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luí P or hand O ksi k vi r • F ebruary 26, 1997
P agi
“Waiting Children”
Statement on Diversity
by V ancouver C ity M anager
V ernon E. S toner
In recent years, the Cits o f Van­
couver has experienced rem ark­
able growth, both in physical size
and population. I f anything, the
scale and impact o f this growth will
continue to increase in the years
ahead.
As Vancouver expands, so does
the diverse nature o f the city's popu­
lation hi ever increasing numbers,
the City o f Vancouver is distin­
guished by a diversity o f races,
religions, colors, lifestyles and
physical abilities. Our responsi­
bility is to ensure that the city
organization both reflects and re­
spects the diversity o f the com m u­
nity we serve.
In 1993, the Vancouver City
Council enacted a workforce diver­
sity ordinance. In the years since.
Vancouver City em ployees have
worked, with varying degrees o f suc­
cess. to apply the spirit and letter of
this ordinance to our organization.
The goal now is to increase our
emphasis on the city's workforce
diversity efforts. Key areas o f our
focus are: recruitment and aware­
ness training.
Our
is to take a pro-active
stance in attracting, hiring, training
and maintaining a workforce that
reflects the talent and diversity o f our
community. In the workplace, w will
seek to foster respect among our di
verse family o f employees.
The advantages are many. A
workforce that reflects our com m u­
nity will be more accessible and
approachable for the people n<-
serve. A variety o f voices also
brings a variety o f perspectives
and ideas which can only enrich
our ability to solve problems and
provide services. This program will
establish Vancouver as a model
fo r other organizations to follow.
Given our unique role in the com ­
munity. n r should be at the leading
edge o f such efforts.
The overriding reason for all this,
however, is simple. It is the right
thing iodo. Regardless o f our differ­
ence. n r should treat each other
with respect and dignity This ap­
plies to both how u c recruit employ­
ees and the way tic treat each other
on the job. This basic principle lies
a t the h e a rt o f V a n c o u v e r's
workforce diversity efforts.
Adventure awaits seniors on day trips
Entertainment, shopping, sports
and culture await people age 50 and
over on 13 upcoming day trips of­
fered by the City of Vancouver’s
Senior Programs, All trips are es­
corted. Transportation on most trips
is by van. Adventures include:
• Chinook Winds Casino I Lincoln
City. Ore.), Tuesday, Feb. 25, or
Wednesday, March 12
• M editerranean Lunch and M u­
seum . in W a sh in g to n C ounty.
Wednesday, Feb. 26
• B arbershop Finals, in Forest
Grove. Saturday. March 8
• Legislature In Action, in Olym­
pia, Wednesday. March 12
• Blazer Basket ball v.s. Cleve­
land. Friday, March 14
Call 696-8236 for t u p c o s ts a n d
departure times.
OFM Official Hired As Budget Director
Glenn A. Olson. Senior Fore­
cast Coordinator in the stale Office
of Financial Management, has been
hired as Clark C ounty's Budget
Director.
Olson currently works in a divi­
sion of the Governor’s Office in
Olympia, which is responsible for
developing the executive budget
each year and for administer'ng
and managing theexecuti ve branch
of slate government through that
Special
show looks
at raising
grand­
children
“ G ra n d p a re n ts
R a isin g
Grandchildren" is the topic o f
the second 50-Plus Talk Show
on CVTV Channel 47. Ihe show
tapes live at the Sears Court in
Vancouver Mall on Friday, Feb.
28 at I p.nt. The audience is
encouraged to participate.
The talk show format was cho­
sen as a way to present issues
which face to d a y ’s o v er 50
people.
Replay times on CVTV Chan­
nel 47 are: Sunday, March 2 5:30
p.m Wednesday, March 5 4 p.m
Saturday, March 8 2:30 p.m
budget. He also serves as the Direc­
tor of the Statistical Analysis Cen­
ter, a federally funded function with
OFM that coordinates information
about justice issues with other stales
and jurisdictions.
Olson, who grew up in Clark
County, will begin his new job with
the county on March 10.
