Votes at a glance: Amador County supervisors adopt abatement orders, fee increases and budget changes

The Amador County Board of Supervisors recorded several formal actions during this session. Key outcomes included four code-enforcement abatement orders, a building-fee schedule increase, transfers of development-impact funds for parks and museum projects, amendments to county purchasing rules, adoption of the county recommended budget with a reduction to one outside grant, and short-term liability coverage for Pine Grove Cemetery trustees.

Votes and key details

• Code enforcement: The board adopted findings and recommendations from the Administrative Abatement Hearing Board for four properties and authorized staff to abate if owners do not comply within 30 days. Cases and outcomes: 16500 Carroll Way (occupied recreational vehicle and junk/debris): adopted (motion to adopt hearing board findings and recommendations); vote recorded 5–0. 26528 Cedar Avenue (occupied recreational vehicle, junk/trash and solid-waste violations): adopted; vote recorded 5–0. 14777 Immigrant Trail, River Pines (junk/debris): adopted; vote recorded 5–0. 23045 Bridal (Roden) Lane, Pioneer (accumulation of junk, building without permit, occupied RV and sewage issues): adopted; vote recorded 5–0. In each case the board granted 30 days for compliance and authorized staff to secure court orders and recover abatement costs if owners fail to comply.

• Building-fee schedule: The board adopted a recommended Building Department fee schedule update, authorizing a roughly 10% fee increase after five years without adjustments; the new fees take effect per the adopted resolution (vote recorded 5–0). Staff said the change balances recovered operating costs for the department; an example provided: a 1,500-square-foot house permit fee would increase by about $203 under the proposal.

• Development-impact fund (DIF) transfers: The board approved two DIF transfers: $112,000 from pre-2020 Park & Rec DIF funds to the City of Sutter Creek for Bryson Park ADA bathroom and drinking-fountain improvements (vote recorded 5–0); and $100,000 in Park & Rec DIF money for a museum livery building project managed with the historical society (vote recorded 5–0).

• Purchasing policy and municipal-code amendments: Supervisors approved updates to County Code Chapter 3.08 and the county purchasing policy (Policy 5-100). Notable changes included increasing the purchasing-agent delegation threshold (from $50,000 to $75,000) and raising department-level commodity purchase limits (consensus adopted at $1,500 generally, $3,000 for Public Works and motor-pool commodities). The board also asked staff to review the county’s local-bid preference language; vote recorded 5–0.

• Fiscal year 2025–26 recommended budget: The board adopted the recommended FY2025–26 budget after a motion to reduce the county contribution to the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) by $20,000 and reallocate that amount (vote recorded 4–1; recorded votes show Chairman Brown voting no and other supervisors voting yes). Staff cautioned that the county used some one-time fund balances to close gaps for the coming fiscal year and said further adjustments may be necessary when the assessor certifies property-tax rolls.

• Pine Grove Cemetery trustees: Because cemetery trustees said they would remain in office only if they were not exposed to liability, the board authorized short-term county coverage of trustee liability (estimated annual cost ~ $3,000) to buy time for a longer-term governance solution; vote recorded 5–0.

• Minutes: The board approved the May 27 meeting minutes with minor corrections (vote recorded 5–0).

What to watch: the budget adoption included use of one-time fund balances for operations and a directive that staff return with the final budget in late summer. The building-permit fee changes and purchasing-policy adjustments will be implemented administratively; the DIF transfers proceed under signed agreements with the receiving agencies.