Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors voted 4-0 Monday in a special meeting to authorize its general manager to proceed with all items identified in a staff report last week that are required to satisfy a list of USDA conditions for grant funding for the proposed Gravity Supply Line.

The board also allocated $50,000 from the agency General Reserves to fund costs other than salaries and benefits to do the staff work. The USDA conditions are for tasks to complete in order to quality for a USDA Rural Development grant and loan for the Gravity Supply Line in the Central Amador Water Project service area.

Critics of the GSL, including Ratepayer Protection Alliance members Ken Berry and Bill Condrashoff called it a “boondoggle.” Condrashoff asked how much money they have spent to date on the GSL and what was the cost of labor that they were going to approve.

AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo said the AWA board has spent $1.3 million on the GSL. Board President Gary Thomas said there was $900,000 spent on the GSL “before you and I took these seats,” referring to Condrashoff’s stint on the board. Thomas said “this is the project” or there is the do-nothing project, or fix what you’ve got.

Berry said the GSL was built on “false premises” when “you buy into the nonsense argument your general manager makes.” Mancebo said “this project saves money” over the cost of fixing existing facilities.

District 3 Director Rich Farrington said “the GSL is the action that’s needed,” and the Reed Group’s analysis shows it is the best way to go. He pointed out that the Amador County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution 5-0 supporting and encouraging the development of the GSL project.

Thomas asked about answers to questions Condrashoff raised last week, when directors discussed the GSL, and a related Community Facilities District that they AWA plans to put in place in the Central Amador Water Project to fund the GSL. Mancebo told Thomas that he did not have the answers ready Monday.

Condrashoff said the money sunk could have been spent on refurbishing the existing system. Farrington said staff estimates show that the GSL is cheaper than fixing the existing system. Thomas said the GSL “beats solar, it beats everything.”

The board voted 4-0 to have staff resume work, which includes trying to extend agreements on right-of-way easements for the GSL path. Mancebo said “we’ll work with property owners” and if they get the easement agreements renewed “it could result in savings” for returning to the preferred route of the Gravity Supply Line.

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Amador County – Last week, the East Bay Municipal Utility District board of directors voted 7-0 to finalize its District Water Supply Management Plan 2040, which did not include an earlier plan to expand Pardee Reservoir in Amador County.

Opponents of the expansion announced the vote in a joint release, saying “the expansion would have destroyed at least a mile of the Mokelumne River.”

The original 2040 plan adopted in 2009 was challenged in court by Foothill Conservancy, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance and Friends of the River. A resulting court order required East Bay Municipal to conduct further environmental review and consider participating in an expansion of Los Vaqueros Reservoir in Contra Costa County. The revised 2040 plan includes a partnership with Contra Costa Water District, and the Los Vaqueros Expansion is expected to be completed later this year.

Foothill Conservancy President Katherine Evatt said “we’re grateful to (East Bay MUD) for changing course.” Chris Shutes of the California Sportfishing said “west-of-Delta storage is a forward-thinking approach that should be front and center for the entire Bay Area.”

John A. Coleman, East Bay Municipal board president said: “This process worked. We listened, we heard, and we acted. It has always been our intent to do the right thing for our customers and partners.”

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Amador County – Amador Water Agency board president, Director Gary Thomas last week called a special board meeting for Monday, April 30 to consider approval of $50,000 to commence the work toward qualifying for a loan and grant for the proposed Upcountry Gravity Supply Line.

The AWA board on Thursday discussed a list of the work needed to be done to qualify for a USDA grant of $5.1 million and a loan for about $8 million. The list of 17 tasks required by the USDA includes the “kingpin,” that is, the source of funding for the project. AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo said the USDA pays for 40 percent of the cost, and requires the agency to show its source for funding the rest of the project. He said Community Facilities District studies and consolidated rate studies by consultants undertaken to show that source of funding.

The list includes an estimated total of 224 staff hours, $38,000 in consultant work, and $11,400 in other fees, for work to be done on lands and right-of-way, permits, environmental reviews and engineering. The work needs the board’s reauthorization, along with the funding.

