Read this today on the Union Democrat website. Its a great example of putting our natural assets to work for us. For too long we’ve neglected partnering and pursuing a strategy that relies on self-sufficiency. That will change if you elect Mary Boblet:

UPA eyes power projects

Written by Michael Kay, The Union Democrat May 27, 2010 02:36 pm

The Utica Power Authority took another step this week toward using its Gold Rush-era flume system to generate some 21st-century gold — green energy.

The authority’s board of directors unanimously voted Tuesday to establish a fund for financing the installation of a series of hydroelectric generators along the length of the roughly 27-mile ditch and flume system.

The proposed project must still pass muster with the board at budget time, but this week’s vote of confidence will allow planning to proceed, said UPA General Manager Vern Pyle.
“They’re 100 percent behind the project,” said Pyle, who has been working on installing additional generators for the last two years.
UPA already earns about $1.3 million a year from electricity generated by its existing turbines
— enough to pay for the maintenance of a system that keeps taps flowing and gardens green in Murphys and Angels Camp.
It is too early to say how much additional revenue the full suite of proposed new facilities would bring in. Most of the new generators would be relatively small, according to Pyle.
For example, he estimates that a generator placed at a proposed site just south of Murphys would likely generate between 200 and 300 kilowatts per hour. That would provide around $65,000 a year in revenue.
Much of that will go into funding the project. Installation of the four generators now proposed would cost between $8 million and $10 million. Payback on each is in the eight to 11-year range, according to Pyle and a consultant’s initial report on the projects.
What is a little different from many infrastructure projects is that Pyle wants UPA to self-fund the entire process.
“It’s the first time we’ve attempted anything like that,” Pyle said. “There’s going to be a learning curve.”
Angels Camp Mayor Jack Lynch suggested installing the generators could be of more than economic benefit as the demand for water grows and the state looks for unused water supplies.
“It really strengthens your access to that water to be generating power,” he said.
For Pyle, there’s a simpler reason to use the water: “It’s there. You might as well benefit from it somehow.”

I sat down with John Hamilton of thepinetree blogsite recently and talked about my campaign and why I’m not investing in signs right now! That’s always a topic of interest when I’m out talking with voters.

We met at Courtright-Emerson Ball Park, the location of a facelift funded by prop 40 money the County has graciously donated to the park. Here’s the video.

After enduring the first candidates night, co-hosted by Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce and GABA, I called around and organized a second, “unobstructed” night for district residents to ask questions. Here’s the video.

This election is not a protest, its an opportunity for voters to pick a leader for the next four years. I am running to replace the failed leadership of Merita Callaway. And for the record, I don’t blame Bill and his team for the protesting, but it certainly doesn’t represent the kind of leadership we need.

The Record today:

But Boblet, a leader in the county’s Democratic Party, says that while local government may have failings, fixing government isn’t enough to foster economic prosperity. She says it is also necessary to make expanded use of the region’s resources, including forests and watersheds.

“I am the only supervisor candidate that gets that. Everybody else just thinks government’s the problem. Well, it is not the only problem,” Boblet said.

Looking around our district, its easy to see a change is needed. As Parks and Recreation Commissioner, I looked around and identified several opportunities to bring our economy back to life, giving residents and visitors a shot at some great recreation at the same time.

Back to the failed leaderhship for a moment. Besides a children’s playground at White Pines, our supervisor couldn’t think of a single thing to support our local economy with prop 40 funds here in District 3. The funds just sat unused. Then I was appointed commissioner and in 2008 I identified Courtright-Emerson Memorial Ball Park and the Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail — both of which needed our support and will ultimately drive additional visitors to our towns and shops.

See more about the ballpark here, and the trail here.

But simply identifying these two projects wasn’t enough. It took real leadership to set up and administer these projects with state and local agencies, volunteers and county government. Today, I am happy to say all District 3 projects I initially recommended are proceeding — and are slated to use almost all local firms and volunteers to complete them, meaning prop 40 dollars will stay local instead of flying out of the county like so many other government project dollars.

The fact that these projects are on track is a real testimonial to the drive, tenacity and smarts I can bring to county government. And when I was replaced on the Parks and Rec Commission, each non-profit I worked with on Prop 40 asked me to join them and become an officer so we could complete the work together.

Yes, I get it. The face of politics is changing with the economic crisis. Simply making it easier for business isn’t going to cut it. We need new sources of revenue for Calaveras County, and I’m NOT talking taxes. The ideas and philosophy I bring to the County will drive new forms of revenue to support all of us in the style to which we are accustomed.

Vote Mary Boblet to be your next Supervisor on your absentee ballot or at the ballot box June 8th.

No showy stunts or words, just deeds and a demonstrated commitment to getting this county out of the hole we find ourselves in.

Thank you.

One thing is clear in 2009: it’s no longer business as usual for Calaveras County’s government, businesses and communities. In fact, I think we’ve realized it will never be business as usual again. 2010 is the year District III residents will have a clear choice between a candidate mired in business as usual and a candidate with the skills and experience to guide, facilitate, and spur us on the road to recovery.

I am running for Supervisor because I believe putting an end to the economic damage we’ve suffered these last few years is our top priority. Calaveras County’s economy quite simply makes it possible for us to raise our standard of living, nurture our families and ourselves, live healthy lives, and enjoy our retirement, our hobbies and interests. It’s all interconnected and when the economy fails, we feel it everywhere.

For example, our tourist economy is wrapped up in our natural and community resources. Our physical health is wrapped up in the choices we make as individuals to exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle, the ability of small business to provide health care benefits and the number of medical establishments that provide health services in each community. When wildfire strikes in our forests, we put our public safety at risk and small business suffers. County government’s role is to critically analyze these elements, understand how they are interconnected and then find ways to eliminate the walls and roadblocks to keep everything running smoothly. It’s a tall order for Calaveras County but not impossible if you look for ways to make government processes more efficient and transparent to the rest of us.

Calaveras County can and will come out of this economic slump by tapping the full power of our assets and setting some simple, and innovative policies that benefit our economy and communities, not strangle them. As supervisor I will facilitate improvements and make the tough decisions to get our economy and our communities through the next four years. It won’t be easy — it will take steady and measured effort at reaching out to business owners, property owners, investors, and the public. It means taking the time to understand process problems and look for solutions that meet your needs. My sincerest wish is to steer Calaveras County down a road to recovery we can all live with. I am merely the facilitator working with you to reach our common goal.

Whether you live in District III or not, I want to hear your concerns and your ideas for District III and for a sustained economic recovery in Calaveras County.

I am rolling out my campaign over the next month and will be introducing myself to you in small groups and through campaign stops in each and every District 3 neighborhood.

See you soon and thanks for stopping by!