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News

March 5, 2013

Committee supports making fire department merger permanent

Camas and Washougal should pursue expanding their current fire department consolidation efforts, instead of the formation of a regional fire authority, a committee made up of elected city leaders recently recommended. During the Tuesday, Feb. 26 Regional Fire Authority Committee meeting, members voted to support a recommendation to cease pursuit of forming a regional fire authority, and proceed with the current interlocal agreement and explore further integration of the two departments. The current Camas-Washougal trial merger agreement expires at the end of this year. During a joint meeting in April, the Camas and Washougal city councils are expected to discuss the particulars, including looking at policy and governance issues, and how a full integration could be structured. Tackling all of those issues, said Camas City Administrator Nina Regor, is likely to take some time. The joint meeting between the Camas and Washougal city councils is tentatively scheduled for Monday, April 8, at 4:30 p.m., at Washougal City Hall, 1701 "C" St. In addition to issues surrounding the fire department consolidation, other topics will include an update on the C-W Municipal Court and an animal control inter-local agreement.

March 5, 2013

Mount Pleasant would pay Washougal approximately $20,000 annually for payroll, technology

The Washougal School District is considering accepting a contract to provide business services to the Mount Pleasant School District. "I was approached by the superintendent of the Mount Pleasant School District to consider a request for a partnership," said Dawn Tarzian, Washougal superintendent. This statement resulted in a few smiles among audience members, as Peter Tarzian, the Mount Pleasant superintendent, is also her husband. The superintendents met with Rosann Lassman, Washougal business services manager, to discuss the proposal.

March 5, 2013

Camas hires legal team to help in fight against BPA project

The City of Camas has engaged the legal firm of Foster Pepper PLLC to represent its interests regarding the proposed Bonneville Power Administration I-5 Corridor Reinforcement Project. The city announced the move this morning in a media release. City leaders have publicly voiced strong opposition to the project, and hinted in the past that legal action could be a possibility.

March 5, 2013

Columbia River Crossing will be among the topics

A project that could replace the I-5 bridge will be the featured topic of a Washougal town hall. The meeting with City Council members is scheduled for Saturday, at 9 a.m., in the council chambers at City Hall, 1701 "C" St. Comments about the proposed Columbia River Crossing project and other issues will be accepted from residents and property tax payers within Washougal or Washougal's urban growth area.

February 5, 2013
Candace Miller, program director at Virtuosity Performing Arts Studio, in Camas, teaches young dancers. The petite performance team class includes tap and jazz instruction. "The most important thing is to have fun," Miller said.

Candace Miller enjoys directing programs at Virtuosity Performing Arts Studio

A local dance instructor is following in her mother's footsteps. Candace Miller, program director for Virtuosity Performing Arts Studio, in Camas, teaches preschool ballet, tap and creative movement, as well as elementary classical ballet, tap and jazz and adult tap. Her mother, Carol Opyt, owned Miss Carol's Studio of Dance, in Dyer, Ind. Miller, 46, has been dancing since she was 2. She grew up dancing in her mother's studio. For more information, call 834-7424, email [email protected] or visit www.vegagym.com.

February 5, 2013

Financial deficits are forecast for Washougal

The City of Washougal is expected to face economic challenges, based on recent projections. During the City Council's annual planning conference Jan. 25 and 26, Finance Director Jennifer Forsberg and City Administrator David Scott talked about the long term financial status of the city's general fund. With the city's requirement that the annual budget include a minimum reserve equal to 16 percent of one year's operating expenses, options to make sure the general fund is balanced include slowing the rate of the growth of expenditures and/or increasing the rate of growth of revenues.

February 5, 2013
Through its Jones Creek and Boulder Creek watershed management plan, the city of Camas has designated approximately 1,142 acres for timber harvesting during the next 50 years. The area had been broken down into 39 units, the first of which will be logged this year.

City of Camas prepares for its first timber harvest

As early as this summer, the city of Camas could be embarking on its first of many forest harvesting efforts. It is one element of a management plan that has been developed for the city's expansive watershed. Located 10 miles northeast of Camas, near the southwest corner of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the Jones Creek and Boulder Creek watershed consists of nearly 1,700 acres of mature forest land, of which approximately 1,300 acres has been identified as suitable for harvesting, The property, originally purchased by the city between 1923 and 1950, is currently used to collect water for municipal purposes via intake facilities on Boulder Creek and Jones Creek.

February 5, 2013

Bi-Mart building, surrounding land is purchased

A limited liability corporation, East Village Investors, has purchased 15.97 acres of land in Washougal for $7.08 million. The sale, from DM Stevenson Ranch to East Village, includes the building occupied by Bi-Mart, at 3003 Addy St. and some of the surrounding land. Greg Goforth, a commercial real estate broker with Coldwell Banker Commercial, Jenkins & Associates, represented the seller in the transaction. In documents filed with the Secretary of State's Office, Lone Wolf Investment LLC is listed as the governing member of East Village Investors LLC.

January 29, 2013

Parent won’t face charges after Facebook post

When an angry fan vented his frustration on Facebook during a high school basketball game, the perceived threat he made caused several Camas students and parents to fear for their lives. With just a keypad, a dangerous choice of words and the press of a button, 39-year-old Jeffery Berni of Vancouver set off a fire storm. His statement, "Camas fans! Worst in the league! I hope somebody shoots up their school really soon," still smolders a week after it was posted.