Sonny Wilson remembered as hard-working, giving man


Family members describe Sonny Wilson as a man who devoted his life to his business, to Fire District 10, and to service to others, and a man who always had a smile on his face.


Wilson died April 5, 2008, following a 10-year fight with a rare and debilitating disease.


Walter Delbert “Sonny” Wilson was born July 20, 1928, in Perris. CA to John and Mary Wilson, the sixth of 10 children. In his young years, the family moved a great deal throughout the southern California area, including Artesia, Newhall, Fullerton, Lancaster and Long Beach. In 1941 when Sonny Wilson was 13, the family moved to Woodland.


Wilson attended middle school in Woodland and worked in the bulb fields. About 1943, the family moved to Fargher Lake where Wilson again worked in bulb fields. Wilson completed a freshman year at Battle Ground High School, then quit school to help support his family. He had attended 10-15 schools as the family moved around.


At age 16, Wilson got a job painting bridges and did that work in Mayfield, Tacoma and Idaho.


In October 1950, Wilson, and his brother, Doug “Bud” Wilson, joined the U.S. Army. Wilson served in Korea on the front lines, aiming 105 mm Howitzer guns. He suffered ringing in his ears for the rest of his life.


Wilson left the Army in 1952 and returned to the Amboy area where he dated Jane Waser, a resident of Chelatchie Prairie. The couple had met through Jane’s brother, Raymond. Following a 6-month courtship, the couple married in December 1953, the same year that Wilson took over his father’s auto repair business in Amboy. The business was located across the road from Nick’s Tavern. 


Sonny and Jane Wilson lived in a 12x24 foot trailer located behind the auto repair business. The trailer was later replaced with a 12x48 foot model.


In 1961, Wilson built a new building for his auto repair business along SR-503 at 221st Ave., where the business stands today. In 1968, he built a new home about a block away. An auto parts store addition to the repair business was added in 1976.


By 1962, the Wilsons had two children, John, born in 1958, and Dennis, born in 1962. Daughter Candi arrived in 1965 to round out the family.


Wilson maintained a speaker system between his home and auto store, and on several occasions heard burglars at the business. He would grab his shotgun, tell Jane to call the police, and head off to the business. One time, Wilson kept burglars at bay until police arrived. On another occasion, Wilson shot the tires of a burglar escaping in a car. 


Wilson could remember by heart many of the numbers of auto parts inventoried at his store. 


An Easter Sunday fire in 1960 destroyed several buildings in lower Amboy, a fire that was fought with garden hoses. Wilson helped form Fire District 10 with a successful ballot measure in 1961. He became chief of the Fire District in 1965, following the tenure of retired Vancouver fire chief Pierce DePaul. Wilson served as chief for 33 years until age forced his retirement in 1998.


Wilson kept a bucket of candy suckers under his counter to give to children who came into the store. He enjoyed children, his relatives recall.


Wilson was a handyman who could fix things. He once built wooden stilts for his children. 


In his earlier years, Wilson enjoyed hunting and fishing. The family was accustomed to dining on rabbit. The pressure of work pushed hunting aside, plus Wilson’s son John told his father he no longer wanted to kill deer. 


Both Sonny and Jane Wilson smoked cigarettes, and quit together about 1964.


Wilson liked cars, and had attended stock car races and jalopy derbies in the Jantzen Beach area of Portland. Wilson owned a 1952 Ford pickup and a 1957 Chevrolet pickup. He purchased a new 1957 Mercury followed by a new 1974 Cadillac, both of which the family still owns. He later owned a 1990 Dodge Caravan. Toll tokens, used when there was a toll to cross the I-5 bridge in Vancouver, remain on the dash of the Mercury. Wilson generally drove a small fire truck from home to work to be prepared to leave quickly for emergencies.


Over the years, Wilson employed some relatives in his auto repair and parts business, including nephews Roger High and Dick Henderson. Other employees included Luther Dougherty, Burt Hafner and Calvin Robinson. Jane Wilson worked in the business as well.


Wilson enjoyed attending the sporting events of his grandchildren. 


Wilson was a member of the American Legion Post 168 for 54 years. He was also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Mt. Valley Grange, and a charter member of the North Clark Lions.


