Tuolumne County Profile e x e c ut i v e s u m m a ry
2008
Community Indicators Project Health & Safety • Education & Learning • Natural Resources & Recreation • Economy & Infrastructure • Arts & Heritage www.TuolumneCoun t y P r o f i l e . o r g
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Recreation Facilities On Private, City & Tuolumne County Lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Health & Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Wildlife – Deer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Preventive Health Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Wildlife – Winter Bird Count . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Prenatal & Infant Health Care . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Forest Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Causes Of Illness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Wildland Fire Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Causes Of Death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Renewable Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Access To Health Care Professionals . . . . . . . . 14 Access To Health Care Resources . . . . . . . . . . 15
Economy & Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Use Of Alcohol & Other Drugs. . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Retail Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Mental Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Business/Industry Diversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Elder & Dependent Adult Abuse . . . . . . . . . . 18
Income & Employment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Child Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Motor Vehicle Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Public Land Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Safety – Crime Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Private Land Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Safety – Juvenile Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Fire & Medical Emergency Response. . . . . . . . 23
Infrastructure – Utilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Education & Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Early Childhood Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Quality Of Basic Education – Test Scores . . . . 26
Arts & Heritage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Quality Of Basic Education – High School
Financial Support For The Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Students Seeking Higher Education . . . . . . . . 27
Arts Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Education Of Adults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Performing Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Reading Habits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Visual Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Heritage & Its Impact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Natural Resources & Recreation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Heritage Assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Air Quality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Drinking Water Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Watershed Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Recreation Use On Public Lands. . . . . . . . . . . 34
Phone Survey 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
www.TuolumneCountyPr o f i l e . o r g
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EDUCATION & LEARNING INTRODUCTION Why is this important? Quality education, from pre-school through college and beyond, remains a central concern throughout the community. Educational opportunity and a wide variety of programs help fuel a more accomplished workforce, an increasingly diverse economy, and a stronger commitment to the many civic and volunteer activities that sustain our quality of life.
Education & Learning
What is the measure? The needs of early childhood education are measured in terms of access to licensed childcare spaces in childcare centers and family care homes, along with a snapshot of kindergarten enrollment figures. From kindergarten through community college, data are readily available regarding standardized test scores, college entrance exams, and the offerings and levels of enrollment in a wide variety of adult education programs. In addition to formal educational opportunities, our literacy rate can be measured by evaluating the reading habits nourished by our county libraries.
How are we doing? The overall trends in education continue to improve at all levels, although a changing population has led to some problematic gaps. We also see a disturbing trend of declining public school enrollment from kindergarten through high school. Although the number of children potentially needing childcare decreased slightly over the past three years, the number of available childcare spaces increased substantially. While this uptick in supply helps working parents overall, the data show that worrisome shortages remain as to some locations and preferences. Data regarding the county’s high school students confirm that while tenth graders continue to increase their math scores on the California High School Exit Exam, their English/Language Arts scores have remained virtually unchanged. Additionally, the percentage of high school students taking the most popular college entrance exam, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), steadily increased although the percentage of test takers remained below the state average. The depth and breadth of adult education offerings continue to expand to meet the demand from people interested in lifelong learning. At Columbia College, the local community college, enrollment significantly increased in both credit/no credit courses and community education selections. Reflecting changing demographics, new adult English language learners have enjoyed a more than tenfold increase in classes teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). County residents of all ages exhibit growing reading activity through increasing use of local libraries, despite limited growth in the number of books available.
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Early Childhood Education Why Is This Important? Child care is vital for the growth and development of children and its contributions to our economy. A child’s experience in his or her early years influences future mental development, social adaptation, school readiness, and academic performance. A high quality early education experience is linked to a greater likelihood of children completing high school and a decreased likelihood of repeating a grade or being charged in juvenile court.17, 18
How are we doing? The complexion of child care in Tuolumne County dramatically changed in three years. New child care centers opened, an unprecedented number of family child care homes closed, and the total number of children ages birth to 13 decreased. These changes reduced the gap between the supply of and demand for childcare, most importantly for infant care. However, parents still have location, schedule and preference needs that do not match the increased supply. For example, the availability of weekend and night care decreased with the loss of family child care providers. Since 2005, the number of four-year olds attending some form of school-readiness/preschool program increased by 12%. However, kindergarten enrollment continues to decline.
(Demand, Supply and Gaps in Licensed Care) 2005
2006
2007
Number of Available Child Care Spaces, by ages served* Under 2 years of age
152
142
179
2-4 years of age
624
633
688
5-13 years of age
625
707
715
Total child care spaces
1,401
1,482
1,582
Estimate of Spaces Demanded, by ages* Under 2 years of age
255
250
247
2-4 years of age
518
508
498
5-13 years of age
974
955
936
Total children needing care
1,747
1,713
1,681
-108
-68
Education & Learning
What is the measure? The child care data presented here are compiled from the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network’s Child Care Portfolio.19 The data offer a picture of the supply, demand and gaps in the child care supply in our county between 2005 and 2007.
