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PeninsulaNorthwest
Tuesday, October 26, 2010 — (C)
Peninsula Daily News
Treasurer: Trial scheduled for Jan. 11 for Betts Continued from A1 does not have the right skill set to be county treasurer.” A 27-year Treasurer’s Office employee, Scott Trial pending added that the county’s Betts has pleaded not insurance company has guilty to first-degree theft paid the county $597,000, in connection with the covering most of the loss, embezzlement, discovered and that the funds have May 19, 2009. been distributed to the entiA county Superior Court ties due them. status hearing on Betts’ Scott said Barkhuis, a case is Nov. 18. A trial is nonpracticing attorney, a scheduled for Jan. 11. former Realtor and current She has been released county senior planner, “is a on her own recognizance lives outside very bright woman, but she and
Clallam County. Barkhuis, 48, of Port Angeles, said Scott, 59, also of Port Angeles, exaggerated the scam’s complexity. Scott could have traced copies of real estate excise tax affidavits, should have seen that something was amiss and would have caught the fraud had she read a manual written by a state Auditor’s Office fraud investigator, Barkhuis said. But Scott said even the state Department of Reve-
nue did not catch any Clallam County commisaccounting anomalies. sioners appointed her to “There was nothing there head the office in fall 2004, to trip our triggers,” she said. when Betts was already the office cashier. ‘It happened . . . ’ Scott was elected unopposed to serve the remain“I’m not saying it’s right, but it happened, and now der of Gerdon’s term in 2005 we know better. Yes, there and was re-elected unopwas a lack of monitoring, posed to her current fourand we’ve taken action to year term in 2006. The salary for the county correct that.” is between Scott served in the Trea- treasurer surer’s Office for 14 years as $64,212 and $70,872 annuformer Treasurer Ruth Ger- ally. The office will collect and don’s chief deputy.
distribute an estimated $72 million in tax payments and assessments to 22 tax entities in 2010, including school districts, cities and fire districts in Clallam County. The treasurer manages a general fund budget that in 2010 is $516,270 and covers six employees.
________ Senior Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews. com.
Ecology: More than 150 comments submitted Continued from A1 Chuck Madison, Port Townsend Paper’s human resources vice president, declined to comment about Ecology’s decision. But in an e-mail sent to the Jefferson County Department of Community Development, Eveleen Muehlethaler, the company’s vice president for environmental affairs, thanked the county for helping the project along. “We and our employees want to thank you for your support through this process,” she wrote. “We are always amazed at how many folks wrote comments or stood up and testified in support of the mill, [and] you do have our sincere appreciation!”
testimony at a public forum at Fort Worden State Park on Aug. 17. The comment period was extended until Oct. 5 to accommodate further environmentally based comments.
Coalition: Seven groups The city Planning Commission approved the environmental impact Seven Western Washington environ- statement and a companion shoreline management permit for Nippon on mental groups — including PT AirSept. 22. Watchers, Olympic Forest Coalition The Nippon cogeneration plant and Olympic Environmental Council would produce 20 megawatts of elecfrom the North Olympic Peninsula — tricity. are appealing the environmental A cogeneration plant approved by impact statement granted by the city of the state Department of Ecology for Port Angeles for Nippon Paper IndusPort Townsend Paper Corp. on Monday tries USA’s $71 million biomass boiler project. would produce 25 megawatts. Continued from A1
Muehlethaler called the project a “win-win for the community and our employees” that will include an extensive upgrade to air pollution control equipment, produce renewable electricity, reduce fossil fuel burn-
ing by 1.8 million gallons per year and create 30 fulltime jobs and the equivalent of an additional 35 jobs during construction. County Community Development Director Al Scalf said the mill will need
Foes might appeal
to meet building and water quality codes for the project, which is slated to start up in 2012. The mill applied to Ecology for a permit in May with public comments taken until September, including
than 140 comments submitted about the project. This included extended record-keeping and increased noise abatement. Brewer characterized the changes as “insubstantial.” Brewer and others opposed to the Port Townsend mill project have said companies and Ecology are not looking at the wider effects of biomass projects on the North Olympic Peninsula. They are also opposing a biomass cogeneration project under consideration by Nippon Paper Industries USA Inc. in Port Angeles.
The project was opposed by PT AirWatchers, a group that “expressed concerns” about the venture and maintained that it will result in air and water pollution. On Monday, AirWatchers spokesperson Gretchen Brewer said the group had not decided whether it would file an appeal to the ________ Pollution Control Hearings Jefferson County Reporter Board within 30 days. Charlie Bermant can be reached at Davies said that Ecology 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@ paid attention to the more peninsuladailynews.com.
Storm: PA had
Briefly . . . Plane with 3 people aboard is missing
ple aboard are hoping for better weather for today’s search of Washington’s Cascades. Showers are forecast. Washington state Aviation Division spokeswoman Nisha Marvel said two helicopters searched Mon-
CHEHALIS — Searchers looking for a missing light plane with three peo-
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day in rainy, windy weather for the twinengine Cessna 340A that reported losing power in one engine shortly after takeoff from Chehalis. It was bound for Lewiston, Idaho. The helicopters targeted an area pinpointed by radar between White Pass and Chehalis. The plane dropped off radar about 7:45 a.m. Monday in mountainous terrain. The pilot and two passengers have not been officially identified. Lewis County sheriff’s officers are also helping coordinate the search. The plane is registered to Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute in Chehalis. Institute Executive Vice President Debbie Eldredge said in an e-mail the company had no information to share about the aircraft.
Zumba bash SEQUIM — A Zumba Monster Bash fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of the Olympic Peninsula will be held at the Sequim club, 400 W. Fir St., from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. Zumba is a dance-fitness program. Cost is $10 for adults; free for children. Costumes are encouraged but are not necessary. Several certified Zumba instructors will lead the event. Participants should bring water and wear athletic shoes. For more information, phone Teresa Schmid at 360-457-7548 or e-mail twongschmid@yahoo. Peninsula Daily News and Associated Press
half-inch of rain
Continued from A1 she said. A winter weather adviSince Sunday night, Port sory will remain in effect for Angeles approached a half- the Olympic Mountains inch of rain, Sequim above 3,000 feet until 6 p.m. reported 0.17 inch, and Port today, with significant preTownsend had 0.47 inch. cipitation, thunderstorms, A 33 mph wind gust was rain and snow in the forereported in Forks on Monday. It gusted to 28 mph in cast today. Olympic National Park Sequim, 26 mph in Port officials expected 2 inches Townsend and 20 mph in to 4 inches of snow Monday Port Angeles. Jamye Wisecup, program night, and another 2 inches coordinator for Clallam to 4 inches in the higher County Emergency Man- elevations today. agement, said there were The snow level was 5,700 no reports of flooding or feet Monday but expected to other weather-related dam- drop to below 4,000 feet age Monday. today. “We haven’t gotten any ________ calls,” Wisecup said. Wisecup and her colReporter Rob Ollikainen can be leagues monitored stream reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob. gauges, but none of the riv- ollikainen@peninsuladailynews. ers approached flood stage, com.
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