Robbie Agard enjoyed helping others
Family members describe Robbie Agard has highly skilled in construction work and machinery repair, and as a man who was always willing to help others. He developed subdivisions in the Battle Ground area while caring for the environment.
Even though he had been given a clean bill of health in a physical examination just months earlier, Agard died Nov. 1, 2006, at age 63.
Robert Belknap “Robbie” Agard Jr. was born May 16, 1943, in Gooding, Idaho, the first of seven children born to Robert and Nellie “Billie” (Johnson) Agard.
The family moved to Battle Ground in 1945. Agard’s mother worked at the shipyards while his father operated a Jersey dairy farm on NE 87th Avenue off NE 199th St.
At age 5, Agard lost the sight in his left eye when, during an argument, his sister Cheryl, age 3, stuck a pitch fork in his eye. He went on to play basketball, and use excavation equipment with great precision using just one eye.
Tragedy struck the Agard family again when Agard’s sister, Connie, 6, and brother Jeff, 4, died in a barn fire. The siblings had crawled into a hay fort in the barn. The 1960 fire was blamed on the two children playing with cap guns in the hay.
And then his sister Cheryl, at age 4, died when her pajamas caught fire when she was near a stove or heater.
Agard attended Battle Ground schools. He played football for two years at Battle Ground High School until he suffered a knee injury. He was active in FFA activities and showed Jerseys at the fair.
Agard served as a director of 4-H camps. At age 17, he met Pearl McGrew, 15, at a 4-H camp. While Pearl did not attend future camps, she said she “slid under the fence” with her bicycle to attend dances held during the camps. The pair met again at the Clark County Fair. Her parents told her she was too young to date, but they later relented.
Agard graduated from Battle Ground High School in 1961. He attended Clark College for two years, first studying agriculture and then electronics and engineering. He worked milking cows for the Kennedy dairy in Ridgefield.
In 1963, Agard traded 10 Jersey calves to Seth Hammond for a 1940 Ford. He and friends Corky Hazard, Lowell Hazard and Teddy Webber got the car to run. Battle Ground police officer Everett Eaton had acquired a new Ford police car and Agard challenged Eaton to a race which took place either on NE 219th St. or on Parkway Ave. Agard won.
Agard then purchased a 1950 Ford and painted it red. He later had a 1959 El Camino.
In 1964, Agard went to work for Hessel Tractor in Portland as a mechanic. On June 27, 1964, Robbie and Pearl were married at Grace Lutheran Church in Vancouver, the first couple to be married in that new church.
The Agards lived in the Rosemere area of Vancouver 1964-1968, then moved to Battle Ground. Agard then went to work as a mechanic for Ford Tractor, then joined Pearl’s father’s business, Robert R. McGrew Construction.
More tragedy struck the Agard family. In January 1968 and again in August 1968, Robbie and Pearl Agard lost premature babies.
From 1970 to 1974, Agard was in the construction business with partners Bob Rice and John Raz. Robbie and Pearl lived in Hockinson 1969-71, and then bought a house on 29th Ave. in Ridgefield where they lived 1971-75.
Agard went to work for McGrew/Wisner in 1975, a second company owned by his father-in-law. This excavation and construction work took Agard to job sites in eastern and southern Oregon.
In 1976, Agard purchased horse stables on 114th St. and 130th Ave. in Vancouver.
The Agards spent the winter of 1978 in Washougal. Agard went back to work for Robert R. McGrew Inc. which reduced the out-of-area travel. The Agards moved to 50th Ave. in 1979 where they built a horse barn. In 1981, they bought 22 1/2 acres on NE 199th St. in Battle Ground, the last home Agard occupied.
Agard went back into business for himself, operating Pearl Construction. His jobs included a water and meter system in La Center.
In 1983, Agard went to work for Winston and Sons. Agard managed the excavation work on light rail projects in Portland. In 1985, Agard worked on a Winston project in San Francisco, CA.
In 1986, Agard started Agard Construction Inc. and Winterlake LLC, and over the next few years built three subdivisions near his home--Tudor Glen, Larson Meadows and Enzler Meadows. All three were built with environmental sensitivity.
“We built subdivisions the way we thought the land should be treated and the way we would like to live,” said Pearl Agard. During this period, Agard employed 10 people year-round and 25 in the summer.
Agard solved flooding problems that formerly plagued NE 199th St. by incorporating ponds into his Enzler Meadows subdivision.
Agard’s environmental work coincided with a “green” building effort by the Clark County Homebuilders Association.
Over the years, Agard served on the Clark County Clean Water Commission. He was a member of the Clark County Homebuilders Association, the Battle Ground JCs, the East Valley Back Country Horsemen, Arizona Trail Association, and the Columbia River Appaloosa Club.
Horses were always part of his life. The Agards showed horses in competitive events. At one time, the Agards owned 22 horses.
