C ALI FORN IA’S OLDE ST NE W SPAPER
– E S T. 18 51
– Weekend Edition – FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2025
VOLUME 174 • ISSUE 70 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
TAKE A BITE OF APPLE HILL
Mountain Democrat photo by Andrew Vonderschmitt
Arts and Culture El Dorado will continue to use this space on Main Street for its gallery, the City Council decided.
Arts and Culture lease extended Andrew Vonderschmitt Features editor
At its Aug. 26 regular meeting the Placerville City Council voted 3-2 to extend the lease of 525 Main St. to Arts and Culture El Dorado. When the council was poised to adopt the agenda near the top of the meeting Mayor John Clerici halted the proceedings to suggest postponing the item to a later date. “Let me give you my reasons why,” he said. “It’s kind of a two-part issue here. We have the part of the lease, which is important, but then we also have the fact that we are talking in part about old city hall.” Arts and Culture took up tenancy at 487 and 489 Main St., known as old city hall, in 2018. The organization remained there until 2023 when the buildings were deemed unsafe for occupancy. In March of that year Arts and Culture entered into another lease agreement with the city for use of 525 Main St. after being awarded use of the building during an open RFP process. Arts and Culture raised $25,000 for the city to purchase the building from the county.
Nestled in the Sierra foothills along Highway 50 and Carson Road, 50-plus farms in the Apple Hill region are open to folks craving fresh apples, cider, pies and produce. There are plenty of bake shops, kids activities and youpick farms to choose from as well as ample opportunities to sample beer, wine and hard cider in the area. Though Labor Day weekend is the official opening time period for many farms, ranches and wineries, check for open hours and days in advance. Maps and more information is available on applehill.com and applehillca.com. Top photo, Diana Mackey, manager of Rockney Farms, gathers cut flowers in preparation for Apple Hill‘s opening weekend with her feline companion, Dotty. Hours at the ranch are noon to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Above, Valerie Zizak-Morais and Will Morais of American Canyon gather Honeycrisp apples at High Hill Ranch Tuesday. At right, Boa Vista Orchards retail associate Jacqueline Soto, 20, of Placerville holds a chocolate caramel apple in the bakery.
n See LEASE, page A4
Warren named new city manager News release
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
Mountain Democrat photos by Shelly Thorene
Supes embrace economic plan Jo Carrerow
Mountain Democrat correspondent Strategic Economic Enhancement Development Committee members painted a bleak picture of El Dorado County’s current economic status, but came up with solutions similar to those presented by the county’s Budget Ad Hoc Committee earlier during the Aug. 19 El Dorado County Board of Supervisors The board directed the two committees to work together in the future. Short-term recommendations that aligned with the Budget Ad Hoc Committee’s recommendations include stable funding for tourism related organizations, but also launching a tourism business improvement district in the county’s unincorporated areas and expanding agricultural lodging opportunities. “I appreciate great minds all thinking alike in some of this stuff,” SEED Committee Chair Carl Ribaudo said. SEED’s additional shortterm recommendations include
reevaluating vacation rental caps and buffer zones, evaluating retail potential of county-owned sites and creating a pilot of an Entertainment Zone Designation. “We think that these are the shortterm things that can begin to change the momentum here in El Dorado County,” Ribaudo said. Bryce Miller, Marshall Medical Center strategist, said the population in El Dorado County has decreased by 1,165 in the past five years and is projected to decrease by 2,285 in the next five years. The county has also seen zero employment growth in the last five years, he noted. “Population decline plus stagnant employment in the county paints a really difficult position for people like me who grew up here, want to live, work and raise my family here in the community,” Miller said. With a median home price of $699,000 and income required at $175,000, Miller said, “No. 1 is housing affordability pressure.” Miller, who graduated from Union n See PLAN, page A5
The Placerville City Council recently appointed Assistant City Manager/Finance Director David R. Warren, to replace current City Manager Cleve Morris, who has announced his retirement effective Oct. 3. After a thorough review process in DAVID R. WARREN which the City Council considered several candidates, Warren was identified as the best choice for the position. “Dave Warren has exhibited excellent dedication and loyalty to the city for over 20 years,” said Mayor John Clerici. We look forward to him continuing the excellent governance the city has experienced during that time and before. The city is facing difficult times due to decreasing revenues and increasing costs. Dave is the right person to navigate the city through these rough times.” Warren started with the city in 1994 as an accounting assistant I. Only one month later, he was promoted to accounting assistant II, where he served until 1998 when he left for a chief fiscal officer position with the Gold Trail Union School District. Warren returned to the city in 2002 as assistant finance director, and only two years later was promoted to finance director, a position he held until 2018 when he was promoted to assistant city manager/director of finance. Warren will assume the position of city manager on Oct. 4. Dave is married to Julie Warren and has three sons. He enjoys the outdoors and loves El Dorado County and Placerville.