The Umpqua Post
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Wednesday, March 26, 2014 | Serving the Reedsport area since 1996 | theworldlink.com/reedsport | $1.00
Parade route set It appears an agreement has been reached that will allow a parade on U.S. Highway 101 during the Memorial Day celebration in Reedsport. No details were released, but it should pave the way for the parade, which moves back to Highway 101 after several years. The proposed parade route will begin at Reedsport Community Charter School, travel to 10th Street and then end in downtown Reedsport. The Oregon Department of Transportation had said costs for them to provide equipment and flaggers would be $1,500. It’s not known how much the organizing committee will have to pay for the services. “The permit has been approved and delivered to the city,” ODOT’s Dan Latham said in an email. The organization committee will meet today at noon at the Reedsport Community Building.
Housing discrimination suit settled for $167,000 The Douglas County Housing Authority has agreed to pay $167,000 in an agreement that resolves housing discrimination allegations by a Reedsport family. It follows an investigation of a series of incidents in 2009, in which the family was denied a service dog for their 5-year-old daughter, who suffers from Type 1 Diabetes. It’s also alleged managers harassed the family out of their Forest Village apartment. A news release from the Bureau of Labor and Industries and the Office of the Attorney General stated such discrimination is unwarranted. “Housing is a basic human need,” Attorney General
Ellen Rosenblum said, “and equal access to housing, especially for most vulnerable citizens, is a basic component of equality.” “No Oregonian should be subjected to unlawful discrimination or unfair treatment in house, employment or public places,” said Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian. “Our agency is committed to conduction thorough investigations and working closely with agency partners so that the civil rights of Oregonians are protected.” The executive director of the housing authority,
SEE HOUSING, PAGE A5
Holman readies recall bid of sanitation board A Gardiner business owner, who has been a vocal critic of the Gardiner Sanitary District board, says he has begun a process to get a recall of the board on the ballot. Mack Holman says he has been in contact with the Douglas County clerk’s office. The first step, Holman said, is to get the paperwork done. “I, basically, need to get an account at the bank,” he explained. “I need to prepare the 200-word maximum letter stating why recall should happen and, of course, get that to the county for inspection and approval.” Holman said he is targeting all Photo by Steve Lindsley, Umpqua Post five board members: Jackie Reedsport School Superintendent Jim Thomas explains his decision to step down at the end of the school year at Degman, Marc Fullhart, Dennis a school board meeting March 19. Thomas has been with the district for nearly two school years. His contract Conger, Catherine Kent and expires June 30. Charlotte Hinshaw. He said the recall comes because he doesn’t believe the board has been open about contracts and there’s dissatisfaction, he believes, in the negotiations
Schools boss to step down The superintendent of Reedsport schools, Jim Thomas, says finances for the district was the reason he tendered his resignation, effective June 30. Jim Thomas has been with the district for two years. His salary is $100,000. He had recently urged the school board to hire an elementary school principal, to take over part of his duties. He had also asked to be reduced to a .6 FTE superintendent. He offered his resignation letter before the March 19 school board meeting. “I’ve been thinking about this for some time,” Thomas told The Umpqua Post in an interview after
the school board meeting. “Whether they need a full-time principal and a part-time superintendent or whether they want to try somebody who has better background in elementary education and be a principal plus superintendent. This way, they’re free to make a decision without me being one of the factors in the consideration in terms of what they want to do.” Thomas said his decision came during the school year. “I think when we took a look at test scores not being where they should be,” he said, “and knowing that there’s people out there, with an elementary background, that would be better-suited to being
with the city of Reedsport on wastewater treatment. “The board fought going with Reedsport for so long,” he explained, “It’s incurred so many costs with the attempt to get the IP (International Paper) plant.” The GSD board had long sought unplugging from the Reedsport wastewater treatment plant and developing existing facilities at the IP site north of Gardiner. The board recently relented to abandoning an immediate attempt to switch to the IP site after the state offered more than $2 million in grants from the state’s Infrastructure Financing Authority to upgrade the Gardiner system and repair an underwater pipe in the Umpqua River. The grants were contingent on the district remaining with the Reedsport system. The state’s Department of Environmental Quality has leaned on the district board to repair that
SEE RECALL, PAGE A5
able to walk into a classroom and see what’s going on. I know good teaching when I see it ... but, from an elementary perspective to be able to walk into a classroom and see what’s going, and be able to make recommendations based on your experiences as a elementary educator ... I think that’s a very valuable asset to have.” Thomas’ influence went beyond the school district. He is a member of the city of Reedsport’s Planning Commission and is also an active Rotarian. He was asked if there was something the district board could
SEE SCHOOLS, PAGE A5 By Alysha Beck, The World
Fred Meyer volunteers Zach Perini, 2, Adriahna Perini, 5, and Julia Kats search for trash to pick up at Umpqua Beach in Winchester Bay on Saturday during the statewide SOLVE spring beach cleanup.
Trivia champions
Big crowds for beach cleanup
Submitted photo from Tamara Szalewski
The "Jamisons" team took first place in this year’s CDABA St. Patrick’s Day trivia challenge. The team members were Mark and Connie Saylor, Mark and Linda Petterson, Dennis Ferenczi and Knox Story.
Thousands again turned out on Oregon beaches, including a hardto-access beach at the end of Sparrow Park Road, for a good cause. Over 4,500 volunteers helped clear the entire Oregon coast of trash at the annual SOLVE Spring Oregon Beach Cleanup. An estimated 45,955 pounds of debris was removed, including 14 tires. “None of this work would be possible without the dedicated Zone and Beach Captains that lead thousands of volunteers across 47 cleanup sites,” Joy Irby, program coordinator for SOLVE, said in a
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news release. “The success of this event truly belongs to everyone that participated.” Again this year, the most common items found were cigarette butts, fishing ropes and plastic bottles. Interesting items found by volunteers included telephone poles, the remains of a sunken crab vessel in Brookings, a large semi-
SEE BEACH, PAGE A5