Financial disagreements among members of the volunteer Battle Ground Yacolt and Chelatchie Prairie Railroad (BYCX) have left the future of steam locomotive rides uncertain.
Four rides conducted April 19-20 from the Yacolt station were powered by a diesel locomotive, not steam.
The steam locomotive used last season remains in pieces while board members of the BYCX try to settle the dispute.
According to board secretary Doug Auburg, the issue involves reimbursement of the expenses incurred by volunteers who used their own money to buy shares in a steam locomotive, as well as reimbursement to one volunteer who funded the purchase of parts and materials used to refurbish the locomotive.
Auburg said Joan Reed-Nickerson has submitted receipts for some of the parts and materials she purchased while the locomotive was being refurbished. Pending review and verification, the purchases could add up to $30,000, said Auburg.
Nickerson also helped fund the purchase of the locomotive and now owns 30 percent, said Auburg. Others who own shares of the locomotive are Jim Styres, who owns 50 percent, Bryan Baker who owns 13 percent, and Pete Replinger of Shelton, who sold the locomotive for use on the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad, who retains 7 percent ownership.
Auburg said the BYCX is willing to repay Reed-Nickerson for her expenses if she will agree, along with the others, to sell the locomotive to the BYCX organization.
Bryan Baker, former BYCX president and now a member of its board of directors, said the group has some money in its treasury but not enough to pay the Reed-Nickerson expenses and buy the locomotive from its share holders. “Not all at once, anyway,” said Baker.
Baker said he is willing to sell his 13 percent share to the group for his exact purchase expense--$6,500.
Baker said all involved in the matter are “supposed to be members of the same group,” but the steam engine repair group somehow considers itself to be a separate entity.
Baker said the original intent was that owners of the locomotive would be repaid as funds became available to do that.
“It’s quite possible that (the steam locomotive) won’t run this year,” said Baker.
“The issue is that the steam locomotive doesn’t belong to the group; it belongs to three members,” said Auburg.
“We need an agreement to sell the locomotive to the group,” said Auburg, noting that Jim Styres and Bryan Baker want the first right of refusal to buy the locomotive back if the group ceases to exist.
Auburg said the board wants to pay Reed-Nickerson for her restoration expenses if all parties agree.
The seven board members are president Bill Young, Baker, Doug Auburg, Tammy Auburg, John Taylor, Jim Styres and Ron Weir.
Reed-Nickerson and two locomotive repair crew members were defeated in their attempt to gain seats on the board of directors in February.
“Since the February election, the pace of work (on the locomotive) has decreased,” said Auburg.
One axle is out of the locomotive while parts are being machined, he said. Certain bearings, bushings and pins need to be replaced, he said.
“We’re trying to arrange a meeting with Bill (Young), Jim and Joan,” said Auburg.
Jim Styres, a long-time railroad volunteer and member of the BYCX board, said he has proposed that the group make a $5,000 payment to Reed-Nickerson and then meet with her to review all of her expenses. She should be paid for her expenses, said Styres, whether she agrees to sell her share of the locomotive to the group or not.
“I kept telling her that we needed to go through her bills,” said Styres. “She has bills back to 2002.”
Styres said Reed-Nickerson played a “big role” in refurbishing the steam locomotive.
Styres said he hopes to clarify the situation with Reed-Nickerson. “She can stop work on it,” said Styres. “Then I would know where she stands. We could get other people to fix the engine, but I don’t want to burn all the bridges.”
Styres said he has not yet seen evidence that Reed-Nickerson actually owns 30 percent of the locomotive.
In addition to the 7-member board, the BYCX has about 70 members.
Efforts to reach Joan Reed-Nickerson were not successful.
“Since my mother died, I don’t have the heart to go back there and work there anymore,” said Brian Haberman, owner of John’s Shoes and Clothing in Battle Ground. “When she died, my heart for the business died as well. You can’t have a business like that without a heart.”
