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DAYTON–The Dayton School District held a community forum to review the previous and current 90 Day Plans and the One Year Plan for the District on the evening of November 30. Superintendent Guy Strot hosted the meeting. The School Board members present were Jeff McCowen and newly elected Aneesha Deiu, both with children enrolled in the district. No other District employees were present beyond Strot and his assistant Jana Eaton. Several families and community members were in attendance. At the s...
DAYTON–Port of Columbia Executive Director Jennie Dickinson received a letter of support drafted on behalf of the Columbia County Commissioners (BOCC) in support of a Washington State Department of Commerce grant to the Port for the rural extension west along Highway 12 of the fiber broadband project in action during the Commissioners' November 30 meeting. The grant being sought by the Port does not require matching funds, according to Dickinson, who received the letter to be submitted. D...
DAYTON-The Dayton School Board appointed Zac Fabian to the vacant School Board Position No. 2 at the meeting November 17. Directors interviewed two candidates, Bryan Martin and Zac Fabian, for the vacant School Board Position No. 2. A third candidate, James Wyant Jr., withdrew his candidacy. The Board prepared ten interview questions to be asked of each candidate. Bryan Martin, a Dayton High School graduate, earned an engineering degree and is now working as a surveyor in the community. He has...
DAYTON–The Board of Public Health convened at the Columbia County Commissioners’ Board meeting November 15, where reallocation of duties and job descriptions were discussed to fill the need at the Public Health office since Public Administrator Martha Lanman stepped down earlier this month. Chelsea Eaton and Delphine Bailey are sharing some duties previously covered by Lanman, for the interim, such as signing documents and reporting for the Board of Health and to the BOCC. The job des...
DAYTON-The Columbia County Board of Commissioners were updated on the Courthouse HVAC project and other budgetary information during the November 15 meeting. Maintenance Manager David Finney reported on the funding possibilities of the HVAC project for the courthouse after inquiring if it is qualified use of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Generally, HVAC is an approved use because it improves ventilation. However, the County has been approved for an Architectural Historical...
DAYTON–The School Board was informed the Elementary School has two new teacher hires, and hear staff progress reports, school club reinstatement, and winter sports is underway. Elementary Principal Amy Cox advised the board two new teachers have been hired, Suzy Butler, who will replace Kindergarten teacher Morgan Stone, and Hilary Wheeler as Special Education Director and teacher provided through ESD 112. Cox advocated for the need and success of student counselor Caitlin Patterson. "She has b...
DAYTON–The Innovia Foundation presented follow-up data compiled from several community surveys given last spring, at a meeting at the Youth Building on November 9. About 50 attended including several who represented the Innovia Foundation, the Center for Educational Effectiveness, the College Spark Foundation and the Dayton School District and Board. Community partners from The Club and the Kiwanis were also represented. The purpose of the gathering was to present data compiled as a result of t...
DAYTON–The City Council approved Resolution 1482 to contract with Waitsburg City Administrator, Clerk, Treasurer, the hire of new Public Works Administrator, approved a real estate purchase and sale agreement, advised that the new Deputy completed his training, treasurer contract with Waitsburg, heard the Christmas Kick-off schedule, and other ongoing items at the November 10 Zoom meeting. Mayor Zac Weatherford, Interim Clerk Deb Hays and Human Resources Committee Chair Misty Yost have been r...
DAYTON-A public hearing was held on November 10 to review the Port of Columbia 2022 Budget with Commissioners and Executive Director Jennie Dickinson. The beginning reserve listed is $100,000 and the beginning cash balance is $225,000. Total projected revenues are $817,865 plus $2,475,000 in grants and loans. Total projected expenses (with the $2 million broadband project funded by the grant and matching funds) is $3,368,328 with an ending reserve anticipated at $249,537. Following the hearing...
DAYTON-Charles Eaton, Director of Public Works presented a review of the preliminary 2022 budget to the Board of County Commissioners in two sessions covering the budgets for the various funds on November 9 and 15. On November 9, he began with the capital improvement fund which he said is primarily for facilities as listed on the comprehensive plan or the capital projects list. The HVAC project, the pavilion restrooms and the golf course irrigation project are carrying over from 2021. The $500,0...
DAYTON-The Dayton School Board convened by Zoom to approve new hires, combined athletic bylaws, address how to conduct candidate interviews for open positions, approved athletic bylaws and new girls' basketball coach and assistant coach, a grant option, and a possible mission statement change during the work session meeting on November 3. Three candidates have come forward with interest in the vacant Position 2 seat: Bryan Martin, Zak Fabian and James Wyant Jr. Board member Fred White suggested...
DAYTON-Preliminary budget review meetings continued for the Board of County Commissioners during their regular meeting on November 1. Assessor Chris Mills requested to bring on an additional employee at the beginning of the year, preferably someone who is an accredited appraiser to train to learn the department before her retirement. Columbia County Extension office for WSU interim Director Stephen VanVleet requested a budget increase of $2000 for communications for internet and phone service....
