TENTS HOST LEWIS AND CLARK EXHIBIT
Tents housing a Lewis and Clark exhibition have been set up in Vancouver and are open for public viewing daily through Dec. 11.
Speakers of national reputation, along with area experts on Lewis and Clark, will talk about various aspects of the Corps of Discovery exploration, conducted by William Clark and Meriwether Lewis 1803-1806.
The four-tent exhibition, funded by the National Park Service, began its journey in January 2003 in Virginia. The two-week stop in Vancouver is the 74th location for the multi-media exhibition.
Jeffrey Olson, public information officer for the Corps of Discovery II, said more than 7,500 school students have registered to view the exhibit. The general public is invited as well.
Two tents house static exhibits, including art work and maps of the Lewis and Clark exploration. Visitors can use headphones in these tents to listen to a narrated program.
The largest tent, referred to as the Tent of Many Voices houses speakers on the hour every hour.
The speaker schedule includes Josh Loftis, a descendent of Corps member George Shannon who became lost 2-3 times; Roger Wendlick of Portland who is a nationally-known collector of Lewis and Clark literature; Barb Kubik of Vancouver, a Lewis and Clark historian; Robert Miller from Lewis and Clark College; Gary Lentz, who Olson describes as a "very popular" speaker with Washington State Parks and Recreation; Ken Ames from Portland State University; Keith Hay with the Lewis and Clark Trail Foundation, Washington and Oregon chapter; Marlene Rivero of the U.S. Forest Service who plays the role of York's mother; and area tribal representatives Mike Iyall of the Cowlitz and Ray Gardner of the Chinook.
"It's really difficult to highlight even a few of our speakers in Vancouver," said Kevin Crisler, manager of the Corps of Discovery II exhibit. "We'll have tribal stories from across the Lewis and Clark Trail with a special focus on the Coastal, Columbia River and Columbia Plateau nations. But we're also going to have Lewis and Clark historians, expedition re-enactors and several programs about the landscapes of the Trail from conservation groups and other state and federal agencies."
The Tent of Many Voices seats 150-160 people and measures 40 feet by 70 feet.
The tent exhibition was most recently in Long Beach and Seaside.
A fourth tent houses a 2/3 scale keelboat, representing a boat on the Corps of Discovery.
A 16-foot diameter Plains Indian Lodge will also be on display, along with a 28-foot dugout canoe.
The exhibition opened Nov. 28 and will remain open daily through Sun., Dec. 11. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m., with school groups scheduled mostly 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The entire exhibit is free.
Re-enactors reach goal
Meanwhile, re-enactors who have re-traced the trail taken by Lewis and Clark from St. Charles, Missouri, walked "The Last Mile" Nov. 19 in Long Beach.
Led by "Bud" Clark, the great-great-great-grandson of explorer William Clark, the re-enactors walked north along the Washington coast in Long Beach and arrived at a bronze tree near 25th St., a site where Lewis and Clark reportedly ended their exploration in 1805.
Bud Clark is a retired automotive engineer from Michigan. He was joined in the re-enactment with various people in period costumes who played roles of those who were in the Corps of Discovery.
The re-enactors reached Cape Disappointment State Park and camped at McKenzie Head Nov. 18, the first ocean campsite of the expedition. They then walked northwood along the coast.
The re-enactors were also funded in part by the National Park Service.
Both the tent exhibition and the re-enactors will begin the return trip in March 2006, as did Lewis and Clark 200 years ago. The tent exhibit will be set up in St. Helens, OR, when the return trip gets underway.
TROOPERS CAN BE "UNCONVENTIONAL"
Heidi Wallenborn, news director
Clark County residents may want to think twice about passing by "that homeless man" on the street corner.
State patrol trooper Jason Linn, holding a cardboard sign and wearing street clothes, helped nab 47 people in 2 1/2 hours on Nov. 23 in Orchards.
Had passers-by read his sign, they may have been a bit forewarned.
The cardboard sign, strung around his neck, read "Happy Holidays and Buckle up." It stated that 95 percent of the citizens in Washington do, and asked, "Are you part of the 5 percent that chooses not to buckle up?"
The sign also stated "Click it or T.ticket--save $101 (and a life) and buckle up."
Underneath the verbiage was a note: "An unconventional method to increase seatbelt usage."