Haberman’s mother, Dolores Haberman, died in 2005 at age 71.
Both the building and inventory at John’s Shoes and Clothing, located at 601 E Main St., is now for sale.
Haberman plans to move the merchandise from the neighboring Sagebrush Western Mercantile store, which specializes in western furniture and home decor, into the John’s Shoes building and offer the former Sagebrush Mercantile building for lease. He will retain the Birkenstock Northwest store at I-5 and NE 179th St. in Ridgefield. Also for sale is a warehouse and storage business located on SE 1st St. in Battle Ground.
Haberman and his wife Tami plan to move to Texas.
After nearly 30 years in Battle Ground, Haberman wants to start over. “I want to have another 30 year career,” said Haberman, 54.
Haberman arrived in Battle Ground with his parents, Junior and Dolores Haberman, in 1980, when the family purchased John’s Shoes and Clothing. They came from California.
Junior Haberman died unexpectedly in 1981, leaving Brian and his mother to operate the business.
In the early 1980s, what was a mini JC Penny store with a wide range of family wear became a western and work apparel business, with name-brand merchandise and wide range of boots. Women’s wear was added.
Within a few years, Haberman began taking merchandise to shows, starting with the World’s Largest Christmas Bazaar in Portland and expanding to sportsmen’s shows, rodeos and horse shows around the country. The range of merchandise has changed from western wear and jeans to English and Western riding attire and more upscale merchandise.
“Business is good,” said Haberman of John’s Shoes and Clothing store. “We have tons of government contracts. Someone could buy the real estate; the inventory is available for purchase.”
The E Main Street area of Battle Ground is poised to flourish, said Haberman, with the new development on SE Grace Ave., skatepark, and other developments.
Relocating to Texas will provide business advantages, said Haberman, noting that apparel manufacturers have moved there and Fort Worth is a “free trade zone.” He can purchase merchandise there, he said, and avoid shipping costs. Most of his business “on the road” takes place in central United States and east of the Mississippi River.
In addition, weather is a factor. It’s hard, said Haberman, to get over northwest mountain passes in winter. And he would like to live in a warmer climate.
“Going to Texas for our road business makes sense,” said Haberman.
Haberman plans to sell both apparel and furniture on the road at horse shows. He will move the Sagebrush Western Mercantile store to Texas, he said. He said he can sell one-of-a-kind, heirloom-quality furniture for higher prices elsewhere.
In addition, there is a “dramatic difference” in government regulation between Clark County and Texas. He said a person can purchase a home in Texas for about the same amount of money that home building permits cost in Clark County.
“You can’t bale hay when land is $100,000 an acre,” said Haberman of Clark County. “Many people are moving away from Clark County because of the regulations.”
Brian Haberman and his wife, Tami, plan to locate a few hundred miles southwest of Dallas, he said. Haberman’s son, Brett, may join them later, while his daughter, Fallon, will remain in Battle Ground. The Haberman’s have four grandchildren.
The John’s Shoes and Clothing building, without inventory, is listed for sale with Eric Fuller and Associates at $950,000. The building has 5,000 square feet on the main floor, plus an upstairs office with 1,500 square feet. Information is available from Deborah Ewing with the Eric Fuller company, 750-5595, ext. 13.
Brandy Slagle Staff reporter
Christopher Reinhold, 18, of Battle Ground, entered a not guilty plea on two counts of cyberstalking when he appeared in Clark County District Court April 23 with defense attorney Jon McMullen.
According to prosecuting attorney Grant Hanson’s documents, Christopher Reinhold admitted to sending two e-mails with multiple racial slurs from his home computer when he was questioned by an officer from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
Christopher Reinhold is the son of Battle Ground deputy mayor Alex Reinhold, and lives at home.
The e-mails questioned the ability of Councilor Paul Zandamela to make decisions for the community due to his race. Zandamela is a native of Mozambique.
“I don’t see how a person who is different from 99.51% of our population can properly make decisions for us,” said the first e-mail sent to The Reflector, as well as city officials, Jan. 8.