Wilson enjoyed all foods and was not a picky eater. The family took few vacations, one to Disneyland and Sea World, and another to British Columbia. But mostly Wilson worked at his business, often from 6:30 a.m. until 9 or 10 p.m. He stopped working Sundays in 1989 but responded to anyone who knocked on his door and needed an automotive part. And he was always on call for the Fire District. He enjoyed doing it.


Wilson died of pneumonia, after struggling for 10 years with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy which had been misdiagnosed in the earlier years.


Wilson was preceded in death by sisters Margie High and Minnie Wilson. Survivors include wife of 54 years, Jane Wilson of Amboy, sons John Wilson of Amboy and Dennis Wilson of Battle Ground, daughter Candi Denny of Vancouver, sisters Margaret Garrow, Mildred “Billie” West and Melrose “Jinxie” Boyd, all of California, Mary Huston of Woodland, Anita Scott of Idaho and Susie Whitney of Fargher Lake, brother Douglas Wilson of Oregon, four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.


Burial was at Lewisville Cemetery, Battle Ground, with Layne’s Funeral Home, Battle Ground, in charge of arrangements.

Commissioners mull casino deal


Resolution reasserts opposition to gaming facility


Bill Myers staff reporter


Clark County commissioners at public hearings April 7, 10 and 15 heard from citizens who wanted to weigh in on ways to improve a 2004 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe dealing with services that could be provided to a proposed casino near La Center. More than a third of speakers at the meetings urged commissioners to cease efforts to reach a new accord.


On April 8, the commissioners approved a resolution opposing any large commercial gaming facility in unincorporated areas of Clark County. But they and County lawyer Curt Wyrick say a new agreement with the Tribe is needed to protect Clark County taxpayers if federal decisionmakers approve pending tribal requests for reservation and trust status. 


An MOU inked by commissioners with tribal leaders in 2004 was invalidated by the Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board who ruled that the agreement was made without sufficient public involvement. An appellate judge upheld the ruling, and County lawyers are appealing the decision to the state Court of Appeals.


Commissioner Betty Sue Morris and former commissioners Judie Stanton and Craig Pridemore executed the 2004 agreement. In the agreement, tribal officials agreed to a limited waiver of tribal immunity, agreed to meet state and county public health standards, and agreed to pay for law enforcement and other services. 


At recent hearings, commission chair Morris said that without a valid agreement, the County could not require payments for services, or tax and regulate development on tribal trust land. She said such financial burdens could fall on taxpayers. 


Lively opposition to a new agreement surfaced at a first hearing attended by about 200 citizens in La Center where many residents and city leaders strongly opposed Cowlitz efforts to establish a reservation and gaming center. More than 30 citizens testified. About half of them opposed any accord with tribal officials. 


Some opponents said decisionmakers at the U.S. Department of Interior will interpret any new agreement as an invitation--or at least an implied consent--from County officials for development of a tribal gaming facility. La Center council member Bob Smith said federal officials told him that positions taken by elected officials do matter when they make decisions. 


Vancouver resident Ed Lynch, leader of the opposition group “Citizens Against Reservation Shopping (CARS),” agreed. Lynch said federal officials told him that “any failure to execute inter-local agreements will weigh heavily.” “This MOU is in hospice now---don’t do something to resurrect it,” said Lynch.


When Morris asked if the CARS organization would underwrite losses to Clark County if Lynch’s assessments prove to be wrong, Lynch said the question was not appropriate.


La Center council member Dale Smith said a signed agreement is taken as an approval by federal officials. “Signing an MOU will make a casino more likely,” he said. 


“Shut down further negotiations and provide federal officials with a strongly-worded letter of opposition,” said Susan Gilbert, chairperson of the Paradise Point Neighborhood Association.


Some citizens said new provisions should be included in a new agreement. Some called for provisions that would pay for impacts to schools in Woodland, La Center and Ridgefield. La Center chief of police Tim Hopkin said a new MOU should provide for additional law enforcement costs that would be born by La Center and Ridgefield police departments. 


Some speakers said the original MOU fell short of providing sufficient funding for social impacts of gambling and drinking addictions. One citizen called for an accord that would require development of non-gaming and job-creating manufacturing businesses on the tribal land. 


