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Skyline Health To Seek Levy Lid Lift

Posted on by mbailey

Klickitat County Public Hospital District 2, or Skyline Health, will be seeking a property tax levy lid lift in an April 28 special election.  It is seeking to raise the levy rate of 49 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value to 75 cents per thousand.  For a $400,000 home, that would be an increase of $100 per year.  Skyline Health Chief Executive Officer Matt Kollman says the district board made the decision to ask the community for the increase.  Kollman notes they have seen a significant growth in demand for services at Skyline.  Volume in the surgical department has grown 27 percent in the last couple of years, imaging is up 14 percent, and Skyline’s clinic is up eight percent.

 

 

Snowpack At 40% Of Normal

Posted on by mbailey

The current storm has raised snowpack in the Hood, Sandy, and Lower Deschutes Basin up to 40 percent of normal, but it is highly unlikely there will be a dramatic change by the time the snow season ends.  Precipitation is at normal levels, but Natural Resources Conservation Service Oregon Water Supply Specialist Jason Ward says the higher temperatures we’ve seen this winter have made a big difference.  Ward says this is the lowest snowpack in this basin since 2015.  The snow season usually runs into early April, so there is still a chance for some improvement, but it probably will not be dramatic.

 

HR School Board Gets Budget Report

Posted on by mbailey

The Hood River County School District board heard a report on budget development for the upcoming fiscal year.  District Superintendent Bill Newton told the board they are continuing the efforts that started last year to reduce spending to reflect a continued downward trend in enrollment and deal with increased pension and operational costs.  He says the proposed moves this year include making the Cascade Locks Elementary administrative structure a half-time principal/half-time specialist position, and moving early intervention and early childhood special education from Pine Grove to Mid-Valley Elementary.  Newton pointed out reduced enrollment at Mid-Valley makes the space available, while Pine Grove is aging with increasing maintenance and upgrade costs.  Also proposed:  reducing discretionary spending on technical hardware and software refreshes, and continuing to use retirements and resignations to bring staff size in line with student enrollment.

Dog Mountain Trail Permits Available Sunday

Posted on by mbailey

The Forest Service will start making Dog Mountain Trail System permits available Sunday at www.recreation.gov.   Permits will be required on weekends from April 11 through June 7, and on Memorial Day.  Additional batches of permits will be released four days prior to each permit date at 7 a.m.  The permit system was put in place in 2018 for safety reasons on Highway 14.  The trailhead parking lot reaches full capacity early on weekends and visitors would park along the highway and walk to access the trail system.   A permit is included when visitors take the free Dog Mountain shuttle to and from the Skamania Fairgrounds in Stevenson.  Seats are available on a first come, first served basis.  Each permit is good for one individual on the day it is issued. The shuttle runs about every half hour from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends and Memorial Day.  Additional information about shuttle operations can be found at  https://www.ridecatbus.org/dog-mountain-shuttle/.  Anyone using the parking lot at the Dog Mountain Trailhead will need to reserve one permit for each vehicle, not per person at  www.recreation.gov. There is a $2.00 non-refundable administrative fee.  The permit is only valid for the date reserved and does not guarantee a parking space at Dog Mountain Trailhead.

Plenty Of Wasco Commission Candidates; Only Incumbents In HR County

Posted on by mbailey

The deadline to file for Oregon’s primary election has come and gone, and it features an array of candidates for the Wasco County Commission, but only the incumbents for the Hood River County Commission.  There are four candidates for Wasco County Commission Position 1, which is being vacated by four-term officeholder Scott Hege.  They are former Wasco County Clerk Lisa Gambee, NORCOR Business Manager Nichole Biechler, former Mayor of The Dalles and current Klickitat County Administrator Robb Van Cleave, and Wasco County Republican Central Committee Chair John Grant.  Phil Brady is seeking re-election to Position 3, and is opposed by C.H. Urness Motor Company President Mike Urness and Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue board member Dick Schaffeld.  In Hood River County three current commissioners are unopposed, Chair Jennifer Euwer, District 1’s Leti Valle Moretti, and District 3’s Ed Weathers.  In Sherman County, Justin Miller filed for County Commission Position 2, Drew Messenger for County Assessor, Shandie Johnson for Justice of the Peace, and Theresa Olson for Treasurer.  The Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District will have both its bond measure to replace the aging Hood River Aquatic Center and an operations levy on the May 19 ballot, while the Wamic Rural Fire Protection District seeks the establishment of a permanent tax rate limit.

