Issuu

77th Founders Day

Oroville Gradution Highlights

Tonasket’s Founder’s Day Celebration see pages B1 & B3

PAGE A8

SERVING WASHINGTON’S

OKANOGAN VALLEY

SINCE 1905

GAZETTE-TRIBUNE WWW.GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM | THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2012 | 75 CENTS NEWSSTAND PRICE

Strike up the band for Founders Day

Two resign from Oroville School Board BY GARY A. DEVON MANAGING EDITOR

OROVILLE – As their first order of business, the Oroville School Board approved the resignation of Phil Barker and Christina Rise from their number. Barker, who was board chairman, wrote a letter to the editor to this newspaper resigning and citing his “John Wayne style” as one reason he was stepping down. He said he would resign at the next meeting, but was not present. Rise’s resignation was due to her moving from her electoral district into another and submitted a formal resignation letter to the board. Although Barker had not written a similar formal letter, the board first consulted their legal council Rocky Hansen, who was at the Monday, May 29 meeting, before acting to approve the resignation, according to board vice chairman, Rocky DeVon. DeVon was acting as chairman at the school directors’ monthly meeting. Director David Nutt made the motion to approve the resignations and it was seconded by Director Amy Wise and

The Tonasket Marching Tigers (above) earned a blue ribbon for top musical entry in the Founders Day Parade on Saturday. Founders Day Grand Marshals George and Patti Hill (right) drove the parade route in a John Deere. Among the many activities (below) during Founders Day was a softball tournament. The Sweet Potato Queens (below right) picked up a pair of ribbons for their eye-catching River Queens float.

passed unanimously. Both the former directors were in their first term. The district is taking applications from those interested in serving in either Position 1 or 4. Applications must be into the district office by June 21. Under good news and announcements, Wise said, “Wow, senior projects are everywhere, they’re all going well and they’re all wonderful.” She also commented on Sixth Grade Camp, which she said went well. Superintendent Steve Quick discussed recent decisions made by the Facilities Committee. “We have met almost a dozen times ever since May of 2011. The committee has been led by Jeff Soren a consultant who has facilitated most of our meetings. The committee has come up with a priorities list and different options for funding the projects,” Quick said. Most of the highest priority projects concern the elementary school. Topping the list is the elementary school roof which has a history of leaks, according to Quick. The high estimate for repair

SEE OROVILLE | PG. A3

Garden, edpeditionary pilot a ‘go’ for Tonasket getting underway next spring. The expeditionary education program was proposed by a group of homeschool TONASKET - The Tonasket School parents in early April. The projectBoard approved the beginnings of a based curriculum emphasizes a unified school garden and a pilot program to approach that includes character buildexplore expeditionary learning at its ing, community service, natural history, Tuesday, May 29 board meeting. outdoor history, and an overarching yearThe school garden, which was proposed ly theme through which students at all by a diverse committee of levels do their learncommunity members at ing. It has been used the May 14 school board “In a way it’s like build- as the foundation of meeting, was encouraged Methow Valley ing a plane while try- the to move forward and Community (private) ing to fly it; it’s kind School’s curriculum proceed with the project. “I really like the idea, of an unknown that is and has been adoptand the board has given ed by the Kettle Falls exciting.” their support to it,” said School District. superintendent Paul Turner said that Paul Turner, Turner. “The committee Superintendent the board approved will continue to report a one to two-day-aback to the board, but week pilot program they have been given the green light to that would allow a teacher to become continue going with it. In a way it’s like familiar with the program and begin to building a plane while trying to fly it; it’s implement it. kind of an unknown that is exciting.” “This will give us a chance to see if The committee plans to use a site to it’s something to move forward with; we the east of the school buildings where the won’t make that decision for a year or so,” school had an orchard project that was Turner said. “We’ll do it in the Outreach discontinued several years ago. A cover (homeschool) setting and go from there. crop will be planted in the upcoming months, with the majority of the project SEE TONASKET | PG. A3 BY BRENT BAKER

BBAKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM

Brent Baker / staff photo

Public Works Board will extend Eastside Sewer loan Board agrees to option that extends loan 20-30 years BY GARY A. DEVON MANAGING EDITOR

OKANOGAN – Okanogan County will get some relief from the state Public Works Board in paying back the loan they took to construct the Eastlake Sewer Project. “It looks like the board agreed to the option that extends the loan, but doesn’t defer anything, according to what (city clerk) Kathy Jones reported at the staff meeting this morning,” said Chris Branch, Oroville’s director of economic and community development last Tuesday. The sewer system, which serves residences located on the east side of Osoyoos Lake runs from Oroville to as far north as Veranda Beach Resort.

It was constructed with anticipation of a much higher expected build out which would have paid back a low-interest Public Works Trust Fund loan using connection fees. However, after a construction boom in the area, especially in vacation homes and developments, the boom like most of the nation turned to bust. As a result, the number of connections has not been enough to service the debt. The Okanogan County Commissioners asked the PWB for relief or alteration to the repayment schedule for its two PWTF loans. Representatives of the PWTF Construction Loan Program came up with three options regarding the commissioners’ request and sent them to the Public Works Board. In Option 1, no changes would be made. In Option 2, there would be a 35-year Term for Construction Loan PW-06-692-032 and a four-year deferral with no changes to pre-construction Loan PW-04-691-PRE-127.

OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 108 No. 23

“Under this option there will be no principal and interest payments for four years beginning 2012 through 2015,” write the PWTF representatives. “This option gives the county loan payments relief for four years. This option extends the construction loan term from 20 to 25 years. Option 3, which Branch believes has been chosen, is a 30-year Term for Construction Loan PW-06-692-032 with no deferral and no changes to pre-construction Loan PW-04-691PRE-127. “This option extends the loan term from 20 to 30 years,” they said. Under “issue,” the PWTF representatives, write, “The sewer system has a unique situation, where the county owns the extended trunk line, but the City of Oroville operates and manages the entire sewer system, including rates and fees collected. The county does not have any control over or share of the rate revenue collected from the

INSIDE THIS EDITION

system. The only revenue source available to the county in the sewer system is the connection fees collected from new developments in the area where the sewer line extents. The total PWTF repayment debt is split 30 percent from the city and 70 percent from the county.” Although the county took the loan to construct the sewer system that serves the Eastlake area, Oroville borrowed some of the money to make improvements to its system in order to better handle the additional wastewater moving through its pipes in town and at its treatment facility. “The county has been diverting other nonutility county resources to pay the PWTF debt services, but those revenues will not be available in sufficient amount to continue to meet the loan obligations,” according to the document. “However, the county is encouraged by the recent economic sign and a number of pending developments in the next five years. They expect this request will buy them needed time.”

Community A2-3 Letters & Opinions A4 Valley Life A5-6

Police Stats A7/B6 Oroville Graduation A8 Rodeo Highlights B1

Sports B2 Founders Day B3 Classifieds/Legals B4-5