Sequim Gazette, May 20, 2015

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IC OLYMP NORTHSULA GUIDE PENIN S VALLEY NGENES ORIA UIM/DU NTY | SEQ EST COAST | VICT ON COU JEFFERS | NORTH/W NSEND/ EST END PORT TOW ELES | FORKS/W PORT ANG

‘Flower Power’ on display

Ballot battles

Quilters unite, create and donate

Residents line up for election to offices

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SEQUIM GAZETTE nsula Daily

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News, Sequ

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

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Vol. 42, Number 20

Sequim schools pick Neal for interim superintendent role Board declines to offer position to two finalists by MICHAEL DASHIELL

Best ‘Small Town’ fest?

The Grand Parade is over and the carnival’s packed up, but the accolades for Sequim’s 120th Irrigation Festival continue. KING 5’s “Evening Magazine” aired a segment this week naming the festival Washington state’s “Best Small Town Celebration, thanks to online voting. Sequim’s civic celebration beat out 62 other candidates for the honor. See story, A-2.

Measure for metro district makes the August ballot

Sequim Gazette

In the end, Sequim’s next superintendent was just down the hall. On Monday evening, Sequim’s School Board of Directors agreed to promote Gary Neal from assistant superintendent to the district’s superintendent position

on an interim basis. Neal, who’s been secondin-line behind outgoing superintendent Kelly Shea, originally applied for the superintendent position but was not named among the NEAL finalists early last week. On Monday night, that hardly seemed to matter. “Quite humbling,” Neal said Monday following the announcement. “I was ready for this journey two weeks ago. It’s OK that it worked out this way.”

Civic Center: Open

for

Following a weeks-long process of accepting applications, culling a semifinal “short list,” selecting three finalists — one of which dropped out two days before a final interview — and finally electing not to make an offer to either remaining candidate, the board of directors selected Neal to lead the district. Assuming Neal accepts terms and conditions for the one-year interim position, he’ll officially start the job July 1. “This is the best direction we can take to

See SUPERINTENDENT, A-10

Sequim Memorial Day observances

Business

The VFW and American Legion will hold a joint Memorial Day observance at the Sequim View Cemetery at 11 a.m. Monday, May 25. All are welcome. From there the American Legion will be at Jamestown Cemetery at 11:30 a.m., Dungeness Cemetery at noon and Blue Mountain Cemetery at 12:45 p.m. The VFW will go to Pioneer Park at 11:30 a.m., Blyn Cemetery at noon and Gardiner Cemetery at 12:30 p.m.

Judgment ruled in SARC’s favor by ALANA LINDEROTH Sequim Gazette

The possibility for a new taxing district aimed at financially assisting the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center is a reality. It was unclear whether the measure for a metropolitan park district would appear on the Aug. 4 ballot until a recent court judgment that supported the petition submitted to the county auditor’s office. After Citizens for SARC submitted more than 4,400 voter signatures in late April, the petition used to gather the signatures became a focal point of controversy. The same day the petitions were submitted, City of Sequim Attorney

See SARC, A-6

Sequim Deputy Mayor Dennis Smith cuts the ribbon at the opening of the Sequim Civic Center on May 18 next to dignitaries, from front left, Sequim City Manager Steve Burkett, City Councilors Ken Hays, Erik Erichsen, Genaveve Starr, Laura Dubois and advocate Pat Johansen. See story, A-4. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Teachers, school advocates bring call for funds to Sequim streets Helen Haller Elementary librarian Sheri Kruckeberg and Sequim Middle School science teacher Debbie Beckett cleaned the playground equipment at Carrie Blake Park, one of the community-centered activities the teachers did during the districtwide work stoppage Monday, May 18. Sequim Gazette photo by Alana Linderoth

by ALANA LINDEROTH Sequim Gazette

Monday, May 18, was anything but a typical school day in Sequim. Ref lecting the one-day, unpaid districtwide work stoppage organized by Sequim Education Association members, the schools were void of all students and teachers. Sequim is one of several school districts across Washington pursuing work stop-

pages in hopes of conveying a strong message to the state Legislature and to bring awareness to the lack of the Legislature’s progress following the 2012 McCleary decision. In their fight to get public education fully funded, Sequim teachers marched from Carrie Blake Park to downtown Sequim, picketed at street Sequim Middle School teachers Allison Hastings and Steve corners and pursued commu- Koehler walk from the Sequim Avenue bypass with a group of nity service such as cleaning teachers on May 18 during Sequim School District’s walkout

See TEACHERS, A-4

to protest the Legislature’s failure to fully fund public schools, including smaller class sizes in every grade level. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Sports B-5 • Schools B-8 • Arts & Entertainment B-1 • Opinion A-8 • Obituaries A-10 • Classifieds C-1 • Crossword Section C

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