McMullen, who said even though the language that appeared in both e-mails was “disgusting and offensive,” it was also protected under the First amendment.
Cyberstalking is a gross misdemeanor, which is filed when a person is suspected of anonymously or repeatedly using any “lewd, lascivious, indecent, or obscene words, images, or language” with the intent to “harass, intimidate, torment or embarrass any other person.”
An additional subsection of the cyberstalking law includes making threats to another person or their property.
Reinhold’s e-mail does not contain any threats to Zandamela, said McMullen.
Battle Ground Mayor Mike Ciraulo has been fielding community calls since the public has become aware of the e-mails. He has encouraged people to engage in an open community dialogue over the opinions the e-mails expressed.
But not during city council meetings.
Ciraulo told audience members before the citizen’s comments period of the council’s April 21 meeting that “this was not the place” to air their grievances, but rather to deal with city business. None of the city councilors have acted inappropriately, he said, and condemned the bigotry reflected in the e-mails.
“I know we all agree that Battle Ground is a community where everyone deserves to feel safe, valued and respected,” he said.
In a later interview, Ciraulo said he is working with other agencies to hold a community forum in the future where people can discuss the prejudiced sentiments conveyed by a young member of the community.
“I have been cautioned against doing this, but I don’t care,” he said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
His major concern, he said, was how to ensure that the people most needed to be present at the forum would come.
“I don’t believe that Battle Ground is any different from any other community,” he said. “This is an issue that is below the surface in all communities. But this is a dialogue we need to have.”
Ciraulo said he hopes that good things can result from this incident.
Zandamela, who recently returned to the United States after being overseas, was not present at the meeting.
“I would rather not comment at this time,” he said, adding that he felt that the mayor was handling this situation appropriately for the time being.
Judge Darvin Zimmerman put Christopher Reinhold on supervised release at his April 23 court appearance, which means he must check in with authorities each week. The judge also told him that he could not access computers or make contact with Zandamela or Ciraulo.
Christopher Reinhold’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 10, 8:30 a.m.
Bill Myers staff reporter
Clark County voters soundly rejected a proposal last week to increase the sales tax to fund a new emergency communications system.
As of April 23, with 100 percent of precincts reporting, an unofficial summary from the Clark County Elections office showed that 60.13 percent of 68,365 voters (35 percent of eligible voters) rejected the idea.
Tom Griffith, director of Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA), said approval of the proposal, which would have added one-tenth of one percent (one penny per $10 sale) to sales taxes, could have funded replacement of what has become an outmoded and unreliable analog system with digital technology. Motorola, Inc., which provides support for the existing system, won’t support analog technology after 2012, he said. “Everything is going digital,” he added.
Griffith said similar emergency services propositions were on ballots in 11 counties in recent months. He said voters approved measures in nine jurisdictions, and a narrow majority of voters in Spokane County rejected the measure. The Clark County result, with 60 percent of voters opposing the tax increase, was a surprise, Griffith said.
Griffith said CRESA engineers will determine how sharing equipment with other county emergency service agencies could cut costs on primary hardware items. He said a new proposal for an upgraded system, including options with costs, could be submitted to the CRESA governing board, the County, cities and fire districts by year end.
Bill Myers staff reporter
The future of Kapus Farm, a one and one-half acre site in Ridgefield containing a farmhouse and outbuildings described in the Clark County Heritage Register as “a significant historic asset in Clark County,” is uncertain.
Vacated and boarded up, the farmhouse, an adjacent garage, water tower and outhouse stand as lonesome remnants of what was once 160-acres of productive farm land at 27225 NW 11th Ave., Ridgefield. The property is about 200 yards north of the Country Cafe restaurant on land now owned by Southwest Washington Medical Center. Southwest officials bought the farm and about 75 adjacent acres in 2006 for future development that would include a medical facility for area citizens. Southwest director of expansion Christine Wamsley said Southwest purchased the farmhouse site without knowing that the property was on the Heritage Register. When the property was listed on the register, no one amended the title to reflect the listing, she said.
