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The Newport Miner

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THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNT Y SINCE 1901

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

www.pendoreillerivervalley.com

Volume 109, Number 38 | 2 Sections, 24 Pages

75¢

Demonstrators pack last shoreline meeting Ecology makes some concessions to county BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – Demonstrators from the Pend Oreille County chapter of the Citizens Alliance for Property Rights, packed the commission chambers Monday, Oct. 22, to hear the last workshop on the Shoreline Master Program. Gregg Dohrn, the consultant who has been facilitating the SMP process, told county commissioners that negotiations with the state Department of Ecology had resulted in some

ways to individually address the If the county makes larger stansetback controversy. Setbacks – the dard setbacks, Ecology would be distance from the water where no receptive to individualized decisions development is allowed – have been regarding setbacks. one of the most “Not to the point of controversial parts wholly embracing it, “I say no compromise, of the SMP. but some,” Dohrn said. we stand and fight.” Dohrn said that The county has been Ecology, which has negotiating with EcolDan Smith the final say on ogy, Dohrn said. One of accepting the SMP, the results was that if has been insistent the standard setbacks on standard buffers for most of the are increased to Ecology’s liking, shorelines. Ecology would not apthey would likely approve four ways prove an SMP that didn’t have sufto consider exceptions on a case by ficiently large setbacks. case basis. “It is the way state law is met,” Dohrn said. SEE SHORELINE, 2A

MINER PHOTO|DON GRONNING

More than 30 people attended the county commissioners Shoreline Master Program workshop to let commissioners know their thoughts on the Shoreline Master Program. Organized by the Pend Oreille County Chapter of the Citizen’s Alliance for Property Rights, many carried signs decrying the new setbacks. Here Wayne Schettle heads into the meeting.

PUD selects Jordan as general manager Finance manager has worked for 18 years with the district BY JANELLE ATYEO OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – An 18-year employee of the Pend Oreille Public Utility District is the new general manager. The PUD board of commissioners voted unanimously to appoint John Jordan after an executive session Tuesday morning, Oct. 23. Since 1994, Jordan has served as director of finance and administrative services for the district. He assumes the role of general manger immediately, but it will take a few weeks to determine how his role in the finance department will be filled. “John has long demonstrated his commitment to the district. It has always been evident

that he has the public’s and the district’s best interest at heart, and we look forward to his able leadership in this position,” commission president Dan Peterson told The Miner after Tuesday’s meeting. Jordan Jordan takes over from Jay Pickett, who served as general manage for five months before he and the board mutually decided to end their relationship early after a review Oct. 2. Pickett replaced Bob Geddes, who was general manager for Pend Oreille for 11 years before taking a position at the Lewis County PUD last December. Jordan was one of five internal applicants that applied for the SEE PUD, 2A

MINER PHOTO|DON GRONNING

Cusick Mayor Bob Spencer talks on his cell phone while a worker from Loon Lake Sand and Excavating removes some dirt from the road behind him Wednesday, Oct. 17. The riverbank will be planted with native plants next spring. Willow brush will be planted at the bottom of the bank in November.

Roads falling down on maintenance

Riverbank stabilization project nearly complete BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

CUSICK – Cusick mayor Bob Spencer has 6,000 willows in his yard. He is waiting for the willow brush to go dormant for the season so they can be planted along the newly stabilized riverbank along River Road. “We’ll probably plant them about mid-November,” Spencer said. Planting the native willow

brush at the base of the bank will further stabilize the bank, he said. River Road is the road running along the Pend Oreille River, south of Cusick. The road was in danger of collapse following the heavy rains in 2011, when the river rose to within about 18 inches of the road, Spencer said. As an emergency measure, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers brought in 6,000 tons of rock to

help keep the bank from collapsing 2011. “If the bank goes, the road goes, if the road goes the water line goes,” Spencer said. “Everybody in Cusick and Usk and the reservation would be without water.” In addition to water and sewer lines running along the road, there are electric lines, fiber optic lines and phone lines in place there, he said. Osprey Landing and Eagles

|| American flag missing in Newport NEWPORT – The large American flag in Centennial Plaza broke from its ropes during a recent wind storm and fell to the pavement. Before anyone could get to it someone apparently picked it up and took it. The flag was valued at more than $500 and was paid for by area veterans and the city. Anyone with information about the flag should contact the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s office or return it to the Pend Oreille County Museum.

Trick-or-treat in downtown Newport NEWPORT – Local kids will be out in force on Halloween, Wednesday, Oct. 31, trick-or-treating at local businesses in Newport. The city will be cooking hotdogs and handing out cocoa. Look for signs in area business windows downtown to

Landing RV parks are also located along the road. Eagles Landing is vacant as the owners decide what to do with it. The town of Cusick applied for money to stabilize the riverbank. The state Department of Ecology awarded grants for most of the costs, but the Pend Oreille Public Utility Distirct also contributed, Spencer said. SEE RIVERBANK, 2A

B R I E F LY

see who is participating in this annual event.

Diamond Lake boat launch will close for winter SPOKANE – New this season, the Diamond Lake boat launch, operated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, will be gated for the season, beginning in November. Reconstruction of the boat launch was recently completed and it included a steel gate at the entrance for the first time. Madonna Luers, public information officer for WDFW, said upgrades done this summer and fall included a new gate, which allows the agency to close access to the site, as they do at the end of the fishing season at other lakes, such as Davis and Sacheen. They do this to protect the facilities, she said. Luers said since this is new at Diamond Lake, the launch

BY JANELLE ATYEO OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – Due to budget cuts, Pend Oreille County road maintenance projects have taken a hit, and the public has taken notice. This year, $600,000 worth of property tax levy power went to the county’s current expense fund instead of roads.

The county has used a levy shift to balance the budget since 2005, and commissioners have said they could take close to $400,000 again in 2013 to balance a budget and avoid cuts in other departments. This spring, the county commissioners got a warning from directors of the state’s County SEE ROADS, 2A

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will remain open for a couple weeks after the fishing season, which ends the last day of October, to allow shoreline homeowners with boats to retrieve them. The launch will reopen when fishing season begins in April. When the launch is open for the season, the launch will be closed overnight from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Revaluation notices coming soon NEWPORT – Pend Oreille County property owners will soon find out if their property values changed in the latest assessments. The assessor’s office will mail revaluation notices Friday, Oct. 26. From that date, owners have 30 days to contact the county and appeal to the board of equalization if they disagree with their assessed property value. Only those whose

property value changed will receive a notice in the mail, but anyone may appeal in that time period. There is no fee for filing an appeal, but a petition form must be filed. For more information on how to appeal, or to obtain a form, visit the board of equalization page on the county website, www.pendoreilleco.org. You can also contact the assessor’s office at 509-447-4312, or the board of equalization clerk at 509-447-2712. The clerk’s office is located within the county commissioners’ office on the main floor of the old county courthouse at 625 W. Fourth St., Newport, and the assessor’s office is on the top floor. Many property values dropped. Especially in the Newport area, foreclosures hurt property values, but waterfront values were up. The assessments are based on sales statistics gathered up to Jan. 1, 2012. This year’s home sales won’t affect values until next year’s new assessments.

SPORTS 1B-3B - RECORD 8B - POLICE 8B - OPINION 4A - CLASSIFIEDS 9B-12B - PUBLIC NOTICES 12B- DOWN RIVER 11A - LIFE 4B - OBITUARIES 8B - ELECTION 9A -10A HOLIDAY PLANNER 5B -7B


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