Library board gives BG big boost
Fundraising group pleased with $750,000 pledge
The board of trustees of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District decided Oct. 30 to allocate $750,000 from reserve funds to a planned new library facility in Battle Ground.
The decision means the library building could be under construction by summer 2007, according to developer Dennis Pavlina, one of several people who urged the library trustees to increase its commitment to the Battle Ground project.
About $1 million remains to be raised through such means as continued fundraising, foundation grants, or a voter-approved bond.
The Friends of the Battle Ground Community Library group has raised about $127,500 over the past 18 months through pancake breakfasts, a dinner/auction, and gifts.
If fundraising is successful, the new library would be built in the Battle Ground Commerce Center, east of SE Grace Ave. at Rasmussen Blvd.
Don and Jane Higgins, who co-chair the fundraising effort, told library board trustees that some grant-foundations want to be assured of adequate local money before they commit to grants.
Library District executive director Bruce Ziegman said a $250,000 from the Meyer Foundation could be obtained once the Battle Ground project reaches the 75 percent funding plateau. The board action Oct. 30 puts project funding at about the 75 percent level.
If fundraising falls short by a 2010 deadline in a contract with Pavlina, the project could be scrapped and the Library District would not be out any money.
The $750,000 funding decision brings to $1.3 million the amount of money the Library District has pledged to the Battle Ground project. In addition, Battle Ground is to receive the proceeds from the sale of the branch library’s current building, valued at $150,000.
Pavlina has pledged nearly $1 million toward the project as well which includes a reduced price on the land, construction of a parking lot, permits, site improvements and construction of the building at 3% over cost. The library would occupy 13,000 square feet of a building that will total 19,000 square feet. Officials hope that the library could eventually acquire all 19,000 square feet.
The Trustees voted 5-2 to commit the additional $750,000 to Battle Ground, with chair Jerry King and trustee Merle Koplan voting no. King said he wanted an assurance that the Battle Ground group would pursue a bond measure if necessary to raise the remaining money. He also expressed concern that if the project falls short, the trustees might be pressured to contribute even more money to the project.
“I’m nervous about starting a building without enough money,” said King. “We don’t want to end up owning an empty building.”
Koplan said board policy should restrict the use of operating funds for facility construction. She also said budget constraints had stalled salary increases, and limited book acquisition and the purchase of new technology, including books on tape. “I’d be very embarrassed if we built a shell and couldn’t finish it,” she said.
Board member Jack Burkman led the discussion in favor of funding the Battle Ground project, and countered arguments by King and Koplan. Board members Rose Smith, Bill Yee, Karen Peterson and Elana Smith voted with Burkman.
Proponents argue fairness
Several speakers from the audience of about 150 people spoke in support of funding for the Battle Ground building. No audience member spoke against it.
Anna Cross, a member of the Friends group, noted that the Battle Ground branch serves a “large contingent” of home schooled students.
Cross said she has served on a committee planning the new library for many years. “Now I’m grey and have plenty of wrinkles,” said Cross, who suggested crews could pour her ashes into the foundation of a new building if the project is delayed much longer.
Don Higgins summarized the request for District funding of the Battle Ground project. He said the Library District enjoyed a $1.2 million surplus in 2005, and is on track to end 2006 with a surplus balance of about $5 million. ”I would not suggest that the Fort Vancouver Regional Library is rich,” said Higgins, “but the wolf is not at your door, unless, of course, you think of me in that role.”
Higgins described the library district’s plan for capital facilities which provides for twice as much library space per capita in Vancouver as elsewhere in the district’s service area. Using that formula, said Higgins, it takes 3.4 people to justify one square foot of library space in Battle Ground but only 1.7 people to justify one square foot in Vancouver.
The situation today, said Higgins, is that 8.3 people outside of Vancouver support one square foot of library space, compared to 4.6 people per square foot in Vancouver.
As a result, said Higgins, rural library patrons pay more for library services. Those 8.3 people in rural areas pay $315 per year in library taxes, whereas the 4.6 people per square foot served in Vancouver pay just $150 per year, Higgins calculated.