Wamsley said Southwest officials boarded up the home and water tower to protect the properties after incidents of vandalism. She said Southwest officials are willing to give the buildings to anyone willing to move them to another location. She said two parties have expressed interest in moving the buildings, and are attempting to find reasonably-priced acreage in the area for them. Wamsley said the buildings would not fit with Southwest’s development plans for the site. The relocation of such properties, or removal of them from the Heritage Register, require approval of the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission.
The history of the farm dates back to 1888 when Valentine and Johanna Kapus paid $2,850 for 160 rural acres northeast of what is now the Ridgefield Junction.
After arriving from Minnesota and settling on their land, the Kapus family built a home, water tower, barn and granary. They grew crops and raised 13 children. Their children, including a son, Anton Kapus, inherited the property when Valentine and Johanna died in 1900.
Anton’s daughter, Dorothy Helley, remembers growing up in the farm house, then a well-kept home surrounded by farmland.
Helley said her father died in 1954, leaving the farm to her mother, Frances Kapus. She said Frances sold the farm in 1963 and since then, the land was divided and sold as separate, smaller parcels.
Helley said George and Kim Lane were among various owners of the one and one-half acre site with the farm house and water tower. She said they had the farm listed on the Clark County Heritage Register in 1992. Helley said the Lanes never applied for tax discounts available to owners of Heritage Register properties. Helley said she hopes the farmhouse and water tower can be preserved because of their historical significance.
An adjacent, larger piece of land was purchased by Port of Ridgefield officials for future development. This acreage, not listed on the Clark County Heritage Register, included a partially-collapsed barn (circa 1900) and granary (circa 1929) which were once part of the Kapus Farm. Port director Brent Grening said Port workers prepared a mitigation plan for the Washington Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation because both buildings were part of a historically significant site. He said the plan was completed. The barn, considered a potential liability to the Port because of its condition, was sold for salvage. A partial barn structure still stands on the property, now also owned by Southwest Washington Medical Center. Grening said the granary was sold intact and relocated by its new owner.
Clark County Heritage Register spokesperson Jacqui Kamp said more than 50 structures in Clark County are listed on the Register. North County citizens would recognize the names of many, including the Cedar Creek Grist Mill, Pomeroy Living History Farm and Lewisville Park. Kamp said the Kapus Farm is of historic significance to Clark County, and could be eligible for listing in both state and national registers.
A five-member Historic Preservation Commission, volunteers appointed by Clark County Commissioners, makes decisions on requests to remove or change the character or location of properties on the Register.
Commission members, all with backgrounds or experience in issues related to historical preservation, are Rob Freed, chairperson, Ronald Lee, Julie Garver, Andrew Gregg and David Fenton.
Freed said owners of registered properties are responsible for maintaining them. Clark County Code section 40.250.030 says owners “must provide ordinary repair and maintenance...” on such properties. He said the intent of the ordinance is to protect and preserve such properties. Freed said he hopes that Southwest officials can find a way to incorporate the farmhouse and its outbuildings into their site development plans.
A public hearing would be required if the buildings are moved. Historic Preservation Commission members are required to hold such hearings when ruling on applications that could impact a listed property. Notification of hearings are required to area newspapers, interested parties, and neighbors within 300 feet of a property. Dispute Commission decisions can be appealed to proper jurisdictions.
Clark County director of community planning director Marty Snell said Ridgefield City Council members would hear any appeals on decisions related to the Kapus property.
Fire District 3 sending photos via e-mail (one is lifeflight shot).
Woodland’s Wastewater Treatment Plant manager Mark Morgan was recognized by the Woodland City Council April 14 when he received another in a long line of awards.
Less than two hours later, the city council voted to deny 13-year veteran Morgan an increase in pay and a promotion to plant superintendent. At the same time, the council voted to deny water treatment plant Mark Sarvela a similar promotion.