Mancebo said after a Community Facilities District election, if successful, another 33 hours of staff work is required, plus $25,000 in consultant work and $125,000 in easement work.

He said USDA has extended a deadline to Sept. 30 for the qualifying tasks, and “now we need to show how we will meet the loan payment.” He said eight “purchase option” agreements for right-of-way easements for the Gravity Supply Line were negotiated and signed. One, which held some AWA assets, was already purchased, but the eight agreements expired because the agency did not pay for them by the end of 2011.

The agency sought extensions from property owners on the agreements, but six still remain to be renegotiated, and two have been “in contact with outside parties who have actively discouraged them from cooperating with AWA.” Mancebo said one owner in the Antelope Creek area, “with whom previous negotiations were successful, is refusing to sign the new easement agreement extending the deadline,” and told the agency the party “won’t sign a new agreement because the Agency is out of money and this project will never get built.”

Another owner in the Highway 88 area “parroted the same issues as the Antelope Creek property owner” and also refused to extend the agreement. Mancebo said the route is preferred, but an existing utility easement could be used, though it “introduces additional constructability issues.” The Antelope easement also could be built around.

Mancebo said there remained $50,000 in staff and consultant work to do before a Community Facilities District election could be held. The unbudgeted costs will be subject of a special meeting to consider authorizing the spending. The board meets at 1 p.m. Monday, April 30.

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Amador County – “Is there a China Connection for Sierra Foothills Wine?” That is the question a forum hosted by Congressman Dan Lungren will be attempting to answer Monday, April 30 in Plymouth.

The free forum takes place 10 a.m. to roughly 2 p.m. Monday, April 30, at the Old Schoolhouse, 21601 Shenandoah School Road, Plymouth, CA, 95669. The school house is in the heart of Amador County wine country just west of the Amador Flower Farm in the vicinity of Cooper Vineyards.

Congressman Dan Lungren (R-Gold River) is Co-Chair of the Congressional Wine Caucus and he will be in Amador County wine country Monday to moderate the forum, “Is There a China Connection for Sierra Foothills Wine?” The gathering will focus on the possibilities of marketing wine to China and other countries.

Presenters at the forum include representatives of federal agencies that assist in exporting, exporters, transportation specialists and other wine industry trade officials who will share information with vintners who might be interested in gearing up for exporting to thirsty emerging Asian markets.

“We know vintners face challenges if they make the decision to market wine internationally,” said Lungren, who has nearly 100 winery constituents in his Third Congressional District, particularly in Amador, Calaveras and Sacramento Counties.

“It is all about jobs,” Lungren said. “There are wineries already doing this successfully in Amador and Calaveras wine regions. If we can learn from their experience, pool our knowledge and others can expand so they can export, the net gain could be more production, sales and jobs in the Sacramento Region.”

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Amador County – Amador Community College Foundation is “seeking to launch the Amador Centers of Higher Education Virtual Campus Program this fall. This action plan is the result of months of investigations by members of the ACCF who are determined to find solutions to develop much needed access to post-secondary educational opportunities for Amador County residents.”

Dixie Camarado, ACCF Curriculum Committee Chairwoman said the local scene for higher education looks bleak. Amador County is one of two counties in California that is not part of the 72 California Community College Districts. The nearest higher education centers ranges from 75-90 mile round-trip from Jackson.

Camarado said local course offerings by area colleges have become so expensive to not only the institutions but also to the ACCF diminishing grant funds that the Foundation was forced to discontinue the Cosumnes River College classes at the Amador Learning Center. Ever-rising fuel costs and travel time preclude many residents from affordable access to faraway institutions.

New technologies are emerging within college and university systems, she said. “Distance Education programs offer student-friendly technology to support student needs, especially underserved rural areas. These support systems include the California Virtual Campus, an online directory of all the distance education classes and degree programs in the state.”

Students can research online classes in their field of interest, apply to institutions offering the class, and apply for financial aid. Once enrolled, students can take classes online. She said “students would have to carefully select courses that articulate between schools if the ultimate goal is to work toward a transfer to a university for a BA or BS degree.”