In Battle Ground, said Higgins, 13.4 people support each square foot of space, paying $489 in library taxes. The building provides .07 square feet of space per capita, he said.
Higgins said he discovered that north county residents pay 17% more per person in library real estate taxes than their counterparts in Vancouver.
Higgins alleged that taxpayers outside of Vancouver pay 33 percent of all library taxes but are allotted just 19 percent of library space.
While the Battle Ground library is third in total circulation, it is the smallest in per capita space. Library taxes from the Battle Ground area pay for much more than just Battle Ground needs, said Higgins. By his calculations, the Battle Ground service area generates about $2 million annually in library taxes, which is about $624,000 to $844,000 a year over and above the annual library district expenditures at the Battle Ground branch.
Ziegman said the 4-county library system is a “district,” and has never operated on how much money is generated versus spent at a single branch.
Ziegman stressed that Battle Ground-area residents use library services other than going to the Battle Ground branch. He said that many Battle Ground area residents obtain books by mail rather than go to a library, and bookmobiles serve part of the population. He also said Battle Ground patrons borrow books from branch libraries elsewhere in the district 37 percent of the time.
Ziegman listed several options for the board to consider, including a tax “lid lift” vote, a bond measure, pledging money to Battle Ground, and some combinations of these actions.
Ziegman said he went into the Oct. 30 meeting with a preference for allocating money to Battle Ground with a contingency that a bond election be held to raise the rest of the money, and that that election involve only residents of the city of Battle Ground and its urban growth area. He said he altered his opinion when reminded that the Library District could drop the project and retain all its money if full funding is not found by March 2010.
But, said Ziegman later, “I didn’t want to get into a numbers debate. I didn’t want to get into that debate. My goal now is to get past this and move on. I so badly want to move on. I’m trying really hard to put this behind me.”
Ziegman said no one says that Battle Ground doesn’t need a bigger library. “We all know the need for a new Battle Ground library,” said Ziegman. “The board and staff see the need. We’re all on board with this project.”
Ziegman said the facilities plan that Higgins described was developed in preparation for a Vancouver vote. He said planners did not start out to provide less square footage of library space to rural populations, but rather included a smaller library for Battle Ground in the plan based on two bond failures.
Ziegman said he believes there is a reasonable chance that the remaining money needed for the Battle Ground library will be raised, especially with 3 1/2 years remaining to meet the goal. “If we get to 2009 and fundraising is not going well, we could try a bond,” he said.
Ziegman said the board’s decision to support Battle Ground with the additional money will not hurt the district’s budget. “We are in a fortunate situation this year,” said Ziegman. “We under spent in 2005 and ended up with unspent money. That’s why they asked for money.
“We have a number of outstanding needs,” added Ziegman, “including staffing for larger libraries. I don’t think that there is any question that this (Battle Ground) is the larger need.”
Political support
Battle Ground mayor John Idsinga expressed his support for the library project at the Oct. 30 meeting. “I can remember stepping over kids at the (Battle Ground) library in 1992--14 years ago,” said Idsinga of the library’s cramped quarters. “It’s important for something to happen with the library.”
Clark County commissioner Betty Sue Morris attended. “I think this is a no-lose deal,” said Morris before the trustees voted. “I’m surprised it seems to be so difficult (for the trustees to make a decision).”
County commissioner Marc Boldt sent a letter of support which was read at the meeting. And State Sen. Joe Zarelli urged support as well. “Growth is in the north and middle part of the county,” said Zarelli. “The need is greater than we are serving. “
“People in the area are paying their share,” added Zarelli. “We should not pass up the generosity of the Gold Medal Group (Pavlina development company). “What’s being asked for today is far less than what you would have to do in the future.”
“We are astonished and grateful at the board’s generosity and confidence in our project,” said Jane Higgins in a memo to members of the Friends group after the Oct. 30 meeting. “This means the work on our new library can begin. During the winter months, the design and permitting work will progress and we can hope to see the building begin sometime next year.”
