A2
Hood River News, Saturday, March 14, 2015
Full Sail employees
okay brewery sale
By KIRBY NEUMANN-REA
News editor
Photo by Kirby Neumann-Rea
W ARM T HANKS
Larry, a guest at Hood River Warming shelter, shakes hands with volunteer Matt Rankin, right, as the shelter closes March 8 for the sea-
son. Throughout February until the final day, the non-profit program used the north wing of the Port of Hood River Expo Center for
overnight shelter for the homeless. The shelter will return for a sixth season in November at a location to be announced. At left are vol-
unteers Bev Carpenter and Rev. Anna Carmichael, and at right is volunteer Tom Penchoen.
S CHOOLS
Continued from Page A1
the number of instructional
days,” Goldman said.
A third formula, for $7.85
billion, seems so unlikely of
Legislative approval that
“we kind of laugh at it,”
Goldman said, “and it is still
woefully low.”
Parent volunteers set up
letter writing tables Thurs-
day at May Street Elemen-
tary during its annual art
auction and lasagna feed.
Residents were provided
with lists of key legislators,
and sample letters to sign,
and “talking points” to use to
draft their own.
One of those legislators,
Rep. Mark Johnson, also
serves on the school board.
“I have seen some really
well-written letters. It can be
very effective, and so much
better than a form letter,”
Johnson said Wednesday.
Goldman described what
he called a “gloomy”
prospect for HRCSD funding
in the next two years.
With anything short of the
$7.85 billion option, cuts are
inevitable, Goldman said. “I
have informed my adminis-
trative team that everything
is on the table. We are look-
ing at everything.
“When cutting we will be
cutting bone. There are no
good choices,” Goldman
said.
The board adopted one res-
olution on school funding
Wednesday, and asked Gold-
man to craft another, more
specific one, for its next
meeting, April 8.
The adopted resolution
supports the Oregon School
Boards
Association’s
“Promise of Oregon” cam-
paign. It states, in part, “we
believe funding a strong sys-
tem of public education is
the best investment Oregoni-
ans can make to strengthen
HOOD RIVER NEWS (ISSN 07465823) is
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over) in Hood River County and western
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our economy, create thriving
communities and improve
the quality of life for every
Oregonian.” It states that
“Oregon public schools have
experienced a prolonged pe-
riod of unstable and inade-
quate” state funding, and
“the case must be made that
the Legislature needs to pri-
oritize investments” in edu-
cation including full-day
kindergarten (already done
in HRCSD).
Board member Bob Danko
said that the resolution is
“the easy way out,” and sug-
gested adding a “whereas” to
the OSBA resolution stating
that “we need to raise rev-
enue.”
“The (OSBA) resolution is
a political tool that we hope
makes a difference,” Gold-
man said, recommending
against modifying it. After
some discussion, the board
asked Goldman to return
with another resolution that
“specifically addresses rais-
ing revenue.”
Goldman’s focus in recent
weeks has been on machina-
tions in Salem. He told the
board that last week in
Salem he heard testimony on
all kinds of service budgets,
ranging from early educa-
tion to human services.
“I heard some very com-
pelling things around why
people can’t make ends meet.
There are a lot of important
needs and not enough money
to go around,” Goldman said.
He said the K-12 system is
one of those underfunded
clients and “If we don’t advo-
cate for it, we won’t get any
of it.”
He described the prospects
for David Douglas School
District, which without more
funding will face furlough
days and 30-40 student class
sizes. (Hood River class sizes
currently average 25-26 at the
elementary level, and could
increase depending on the
budget outcome, according
to Goldman.)
In his message on Tuesday.
Goldman said, “As I’ve
shared with you all before,
Oregon schools have the sec-
ond highest class sizes, some
of the lowest number of in-
structional minutes for stu-
dents, resulting in some of
the lowest statewide gradua-
tion and literacy rates in the
nation (of course Hood River
County gets markedly differ-
ent and better results as a re-
sult of our community’s sup-
port of our local option levy
and capital bonds and our
f abulous teachers and
staff). However, after nine
years in a row of program re-
ductions due to state funding
shortfalls, a $7.235 billion
state education budget will
cause the Hood River County
Schools to once again make
unfortunate choices that will
directly impact students.”
