Columbian traffic report

Legislators tell business audience that short session in Olympia will set the stage for ‘05

This morning a big turnout of southern Washington legislators, eight out of twelve, was greeted by a large turnout of Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, Identity Clark County and Columbia River Economic Development members, a couple of hundred, to share business priorities for the 2004 (short) legislative session that begins in January.

Presenters, introduced by Vancouver business consultant Ed Hovee, were Sen. Don Carlson (R-49th), Reps. Jim Moeller (D-49th), Bill Fromhold (D-49th), Deb Wallace (D-17th), Mark Boldt (R-17th) Dan Newhouse (R-15th) Bruce Chandler (R-15th), Ed Orcutt (R-18th).

Wallace said that the legislators will be preparing for the regular session in 2005. But, according to Boldt, there won’t be any shortage of bills. He said most everything that didn’t get passed last session, as well as a brand new batch of bills will be introduced in the first two weeks.

The legislators generally agreed that the shared business priorities proposed by the local business community are right on target: economic development, transportation, higher education, health care costs, and business tax issues.

Although lower down on the priority scale on the business agenda, health care issues appeared much higher among the legislators present. All agreed the issues were more than simply cost containment and access.

The fact that state of Washington’s Medicare reimbursements are among the lowest in the nation and that Clark County’s are among the lowest in the state, legislators agreed, is a problem that will be getting serious legislative attention.

The proposed Columbia River channel deepening was also on each of the legislators’ radar screen.

All agreed that the I-5 transportation corridor needs to be improved, but not all agreed on how to finance those improvements.

Some, including Wallace, felt that tolls should be considered as part of a financing package. Orcutt, on the other hand, suggested that the congestion caused by collecting tolls would be counterproductive. But most agreed that the region should be given the same ability to create its own transportation district as Puget Sound got in from the last legislative session.

Short legislative sessions occur in even numbered years and generally are given over to adoption of a supplemental budget. But as Boldt says, a lot of bills will be introduced. Chandler said, “this is an exciting time to be in the legislature; an exciting time for the state.”

Written testimony to be accepted as county public hearing on Growth Management Plan update continues next week

While further oral testimony will not be accepted as Clark County commissioners continue public hearings next week on the draft update of the 20-year Growth Management Plan, written testimony will to be accepted until the close of the public hearing phase.

The next public hearing session is 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, in the commissioners’ hearing room on the sixth floor of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street.

The commissioners intent is to focus this stage of the hearing on determining their process for completing the plan update.

All written testimony should be mailed to the board of commissioners, P.O. Box 5000, Vancouver, WA 98666, with copies to Pat Lee, in care of the county Community Development Department, P.O. Box 9810, Vancouver, WA 98666.

Further information is available by calling 397-2375, or by going to the county’s website: www.clark.wa.gov/ComDev/LongRange/
CompReview/GMA2000.asp.

Michael Pomeroy named VP and senior
trust officer at First Independent Bank

Michael Pomeroy, formerly retail area manager for Centennial/Umpqua Bank, has been appointed vice president and senior trust officer in First Independent Bank’s Private Banking Department.

Pomeroy, who also has worked for First Interstate Bank and First Security/Wells Fargo, is a graduate of the University of Denver and a graduate of the American Banker’s National Graduate trust School at Northwestern University.
 

Friday on the air

Kootenay at Portland Winter Hawks (live)—7 p.m. KUPL
Animal Control Hearings (12/11)—7:30 p.m. CVTV
Comp Plan Update (12/9)—9:30 p.m. CVTV
 

Town Tabloids and the Weather

Scott Horenstein smoothly operating. nnn Tom Hunt chasing lira. nnn  David Doss is where the action is. nnn Mike Worthy declaring bulletproof. nnn Karen Stanley making Heart to Heart point. nnn John Fratt rousing the rabble. nnn  Friday, mostly gray and rainy, 48. Saturday, cloudy, and at times, rainy, 46. Sunday, may dry up and lighten up, 50.