ROSE WALTS CLAIMS TWO
OCTA MEETING
STATE TRACK TITLES
County Transportation Authority meets June 8
Page B2
SERVING WASHINGTON’S
OKANOGAN VALLEY
SINCE 1905
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Local lake group opposes proposed shoreline revisions
RIDING HIGH ON FOUNDERS DAY
County Commissioners meeting to consider adoption of revised program on June 9 BY GARY A. DE VON EDITOR@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
OKANOGAN – The Okanogan County Commissioners have scheduled a public hearing on Tuesday, June 9 at 3 p.m. to consider adopting the revised Okanogan County Regional Shoreline Master Program. In its present form the revised Regional Shoreline Master Program has raised the concern of the Lake Osoyoos Association (LOA) because it does not lay out rules that would prevent very large docks on the lake that would “take up prime water skiing” areas and affect other boating and swimming. “There have been no new proposals regarding docks in the county, so there still exists the option of a variance to build a dock greater than 80 feet,” writes Ford Waterstrat with the LOA, in a call to action sent to members and other interested parties. Current zoning reads, according to the Lake Osoyoos Association: “O. All residential moorage facilities shall be subject to the following standards: 4. The length of any dock shall be the minimum necessary to accomplish moorage for the intended boating use and shall be only long enough to accomplish moorage for one boat for each residence served. A dock over 480 square feet or 80 feet in length is allowed only by Variance in all shoreline designations.” The LOA has presented their position to the Okanogan County Shoreline Advisory Group: The Lake Osoyoos Association would like to make the following recommendations for dock placement on Lake Osoyoos, Okanogan County.
Quill Hyde’s Acavello Carousel took Queen’s Choice in the 80th Annual Founders Day Parade Saturday, May 30. Hyde said the carousel took thousands of volunteer hours and thousands of volunteer dollars to create. “It was so much work, but it was so much fun,” said Hyde. To see the carousel in full glory, visit www.acavello.org. Bullfighter Ryan Wilson took a short flight during the 81st Annual Founders Day Rodeo, landing unscathed. Not all rodeo performers were so lucky this year. For more see pages A2, A3, B1 and B2.
1. All docks shall be “seasonal” i.e. removable from the lake in the off season. 2. All existing piers, docks, floats and waterski courses are grandfathered as existing. 3. New docks or piers shall not extend farther from the OHWM than the distance necessary for reasonable access, not to exceed 50 feet from the OHWM or a maximum of 4 feet water depth at the water-ward end of the dock or pier, whichever comes first. Sufficient water depth for reasonable access shall be a minimum depth of three feet. 4. Docks or pier may not exceed four feet in width 5. A “T” or an “L” at the end of the dock shall not exceed 50 percent of the lot property waterline at the high watermark (or the upland property line adjacent to the lake.) 6. A single dock shall not have more than two (2) boat lifts 7. No covered pier, covered moorage, covered float or other covered structure is permitted water-ward of the ordinary high water mark, except that submerged, free standing mechanical boat lifts associated with single-family residential piers and recreational watercraft may be covered with a canopy, provided: a) No canopy shall be more than 25 feet in length or wider than 15 feet; No portion of the canopy shall exceed the height of 10 feet above the Ordinary High Water Line (OHWL); c) The canopy shall at no time have any side partly or wholly
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NVH welcomes new CEO Zwicker
BY KATIE TEACHOUT
KATHERINE@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
TONASKET - Mike Zwicker received a warm welcome at last Thursday’s North Valley Hospital’s (NVH) Board of Commissioner’s meeting. He thanked everyone for giving him the opportunity to serve as CEO, and said the experience was both humbling and very exciting. “What drew me here was the culture of the organization; everyone’s behavior here is very exceptional and I am looking forward to working with the team,” Zwicker said, adding, “I am very proud to be a part of this organization.” Zwicker had been serving as CEO of Wheatland Memorial Healthcare, a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) in Harlowtown, Mont. Harlowtown has the same population as Tonasket, but without a major road through it, it’s much more rural than here, according to Zwicker. Located about 100 miles north of Billings, the closest hospitals were 50 miles in any direction. And although Wheatland is a 25-bed CAH like NVH, it doesn’t have surgery, obstetrics or a nursing home like NVH does. Zwicker said he was looking forward to opportunities the Extended Living facility would provide to “explore and enhance the quality
already provided by staff.” attention so far is “Nursing home reimBefore going into administration, bursement, and networking throughout Zwicker worked as a respiratory therapist Washington with other administrators for 26 years at the Billings Clinic; not as a and seeing if their rates are different. rehab technician as the Okanogan Valley That’s what has been brought to light Gazette-Tribune reported in the May 21 for me.” issue. Zwicker said he “Eight of the 26 was looking foryears as a respiratory ward to attending a “What drew me here therapist were spent conference put on as manager over the was the culture of the by the Washington pulmonary services Rural Health Access organization; everylines, and from there Preservation Initiative I went on to receive one’s behavior here is and the Department of my MBA,” said Health in Wenatchee very exceptional. I’m Zwicker. “I received later this month that exposure under the would present inforlooking forward to affiliated CAHs under mation on how to seek the Billings Clinic’s working with the team.” reimbursement. Mike Zwicker, CEO umbrella, and that’s “I am looking at North Valley Hospital District what exposed me any and all opportuto administration.” nities to attend these Zwicker got his MBA meetings,” he said. “It’s from the University of Mary out of important to be proactive instead of Bismark, North Dakota, which is also reactive.” where he got his bachelor’s degree. Zwicker said the greatest rewards he Sitting behind his desk his first day looks forward to in his new job are on the job Friday, May 29, Zwicker said “Working with a great team of profeshe didn’t yet know what the biggest sionals, from the board to senior leaderchallenges of his new job would be, but ship, to managers, to staff, to providers; the number one concern brought to his and assisting the organization in provid-
Katie Teachout/ staff photo
North Valley Hospital’s new CEO Mike Zwicker is greeted by (left to right) Board of Directors member Clarice Nelson, Extended Care retired nurse Karen Schimpf and Selection Committee member Monte Smith, Thursday, May 28, 2015. ing quality patient care and customer satisfaction---being a part of that.”
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Zwicker grew up in Corvallis, Montana; in the Bitterroot Valley where he graduated from Corvallis High School.
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OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 111 No. 23
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