Other Headlines

Judge orders release of docs
MONTESANO — After weighing privacy and public interest arguments, Grays Harbor Superior Court Judge David Edwards removed an injunction Wednesday, March 10, that had blocked the release of a critical report on the county Planning & Building Division.

Though division Director Brian Shea and the staff’s union dispute many findings in the report, Edwards said citizens must have access to the report to evaluate the operations of the public department and understand all sides of the debate.

“This report needs to be reviewed under a bright light,” he said, adding, “The voters of this county have an absolute right to hold their government accountable.”

ICC review redux?
Report of county process apes 2003 Denver analysis
MONTESANO — The problems described in the International Code Council’s review of Grays Harbor County’s Planning and Building Division are remarkably similar to problems revealed in a blistering 2003 analysis of Denver’s development review process.

The problems — and proposed solutions — are so similar that the ICC’s report contains large sections of language identical to the earlier report by the American Institute of Architects’ 10-member Citizens to Streamline our Permitting Process task force.

“It’s amazing how similar it was,” Commissioner Mike Wilson said Monday.

He and Commissioners Terry Willis and Al Carter questioned the legitimacy of the study and of the ICC billing the county for it.

Read the two reports in pdf format here:
Grays Harbor report
Denver report

Mayor worried McCleary’s budget is too much
McCLEARY — Mayor Gary Dent of McCleary is admittedly a fiscal conservative, especially in these tough economic times and especially when it comes to his city’s finances.

And, though Dent doesn’t want to cause a scare, he’s concerned the 2010 budget passed last December might have some real problems. “I don’t really want to unnecessarily stir fears,” Dent said last week. But “I am revaluating the 2010 budget.”

Regional Fire Authority vote may be delayed
MONTESANO — A bevy of hurdles may delay a vote on the proposed Regional Fire Authority merging the Montesano and Grays Harbor Fire District No. 2 departments.

“It’s not coming together. The concept is good, but I can’t see it coming together,” said Fire Commissioner Paul Dean, vice chair of the RFA committee.

“We are not as far along as we would have liked,” Montesano Councilman Brian Schumacher said. The committee likely won’t be able to bring a plan to voters for approval in August as hoped, he said.

More Sports

River Ridge girls win 2A tournament
YAKIMA — The 2A Evergreen Conference champions River Ridge went on to take the state title following four closely contested games last week at the Class 2A Washington State Girls Basketball Championships at Yakima’s SunDome.

The Hawks battled to a 47-44 win over Lynden in the first round of the tourney. They then posted a 59-47 victory over Pullman in the quarterfinals before nipping Burlington Edison 47-43 in the semifinals.

Prosser, Ellensburg oust Elma after hot start
YAKIMA — Following a stellar regular season and an overtime loss to the eventual state champions in the district title game, Elma seemed poised to collect its third state trophy in as many years. However, a pair of familiar foes in Prosser and Ellensburg (both top-four placers this year) put together good defensive efforts and had a few breaks go their way as they upended Elma in two tight contests to eliminate them from the Class 2A Washington State Girls Basketball Championships last week at the SunDome in Yakima.