Tuolumne County Licensed Child Care Needs
Gaps in Supply (negative number indicates shortage) Under 2 years of age
-103
2-4 years of age
106
125
190
5-13 years of age
-349
-248
-221
Total Gap in Supply
-346
-231
-99
Number of Child Care Facilities, by type Number of Child Care Centers
26
26
29
Number of Family Child Care Homes
55
46
40
*For the purposes of this report, childcare spaces include; total number of spaces in licensed centers, family child care homes and license-exempt centers **The estimate of spaces demanded is based on national utilization patterns for licensed care applied to the number of children with both parents or single head of household in labor force Source(s): www.rrnetwork.org, Infant/Child Enrichment Services Referral Files, Tuolumne County Local Child Care Planning Council 2005-07 Needs Assessments, Who’s Minding the Kids? Child Care Arrangements: Spring 2005 Tuolumne County Kindergarten Enrollment
Tuolumne County Kindergarten Enrollment 520
509
500 480
462
460 440
462
420
402
400 380
2004
2005
2006
2007
Source(s): http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/
Arthur J. Reynolds, J.A. Temple, D.L. Robertson, et. al., A 15-Year Follow-up of Low-income Children in Public Schools, Madison Wisconsin: Chicago Longitudinal Study, University of Wisconsin, 2000. 18 www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/childcare.html 19 http://www.rrnetwork.org/welcome/index.html 17
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Quality Of Basic Education Test Scores Percent of 10th Grade Students Passing the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) Math
English/Language Arts
2005
2006
2007
2005
2006
2007
Tuolumne
78%
87%
84%
90%
90%
89%
Calaveras
81%
80%
81%
82%
83%
87%
Amador
73%
80%
83%
81%
84%
83%
California
74%
76%
76%
76%
77%
77%
Education & Learning
Source http://cahsee.cde.ca.gov
Schools Reaching Academic Performance Test Targets Number and Percent of Schools Exceeding API Goal of 800 # Schools*
2005
2006
2007
16
6 (38%)
7 (34%)
5 (31%)
Calaveras
11
4 (36%)
3 (27%)
3 (27%)
Amador
10
3 (30%)
2 (20%)
3 (30%)
California
—
27%
30%
31%
Tuolumne
Source(s): http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/ Academic Accounting Unit at the CA Dept. of Education, 916.310.0397 * All schools report. However, not all schools are included in the report. Schools that the state considers to have “non-valid scores” and thus are not in the report, meet one of 3 criteria: (1) small schools with fewer than 100 students, (2) special education-only schools, and (3) schools flagged with questionable data.
Why is this important? Educational performance affects the potential for economic success, health and safety of our community. Comparing the progress of our schools and students to other parts of the state helps to keep our local schools competitive and responsive to our students and the community. What is the measure? The California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) is a requirement for receiving a high school diploma. The English section requires a score of 60% to pass; the mathematics requires a score of 55% to pass. The Academic Progress Index (API) scores compare how well students in grades 2 through 12 in our schools are doing compared to other schools in the state. API scores range from a low of 200 to a high of 1,000. California set a performance target of 800 for all schools. The state minimum requirement is 594.
How are we doing? The percentage of tenth grade students in Tuolumne County passing the math portion of the CAHSEE exam increased from 2005; the percentage of tenth grade students passing the English portion of the exam decreased slightly from 2005. A higher percentage of Tuolumne County tenth grade students passed both sections of the exam than students in nearby foothill counties, or the state. In 2007, five of the sixteen schools in Tuolumne County with API scores, exceeded the target of 800, and all but one scored better than the minimum of 594.
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Quality Of Basic Education High School Students Seeking Higher Education
What is the measure? The SAT is the most widely required 4-year college/ university exam for admission and scholarship eligibility. The three-hour exam consists of sections measuring verbal (reading comprehension and vocabulary), mathematical and writing skills. Scores range from 200 to 800 in each section with the average score approximately 500 for each section. How are we doing? Over the past three years, the percentage of Tuolumne County high school students taking the SAT rose gradually. However, a gap still exists between the county and the state. This may indicate that some students, by not taking the test, could be limiting their choices about future careers.
Students Taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) Grade 12 Enrollment
2004/2005
2005/2006
2006/2007
567
585
636
# Test Takers - Tuolumne
135
152
173
% Test Takers -Tuolumne
23.8%
25.9%
27.2%
% Test Takers - California
35.7%
36.7%
36.9%
Average Verbal Score - Tuolumne
554
528
530
Average Verbal Score - California
N/A
495
493
Average Math Score - Tuolumne
537
519
506
Average Math Score California
N/A
516
513
Average Writing Score - Tuolumne
N/A
523
519
Average Writing Score - California
N/A
495
491
# Meeting Criteria - Tuolumne*
101
95
98
% Meeting Criteria - Tuolumne *
17.8%
16.2%
15.4%
% Meeting Criteria - California*
19.4%
17.5%
17.0%
Education & Learning
Why is this important? The percentage of high school students scoring above average on college entrance exams and aspiring to higher education is important to Tuolumne County residents. Young people with a post-secondary education perform better in today’s competitive environment of knowledge-based, high technology industries. Taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the standard college entrance exam, measures educational aspiration. Low literacy skills are linked to many social ills such as increased health care costs and increased crime.20
* Criteria for California State University and the University of California admission changed in 2005/2006 from >1000 to >1500 combined scores Source(s): California Department of Education Data Quest http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/ http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/page2.asp?level=County&subject=SAT&submit1=Submit
Students in Tuolumne County continue to score higher than state averages in verbal and writing; but in 200607 fell below the state average in mathematics.
