FRIDAY, March 25, 2005

Every city in Clark County wants
to be in new C-TRAN boundary

Each of Clark County’s seven cities has indicated a desire to be included in a new C-TRAN boundary, according to Clark County commissioner Betty Sue Morris.

A decision to shrink the boundary of the transit agency is expected to be made during a hearing at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, in Foster Auditorium at Clark College.

The new boundary would shrink from the entire county, to city limits of six of county’s cities, plus the city limits and urban growth boundary of Vancouver. Vancouver’s urban growth boundary extends northwest to include Hazel Dell, Salmon Creek and a sliver along Interstate 5 to just north of the Clark County Fairgrounds.

The hearing is being held by a select committee, the C-TRAN Public Transportation Improvement Conference, created by the C-TRAN board. The PTIC comprises the three county commissioners and a representative from each of the seven cities.

C-TRAN service boundaries are collapsing because of financial cutbacks that are in response to the transit agency’s loss of motor vehicle tax revenue in 1999 with the passage of Initiative 695. That source accounted for 40 percent of C-TRAN’s annual revenue.

C-TRAN presented voters with a .03 percent sales tax hike last November, but the measure failed. C-TRAN supporters have suggested that the agency go back to voters this fall to try again.

The new service would mean that all buses between cities would be “express” buses; they would not stop for passengers in rural areas.

C-TRAN has created a speakers bureau, as a means of reaching out to all possible audiences to explain the new boundaries and other cuts in services. For further information, call 906-7303.

Transportation Alliance
makes points, hears options

State financial support to relieve the I-5 choke point is absolutely necessary, a delegation led by Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard told lawmakers in Olympia yesterday. Lawmakers and transportation officials responded that local support and local funding will be part of the equation.

Tolls, a source of local support for Columbia River bridges, are just as necessary, lawmakers and state transportation officials repeated. Legislators also indicated that thought is being given to increasing gasoline taxes to support future transportation projects, but, also, that state funding alone won’t get the job done.

With Pollard in Olympia Thursday were representatives of the Clark County Transportation Alliance, including Identity Clark County, the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, Columbia River Economic Development Council, the ports of Vancouver and Ridgefield, and cities of Battle Ground, Washougal, Camas, Ridgefield, and Clark County.

Bi-State Coordination Committee
to talk transportation in Vancouver

The Bi-State Coordination Committee meets at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, March 31, in the Vancouver Clark County Elections Building, 1408 Franklin Street. Discussions center on the I-5 High Occupancy Vehicle lanes in Hazel Dell and Delta Park. Growth forecasts for the Portland metropolitan area and Clark County will be reviewed.

The bi-state committee was organized to foster cooperation between Oregon and Washington at the Columbia River border.

Members of the committee are Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder, Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard, Clark County commissioner Steve Stuart, Multnomah County commissioner Serena Cruz, Portland commissioner Sam Adams, Battle Ground city manager Eric Holmes, Gresham councilor Dave Shields, C-TRAN executive director Lynne Griffith, Tri-Met general manager Fred Hansen, Port of Vancouver executive director Larry Paulson, Port of Portland executive director Bill Wyatt, Washington Department of Transportation southwest Washington administrator Don Wagner, and Oregon Department of Transportation Region 1 manager Matthew Garnett.

News briefs

A two-day job fair for prospective candidates for 200 jobs at the Vancouver Hilton Hotel begins at 9 a.m. Monday, March 28, in the Vancouvercenter Building, 700 Washington Street. The job fair continues until 6 p.m. Monday and repeats from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 29. g The Vancouver Farmers Market opens its 2005 season Saturday, March 26, in a new location, The Columbian’s parking lot between 6th and 8th Streets at the extension of Grant Street. The market will be open between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturdays through April, after which it will also be open on Sundays.
 

Headlines at home and from around the world:
(Click on the headlines below for the rest of the story)

Women Who Weld designing waterfront sculpture--Columbian, Jeffrey Mize

Caring Hearts Awards dinner to be dedicated to former board chair Eveann Classen--Columbian, Kelly Adams

Congress: Schiavo isn't your case--Columbian, Gregg Herrington

Sell first, build later, Dell executive tells Vancouver business audience--Columbian, Jonathan Nelson

Columbian's best bets for entertainment

Mount St. Helens VolcanoCam [updates every five minutes]--USDA Forest Service, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

Friday on the air

Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall Grand Opening—3 p.m. CVTV
CREDC Quarterly Investor Luncheon—4 p.m. CVTV
Diverse Families: Hopes and Fears—5 p.m. CVTV
Animal Control Hearings (2/23)—7 p.m. CVTV
Everett At Portland Winter Hawks (live)—7 p.m. KCMD
Telecommunications Commission—9 p.m. CVTV
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra: South American Sizzles—11:30p.m. CVTV
 

Town tabloids and the weather 

Katy Smith working the crowd. g Kim Calderon filling in the spaces. g Geoff Knapp looking for nominations.g Augie MacGruder sending flowers. g Cheri Grove getting tropical sendoff. g Glenda Stamps currently holding grandkid record. g Mark Brown taking care of details. g Friday, not bad, a few sprinkles, 56. Saturday, windy, gray and rainy, 55. Sunday, more gray, more precipitation, 55.