Some citizens at the meetings said commissioners have a duty to pursue a valid MOU that will protect citizens from costs associated with a tribal project. 


Resolution opposes gaming facility


The resolution signed by Morris on behalf of all commissioners as part of a consent agenda at a regular meeting on April 8 contained three short paragraphs:


“Whereas, commercial gaming facilities are not allowed in the unincorporated area of Clark County; and 


“Whereas, the Clark County Board of Commissioners has previously declared opposition to commercial gaming facilities in the unincorporated area of Clark County.


“Now therefore, be it resolved, by the Board of Commissioners of Clark County that we do hereby reiterate our opposition to the development of a major commercial gaming facility in the unincorporated area of Clark County.”


The resolution did not specifically mention the Cowlitz Tribe. 


Cowlitz representative Phil Harju said the resolution won’t effect tribal plans and should have little impact on the federal approval process. He said that once the land near La Center is accepted into trust by federal authorities, development of a tribal gaming facility at the site won’t be inconsistent with the resolution because the property will be on tribal, not County land. He said tribal leaders have no desire to negotiate an entirely new MOU, but are willing to meet with commissioners to discuss refinements to the 2004 agreement.

County proposes new stormwater rules


Clark County officials have drafted new stormwater rules that would apply to rural residents who add to their homes or outbuildings, pave gravel driveways, build new homes, or take other development actions that could add to stormwater runoff.


Actions required under the draft rules range from dispersing water through natural vegetation, to infiltrating water into pipes and trenches, to building swales and on-site water treatment facilities.


The public is invited to comment on the proposed rules during open house events set for Wed., April 16, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at La Center High School, 725 Highland Rd., La Center, Thurs., April 17, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Yacolt Fire Department, 404 S Parcel Ave., Yacolt, and Thurs., April 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Clark Public Utilities, 8600 NE 117th Ave., Vancouver.


Robin Krause, project manager with Clark County Public Works, said that current stormwater rules contain exemptions for agriculture and for existing structures. The proposed rules, however, would eliminate some of these exemptions, he said.


For example, said Krause, if someone who has a home and driveway on five acres builds an addition to the home or builds a garage or barn, they would be subject to the new rules. A 2,000 square foot addition would require on-site stormwater management, said Krause, which could be a trench and perforated pipe to infiltrate the water into the ground, if land configuration would allow such a system.


The new rules would not apply to agricultural operations and timber farming activities, although the rules would apply to building an agricultural building, and cutting timber and native vegetation for construction of a home.


The conversion of one acre or more of land from timber use would require the construction of detention facilities, said Krause.


Paving an existing gravel driveway would also fall under the new rules, said Krause, even though a gravel driveway is presently considered an impervious surface.


Whereas the construction of a single family home on five acres is presently exempt from stormwater treatment and detention rules, the new rules would require a range of actions when a new home is built.


Stormwater measures required for larger parcels could include “dispersion”--spreading the water out over a 100 lineal feet of natural vegetation. Krause was uncertain whether managed tree farm ground would be considered “natural vegetation.”


The draft rules also require “flow control” measures at certain thresholds, said Krause, such as retention ponds and swales.


County officials offered these examples of new rule application:


-- The clearing of forest land for a pasture or home site would invoke the new rules. The extent of stormwater management will depend on how much land is disturbed. Mitigation options would range from natural approaches to building a retention facility.


-- Clearing 2.5 acres or more of native vegetation for pasture would invoke the rules. Options would range from natural approaches to constructing a facility.


-- Converting three-fourths of an acre of native vegetation to lawn would invoke the rules, with options ranging from natural approaches to constructing a facility.


-- Graveling or paving 5,000 square feet such as for a driveway, parking area or storage would invoke the rules. 


-- Creating or replacing 2,000 square feet of buildings, pavement or gravel would not likely invoke the rules.


County officials define “native vegetation” as douglas fir, western hemlock, western red cedar, alder, maple, willow, elderberry, salmonberry, salal, sword fern, foam flower and fireweed. 


The proposed rules would apply throughout unincorporated Clark County, including within the urban growth boundaries of cities.


Krause said the cost of updating the ordinances and the increase in cost to review development applications will be absorbed into the existing Clean Water Program budget. In the “near future,” however, a change in the stormwater fee may be considered to pay for the increased stormwater program costs.