This means we have a great responsibility to see the fundraising through,” added Higgins. “The door is still open to getting the whole 19,000 square feet building rather than just the first 13,000 square feet, if we can raise the money. Much is being done and much is still to be done.”
We drank some champagne last night,” said Don Higgins the day after the Oct. 30 board action.

BG board sets levy vote
The Battle Ground school board ended a marathon, 11-hour planning meeting Saturday, Nov. 4, with a unanimous decision to ask voters for levy support in a Feb. 6 special election.
The board reduced its request by about 11% from their proposal in May 2006.
The levy proposal would cost taxpayers an estimated $1.77 per $1,000 of assessed valuation during a three-year levy period. The failed February 2006 levy was for $2.59 per $1,000 of assessed value, and the two-part May 2005 levy asked for $2.19 and 19 cents per $1,000.
If approved the new levy would raise $11.8 million in 2008, $12.8 million in 2009, and $13.7 million in 2010.
The levy expiring at the end of 2006 was for about $8 million.
The levy would qualify the district to receive state “levy equalization” funding of about $3.5 million per year--money the district would not have without an approved local levy that represents about 10% of its budget.
The levy proceeds would be used to replace most of the employees lost when levies failed earlier this year, but not all central office administrators.
Levy funds would be used to hire 33 teachers, staff and principals at four new schools which are either under construction or planned, and some 17 assistant principals at elementary, middle and high schools.
Nurses, health assistants, middle school counselors and security personnel are also included in the levy plan.
Levy money would also pay for middle school activities, high school extracurricular activities, new textbooks, a drug and alcohol prevention program, and maintenance personnel.
The rehiring of one assistant superintendent and four central office directors is included in the plan. One assistant superintendent and three director positions lost in the double levy failure would not be replaced. The salary and benefits of an assistant superintendent total about $165,000, and salary and benefits of a director are about $110,000.
Fees could go away
At the urging of board member Cecil Schlecht, the board included money in the levy for primary and middle school supplies so that students would neither need to bring supplies nor buy supplies at their schools. The plan would move the district toward the elimination of student fees in the K-8 grades, the board decided.
Pay increases
The levy includes money for pay increases for teachers and most other staff.
Teachers would receive one additional “TRI-day” during the first year of the levy, two such days during the second year, and three days in the third year.
Battle Ground teachers presently receive seven TRI-days. The levy plan would increase TRI-days to 10.
A “TRI-day” is a day of pay a teacher can receive for working more than the 180 days included in their contract. The extra work can be for serving on committees, developing student learning plans, and working with other staff on curriculum. “TRI” stands for “time, responsibility and incentive.”
District spokesperson Kelly O’Brien said teachers generally work more than their contracted days and hours and are not compensated for that work. TRI-days are the way teachers can be paid more than the state salary schedule and therefore retained in the district.
Board chair Sam Kim noted that neighboring districts pay teachers for more TRI-days, leaving Battle Ground to serve as a “farm team” for other districts. O’Brien said teachers are contracted to work a seven hour day.
Failed levy would have paid teachers more
The levy failures earlier this year would have added nine TRI-days to teacher salaries instead of three.
Each TRI-day costs the district about $250,000 per year. An average-paid teacher receives about $260 for each TRI-day claimed.
District superintendent Shonny Bria said it is important for all teachers and staff to gather before the start of school for a half day or full day planning session. She exchanged an assistant superintendent position to be able to pay staff for the school-start planning day.
The proposed levy would represent about 13 percent of the school district’s annual budget.
Board hears from public
The board heard public comments for about two hours Nov. 4 before deliberating among themselves.
Representatives of the teachers’ union presented a survey of their membership in which a levy of $2.00-$2.15 was favored. “They don’t want to see us back down from what we last asked for,” said union representative Gretchen Lindholm.
Teacher Chris York told the board that the public needs to be made aware of the impacts of a no-levy budget, including larger class sizes at the high school and the emotional impact on teachers. He also mentioned the importance of campus security. He said administrators are each doing the job of two administrators.
