against a child.” The arrest was made in cooperation with the Elk Grove School District and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Wegner said the crime was not related to the supect’s employment, rather to a crime that occurred recently. A full media release with information about the employee’s identity will be released on Tuesday, January 19. Wegner said he “needs to give more time for the (investigating officers) to gather information so people don’t assume facts on the case.” A number of area media outlets are reporting what they believe to be the identity of the suspect, but Wegner said he will neither confirm nor deny that information. He said the release next Tuesday will be “substantial and sufficient” to answer all the basic facts about this case. Story by Alex Lane, contributions from Calaveras District Attorney’s Office. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – A Sutter Creek grassroots group formed to educate people on problems with growth planned to start a petition drive over the weekend, to seek a referendum against the project. Organizers need 159 signatures of Sutter Creek voters to place a referendum on the ballot, 10 percent of the 1,584 registered voters as of January 5th. The city-wide election must pass by a simple majority, 50 percent plus 1 of the votes cast. 2010 elections include a June 8th primary and a November 2nd general election, but Sutter Creek City Council would determine when an election would be held. Bart Weatherly of “Preserve Historic Sutter Creek” said the group cannot force a referendum on city council approval of the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort project, but it can force voter decisions on related council legislative action. Sutter Creek Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe said the council approved city General Plan amendments and Gold Rush specific plan and tentative maps January 4th, giving people 30 days to gather signatures for a referendum. The council expects to conduct 2nd readings of zoning ordinance and “Development Agreement” amendments related to Gold Rush January 19th. If approved, it opens another 30-day filing window. Rabe said City Attorney Dennis Crabb advised city staff not to “give advice on how to do a referendum,” because it would basically be giving advice on how to sue the city. He said county election code has guidelines on how to proceed with referenda, and submit petitions for consideration. If county elections certify a petition, they advise the city of the referendum. Rabe said the city council decides when a referendum would be placed on a ballot. Weatherly said “Preserve Historic Sutter Creek” is a grass-roots organization formed in 2008 to inform and educate the public about the problems associated with uncontrolled residential growth.” He said the referendum “will enable the citizens of Sutter Creek to voice their approval or disapproval of Gold Rush Ranch.” He said they “don’t support the doubling of the city’s population in 10 years,” the project is too large, with too many impacts, and he believes developers “will make Gold Rush economically feasible by whittling away at the conditions” of approval. The group is developing a flyer to take door-to-door until February 2nd, and will set up a booth near the Post Office. Weatherly said the group doesn’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars, 2 law firms and a “high priced PR firm from the Bay Area working for us.” They have a “bunch of volunteers and local concerned citizens.” He said they must gather 160 signatures by February 3rd. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Local law enforcement is reporting two updates in cases related to crimes against children in our area. In Calaveras County, Copperopolis resident Stephen Christopher Hamblin, 51, was sentenced to state prison on January 11 for sexually molesting two girls from 1999-2003. The Calaveras Sheriff’s Department first became aware of the molestations when one of the girls made a report in December of 2007. The second girl came forward shortly thereafter. Calaveras District Attorney Jeffrey Tuttle said that when confronted about the crimes, Hamblin admitted having “made mistakes” and giving in to “temptations.” Following a Preliminary Hearing on April 17, 2009, Hamblin was ordered held to answer to the charges after the Court heard sworn testimony of both victims describing years of sexual abuse which occurred at Hamblin’s Copperopolis home. On October 28, 2009 Hamblin pled guilty to 16 counts of child molestation, 8 counts of penetration with a foreign object, 1 count of statutory rape, and 2 counts of oral copulation with a minor. Hamblin was facing a minimum of 6 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years and 4 months. The Honorable Thomas A. Smith, Assigned Superior Court Judge, sentenced Hamblin to a total of 16 years and 6 months in state prison, Hamblin was also ordered to register as a sex offender. In Amador County on Friday, Undersheriff James Wegner reported that his office cooperated in the arrest of an Elk Grove Unified School District employee for “crimes against a child.” The arrest was made in cooperation with the Elk Grove School District and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Wegner said the crime was not related to the supect’s employment, rather to a crime that occurred recently. A full media release with information about the employee’s identity will be released on Tuesday, January 19. Wegner said he “needs to give more time for the (investigating officers) to gather information so people don’t assume facts on the case.” A number of area media outlets are reporting what they believe to be the identity of the suspect, but Wegner said he will neither confirm nor deny that information. He said the release next Tuesday will be “substantial and sufficient” to answer all the basic facts about this case. Story by Alex Lane, contributions from Calaveras District Attorney’s Office. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – A Sutter Creek grassroots group formed to educate people on problems with growth planned to start a petition drive over the weekend, to seek a referendum against the project. Organizers need 159 signatures of Sutter Creek voters to place a referendum on the ballot, 10 percent of the 1,584 registered voters as of January 5th. The city-wide election must pass by a simple majority, 50 percent plus 1 of the votes cast. 2010 elections include a June 8th primary and a November 2nd general election, but Sutter Creek City Council would determine when an election would be held. Bart Weatherly of “Preserve Historic Sutter Creek” said the group cannot force a referendum on city council approval of the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort project, but it can force voter decisions on related council legislative action. Sutter Creek Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe said the council approved city General Plan amendments and Gold Rush specific plan and tentative maps January 4th, giving people 30 days to gather signatures for a referendum. The council expects to conduct 2nd readings of zoning ordinance and “Development Agreement” amendments related to Gold Rush January 19th. If approved, it opens another 30-day filing window. Rabe said City Attorney Dennis Crabb advised city staff not to “give advice on how to do a referendum,” because it would basically be giving advice on how to sue the city. He said county election code has guidelines on how to proceed with referenda, and submit petitions for consideration. If county elections certify a petition, they advise the city of the referendum. Rabe said the city council decides when a referendum would be placed on a ballot. Weatherly said “Preserve Historic Sutter Creek” is a grass-roots organization formed in 2008 to inform and educate the public about the problems associated with uncontrolled residential growth.” He said the referendum “will enable the citizens of Sutter Creek to voice their approval or disapproval of Gold Rush Ranch.” He said they “don’t support the doubling of the city’s population in 10 years,” the project is too large, with too many impacts, and he believes developers “will make Gold Rush economically feasible by whittling away at the conditions” of approval. The group is developing a flyer to take door-to-door until February 2nd, and will set up a booth near the Post Office. Weatherly said the group doesn’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars, 2 law firms and a “high priced PR firm from the Bay Area working for us.” They have a “bunch of volunteers and local concerned citizens.” He said they must gather 160 signatures by February 3rd. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Plymouth City Council heard an update on the status of the new city water pipeline last week, learning that the city’s storage capacity is 250,000 gallons shy of state requirements. The pipeline was completed last year, but the city has been working to answer some of the concerns that the state has regarding the city water system. City Clerk Gloria Stoddard said the state requires a 750,000-gallon storage tank for a city the size of Plymouth, but the city storage tank is only 500,000 gallons. Consultant Richard Prima told the city council Thursday that the state is requiring the city to find backup storage to meet that threshold. Stoddard said they are “trying to be able to use wells as that backup storage,” and “since wells basically have been used to run the city for the last 10-15 years,” city officials “know the wells will produce” adequate water flow. The Amador Water Agency board of directors, partners in the pipeline, also discussed the permitting earlier Thursday. AWA Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said the state is going to “allow the city to bring in other sources of water.” Director Gary Thomas was worried about the city’s 84 delinquent water bills with pending “shutoff notices” in the city, even as they turned the spigot on the Plymouth pipeline. District 5 Director Terence Moore said “you don’t understand the city of Plymouth.” He said he has been on their shutoff list before, and the only way you can pay the bill “is by mailing it in or walking it in” to City Hall. Mancebo said he cannot speak to the delinquency, which is up to the city. AWA Attorney Stephen Kronick said in an agreement, Plymouth agreed it “shall use all of its authority and resources to meet these obligations.” He said failure to do so could lead to “shutting off the entire system.” Mancebo said AWA advised the city that it will begin billing as of mid-December for its rather substantial “water service charge,” billing half the charges in December, and the full service charges in January. Mancebo said Plymouth has “limited ability to use AWA water, and will use their own water plant until they get the water permit in place.” After permitting, Plymouth will not be able to use it water treatment plant regularly, and only will be able to use it as a back-up. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.