Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council certified the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort Environmental Impact Report Wednesday, then directed staff to make specific changes to its related “Development Agreement” and “Conditions of Approval.” About 150 people attended the meeting, including many local and county business and political leaders. Consultant Bob Delp ran through EIR workings and Mayor Pro Tem Tim Murphy asked City Attorney Dennis Crabb and city project planner Anders Hauge (How-Ghee) if they saw any problems with the Gold Rush EIR. Murphy asked if the EIR was inadequate under the California Environmental Quality Act, as it has been called by several people. Crabb said developers have 2 legal firms looking at the EIR, “and they seem to think it is adequate.” Crabb said the developer is responsible for defending the EIR in the event of litigation. Councilman Pat Crosby said the “developer finds the EIR defensible.” Hauge said “it would be appropriate to certify the EIR.” Members of the Gold Rush development team sat in the audience, including Bill Bunce, John Telischak and Sutter Creek resident Troy Claveran. The council certified the EIR on a 5-0 vote, then went through and later approved changes to the “Development Agreement” and “Conditions of Approval,” as recommended by the Development Agreement Committee. The committee included Murphy, Councilwoman Sandy Anderson and Planning Commissioner Frank Cunha. Recommendations aimed to lengthen or clarify some time frames in the Development Agreement, for points at which different required improvements and construction must be done by Gold Rush. Murphy said one such clarification was the tertiary wastewater treatment plant completion, required by the end of 36 months. He said City Manager Rob Duke told the committee that construction of a plant itself would take 36 months, meaning construction would have to be started right away after approval of the Gold Rush Specific Plan. That stipulation was changed so “the new plant must be completely constructed, permitted and fully operational, within 48 months of the approval of the specific plan.” The recommendations also call for the execution and full funding of a “design and construction contract” for the plant within 24 months of approval of the Specific Plan. The city council also must approve the contract. Breaking either agreement would cause developers to lose vesting in the agreement. Other recommendations included phasing changes, and also requiring normal sewer hookup fees. It would also require providing “alternate sites and/or methods of disposal, or infrastructure improvements necessary to accommodate the full 1,300 acre-feet of effluent,” as entitled in an existing agreement between Gold Rush and the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority. The council broke for the holidays and will next meet regarding Gold Rush January 4th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - The Amador County Unified School District announced a program during their meeting Wednesday to address tolerance, anti-bias and diversity in light of recent accusations that the school allegedly failed to investigate hate crimes and the harassment of a Jewish student. Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for ACUSD, introduced a number of programs designed to address a host of issues, including violence prevention, tolerance, stereotyping, bullying, prejudices, sexual harassment and empowering leaders. Some of these programs are being reintroduced after working successfully in past years and earning students and the district distinguished awards. Chapin-Pinotti also outlined her qualifications to lead such programs. Beyond her work with the school district, she has authored a number of books for teens and children addressing tolerance, bullying, racism and genocide. All this comes in the wake of angry protests from parents and a damning speech at least month’s meeting by Barry Broad of the Jewish Community Relations Council on behalf of Justin Zysman, a Jewish student at Amador High School. In an interview on TSPN, Zysman said members of the faculty failed to properly investigate incidents of harassment in which the words “Burn Jew, burn” were etched into his locker and a swastika was carved in his desk. Justin’s family was in attendance. An attorney working for the Zysman family previously served the board with a lawsuit alleging wrongdoing. Justin’s mother, Molly, asked the board to “consider the employ of the teacher” who allegedly took no action when the swastika was discovered on Justin’s desk. She said a boy admitted to writing “Burn Jew, burn” on Justin’s locker and the police have been notified. Justin’s sister, Michaela, said “I don’t have fun with my brother anymore because of these problems.” Asked to speak by Superintendent Dick Glock, local Jewish community member Arnold Zeiderman said he “fully endorses” Chapin-Pinotti’s efforts and “has real confidence that the members of this board want to make this situation better.” He said that “in terms of tolerance, (Amador County) is not a perfect environment.” He agreed with Molly Zysman, saying the teacher who failed to act on Justin’s behalf “should be let go.” The members of the board made no comments in response to any of the public opinions expressed during the meeting. