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ALMANAC
September 14 – 20 Mazama Winthrop Twisp River
High 76 81 79
Low 43 41 41
Precip. .44” .27” .50”
Full moon A fine mix of clouds, showers and sun September 22 this week as we cross the autumnal equinox into the next season of the year.
Walk-up art
Fair winners
Twisp turns into a pedestrian-only art gallery Saturday
Local crafters, bakers, artists and 4-H kids score ribbons galore
ARTS & CULTURE Page A5
FAIR Page B2
Methow Valley News
PUBLISHED WEEKLY SINCE 1903
TWISP, WASHINGTON
Twisp council to ponder mayor issue By Ann McCreary Twisp Mayor Bill Boosman said he will include a discussion of restructuring town government on the Twisp Town Council meeting agenda for Tuesday (Sept. 28). Boosman announced earlier this month that because of the heavy workload he has encountered during his nine months as mayor, he would resign unless the town council approved a significant increase in the amount he is paid as mayor, which is currently a $400 monthly stipend. The council called a special meeting on Sept. 10 to discuss the compensation issue, but took no action. Council members and Boosman said they wanted to hear public input on the issue before taking any action. This week Boosman said that “focusing on my compensation is getting the cart before
the horse. What we should be talking about is whether we are going to restructure and what form that would be.” The council has been researching the idea of restructuring the town government by hiring a part-time administrator, an approach taken by many municipalities. Boosman suggested at the Sept. 10 meeting that the council consider paying him $25,480 per year, an amount that has been proposed as a possible salary for a part-time administrator position. Even if the council were to approve hiring a parttime town administrator, who would take over many of the administrative duties now performed by the mayor, Boosman said that he would still resign. He said that process of hiring and transitioning an administrator into the new job See TWISP on Page A2
Twisp hires new public works head available here. “I felt like I could probably Twisp’s new Public Works help the town out,” Moss said Superintendent comes to his on Monday (Sept. 20), his first day on the job. job with more than Moss described 30 years of public Milton-Freewater as works experience in “very proactive.” As a considerably larger public works supercommunity. intendent his duties Howard Moss included supervising worked for 32 years a staff of 22 yearfor the town of Milround employees, ton-Freewater in Orsewage treatment egon, not far from facilities, a landfill, an Walla Walla. For 20 of Howard Moss 18-hole golf course, those years he served as superintendent of public an aquatics center and a motor works for Milton-Freewater, pool that serviced town vehicles which has a population of and school buses. Moss has held certificaabout 7,500. He retired in 2008 and tions for operating wastewater bought and sold real estate, but treatment plants in Oregon when he heard that Twisp was that exceed the requirements looking for a new public works needed for Twisp’s facility, and superintendent, he was lured expects no problems obtainout of retirement. Moss said ing the required Washington he was drawn to the Methow certifications. Lack of required Valley because he has friends certifications has posed probwho live in the area and he lems for Twisp’s Public Works enjoys the outdoor recreation See MOSS on Page A2
VOL. 108 NO. 19
75¢
SEPTEMBER 22, 2010
Bears making themselves at home in Mazama the bears released closer to where they were trapped, Bears. marked by ear tags, “They’re evwere discovered to erywhere,” said have returned to state Department the neighborhood of Fish and Wildlife shortly afterward. officer Cal Treser. “I Bear hunting don’t think you can season, which is go to Edelweiss or open until Nov. 15, Mazama and talk cannot really affect to anyone without the nuisance bears, a bear story this which are hanging year.” out in neighborTreser said he hoods where hunthas been dealing ing is not allowed. with bear issues Treser said ressince May, mostly in idents of the upper the West Chewuch, valley are reportRendezvous and ing that bears are Mazama areas. He breaking into sheds has trapped and and garages to get relocated at least a Photo courtesy of Laura Brumfield to garbage cans. dozen black bears since then, and has This black bear has been seen several times marauding about in the Edel- They are hanging around homes and had to kill three weiss community. weiss, Larry Halford said a bear has lying down on people’s lawns. Bears that became threats to public safety. In the past month, bears have broken learned to open his car door, and con- have confronted numerous residents. “The bears have become habituated into at least six cars in the Edelweiss/ tinually tries to get in even when it is to humans,” said Treser. “They’re no Mazama area, eating food and in one locked. A black bear was trapped at the Hal- longer afraid of humans or the smell of case, tearing through the back seat to access the trunk, where it found more ford residence this week, and Treser said humans. They’re no longer afraid of dogs. he carted it over Rainy Pass to a spot near Nothing seems to scare them anymore” food. In a note to his neighbors in Edel- Granite Creek and released it. Some of See BEARS on Page A2 By John Hanron
By Ann McCreary