More information is available on the county Web site, www.clark.wa.gov, and by calling Krause, 397-6118, ext. 4911.


Hockinson man dies from burns


Bill Myers staff reporter


Hockinson resident Leslie Stenersen, 69, died April 14 at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland after suffering severe burns April 11 while cutting a fuel tank with an acetylene torch.


Clark County Fire District 3 spokesman Ray Steiger said Stenersen was cutting a fuel tank of an unknown type with a torch when the tank exploded. Fire from the explosion engulfed a tractor that Stenersen had used to pull the tank a safe distance away from his home before he began cutting it. The fire burned about 60 percent of his body. 


Stenersen reportedly crawled a short distance from the blaze and a son carried him further away from the fire. 


District chief Steve Wrightson said he lives in the neighborhood and was first on the scene after a 6:15 p.m. dispatch call. Wrightson said Stenerson was conscious and talking as he and other firefighters administered aid. He was transported by Life Flight helicopter to the Legacy Burn Center.


Two units from District 3 and two units from the Vancouver Fire Department responded to the incident. Wrightson said neighbors living blocks from the Stenersen home heard the explosion.




Cowlitz power customers due refunds


Residents of Cowlitz County, along with businesses and industries, will receive refunds this month from the Cowlitz County Public Utility District.


Residential customers could receive refunds of $25-60 depending on their power usage, according to Utility spokesman Dave Andrew. Residential refunds will be in the form of billing credits.


The refunds are from money returned to the utility by the Bonneville Power Administration, the federal agency that had collected the money through its Residential Exchange Program. The Residential Exchange Program (REP) was designed to distribute the benefits of northwest hydropower to residential and small farm customers of investor-owned utilities such as Portland General Electric. To do that, BPA added to the cost of power it sold to public utilities and gave that money to private utilities. A federal court has ruled that the REP was improperly funded.


Officials of BPA decided to refund the REP money it collected during Oct. 1, 2005 through Sept. 30, 2007, which was about $336 million. Of that amount, Cowlitz PUD will receive $14.86 million. Thirty industrial customers in Cowlitz County will receive 78 percent of the returned money and will receive checks, with most of that money going to Weyerhaeuser and Longview Fibre. All remaining customers who qualify for a return will receive a billing credit.


Cowlitz PUD is the first public utility to announce a plan for handling the BPA refund. Clark Public Utilities received a $12.4 million refund but officials have not yet decided what to do with it.


“Any customer who qualifies--schools, churches, banks, stores, offices or residential customers--will receive the credit if they meet the qualifications,” said Andrew. “One person might see a credit of $60 on their bill, while their neighbor’s credit might be $25. It all comes down to usage. The more you overpaid in the first place, the more you get back.”


To qualify, a person must have been a customer sometime during the October 2006 through September 2007 period, and must have been a customer on April 2, 2008.


Andrew said the utility had considered sending refund checks to all qualified customers. “The board originally suggested sending all our customers a check,” said Andrew. “But once we sat down and considered all the logistics of preparing and mailing over 50,000 refund checks, it was obvious that a billing credit was the more practical and cost-efficient approach.”


“This will put dollars back into the hands of our customers today,” said PUD board president Buz Ketcham, “while we continue to work with BPA and other utilities on a long-term resolution to the Residential Exchange Program.”


BPA continues to collect the REP surcharge, and officials expect another refund in fall 2008. Utility officials in both Cowlitz and Clark counties expect the fall refund to be smaller than the ones received this spring.


Andrew may be reached at (360) 577-7502.

Council, mayor


disagree on dismissal procedure


Alice Perry Linker staff reporter


Woodland’s mayor and city council disagree about the process for dismissing members of the city’s planning commission, with Mayor Chuck Blum saying that he has the right to dismiss a volunteer member without council approval.


The city council, during an April 7 meeting, disagreed with the mayor and unanimously approved an ordinance that would require the mayor to recommend a commission member’s dismissal to the council.


Blum said that he may veto the council’s decision.


The law may be on Blum’s side. Acting City Attorney Charles Isley said that it is his understanding that under Woodland’s form of government, the mayor has the sole authority to terminate city employees or commission members.


