Ponte: General Plan And Budget Top Issues
San Andreas, CA — The new chairwoman of the Calaveras County Supervisors is looking ahead to what will be the big issues of 2014.
As reported earlier this week, Debbie Ponte was elected Board Chair at Tuesday’s meeting. “As a Board we’re faced with many issues, and I think we’ve identified that we’ll be working together on our budget issues and General Plan, as two of our top priorities,” she says.
On January 28 the Board will hear an update on the General Plan from Interim Planning Director Brent Harrington. The plan update has been in development for several years, and will serve as a roadmap for growth and development in the county. “I feel pretty confident that the Board is moving in the right direction, as we all want the General Plan done, so we’ll be working in that regard over this next year. I’m not sure if it’ll be completed within a year, but I think we’ll make some great strides towards getting it done.”
The Board is also expecting another year of tough budget times, and the Supervisors will have to prioritize potential cuts before approving a new budget that will take effect July 1st.
“We’ll also be relocating our jail soon, and that will be a big transition as we relocate our Sheriff’s Office and Jail to the new facilities,” Ponte adds. “A few months ago the courts moved to their new facility, and with those types of moves you have open space now at the Government Center.”
Ponte says the Supervisors will need to determine how to utilize the open buildings, and decide whether the county should tear down some of the space.