DAYTON–The Columbia County Commissioners (BOCC) accepted a letter of resignation from Superior Court Clerk Sue Marinella, budget proposals from Columbia County Maintenance, Parks and Recreation, Public Works and the Sheriff's Office. Marinella introduced a letter stating she will leave her position to retire at the end of December, 2021, with one year left of her two-year term. A replacement will be appointed by the Commissioners for the remaining year. The appointed Clerk must run for e...
DAYTON–The Columbia County Health System Board (CCHS) heard updates on the progress being made on the various projects underway at the meeting October 27. The current projects underway are making progress. Foundations were poured for the Assisted Living units and stem walls are going up. The electrical panels for the medical air arrived and will be installed and ready for use once certified. Concrete pads have been poured and are awaiting the generator and fuel tank to provide emergency power s...
DAYTON-The School District No. 2 Board approved the non-disciplinary dismissal of Bill Massey for noncompliance to the vaccine mandate at the meeting on October 20. Following an executive session during the regular Dayton School Board meeting on October 20, the Board approved 3-1 the non-disciplinary dismissal of Bill Massey for noncompliance to the vaccine mandate. Board member Fred White had the dissenting vote. According to Superintendent Guy Strot from his report during a previous meeting,...
DAYTON-The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) began 2022 preliminary budget hearings on Friday, October 22, and these meetings will continue over the next couple weeks from the various Columbia County departments. Judge Scott Marinella and Administrator Diane Dill were present to go over the proposed budget for District Court. At that time Marinella announced his retirement to begin in January after 20 years of "sitting on the bench." He provided the Commissioners with his recommendations and...
DAYTON–The Columbia County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) met with the department heads at the meeting on October 18, for to troubleshoot issues at hand. Charles Eaton of Public Works reported the county is experiencing road and bridge restrictions which are being ignored, causing damage, especially to bridges. "We're having a lot of problems with violations of our weight limits on our bridges," said Eaton. "It actually has caused damage, so we actually have three emergency situations. If we d...
DAYTON–The Port of Columbia Commissioners appointed Genie Crowe to the District 2 vacancy left by Earle Marvin during the meeting on October 13. Crowe serves on the Port’s Touchet Valley Trail Steering Committee and has been a regular contributor at Blue Mountain Station, including the Co-op and other activities. She is also presently serving on the Touchet Valley Arts Council. Executive Director Jennie Dickinson announced after Crowe was sworn in that she is the first woman to hold a Port of Co...
DAYTON- The City Council hear status reports on the three open city positions, a new Deputy Sheriff, completion of the Food Bank, and Front Street construction progress. Councilman Dain Nysoe inquired on the three open positions for the city; the City Planner, Public Works Director and Clerk Treasurer. Mayor Zac Weatherford said the city has received one application for the treasurer/city clerk position and two with another expected for the Public Works superintendent. Interviews are being...
DAYTON-The Columbia County Board of Commissioners (BOCC), in the absence of Commissioner Charles Amerein, approved the Acquisition of the Willow Creek property, accepted the engineering firm for HVAC and accepted the resignations of Columbia County Rural Library Board members Heather Stearns and June Riley at the work session October 12. After the Commissioners approved moving forward on the Acquisition of the Willow Creek Property for use of the quarry for Public Works, they had a discussion...
DAYTON-The school board approved the resignations of Board member Justin Jaech, kindergarten teacher Morgan Stone and the fulfillment of State mandated vaccinations, the development of the district’s mission statement and other action items continued from the meeting on September 20. The board approved the resignation of fellow Board Member Justin Jaech. The Board intends to fill his District No. 2 position within 90 days. Strot told the Board he has already been approached by a few who are i...
DAYTON–The Columbia County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) accepted Public Health Administrator Martha Lanman's resignation, approved Resolution 2021-44 amending the 2021 budget, and learned Emergency Management and Dispatch Center Director Ashley Strickland increased Wages and Benefits in his department that did not necessitate a budget amendment during the meeting on October 4. Lanman, who served in the Whitman County Public Health Department and an eleven-year veteran with the Columbia C...
DAYTON–COVID numbers are down in Columbia County and personnel vaccinations are up 95% in compliance with Governor Jay Inslee's timed mandate. Columbia County Health System (CCHS) CEO Shane McGuire reported to Commissioners at the September 22 meeting the positivity rate of COVID tests in the county had fallen from a high of over 25% to 10%. Actual case counts were as high as the mid-forties and now have dropped to the mid-teens. As the October 18 deadline imposed by Governor Inslee a...
DAYTON–The Dayton School Board met for the regular meeting on September 15 in the High School Auditorium, but after a lengthy public comment made by School Board candidate Aneesha Dieu, Chairman David Bailey asked her and Columbia County resident Kraig Horlacher, who were not wearing the required masks, to mask up. Both refused and Bailey proceeded to ask them to leave. They refused and Bailey chose to recess the meeting for ten minutes to give them time to comply. He also asked everyone p...
DAYTON–During a contentious Dayton School District board meeting September 15, two individuals in the audience allegedly refused to wear masks when requested to by Chairman David Bailey. The situation prompted school officials to call the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office for help. Dayton Superintendent Guy Strot confirmed in the days following the meeting that a call was made to the Sheriff’s Office, although it was later cancelled. At the following Monday Columbia County department head meeti...