When Linn saw motorists not wearing a seatbelt, he radioed the emphasis team made up of two motorcycle troopers, two troopers in unmarked cars, one K-9 trooper, and the District 5 commander, Captain Bob Johnson.
As a result, 29 seatbelt violators were caught, one aggressive driver was ticketed, there were six drug-related arrests, one person with a felony warrant apprehended, two other felony arrests, one person was contacted who had a misdemeanor warrant, five people with suspended/revoked licenses were caught along with six uninsured motorists, and one illegal window tint led to a drug bust.
Trooper Mike Kesler said there were a few noteworthy events during his shift.
One stop was the result of a passenger in a car throwing a 1/4-full can of pop at "panhandler" Linn on the corner. The driver, a 15-year-old boy, was arrested for taking his father's rental car without permission after being stopped by officers.
The illegally tinted window stop resulted in the arrest of the driver for possession of methamphetamine and marijuana, and possession of stolen license plates. It was also reportedly discovered that the vehicle identification number of the car was altered, and troopers suspect the car was stolen.
Of the six drug-related arrests, three were felony (two for having methamphetamine, one for cocaine), and there were three K-9 searches.
And last but not least, Kesler said, three drivers were ticketed for failing to get a Washington vehicle license because they were driving Oregon-plated vehicles.
Kesler said more of the same undercover seat belt stings will happen in the future.
WALK AND KNOCK FOOD DRIVE IS SATURDAY
The annual inter-service Walk and Knock food drive will take place Sat., Dec. 3, throughout much of Clark County.
Area residents are invited to place bags of non-perishable food on their porches for pickup by members of area service clubs, Boys Scouts and other volunteers.
The food will be boxed and delivered to a warehouse in Vancouver for subsequent distribution to area food banks.
The door-to-door pickup program will take place throughout much of the county, including Battle Ground and north to about Fargher Lake and Lucia Falls Road, plus La Center, Ridgefield, Vancouver, Camas and Washougal.
Pick up will take place as far east as Venersborg. The program will not include Amboy or Yacolt, or more rural areas of Clark County.
Those living in more rural areas are invited to deliver food items to one of several drop-off points where volunteers will place items in uniform-size boxes.
Stacy Walters, who chairs the annual food drive, said volunteers are needed to help, and may do so by showing up at Fairgrounds Park in Battle Ground 8-8:30 a.m. on Dec. 3, or at the Hockinson Fire Station on NE 159th St., at the same time.
The Walk and Knock program is a project of area Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, Optimist and Sertoma clubs. Junior ROTC cadets from both Battle Ground and Prairie high schools help sort and box food items. Boy Scouts assist in picking up donations.
Information is available by calling (877) 995-6625, and on the web at walkandknock.org
OPEN POSITIONS NEED CANDIDATES
Candidates are invited to file for positions as commissioner of diking and drainage districts, beginning Dec. 5.
Openings exist for Drainage Improvement District No. 5 (Brush Prairie area), Diking Improvement District 14 (Vancouver Lake area), and Drainage District No. 2 (Fargher Lake area).
The filing period will continue through 5 p.m. Fri., Dec. 9.
The election for these positions will take place Feb. 7, 2006.
To be eligible, candidates must be registered voters, and must have owned property in the district boundaries for 30 days.
Filings will be taken at Clark County elections, 1408 Franklin St., Vancouver. Information, Tim Likness, 397-2345.
COUNTY CLEARS WAY FOR DAYBREAK MINE APPEAL
Alice Perry Linker, staff reporter
The Clark County commissioners have cleared the way for Storedahl & Sons to appeal to Superior Court their request to mine sand and gravel near the East Fork of the Lewis River.
The most recent decision affected only a small portion of the mining request. On a 2-1 vote, with Commissioner Marc Boldt voting no, the commissioners upheld a hearings examiner's decision not to allow Daybreak Mine to move rock from one section of the property to another for crushing.
"We are nit-picking things here," said Commissioner Betty Sue Morris. "It's time for the commissioners to finish and send this on to Superior Court.
"There is no evidence in the record to overturn the hearings examiner," said Morris.
In his opposition, Boldt said that the county had granted the conditional use on the 71 acres.
"Bringing rock across the street does not expand or alter the operation," he said.
Storedahl & Sons has asked to move sand and gravel taken from a 60-acre mine to a 71-acre site for processing. The hearings examiner ruled that the material could not be transferred from one location to the other and that the non-conforming use did not include the right to process sand and gravel on the 71 acres.
