Other Headlines
County begins cuts
Public Services Director Paul Easter is among the first laid off

MONTESANO — County Commissioners drew the first blood Tuesday in the initial round of budget cuts to cover an anticipated $1.5 million shortfall in the 2009 budget.

Commissioners immediately eliminated the jobs of Public Services Director Paul Easter, Emergency and Risk Management Manager Anne Sullivan and Jan Fargo, Public Services administrative assistant. They also considered a slew of cuts proposed by department leaders to trim 6 percent from each department’s budget.

The county potentially could lose two sheriff’s deputies, a corrections officer, two janitors, two superior court reporters, two legal secretaries, a public health nurse and a licensing clerk, and have hours of operation cut, eliminate several currently empty jobs and not hire replacements for those who choose to retire early.

Commissioners plan to finalize budget cuts Friday after seeking additional information from some departments and asking employee unions for additional contract concessions that could save some of the jobs.

Commissioners also plan to discuss the county road fund in depth Friday. The three positions cut Tuesday were paid for by money in the road fund. The rest of the proposed cuts discussed Tuesday were in the general fund, the county’s primary operating budget.

Mark Reed board OKs ‘right to die’
McCLEARY — Mark Reed Hospital’s commissioners voted last Thursday to allow the hospital’s doctors to help some terminally ill patients end their lives. In November’s general election, 57.8 percent of Washington voters casting ballots favored Initiative 1000, termed by proponents as “death with dignity” and by those opposed to it as “assisted suicide.” The initiative became law March 5.

With little discussion, Commissioners Brent Meldrum, chairman; Roy Musser; Drew Hooper and Amy Thomason voted in favor. Commissioner Louie Figueroa opposed.

PUD: Rate hike is BPA’s fault
Commissioners urge people to write letters

ABERDEEN — Grays Harbor PUD officials laid the blame for impending rate increases squarely on the shoulders of the Bonneville Power Administration at a public meeting Monday evening.

“This Bonneville power rate increase is unnecessary and we oppose it,” PUD Commissioner Tom Casey told a crowd of more than 100 gathered at the Aberdeen High School gym. “Do I sound angry? Well I am angry.”

The longtime PUD commissioner told the audience that the federal power agency, which supplies 78 percent of the PUD’s power, is needlessly spending millions of dollars in subsidies to private industry and private utility companies and salmon habitat restoration beyond the scope of what’s required by law. Bonneville has announced a planned 9.4 percent rate increase beginning in October. The PUD plans to increase electricity rates 4 percent this year, possibly followed by additional increases in subsequent years, to cover the rate hike. The increase amounts to about $3.35 per month for the average household.

“We’re not passing on the entire rate increase to our customers,” said Doug Streeter, PUD finance director.

Junk ordinance hearing Monday
MONTESANO — A contentious junk vehicle ordinance is being revived Monday, April 6, with a new public hearing.
The hearing will be held at 2 p.m. at the County Administration Building in Montesano.

The ordinance will enable the county to clean up property and seize junk vehicles and empower deputies to issue citations. To qualify as “junk,” the ordinance says the vehicle must meet three of four qualities: beat least 3 years old, inoperable, have value less than the price of scrap and have extensive damage with broken windows, missing wheels, motor or transmission.

However, one person’s junk often is another’s treasure.

“I realize not everybody loves old cars,” said Jeff Nichols of rural Montesano. However, people who collect and restore vintage vehicles often require multiple inoperable vehicles for parts, he said. If those vehicles are hidden behind a fence or foliage, what’s the harm?, Nichols asked.


More Sports
Tumwater holds off Montesano comeback
MONTESANO — Despite a pair of Aubree Pocklington homeruns, Tumwater was able to thwart a late Montesano rally and escape Crait Field with a 7-5 non-league fastpitch victory Friday, March 27.

Things couldn’t have gotten off to a better start for the Bulldogs in the first inning. Behind pitcher Devyn Baker, the first three Thunderbirds to come to the plate were sat down in order.

Bulldogs blank Rocket soccer
CASTLE ROCK — With Jason Franks and Cameron Covert hitting two goals each, Montesano easily rolled over Castle Rock in a 1A boys soccer match-up Thursday, March 26, at Castle Rock.

Derek Jensen opened the scoring in the seventh minute thanks to an assist from Franks. Mike Berry then tallied in the 20th minute following a corner kick to make it 2-0.

Monte baseball sweeps up Toledo
MONTESANO — Superior pitching and hitting helped Montesano top Toledo 7-0 and 15-7 in a 1A Evergreen baseball doubleheader Thursday, March 26, at Vessey Park.

In the opener, Frank Carpenter tossed a two-hitter as Monte took down Toledo, 7-0. Matthew Shea and Reggie Hancock had two hits and two RBIs each to pace the Bulldogs in the first game.