20
http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/facts/health.html#medicare
www.TuolumneCountyPr o f i l e . o r g
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NATURAL RESOURCES & RECREATION INTRODUCTION Why is this important? Many people live in Tuolumne County because they enjoy nature and forests. From the foothills to the mountain crest zone, the county is a magnet drawing outdoor enthusiasts. Walking, hiking, biking, skiing, fishing, and boating are examples of uses of our public lands that many people consider essential to their quality of life. Additionally, the use of public and private lands creates various business and recreational opportunities that are important to the local economy. For example, forest-related jobs and activities help to form the cultural identity of this county and a portion of its economic base.
Resources & Recreation
What is the measure? Human life is sustained by a flow of goods and services from the environment. Natural resource industries play a vital economic function, especially in the local rural economy. These include but are not limited to water, food, forest products, and recreation. You will find in this section specific natural resources and recreation indicators that establish baseline data on economic and quality of life issues.
How are we doing? The county is in the process of carrying out a grant-funded project to determine water quality in several local tributaries (streams and creeks) of the Stanislaus and Tuolumne River watersheds. It is hoped that the project will lead to policy and/or operational infrastructure that will enhance the quality of water in those tributaries. Agricultural products, forest products, minerals, energy, and recreational opportunities are key commodities and uses associated with our public and private lands, and natural resources. Utilization can deplete or degrade natural resources, or sustain and improve them when managed properly. Future human well-being depends on the development of technologies, institutions, polices, and lifestyles that use natural resources in sustainable ways. Highlights of some of the most important findings regarding Natural Resources and Recreation include: • The Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD), our largest water company, determined that the district has an adequate sustainable water supply for many years to come • Based on the current water quality standards and using the two largest water suppliers’ tests, our drinking water is essentially safe and pollutant free • Our upland watershed quality is generally free of contaminants and very high quality. However, the watershed quality is diminished as the water flows downhill through the populated areas. • Most days each year we meet state air quality standards • Residents and millions of visitors have access to public lands in Tuolumne County to ski, hike, fish, hunt, boat, ride horses, observe plants and wildlife, camp, and mountain climb • We have a wide variety of recreation opportunities available for children and adults such as golf, tennis, ice skating, soccer, swimming, and more than seventeen hundred miles of various pedestrian and equestrian trails. • We are working diligently to assure that we have healthy, fire-resistant forests • We have adequate emergency preparations in place for natural disasters like wildfires • The wild bird counts and migratory deer studies indicate fairly steady populations
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Air Quality Why is this important? Ozone in the upper atmosphere is necessary for our survival. Chemicals from car exhaust and some industries can react with sunlight to produce ground level ozone and smog, which are harmful to health. Severe smog can cause acute symptoms, such as shortness of breath and throat irritation. Even at lower levels, smog aggravates asthma and breathing problems, and slows plant growth. What is the measure? The charts summarize progress made toward meeting state ambient air quality standards.
100
96
90 80 70 60 50
60
54
44
40 30
25
20
17
20
10 0
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Source(s): http://www.arb.ca.gov/adam/cgi-bin/db2www/adamtop4b.d2w/start http://www.arb.ca.gov/adam/php_files/aqdphp/sc8start.php http://www.arb.ca.gov/adam/php_files/aqdphp/sc8display.php
Resources & Recreation
How are we doing? In May 2006, a new, more restrictive state 8-hour ozone standard was adopted. This standard, set at 0.07 ppm (parts per million), is intended to provide further protection for the public. Regulations require that all air districts attain these new standards at the earliest practical date.
Days Tuolumne County Exceeded the New California 8-hour Ozone Standard
Note: In 2006, the state standards changed from a 1 hour to an 8 hour measure, with the acceptable ozone concentration changing from .09 parts per million (ppm) to .07 ppm 2007 data is preliminary and subject to change
However, the county is classified as “nonattainment” for this standard because we emit only a small percentage of the total emissions affecting our air quality. Pollutants generated and rising from the Central Valley are a critical factor in the county’s failure to meet the standards, and one over which we have no control. The state recognizes this by designating Tuolumne County as an Overwhelming Transport Area (see note at bottom of page), which does not require any regulatory action being implemented. Another challenge is balancing air quality goals with the need to reduce wildfire risks through prescribed burning. Short-term exposure to smoke from prescribed burns is one of the trade-offs for reducing flammable forest fuels that could otherwise create extremely high levels of pollution from wildfires.