The members of the planning commission are volunteers, and Blum said that he does not want to put a volunteer through a public process.


Blum said that the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington, a non-profit organization that works with state and municipal governments, has said that only the mayor may dismiss a city employee or commission member.


Council member John J. Burke, who has argued against the mayor’s authority to dismiss a planning commission member, said the mayor may be right.


“Nobody’s ever challenged this,” Burke said during an interview after the meeting. “Nobody has a clear answer.”


“If he wants to fire somebody, he should just bring it to us,” Burke said. 


Isley agreed, saying that the mayor’s proposal has apparently created a debate among the members of the research and services center.


Planning commissioners are appointed to six-year terms. The commission meets on the second Tuesday of the month, 7 p.m. Members are chairman David Simpson, vice chair Jim Yount, Murali Amirineni, Sharon Watt and Nancy Trevana.


Blum said that no planning commission issue triggered his decision to present the council with a new ordinance.


“Basically, it’s a housekeeping issue,” he said. “I feel it’s derogatory if someone is not performing to put them through a public hearing and a council meeting.”


The council agreed with the mayor about the need for a public hearing when a volunteer is dismissed and removed that requirement from the ordinance.


“It would be a whole different story if this were a paid position,” Blum said.


Burke said, however, that the new mayor is making too many changes in city policy too quickly.


“He’s trying to change all city policies right off the bat,” Burke said. “He wants to dismiss somebody from the planning commission and he doesn’t want to go through the council to do it.”


Burke accused Blum of trying to put “his people” on the city’s boards and commissions.


“If he starts firing people, we’ll have a problem,” Burke said.


Blum said, however, that his only purpose in asking for a change in the ordinance was to protect volunteers who aren’t performing up to standards from the public spotlight.


“Volunteers shouldn’t have to go through that negative thing,” he said, adding that he is concerned that citizens will hesitate to volunteer if they believe they will face a public hearing if they are dismissed.

Sixth-grader wins logo contest


Taylor Sawyer, a sixth-grader at Woodland Intermediate School, has won the annual logo contest for the Art Fest.


The Art Fest, sponsored by the Woodland Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA), will take place May 14 and 15 in the high school gym.


Taylor’s art was chosen from a field of four finalists. Teddy Coons, the son of Tammy Maynard, was the middle school winner, and Andrew Hanson, the son of Mark and Carey Hanson, took first place at the primary school. Beverly Courtway, the daughter of Frank and Melanie Courtway, was the high school winner. 


Taylor, the daughter of Shannon and Bill Soehl, created a green and yellow poster, centered with the words “Art Fest” and featuring a beaver wearing a t-shirt with a large “W.”


The winners were chosen by individual grades and the PTSA selected the overall winner. Taylor’s poster will be used during the festival.


The Art Fest is held annually and features the creative work done by students from all grades.

Huber resigns as public works director


Elaine Huber, Woodland public works director for 18 months, has resigned and has taken the job of operations manager for the Battle Ground Public Works Department.


In announcing Huber’s resignation during the April 7 city council meeting, Mayor Chuck Blum said, “I’m sorry to see Elaine go.”


“She’s a very good administrator and a good engineer,” said Blum said. “Battle Ground will be the beneficiary of a good employee.”


Huber was hired by Woodland in November 2006 at a salary of $5,973 monthly. Since then, the city has increased the salary range for public works director from a low of $6,043 to a high of $7,361 monthly.


The operations manager in Battle Ground oversees the day-to-day work of the department, reporting directly to public works director Rob Charles. Battle Ground pays $6,031 monthly for a public works operations manager.


In Woodland, Huber, a civil engineer, not only directed the public works department, she directed the planning department. During an interview she declined to discuss the reasons for her resignation, but she said, “I’ll miss everybody in Woodland.”


She said that she’s looking forward to working with the Battle Ground “team.”


“I’m excited, I think they (Battle Ground public works) have a good crew,” Huber said. “We have a lot of work to do, but they have a great team.” 


Mark Morgan, manager of the Woodland wastewater treatment plant, praised Huber’s administrative ability.


“She’s one of the finest bosses I’ve ever had in my life,” he said. “She’s very bright, great at problem solving. She’s a really good engineer. She had an open-door policy, but she’s not a micro-manager.”


