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The Whidbey Examiner • November 21, 2013
Two Coupeville school levies Port approve’s McDonald’s head to voters in February employment arrangement By Nathan Whalen Staff Reporter
Central Whidbey voters s will be asked to decide early next year whether to continue local funding for Coupeville schools. The Coupeville School Board last week approved sending two levies that will bring in millions of dollars to the district. Voters will consider the two replacement levies during a special election scheduled for Feb. 12, 2014. “We want to stress that this is a replacement levy,” board president Kathleen Anderson said “It’s the same as what ran four years ago.” The maintenance and operations levy will bring in $2.24 million a year for the next four years, which is a significant portion of the school district’s roughly $10 million budget. If approved, property owners would pay approximately $1.15 per $1,000 assessed property value. The technology levy would bring in $300,000 a year for the next four years. It
would pay for continued technology purchases, training and upgrades. Voters first approved the tech levy four years ago. Since then, school leaders used the levy dollars to purchase more than 700 electronic devices, an Internet-based phone system and training for staff. “We’ve come a long ways in the last four years and we want to continue to move forward,” said superintendent Jim Shank. Anderson said the state doesn’t provide much support for technology in schools. “The state does not recognize technology as basic education,” Anderson said. Both levy proposals are similar to the ones school officials presented to voters four years ago. They both need to be approved by a simple majority. Shank said he is looking for names of potential candidates to lead a levy committee tasked with promoted the two levies to Central Whidbey voters.
EDC workshop helps future Whidbey business owners Starting a business can be daunting for even the most determined entrepreneur. Come learn how to take the fear out of starting a business at a free business planning class sponsored by the Economic Development Council and Sno-Isle Library. The workshop takes place at 1 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 3 at the Oak Harbor Library,
1000 SE Regatta Drive. Budding entrepreneurs will learn how to set a vision, analyze the market, determine which marketing channel is most effective and build a cash flow document. In addition, Sno-Isle Library will also demonstrate its free online business tools. To sign up for the class call 360-675-5115.
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By Nathan Whalen Staff Reporter
The next month or so will be a time of transition for the Port of Coupeville. A new executive director will take the helm of the district in December and a new commissioner will start his term in January. The commissioners for the Port of Coupeville this month approved an employment arrangement for Tim McDonald, who will start his tenure as executive director Dec. 1. The one-time Island County health and human services director will work as a salaried employee and earn $3,200 a month, or $38,400 a year. He won’t receive any benefits. The agreement doesn’t include a required number of hours, he has to work as long as it takes to complete his duties, current
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Tim McDonald Executive Director Jim Patton said. McDonald’s contract is slightly higher than what was budgeted for Patton, who earns $50 an hour as a contractor for the port and the port’s budgets $33,600 a year for his salary. Patton worked for the Port of Coupeville on a contract basis and he carried his own liability insurance. McDonald, on the other hand, wanted to be an employee with the port so he would be covered by port’s insurance. The commissioners for the Port of Coupeville approved terminating Patton’s contract effective at the end of the month Patton said. He will serve as assistant executive director for the Port
of Coupeville through the month of December. Patton said he will show McDonald the ropes and introduce him to the contacts needed to perform his job duties. Patton will continue to earn $50 an hour. McDonald’s start date comes on the heels of the general election that places a new face on the three-member board. Bill Larsen appears to have edged out Patton for the District 2 commissioner seat. Larsen earned 53.04 percent of the vote during the Nov. 5 election. He will replace Benye Weber. Mike Diamanti, who was appointed to the District 3 seat earlier in the year, garnered 57.09 percent of the vote over Dick Bowen. A ballot measure reducing the length of commissioner terms from six years to four years, was passing with nearly 92 percent of the voters favoring the measure. The Island County Auditor is scheduled to certify the results of the general election Wednesday. McDonald will participate in the Port of Coupeville’s December meeting scheduled at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the Coupeville Public Library. For more information about the portw, go to www. portofcoupeville.org
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