Sutter Creek City Planner To Relinquish His Title At The End Of the Year

By Jenifer Gee

Bruce Baracco announced an end to his 15-year term as Sutter Creek´s city planning consultant on Nov. 15 when he submitted a letter of resignation to City Manager Rob Duke.

Baracco stated that increasing demands of his full-time job as executive officer for the Local Agency Formation Commission in San Joaquin County will leave him little time for other work. He sited several annexation proposals in Stockton, Manteca, Lodi and other cities as well as spheres of influence that he will be working on.

The 30-year Sutter Creek resident had expected work with the proposed Gold Rush Ranch development and the general plan to be well underway by the end of this year, but because those projects won´t truly come into the public arena until 2007, he said he cannot manage time-consuming projects in two different counties.

He has worked on a part-time basis for the city as its consulting planner for the past 15 years and has worked at his LAFCO position for the past eight years.

“It´s been difficult and I have mixed emotions about it but there are only so many hours in the day,” Baracco said.

The city is saddened by Baracco´s resignation, according to Duke. “He has so much organizational history,” Duke said.

“He knows the intimate details of our project and it´s a tragedy to lose all that experience and knowledge. Bruce is fantastic to work with as amember of the city team.”

Replacement candidates are currently being interviewed by Duke and Sutter Creek Planning Commission Chairman Frank Cunha. Candidates under consideration include EDAW Inc. employees who are currently working on the general plan update. Duke plans to present the candidates to the planning commission at its Dec. 11 meeting.

Baracco said the new planning consultant needs to be able to devote the necessary time it´s going to take to follow through on the city´s upcoming major projects.

Baracco´s last day as the city´s planning consultant will be Dec. 31.

Reprinted with permission from the Amador Ledger Dispatch