As county Budget Director, Olson
will be responsible foroverall devel­
opment of the county budget, associ-
ated policies and procedures and
for strategic, long-range financial
planning. The Director reports
directly to the County Administra­
tor and is expected to maintain
close coordination with the elected
officials and the Auditor’s Office.
Olson has a bachelor s degree in
sociology and demography from
Western W ashington University
and a m aster’s in sociology from
the same school.
Search is on for
Marshall memories
Vancouver. WA — Do you or
someone you know remember the
days w hen G eneral G eorge C.
Marshall served as commander o f
Vancouver Barracks? If you knew
Marshall or have memories o f 1930’s
Vancouver and the local Civilian
Conservation Corps, which Marshall
headed from 1936 to 1938, the Cel­
ebrate Freedom Committee wants to
hear from you.
The committee hopes to preserve
oral histories o f M arshall’s time in
Vancouver as part o f the 50th anni­
versary commemoration o f his fa­
mous speech at Harvard University
on June 5. 1947. That was the ad­
dress where Marshall first proposed
his Marshall Plan for the economic
recovery o f war-torn Europe.
Recollections will be recorded on
videotape as an historic archive re­
membering M arshall’s Vancouver
years prior to World War II. Selected
interview s will be added to a perma­
nent exhibit at the Marshall House
on Officers Row. The committee is
particularly looking for people who
have personal memoriesof Marshall,
who may have served on the Civil­
ian Conservation Corps in Oregon
and Southwest Washington from
1936-38, or recall life in Vancouver
in the mid-1930’s.
Marshall described his two-year
hitch in Vancouver as one o f the
happiest times o f his life. In 1938.
P re sid e n t R o o se v e lt c a lle d
Marshall to Washington to serve
as U S. Army C hief o f Staff, the
position he held throughout the
war. He later served as Secretary of
State and Defense under President
Truman and received the Noble
Peace Prize for his Marshall Plan
in 1952. Call 696-8016 if you have
memories to share or know some­
one who does.
Around the United States, there
are many children awaiting adop­
tion In the state o f Oregon alone,
there are over 300 children in need
o f adoptive families We are a group
o f private agencies w orking with the
state to help find adoptive families
I hese agencies are completely waiv­
ing fees in order to encourage the
adoption o f these children in need
Single adults, both male and female,
as well as couples are welcome to
consider adoption
To learn more contact The Spe­
cial Needs Adoption Coalition at
The Boys and Girls Aid Society.
(503) 222-9661.
Below are some examples o f the
special children looking fora loving
home
Kanithia, Katri-
sltia and Kamishia,
ages 12, 9 and 5:
These beautiful girls
are a close and memo­
rable set o f sisters!
Kanithia. known as
“ Kiki”, has many tal­
ents and abilities A s
skilled athlete, a vari­
ety o f sports fill her
days. Katrichia is a
warm m iddle sister
who interacts easily
with people. She likes
to make a positive im­
pression on those she
meets. Affectionately
known as “ Kamish.”
little Kamishia is a
co m p assio n ate and
playful girl. Despite
her sickle cell anemia,
she is presently a pic­
ture of health.
All three girls are
eager for a second
c h an ce
to
be
s o m e o n e 's sp e c ia l
daughters. They would
make a glowing addi­
tion to a new home
To Advertise In
( T l |c
fio r ila n ò
(O b s c v u e r
f a ll 503-288-0033
Kanithia, Katnshia and Kamishia, ages 12, 9 and 5.
ANNOUNCING THE
Northeast
Eye Center
A Clin ical Care and Teaching Affiliate
o f the Pacific University College o f Optometry'
I he Pacific University College of Optometry is pleased to announce the
opening of its Northeast Eye Center, conveniently located in Northeast Portland
at the Multnomah County Health Center—corner of MLK Jr Blvd. and
Killingsworth. Pacific University faculty and staff offer a full range of affordable
state-of-the-art vision services provided in a caring and compassionate manner.
