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172
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C ali forn ia’s Olde st Ne w spaper
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Volume 172 • Issue 45 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
Friday, April 21, 2023
Supes consider TOT, General Fund allocations Eric Jaramishian Staff writer
Numerous possible alternative approaches were identified that would maintain existing historical and cultural resources and the project has since received concurrence from the California Office of Historic Preservation. The newer approach would take
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors gave direction to staff on allocating funds from the General Fund and Transient Occupancy Tax during its budget hearing Tuesday. During discussion on how to distribute TOT funds, District 4 Supervisor Lori Parlin requested hiring two new code enforcement officers for night and weekend response to reported vacation home rental and ranch marketing event violations, one for the Tahoe area and one for the West Slope. The anticipated cost is $300,000 for both enforcement officers. Parlin told other supervisors having VHRs and ranch marketing events enforced is important in supporting local residents. “I don’t see how we cannot do this and not have our residents lose faith in us,” Parlin said. “On the flip side, it also helps the venues that we are getting phone calls on, because maybe some of them are not substantiated when the officers show up. We don’t have that tool and it is causing a lot of angst.” No code enforcement officer is employed for weekends or nights in Tahoe. The recommended action will be considered when supervisors adopt the final budget in fall. The Shingle Springs-Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce requested $37,500 in TOT funds for operations such as hosting entrepreneur’s workshops and forums, Thunder in the Park car show marketing, website updates and maintenance and shop local campaigns. TOT requests represent 28.5% of the chamber’s yearly budget, according to reports send to the county. Chamber leadership expects TOT funding will be needed for six years. The board voted 3-2 to fund the chamber, with Thomas and Parlin holding out on ‘no’ votes. District 2 Supervisor George Turnboo pushed
n See Bridge, page A8
n See budget, page A9
Mountain Democrat photo by Odin Rasco
Plans to replace Clay Street Bridge in Placerville have been on city record as long ago as the early 1970s. The bridge is estimated to be 95-97 years old, well past the 50-year lifespan for most bridges.
Clay Street Bridge over troubled water Odin Rasco Staff writer
F
“If we take no actions, the bridge is going to collapse.” — Nicole Gotberg, Placerville city councilmember
ollowing an unanticipated disruption to the project, Placerville City Council approved a resolution that will allow Clay Street Bridge replacement to move along. After the publication of an environmental impact report for the project in 2018, outcry from local groups prompted the city
to go back to the drawing board. Working in tandem with the United Ancient Order of Druids, Friends of Historic Hangtown and tribal organizations, the city and its consultants devised “a more conservative approach” for the project, according to City Engineer Rebecca Neves.
Visitor trends show Reno could be Placerville’s jackpot Odin Rasco Staff writer
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
Tourism from Reno may be a lucrative and as-yet untapped market for the city of Placerville, according to information presented to City Council April 11. Visitor spending statistics shared during a presentation to the
council regarding tourism marketing developed by the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce showed some unanticipated trends. While people from the Central Valley (Sacramento, Modesto and Stockton) make up 41% of visitors to Placerville, their spending only amounted to 30% of visitor spending; visitors from
Reno, however, only accounted for 8% of total tourism numbers, but for 13% of tourism income. Bay Area visitors hit an even 17% in total visitor and spending numbers. “Reno, that’s the big hit, I think,” said Jody Franklin, executive director of tourism for the chamber. “For Placerville we would definitely focus more on that. We know they
enjoy our wine country and they obviously are spending money in Placerville but we want to get more visitors.” Data collected indicates tourists from the valley are likely day visitors; Franklin said the best goal for increased spending from them would be finding ways to convert them into overnight stays, “getting the same
amount of visitors but more money for each one.” The council contracted the chamber to produce advertising that would promote tourism to Placerville from October 2021 to the end of September 2022; a shorter contract was then set in December that will run until June. The initial $50,000 contract produced
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