Students can also take assessment tests and pre-test programs to help improve assessment outcomes.

The primary focus of the ACCF vision is a Distance Education Open Computer Lab, a dedicated two-room facility (in the Amador Learning Center) at Independence High School. The center has 36 computers and a printer to provide access to online instruction offered through a host of state and national colleges and universities.

The Open Computer Lab will be available for student coursework, research, advising, and tutoring during the afternoon and evenings and align with Adult Education.

Camarado said promoting learning at a computer lab is necessary because 57 percent of the region is either un-served or underserved by broadband infrastructure.

She said: “Our studies also show that distance education students rely on tutoring, academic advising and counseling to navigate their studies and career path. The Virtual Campus Program implements support for local students in a distance education environment with technology and professional staffing to include an academic advisor and tutors in specific subject areas.

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Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors opens a two-day budget workshop Tuesday, May 1 to look at projected 13-14 percent reductions in revenue across the board and an expected $3.8 million deficit for the coming fiscal year.

Supervisor Vice Chairman Richard Forster reported from a recent meeting of the California State Association of Counties last week, saying “every county is in dire need now for assistance” because of AB109, which reorganized state prisoner holdings and pushed more types of prisoners into county jails.

Supervisor Brian Oneto said the problem stems from prisoner rights: “Prisoners have more rights than anybody now and if you ask me that’s incorrect.” Forster said the Association of Counties talked about a bond vote for jails. Supervisor John Plasse said the bond vote would just be “taxpayers paying again.”

Supervisor Ted Novelli said California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has proposed a change. Forster said CDCR has proposed to start bringing out-of-state inmates back to the state and also proposed a closure of the Juvenile Justice Department, what’s left of it.

County Administrative Office Chuck Iley on May 10 said the Legislature awaits the Governor’s May budget revision, and Iley crafted the budget with restored 40-hour work weeks for all employees, who voted last year to work 36-hour weeks. Combined with “triple-flip” funds lost, the county budget deficit is expected to be $3.8 million. He projected a $1.7 million carryover to the next budget, down from $4.7 million carried over into the current fiscal year.

Only law enforcement voted to work 40-hour weeks last year and Iley made them meet the previous year amounts to keep total costs to the county the same. The same happened with the District Attorney’s office.

Sheriff Martin Ryan in an e-mail to Supervisor Ted Novelli, a member of Amador Fire Protection Authority board of directors, told the AFPA board that he would be asking for a revisit to the breakdown of Proposition 172 funding, which in Amador County goes to law enforcement, fire fighting and emergency response.

Iley said this year the Sheriff’s Department will have to cut $766,000, and anticipates another $400,000 in lost revenue, for $1.1 million in total cuts. The D.A. faces $273,000 in cuts, and Probation faces $192,000.

Iley said Supervisors could consider cuts from other general fund contributions to other departments. Iley is making a comparative analysis of Amador County departments with other counties, which he said gets tricky because different counties use different practices and serve different functions or use different methods to calculate overhead.

Supervisors are expected to discuss those differences during the budget workshop and allow department heads to explain. The workshop starts after adjournment of the Board of Equalization meeting, which starts at 9 a.m.

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Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 4-30-12 - TSPN's Tom Slivick talks with Dixie Camarado of the Amador Community College Foundation about a Distance Education Virtual Campus proposed for the Amador Learning Center.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 4-30-12

·       AWA sets special meeting Monday to consider approval of $50,000 to commence work on the Gravity Supply Line.

·       Amador County Board of Supervisors will begin budget season with two days of hearings this week, starting Tuesday.

·       Amador Community College Foundation proposes Virtual Campus at Amador Learning Center.

·       Dan Lungren to moderate China-Sierra Foothills wine forum.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 4-30-12

·       AWA sets special meeting Monday to consider approval of $50,000 to commence work on the Gravity Supply Line.

·       Amador County Board of Supervisors will begin budget season with two days of hearings this week, starting Tuesday.

·       Amador Community College Foundation proposes Virtual Campus at Amador Learning Center.

·       Dan Lungren to moderate China-Sierra Foothills wine forum.

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