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Sierra Nevada Conservancy and delivered an early Christmas present to Amador Water Agency Thursday, in the form of a planning grant for $270,000 that until recently was frozen by the state economy. Sierra Nevada Conservancy Assistant Executive Director Joan Keegan said “for your grant, it’s a complete thaw.” Keegan and SNC Area Representative Brandon Sanders met with Assemblywoman Alyson Huber at a special AWA board meeting Thursday. Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said the grant will build on infrastructure issues studied in the 1970s for a county regional wastewater plan. He said AWA sought the grant to update the old plan, “affectionately known as the Purple Pipe system.” The aim in the regional planning project is to try to reuse wastewater and free up raw river water for treatment and drinking. He said Sutter Creek is now looking at building a tertiary plant, and Jackson is reviewing its discharge and future permitting. The updated regional plan led various agencies in different directions, and the next regional planning approach will aim at developing and executing a strategic plan, publishing a Master Plan, and making it available to other agencies. He said AWA staff could give presentations on the plan. $90,000 of the grant is “focused on the development of the strategic outreach plan.” Director Don Cooper said he would like to add to the dialog a wastewater pipeline from Buckhorn to a regional plant, to help solve the Upcountry problems of failing leach-field systems. Mancebo said outlying areas such as Buckhorn, Ione, Plymouth and Jackson should be part of the discussion. Vice President Debbie Dunn said the grant was brought up at the Sutter Creek meeting on Gold Rush Wednesday, with people saying they should be a part its regional planning. Huber said she saw nothing in Sierra Nevada Conservancy’s program that would stop it from looking at a larger regional planning area, as far as construction and financing, and improving “purchasing power.” President Bill Condrashoff asked if getting an “inter-regional plan” would help AWA be more likely to receive funding. Huber said with the grant, AWA can finish its plans and be more competitive when funding comes available. She said it would help qualify for federal money, but she didn’t “know of any specific pots” of funding. Dunn asked if they could request state or federal funding for a Purple Pipe system. Huber said she voted against the Delta Legislation, but its bond measure does have funding for water reclamation systems. She preferred a revenue bond, but it is “general obligation,” she said, meaning all taxpayers in the state pay for it. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) on Wednesday announced that Argonaut High School is among 14 schools within the company’s service area selected to receive up to $10,000 each in Bright Ideas grants. The money will be used to help their districts reduce energy usage, save money and help students learn the importance of environmental stewardship. Argonaut High School in Jackson was awarded $2,500. As part of the larger PG&E Solar Schools program, the Bright Ideas Grants program promotes the understanding of renewable energy in public schools throughout Northern and Central California. In 2009, PG&E awarded $250,000 in grants during the spring and fall to credentialed teachers, administrators and facilities managers. The PG&E Solar Schools Program includes installation of photovoltaic systems in public schools, a solar-based curriculum training package, workshops for teachers and Bright Ideas grants. Since its inception in 2004, PG&E shareholders have contributed more than $8 million to the PG&E Solar Schools program. With more than 125 schools participating throughout PG&E’s service area, the program has trained more than 3,000 teachers, benefiting nearly 200,000 students. The National Energy Education Development Project manages curriculum training and administration of the grants, and the Foundation for Environmental Education coordinates installation of the donated photovoltaic systems. Pacific Gas and Electric Company, based in San Francisco, is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers energy to 15 million people in Northern and Central California. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council certified the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort Environmental Impact Report Wednesday, then directed staff to make specific changes to its related “Development Agreement” and “Conditions of Approval.” About 150 people attended the meeting, including many local and county business and political leaders. Consultant Bob Delp ran through EIR workings and Mayor Pro Tem Tim Murphy asked City Attorney Dennis Crabb and city project planner Anders Hauge (How-Ghee) if they saw any problems with the Gold Rush EIR. Murphy asked if the EIR was inadequate under the California Environmental Quality Act, as it has been called by several people. Crabb said developers have 2 legal firms looking at the EIR, “and they seem to think it is adequate.” Crabb said the developer is responsible for defending the EIR in the event of litigation. Councilman Pat Crosby said the “developer finds the EIR defensible.” Hauge said “it would be appropriate to certify the EIR.” Members of the Gold Rush development team sat in the audience, including Bill Bunce, John Telischak and Sutter Creek resident Troy Claveran. The council certified the EIR on a 5-0 vote, then went through and later approved changes to the “Development Agreement” and “Conditions of Approval,” as recommended by the Development Agreement Committee. The committee included Murphy, Councilwoman Sandy Anderson and Planning Commissioner Frank Cunha. Recommendations aimed to lengthen or clarify some time frames in the Development Agreement, for points at which different required improvements and construction must be done by Gold Rush. Murphy said one such clarification was the tertiary wastewater treatment plant completion, required by the end of 36 months. He said City Manager Rob Duke told the committee that construction of a plant itself would take 36 months, meaning construction would have to be started right away after approval of the Gold Rush Specific Plan. That stipulation was changed so “the new plant must be completely constructed, permitted and fully operational, within 48 months of the approval of the specific plan.” The recommendations also call for the execution and full funding of a “design and construction contract” for the plant within 24 months of approval of the Specific Plan. The city council also must approve the contract. Breaking either agreement would cause developers to lose vesting in the agreement. Other recommendations included phasing changes, and also requiring normal sewer hookup fees. It would also require providing “alternate sites and/or methods of disposal, or infrastructure improvements necessary to accommodate the full 1,300 acre-feet of effluent,” as entitled in an existing agreement between Gold Rush and the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority. The council broke for the holidays and will next meet regarding Gold Rush January 4th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - The Amador County Unified School District announced a program during their meeting Wednesday to address tolerance, anti-bias and diversity in light of recent accusations that the school allegedly failed to investigate hate crimes and the harassment of a Jewish student. Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for ACUSD, introduced a number of programs designed to address a host of issues, including violence prevention, tolerance, stereotyping, bullying, prejudices, sexual harassment and empowering leaders. Some of these programs are being reintroduced after working successfully in past years and earning students and the district distinguished awards. Chapin-Pinotti also outlined her qualifications to lead such programs. Beyond her work with the school district, she has authored a number of books for teens and children addressing tolerance, bullying, racism and genocide. All this comes in the wake of angry protests from parents and a damning speech at least month’s meeting by Barry Broad of the Jewish Community Relations Council on behalf of Justin Zysman, a Jewish student at Amador High School. In an interview on TSPN, Zysman said members of the faculty failed to properly investigate incidents of harassment in which the words “Burn Jew, burn” were etched into his locker and a swastika was carved in his desk. Justin’s family was in attendance. An attorney working for the Zysman family previously served the board with a lawsuit alleging wrongdoing. Justin’s mother, Molly, asked the board to “consider the employ of the teacher” who allegedly took no action when the swastika was discovered on Justin’s desk. She said a boy admitted to writing “Burn Jew, burn” on Justin’s locker and the police have been notified. Justin’s sister, Michaela, said “I don’t have fun with my brother anymore because of these problems.” Asked to speak by Superintendent Dick Glock, local Jewish community member Arnold Zeiderman said he “fully endorses” Chapin-Pinotti’s efforts and “has real confidence that the members of this board want to make this situation better.” He said that “in terms of tolerance, (Amador County) is not a perfect environment.” He agreed with Molly Zysman, saying the teacher who failed to act on Justin’s behalf “should be let go.” The members of the board made no comments in response to any of the public opinions expressed during the meeting. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.