City of Placerville Government News Digest

The city of Placerville is looking for ways to attract more visitors. Councilmember John Clerici came up with the idea to transform the Bell Tower Plaza, located on Historic Main Street, into a wedding venue.

A June 27 decision by the Placerville City Council will begin the process of formalizing the Trip to Green project, an effort to mitigate congestion caused by Highway 50 stop lights.

Lions Park in Placerville will soon be the home of four brand-new pickleball courts following a decision by the Placerville City Council.

Placerville community projects will soon see an influx of nearly $100,000, courtesy of the coin contributed to the city’s coffers by cannabis companies. The Placerville City Council approved a list of projects selected to receive funds from the Cannabis Community Benefit Tax.

Placerville’s landmark redwood, at the intersection of Bedford Avenue and Main Street, will have to sit out its traditional role as the city’s Christmas tree this year, the City Council decided.

The coastal redwood that towers 95 feet over Main Street and has become deeply rooted in Placerville’s history may have to face the axe as one of three options City Council will consider after the tree was damaged over winter.

The Placerville City Council saw a significant turnout of farmers, merchants and locals looking to speak about the decision to move the Wednesday night farmers market away from the Bell Tower. Parking, safety, finances and communication were the main themes, with suggested solutions and counterpoints coming from both sides.

Tourism from Reno may be a lucrative and as-yet untapped market for the city of Placerville, according to information presented to City Council.

Following an unanticipated disruption to the project, Placerville City Council approved a resolution that will allow the Clay Street Bridge replacement to move along.

The Placerville City Council decided to hold an additional public meeting regarding the Main Street Farmers Market, a month after voting to relocate the event to the Mooney Lot.

The Placerville City Council approved a resolution that will direct $1.9 million toward the Broadway Sidewalks Project, intended to ease walkability by closing gaps in sidewalks.

Along with several other counties, El Dorado governments, some nonprofits and houses of worship can apply for funding from FEMA’s public assistance program due to impacts from severe winter storms.

Early planning stages on the Trip to Green project have begun following the 2022 pilot program. A city workshop shared data collected from the test sessions and presented concepts for where to go next.

The city is looking to fill 15 seats on various committees and commissions, including the Planning Commission and the Placerville Economic Advisory Committee.

After years of struggling to find solutions to congestion issues during high-traffic periods along Highway 50 in Placerville, the Trip to Green program was initiated in fall 2022.

After 16 years on Placerville City Council Patty Borelli is retiring from city politics but not from serving her community.  When it came down to it, her decision not to run for re-election was about family.

The temporary inclement weather shelter in Scout Hall at Placerville's Benham Park received praise from locals and the support of the Placerville City Council despite some concerns about its location.

Outgoing Mayor Kara Taylor delivered a State of the City address prior to stepping down from the Placerville City Council. “It's been a wild ride, these past four years," she began.

Kara Taylor, Dennis Thomas and Patty Borelli ended their Placerville City Council terms and Placerville welcomed incoming members John Clerici, Nicole Gotberg and David Yarbrough.

The Placerville City Council unanimously approved replacement of the Placerville Drive bridge over Hangtown Creek at an estimated cost of $10,423,800. The project is fully funded through the federal Highway Bridge Program.

The Placerville City Council approved moving forward on a $430,000 sewer main replacement on Hocking Street. The failing lines have been subject to overflows, blockages and other issues.

Two candidates in close contention for the last of three open seats on the Placerville City Council have swapped the leading vote count a fourth time. Newcomer to David Yarbrough is now ahead of incumbent Dennis Thomas by 69 votes.

Newly hired deputy Allahno Dean Hughes, 35, was confronted by fellow officers during a call; CHP breathalyzer revealed Hughes' blood alcohol level at O.13 percent.

In the Placerville City Council race, a Nov. 10 update from the El Dorado County Elections Department showed incumbent Dennis Thomas regaining a lead over newcomer David Yarbrough by nine votes. Ballots continue to be counted and the next update is expected at 5 p.m. Nov. 15.

The only candidate to so far break 1,000 votes in a contest to be elected to the Placerville City Council was Nicole Gotberg. “I am excited and looking forward to serving the residents of Placerville,” Gotberg said.

Eight hopefuls are eyeing the three open Placerville City Council seats that will be filled in the Nov. 8 election. An Oct. 5 candidate forum at Town Hall opened with introductions. Candidate Duncan Allen was not in attendance.

The Placerville Police Department has a new strategy: the crime reduction team. The team consists of one officer, detective and sergeant who are not uniformed. The officers specialize in “vandalism, burglaries, things like that affect quality of life,” said Commander Dan Maciel.

The Placerville City Council has established a grant funding program for nonprofits, and groups can apply for up to $1,000. These Community Promotions Grants will focus on projects that support historic preservation of Placerville, tourism or town beautification.

Placer County and the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors partnered for the second year in a row to provide a nomadic winter housing program. Operations expanded beyond last year’s 90 days, and the number of filled beds doubled.

Placerville has presented its 2022-2023 city budget, which shows a predicted increase in revenue to be used for staffing, capital improvement projects, and vegetation management. During the fourth quarter of 2021, there was a 7.3% increase in sales tax and a dip in online sales as people began to return to in-person shopping.