Bonus Winner #6
Aunika Yasui
cashed in as a
bonus winner in
this year’s Hood
River News Kids
Subscription
Campaign!
At Full Sail, the next
rounds are on Encore.
Hood River’s largest and
oldest brewery is now owned
by Oregon Craft Brewers Co.,
the temporary name of a
group of investors whose
primary partner is Encore
Investments of San Francis-
co.
The 78 vested employees
and past employees of Full
Sail voted nearly unani-
mously March 6 to sell to
OCBC, who own no brew-
eries.
(See hoodrivernews.com for
a full version of this story.)
“The fact we were able to
do this and honor the fact
that our employees helped us
grow and value the company
feels really good,” said Irene
Firmat, Full Sail CEO. “It al-
lows us to fulfil the promise
of what we did in 1999, which
we felt pretty strongly at the
time,” Firmat said of the de-
cision to change to an em-
ployee-owned company.
“The thing that really ap-
pealed is it’s not a brewery,
and they need each of our
employees, in production,
sales, marketing, and admin-
istrative,” Firmat said, “and
they understand the brand.”
OCBC made an unsolicited
offer, according to Firmat.
The yes vote was 98 per-
cent; ballots were cast by
current employees and for-
mer employees who own
stock.
“People had a whole lot of
information, about 150 pages
of documents,” Firmat said
of the prospectus. Based on
questions she answered be-
fore the vote, “I was im-
pressed with how thoroughly
people read it.
“The next step to take the
company and continue to
grow. (The vote) was the best
outcome to honor the
shares,” she said.
Full Sail will be adding six
new sales staff immediately,
and likely more will be
hired.
Celebrate with Friends & Neighbors
at Skamania Lodge
Casco Especial
Tuesdays are hot in River Rock! Our culinary
team members with Latino heritage will be
generously sharing their family recipes for
Mexican, Central and South American Cuisine.
Spice up your Tuesday!
Whiskey Wednesdays
6 PM - Close
Special whiskey flight plus a new menu each
Wednesday to pair with your culinary favorites.
Happy Hour Is Back!
Plus, Don’t Miss Our
Prime Rib Sunday!
5 - 9 PM
Enjoy this dining feature for a limited time.
8 oz. prime rib dinner $22; 12 oz. prime rib dinner $28
Reservations suggested: 509-427-7700
Monday - Thursday
4 PM - 6 PM
Petite menu and discounted select beverages,
including: Hot Crab & Shrimp Dip, Chili Fries,
Rock Burger with Cheese, Buffalo Wings,
Mac ‘n’ Cheese
HOOD RIVER SUPPLY’S
Customer appreciation Days
WED. MARCH 18 th THRU SAT. MARCH 21 st
FREE
Orchard Supplies • Fencing Supplies
Lawn & Garden Supplies
Fertilizer & Soil Conditioners
Weber BBQ's & Accessories
Smokehouse Products • Transponder Keys
Livingston Seeds • Purina Feed
Cub Cadet • ECHO • McCormick Tractors
SPECIA
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It’s Happening Now!
Spread the News
Kids Campaign Ends March 14
COFFEE, PEPSI, DONUTS,
POPCORN & BALLOONS
ALL DAYS AT BOTH STORES
IN 2 LOCATIONS TO BETTER SERVE YOU
1945 12TH ST., HOOD RIVER • 541-386-2757
3831 EAGLE LOOP, ODELL • 541-354-3000
APPLE VALLEY BBQ
HOOD RIVER RESTAURANT
RIVERSIDE AT THE HOOD RIVER INN
Cherry wood smoked pulled pork, meatloaf, pork ribs, chick-
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and hard cider. Full service catering available! Full menu
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Open Wed-Sun: 11-8
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541-352-3554 • AppleValleyBBQ.com
Chinese and American dishes. Golden Rose Lounge with our
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combinations! Banquet facilities available.
Open Every Day: 11:30 am to 10 pm
108 Second St., Hood River;
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Enjoy panoramic river views and casual dining from Chef
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Cebu Lounge.
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Featuring fine authentic Mexican food and cocktails.
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Sun. - Thurs. 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
Fri. - Sat. 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
1210 13th St., on the Heights, Hood River
541-387-3300
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Mon - Fri: 8am - 5pm
541.386.1234 • HoodRiverNews.com