Three council members, John J. Burke, Darwin Rounds and Susan Humbyrd, voted against the promotion and raise. They said the city should delay any increase in salary and promotion until the city has reached a contract agreement with the Teamsters Union, the organization that represents public works employees.
“We just gave Mark (Morgan) an award,” said council member Aaron Christopherson. “I think a new job title and salary are in order.”
Morgan received the “Silent Heroes” award from the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association, an organization of about 8,000. Under Morgan’s leadership, the treatment plant has received five outstanding wastewater treatment plant awards from the state Department of Ecology.
Morgan said after the meeting that the city’s human resources committee approved the promotion and salary increase from $24.50 per hour to $29.66 per hour last December, and approved the title of plant superintendent. The new salary is budgeted for 2008. Salaries for public works employees come from water and sewer fees.
“My options are open,” Morgan said after the meeting. “I’m very disappointed that they don’t realize how important this job is.”
The water and wastewater department operations are not substantially affected by the downturn in general fund revenues.
“The treatment plant is not in the red,” Morgan said. “We run off sewer rates; we’re not hurting.”
Morgan worked with engineers in building the city’s $8.2 million treatment plant six years ago. The plant has a capacity of 2 million gallons. Environmental law requires that the plant operator be at least an operator level 3. Morgan has a level 4 license. He said he is one of about 25 level 4 wastewater treatment plant operators in the state.
“Last month I saved the city $40,000 with a process change,” he said. “I didn’t have to do that.”
Mayor Chuck Blum, who does not have a vote, supported the salary increase, as did council members Marliee McCall and Christopherson.
“I own a business, and I think employees work better if they are rewarded,” Christopherson said.
“The competition with other cities is fierce,” Blum said. “There’s competition to steal these good employees.”
In voting against the increase, Burke said he has questions “about the difference in pay,” and he added, “the raise goes with the job.”
The decision by the city council “was hard to swallow. I went through all the steps,” Morgan said.
Public Works director Elaine Huber said she does not know when the city’s negotiations with the Teamsters will be finished, but she said she does not expect them to end before the next council meeting on May 5.
“Maybe by May 19?” Humbyrd asked. “We need to bring it up again (after negotiations end).”
“It might be a moot point by then,” Huber said.
“We’ll be looking for a new one,” Blum said.
Alice Perry Linker staff reporter
Woodland City Council agonized over general fund budget reductions during the April 21 meeting, and in the end, decided to study the budget further before deciding where and how much to cut.
Clerk-treasurer Mari Ripp presented a draft budget that included raises in city taxes and fees, as well as reductions in spending, but council member John J. Burke objected to any tax hikes, especially a sales tax increase.
Ripp’s proposal suggests raising the sales tax from 7.6 percent to 7.7 percent–an amount equal to a penny increase on a $10 purchase–and continuing a discussion on raising the public utility tax from 5 percent to 6 percent with exceptions for high usage.
Fees for certain office services, including notary service, copies and taxes, have not been increased for a number of years, Ripp reported, and have not kept up with inflation. An increase in development fees may also be considered.
Mayor Chuck Blum ordered a 5 percent cut across the board earlier this year after the city discovered that balancing the budget required dipping into reserves. Even with the proposed cuts, proposed expenditures will require $35,000 from the reserve fund.
“Our goal is to hit $1 million in reserves,” Burke said.
Burke also objected to reducing staff and laying off city employees, but Blum said that the two half-time positions that are being considered for temporary elimination are not filled at this time. One of those positions is a code enforcement officer, the person who makes sure weeds are cut in the summer.
“We need a code enforcement officer,” Burke said. “ Things aren’t getting done, and we’re getting into summer and there’s a lot of weed abatement. We need somebody to police the area.”
The general fund supports the police and fire departments, the finance and administrative offices, judicial services and the planning department. The planning department has lost a part-time planning assistant, but the police and fire departments have not been asked to reduce personnel.