Agard also raced horses, hiring a trainer and a jockey. One Appaloosa, named Trailblazer, won the Bay Meadows event in San Francisco.
Agard retired in 2000. He and Pearl spent winters in Arizona, sometimes seven months at a time. Agard took up flyfishing, bought a boat, and fished for 3-4 years in area rivers, as well as in Montana and Arizona.
Dogs were also important to Agard who had Kelpie dogs, a working dog, most of his life. He trained dogs and took them to trial events.
In 1998, Agard created the Belle Staley Lawrence award named in honor of his fifth grade teacher who gave him special help with mathematics. Agard funded the annual award which was presented each year to an outstanding teacher in the Battle Ground School District. He expanded the program to honor other teachers as well through the Battle Ground Education Foundation and the Teachers Make A Difference program.
Agard smoked a pipe for most of the last 40 years. He enjoyed dancing, horseback riding and clamming at the coast.
Pearl’s father, Robert McGrew, died on Oct. 13, 2006. Both Robbie and Pearl were in Hermiston, OR, to settle the family affairs. Robbie was at the counter of a scrap metal business discussing the disposal of metals when he collapsed and died of apparent heart problems. His May 2006 physical showed him to be in good health, with cholesterol below 200. His blood pressure was satisfactory after he discontinued medication.
Agard had ridden horses over the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon the day before he died.
Remaining portions of the Agard property in Battle Ground will be acquired for use by Firm Foundation School. A new high school is to be built in the place where the Agards last lived.
Agard is remembered as a man who could make anything run. He understood mechanics. He could take anything apart and put it back together again.
Agard gave generously to anyone who needed help. He supported the 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction at the Clark County Fairgrounds. He generally purchased 10 percent of sale, and one year his purchases represented 20 percent of the sale. He recruited others to support the sale as well.
Agard donated his body to scientific research through Oregon Health & Sciences University in Portland.
Survivors include widow Pearl Agard, at home in Battle Ground, sister Vicki Swalling of Brush Prairie, brothers Mike Agard of Ridgefield and Barry Agard of Vancouver, and several nieces and nephews.
Donations in Agard’s memory are invited to the Teachers Make a Difference program through the Battle Ground Education Foundation, P.O. Box 2574, Battle Ground, WA 98604.

Fox fired, negotiation looms
Bill Myers
staff reporter
Ridgefield city council members voted Nov. 16 to fire suspended city manager George Fox.
Council members approved a revised resolution blaming Fox for management errors but admitting that city council members “must share part of the blame for Mr. Fox’s failure...due to the council’s misjudgment in the hiring process....”
Only council member Scott Hanson voted against the resolution.
Hanson said he favored tabling the matter for two weeks pending negotiations with Fox. Hanson said that the wording of the resolution could be a “bargaining chip” during negotiations to secure an agreement less costly to the City. Wording of the resolution could have a lot to do with Fox’s future employment, said Hanson.
As Hanson and council members David Standal and Chad Sessions debated the issue, mayor Gladys Doriot broke in. “I don’t know what you guys are talking about,” said Doriot.
Doriot said a decision had already been made to approve the resolution after an executive session last week.
Portland lawyer Daniel Kearns, serving as a consultant to the City, advised council members to act on the resolution and deal with other issues on their own merits.
After approving the resolution, council members hired Kearns to assist in negotiations with the terminated manager before the dispute reaches a federal arbitration court in March 2007.
Contacted following the meeting, Fox said he still disagrees with reasons cited for his termination. He said none of the reasons meet termination terms in his contract. He said arbitration is still scheduled, but added that he will negotiate with the City because it is in everyone’s best interest to get the matter behind them.
City employee rips council member’s behavior
Early in the meeting, council member Scott Hanson announced that he was ill. Hanson said he wanted to clear the air because rumors are flying about his health. He did not name his illness.
Other council members assured Hanson of their support.
During public testimonies, Lindsay Warren, an accountant at Ridgefield City Hall, said that as a citizen and employee, she “could remain silent no longer.”
Warren said council members swear an oath to make impartial decisions, but cannot do so when not in full control of their mental faculties. She said she was embarrassed and offended by Hanson’s behavior Nov. 8 when he took a walk with Fox during a city council executive session.
To Hanson, Warren said, “Please seek help for what ails you.”
Hanson said he wasn’t aware of what happened that morning because he had accidentally taken more medication than prescribed. “I got up to go to the bathroom, but instead went to the store with George,” he said.
Warren said council members need to send any council member home who is not in a proper frame of mind.
After the exchange, Kearns asked Hanson if the ex parte contact with Fox had any influence on his decision.
“No, I had already made my decision,” said Hanson.
Ridgefield accountant Lindsay Warren, during public comments at Nov. 16 city council meeting, said she was troubled by the behavior of council member Scott Hanson during an executive session on Nov. 8.