F.YE CARE SERVICES INCLUDE:
■ Examinations for eyeglasses and contact lenses
■ Care for those with diabetes and high blood pressure
■ Treatment of eye injuries and diseases such as glaucoma
■ Excellent selection of frames and sunglasses
■ Free vision screenings for children and adults
■ Examination of children with reading problems
Some sight threatening conditions—such as diabetes and high blood pressure—
are common in African Americans, Hispanics and other minority populations.
Therefore early detection and continued monitoring are important to insure
good vision and eye health.
To schedule an appointment or free screening and for more information about
vision care services, please call 248-3821.
Northeast Eye Center, Multnomah County Northeast Health Center
5329 N.E. MLK Jr. Blvd., Portland
(Corner o f N.E. MLK and Killingsworth)
248-3821
Property revaluation to be impacted
A decision made last year by the
state S o u th w e st W a sh in g to n
Growth M anagem ent H earings
Board will affect 1997 property
revaluation, according to the C lark
County Department o f Assessment
and GIS
In October o f 1996, the state
board determined that portions o f
the county’s growth management
land-use plan were invalid in For­
est, Agricultural and Rural Estate
Districts.
The determination, which af­
fects cont iguously owned, non-con-
forming lots outside urban growth
areas, eliminated or limited some
development. A non-conforming lot
is a lot whose size does not meet
existing code requirements for de­
velopment.
Ihe county is appealing the rul­
ing. In the meantime, however, the
county Assessor’s Office must con­
sider the impact o f this invalidity
determination when it revalues prop­
erty in 1997, said Linda Franklin,
Clark County Deputy Assessor.
Franklin said that the Assessor’s
Office is reviewing its records to
determine which parcels arc affected
by the hearings board determina­
tion. She added that the determina­
tion o f invalidity would likely result
in lower property values in some
cases because property owners
were either unable to develop their
land or limited in their ability to
develop their land.
By law, the Assessor's Office is
responsible for determining the
value o f all property in the county
each year based on fair market
value. Property is assessed based
on its fair market value on January
I o f the year it is revalued.
The Assessor’sO ffice will soon
begin the annual review process
for 1997. Property owners will
receive their revaluations some­
time this summer.
Ridgefield Resident Bridges Portland/Vancouver
Portland, Ore. -- Inspired by
President C linton’s bridge to 21st
century, Clark County resident Julie
Linn constructed a prize winning
bridge in the “Building Bridges to
Portland and Vancouver” contest,
sponsored by GTE Directories.
Linn of Ridgefield, Wash., won
third prize, $1,200 worth o f gift
certificates to an electronic super­
store. Bridging her miniature repli­
cas of Portland and Vancouver, Linn
captured the judges attention with
creative details, including a mural
of The Everything Pages directory
cover emblazoned on the side o f a
skyscraper.
The contest was open to all resi­
dents o f the Tri-County metro area
and Clark County. Bridges could be
any size and made o f any material.
“ We were impressed with the
quality o f entries received from the
residents o f Portland and Vancou­
ver," said Greg Ness, marketing
communications manager for GTE
Directories. "The creativity put into
these bridges was fabulous: choos­
ing the winners was no easy feat,”
Ness added.
In November, GTE Directories
and the Portland Trail Blazers spon­
sored a similar bridge-building con­
test to benefit the Portland and Van­
couver Public Schools Foundations
The contest were held to cel­
ebrate the release o f the new Port­
land/V ancouver Ihe Everything
Pages directory, the first to com­
bine the twocities. The bridge build­
ing theme denotes building bridges
between Portland and Vancouver,
and also GTE Directories building
bridges to the community.
GTE Directories, based in Dal-
las/Fort Worth, isoneofthe w orld's
largest telephone directory com pa­
nies. It annually publishes or pro­
vides sales, consulting and other
services relating to 2,400 directory
titles throughout the world
ou loo may bo surprised to find out how
the Oregon tottery is helping our kids get
a good education!
Y
Each year nearly $250 million in tottery pro­
ceeds helps provide a portion of what it takes to
give Oregon's kindergarten to 12th grade public
school students a great start on their future.
Whether kids want to be astronauts, teachers,
doctors, or musicians, it's no surprise that a
good education can help
make dreams come true.
It Does Good things
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