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170
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VOLUME 170 • ISSUE 130 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2021
FEMA denies individual assistance
THE BIG GAME
Eric Jaramishian Staff writer The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied El Dorado County’s request for individual assistance for victims of the Caldor Fire. The California Office of Emergency Services is in the process of appealing FEMA’s decision. Health and Human Services staff has found and is still exploring other options to help support the needs of fire victims in the event that Cal OES’s appeal also gets denied, according to HHSA Chief Assistant Director Daniel Del Monte. During a special Board of Supervisors meeting Nov. 2, Del Monte presented three alternatives currently in place and three more in development to address six individual programs normally provided by FEMA. To provide legal advocacy to low-income folks impacted by Caldor Fire devastation, the county would go through Legal Services of Northern California. Anyone looking for legal aid can call (800) 660-3458 or visit Isnc.net for more information. For individuals who lost their job or can’t work, unemployment and re-employment assistance services are offered through the state’s Employment Development Department. Affected businesses also can receive assistance. More information can be found at edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/Disaster_ Unemployment_Assistance.htm. Documentation of income will be required, Del Monte said. Health and Human Services also has an alternative for voluntary agency coordination, in which Cal OES voluntary agency liaison Valeri Mihanovich has stepped up to the plate, according to Del Monte. “She has been attending meetings, answering questions that we and other community organizations may have,” Del Monte said. “She’s been seeking resources, looking for ways we might be able to get some funding to support some of these efforts.” Voluntary agency coordination normally establishes and maintains relationships with people in all levels of government, as well as ■
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Athletes of all abilities, above, play in the El Dorado Union High School District inclusion soccer championship Friday, Oct. 29 at Ponderosa High School. After Oak Ridge and Union Mine lost in the previous week’s finals, it came down to squads from El Dorado and Ponderosa vying for the Great Pumpkin Bowl win. The game was part of Northern California Special Olympics’ Unified Sports Program. Basketball is up next for inclusion sports followed by track and field. It was congratulations for all at the end of the match, right photo. Ponderosa took the win in a very close game. Photos by Laurie Edwards
See FEMA, page A3
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SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE A9
EDH Fire moves forward with annexation
Noel Stack Managing editor
The El Dorado Hills Fire Department has taken its next step toward annexing the Rescue Fire Protection District. On a 4-1 vote the EDH Fire Board approved sending a notice of intent letter to the El Dorado Local Agency Formation Commission; LAFCO is the governing body that handles annexations, which must also be approved by the county Board of Supervisors. The RFPD Board of Directors is expected to approve its notice of intent letter at the November board meeting. The move comes more than two years
E OAKS SENIOR CARE VILLAG
after EDH Fire completed an annexation feasibility study that concluded: “Annexation of Rescue into the EDHFD would provide reciprocal benefits to both agencies. Rescue would benefit from EDHFD’s regional and specialized resources, while EDHFD would benefit from the additional Advanced Life Support Engine Company that would be staffed within Rescue’s jurisdiction. Both departments and the (residents) they serve will benefit from an increased depth of resources, operational flexibility, increased firefighter safety and improvement in the time to achieve an effective firefighting force.” The two fire departments have had a
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shared services agreement in place since 2013. EDH Fire Chief Maurice Johnson also serves as Rescue’s fire chief and the departments train together and share resources. Chief Johnson told the EDH Fire Board at its Oct. 21 meeting the county has “conceptually” agreed to financially support the annexation, committing $2.5 million to the process pending Board of Supervisors’ approval. The fire chief and county staff have also had early discussions about AB 8 rate adjustments — Rescue currently receives a smaller percentage of property tax revenue (10.5 %) than ■
See EDH Fire, page A6
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