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About The Hood River news. (Hood River, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (April 22, 2015)
A2 Hood River News, Wednesday, April 22, 2015 G REATER G ORGE www.hoodrivernews.com Council takes bold step toward managing Underwood Community Center By THE SKAMANIA COUNTY PIONEER Editor’s note: This story was originally published in the April 15 edition of the Skamania County Pioneer. Community members in Underwood plan to roll up their sleeves and get down to brass tacks now that they’ve secured an agreement with Skamania County to operate the Underwood Community Center. Skamania County plans to turn over management of the building when the coun- ty commissioners approve a license agreement Tuesday, April 14, as part of their con- sent agenda. The council began negoti- ating with Public Works Di- rector Larry Douglass with- in several weeks of learning that the center would be closed, effective Jan. 31. A meeting by the council on Jan. 15 galvanized residents to seek the agreement to manage the building. Council Vice Chair Darla Johnston signed the agree- ment on Tuesday, April 7, fol- lowing a brief workshop by the county commission to go over the details. The agreement calls for the community council to pay the county $1 per year in rent for the next two years with a provision that the term could be extended an- nually. The council would have complete control over rates, scheduling, mainte- nance and billing. However, the county could use the building for public meetings without charge. The agreement doesn’t in- clude the post office, rental house and community gar- den, which will each contin- ue existing agreements or leases with the county. The council plans to ex- plore options for raising rev- enue to operate the facility, such as seeking voter ap- proval of a parks and recre- ation district, Johnston said. Community council past president Sally Newell said the organization plans to cel- ebrate the new licensing agreement sometime in the coming months. One resi- dent has already donated workers to prune fruit trees on the site as well as do other spring cleanup. “There is an enormous outpouring of support by our community and the vol- unteers are anxious to work together to make this adven- ture highly successful,” Johnston said. The community council was scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 16 at the center. Johnston said at- t e n d e e s wo u l d h e a r a progress report on the tasks assigned volunteers and the details of the agreement. She said more volunteers are being sought for the effort. “The Short-Term Commit- tee is setting up committees to oversee the various tasks with volunteers initially, but we hope to be able to hire a paid administrator soon,” Johnston said. “The Long- Term Committee is already at work planning the next steps for sustainability.” She said Community En- richment for Klickitat Coun- ty (CEKC) has been an in- valuable asset by putting the UCC under its 501c (3) non- profit status. The council will be able to use its liabili- ty insurance. Douglass said that was a significant issue for the county. Johnston said the council plans to have a website de- veloped so people can re- serve the building for their events. The council will also need to determine rental fees and other details. “We still have a lot of stuff to figure out,” Newell said. The center was closed ef- fective Jan. 31 in response to a budget shortfall. Douglass said turning the center over to the council will not only save the county money but the effort could be used as a framework for other commu- nities to manage county park facilities. “We’re working to get the building up and going,” Johnston said. The building has only been used by the council for meetings focused on the m a n a g e m e n t a g re e m e n t since being closed in Janu- ary. The agreement with the county requires it to do any major maintenance and re- pair work, including struc- tural, roof, plumbing and electrical work. The council would be responsible for all regular maintenance of the building and grounds. The agreement also in- cludes guidelines for ap- proved uses of the building such as for aerobics classes, craft shows and educational classes. The council is pro- h i b i t e d f ro m ap p rov i n g rentals of the building for certain activities such as boxing events, amusement r i d e s a n d p ro f e s s i o n a l wrestling tournaments. The council wanted a two- year lease with an option to extend year to year so it could seek approval of a bal- lot measure to create a parks and recreation district. Upon formation of the parks district, it could enact a property tax to support the management of the facility. “The community is really gungho and really volunteer- ing to help,” Johnston said. In other community news, the