Bria said Battle Ground teachers are the lowest paid in the state among districts of similar size.
Kim said district students have high test scores even though the district is among the lowest in expenditure per student.
Citizen Russ Wadleigh said a levy increase should be “reasonable,” which he defined as 10 percent higher than the expiring levy. And when a levy fails, said Wadleigh, “don’t take it out on children.”
Wadleigh said students should not be charged to play sports. He complained that central office personnel recently received bonuses while student groups were conducting fundraisers to buy baseballs.
Wadleigh also objected to using “so much” levy money for extra teacher pay. “You guys don’t have the backbone to stand up to the (teachers’ union),” said Wadleigh.
Citizen Gary Mills suggested a levy rate of $1.97-$2.02. “Battle Ground citizens have funded a levy for many years, so they are taking on the responsibility,” said Mills. “This district can produce an excellent education,” said Mills.
Battle Ground High School principal Tim Lexlow said teachers are doing “heroic things” in the face of levy failure. “If I ask them to try, they give it their all,” he said.
“All stakeholders are trying to move this district forward,” said Lexow. “The (teachers’ union) worked with us in good faith to move this district forward.”
Lexow lamented the loss of skilled teachers. “If we continue in this path we will be seen as parasites on the state funding system,” said Lexow. “How can I compete with Vancouver or Evergreen schools?”
Kim commended Lexow for “speaking from the heart. In some ways the district staff has shielded the community from the impacts of the levy failures.”
Citizen Bud Fightmaster urged the board to determine how much money it needed to operate the district effectively rather than focus deliberations on a millage rate. He said a greater voter turnout is the key to passing a levy.
Both Mills and Fightmaster served on a citizen’s levy advisory group.
As the board began its discussion of levy options, Kim urged that decisions be unanimous. Schlecht had voted against the board’s plan for a May 2006 levy election.
Board member Fred Striker also urged a unanimous decision on a levy proposal. “We are here to represent all of the district, all of the stakeholders,” said Striker. “We must be (unanimous) when the issue affects the entire district.”
“We have intelligent voters in this district,” said Schlecht. “Very few don’t care. Voters knew what they were doing when they checked the ballot.”
Board member Richard Kent asked Kim not to interrupt Schlecht when Schlecht was speaking.
“I want to hear from the public and make future decisions based on that,” said Schlecht.
“The levy issue before us is a test of what this board is all about,” said Kim.
““If I vote on something, I feel I will be accountable to the public,” said Schlecht. “We have the ability to put forth a package that will pass.” He said the percent of increase in a proposed levy “is the important thing.”

Fox fights back at hearing
Says elected officials need to stand against
“forces of evil”
Bill Myers
staff reporter
Suspended Ridgefield city manager George Fox, with his attorney doing much of the talking, fought for his job at an Oct. 30 hearing in front of Ridgefield city council members.
Fox was appealing a document, Resolution 320, that might have sent him packing. The resolution was approved last June 20 by council members.
State law allows Fox to appeal his dismissal and triggered the hearing.
If council members again vote for dismissal, terms of Fox’s contract allow arbitration in federal court.
Council members plan to announce a decision Wed., Nov. 8 after closed deliberations that start at 9 a.m. in the Ridgefield City Hall conference room.
Fox was greeted upon arrival at the hearing by several “unwelcome” signs posted outside of the Ridgefield Community Center. The signs, criticized as examples of poor citizenship by Fox’s attorney Donald Grieg, contained messages such as, “Box the Fox,” “Fox Spent City Savings,” “Go Away George,” and “No More Fox.” Early in the hearing, each council member denied having conflicts of interest that would bias decisions to terminate or continue Fox’s employment.
Portland attorney John Spencer Stewart, packing a loose leaf notebook loaded with about three inches of exhibits, and representing the City, elaborated on the resolution to terminate Fox.
