Overheard

"The developers of Gold Rush Ranch are doing nothing more than providing a small building site within the project. They have refused to build a fire station as requested. The future residents of Gold Rush Ranch will pay only the county-mandated fire impact fee. This fee will not be enough to build a fire station or provide paid personnel. Sutter Creek Fire will remain a primarily volunteer Fire Department, with or without Gold Rush Ranch."
- Gary Sherrill, 45-year member of the Sutter Creek Fire Department (20+ years as Fire Chief), Retired

"The developers of Gold Rush Ranch have made many promises of benefits to the citizens of Sutter Creek. I am not confident with their sincerity to keep these promises. I also question our town’s ability and political will to enforce these promises. Gold Rush Ranch will be the financial ruin of the city I spent my life protecting."
- Robert (Bud) Bugni, 30+ year City of Sutter Creek Chief of Police, Retired

The Impact on Public Services

Gold Rush will tell you that their project will support and expand public services. However, they are only donating land for a new fire station, library and school -- not building the facilities. Amador County must come up with the money to build the facilities that will be urgently needed once Gold Rush brings 3000 more people to Sutter Creek.

Many of our public officials have expressed concern over these problems (see box at right). Why would you believe Gold Rush's rosy scenario over the warnings of our own hard-working public servants? Careful inspection of the facts shows that this project's impacts on our public services are not being mitigated, and our residents will suffer a decline in quality of life because of the added demand:

Remember that COUNTY services will also be impacted, including sheriff, public works, coroner's office, animal control, public defender, etc.
Read the comment letter from the County about the impact of Gold Rush on their ability to provide public services.