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Union: School district makes progress
Superintendent Marti Harruff announces plans to retire June ’11. MONTESANO — The Montesano School Board penned an official response this month to last year’s vote of “no confidence” in Superintendent Dr. Marti Harruff by the teachers’ union.
The union — the Montesano Educators Association — met last week to discuss the letter, union co-president Tina Niels said.
“I think us and the district are moving forward, and I’m really glad the board has taken this action,” Niels said. “We’ve waited a long time for it.”
Union co-president Dan Thomas addressed the school board Thursday, Jan. 21, thanking them for their action.
“That’s opening up the lines of communication. I think that’s what the district has been lacking,” Thomas said, noting the district is making progress both financially and in relations between employees and administrators.
Harruff thanked Thomas for his comments at the end of the school board meeting, moments before announcing her plan to retire June 30, 2011. She did not seek an extension last June, so her contract expires at the end of the 2010-2011 school year.
“It’s just an adventure,” she said. “(Montesano is) certainly a great place for our kids to learn and grow.”
The letter outlines five steps the board will take to address the union’s concerns:
• A board member and the superintendent will meet monthly with the union’s executive council;
• School administrators will meet with union representatives on a weekly basis;
• The superintendent will meet with representatives of the unions representing teachers and classified employees in monthly meetings;
• Beginning with the 2010 annual performance evaluation, the school board will include specific comments regarding the superintendent’s expectations and performance regarding relations with employees and unions;
• Beginning with the 2010 annual performance evaluation, the superintendent will include specific comments on expectations and performance regarding inclusive and safe work environments in each administrator’s annual evaluation.
The union looks forward to working with the new school board — voters elected two new members to the five-person board in November, Niels said.

New blood
MONTESANO — The whole McLean family is really involved in Montesano’s bi-monthly Red Cross blood drives.
Jim McLean of Brady, always among the first to show up on blood drive day, has been donating for more than 40 years. The 76-year-old is on his 22nd gallon and has a hat sporting numerous donation pins that he dons only when donating.
Unable to give blood due to health reasons, McLean’s wife, Peggy, sends baked goodies with her husband for the blood drive’s canteen, where donors can have a snack after giving blood. McLean’s son, also named Jim, donates when he’s off work.
Now, McLean’s daughter, Jennie, has taken on the volunteer duties of community chairwoman for the drives that the American Red Cross comes to town to conduct every other month.

Supervisor responds
MONTESANO — County Roads Engineer Russ Esses on Monday outlined his response to the “vote of no confidence” in him.
“The real issue is a lack of money,” Esses said. “We would not be talking about these issues had we not lost the majority of our forest revenues … In 2009, we made changes with (commissioners’) approval. Some union personnel do not like these changes, and thus the resulting vote of ‘no confidence.’ ”
Representatives of American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees Local 275 — which represents employees in the county Public Works Division — presented county commissioners Jan. 15 with a letter outlining members’ concerns in Esses’ leadership.
Esses has been a county employee since 1976. Since the lay-off of Public Service Director Paul Easter last April, Esses has reported directly to commissioners as the de facto head of the Public Works Division. However, he was not promoted to a position replacing Easter, and union issues are left to commissioners to negotiate, Commissioner Al Carter said.

Lindsey reward up
McCLEARY — The reward for information leading to the recovery of Lindsey Baum, the McCleary 10-year-old who disappeared last June, has been doubled to $20,000, Grays Harbor Undersheriff Rick Scott announced Wednesday.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ron Twersky of the FBI said his agency supplied the increase.
At a press conference in McCleary City Hall, Scott and other law enforcement personnel, including Twersky, also talked about the FBI’s review of the ensuing massive investigation since Lindsey vanished more than seven months ago while walking home from a friend’s house.

More Sports

Montesano grapplers wrap up Elma
MONTESANO — Pairing skill with determination, Class 1A Montesano upset 2A Elma 45-22 in a non-league wrestling meet, Tuesday, Jan. 26, at Bo Griffith Memorial Gymnasium. Collecting wins in nine of 14 matches, the Bulldogs had the meet wrapped up by the 171-pound bout.

Elma Babe Ruth to hold meeting
ELMA — Elma Babe Ruth will be holding a meeting at 5 p.m., Sunday Jan. 31, at the Elma branch of Our Community Credit Union.
Officers for the upcoming season will be selected at the meeting. The league is also in need of coaches and other voluteers, so those interested are encouraged to attend. Feel free to call Steve Luellen with any questions at (360) 482-5592. Player sign-ups are set for 6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 17, at Our Community Credit Union in Elma. All new players will need to leave a copy of their birth certificate.

Ecklund snares another title
SOUTH HILL — Montesano senior Michaela Ecklund continued on her unbeaten streak as she won her division at the Emerald Ridge Invitational girls wrestling tournament Saturday, Jan. 23, at Sotuh Hill.
Ecklund took the 160-pound title after dispatching Jessy Christensen of Rogers of Puyallup by second-round pin-fall in the finals.
Ecklund’s overall record for the season improves to 18-0 following the tourney.