Stewart said Fox’s decision to allow donations to the City by landowners or developers “doesn’t pass the smell test to average citizens.” An Aug. 29, 2005 letter from attorney Michael Langsdorf to Fox and community development director Kevin Snyder illustrates the point, said Stewart.
In the letter, Langsdorf said he was authorized by his clients to write checks payable to Ridgefield totalling $21,000 and that “In exchange for their good faith contribution, the owners of the property designated at Walker Farms understand that you will continue working with them to not only keep them included in Ridgefield’s GMA, but would continue to assist them in the annexation process to follow...”
Stewart expounded on other reasons contained in the resolution, contending that Fox failed to properly document events involved with the termination of African American police officer Carl Mealing, that he represented himself as an attorney while not being a member of the Bar, and may have engaged in business relationships that created conflicts of interest with his position as city manager.
Other reasons, said Stewart, include over-budget expenditures in 2005 under Fox’s leadership that could have placed the City at great financial risk, that Fox failed to effectively deal with management problems at the City police department, that Fox used City resources to conduct personal business, that Fox failed to obtain a bond as required by law, that Fox may have told the chief of police to delay the processing of a reckless driving charge against city council member Scott Hanson until after the 2005 election, and that Fox required in his employment agreement that the City allow him to bind the City to contracts in violation of the law and state Constitution.
Grieg, moving point by point, denied every contention. He said nothing that Fox did, including the acceptance of donations to the City which helped offset costs of growth management work, or helping Hanson set up corporations, was unlawful. Grieg said Fox kept city council members advised of actions involving the City and actually increased the City’s total net worth by almost $5 million while city manager.
The employment contract with Fox was approved unanimously by city council members with the involvement of city attorney Mike Wynne, said Grieg.
“Wynne gave you a cheat sheet to help you all understand the agreement and you approved it without objection,” he said.
Grieg said Fox, trained in both law and accounting, has taught courses on ethics of public officials for the Washington Public Courses Association.
Fox, when grilled by Stewart, steadfastly denied wrongdoing.
Over Stewart’s objection that the case would be adjudicated in federal court, Grieg led the inquiry to the termination of former police officer Carl Mealing.
Fox denied telling former girlfriend Jaclyn Emter that he fired former police officer Carl Mealing because he was black. Kirkland police officers concluded in an independent investigation after the firing that Mealing had a long history of alleged misconduct and should not have been hired by former police chief Bruce Hall. Fox also denied discussing confidential City matters with Emter.
Stewart said the Fox matter would not have occurred had elected officials taken heed of an April 2004 letter from Seattle attorney Eileen Lawrence. Lawrence was then the interim city attorney.
In her letter, Lawrence said Fox (who was then interim city manager), agreed that she would review proposed ordinances prior to approval.
Lawrence said she never saw Ordinance 266 which granted expanded authority to Fox before it was approved. In her letter, she urged council members to rescind or change the ordinance.
Former mayor/council member Tim Thompson said he recalls the letter. He said the mayor and other council members didn’t act on the Lawrence letter. Instead, they began a search for a new full-time city attorney, said Thompson.
“That was one of the reasons I quit in January 2005,” Thompson said.
In a “conclusion” added to a written statement contained in the Grieg notebook, Fox speculated that “it was the bullying of (former city council member) Gary Holmberg, the conniving of (former chief of police) Bruce Hall, and the complicity of (city attorney) Mike Wynne, who together worked hard to silence the good people on the city council.”
Elected officials, said Fox, have the responsibility “to stand up to such forces of evil...”
Grieg said the Fox episode is all about money. If Fox were making $60,000 per year instead his current salary, he would still be city manager, said Grieg.
The City, in accord with a judge’s order, continues to pay Fox’s salary, a total according to City records of $139,883 including car and cell phone allowances since his suspension last December.
Citizens testified at the close of the hearing.
“Fox and city council members did planning without a public process,” said former city planning commissioner Karen Bell.
“Both attorneys did an excellent job,” said Ridgefield businessman Scott Hughes. To council members, he said, “Stop the bleeding, the City needs to move on.”
“What an abominable waste of talent and money,” said Ron Onslow.