"They can make dust, they can haul to any place except the 71 acres where we've said they can't haul," Morris said.
The commissioners earlier this year denied a Storedahl request to expand the mine to 351 acres.
Several environmental organizations, including Fish First and Friends of the East Fork, have opposed expansion of the mine near the river.
Recently, Storedahl filed a brief with the county objecting to the participation of Commissioner Steve Stuart and questioning Morris's ability to be unbiased in her decisions.
The brief questioned "whether either Commissioner Morris or her husband are or have been members of or have contributed financially to Fish First or Friends of the East Fork."
Morris challenged Storedahl lawyer Sandy Mackie regarding the complaint. Morris suspended the meeting to allow Mackie to telephone her husband, Bill Morris.
"You have based your comment on my husband on a conversation you overhead, but the date, the time and the participants are not included (in the complaint)," Morris said. "My husband is not a party to this."
She chastised the lawyers for contacting county attorney Bronson Potter to inquire about Bill Morris's activities.
"Mr. Potter is not my husband's counsel," she said. "They should have addressed the questions of him (Bill Morris). That is the proper approach."
After speaking with Bill Morris, Mackie said he was satisfied with Morris's ability to be unbiased.
"I have historic relations with Fish First and Friends, and with Mr. Mackie," Morris said. "I have friends who are for (the mine) and friends who are against, and I stand with my friends."
Stuart said after the meeting that the brief did not discuss specific instances of prejudice.
In February, the commissioners ruled that Stuart's previous position with Friends of Clark County did not constitute a conflict of interest.
CHRISTMAS TREE TRAINS WILL RUN ON CHELATCHIE PRAIRIE RAILROAD
The Battle Ground, Yacolt and Chelatchie Prairie Railroad (BYCX) will again offer Christmas tree train rides this holiday season.
The plan was sanctioned Nov. 7 by the Clark County commissioners, with the consent of the Columbia Basin Railroad, the company that holds a multi-year lease of the county-owned railroad.
Trains will leave Yacolt on Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., for a trip to Moulton Falls County Park.
The two-hour round trip will take passengers through a tunnel with a stop at Moulton Falls where a warm fire will be burning and Santa Claus will be present.
Passengers will be able to choose a pre-cut douglas fir or noble Christmas tree at Moulton Falls.
Bryan Baker, who heads the volunteer BYCX group, said a family ticket package is priced at $45 which includes train fare for two adults and two children, a Douglas fir tree, presents for each child from Santa, and refreshments--hot coffee, hot cider, hot cocoa, and cookies.
The same family package with a noble fir tree instead of Douglas fir is priced at $65. Individual passenger rates are $12 adults, $11 seniors, $8 ages 6-13, and $3 ages 1-5. Trees are $29 and $50 if priced separately.
Baker said trees will be 5-8 feet tall.
Reservations can be made by calling 686-3559. Space will be saved for walk-on passengers.
BG SCHOOL BOARD BEST IN STATE
Heidi Wallenborn, news director
Nine years of turning the ship around have garnered the Battle Ground school board a "best in the state" nod in its division of more than 5,000 students.
Superintendent Shonny Bria wrote a 2,000 word essay with a summary about the board's trials and triumphs over the last several years and submitted it to the state School Directors' Association in September.
Awards were based on "outstanding efforts and accomplishments in promoting student achievement."
During a ceremony Nov. 18 in Seattle, board members were presented with the prestigious School Board of the Year award for large school districts, said Kelly Keister, District communications consultant.
Board members are president Fred Striker, Sam Kim, Mark Pelletier, Karen Lehman, and Dave Sonntag.
West Valley (Spokane) school board was honored for a medium-sized district (1,000-5000 students), and the Okanogan school board was given the same award for small districts of 1,000 or fewer students.
Bria's essay stated the District faced several challenges nine years ago. She noted triple levy and bond failures, poor academic achievement, financial instability, failing facilities, low employee morale, and lack of public trust. As a result, the management team, citizens and union representatives joined forces to improve community and District trust, and improve student achievement and district facilities, she wrote.
The collaborative model, called the Interest Based Approach (IBA), encourages all stakeholders within the District to reach decisions through agreement.
