Tonasket veteran John Jones
OROVILLE REUNION
returns to Cambodia
All-Alumni Reunion (over 21) Friday, Aug. 15, 7:00 p.m. Alpine Brewery & Pastime Bar/Grill
See Page A3
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Election Local primary election results in few surprises BY GARY A. DEVON MANAGING EDITOR
OKANOGAN – While few local candidates faced challengers in the recent primary elections, there was one race, that for Okanogan County PUD Commissioner District 1, that drew three candidates, as well as incumbent David Womack. Womack, who has served multiple terms in the position, got safely through to the upcoming general election by earning the highest number of votes at 441, according to the early, not yet certified, ballot count last Friday. That was enough to earn him 29.2 percent of the vote. His next closest competitor was Scott Vejraska, who will be sharing the ballot in November. Vejraska, an area rancher, got 408 votes, or 27.0 percent. Next was Steve Nearants with 340 votes and James Miller with 320.
SEE PRIMARY | PG A4
Rice fills vacant seat BY BRENT BAKER BBAKER@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
TONASKET - The Tonasket City Council appointed Lois Rice to fill the vacant council seat opened by Jean Ramsey’s resignation in June. Rice was approved by a 3-0 vote (council member Jill Vugteveen was absent) at the Tuesday, July 22, council meeting after a brief executive session to review the qualifications of Rice and fellow applicant Sandi Sunda. In other actions: • The council held its annual public hearing the Six-Year Transportation Plan, which was reviewed by city planner Kurt Danison, who added additional projects. The council later approved the plan, 4-0. • Danison was also authorized to draft a letter to the Economic Alliance with the city’s top three project priorities to apply for “.09 funds” that could move those projects along. Those projects included: a complete streets project to reconstruct Whitcomb Avenue (US-97) through the downtown core; infrastructure and annexation at the south end of the city; and the creation of south end
A Canadair CL-415 SuperScooper amphibious water bomber lands on Osoyoos Lake while swimmers, many from the airplane’s country of manufacturer, Canada, enjoy cooling off last week. The aerial firefighter, one of two making runs about every 15 minutes on Thursday, Aug. 7, would land on the lake, scoop up more than 1600 gallons of water and take back off headed for fires in the Methow. The water would then be released at designated points to help suppress the fire. The two flying boats would fly low and slow over Oroville and Veteran’s Memorial Park, appearing to nearly skim the trees as they made their approaches and take-offs. Gary DeVon/staff photos
SEE COUNCIL | PG A4
Denney will be new Oroville City Clerk Water request denied after much discussion BY GARY A. DE VON MANAGING EDITOR
OROVILLE – Councilman Walt Hart, serving as mayor pro tem, announced that JoAnn Denney will be Oroville’s new city clerk/treasurer following the retirement of Kathy Jones at the end of October. The announcement that Mayor Chuck Spieth had selected Denney was made at the Tuesday, Aug. 5. Oroville City Council meeting to a round of congratulations from the council members, who confirmed her appointment. Denney, a 23-year employee of the city, was on hand as she was taking the minutes that night for the council. The first order of business was approval of the city’s six-year transportation plan. This plan, a requirement of the state, shows which roads the city would most like to see improved in the next six
years. Such a plan is drafted each year and aids a city when they apply for funding for things like paving and overlay projects. However, just because a road is not currently on the plan does not mean that it might be added or taken off as the need arises.
PROJECT UPDATES Rod Noel, Superintendent of Public Works, commented on several projects, including the North End Water Reservoir. The reservoir will serve people on the North End Water System, which is located mostly north of Oroville and west of Lake Osoyoos. The city felt it needed to be built if it was going to supply water to the new U.S. Border Patrol Station and much of the funding is coming from the federal government. “The project is complete and on line. It is functioning well and there are no major issues with the project as a whole, just a few issues that were mostly cosmetic and our crew handled those,” said Noel. He added that he had forwarded the
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 110 No. 33
JoAnn Denney ”I’m excited about being selected and to move forward with the city as it continues to grow.” •
• • • •
Started as a part time employee in January 1991, moved to full time in October 1991 Secretary for the Planning Commission Secretary/Chief Examiner for Civil Service Board Married to Michael Denney Graduated form Oroville High School in 1988
information to the Border Patrol on cost overruns and problems with the contractor. “When we get the final costs tallied
SEE DENNY | PG A4
Gary DeVon/staff photo
JoAnn Denney, a 23-year employee of the City of Oroville, has been hired for the city clerk/ treasurer job upon Kathy Jones’ retirement next October.
INSIDE THIS EDITION
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Veteran A3 Letters/Opinion A5 Community A6-7
Classifieds/Legals A8-9 Real Estate A9 Salmon People A10
Obituaries Cops & Courts
A11 A12