Ferndale girls basketball: wins season opener Page A8
DECEMBER 8, 2021
SINCE 1885
FERNDALE, WASHINGTON • $1.50
Superintendent search counts down in Ferndale
Hello, Ferndale!
District profile being developed; final selection set for March By Cal Bratt For the Record
FERNDALE — The process of choosing a new Ferndale School District superintendent counts down to Feb. 25. That’s the application deadline. A month later are final interviews of candidates, with announcement of a final selection set for March 25, according to the district website. Two search consultants with Northwest Leadership Associates briefed the Ferndale School Board Nov. 30 on progress to-
New reporter says hello to Ferndale Record newspaper community. Page A6.
Country Life
ward the goals. “We’re right on schedule ... in terms of our timeline,” said Wayne Robertson, who was linked into the board’s remote meeting along with Associates colleague Mark Venn. The pair said next steps in December and January are to finalize a profile for applicants describing the district’s positives, challenges and facilities as well as to have a ballpark figure for compensation to be paid to a new superintendent. On that last point, Venn and Robertson noted that at least three superintendent searches are happening just within school districts of northwest Washington, and so compensation must be competitive to attract good candidates, they said. The overall pool of potential candidates could be 50-60,
which would be narrowed down to 5-6 by the board with Northwest by March 8. Venn also recapped the input about the Ferndale School District gathered from district residents in focus groups and from an online survey in early November. Attributes sought in a superintendent were also solicited. Key traits of the person would be building trust, having a collaborative style and being invested in the Ferndale community. Everything is being conducted now with two new school board members. In the Nov. 2 election, Steve Childs and Peggy Uppiano replaced multi-termers LeAnne Riddle and Andrew McLaurin, respectively, and the newcomers are sworn in. Board members carrying over are Kevin Erickson, who is chair, Me-
linda Cool and Jessie Deardorff. Veteran district administrator Mark Deebach is operating as the district’s interim superintendent this school year after Linda Quinn retired after 12 years with Ferndale. Across more than three hours of Zoom meeting • The Ferndale School Board heard from about a dozen people in open session, most of them wanting a relaxation of the district’s COVID policy on masking and vaccination. • Dr. Laura Lynn, program supervisor in the state OSPI Office of Native Instruction, spoke about the Since Time Immemorial curriculum, about tribal sovereignty, history and physical geography, which was manSee Superintendent on A5
Heart, Hands, Feet
Randy Honcoop retires after 35 years in raspberry business. Page B1.
Ferndale debriefs on flood response Council told ‘crews did an extremely good job responding’ By Cal Bratt For the Record
FERNDALE — Debriefing from the November floods took up two-thirds of a three-hour City Council meeting Monday. Councilors and Mayor Greg Hansen heard from city staff what they and many community volunteers did in response to the Nov. 14-16 and 28-29 flooding as it hit Ferndale, how groups coordinated their efforts, and what things could possibly be done better next time. “No one had experienced that level of river flooding,” said Public Works Director Kevin Renz of a Nooksack River that crested at 23.76 feet at the Ferndale gage. “I think the crews did an extremely good job responding.” This flood that swamped Main Street under the railroad bridge with several feet of water, cutting off access east and west, was just higher than the 1990 flood and a foot above the 2009 level, for people who can remember those high-water episodes. Renz spoke of “community members out in droves” especially to fill, move and lay sandbags to protect key points and help free city workers to attend to See Debriefs on A7
Lynden Christian students provide flood relief for Ferndale families By Bill Helm bill@lyndentribune.com
A Lynden Christian High School student, top photo, removes damaged insulation from beneath the Ferndale home of Darla Mork, bottom photo, right. Mork talks with Samaritan’s Purse volunteers outside her home. (Bill Helm/Lynden Tribune)
Weather
16 pages • Volume L • Number 42
Thursday 43°/36° Friday 45°/39° Saturday 47°/36° Sunday 44°/35°
Calendar • A2 Classifieds • B6 Forum • A4
Photo Page • A3 Legal Notices • B3 Obituaries • A5
LYNDEN — More than 200 volunteers have participate in Samaritan’s Purse’s recent action plan to help Whatcom County flood victims. About one-fourth of that group attend Lynden Christian High School. Kristin Sterk, a junior at the school, said helping others may have made her want to volunteer even more. “This experience allowed my classmates and me to understand the depth of our situation,” Sterk said. “Seeing how much we were able to complete in a couple of
Puzzles • B7 Sports • A8
hours motivated me to consider volunteering more. I wish that everyone could have the chance to volunteer in whatever way they can.” Truth is, everyone does have the chance to volunteer, according to Stephen Sneed, media relations coordinator for Samaritan’s Purse. Located in North Carolina, Samaritan’s Purse is a humanitarian organization that provides aid to people in physical need. Sneed explained that Samaritan’s Purse has responded to the “devastating flooding and mudslides that resulted in hundreds of evacuations, road closures, and damage to more than 500 homes.” Disaster Relief Unit As floodwaters receded, the international Christian relief organization deployed a Disaster Relief Unit — a tractor trailer See LCS relief on A6
Exclusive online content: News throughout the week www.ferndalerecord.com | www.facebook.com/ferndalerecord