Seven File For Oregon House District 52

Posted on by mbailey

It is a crowded field seeking the District 52 seat in the Oregon State House.  Current Wasco County Commissioner Scott Hege is running for the Republican nomination along with Darcy Lapier and Robert Fleming.  The Democrats seeking the position are Nick Walden Poublon, David Osborn, Hank Sanders, and Bernard Seeger.  Current District 52 representative Jeff Helfrich is the lone Republican to file for the State Senate District 26 position.  Nicole Bassett and Matthew Favro are seeking the Democrat nomination.  In House District 57, embattled incumbent Greg Smith is being challenged by fellow Republican Jim Doherty, with no Democrats filing for the seat.  A total of 25 people filed to run for Governor of Oregon:  10 Democrats and 15 Republicans.  Most notable are incumbent Democrat Tina Kotek, and Republican challengers Christine Drazan, Ed Diehl, and Chris Dudley.

 

Incumbents Get Challengers In Congressional Races

Posted on by mbailey

In Oregon’s Second Congressional District, Republican incumbent Cliff Bentz has two GOP challengers in the primary:  Andrea Carr and Peter Larson.  It’s a crowded field for the Democrat nomination, including Patty Snow, Dawn Rasmussen, Peter Quince, Rebecca Mueller, Mary Doyle, and Chris Beck.  In the Third Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Maxine Dexter is opposed in the primary by Jessica Salas and Andrew Castilleja.  Loran Ayles filed on the final day and is the only Republican seeking that seat.  For Oregon’s Senate seat on the ballot, incumbent Jeff Merkley is opposed in the Democratic primary by Paul Damian Wells.  Seven Republicans filed to run for Senate, with State Senator David Brock Smith and Jo Rae Perkins the most notable names.

URA Panels Receive Heights Streetscape Report

Posted on by mbailey

A joint meeting of Hood River’s City Council in its role as the Urban Renewal Agency and the Urban Renewal Advisory Committee heard a report on the Heights Streetscape Plan at the 30% design mark.  It focused on the first two of 11 total projects in the Streetscape Plan:  the Taylor Avenue neighborhood connection and key east/west crossings.  Nathan Polanski of design firm MIG said safety is a key element.  The Taylor Street connection would make the street one-way westbound for vehicle traffic, with on-street parking on both sides of the street, and a 10-foot shared walking and biking path.  A Heights Streescape community open house is planned for April, and 60% design work is to start in May.  Final design is targeted for January of next year.

TD Council Approves Ordinance Changes To Allow State To Collect Lodging Tax

Posted on by mbailey

The Dalles City Council approved ordinance changes to allow the City to turn over administration of transient lodging tax collections to the Oregon Department of Revenue should it desire to do so.  City Attorney Jonathan Kara told the Council the tax rate does not change at all, with the ordinance changes required to be able to enter into talks with the state about having them handle collection and remove that duty from municipal staff.  When asked about the impact on businesses, Kara said the reporting requirements would actually be reduced under the state’s administration, from monthly to quarterly.  Councilors did ask staff to ring back any intergovernmental agreement they might reach with the state for their review.

The Hoot Has A Good First Run

Posted on by mbailey

The Hoot appears to have been a success.  Festival co-direct Rian Beach told The Dalles City Council on Monday night that the community music festival over the weekend at a number of locations in downtown The Dalles was busy all three nights, with full houses at the concert venues.  Beach added he thinks there was a positive economic impact with a large number of out-of-town visitors.  Beach told the Council they will present an economic analysis of the weekend in a few weeks.  He also said the goal is to make The Hoot an annual event.

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