Complaint filed against Curtis
Jim Malinowski of Amboy, who apparently lost to incumbent Clark Public Utilities commissioner Carol Curtis in the Nov. 7 general election, has filed a complaint with the state Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) alleging that Curtis solicited campaign contributions from utility management employees, and conspired with utility officials to use ratepayer funds for advertising that benefitted her reelection.
In the unofficial vote tally issued Nov. 14, Curtis had 47,898 votes (50.22%) to Malinowski’s 47,278 (49.6%). The election also drew 191 write-in ballots.
The election results have not yet been certified as final and official.
In his complaint, filed with state officials Nov. 19, Malinowski said Curtis held a fundraising event Dec. 19, 2005, and subsequently reported that she received $1,100 in contributions from seven utility employees, including five employees who report directly to the general manager.
Malinowski also claimed that Curtis held another fundraising event on Oct. 9, 2006, after which she reported receiving, on that date or shortly thereafter, contributions totalling $2,125 from 12 utility employees, four of whom were directors and the others mid-level managers.
For her 2006 reelection bid, Curtis reported to state officials that she received $400 from Larry Bekkedahl, $200 from Paul Chamberlain, $100 from Ronald Fincher, $200 from Robert Gentry, $100 from Maureen Girven, $400 from Jan Gourlie, $200 from Michael Harris, $400 from Andy Huck, $100 from Doug Quinn, $150 from Dean Sutherland, $200 from Daryl Veitenheimer, $75 from Dan Krebs, $200 from Jim Sanders, $200 from Pat McGary, $100 from Matt McCudden and $200 from Rick Dyer, all of whom were reported on state forms as employees of the utility, the Malinowski complaint stated.
Malinowski claims misuse of advertising money
In his complaint, Malinowski also contended that the utility had used its advertising funds to benefit the Curtis campaign.
Malinowski calculated that the utility had “concentrated 50 percent of their advertising spending” for 2006 in the Vancouver Columbian newspaper in the five weeks preceding the election.
The utility purchased 1,407 column inches in the Vancouver newspaper between Jan. 1 and Nov. 7, 2006, about half of which appeared in October and the first days of November, Malinowski said in the complaint.
Similarly, the utility spent about half of its 2006 advertising in The Reflector in the five weeks leading up to the election, the complaint document stated.
Malinowski also complained that the utility advertising tried to “convince the public that they are doing a wonderful job to cover up problems that exist in the agency.” Malinowski said that some of the utility advertising in the Vancouver Columbian newspaper ran on the same day and on the same page as Curtis advertising.
Malinowski contended that an incumbent commissioner should not use their position to pressure utility employees to contribute and otherwise support a political campaign, and that the utility should not use ratepayer funds to influence a race.
Curtis rebuts Malinowski claims
“I don’t think it has any merit,” said Curtis of the PDC complaint filing. “I’m trying to make sense of what his problem is.”
Curtis said some of the names of the PDC filing documents are on her mailing list and some not. She said she mailed to her mailing list which included several utility employees, some of whom are prior clients of her real estate business.
“I have a lot of support at the utility,” said Curtis. “I did not go in there and solicit them. I have done business with some of them.”
“People know I’m running for election and people send me checks,” said Curtis, who said she raised about $25,000 for the 2006 campaign. “I don’t like raising money.”
“I send invites to people on my list,” said Curtis. “If they circulate a fundraising flyer or word of mouth...some show up and participate to show me their support. That’s legal if they do so.”
Curtis also denied that the utility used its advertising budget to aid her campaign.
“I don’t have any control over the placement of advertising. I don’t design ads.”
“They (the utility) won a nice award in September,” said Curtis, “and they chose to publicize that award. The utility does the advertising. We approve the budget.”
The utility earned a high award in a survey of service to commercial and industrial customers.
Curtis said that while she requests various sections of the Vancouver Columbian newspaper for her campaign advertisements, she had nothing to do with them being place next to utility ads. “I have no control over where the ads end up,” she said.
Ballot position challenged
Malinowski also objected, but not in his PDC complaint, to being listed second on the general election ballot, citing research that shows that the candidate listed first gets two percentage points more votes, on average, than they would have received had they been listed second.
Malinowski apparently lost by less than two percent of the vote.
Clark County auditor Greg Kimsey said state law specifies that the order on the ballot be decided by a drawing which took place, he said, on the last day of the filing period in July.
Malinowski said he was not informed of the drawing and was not invited to watch. Kimsey said a general notification about the drawing was given to all candidates. However, no one other than election workers was present for this year’s drawing, he said.
Malinowski said he is considering asking officials of the Clark County Elections Department to recount the results.
Law requires an automatic recount if the certified result is within one half of one percent of the votes cast. The latest count in the Malinowski-Curtis race is not within that margin.
