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GAZETTE-TRIBUNE WWW.GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013 | 75 CENTS NEWSSTAND PRICE
Tonasket talks mosquitos, infrastructure 2014 budget approved BY BRENT BAKER BBAKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
TONASKET - Whether or not to give Tonasket voters the chance to decide to join or not join a mosquite district was the subject of much discussion at the Tuesday, Dec. 10, session of the Tonasket City Council. Chris Branch, Oroville Director of Community Development and Gary Headlee, proponents of a proposed county-wide mosquito district, were on hand to share information about what
such a district would involve. municipalities throughout the county. In order for Tonasket’s participation in “We want to make sure you have the a mosquito disopportunity trict to become to consider a reality, the issues “I have concerns about why (a Heavy the council would related to need to approve the district,” Haul Corridor) is such a priority a proposition to r a n c h when ... we can only afford to chip Bsaid. be included in “In the mosquito seal only the driving lanes through the Omak/ district, which Okanogan town. ” will be decided area where in a countythe conTonasket Mayor Patrick Plumb wide ballot. The cept started district could to develop involve non-contiguous “pods” of mos- - there is a citizen group there interquito eradication efforts centered on ested. Omak has had a spray program
Out of school early
for years and some folks don’t appreciate the spray program It doesn’t always work very well... You spray them when they are lying around. They go away for a little while ... sometimes when they were going to go away anyway.” Headlee said the district would use tactics similar to those currently used in Curlew, where cubes of BTS ( a type of BTI) are used in marshy areas to kill larvae. The district would be paid for through a property tax assessment. Mayor Patrick Plumb said that most of the objections in Tonasket to mosquito treatment have been to the types of chemicals used. “If we can go BTI, the community
seems more open to that,” Plumb said. “I personally would like to be able to vote on it.” Oroville’s council recently adopted a resolution to be included within the district that will be voted on county wide. Tonasket’s council members were divided over the potential for enforcement issues involved with the district. “They are charged with going around and looking for breeding areas that aren’t natural breeding areas - old tires, that kind of thing,” Branch said. “So they do have a bit of an enforcement function.” “I would be thrilled with mosquito control enforcement,” said council mem-
SEE COUNCIL | PG A2
Levy, bond packages finalized
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS
Gas leak at OHS sends district students home Friday morning
Tonasket ASB seeks to curb litter BY BRENT BAKER BBAKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
BY BRENT BAKER BBAKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
OROVILLE - A gas leak in the Oroville High School chemistry lab resulted in the early release of all students and staff Friday, Dec. 13, at 10:30 a.m. Superintendent Steve Quick said initial examination indicated that the leak was small but noted that any size leak is not safe, resulting in the cancellation of the rest of the school day. Gas company representatives verified the existence of the leak and that the gas to the building had been properly shut off, but that another party would need to take care of
Above, the Tonasket Middle and High School Band and Choir held its annual Christmas concert on Wednesday, Dec. 11. Oroville’s Junior/Senior High School winter concert will be Thursday, Dec. 19, at 7:00 p.m. Left, the CCC of Tonasket hosted “Christmas Goldilocks and the 3 Dragons” last Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, starring (l-r) Marsie Brazil (Red Riding Hood), Collin Rise (Big Bad Wolf), Sheyann LaBell (Goldilocks), Lara Escatel (Mom O’Right) and Joey Coleman (Tiny Dragon). The play was directed by Diana Luca Brown. More photos on page A3.
