Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune, December 31, 2015

Page 1

2016 SERVING WASHINGTON’S

OKANOGAN VALLEY

SINCE 1905

GAZETTE-TRIBUNE WWW.GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2015 | 75 CENTS NEWSSTAND PRICE

Board policies discussed

What to do about flooding

LOOKING BACK

Frazier and Moser sworn in as Oroville School Directors

Trying to avoid reoccurrence of last year’s problem

BY GARY A. DE VON

EDITOR@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM

BY GARY A. DE VON EDITOR@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM

OROVILLE – The last Oroville School Board meeting of 2015 saw the swearing in of new school directors Kolo Moser and Ryan Frazier, as well as returning director Todd Hill. The first business was to elect a new board chairman and vice chairman. Director Mike Egerton was nominated for the chairman position and was elected unanimously. Director Travis Loudon was nominated for the vice chairman position and also elected unanimously. The board then approved the agenda, pulling out an item from old business involving board policy changes for separate discussion. Board member Todd Hill said he objected to changes to board policy regarding Resolution of Staff Complaints, No. 5270. “My discussion is in regards to Resolution of Staff Complaints is fine, in its current form it doesn’t seem to have stopped complaints from being resolved,” said Director Hill. “The language is directly from WWSDA (Washington State School Directors Association), said Superintendent Steve Quick. “Is there a reason they used this particular language?” asked Egerton. “The union has their own language for addressing grievance. This is for non-certified employees, not for certified employees,” said Quick, making the distinction between teachers, who are certified and other staff, like paraprofessionals, who are non-certified. Hill also asked that Item A under new business be removed. The item involves the first reading of Policy 1400, which governs Oroville School Board Operating Protocols. “I just want it removed forever; it keeps showing up and I disagree with it, totally,” said Hill. “These are things we already do, we haven’t to my knowledge

Katie Teachout & Gary DeVon/staff photos

Above, friends join Churchill Clark in carrying his latest carve, a dugout canoe called Crazy Mary, for a first launch at Chief Tonasket Park Sunday, March 22. Clark is a direct descendent of the pioneering explorer William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame. Left, water and debris stream over Sawtells Road north of Oroville after Tonasket Creek Floods due to snow melt and heavy rains in the Okanogan Highlands. For more photos from 2015 see page A2.

SEE SCHOOL BOARD | PG A2

OROVILLE – Jeff Bunnell, the owner of property in the east Oroville area has approached the city council to ask the city for help in trying to prevent Tonasket Creek from flooding. He warned that time was running out to stop a repeat of last February when the creek jumped its banks. Last year flooding did several thousand dollars worth of property damage to Bunnell and others whose property is near the creek, which flows down from the Nine Mile area. Years of sediment, vegetation and debris have filled the channel, leaving no where else for the creek to go when flood conditions from quickly melting snow and rain occur, according to Bunnell. Chris Branch, Oroville’s director of community development, updated the council on what attempts were being done. “We are really working to find a way to prevent another occurrence like we had last year in the short and long term. In the short term we’d like to dig a channel in stream bed... the real challenge is not the permitting, it is subjecting ourselves to lawsuits if the creek jumps out and causes damage to someone else’s property... whether it is our fault or not,” said Branch He added that the stream bed was elevated more than it should be and material needed to be removed to try and keep it from flooding in the short term. The city experienced major flooding of the Bud Clark Ballfields last year and the clean up took a lot of the city crew’s time. On East Oroville Road two bridges were affected, both have major sediment build up under them. The county road department spent a lot of effort fixing the Chesaw Oroville Road and East Oroville Road during and after the flooding. “All that outwash collects at the bottom of the steam when it makes that big turn at our ballfields. The county said it

SEE FLOODING| PG A2

Looking Back: 2015, the year that was Headline stories for January through June JANUARY Earlier NW Ice Fishing Festival – After anglers got skunked for the third year in a row, the Oroville Chamber of Commerce decided to move the fishing festival to mid-January, rather than the traditional Presidents’ Day weekend. Dr. David Stangland retires from practice – After nearly 35 years of serving patients in North Okanogan County through his partnership in North Valley Family Medical, Dr. David Stangland has decided to hang up his stethescope. Some good news for nursing home – North Valley Hospital District’s Long Term Care learned that it will receive nearly twice as much in Disproportionate Share Payments from the state than it did last year. Princes lease land for park – The sometimes controversial bin lot at the south entrance to Oroville should resound with shouts of joy as it will become a city park thanks to gener-

ous offer made by the Prince Family.

PUD is still weighing options in regards to generating electricity at Enloe Dam.

FEBRUARY First case of bird flu found in county – Sites near Riverside and Oroville are quarantined as flocks of backyard poultry have tested positive for the avian influenza. Creek overflows banks, covers Oroville area roads – Five hours of rain and warmer than normal temperatures in the highlands result in Tonasket Creek overflowing its banks and flooding roads, private property and the ballfields just north of Oroville. Three seek queen’s crown for May Fest – Elamae Burnell, Faith Martin and Mikayla Scott, all juniors at Oroville High School, are running for the chance to represent Oroville next May Festival. School bond goes down at the polls – The Tonasket School District’s second attempt at passing a 12-year $7 million facilities improvement bond has failed to gather enough votes to give it the required 60% need to pass. PUD still treading water on Similkameen – Okanogan County

OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 111 No. 53

MARCH NV Hospital has $1 million in bank – Hospital administrator Linda Michel has been put on paid administrative leave through April. The hospital district also heard the good news that it was in the black and had a million dollars in the bank. Who will provide ambulance service? - That was the question asked at a meeting of the Oroville City Council after the volunteer ambulance crew decided to resign en mass. The Oroville EMS Association approached the city with a proposal similar to the one being used in Tonasket. Interim hospital administrator introduced – Ron O’Halloran was introduced at the March 12 meeting of the hospital board. He will be filling the position vacated by Linda Michel as of April 1. Water and sewer rates going up in Oroville – It’s been the topic for the last few council meetings, but the city

Gary DeVon/staff photo

Oroville Kite Day takes place each April at Bud Clark Field and is sponsored by the Royal Neighbors of America. is on the verge of increasing the base water and sewer rates in order to try and meet future repairs and improvements. APRIL

SEE LOOKING | PG A2

INSIDE THIS EDITION

CONTACT US Newsroom and Advertising (509) 476-3602 gdevon@gazette-tribune.com

Chief Rob Burks retires to pursue his tattoo dream – Tonasket Police Chief Rob Burks announced his resignation and his plans to run his “Big Pink Ink” tattoo business full time.

Cops & Courts Letters/Opinion Community

A3 A4 A5

Classifieds Real Estate Sports

A6-7 A7 A8

Schools Obituaries Calendar

A9 A10 A10


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