Note: Criteria For Assessing Whether an Ozone Nonattainment Area is Affected by Overwhelming Transport: Rural areas that demonstrate that transport of ozone and/or precursors into the area is so overwhelming that the contribution of local emissions to observed 8-hour ozone concentration above the level of the NAAQS is relatively minor and that emissions within the area do not significantly contribute to ozone concentrations measured in other areas (40 CFR 51.904). A rural area that is effected by ozone carried in from another area may be classified as an “Overwhelming Transport Area.” www.TuolumneCountyPr o f i l e . o r g
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Drinking Water Quality Why is this important? High quality drinking water is essential to human health. Contaminated drinking water can cause disease, birth defects, infant mortality, and increased cancer rates.
Selected Water Treatment Companies Meeting All Water Treatment Standards TUD
GCSD
2004
Yes
No
2005
Yes
No
2006
Yes
No
2007
Yes
No
Resources & Recreation
Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) TTHM
Avg
MCL
Lead
Avg
AL
2004
Yes
42.1
80
Yes
6
15
2005
Yes
62.1
80
-
-
15
2006
Yes
38.3
80
-
-
15
2007
Yes
56.2
80
Yes
2.5
15
Groveland Community Services District (GCSD) TTHM
Avg
MCL
Lead
Avg
AL
2004
No
116.3
80
Yes
6.8
15
2005
No
149.5
80
Yes
3.0
15
2006
No
177.6
80
-
-
15
2007
No
95.9
80
Yes
5.9
15
Source(s): TUD (Sonora/Jamestown System) and GCSD annual drinking water reports. Detailed evaluation of the TUD and GCSD drinking water is available on their respective websites: www.tudwater.com/quality.pdf and www.gcsd.org/documents/2006CCR.pdf MCL = maximum contamination levels. Ideally, the level of the chemical should be less than this number. AL = Action Level. Level at which drinking water must be cut off. Note: For Trihalomethane (TTHM) prior to 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Maximum Contamination Level (MCL) was 100 ppb (parts per billion). In 2004, it changed to 80 ppb as did the reporting methods. Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) are a byproduct of chlorinating water that contains natural organics. The EPA discovered that TTHM are present in virtually all chlorinated water supplies. Many years ago the EPA required large towns and cities to reduce TTHM levels in potable water. However, recent changes in national drinking water quality standards now require that water treatment systems of smaller towns begin to reduce TTHM. TTHM do not pose a high health risk compared to waterborne diseases, but they are among the most important water quality issues to be addressed in the U.S. water supply.
Ninety-five percent of our drinking water originates from local surface water sources including rivers, lakes, streams, reservoirs and springs. Most of this water is transported to publicly operated water treatment plants through a man-made earthen ditch system. Five percent of the drinking water is pumped from groundwater wells.
What is the measure? Drinking water quality is measured by levels of biological and chemical contaminants as reported by the two major water purveyors in Tuolumne County. Maximum Contaminate Levels (MCL), which are limits of biological and chemical contaminants allowed in drinking water, are established and monitored by California and the federal government. Local water purveyors regularly monitor and report water-sampling results for compliance with the MCLs. How are we doing? Water sampling test results reveal that our drinking water is essentially contaminant free and meets the MCL for all current primary drinking water standards. In 2007, water delivered by the Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) met drinking water standards for all tested contaminates except for iron and manganese, which are considered secondary (non-health related) standards by the state. Groveland Community Services District (GCSD) met all standards in 2007 except for total trihalomethanes (TTHM) and haloacetic acids, which are byproducts of the use of chlorine in drinking water treatment. GCSD upgraded its water treatment plants in 2007, to help meet the state MCL for these contaminants.
Lead Action Level (AL) is 15 ppb. Lead is measured using lead/copper samples taken at individual homes, and testing is required every 3 years
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Wildlife – Winter Bird Count Why is this important? Bird populations are indicators of the complexity and general biological health of our local ecosystem. Numerous species are adapted to particular areas and habitats. If an area becomes less suited for a species, the number will decrease; if more suited, numbers will increase.
How are we doing? The annual count shows a variation of 1,000 to 2,000 each year from The Central Sierra Audubon Chapter long-term database on nearly 20,000 birds counted in one day. The average for the last five years is 19,565 birds. This information suggests relative stability in bird populations. The total eagle counts from Lake Don Pedro show change from year to year. Some of this variation is due to sampling problems from counting birds in small populations. We are witness to Bald Eagles recovering from near extinction as they repopulate our region.
www.TuolumneCountyPr o f i l e . o r g
26,000
24,816
24,000 22,000 20,000
21,964
18,000
19,250
16,000
18,950
18,750 16,057
14,000 12,000 10,000
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Source(s): http://www.centralsierraaudubon.org/
Tuolumne County Eagle and Osprey Count – January 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Ospreys Immature Eagles Golden Eagles Bald Eagles
2003 3 2 10 20
2004 1 0 7 34
2005 3 0 4 10
2006 6 4 4 29
2007 3 1 5 17
2008 6 0 4 18
Source(s):http://www.centralsierraaudubon.org/
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Resources & Recreation
What is the measure? Audubon Society chapters annually conduct a winter bird count. Teams of birdwatchers select the same date, as near as possible, and survey the same locations each year to tally the types of species and numbers. The total bird count reflects on both local and regional habitats as most species do have some form of migration. Birds will migrate either up or down the Sierra slope, and some migrate long distances to other regions of the Western Hemisphere. The survey is not an exact count of every bird, but it is a sampling procedure of bird populations.
