Sacramento County is increasing opportunities for small and local business to do business with the County by enhancing its procurement and contracting program and streamlining the process for vendors. Increasing the dollar threshold for incentives from $250,000 to $1 million and increasing the local business preference percentage from 3% to 5% will increase the number of vendor contracts to which the program can be applied. “The County purchases more than $100 million each year in goods and services with about half of that expenditure directed to small and/or local businesses. Expanding the opportunity for additional businesses to participate in the program will have a positive impact on

Sacramento County Supervisors have voted to suspend the automatic annual fee adjustments for several development impact fee programs. “As part of our ongoing effort to encourage business and job opportunities, and improve the local economy, we have held back automatic fee increases on new building projects. This will help new projects get started, help create jobs and add to the economic recovery of the Sacramento region,” said Roberta MacGlashan, Chair of the Board. “This will be the fourth consecutive year we’ve suspended increases as we continue to develop ways to improve the stability and growth of our region.” The programs affected are: • Antelope, North Vineyard Station, Vineyard a

Sacramento County has opened five new charging stations for electric cars with onboard battery charging equipment. There is no charge for using the stations. The stations are located downtown and in the Bradshaw Road area and are available on a first-come, first served basis: • Branch Center: Light Fleet Services 4001 Branch Center Rd. 916-875-5608 • Downtown Garage: Parking Office next to toll booths, 725 7th Street.- 916-874-6227 The stations are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and are open to anyone with a ChargePass card. The chargers work much like plugging in an electric appliance at home and charges take anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours, depending on the a

The Heart Gallery of Sacramento, a partnership of photographers, artists, businesses and volunteers from private and public organizations, is holding their annual event to increase awareness about children living in foster care that are looking for permanent, loving families. The event features stunning photographs of children that show their spirit and unique personalities. The free family-friendly event will be held on Saturday, November 5 from 5-8 p.m., in Curtis Hall at Sierra 2 Center for the Arts. The address is 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. The Heart Gallery was founded in 2001 in New Mexico, by an adoption recruiter, who had the idea of linking art and adoption. By coll

Sacramento County has been updating its growth-management plan for the unincorporated area as part of the General Plan. This Plan, which directs future development, is required by law and should be complete by the end of 2011. There were many issues involved with arriving at a new growth strategy, and careful attention was paid to balancing the requests of community members, environmentalists and developers. The grown strategy underwent several changes as the building boom ceased and the County had to address state laws that required lower carbon emissions (AB 32) and encouraged mass transit (SB 375). Multiple public meetings were held to fully understand all the interests and arrive at t