“We were able to have bus drivers on the scene within fifteen minutes ready to transport students.” Steve Quick Superintendent, Oroville School District
repairs. “The gas company only is responsible for the line until it gets into the building,” Quick said. “After that it’s our problem.” On Monday Quick said that the repairs will need to be completed during the holiday break. “We had a contractor come in and he’ll be re-plumbing the lab’s gas lines and valves over the holidays,” he said. “In the meantime the gas will remain off leading to the building.” Although the leak only affected the high school, all of the district’s students were sent home for the day. “We sent home the elementary students too; it was a transportation issue,” Quick said. “There wasn’t a safety issue at the elementary.” Quick said it appeared that the emergency alert system for parents worked as planned. He said the system sent out emails, voice mails and text messages in both English and Spanish. “From all indications the system worked extremely well,”
SEE GAS LEAK | PG A2
Brent Baker/staff photos
TONASKET - Final revisions to the Tonasket School District’s bond and levy packages were approved at the Monday, Dec. 16, school board session. The propositions will appear on a Feb. 11, 2014 ballot for TSD voters to decide, said Superintendent Paul Turner. The changes to the propositions had been discussed in detail at the previous board meeting; with the packages already approved at that time, this vote merely approved the final written language. Both packages replace similar funding measures that are expiring in the coming months. With the bond used to construct the current school buildings in 1997 being retired this month (several months earlier than originally planned), the $6 million for new construction would be used to add four classrooms and office space to the elementary school; replace the Alternative Education building (near the tennis courts) that is nearing the end of its life span; adding four classrooms, laboratory bays and additional flexible space to the middle/high school complex; and add a permanent concession stand and provide funding to address long-term maintenance issues with the outdoor athletic facilities. The M&O levy will replace the existing similar levy that
SEE LEVY | PG A2
NVH bad debt, charity care jump in November Rehab center opening in Verbeck Building slated for Jan. 6 BY BRENT BAKER BBAKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
TONASKET - North Valley Hospital District reported strong financial results for October, but that news was tempered by a big jump in bad debt and charity care numbers for November. Chief Financial Officier Helen Verhasselt reported at the Thursday, Dec. 12, Board
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 109 No. 51
of Commissioners meeting that the district held a net profit of about $391,000 for October. That includes a $472,000 profit for the Hospital Division and an $81,000 loss for Extended Care. That compares to a net loss of $148,000 for Oct., 2012. For the year to date, the district is showing a $542,000 net profit, compared to a loss of $1.092 million. The district still owes $807,151 in warrants to the county. “Charity care and bad debt in November were taking a huge jump,” Verhasselt said. “November’s financials aren’t looking very good.”
November’s bad debt came to nearly $117,000 while charity care amounted to nearly $46,000. By contrast, a month earlier the numbers were about $64,000 and $66,000, respectively.
EXTENDED CARE Long Term Care director Linda Holden discussed the continued effects of inadequate Medicaid funding and the risk it poses to skilled nursing facilities. Holden noted that, according to a report released by the state Director of Reimbursement and Analytics, more than half of the state’s skilled nursing facilities - 118 in all - lost money last year. Last
year the amount reimbursed for Medicaid patients fell short of costs by an average of $28 per resident per day, which will rise to about $34 per resident per day next year. Medicaid reimbursement rates haven’t been adjusted since 2007. “In terms of the legislative activity and advocacy, it’s really critical that the board is involved with that,” said outgoing commissioner Lael Duncan. “When legislators hear from people who are employed by the facility, there is an automatic discount of what they’re saying because that’s their bread and butter. That’s the view of a lot of legislators. For us as
DUNCAN THANKED Michel and Casey each took time to thank Duncan for her service as she attended her final meeting as commissioner. Duncan was defeated by Hughes in last month’s election. “I’ll speak for the team for thanking her for her input and
SEE NVH | PG A2
INSIDE THIS EDITION
CONTACT US Newsroom and Advertising (509) 476-3602 gdevon@gazette-tribune.com
board members, for the new board member (Teresa Hughes), there needs to be that advocacy. (At least) make phone calls to the hot line, write letters to the representatives and the representatives that are on the committees that impact us.”
Cops & Courts A3 Letters/Opinion A4 Community A5,10
Classifieds/Legals A6-7 Real Estate A7 Sports A8-9
Obituaries Santa Letters
A7,10 B1-4