Bria said the IBA process led to the passage of three levies, major improvement and upgrades in District facilities, interest-based negotiations rather than bargaining, grievances and arbitration, improved student scores in all subjects and grade levels, an upgraded bond rating to one of the highest in the state, passage of a $100 million bond, and a K-12 reading program that the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction recognized as a "model program."
Keister said the board was chosen in part because of "their monumental effort to regain the trust of all constituents."
Essays were judged on the board's vision and leadership, efforts to work as a team with administration, and lessons that will benefit other school boards.
A celebration open to the public was set for Tues., Nov. 29, 6-6:30 p.m., at Glenwood Primary School in the media room.
HOLIDAY LIGHTS TO FLOAT ON RIVERS
Heidi Wallenborn, news director
From far and wide, people line up at vantage points along the Columbia and Willamette rivers in December to see the Christmas Ship Parade.
Riverside restaurants and hotels are often booked far in advance of the event, which is the 51st annual this year.
Each boat owner is responsible to design and build a lighted Christmas display, and for fuel and operating costs. Not every one of the 55-60 participating crafts make it out onto the water every night, but most do, say organizers.
Some are return displays, but new boats join the flotilla each year, bringing with them new exhibits. Sometimes when skippers retire, they hand down their displays so tradition can continue.
The parade began in 1954 with one sailboat from the Portland Yacht Club decorated in green boughs tied to rails with ribbons. It grew after that, and today displays are brightly lit and can be seen from bank to bank along each river.
This year, Sat., Dec. 17 will mark the first time the two fleets will be together in St. Helens and Columbia City, OR. The following night they will also be together as they travel from Scappoose, OR to north Portland through the Multnomah Channel.
The narrow waterway on the Willamette River is lined with floating homes and parallels US 30 which gives visitors a close view of the vessels.
This year, the Willamette fleet will not go downriver through downtown Portland to Swan Island. When they go through the center of Portland, skippers will turn north then turn around and go back upriver at the Fremont Bridge. They will leave each evening from RiverPlace Marina.
On Sun., Dec. 11, catch another up-close view from Willamette Park at the Oregon Yacht Club near Oaks Park when they stop before moving toward downtown Portland.
The Christmas Ship Parade is an all-volunteer effort by a group of Portland area recreational boaters.
Following are destination schedules for the Willamette and Columbia fleets:
