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County eliminates 10.5 jobs
MONTESANO — County budget cuts took a new level of reality Tuesday when commissioners approved laying off 10.5 county employees to cover a budget shortfall next year.

The cuts are needed in addition to recent union concessions that call for unpaid furloughs in 10 county departments.

“I don’t feel good about seeing people lose their jobs,” Commissioner Al Carter said. “But we’ve been consistent across the board with 10 percent cuts (per department) and with each department making its own decision how to reach that cut.”
In the long run, making the cuts will allow the county to preserve its core functions without wholly depleting its deficit or running up a large line of debt, Commissioner Terry Willis said.

Commissioners expect to end 2010 with $1 million of its reserves intact, Commissioner Mike Wilson said.

The county is facing a $3 million shortfall in its general fund, plus a $2.5 million road fund shortfall. The latter is due to reduced timber revenue.

Last month, commissioners tentatively approved a slate of cuts reducing expenditures next year to get partway to covering the shortfall. The cuts and union concessions cover the rest of the distance.

•The Auditor’s Office loses an office technician and half-time recording assistant.
•The Clerk’s Office loses a clerk.
•The Prosecutor’s Office loses a legal secretary and records clerk.
•The Sheriff’s Office already laid off the jail superintendent.
•Three maintenance positions at the ORV Park will be laid off.
•The Roads Department will lose a clerk typist. A decision was delayed on the dismissal of three Roads Department utility workers and the ER&R’s body repair/paint employee — whose salaries are paid for from the Road Fund.
•Central Services will lay off the GIS coordinator.
•Employees in the offices of the assessor, clerk, commissioners, sheriff, and environmental health, district court, juvenile court, planning and building department, fair and central services all will have unpaid days off.
•Additionally, some vacant positions will remain unfilled.

The county’s level of service will be reduced with fewer days open for public business and fewer employees to handle paperwork; delays are likely in many departments, Wilson said. The final budget will be put together next week and will be ready for a public hearing in early December.

Boy dies of swine flu
ABERDEEN — The death of a Robert Gray Elementary School sixth-grader was the first in the county attributed to swine flu. County public health officials were notified of the positive test result Friday, Nov. 13.

Conner Woodruff, 12, died Nov. 6, at Grays Harbor Community Hospital in Aberdeen after collapsing earlier in the day. He had been sent home from school two days earlier because he had a fever.

Conner died of an uncommon viral complication in which his heart muscle became inflamed, said Dr. John Bausher, Grays Harbor County Health Officer.

Festival of Lights contest set
The Montesano Festival of Lights is set for Friday-Sunday, Dec. 11-13. Homes and businesses that are decorated with lights and decorations are eligible for the decorating contest. Categories include Best All Around, Best Depiction of Theme — “Old Fashioned Christmas” — or Griswold (Most lights). Winners will receive a $100 gift certificate from Rich Hartman’s Five Star Honda Power Equipment in Aberdeen.

Entries must be received by Thursday, Dec. 10, and can be picked up at Montesano City Hall, The Vidette, W.H. Abel Memorial Timberland Library, Timberland Bank, Sterling Savings, Bank of The Pacific, Pickrite Thriftway and Edward Jones in Montesano. Judging will take place Friday, Dec. 11. For more information, call Kelly Vance at 249-6602.

More Sports

Monte cruises past Meridian in first round
TUMWATER — Top-ranked Montesano squared-off against an unquestionably formidable foe in the state’s No. 6-ranked team, Meridian, and dealt the Bellingham school a decisive 54-14 loss in the opening round of the Class 1A football playoffs on Saturday, Oct. 14, at Tumwater.

“(Meridian) is a very good team,” Montesano Head Coach Terry Jensen said. “However, injuries have hurt them. Depth was an issue for them, but that is to be expected when you play that many juniors. They will be tough next year.”

Both squads took to the field excited and ready to play, and how the game would unfold was anybody’s guess. However, the Bulldogs’ dominance quickly was brought to center stage.

Cascade Christian, and a shot at revenge await the Bulldogs in quarterfinals, 7 p.m., Sat., Nov. 21, at Tumwater District Stadium.

First trophy in Montesano volleyball history
YAKIMA — It was a moment the 2009 Montesano High School volleyball team will recall for many years to come. That’s because this group of Bulldogs made history.

For the first time in school history, Montesano returned from the WIAA State 1A Volleyball Championships with a trophy, placing sixth in the 16-team tournament. The event wrapped up Friday at the Yakima SunDome.

The Bulldogs started with two wins to reach the trophy round, but ran into two of the top teams in the state, both from central Washington’s Caribou Trail League. After beating Meridian in round one Friday (25-15, 17-25, 25-18, 27-25), Montesano outlasted Freeman in the five game marathon match in the quarterfinals (25-22, 25-22, 18-25, 25-27, 15-10).