Tuolumne County Total Bird Count – December
2005 PHONE SURVEY RATINGS of the most important aspects of the local quality of life The Tuolumne County Profile Committee members used the Community Phone Survey as a guide in choosing which indicators to measure. We tried to address as many of the top scoring aspects as possible. Occasionally, we could not find a valid, available, and understandable means to measure something. The committee continues to work on ways to measure the most important aspects of the local quality of life that we were unable to quantify.
Items Listed in Order of Highest Priority
www.TuolumneCountyPr o f i l e . o r g
6.7 6.7 6.6 6.6 6.6 6.5 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.3
Phone Survey Ratings
Having clean water to drink Feeling safe in your neighborhood and around your home Having low rates of violent crime Having clean air to breathe Having a high percentage of adults who are able to read Having clean water in local lakes, rivers, and streams Having high rates of immunization for children Having an adequate supply of water for households, farms, and ranches Having a low high school dropout rate Having low rates of child abuse Having adults actively involved with reading to their children or helping them with homework Having low rates of crime motivated by racial, religious, or other types of bias Having low rates of property crimes, like car theft or burglary Having access to health care professionals who are willing to accept patients, including seniors, for ongoing health care Having high rates of voter participation in local elections Having adequate emergency preparations in place for natural disasters like wildfires Having a high proportion of local high school graduates attend vocational school, alternative education, or college Having healthy, fire-resistant forests Having low rates of sexually transmitted diseases Having low rates of motor vehicle accidents Having a low unemployment rate Having enough after-school and extracurricular activities available for students Having low rates of substance abuse Having a low poverty rate Having affordable utilities, like water, power, and phone service Having good scores on math and reading tests for local students Having healthy wildlife populations Having local students receive high average scores on college entrance examinations Having active participation from local residents in volunteer activities
Mean Score out of a High Score of 7
6.2 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.1 6.1 6.1 6.1 6.1 6.1 6.1
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2005 PHONE SURVEY RATINGS
(Continued)
Phone Survey Ratings
Items Listed in Order of Highest Priority
Mean Score out of a High Score of 7
Having local jobs that are attractive enough that residents do not leave the county to work
6.0
Having low rates of childhood obesity Having low rates of depression Having a good variety of performing arts, like music, dance, or theater, in the community Having additional education and training programs available for adults Having many local residents undergo preventive health screening, like mammograms or cholesterol tests Having well-maintained roads and highways Having recreation programs available for children and adults Having low rates of on-the-job injuries Having adequate health insurance coverage for local residents Keeping farm and ranchland in agricultural use Having a diverse range of different kinds of businesses in the county Having a good variety of retail shops and services so that residents will spend their money in the county rather than elsewhere Having high rates of homeownership Having a large number of children under age 5 enrolled in pre-school Having adequate and affordable child care available for parents who need it Ensuring that residents have adequate access to public lands Having enough protected open space Having adequate access to psychiatric health services Having an adequate amount of tourism to support the local economy Having enough historical areas and museums for residents to visit Having enough trails for hiking, biking, walking, horseback riding, and jogging Having enough local parks, recreation fields, and playgrounds Having recreation facilities that are accessible for seniors and disabled persons Having adequate fish in local rivers and lakes The availability of communications services for residents, like high-speed Internet service or cable TV Having affordable rental properties Having a high average household income Having local residents actively participate in outdoor activities Increasing the use of renewable energy, such as solar power Having a good variety of visual arts exhibitions, like painting or sculpture, available for the public Having adequate access to bus service and public transportation Having adequate community facilities for gatherings and meetings
6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0
* **
6.0 6.0 6.0 5.9 5.9 5.9 5 .9 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.6 5.6 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.1 5.1
Not quantified, but described in text Not quantified nor addressed in text. We were unable to find valid data on the subject.
The complete survey is found on the CDs and online.
