Vancouver gets $3.2 million offer from
iQ Credit Union for downtown buildings

The City of Vancouver and iQ Credit Union today announced an agreement, subject to approval by the city council Monday, May 21, to buy two city buildings near City Hall for a new iQ corporate headquarters and downtown branch.

The credit union has offered the city $3.2 million for the former Citizens Service Center, 1313 Main Street, and the smaller Eberle Building at 110 E 13th Street. The multi-story Citizens Service Center formerly was the First Independent Banks corporate headquarters.

City manager Pat McDonnell said that the proceeds of the sale will be held in reserve with the understanding that they would be earmarked for a replacement citizen service center downtown so that city employees who were temporarily relocated to east Vancouver would be returned. The east Vancouver sites are under a five-year lease.

Multiple offers were received on both buildings, according to Matt Newstrom, city real property specialist. Newstrom said city staff will recommend iQ’s offer because of their proposed purchase price and the outline of their intended use and planned renovation of the property, which is consistent with the city’s long-term goals for downtown redevelopment.

Rachael Bridgewater named
library Mover and Shaker

Rachael Bridgewater, Washington State University Vancouver's library reference coordinator, has been recognized by the national Library Journal as a Mover and Shaker. Bridgewater this year was also a participant in the American Library Association Emerging Leaders program.

She was recognized for being a national expert in bringing high technology and social software into the libraries.

A former software developer, her passion is protection of fair use under copyright laws. Birdgewater teaches online courses on copyrights and has taken her program, "The Emerging Web: Social Software, and Emerging Modes of Knowledge Creation," to library groups throughout the world.

The WSU Vancouver Library on the Salmon Creek campus is open to the public.

Kandi Peto hired at Keith Upkes Consulting

Accountant Kandi Peto has been hired by the Camas financial management and consulting firm, Keith Upkes, according to founder Keith Upkes.

Peto is a graduate of Mountain View High School and Western Business College. Peto has 12 years’ accounting experience and has recently returned to the northwest from southern California.

The mother of four, Peto founded and was president of a children’s club in southern California.

Keith Upkes Consulting provides outsourced accounting and financial management oversight for businesses.

County asks fair association
to reconsider alcohol at fair

Clark County commissioners today asked the county Fairgrounds Site Management Group to reconsider its decision earlier this year to serve wine and beer during the ten-day county fair this August.

If alcoholic beverages were served during the county fair, it would be the first time in 136 years. Other county fairs up and down I-5 do serve alcoholic beverages.

According to county commissioner Marc Boldt, the commissioners are recommending that the site management group hold off on introducing alcohol at the fairgrounds this year and that the proposal be given wider public process.

The fairgrounds are owned by the county and leased to the site management group for operations.

Calendar

The free Forum at the Library presents “Infant Mental Health: What It Is and Why Does It Matter?” at 7 p.m. this evening in the Library Hall in the Vancouver Community Library, 1007 E Mill Plain Boulevard. For further information, call 695-1566. <> Local author Marj Caswell will read from and discuss her recently published novel, A Place to Come Home to, at 7 p.m. this evening in the Old Town Battle Ground Coffee House,113 Main Street. The novel, published this year, was a semi-finalist for both the William Faulkner-Wisdom Competition and the Lewis & Clark Expedition Award.

Thursday, May 17 Headlines

Tax hike for 'clean water' possible so that Clark County can catch up with state clean water standards--Columbian, Michael Andersen

Clark College board of trustees expected to decide the fate of interim president Bob Knight this weekend--Columbian, Howard Buck

C-TRAN shuttle could link amphitheater, Salmon Creek Park & Ride--Columbian, Don Hamilton

Drug plans will pay tab for birth control in Oregon--Oregonian, Michelle Cole

Students build a bridge to communication--Oregonian, Holley Gilbert

Senate reaches deal on immigration--New York Times, Robert Peare and David Stout

Trains cross 38th parallel between North and South Korea for first time in 56 years--New York Times, Choe Sang-Hun