Former city council member Michael Hefflin said, “It seems clear to me that there is a lack of leadership by the people sitting right up there...”
Asked after the hearing what he will do if the council confirms his termination, Fox said he will pursue federal arbitration in March 2007.

World War II vet recalls jungles of Philippines
Bill Myers
staff reporter
Battle Ground resident Wilburt Olsen was 19 years old when called to U.S. Army service during World War II.
In September 1943, adult life was just beginning for the 1942 graduate of Ballard High School near Seattle. Olsen had worked for Boeing Aircraft for nine months when he was notified to report to Fort Lewis for induction.
“I wanted to work with airplanes, but the Army had other ideas and sent me to basic training with a horse cavalry unit at Fort Riley, KS,” said Olsen.
Olsen said he and other recruits had to learn how to ride horses.
“At first, we rode on blankets draped over the horses without saddles,” he said.
Olsen and his fellow recruits learned both mounted and dismounted combat skills. They would ride in an old- fashioned charge to a hill or other objective, dismount, and then train like ordinary infantry soldiers.
After 18 weeks of training, the entire class was put aboard a troop ship bound for New Guinea, said Olsen.
They arrived on the island May 22, 1944, and were housed in tents at a replacement depot near Dobodura.
Olsen said he and his buddies unloaded ships and did other casual labor for a couple of months until Aug. 4, when they were assigned to the 112th Regimental Combat Team at Aitape. Jungle patrols, hunting still-active Japanese units, followed. So too did amphibious training for scheduled landings to liberate the Philippine Islands.
Relieved by Australians, Olsen and other soldiers of the 112th RCT boarded the troopship USS Fredrick Funston on Nov. 14. They climbed down nets into landing craft that took them to Leyte beaches near Tacloban on the second day of the invasion.
Fierce fighting followed. Olsen’s unit was assigned to clear Japanese soldiers from the hills near Mt. Minoro and above the road to Ormac.
Olsen, a rifleman, said single-file patrols along very narrow and often muddy jungle trails became routine. Bursts of machine gun fire from hidden Japanese positions would often cut down men leading the line. Olsen said they therefore rotated the perilous point duties.
The fighting, by December, against determined, well-equipped and camouflaged Japanese troops, had decimated the unit, said Olsen.
Olsen said he saw piles of Japanese gas masks and other equipment that told him the Japanese were ready for a last stand.
He was right.
When the battle ended in the area, American troops discovered Japanese troops in well-hidden emplacements with several mortars and machine guns.
Olsen said his unit was relieved Dec. 8 and 9 by elements of the 1st Cavalry Division and pulled back to refit and await replacements.
Olsen said he and other soldiers guarded the home of general Douglas MacArthur at a place called Tarlac.
“The general would hold meetings with staff members on a porch at his home,” said Olsen. “At first, I thought MacArthur was haughty and didn’t like him. I changed my mind while standing guard near his porch when I overheard the general tell his officers that it was important for them to use tactics that would keep his troops as safe as possible.”
A restored 112th RCT landed at Lingayen Gulf in January 1956.
The unit, with Olsen carrying his rifle, returned to more single-file jungle patrols in March near the Lenatin River. Olsen said his best buddy was killed in a machine gun ambush during that action.
In August, 1945, aboard the troop transport USS Lavaca in Tokyo Bay, Olsen and his fellow soldiers watched surrender ceremonies aboard the battleship, USS Missouri, from a distance.
After occupation duty in Japan, Private First Class Wilburt Olsen was honorably discharged on Jan. 22, 1946. In his closet of memories are a Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and various campaign ribbons.
Wilburt’s equestrian training at Ft. Riley was not wasted. While a mounted guide in 1950 at Mount Rainier National Park, he met and fell in love with Joanna, a pretty New Jersey girl vacationing at the park with a girlfriend.
Recollections of a savage jungle struggle have given way to kinder, more recent memories, of a 55-year marriage to Joanna, three children, six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and retirement after 30 years of work at Boeing Aircraft.