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INDEX A Abandonment . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Academic Progress Index (API) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Access To Health Care Professionals . . . . . . . . 14 Access To Health Care Resources . . . . . . . . . . 15 Accident Prevention . . . . . . . 11 Addiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Adult Education Enrollment 28 Affordable Housing . . . . . . . 48 Airports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Air Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Alcohol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Alcohol & Other Drugs . . . . 16 Ambulance Service . . . . . . . . 23 Arrests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Art Association Membership 56 Art Galleries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Arts & Heritage . . . . . . . . . . 52 Arts-related Classes . . . . . . . 54 Arts Education . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Assault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, 22 Asthma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
www.TuolumneCountyPr o f i l e . o r g
11 37 54 16 50 40 37 11 11
51 58 22 42 43
C Cable Television . . . . . . . . . . 51 California Child Care Resource & Referral Network . . . . 25 California High School Exit Exam . . . . . . . 24, 26 Call Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Cancers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Casino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Casinos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Causes Of Death . . . . . . . . . . 13 Causes Of Illness . . . . . . . . . . 12 Cellular Technology . . . . . . . 51 Child Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Child Abuse/neglect Investigations . . . . . . . 19 Child Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Child Care Facilities . . . . . . . 25 Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Chlamydia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Chlorine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Chronic Pain . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Clinical Psychologists . . . . . . 14 Coliform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 College Enrollment . . . . . . . 28 Colon Cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Communications . . . . . . . . . 51 Congestive Heart Failure 15 Conservatorships . . . . . . . . . . 17
Contaminants . . . . . . . . . . . . Crime Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cultural Events/facilities Cultural Resources Surveys
32 21 55 58
D Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Deer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Defensible Space . . . . . . . . . . 39 Democrats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Dental Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Dependent Adult Abuse . . . . 18 Development . . . . . . . . . 46, 47 Diabetes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 15 Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Domestic Violence . . . . . . . . 21 Drinking Water Quality . . . . 32 Drug-induced Deaths . . . . . . 13 Drug Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Drug Of Choice . . . . . . . . . . 16 DSL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 DUI/Public Intoxication . . . . 21 E Eagle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Early Childhood Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24, 25 Early Detection . . . . . . . . . . 10 Economic Health . . . . . . . . . 43 Economic Impact From Selected Theatre Companies . . . 55 Economy . . . . . . . . . 41, 43, 45 Ecstasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Education & Learning . . . . . . 24 Education Attainment . . . . . . 7 Elder & Dependent Adult Abuse . . . . . . . . 18 Elder Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Elevation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 63
Index
B Babies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bald Eagles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Band Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . Behavioral Health . . . . . . . . . Bicycle Facilities . . . . . . . . . . Biomass Energy . . . . . . . . . . Bird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Birth Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breast-feed . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Broadband . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buildings On Historic Registers . . . . . . . . . . . Burglary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Business/industry Diversity
INDEX
Index
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Emergency Physicians . . . . . 14 Emergency Room Space . . . . 14 Emotional Abuse . . . . . . . . . 18 Employers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Employment . . . . . . . . . . 44, 45 Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 English As A Second Language . . . . . . . . . . 28 Estimated Percent Population By Age 2007 . . . . . . . . 6 Ethnic Diversity . . . . . . . . . . 6
General Education Diploma (GED) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 General Plan . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 47 Gonorrhea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Government Ownership . . . . 46 Growth Potential . . . . . . . . . 47
53
H Haloacetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Hazardous Fuels Reduction 38 Health Insurance . . . . . . . . . 15 Health Professionals . . . . . . . 14 Heart Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Heritage & Its Impact . . . . . 57 Heritage Assets . . . . . . . . . . 58 Heritage Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Higher Education . . . . . . . . . 27 Highways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Historic Park Attendance 57 Historic Preservation Review Commission . . . . . . . . 58 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Homicide . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, 22 Hospital-based Specialists 14 Hospital Bed Count . . . . . . . 14 Hospital Discharges . . . . . . . 15 Hospitalizations . . . . . . . 15, 17 Hospitals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Housing Decline . . . . . . . . . 43 Housing Market . . . . . . . . . . 48 Housing Opportunity Index (HOI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Huffing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Hydroelectric Power . . . . . . . 40
G Galleries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Gang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
I Illegal Drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Immunizations . . . . . . . . . . . 10
F Family Child Care Homes Family Practice . . . . . . . . . . Fatal Collisions . . . . . . . . . . . Fatality Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . Fawns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fecal Coliform Bacteria . . . . . Fee-based Performances . . . . Financial Abuse . . . . . . . . . . Financial Support For The Arts . . . . . . . . . . . Fire & Medical Emergency Response . . . . . . . . . . . Fire Protection Agencies . . . . Fire Protection Services . . . . . Fire Suppression Resources Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Forcible Rape . . . . . . . . . . . . Forest Health . . . . . . . . . . . . Foundation Grants To The Arts & Culture . . . . . .
64
25 14 20 20 36 33 55 18 53 23 23 23 39 12 21 38
Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Industry Sectors . . . . . . . . . . Infant Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Influenza Vaccines . . . . . . . . Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . Injury Collisions . . . . . . . . . . Internal Medicine . . . . . . . . . Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Isolation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
44 43 25 10 41 20 14 51 18
J Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Juvenile Arrests . . . . . . . . . . 22 Juvenile Crime . . . . . . . . . . . 22 K K-12 Enrollment . . . . . . . . . 28 Kindergarten . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Kindergarten Enrollment 25 L Labor Force . . . . . . . . . . . 43, 44 Land Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Land Use Designation . . . . . . 47 Larceny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Latino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Library Circulation . . . . . . . . 29 Licensed Child Care . . . . . . . 25 Low-income Households . . . . . 7 M Mammograms . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Marijuana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Maximum Contaminate Levels (MCL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Me-wuk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Medi-cal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Median Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Median Home Price . . . . . . . 48 w w w. Tu o l u m n e C o untyProfile.org
INDEX Median Household Income 2008 . . . . . . . . . 6 Mental Health . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Mental Health Disorders 17 Mental Illness . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Methamphetamines 16, 21, 22 Mills Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Misdemeanor Assaults . . . . . 22 Motor Vehicle Accidents . . . . 13 Motor Vehicle Collisions . . . . 20 Motor Vehicle Injury . . . . . . 20 Motor Vehicle Safety . . . . . . . 20 Motor Vehicle Theft . . . . . . . 22 Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 N National Forest Visit Type Native American Tribes . . . . Natural Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . Natural Resources . . . . . . . . Neglect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Neglect Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . Nurse Practitioners . . . . . . . .
P Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pavement Condition . . . . . . . Per Capita Income . . . . . . . . Performing Arts Attendance Personal Income . . . . . . . . . . www.TuolumneCountyPr o f i l e . o r g
12 37 14 13 12 31 31
56 50 44 55 44
R Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Rape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Reading Habits . . . . . . . . . . 29
Reading Quotient . . . . . . . . . 29 Recreation . . . . . . . . 30, 34, 35 Recreation Facilities . . . . . . . 35 Renewable Energy . . . . . . . . 40 Republicans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Residential Connection Fees 49 Retail Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Road Maintenance . . . . . . . . 50 Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Robbery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, 22 Rodeo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Regional Occupational Program (ROP) . . . . . . 28 S Safety Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) 27 Seating Capacity . . . . . . . . . . 55 Sewer Service . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Sexual Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Sexual Behavior . . . . . . . . . . 12 Sexually Transmitted Diseases 12 Smog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Solar And Wind . . . . . . . . . . 40 Sonora Regional Medical Center . . . . . . 14 State Historic Parks . . . . . . . 57 Stroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Students Meeting State Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Substance Abuse . . . . . . . 16, 22 Surgeon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 T T-1 Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Test Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 65
Index
O Obese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Osprey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outpatient Clinic Services Overdose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overweight . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overwhelming Transport Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ozone Standard . . . . . . . . . .
34 12 49 30 18 19 14
Phone Survey Ratings . . . . . . 61 Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Physical Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Physical Conditioning . . . . . 12 Physician Assistants . . . . . . . 14 Physicians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Plastic Surgeon . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Politics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Pollutants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Population Density . . . . . . . . . 5 Poverty Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Pregnant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Prenatal & Infant Health Care 11 Preschool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Prescription Drugs . . . . . . . . 22 Presidential Elections . . . . . . . 7 Preventive Health Care . . . . . 10 Prison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Private Contributions To Arts Councils . . . . . 53 Private Insurance Coverage 15 Private Land Use . . . . . . . . . 47 Private Ownership . . . . . . . . . 5 Probation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Propane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Psychiatric Admissions . . . . . 17 Psychotropic Medications 17 Public And Private Land 46 Public Land Use . . . . . . . 34, 46 Public Sewer Systems . . . . . . 49 Public Water Systems . . . . . . 49 Pulmonologist . . . . . . . . . . . 14
INDEX Theatre Revenue Streams . . . . 55 Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Tourists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Traffic Collision . . . . . . . . . . 20 Traffic Law Enforcement . . . . 20 Traffic Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Transient Occupancy Taxes (TOT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Transit System . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Travel Activity . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Travel Spending . . . . . . . . . . 45 Treatment Interventions . . . . 17 Trihalomethanes . . . . . . . . . . 32 Tuolumne County Population Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Tuolumne County Population Estimates . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Tuolumne General Hospital 14 Turbidity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Index
U Unemployment Rates . . . . . . Uninsured . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unintentional Injuries . . . . . . Urgent Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Volunteer Firefighters . . . . . . 23 Voter Participation . . . . . . . . . 7 Voter Registration . . . . . . . . . 7 W Water Providers . . . . . . . . . . 49 Water Quality . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Watershed Quality . . . . . . . . 33 Water System Purveyors . . . . 49 Wealth Index . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 White Pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Wildfires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Wildland Fire Services . . . . . 39 Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) . . . . . . . . . . 38, 39 Wildlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36, 37 Winter Bird Count . . . . . . . . 37 Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
44 15 13 14 49
V Vaccinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Vegetation Management . . . . 38 Violent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Visitor Spending Impact On Arts, Entertainment & Recreation . . . . . . . . . . 53 Visitor Spending Impact On The Arts . . . . . . . . 53 Visual Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 66
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Tuolumne County Profile Committee Members (Steering Committee Members are shown with *) INTRODUCTION Celeste Boyd* Zach Britton Lin Freer* Rob Gaskill* Mick Grimes* Shelly Hance*