Underwood Community Gardens hosts its third an- nual Open House, 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 25. The gardens are located behind the U.S. Post Office in the Underwood Park on School House Road at the corner of Cook Underwood Road. The event includes a plant sale and seed swap. Bird house painting and sidewalk chalk drawing will be avail- able for kids. People will also staff small farm and garden booths. Some of the farm and garden vendors include Blue Moon Garden, Gaiter Creek Gardens, The With- Washougal mayor to camp by railroad tracks Sean Guard will gather data about train frequency By DAWN FELDHAUS Camas-Washougal Post-Record staff writer Editor’s note: This story was originally published in the April 14 edition of the Camas-Washougal Post- Record. Washougal Mayor Sean Guard plans to spend a week camping at 32nd and Main streets, to record the number of trains that travel through the city. He will arrive in a travel trailer Friday by noon to also observe the type of freight the trains carry and how long they block and back up traffic onto state Route 14. “Much of my concern is with how many long trains of coal and Bakken crude oil are passing through our city, but this is also just as much about the increasing train traffic itself, regard- less of their loads,” Guard said. “Washougal is literally split, north and south, by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line. “When long trains are passing through, they can block all of our at-grade rail A Washougal City Coun- crossings at the same time,” cil resolution, approved in he added. “This just under- February, expresses con- scores our need for a second cern to Gov. Jay Inslee and railroad overpass.” the Washington State Ener- Guard, who has invited gy Facilities Site Evalua- BNSF Chair man tion Council about Matthew Rose to oil export facility join him during the projects and an in- week, has received creased risk of cat- a call from Gus Mel- astrophic accidents onas, BNSF region- and train traffic. al director of pub- It also authorizes lic affairs, in Seat- the city attorney to t l e, t o m e e t i n i n t e r ve n e i n t h e Washougal. EFSEC process “for Guard said he the S o u t h we s t Sean Guard has per mission Wa s h i n g t o n p r o - from a land owner next to posed project or any other the tracks to stay on their oil terminal project under property. consideration.” “It was purely my idea, to The resolution says the get accurate information on safety and traffic impacts of what is passing through our oil trains on the City of city and what the impacts Washougal must be mitigat- are,” he said. ed by measures such as Guard will welcome vis- eliminating at-grade cross- its from local residents, ings and providing funding business leaders and other for an incident response elected officials who want p l a n , e n h a n c e d s a f e t y to talk about rail safety and equipment and safety train- other issues facing the city. ing. Rep. Liz Pike (R-Camas) told Guard she would like to HOOD RIVER NEWS (ISSN 07465823) is camp for 24 hours in a tent published twice weekly, every Wednesday by the tracks this weekend, and Saturday. Subscription rates: $42 per unless there are votes to year prepaid ($36 for senior citizens, 65 and over) in Hood River County and west- make in the State House of ern Wasco County, Oregon; and Klickitat Representatives. The legis- and Skamania counties, Washington. lature’s regular session is Elsewhere, $68 prepaid per year. Known expected to end Sunday, office of publication, 419 State Ave., Hood April 26. River, OR 97031-2031. Periodicals postage Kayaker drowns on White Salmon River A kayaker lost his life in the White Salmon R ive r o n Ap r i l 1 2 . Sergeant Joe Riggers of the Klickitat County Sherif f ’s De par tment took the call at 1:44 p.m. A kayaker was report- ed stuck in the water and people at the scene were unable to free him. Rescuers eventually ex- tracted the man and per- fo r m e d C P R , bu t at - tempts to revive him were unsuccessful. T he man has been identified as Dennis Brown, 63, from British Columbia. paid at Hood River, Oregon. POSTMAS- TER: Send address changes to HOOD RIVER NEWS, P.O. Box 390, Hood River, OR 97031-0103. Vancouver Energy, a joint venture of Tesoro Refining & Marketing Company LLC and Savage Companies, is proposing to accept and ship crude oil that origi- nates in North America and arrives at the Port of Van- couver by rail. Photo by the Skamania County Pioneer SALLY NEWELL, left, watches as Darla Johnson, vice chairperson of the Underwood Community Council, signs an agreement with Ska- mania County to manage the Underwood Community Center. ered Herb and Quercus Farm. For more infor mation, email underwoodcommuni- tygardens.ucg@gmail.com or check out its Facebook page. 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