Newport Miner September 10, 2014

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SALUTE TO VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS SEE PAGES 4B-5B

The Newport Miner THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNT Y SINCE 1901

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

www.pendoreillerivervalley.com

Volume 111, Number 32 | 2 Sections, 20 Pages

75¢

County starts budget process $1 million over No road levy shift planned so far

BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – Pend Oreille County commissioners are beginning their budget process for the 2015 budget. County auditor Marianne Nichols and data processing coordinator Jill Shackled met with commissioners last week to start the process. Their very preliminary budget worksheet shows revenues

for 2015 of $8.6 million with expenses of $9.6 million. They are also planning on keeping a $1 million reserve. Shackled explained that department heads were mostly following the directions set by county commissioners – that increases in spending beyond negotiated pay increases be offset by new revenue. “If there is no offset, they were asked to provide a narrative to explain why the additional money is needed,” she said. The county projects a $1.1 million ending fund balance at the end of the year. That will be the starting point for this

year’s budget. In recent years the ending fund balance has been what is used to balance the budget. Shackled thinks that will be the same this year. For the first time in several years, the budget might not include a road levy shift. For each of the last few years, commissioners have shifted several hundred thousand dollars in taxing authority from the Road Fund to the general fund. In 2008, they shifted $500,000 in taxing authority, last year SEE BUDGET, 10A

Vendors now need licenses in Newport BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – The Newport City Council unanimously voted to require vendors within the city limits to have a vendor’s license at their regular meeting Tuesday, Sept. 2. The authority to require a vendor’s license was included in the development regulations update the council approved in February. “We were getting a number of complaints from the business community,” council member Ken Smith said about why the council adopted the vender license. People questioned whether the venders were collecting sales tax, among other things, he said. The measure was passed 4-0, with council member Mark Zorica not attending. The vendor’s license will cost $20 for a month and $40 for six months. Licenses longer than that will have to be renewed, Smith said.

Events with venders that are scheduled ahead of time and on the city’s calendar – such as the Lavender Festival – are exempt from the license requirement. Those events are regulated under the city’s special use permit. Garage sales, includ-

‘We were getting a number of complaints from the business community.’ Ken Smith

Newport City Councilman

ing commercial garage sales will also be exempt, according to city clerk Nickole Schutte. She said the council has discussed the measure at two meetings. “We first discussed it a couple months ago,” she

MINER PHOTO|MICHELLE NEDVED

Gospel Hour at city park Crowds at the Newport Music Festival enjoyed Gospel Hour Sunday afternoon, a musical collaboration of Brown’s Mountain, Wild Coyotes and Western Reunion. This was one of many performances during the three-day event Sept. 5-7 at Newport City Park. Workshops were also held for those wanting to learn more about playing instruments.

SEE COUNCIL, 2A

Flowering rush a problem on Pend Oreille Largest infestation in north county near Riverbend

NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille County weed board coordinated a survey of the Pend Oreille River for Flowering rush and three other invasive species infestations this month. It is continuing for another week. The Riverbend area in the north end of Pend Oreille County is showing the highest concentration of Flowering rush. The survey started in the northern part of the county, where the weed board anticipated less dense populations of the plant, however, they found infestations between SEE RUSH, 2A

Priest River native takes reins as superintendent Anselmo has hands full following levy battles BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

COURTESY MAP|SHARON SORBY

Weed Board Coordinator Sharon Sorby said the entire river was surveyed with the largest infestation of Flowering rush found near Riverbend.

PRIEST RIVER – “Sorry I’m so late getting back to you,” said Paul Anselmo, the new superintendent for West Bonner County School District. “It’s been crazy.” Anselmo He was talking on a cell phone from Nampa, in southern Idaho. The Priest River

football team made the trip by bus and slept on the floor of a gym for two nights. Anselmo, who kept his position as assistant varsity football coach when he accepted the superintendent job, said the trip was a great experience. “It was an educational experience for the kids,” he said. Nampa is the farthest away from home many had been, he said. Anselmo asked to keep his assistant football coaching position after being hired as superintendent. SEE SUPER, 2A

B R I E F LY PUD staff recommends fiber increase to board NEWPORT – Pend Oreille Public Utility District staff recommended a $40 fiber rate, which is a $5 increase from the $35 introductory rate, to the Board of Commissioners, Tuesday, Sept. 2. The board will consider a resolution during the Tuesday, Sept. 16 board meeting. The rate increase would take effect Jan. 1, 2015, and would increase to $45 on Jan. 1, 2016. The PUD is the wholesale provider to three retail service providers, iFiber, POVN and Concept Cable, and charge them monthly for the fiber connections. Currently, the

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three providers pay the PUD $35 per customer for the use of the fiber system. They then charge their customers for fiber services. The three retail service providers all said they would adjust rates accordingly once the PUD increased the rate. The PUD Commissioners held a public hearing Aug. 19 to a packed house of area residents.

Bank collecting firewood for those in need NEWPORT – Mountain West Bank in Newport is collecting firewood for people in need this winter. The bank 7B-10B

is taking any amount of firewood – from an armload to a truck load. Anyone who donates wood can have their name put in a drawing for prizes donated by local businesses. The bank is taking nominations of people who might need the firewood to heat their homes this winter. Nominations are due Monday, Sept. 15. Volunteers will be splitting and delivering the wood Sept. 18. If you drop wood off, go into the bank to enter your name in the drawings. Call Mountain West Bank with questions at 208-4155542.

OPINION

4A

RECORD

6B

SPORTS

1B-2B

LIFE

3B

POLICE REPORTS

6B

OBITUARIES

6B

PUBLIC NOTICES

9B-10B

FIRE FIGHTER SALUTE 4B-5B

FALL SPORTS PREVIEW SEE NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE


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