Letters to the editor for July 28, 2016

Mt. Pleasant School district is requesting the residents to approve a simple renewal of the current levy, with no rate increase.

Mt. Pleasant is able to do this by providing a first class education experience while being very fiscally responsible.

Mt. Pleasant is now offering a full K-8 program that is so popular the K-6 is at capacity and has a waiting list. The 7th and 8th grade has some openings to accept students for school year 2016-2017.

The school is being operated very efficiently. Four teachers cover nine grades, a single secretary/office manager, three part-time aides who multi task the various duties required to support the school including transportation, and a part-time principal/superintendent.

In 2015 the district had a facilities evaluation and review by the ESD 112 building experts to insure that all maintenance and updates are being addressed in a proper and timely fashion to protect the investment in the physical plant.

ESD 112 provided a multi-year planning framework for future preventive upgrades and repairs.

Using a combination of grants and energy saving incentives the original, incandescent bulb lighting and wiring in the gym was upgraded to LED last fall. Between the incentives and increased efficiency ROI is projected in 2 to 3 years. Other projects for HVAC, thermal efficiency etc., are being strategized in a similar fashion.

A raised bed garden project installed by the students was supported by a Whole Foods grant. Stop by for a cucumber if you would like. A Lego robotics team is supported by a grant. Staff are donating time for after school activities.

Please be certain to have your ballot postmarked by Aug. 2 with a ‘yes’ vote to continue to support the excellent team at Mt. Pleasant.

Karl Kanthak

Mt. Pleasant

School Board member

I would like you to join me in voting for Jennifer McDaniel for Clark County Council, District 4.

I have know Jennifer for the last 10 years. I have watched her work tirelessly for all of the citizens of Washougal. She has always been a team player and works well with others in trying to solve issues. Jennifer can be tough when she needs too but I know Jennifer has a big heart and will treat all with compassion.

Please join me in voting for a true leader, Jennifer McDaniel.

Rod Morris

Washougal

Clark County is undergoing major changes; large housing development and population growth, increase demands on our schools and education system and ever increasing gridlock on our streets impacting commuters every day. During times like these we need new leadership.

We need a leader with a new vision and a broad range of experiences in community leadership, management and public education.

Kathy Gillespie is that kind of leader. She is a long time resident of Clark County; she understands our area and our problems.

I got to know Kathy as we worked together on a common passion; gun violence prevention.

She is professional, listens carefully and is willing to work with people who hold different views and build relationships to get things done.

She has a deep commitment to make our towns and neighborhoods better places for every citizen.

She was recently endorsed by The Columbian.

Kathy would be the perfect leader in Olympia to give us a voice and help Clark County navigate the major issues we will be facing over the next decade.

Joanne Pinelli

Camas

One of the major providers of information in Clark County is The Post-Record a large paper serving our small community in Portland’s shadow. The role of

The Columbian is large because Vancouver has no local TV the news comes to us in written form.

Congress is more and more an international battle ground as we compete for business, the vetting of a new Supreme Court justice, the critical use of the Port, how we treat our veterans and older people, attract jobs not from local job fairs but from the rapidly degrading situation in Silicon Valley because housing has forced the world’s most expensive engineers to live in small studios.

The only person in that trio, because he has an MBA and worked in some of the largest Silicon Valley Tech companies, the only one with a law degree, who has a coherent plan for transportation of 250,000 people a day to and from jobs, the man who would revitalize the Tesoro Savage project with an innovative renewable energy proposals, that man is David McDevitt. The other two are people steeped in the local community without the experience that allows David to navigate between the Port of Lorient and the head hunters of Palo Alto.

Yes, check him out on his website, shop and compare, the last four years have not been shining examples of Congressional achievements, send a better person to DC this time.

Peter Brown

Vancouver

Each vote counts. Each vote for a candidate representing local citizens, our Constitutional rights, and moral sanity is critical.

Eileen Quiring, running for County Councilor in District 4, is a strong advocate for property rights and limited and responsible government.

There are those running for councilor positions who do not hold those values but are advocates for highly restrictive zoning and population and food controls that have already been passed by a split vote of our present Council. Every citizen in Clark County will soon feel the direct effect of the so-called “2016 Clark County Comprehensive Plan” that was passed this June and locks up properties in rural Clark County for another 20 years.

In addition, what began as zoning ordinances has evolved into a socialistic, government makeover and takeover of personal property rights and progressive restrictions of where to live and what to grow.

Quiring is a breath of fresh air in the present political atmosphere. Eileen served the people of Oregon both as a representative and in the Senate as a Senate whip. She has a wealth of experience, integrity and authority and we are most fortunate to have had her return to her roots in Clark County.

Standing strong as a citizen’s advocate is something Eileen can do. We need her, and she needs our conservative votes.

Loretta J. Steele

Camas