Unanimous Battle Ground
board okays three-year levy
In this photo are Supt. Shonny Bria, Steve Pagel, Karen Lehman,
Monty Anderson and John Idsinga.
The Battle Ground School Board, with three of its five members
freshly sworn in, agreed unanimously Saturday to put a three-year
maintenance and operations levy before voters on Feb. 9. The levy is
for $20.5 million in 2011, after the levy approved by voters in 2007
expires.
If
approved, the levy will help fill the widening gap between state
support for basic education and the basic education needs of
students. Levy money goes for teachers, and thus smaller class
sizes, teaching assistants, who help provide individual attention to
students in the classroom, supplies, transportation, extracurricular
activities, and other maintenance and operations expenses.
The amount was reached after considerable board discussion and input
from the public and employees. An initial round of cuts in a
best-case proposal amounted to approximately $4 million. More
discussion and trims and an across-the-board reduction removed
another $4 million, for a total of approximately $8 million below
the best-case scenario outlined in a three-year strategic plan.
Under the levy approved by the school board, the rate of taxation
per $1,000 of assessed property value is estimated at $2.99 the
first year, $2.88 in 2012 and $2.78 in 2013. By comparison, the
Vancouver School District’s proposed levy seeks $3.08 the first year
and Evergreen Public Schools seek $3.49.
The $20.5 million, followed by $21.53 million in 2012 and $22.6
million in 2013, “is necessary for the district to operate,” said
Monty Anderson of Yacolt, one
of the three directors elected last month.
Anderson took the oath of office Saturday from
Frederick Striker, the
12-year board member Anderson defeated in the November election. “It
is my hope that the patrons of this district stand behind the
children of the district, its employees and this Board and support
the levy,” Anderson said.
The two other new directors are
Steve Pagel, who was sworn in by Clark County auditor
Greg Kimsey, and
John Idsinga, former mayor of
Battle Ground, who was administered the oath of office by the
current mayor, Mike Ciraulo.
The two returning directors are Sam
Kim and Karen Lehman.
Three Creeks planning
council to discuss 2010 work program
Clark County’s Three Creeks Advisory Council will meet at noon
Thursday, Dec. 10, to review and consider a variety of topics and
set a work program for 2010.
The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Clark
Regional Wastewater District, 8000 NE 52nd Court, Hazel Dell.
The Board of Clark County Commissioners appointed the council to
assist with transportation plans, land-use plans and other planning
issues in the unincorporated urban areas of Hazel Dell, Felida, Lake
Shore, Salmon Creek and Clark County Fairgrounds.
For more information, visit
http://www.clark.wa.gov/3creeks/index.html.
Clark County Fire and
Rescue to host rides for toys
Clark County Fire & Rescue will host the third Annual Rides for Toys
event to benefit children of low-income families through the North
County Community Food Bank, from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11. The
event will be held at the Battle Ground Fred Meyer store located at
401 NW 12th Avenue.
Receive a ride in a fire engine, meet Santa, and enjoy cookies and
cocoa all in exchange for a new, unwrapped toy. The toys will be
donated to the North County Community Food Bank for distribution to
children
of
families in need this holiday season. Donations of non-perishable
foods will also be gladly accepted.
For additional information, call
887-4609.
News Briefs
Washington State University Vancouver
will host a Financial Aid 101 event at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, in
the administration building, room 110. The event is for anyone
interested in learning how financial aid can help pay for college,
regardless of which college or university a student plans to attend.
The course will cover what financial aid is, how to apply for it and
how to access the money once it is awarded. The event is free to the
public, and free parking will be available in Orange 1 lot. To learn
more about financial aid at WSU Vancouver, visit
www.vancouver.wsu.edu/finaid.
Calendar
Fort Vancouver Regional
Library District Board of Trustees meet for a regular meeting at
6:30 p.m. tonight, Dec. 7, in the new Cascade Park Community
Library, 600 NE 136th Avenue.
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Public Utility District of Clark County Board of Commissioners meet
at 9 a.m. tomorrow, Dec. 8.
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Port of Vancouver USA Commissioners meet at 9:30 a.m.
tomorrow, Dec. 8.
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Battle Ground City Council meets at 7 p.m. tonight, Dec. 7, City
Hall, Council Chambers, 2nd floor, 109 SW 1st Street.
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Vancouver City Council meets for workshops from 4 to 6 p.m.
this evening, Dec. 7, followed by a full council meeting at 7 p.m.,
Council chambers. Call 696-8211
for more information.
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Planning Commission is holding a public hearing at 7 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 7, City Hall, 214 E 4th Street, La Center.
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Crossing Delancy auditions
are being held at the Magenta Theater from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight, Dec.
7, 606 Main Street. Call 606-0033
for more information, or visit
www.magentatheater.com for more
details.
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Washougal City Council meets at 7
p.m. tonight, Dec. 7.
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Port of Camas/Washougal meets for
an executive session at 3 p.m. today, Dec. 7, followed by an open
meeting at 4 p.m.
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Normandeu Associates is at the
Northwest Environmental Conference and Trade Show 8 a.m. to 4:45
p.m. Monday, Dec. 7, and 8 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, Dec. 8, booth No.
35, to help inform others about solving environmental challenges.
Monday on the air
City Council Workshop (live)--4 p.m. CVTV
Vancouver City Council (live)--7 p.m. CVTV
Clark County World AIDS Day Recognition (12-1)--11 p.m. CVTV
Community Calendar Links
Monday,
December 7, 2009 Headlines
Thieves loot two Umpqua clients--Columbian, Libby Tucker
Wallace will seek to end sales-tax exemption--Columbian, Kathie
Durbin
Public to have say on county budget cuts--Columbian, Michael
Andersen
25th annual Walk and Knock donations flirt with record--Columbian,
Dave Kern
B.G. boy grows, cuts locks for good cause--Columbian, AP
Congressmen to call for break-up of biggest banks--Huffington Post,
Shahien Nasiripour
Links to news of
local & national significance