Columbia River fleet
** Thurs., Dec. 8, start at 7 p.m. for I-5 bridge and Hayden Bay;
** Fri., Dec. 9, start at 7 p.m. for north Portland harbor;
** Sat., Dec. 10, both fleets start at 5 p.m. upriver to Milwaukie, OR, then downriver to St. John's;
** Sun., Dec. 11, start at 6 p.m. for Camas/Washougal and return on the Washington side of the river;
** Mon., Dec. 12, start at 7 p.m. for I-5 bridge area, Hayden Bay;
** Tues., Dec. 13, start at 7 p.m., for I-205 bridge/Steam-boat Landing/NE 164th St. on the Washington side;
** Wed., Dec. 14, start at 7 p.m. for I-5 bridge;
** Thurs., Dec. 15, start at 7 p.m. for I-5 bridge, Hayden Bay;
** Fri., Dec. 16, start at 7 p.m. for north Portland Harbor;
** Sat., Dec. 17, both fleets start at 6 p.m. for St. Helens, Columbia City, and Columbia Riverfront RV Park;
** Sun., Dec. 18, both fleets start at 5 p.m. for Scappoose, heading up Multnomah Channel to the Willamette River;
** Mon., Dec. 19, start at 7 p.m. for the I-205 bridge/-Steamboat Landing/ NE 164th St. on the Washington side;
** Tues., Dec. 20, start at 7 p.m. for the I-5 bridge area; and
** Wed., Dec. 21, start at 7 p.m. for the James M. Gleason boat ramp area including Wintler Park on the Washington side.
Willamette River fleet
** Thurs., Dec. 8, start at 7 p.m. for OMSI to the Fremont Bridge area;
** Fri., Dec. 9, start at 7 p.m. for Milwaukie;
** Sat., Dec. 10, both fleets start at 5 p.m. to go upriver to Milwaukie, then down to St. John's area;
** Sun., Dec. 11, start at 6 p.m. for Lake Oswego/Oregon Yacht Club;
** Mon., Dec. 12, start at 7 p.m. for Milwaukie;
** Tues., Dec. 13, start at 7 p.m. for OMSI to Fremont Bridge area;
** Wed., Dec. 14 start at 7 p.m. for Milwaukie;
** Thurs., Dec. 15 start at 7 p.m. for OMSI to Fremont Bridge area;
** Fri., Dec. 16, start at 7 p.m. for Milwaukie Oregon Yacht Club;
** Sat., Dec. 17, both fleets will start at 5 p.m. for St. Helens and Columbia City area;
** Sun., Dec. 18, both fleets will start at 6 p.m. for Scappoose and up Multnomah Channel to Willamette River;
** Mon., Dec. 19, start at 7 p.m. for Milwaukie;
** Tues., Dec. 20, start at 7 p.m. for OMSI to Fremont Bridge area; and
** Wed., Dec. 21, start at 7 p.m. for Milwaukie.
Bad weather may cancel the parade for any given night up to the last moment.
MOST AREA POLICE AGENCIES HAVE DISTANCE RULE
Heidi Wallenborn, news director
Woodland city officials recently approved a regulation that allows police officers to live 30 minutes from town, rather than the 15 minutes as previously required.
Chief Rob Stephenson noted that the change had nothing to do with response times to calls to citizens' homes.
Stephenson requested the change in order to enhance recruitment chances for new hires, he said in an earlier interview.
Battle Ground and La Center police departments already have the 30-minute rule in place.
Battle Ground Sgt. Steve Urban said officers must be call-responsive within 30 minutes in case of any major crime event such as homicide, robbery, or burglaries.
One such example is when officer Sean Hendrickson was hurt in a Nov. 11 car accident and had to be hospitalized, Urban said. Another officer was called in immediately to finish his shift.
La Center senior police officer Scott Reinecke said his agency has a 30-minute "manpower" call for the same reasons as Battle Ground.
Senior Ridgefield officers within 10 miles of the station can take patrol cars home, but there is no response-time limit on distance, said administrative secretary Linda Stuckenschneider.
Only the chief has restrictions, as he or she must live within a 20-minute response time, she said.
Clark County Sheriff deputies have a 60-minute rule, according to a spokeswoman in the administration department. The fact that deputies are allowed to take squad cars home may have something to do with the longer time limit, she said.
Vancouver police officers have no response-time limit at all because they are a larger department, a spokeswoman said. In addition, administration wants to accommodate officers and encourage recruits. Vancouver police officers live in Portland, La Center, Yacolt, Woodland and all over Clark County, she said.
Stephenson's thoughts echoed the Vancouver Police Department.
"I've heard through the grapevine of some officers from other departments who would have been interested in applying, but they lived further away than 15 minutes," Stephenson said.
COUNCIL DELAYS ACTION ON PROPERTY TAX INCREASE
Alice Perry Linker, staff reporter
The Woodland City Council has postponed action on property taxes for next year, leaving the 2006 budget uncertain.
Council members voted Nov. 21 to delay action on a 1 percent tax increase until Mon., Dec. 5, 7 p.m. The 1 percent is the maximum allowed by the state.
Although Cowlitz County has set a deadline of Nov. 30 for property tax increases to be submitted to the assessor, the county has agreed to allow Woodland to submit its increase as late as Dec. 6, said clerk-finance officer Mari Ripp.
Council member Erica Rainford said, "We need time to chew this over."
"We just received the budget tonight," said Council member Jim Tone.
Ripp said the budget had been distributed Friday afternoon, and workshops have been held for the past few months.
"The 1 percent (increase) was included in the new resources addressed on Sept. 26," Ripp said.
The City Council also voted to delay until Dec. 5 setting transportation impact fees that would be borne by developers. The average single-family impact fee has been estimated at $1,210.
If the Council approves a 1 percent tax increase, the city will have funds to hire three full-time employees, including an interim city administrator.
A ninth police officer and a fire training officer with salary-benefit packages of about $60,000 have been proposed as the two emergency services departments face increasing calls each year.
The budget also contains $12,500 to finance the purchase of two police cars at a total amount of $46,000 to be paid over a period of time.
In a related financial matter, the Council voted to spend $650,000 to purchase land at 300 E. Scott Ave. for an emergency services building, and another $415,674 to buy a new pumper for the fire department. The city will sell bonds to pay for the land and pumper.
The Council has begun discussions about hiring a city manager or administrator but has made no decision. The proposed budget calls for $60,000 to pay an interim city administrator.
