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TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2010 Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com Reader Photos See Pages 4A, 5A RED BLUFF Tehama Medals SPORTS 1B Mostly Sunny 90/55 Weather forecast 8B DAILYNEWS TEHAMACOUNTY DAILY 50¢ T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Council split over budget flap By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer The dispute between the city’s finance director and the city manager over when the city knew it would have a $1.3 mil- lion shortfall has the City Coun- cil divided. While some council mem- bers are disappointed over the public dispute that has tran- spired, saying they would like to move on, others are quick to blame. Finance Director Margaret Van Warmerdam has said she knew the budget deficit was in the millions in March, and when she told City Manager Martin Nichols, he failed to notify the council. Nichols has said and still maintains that he was never told, and he only knew the deficit was so high in June. Councilman Jim Byrne ques- tions this. Nichols probably knew, Byrne said, but he decided not to tell the budget committee or the full council because that is Byrne, who served on the ‘If we cannot trust and rely on staff to provide us with the right info, it makes you think what else aren’t we being told’ Mayor Jeff Moyer how he likes to conduct his business. “By way of back door or through background noise, whatever you want to call it, most of the City Council knew in early February we were in trouble, so it’s hard to believe the city manager didn’t know,” he said. Kauffman concern By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer CORNING — The City Council decided Aug. 24 to hold off a deci- sion on the Kauffman building, 1302-1310 Solano St., until at least the Sept. 14 meeting when it will be brought back before the council for a decision. Mayor Gary Strack said he didn’t see a point in taking a vote only a week after the council had tied in a 2-2 vote at a spe- cial meeting. The city has been offered the chance to pur- chase the building for $1 from owners who recently received the property back in a foreclosure, but can- not afford to do anything with it. City Manager Steve Kimbrough said he has spoken personally to the owners, Mark and Sherry Ephland of Crescent City. “I know they’re not prepared to move forward in investing in the build- ing,” Kimbrough said. Three contractors inter- ested in purchasing the building to restore or demolish it have contact- ed the city, but one had already withdrawn inter- est and another is seeking liability insurance. If the city, which is liable if the building should fall whether it owns it or not, were to purchase the property it would save it from taking See CONCERN, page 7A budget committee last year, said he chose not to sit on the com- mittee again because it was pointless. Budget committee meetings were a useless waste of time because no matter what the councilmen did, the city manager would spin it his way. “The whole committee is steered by the city manager,” Byrne said. In fact, nothing at City Hall gets done without Nichols See SPLIT, page 7A Man jailed after fleeing wreck Red Bluff Police officers dispatched to area of Reeds Avenue and Armstrong Court for a traffic collision around 12:26 a.m., Sunday, were able to find and arrest the drunken driver who had fled the scene after he reported his vehicle was stolen. On the way to the scene of the collision an officer saw a black Dodge truck parked on the 500 block of South Jackson Street. The truck had moderate front end damage and the right front wheel had been sheared off underneath the truck. The driver had fled the scene leaving two adult rottweiler dogs inside the truck, according to a press release. See WRECK, page 7A Red Bluff to vote on streets project Plans to fix the down- town area streets could move forward if the Red Bluff City Council votes to put the project out for bid during its meeting tonight. Public Works Direc- tor Mark Barthel will ask the council for per- mission to solicit bids for the Downtown Street Rehabilitation project, which is estimated to be about $130,000 and is funded through a por- tion of the city’s Propo- sition 1B money. The project is one of the 10 ideas that the Red Bluff Rebound group has asked the council to consider in hopes of bolstering the local economy. Daily News photo by Tang Lor The Kauffman Building, 1302-1310 Solano St., has created a split in the Corning City Council in recent weeks.The council will revisit the issue Sept. 14. Conservation dept seeks grant proposals The Department of Conserv ation’ s Statewide Watershed Program is seeking pro- posals for $9 million in watershed coordinator grants. Funded through the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Sup- ply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Pro- tection Act of 2006, the grants will support coordination for water- shed management and local watershed improvements through- out the state for a three- year period. “These grants offer special districts, non- profit organizations and local governments a unique opportunity to facilitate collaborative efforts to improve and sustain the health of California's watersheds by supporting watershed coordinator positions,” said Brian Leahy, head of DOC’s Division of Land Resource Protec- tion. “We’ve seen improvement in areas such as water quality monitoring, ecosystem restoration, noxious weed removal, mercury reduction, erosion miti- gation plans, public out- reach, fuel break instal- lations, native plant revegetation, pollution reduction and creek 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 See GRANT, page 7A Fall Sale Sept. 10-19, 2010 1 gallon & larger plants RED BLUFF 40% off GARDEN CENTER 766 Antelope Blvd. 527-0886 COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR Smog Inspection $ 2995 + cert. (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) Pass or FREE retest 195 S. Main St. Red Bluff 530 527-9841 Other agenda items • The council will consider approving a lot split for the area that is the future home of a Holiday Inn Express. The area is between Home Depot and the former Red Bluff Ford dealership. The plan- ning commission already gave approval to the parcel divide at its Aug. 24 meeting. • Police Chief Paul Nanfito will ask the council to accept the Edward Byrne Memori- al Justice Assistance Grant in the amount of $14,269. The award will help the department pay for overtime associated with in-house training programs. • Nanfito will provide the council with a mid- year review of the police department. The council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 555 Washington St. Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon raises $58.9M LAS VEGAS (AP) — Despite the struggling economy, officials with the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon say con- tributions and pledges from this year’s Labor Day event totaled $58.9 million. While the amount was down from $60.5 million last year and a record $65 million in 2008, Lewis said he was pleased with the support to advance the research and service pro- grams of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. ‘‘I’m heartened by the unique abil- ity of Americans to help others in need, when they themselves are like- ly struggling financially,’’ said Lewis, national chairman of the Tucson, Ariz.-based MDA. The 45th annual telethon originat- ed for the fifth consecutive year from the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas and reached some 40 million viewers through 170 television stations. Dozens of performers joined the 21 1/2-hour event, including Barry Manilow, Michael Feinstein, Mau- reen McGovern, Charo, Carrot Top and Norm Crosby. Telethon co-hosts included Jann Carl, Alison Sweeney and Nancy O’Dell. ‘‘I think it ($58.9 million) is a huge amount for a tough economy,’’ Carl told The Associated Press. ‘‘This is what brings tears to our eyes. It shows the heart of America. We’re terribly humbled and so grateful.’’ For the first time, a child — MDA National Goodwill Ambassador Abbey Umali, 11, of Redlands, Calif. — opened the telethon Sunday after- noon. She performed two songs, including ‘‘Ordinary Miracle,’’ which drew a rousing audience response. Lewis said the funds will allow the MDA to continue funding worldwide research to find treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy and related diseases. ‘‘People see the progress MDA is making for children and adults liv- ing with muscle diseases,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m truly grateful for their caring enough to brighten the future for ’my kids.’’’ Lewis, 84, ended the telethon with the traditional singing of his signature song, ‘‘You’ll Never Walk Alone.’’ Red Bluff Daily News Saturday delivery will be late due to the football coverage. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you. D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY ARTHRITIS, AND POST SURGERY. DR. 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