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News Local News Barbs traded on Wagon Trail
Barbs traded on Wagon Trail
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Harsh words were exchanged Tuesday between a former alternate to Calaveras County’s top transportation panel and Supervisor Tom Tryon prior to a vote to take the latest step forward in the controversial Highway 4 “Wagon Trail” realignment.
Supervisors voted 4-0, with Supervisor Steve Wilensky abstaining, to authorize the Public Works Department to administer the environmental documentation of the project on behalf of the Calaveras Council of Governments, at an estimated cost of $1,495,258. About a year ago, the CCOG sought an opinion from the state Fair Political Practices Commission on a potential conflict of interest for Tryon. The commission determined no conflict exists unless Tryon would stand to pull in $20,000 or more annually from such a business venture. “Just about everything (Fry) said is inaccurate,” Tryon responded, adding, “Quite frankly, what George needs to do is get back on his medications.” Several members of the audience howled. “What did he say?” Fry repeatedly demanded, adding he had not heard Tryon’s remark. “Supervisor (Steve) Wilensky has the floor,” Tofanelli, the board chairman, said in an effort to reign in the heated discussion, and in deference to the Glencoe supervisor who asked to weigh in on the agenda item. “Listen to the tape, George,” Tryon said, referring to the public-access television recording of the meeting. “Don’t be a coward,” shouted Joe Kelly, a frequent Tryon critic and announced opponent of Tofanelli in the upcoming District 1 Board of Supervisors election. “If Mr. Tryon would like to repeat his words, he can. I’m not going to repeat them for him,” Tofanelli said. “Would you please let Mr. Wilensky speak?” “I don’t have a problem with Mr. Wilensky. I have a problem with you two,” Fry said to Tofanelli and Tryon. “The more personal we get, the more harmful we get to each other and the process,” Wilensky said, before asking Public Works Director Tom Garcia how property owners affected by the realignment can be assured of adequate compensation. Garcia said the impacts on landowners are examined as part of the environmental review. “Due compensation is part of the process that we go through to build a highway,” Garcia said, acknowledging that “getting a consensus around the most preferred alignment will be difficult considering there are competing interests involved.” Anita Valente, a neighboring landowner present at the meeting, said she has long been skeptical about the routing process and asked supervisors to “be vigilant that our land not be taken unless there’s money to build the road.” Valente said property owners had land taken by eminent domain near Copperopolis and Oakdale in decades past for road improvements that were never built. The “Wagon Trail” project, which involves straightening much of Highway 4 between Copperopolis and Angels Camp, ran into some hiccups last year as a tri-county memorandum of understanding with Amador and Alpine counties that would have provided much of its funding collapsed. Amador County officials backed out of the deal, similar to an earlier MOU that provided a Highway 4 bypass in Angels Camp and Highway 4 bypass in Sutter Creek. Garcia said Caltrans has recently expressed interest in having a great involvement with the environmental work, which could help mitigate some of the loss of funding that the failure to reach an MOU created. The entire project has been estimated to cost $56 million. Prior to the board’s vote, Tofanelli addressed some of Fry’s remarks. “There were statements and accusations made against myself. I don’t agree with (Tryon). I disagree with him on the alignment of this particular project ... I don’t agree with him on land use issues, that’s well documented. To accuse me of being a puppet of him, that is a gross misstatement,” Tofanelli said. “I try to protect, with all of my votes, all of the property owners that come before this board ... I take offense with some of the statements that have been said.” Later in the meeting, Fry said he may have been misinformed about Tofanelli but reiterated that he believes the others are Tryon’s “puppets.” Wilensky said he abstained because, “I need some more information on this (issue)” and later added that the flare-up between Tryon and Fry provided an awkward segue into the board’s deliberation of the annual Mental Health Advisory Board report, the item that followed on Tuesday’s docket. A further mental health-related item on the agenda, an afternoon study session on a proposal to bring a permanent supportive housing project for mental health clients to San Andreas, had to be delayed until a late February or March meeting. According to Tofanelli, the CEO for Visionary Homebuilders, of Stockton, a contractor on the project, was ill on Tuesday and could not make the presentation. At the board’s next meeting on Feb. 14, a lengthy study session on the general plan land use document is already scheduled. |
