I N E L D O R A D O H I L L S n DECEMBER 29, 2021
Santa’s helpers FEE REFUNDS
Christmas joy comes in the form of a check Noel Stack Managing Editor Property owners who paid the public safety facility fee on El Dorado County’s western end finally have received their refunds. In mid-December the El Dorado County AuditorController’s Office issued 1,800 refund checks as authorized by the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors earlier this year. Most of the checks are for around $230. Auditor-Controller Joe Harn and Sheriff John D’Agostini had requested that the fees be refunded in 2015 — they were charged to new devel“The homeowners got opment to fund a substation in El Dorado their money back. That Hills but that plan was is how it is supposed scrapped in favor of a new public safety facilto work.” ity in Placerville — however, Harn noted, — EDC Auditor-Controller Joe Harn it was a long and winding road to get board approval to actually refund the fees. This fee refund could be the first of several for county residents. The public safety facility fee is one of many impact fees included in the Austin vs. El Dorado County case still in litigation. In 2015 the Austins sued the county and a few special districts, alleging that the agencies violated California’s Mitigation Fee Act because they didn’t complete nexus studies on a timely basis as required by law yet continued to collect the fees. Harn informed the Board of Supervisors in writing in 2013, 2014 and 2015 of violations of the law in the levying of these building permit fees. In February of 2015 Harn and D’Agostini asked the county to stop collecting fees for a public safety facility in El Dorado Hills because the county had no plans to build such a facility and because the California Mitigation Fee Act had been violated. They also asked at that time that the fees collected be refunded. Early this year Supervisors Lori Parlin (District 4) and George Turnboo (District 2), along with Harn and D’Agostini, authored an agenda item seeking the Board of Supervisors’ authorization to send out refunds.
Courtesy photo
Shriners and Jay’s Toy Drive volunteers pose with EDH firefighters and the bikes collected during this year’s EDH Fire Santa Run. The bikes and many toys went to children served by the Northern California Shriners Hospital.
EDH Fire Department supports Jay’s Toy Drive, Shriners’ patients News release This year the El Dorado Hills Fire Department dedicated its annual, community-wide Santa Run to Jay’s Toy Drive and the Northern California Shriners Hospital. Thanks to community donations, many patients and their families had a happy Christmas morning. The family and friends of a beloved Elk Grove man who died of cancer in 2020 are keeping his memory alive by fulfilling his final wish of collecting thousands of toys for patients at Shriners Hospitals for Children – Northern California. El Dorado Hills Fire Department was able to contribute thousands of toys. “This is a beautiful way for all of us to keep Jay’s spirit alive,” said Jacob Cummings, Jay’s good friend and Ben Ali Shriner. “He would be so proud of the community support for this project.” The Cummings family and friends have helped organize Jay’s Toy Drive for the past two years. When Jay was diagnosed with cancer, Cummings asked him what he wanted his legacy to be —
something that friends and family could do to keep him in their memory and pay it forward to others in need. “He wanted to give back to kids at Shriners Hospital,” said Cummings. “This toy drive will give so many patients a happy Christmas morning, even though they are in the hospital.” The toys collected from Jay’s Toy Drive bring Christmas joy and also help replenish the inventory of toys and activities for a hospital that sees nearly 30,000 outpatient visits each year. “Toys and games help to provide our patients comfort and meaningful rewards during treatment,” said Shriners Director of Development Alan Anderson. “This donation of toys supports a big part of the Northern California Shriners Hospital Patient Experience year-round.” Jay died of stage four pancreatic cancer in 2020 and was able to participate in the very first toy drive. Since his death, two toy drives have helped collect hundreds of toys for patients at Shriners n
See DONATION, page A3
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See REFUNDS, page A3
Congressional redistricting:
El Dorado County now split in two Village Life staff SACRAMENTO — The 2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission has approved final maps for the state’s congressional districts. The new district lines were revealed last week, showing, as draft maps reflected, that El Dorado County will no longer entirely be in Congressional District 4 but divided between Districts 3 and 5. District 3 will stretch from Warner Valley in Plumas County to the north, through Nevada and Placer counties and much of eastern El Dorado County, including the Tahoe Basin, and down to Inyo County on its southernmost edge. District 5’s north end appears to be just above
Courtesy map
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See DISTRICTS, page A3
Redrawn congressional district lines divide El Dorado County between Districts 3 (light pink) and District 5 (light yellow).
INSIDE NEWS VOL. 28
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