County to use public land base to satisfy state call for agriculture, resource lands By Marcy Stamper Okanogan County has the third-highest acreage in the state for apples and pears and the fifth for cherries. It also comes in fifth for number of cattle, according to the 2007 Census of Agriculture. Agriculture employs more people than any other industry in the county, at 16 percent of the population, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department. How much land is necessary to sustain this industry – the fruits and vegetables, the
cattle, the packing sheds and feed stores? What inputs does a farmer or rancher need to be successful – good soil and irrigation, summer range and winter pasture? Okanogan County planners and commissioners have been trying to answer these questions, with help from farm organizations and citizens, for almost a year, as they update the comprehensive plan. Since Okanogan County does not plan under the state’s Growth Management Act, county officials have considerable latitude in formulating those answers. But one of the state’s requirements is the designation
Winthrop bridge back at square one By Carol Stull
Primitive skills teacher banished
By John Hanron
A primitive skills instructor who pleaded guilty to operating a winter skills course without a Forest Service permit has been banished from Eastern Washington national forests for a year. Lynx Vilden, owner of Four Seasons Prehistoric Projects, which has been operating mostly on private land up the Twisp River for four years, agreed to a plea bargain in July along with former partner Rico Meleski. The two pleaded guilty to one count of operating a guided winter course on the forest without a permit and another misdemeanor count of cutting or damaging trees without a permit. Meleski was given the same sentence at a hearing in August. The charges stemmed from a three-year investigation
into the school, which offers training in primitive skills such as hide tanning, flint knapping, basket making and wool felting. An undercover government agent registered for a five-day winter course put on by Vilden and Meleski in 2008 and documented the group’s activities on national forest land. Both Vilden and Meleski were banned from Eastern Washington national forests for one year, have a one-year unsupervised probation, must give 30 hours of community service and together had to repay the government the $550 class fee paid by the undercover agent. “I accept my sentence,” said Vilden this week. “I gladly embrace the new opportunities provided by universal law, knowing that nothing can crush a free spirit.”
of resource lands for agriculture, forestry and minerals to preserve the economic viability of those industries. Agriculture is so important in the county that the commissioners recently updated the right-to-farm ordinance, which requires that anyone subdividing land adjacent to a farm “be prepared to accept such inconveniences or discomfort as a normal and necessary aspect of living in a County with a strong rural character and a healthy agricultural sector.” Nevertheless, there is concern that See RESOURCE LAND on Page A3
Photo by Marcy Stamper
Zuke rockets Ilo Curtis, left, and Jasper Bard were among the dozen participants who tested their aerodynamic and aesthetic design sense, pitting mobile zucchinis against one another at the annual derby at the Farmers Market Saturday. Gary Kominak (in gray) lifted the official box to start the race. Bard’s marigold-studded squash-mobile was one of two winners of the creativity contest.
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MVN, pg 1
It looks like Winthrop could be starting over on the construction phase of its Spring Creek Bridge project. And town officials feel fairly confident that state funding will be extended through the end of 2011. With plenty of criticism and caution last Wednesday, Sept 15, the town council somewhat reluctantly gave Mayor Dave Acheson permission to prepare for finding another builder – if necessary – to design and construct a pedestrian bridge over the Methow. To date, employees of the former Sahale, LLC – now bankrupt following the sudden death of principal owner Carroll Vogel – have been financially unsuccessful in attempts to reform and meet contract terms for completing Winthrop’s suspension bridge. In fact, Acheson reported that Sahale and its restart Seattle Bridge Builders currently are, and have been for some time, in breach of contract. The reason: failure to supply the town with a performance bond. After a Labor Day weekend
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update consult with Winthrop’s project manager John Battle of OAC, a Seattle consulting firm, the mayor advised council that the town intends to deliver Sahale official notice of violation unless the problem is cured by Sept. 23. Saying it seems “unrealistic” that this will happen, Acheson anticipates the town will be able to terminate the contract and begin advertising for new project proposals. According to the mayor, since Sahale had completed just 60 percent of the bridge design, new requests for proposals would be sought for all phases of the project. Town planner Rocklynn Culp explained this week that Winthrop could use original design concepts but a new contractor would need to prepare more detailed drawings. Beginning the board’s list of worries, councilman Rick Northcott said he is “disappointed we gave this (contract) to a company not strong enough to withstand” financial problems. He also wondered why project manager Battle had not foreseen such potential difficulty. Councilwoman Mort See WINTHROP on Page A2