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Cities knock growth proposal--Columbian, Erin
Middlewood
Sheriff faults growth plan--Oregonian, Bill
Stewart
City official says hotel bonds will bell by year's
end--Oregonian, Allan Brettman
Giant retail project to go to SE 192nd Avenue and
1st Street--Columbian, Gretchen Fehrenbeacher
Hundreds line up to get flu shots in metro
area--KATU
Flu vaccine options still available--Columbian,
Tom Vogt
Lawyers hand blown off in blast--Columbian,
Stephanie Rice
Count projects in Bush spending bill--Columbian,
Erik Robinson
House hopeful, Pat Campbell, switches to Democratic
Party--Columbian, Don Jenkins
'A Christmas Story' worth talking about--Columbian,
Michael Zuzel
Gifford Pinchot adventure yields a perfect
tree--Oregonian, Foster Church
HOT lanes are worth a try--Seattle P-I editorial
board
Fed keep rates low but hints of tighter policy next
year--New York Times, Edmund L. Andrews
Health Director Kay Koontz
retiring after 23 years
Kay Koontz,
director of the Clark County Health Department, is
retiring next July after having served in public
health in southwest Washington for the past 23
years.
Koontz was
director of the Southwest Washington Health District
when, in January 2003, it became part of county
government as the Clark County Health Department.
“Kay has been
a champion of public health issues in our community
for many years,” said
Bill Barron,
Clark County administrator. “She has been a leader
on a wide range of public health concerns and she
played a key role in making the transition of public
health services to Clark County successful.”
Koontz began
her career as a public health nurse. She has served
as chair of the Public Health Nursing Directors and
as chair of the state Association of Local Public
Health Officials. Currently she is chair of
Community Choices 2010’s Healthier Communities
Project.
Holder of a
masters degree in public administration, Koontz is
an alumna of both the Public Health Leadership
Institute of UCLA and the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
“I’ve been
blessed in every aspect of my work here, and I’m
grateful for all the opportunities I have had,”
Koontz said today.
Karen Steingart leaving
Vancouver to work to eliminate polio in the
Philippines
Karen Steingart,
Clark County health officer for the past 15 years,
is taking an unpaid leave of absence from the county
health department, beginning Jan. 15, to accept a
temporary position with the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
A medical
doctor, Steingart will train with the CDC and then
join a Stop the Transmission of Polio team in the
Philippines.
The largest
public health initiative in history, the global
polio eradication initiative is sponsored by the
World Health Organization, Rotary International, CDC
and UNICEF. The goal is to eradicate polio worldwide
by 2005.
Clark Public Utilities’
commissioners
approve 2004 budgets
Clark Public
Utilities’ commissioners Tuesday approved budgets
for the Electric, Generating, Water and Wastewater
systems for 2004.
Electric
rates will not increase in 2004, according to
Commissioner Carol
Curtis. “These budgets allow us to continue
providing customers with outstanding service and
high reliability at a reasonable price.”
The number of
electric system customers served is expected to grow
2 percent, compared to an estimate of 3 percent in
the 2003 budget.
Total
electric system sales are expected to be about $293
million, up about 4.3 percent. Residential sales are
expected to be about 60 percent of the total, with
general service 28 percent and large power 11
percent.
The single
largest part of the budget–68 percent—is the cost of
power sold to customers. In 2004 power costs are
expected to be about $203.6 million, down slightly
from $205.6 in 2003.
Electric
system construction spending for the year is
expected to increase to about $20.5 million, up $2
million from this year. Key elements include
construction of a new substation to serve the
Ridgefield and La Center areas.
The utility
employs 350 persons, 319 of whom work in the
electric system. According to Curtis, Clark
continues to be the most efficient public utility
district in the state, with one employee to every
534 customers. The average in the state is one
employee to every 250 customers.
Annual
Legislative Outlook Breakfast Friday
Sponsored by
the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, Identity
Clark County and the Columbia River Economic
Development Council, the annual Legislative Outlook
Breakfast is 7 to 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 12, in the Red
Lion Hotel at the Quay.
Most of the
southwest Washington legislative delegation will be
attending.
The breakfast
is $30. For reservations, call
694-2588.
News
briefs
Clark County
commissioners continue their hearing on updating the
county’s 20-year Comprehensive Growth Plan in a
public hearing that begins at 6:30 p.m. today in the
Public Service Center.
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Clark County commissioners meet in informal session
at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10.
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