President CEO Program Manager Superintendent (former) Executive Director Executive Director
Craig Maxwell* Craig Pedro* Tom Sharpe* Ty Wivell*
Owner Administrator Pastor Senior Vice President
HEALTH & SAFETY Mike Ayala* Mike Barrows Dan Bressler Lary Davis Julie Henriques Shirlee Juhl Frank Kearns
Commander Fire Chief Lieutenant President Assistant Chief Chief Probation Officer Executive Director
Mace McIntosh Sue McGuire
Chief Program Director
Jim Mele Craig Peterson Cynthia Phillips
Sheriff Fire Captain Program Manager, Adult Services Director Assistant Chief Probation Officer Health Officer Emergency Medical Services Coordinator
Bea Readel Leanna Salazar Todd Stolp* Clarence Teem
EDUCATION & LEARNING Celeste Boyd* Constance J. Corcoran* John Pendley Kate Powell Segerstrom
President Director of Library Svs Superintendent Attorney
Joe Silva Joan Smith* Kathy Sullivan
Superintendent President Professor
Evelyn Thompson* Marcia Williams
Executive Director Program Manager
Sonora Area Foundation Front Porch, Inc Sonora Area Foundation Sonora High School District Sonora Area Foundation Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency Sugar Pine Ranch County of Tuolumne Ministerial Association Mother Lode Bank
California Highway Patrol City of Sonora Fire Department Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Dept. Sonora Regional Medical Center Cal Fire Tuolumne County Probation Tuolumne Me-Wuk Indian Health Center, Inc. Sonora Police Department Tuolumne County Behavioral Health Department Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Dept. City of Sonora Fire Department Human Services Agency Tuolumne County Behavioral Health Tuolumne County Probation Tuolumne County Health Department Tuolumne County Emergency Medical Services
Sonora Area Foundation Tuolumne County Library Columbia Elementary School Law Offices of Kate Powell Segerstrom Tuolumne County Schools Columbia College Child Development Program, Columbia College Infant Child Enrichment Services A-TCAA Family Learning Center
NATURAL RESOURCES & RECREATION Julie Henriques Tom Hofstra Pete Kampa Frank Oyung Dick Pland* Tom Quinn Jerry Snyder Blaine Rogers* Mike Russell Mike Stacher
Assistant Chief Professor
Cal Fire Forestry, Natural Resources and Biology Columbia College General Manager Tuolumne Utilities District Volunteer Retired Forest Service & Community Nonprofits Supervisor County of Tuolumne Supervisor (former) US Forest Service Public Affairs Officer US Forest Service Ecologist Retired College Professor Director Tuolumne County Recreation Dept. General Manager (former) Twain Harte Community Svs District
www.TuolumneCountyPr o f i l e . o r g
ECONOMY & INFRASTRUCTURE Greg Applegate* Beetle Barbour Larry Beil Elizabeth Jones Mike Jones* Rachelle Kellogg
City Administrator Housing Resources Director GIS Coordinator
Ron Patel Peter Rei Tom Scesa Bev Shane
Independent Consultant Chairman Grants/Redevelopment Program Manager General Manager Director District Engineer Director
Nanci Sikes Geoff White* Ty Wivell*
Executive Director Publisher (former) Senior Vice President
City of Sonora Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency Tuolumne County Community Development Department California Gold Development Corp. City of Sonora Black Oak Casino Tuolumne County Public Works Dept. Tuolumne Utilities District Tuolumne County Community Development Department Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau Union Democrat Mother Lode Bank
ARTS & HERITAGE Olivia Armstrong Joan Bergsund Bob Casey Elizabeth Jones Sharon Marovich Craig Maxwell* Dwain McDonald* Geoff White
Executive Director (former)Central Sierra Arts Council Volunteer Tuolumne County Museums President Central Sierra Arts Council Special Projects Sierra Repertory Theatre Chair Tuolumne Heritage Committee Owner Sugar Pine Ranch Chair (former) Tuolumne County Museum Board Publisher (former) Union Democrat
CONTRIBUTORS Anonymous City of Sonora Clarke Broadcasting Groveland Community Services District S.H. Cowell Foundation Sonora Area Foundation The Union Democrat Tuolumne Utilities District Twain Harte Community Services District Umpqua Bank LEAD AGENCY Sonora Area Foundation Board of Directors Celeste Boyd Bill Coffill Gary Dambacher Roger Francis Tricia Gardella James Gianelli Jim Johnson Pete Kerns Bob Ozbirn William Polley Clark Segerstrom Todd Simonson
PHOTO CREDITS Thank you to: A-TCAA Charles Waldman Columbia College Columbine Designs County of Tuolumne David Wilkinson Habitat for Humanity of Tuolumne County Joshua Bigelow Rich Miller Stan W. Nelsen Stanislaus National Forest Terri Metz Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau Union Democrat PUBLICATION ART DIRECTION/DESIGN Sabre Design & Publishing – Groveland, CA PLANNING Patricia Jones Consulting – Jamestown, CA Countless other people graciously contributed their time and expertise to the success of this project. Thank you.
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Tuolumne County Profile 2008
I
n Tuolumne County, we live in one of the most spectacular places in the world. We benefit from clean air & water, bountiful recreational and cultural opportunities. We face challenges similar to other rural areas. We have limited access to high-speed communication technology, and a shortage of benefited, family-wage paying jobs. Our public agencies and nonprofit organizations face decreasing funding and increasing demand. We pride ourselves as a community that continuously works together to improve our quality of life. We know each other and face our challenges together openly and creatively. It is our hope that this second indicator study stimulates discussion and action that makes our county an even better place to live, work and visit.
Sonora Area Foundation P.O. Box 577 Sonora, California 95370 209-533-2596 (v) 209-533-2412 (f) www.sonora-area.org www.TuolumneCountyProfile.org