The public works department has faced a series of challenges in recent years, including rapid residential growth that has required construction of infrastructure through existing neighborhoods, as well as an aging sewer system, and inadequate storm drainage in the area of Raspberry Park. 


Last year, residents along Insel Road complained about street closures during the development of infrastructure at Meriwether, a residential subdivision planned by Pacific Lifestyle Homes.


The developers of a proposed neighborhood near Raspberry Park have agreed to provide drainage that will help alleviate the flooding issues.


Huber took over as Woodland public works director several months after Rob Vanderzanden resigned. Since she began, the city hired Kei Zushi as community planner. Zushi had worked under Huber.


Blum asked the city council to look at reorganizing the public works department, putting building, planning and engineering in a separate department, and having the public works department oversee the city’s infrastructure–sewer, water and roads.


“Whether we can afford to do that, I don’t know,” Blum said. “Our budget is tight.”


The city expects to advertise for a new director within about two weeks, but Blum said hiring a new person could take three to four months. Huber’s last day was April 9.

BG deputy mayor’s son faces cyberstalking charges

Brandy Slagle Staff reporter Battle Ground Police traced an e-mail containing multiple racial insults regarding Battle Ground Councilor Paul Zandamela back to the household of deputy mayor Alex Reinhold. Christopher L. Reinhold, 18, faces charges of two counts of cyberstalking Battle Ground city council members. He is the son of Battle Ground’s deputy mayor. A summons for Christopher Reinhold was mailed to his home to appear in District Court Wed., April 23, 8:30 a.m. Prosecuting Attorney Grant Hanson is in charge of the case. Battle Ground Police Sergeant Jason Perdue said the case was handed over to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, even though the alleged crime happened within the Battle Ground city limits, to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. Perdue was the lead investigator on the case. Under Washington state law, a person is guilty of cyberstalking if they e-mail another person with the intent to harass, intimidate or torment another person. The e-mail can include lewd, indecent or obscene words, and is considered a felony. An e-mail, which was dated Jan. 8, was sent to city council members, some members of the city’s administrative staff, and to The Reflector, read: “Dear Reflector staff, “As I am sure many of you know, there is a n----- on our city council named Paul Zandamela. Our city government must be corrupt to have this porch monkey as an elected official. According to our year 2000 census, ‘c--ns only make up 0.49% of our population, and I know I would never vote for one of those spooks. I don’t see how a person who is different from 99.51% of our population can properly make decisions for us. “Sincerely, “A N----- Hater.” Battle Ground Mayor Mike Ciraulo said he posted a response that said the author of the anonymous e-mail was “an ignorant individual” and the city would not tolerate these kinds of messages. Ciraulo received a response to his e-mail, which led to the second cyberstalking offense, Jan. 10, that read: “You are a stupid n----- lover, and I never said I hate n------, but I am just concerned that we would give them any sort of position in our government.” Ciraulo said he knew it was time to hand the situation over to the police after receiving the second e-mail. An investigation by Clark County Sheriff’s Deputy Sheriff Kevin Harper revealed that the e-mail account “battleground anonymous” was established by Christopher Reinhold, who reportedly admitted to investigators that he had sent both messages by e-mail from his computer. Alex Reinhold said he would prefer not to make a comment until the situation has been fully processed through the legal system. Calls placed to Christopher Reinhold have not been returned. Zandamela is currently out of the country visiting Mozambique, which is where he was born and raised. While any councilor is legally allowed to speak on the issue, Ciraulo said they decided it would be best for him to handle public inquiries into the situation as “it has the potential to get large.” He said although this was a very sensitive legal issue, it was important to remember that none of the council members had committed a crime. Ciraulo said he felt it was best that the case was being handled by the Sheriff’s office to ensure that Battle Ground police officers could not be viewed as being “too soft or too hard” on the deputy mayor’s son. “The city condemns the bigotry reflected in that e-mail, the sentiments were unacceptable, un-American and have no place in Battle Ground,” said Ciraulo. “There has been an increase of diversity in the city. It has added a richness and depth to our city, and with change can come some tension and discomfort. But that is not an excuse to degrade another individual.”