Mari Ripp, the city clerk-treasurer, said the $60,000 would not pay for a full year.
If the proposed 1 percent tax increase is approved, property owners will pay a little more than $2.33 per $1,000 to the city, up $7.53 from last year for the owner of a $200,000 house.
The proposed budget estimates that $932,588 will be collected from property taxes in 2006, an increase of $82,421 from 2005. The city estimates an income of $985,000 from sales taxes.
The total general fund budget is estimated at nearly $3.5 million, an increase of 13.5 percent over this year.
Rapid population growth within the city has caused an increase in demand for services, Ripp said.
In addition to adding full-time employees, the city plans to add a half-time building inspector, a half-time building clerk, and a half-time finance clerk.
Salaries for existing personnel are projected to rise by the cost of living, estimated at between 2.25 percent and 3.5 percent.
Another public works employee is being considered, but Ripp said there is no place in the City Hall Annex for another desk.
"We're trying to find space to rent," Ripp said. "There's nothing in the budget now to add a person to public works, but we hope to find space by the end of the year."
Mayor Douglas Monge said earlier that he had proposed to hire a public works engineer, but had dropped that position from the budget.
Water rates for 2006 will increase by 3 percent, with Woodland motels receiving an adjustment from 3/4 the base rate to half. Public works director Rob Vanderzanden said the motel costs are in line with other cities.
Vanderzanden had proposed a 5 percent rate increase, but the Council lowered the rate.
In another finance matter, the City Council voted not to pay $399 for hookup and $39 per month to provide expanded cellular phone service to the clerk-finance officer and the mayor. The expanded service allows city data to be transmitted by phone.
Ripp said the city pays for cell phones for all department heads, except for the clerk-finance officer and mayor. She and Monge pay the cost of their cell phones.
The cost of the phones is under the $1,500 spending limit that requires the mayor's approval, she said.
COUNCIL DIFFERENCES DELAY LA CENTER BUDGET HEARING
Alice Perry Linker, staff reporter
The La Center City Council has delayed a public hearing on the 2006 budget until mid-December.
Differences among council members about expenditures have contributed to the delay.
The budget hearing will begin at 7 p.m., Wed., Dec. 14, in City Hall, 214 Main St.
A public work session on the budget will begin at 6 p.m. Mon., Dec. 12, at City Hall.
Among the changes that have reduced the $9.4 million budget to about $7.5 million is a decision to eliminate $275,000 originally projected for city office space.
The $1.7 million originally budgeted to improve the intersection at Fourth and Highland streets has been reduced to $250,000 for a design system. The $250,000 comes from a grant.
Finance Director Suzanne Levis said that the budget probably will be reduced further before adopted.
The Council has approved a 1 percent increase in property taxes.
Six new positions will be added to the city staff under the proposed budget. The new positions and a 5 percent salary increase bring projected salaries and benefits to nearly $1.7 million, $430,265 more than the current budget.
Included in the new positions are an additional sergeant and a training officer for the police department, an engineer and supervisor for public works, and two employees to staff operations for the wastewater treatment plant.
The city's total real estate valuation is projected to increase next year from a little more than $145 million to nearly $181 million. The higher valuation could lower the city's estimated levy rate from $1.71 to $1.59 per $1,000 of value. The total property tax rate for La Center, including schools, state and other districts, is projected at $12.74 per $1,000.
City Finance Director Suzanne Levis said the city is estimating that $287,715 in property taxes will be collected.
The city will spend about $3 million to assume operations of the wastewater treatment plant. Negotiations between the city and Clark Public Utilities are expected to continue for about six months, Levis said.
The funds are needed for repayment of revenue bond and trust fund debt.
Sewer user fees are projected at $283,000 and systems development charges are budgeted at $400,000.
The city will apply for a $1 million grant from the Public Works Trust Fund to help pay for acquisition and improvement of the treatment plant.
The real estate excise tax, assessed when property is sold, will increase from .25 percent to .5 percent. Levis said most Clark County cities collect a .5 percent real estate excise tax.
La Center's card rooms are expected to generate about $3 million in revenue for the city.
COUNSELOR HELPS KATRINA VICTIMS COPE WITH GRIEF
Alice Perry Linker, staff reporter
In Metairie, LA, children meet in classrooms with cement floors and unfinished walls. Many of them have lost everything.