The city had considered placing a new heating and air conditioning system in City Hall and the City Hall Annex, but those improvements would be delayed until 2009 under the proposal. The police department proposes to reduce spending by $33,500, and the fire department by $10,950.
In total, the proposal would reduce spending by $163,500 and increase revenues by $26,650.
The council decided to wait until May 5 to continue the discussion.
“We need to look at every page and squeak everything we can before we move forward,” said council member Marilee McCall.
Alice Perry Linker staff reporter
A sixth grader at Woodland Intermediate School is a math champ.
Kyle Hendrix, 12, has won the All-Star Math Competition for the third consecutive year.
Sponsored by the Kelso Learning Outlet, an educational retail store, the math competition attracted about 3,700 students from three counties in a competition that began in December and ended in February.
“This is quite a feat that he accomplished,” said Doug Maynard, owner of Kelso Learning Outlet. “He understands the concepts of math and the strategy of the game. He is very good at strategy.”
Kyle, the son of Tonya and Wade Hendrix, said that he likes math and he earns As in math classes.
Sixth-grade teacher Zac Harrington said that Kyle is an “excellent, well-behaved student.”
“He’s one of those math students who can solve problems in his head easily,” Harrington said. “He’s a great all-round kid.”
The All-Star Math competition is made up of a series of board games that requires knowledge in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
“I usually looked at all possibilities that I could do,” Kyle said about his method. “I just did the best I could.”
Woodland Intermediate School principal Chris Wiseman said all the students at the intermediate school participated in the competition. The top scorers in each class advanced to a competition with schools in Cowlitz County and Columbia County, OR.
The final competition, played tournament style, took place at Kelso High School. Maynard said each round took about two hours resulting in six winners.
“We begin with 80 kids, four at a table,” Maynard said. “The winners from each table advance to the next round and we continue until six players remain.”
Eventually, only two students remain, and they “go head-to-head for the finals,” he said.
Maynard and his wife Teresa created the All-Star Math game, he said. The board game is for sale through educational catalogues and at the Kelso Learning Outlet. It can be purchased through the shop’s Web site, www.educationalgames.biz.
Kyle was honored at a school assembly March 21, and he said he got a special treat from his family.
“They took me to Red Lobster,” he said.
Next year, as a seventh grader, he will be too advanced to compete, as the contest is designed for fourth, fifth and sixth graders. He’s not giving up on competition, he said.
“Maybe I’ll do robotics,” he said.
KYLE HENDRIXBill Myers staff reporter
City of Woodland officials and Planters Day princesses gathered April 24 to celebrate a first-ever designation of the City as Tree City USA as part of a National Arbor Day celebration.
During the ceremony at Horseshoe Lake Park, mayor Chuck Blum accepted a Tree City flag and plaque on behalf of the City from state Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Sarah Griffith. The award, sponsored by the National Arbor Foundation, recognizes cities where trees are appreciated and play a significant role in community development, said Griffith.
WOODLAND PLANTERS DAY PRINCESSES, from left, Emily McClure, Chelsea Anderson and Lindsay Hilliard took part in ceremonial tree-planting as part of Tree City USA celebration with Woodland mayor Chuck Blum.The Woodland City Council unanimously voted to maintain control of dismissing members of the planning commission, overriding Mayor Chuck Blum’s veto of an earlier council action.
Blum presented an ordinance to the council on April 7 giving the mayor sole authority to dismiss members of the planning commission, but the council voted unanimously against giving up their authority to approve any dismissal.
Blum vetoed the council action, arguing that members of the planning commission are volunteers and should not be put through a public hearing or public council dismissal. He said that finding volunteers for commissions is sometimes difficult and he did not want to discourage volunteers.
Council member John J. Burke said that he had not seen a signed veto.
Council member Marilee McCall suggested that the planning commission rules include an attendance requirement, as do commissions in other Southwest Washington cities and counties. No action was taken on her suggestion.