Clark County auditor Greg Kimsey said the cost of a machine recount in this race would be about $14,275, and the cost of a manual recount would be nearly $24,000.

VFW donates flags to Chamber
Alice Perry Linker
staff reporter
Woodland’s Visitor Information Center is one of the first things a motorist sees in the town.
Employees and volunteers at the center at 900 Goerig St. thought that the highly visible building needed a suitable American flag to replace the old one that sometimes flapped on the roof.
Dave Olmstead, commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1927, said the Chamber employees asked about a flag during one of the VFW’s monthly “biscuits-and-gravy” breakfasts.
VFW members were happy to help, he said, and the organization bought two flags, including a Prisoner of War-Missing-in-Action flag.
John J. Burke, owner of JJ’s Computer Repair and a city council member, installed the pole and flags at one end of the building.
“Woodland has a POW-MIA,” Olmstead said about the VFW’s decision to include the POW-MIA flag. “His name is Marvin Holland.”
Holland was reported missing during the Vietnam War, Olmstead said.
“I spoke to the Chamber of Commerce and asked if we could put up the POW-MIA flag and they accepted,” he said.
The visitors center is open Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Olmstead said the VFW will have a memorial service honoring veterans, including POW-MIAs in the spring.
The Woodland post that includes Cougar, La Center, Ridgefield and parts of Vancouver, has nearly 250 members and participates in Woodland events, including the Centennial and the Planters’ Day Parade.
“We donate to six or seven needy families each year, and we’re strong supporters of the VA hospital,” Olmstead said.
This year, the Post will feed three families at Thanksgiving and provide Christmas gifts and dinners for three or four, he said.
New flags fly high over the entrance to Woodland at the Visitor Information Center building.

1910 building gets 21st century renovation
Alice Perry Linker
staff reporter
The old building on Davidson Ave. has been showing its age in recent years, but there is life in the old place yet.
Under the watchful eye of new owner Frank Ellis and real estate broker Art Lessard, the two-story structure at 147 Davidson Ave. is being completely rebuilt with its original exterior restored.
The restoration is expected to be finished in three or four months, Lessard said.
Ellis, who spends part of each year at his home on the Lewis River, bought the old building after a downtown store owner encouraged him to take the leap.
“We took out 75 tons of material,” Ellis said. “The roof had leaked for 25 years, but we decided to restore it.”
The poured concrete walls remained standing after the building was gutted, but Lessard said the walls were not built to withstand earthquakes and were reinforced with steel. Everything else, from floor to roof, was removed. A new roof is expected to be in place within weeks.
Jim Kupfer of La Center is the builder on the project.
“We hired structural engineers; we had the walls tested for reinforcement,” Ellis said. “This building is designed to stand for another 100 years.”
No asbestos was found in the building, Lessard said.
During its 94-year life, the building has gone through several uses, Lessard said. At one time the downstairs area was home to a butcher shop.
“Thirty-some years ago they rented lockers, they cut and wrapped game,” Lessard said.
At other times, the building has housed a store and offices, he said.
Ellis said he doesn’t have any tenants for the restored building.
“I’m hoping to find something that will complement the city,” he said. “It will be at least as nice as it was when it was first built.”
Neither Ellis nor Lessard has found the name of the original builder or original owner, and Ellis said he doesn’t know the structure’s name.
“We decided to call it the Woodland Centennial Building in honor of the centennial,” he said. “It should be a good fit with the downtown.”
“It’s fun to be associated with the project,” Lessard said.

Pool in park idea delays lease with the state
A routine lease agreement between the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the City of Woodland was delayed by a phrase indicating that the city could place a swimming pool in Horseshoe Lake Park.
The DNR owns the portion of the park where a skateboard park was built last summer. Because of the addition, the state is requiring an amendment to its aquatic lands commercial lease. The city is not required to pay rent on the land.
Under the lease amendment, the city may use the property for “...a proposed combination swimming pool/recreational facility, and those improvements normally associated with a park....”
Area residents objected to including in the amendment permission to use the land for a swimming pool.
“The amendment threw us for a loop,” said Carol Heermann, who owns property near the park. “This has got to stop. Please put this on hold.”
Walter Hansen, who has consistently opposed putting a pool in the park, also asked that the lease agreement be delayed.
A group of area residents has consistently opposed the pool. Many have said that the indoor pool building is too large for the park and would reduce the amount of open space and parkland in the city. A recent parks and recreation plan, prepared by the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments stated that a city of Woodland’s population should have 30 acres of park land.
The study calls for another community park and two neighborhood parks by 2012. A developer has agreed to donate acreage in the Lewis River flood plain for a park.
The skateboard park was built near the north end of the park earlier this year using donated funds and largely volunteer labor.
The council decided to delay a decision on the lease agreement until its Nov. 20 meeting.