Automotive professor Mike
Godson awarded L1 Master Technician of the Year award
Automotive technology professor Mike Godson (second from left)
received the L1 Master Technician of the Year award from ASE and
Motor Age Training for receiving the highest score on the national
L1 (advanced engine performance) exam. Presenting the award at the
ASE board meeting in November were (from left) Joe Torchiana, ASE
board chair, James Hwang, national brand manager, Motor Age
Training, and Tim Zilke, ASE president.
(Photo courtesy Advanstar Communications, Inc.)
The honors continue for Clark College automotive technology
professor Mike Godson, who
was the highest scorer among nearly 15,000 people on the national L1
(advanced engine performance) exam. In recognition of his
achievement, Godson was awarded the L1 Master Technician of the Year
award by Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and Motor Age Training
during the ASE board meeting held Nov. 18-19 in New Orleans.
This is the second honor Godson received in recognition of his
performance on the exam. In July, he was named Educator of the Year
during the 2009 North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT)
conference for excelling on all ASE automotive tests (A1-A8) and the
L1 exam.
Godson, who heads the automotive department at Clark, is a Toyota
Technical Education Network (T-TEN) instructor, a chairperson on the
Toyota T-TEN national advisory council, National Automotive
Technician Education Foundation (NATEF) evaluation team leader, and
a Washington Department of Ecology authorized emission specialist.
He is ASE master and L1 certified. Godson, who resides in Washougal,
has worked in the automotive technician industry since 1978 and has
been an instructor at Clark College since 1995.
Commissioners balance
budget for 2010 with sharp cuts
The Board of Clark County Commissioners approved a revised budget
for 2010, which included cutting $12.5 million from the general
fund. By law, the board is required to readopt the two-year budget
by the first full week of December.
With the readoption, Clark County has cut its general fund budget
three times for a total of 22 percent, or $62 million, since its
peak in the 2007-2008 budget. The cuts eliminated 270 positions, or
about 15 percent of the county workforce. About half of the jobs
were filled.
The readopted budget preserves five of 14 jail custody officer jobs
previously slated for elimination, pending the Clark County Custody
Officers Guild’s final agreement to forego a 3.25 percent
cost-of-living raise in 2010. Giving up the raise would save the
county $325,000 next year and provide money to keep five custody
officers employed, if approved as currently proposed.
Similarly, Clark County Sheriff’s Office will use a one-time
$250,000 grant to keep seven patrol deputies slated for layoffs on
the job until March 31 as the county works to complete contract
negotiations with the Deputy Sheriff’s Guild. The county could
prevent some layoffs if the guild will forego cost-of-living raises
for 2009 and 2010. The sheriff would have the authority to use the
savings to keep the seven deputies on the road.
The board also asked the director of Community Development, who
oversees Animal Control, to generate additional revenues from dog
licensing and to work with the Clark County Executive Horse Council
on ways to manage issues related to horses.
On
the revenue side, the board voted to maintain the one percent
general fund property tax increase allowed by law and originally
projected for 2010. The total increase is estimated to be about
$527,000.
However, the board rejected potential one percent increases in the
road fund, conservation futures fund, and metropolitan parks
district levy fund. The commissioners agreed to hold the line on
spending in those special funds in light of the difficulties
currently confronting local property owners.
In
an effort to maintain park services, the board passed an emergency
resolution raising parking fees from $2 to $3 and raising picnic
shelter reservation fees. The board will hold a public hearing on
park fees within 60 days, as required by law.
Businesses
invited to participate in WSU Vancouver Career Fair
Washington State University Vancouver invites businesses in
Southwest Washington and Portland to participate in its 2010 Career
and Internship Fair, 3 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, Feb.
23-25.
The fair will focus on a different collection of jobs and industries
each day. Tuesday's job fair will focus on nonprofit and government,
Wednesday's fair will focus on general business, and Thursday's fair
will focus on science and engineering.
This event is free to employers. Businesses may register online to
participate for one or more days by visiting at
www.vancouver.wsu.edu/career. For questions, call
Christine Lundeen in WSU
Vancouver Career Services at
546-9155.
Calendar
Auditions for
The Tale of the Allergist's Wife,
by Charles Busch, is 6:30
Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 14-15, at the Slocum House Theatre, 605
Esther Street. For more information, visit
http://www.slocumhouse.com/auditions.htm.
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Vancouver City Council meets for workshops
from 4 to 6 p.m. followed by a consent agenda meeting, Monday, Dec.
14, in Council chambers.
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Washougal City Council meets at 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 14, in City Council chambers.
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Neighborhood Council of Clark County meets
at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14, Public Works Conference Room, 4700 NE 78
Street.
Monday on the air
City Council Workshop (live)--3:55 p.m. CVTV
Vancouver City Council (12-7)--7 p.m. CVTV
Community Pride Design Awards (11-13)--10:14 p.m. CVTV
Columbia River Crossing: Tolling Study Committee (12-7)--11 p.m.
CVTV
Community Calendar Links
Monday,
December 14, 2009 Headlines
Links to news of
local & national significance
Forestry family plays key role in creation of nature
preserve--Columbian, Erik Robinson
Dozens help family celebrate 19th house built by Evergreen Habitat
for Humanity--Columbian, Dave Kern
Radiation from CT scans linked to cancers, deaths--USA Today, Liz
Szabo
Banks could heed Obama's call to lend more--if they wanted
to--Huffington Post, Shahien Nasiripour
Poll shows mounting toll of joblessness on nation--New York Times,
Michael Luo
Burn ban lifted--Columbian, AP
