News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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The state auditor’s office has advised Lincoln County Fire Protection District 9 that materials required were not furnished to auditors for the period of Jan. 1, 2010 through Dec. 31, 2011. The letter stated that failure to submit required annual financial reports is a violation of state law. The letter further stated that auditors were unable to conclude their audit of the district’s internal controls and compliance. Financial reports are to be filed with the state auditor’s office within 150 days of the closing of the year. The repor... Full story
Orville Scharbach has resigned his position on the Grant County Port District 7 commission. Scharbach, who was just elected to another six-year term last November and took his new oath of office a month ago, advised other commissioners that he was stepping down. He told them, “it’s time.” He has been president of the board for a number of years. Commissioners Jim Keene and Dennis Lohrman were quick to praise Scharbach for his years of service. Both Keene and Lohrman are recent additions to the port commission. Scharbach has been a member of th... Full story
The task of keeping sewer rates low has begun in Elmer City. Mayor Gail Morin, who campaigned on the notion that her town could go its own way instead of paying Coulee Dam for wastewater treatment, says she hopes that the first steps in that direction will come this month. She has met with two Indian Health Services engineers, Alex Dailey and Laura Sliger, on Jan. 17, and says she is hopeful that the agency will conduct an alternative analysis to better help the town set its direction on whether it should build its own plant or team with... Full story
Three residents of Grand Coulee responded to the city’s request to fill a vacant city council seat. The Position 2 seat became vacant after Tim Alling decided not to run again and has been vacant since the first of the year. Filing and expressing interest in occupying the vacant council seat were Mike Horne, who unsuccessfully ran for the mayor’s position earlier and is owner of the MPH mechanic shop on Midway Avenue; Travis Irwin, who worked for Grand Coulee’s public works department earlier and who now is an employee of Coulee Dam’s public... Full story
A woman who called police because she felt threatened did not report that the other party had a knife, as stated in a report last week. Heather Downs did not know that Terry Jo Merbach had a knife until Merbach gave it to police when they arrived. Police collected two knives from her and a pistol from Downs for safekeeping during their investigation, but gave them back. Downs had advised the dipatcher that she was armed when she called.... Full story
A water line extension project in Electric City to service Sunbanks Lake Resort is scheduled for April, city officials stated. Mayor Jerry Sands said this week that the city is going to upgrade the 8-inch water line to a 10-inch water line at the city’s expense so it will be in a position to serve any future water needs on the south side of the causeway. The line will be stubbed where it goes into the Sunbanks property. Sands said Sunbanks will pay for the 400-foot extension of the water line from State Street to the turn into the resort p... Full story
Electric City Volunteer Fire Chief Mark Payne will keep his job despite two incidents of illegal burning at his home. Mayor Jerry Sands made the statement at a meeting Monday night of several local firefighters. “I am not going to remove Payne as fire chief,” Sands said. Earlier in the day, he admitted that he was pondering doing that. Instead, Sands said he was going to use the incidents as a public education effort to inform residents about the burning ban that covers all areas within the urban growth boundaries in cities and towns thr... Full story
A $750 fine of a home mechanic’s illegal operation was supported in Grand Coulee’s municipal court last Friday. The mechanic, Donovan Picard, who lives at 431 W. Grand, was issued a $750 ticket by Grand Coulee police for doing mechanical repair at his home garage in a residential zone and for not having a business license. Last September two local businessmen appeared before the city council to complain that Picard was operating in a residential zone and didn’t have a business license. They said he was siphoning off business from their shops... Full story
The chamber of commerce has asked the state Department of Transportation and the city of Grand Coulee to consider adding a couple of crosswalks on Midway Avenue. Chamber Vice President Bob Valen made the request to the DOT and to city hall and it came before the city council at its last meeting. Valen said this week that two businesses on Midway, Jess Ford and Coulee Hardware, have expanded their activity to places across the highway and have employees going back and forth. There are no crosswalks at either location. Valen said that he has hear... Full story
An argument over a dead horse brought police to a Delano horse rescue address. Officers found that two women, Terry Jo Merbach and Heather Catherine Downs, had been in an argument over who overfed a “rescue” horse, causing the animal to die. Downs had stated that Merbach threatened her and she retreated to the stable area for her own protection. Merbach claimed the reverse. Rescue manager Chris Holeman told police that emotions had been running high on the loss of the horse on Sunday, Jan. 19. Holeman told police that Merbach had been the one... Full story
Larry Donnelly, Sunbanks Lake Resort's new manager, arrived on the scene here running, and he's still running. Born in Seattle, and now a Longview resident, driving home on the weekends gives Donnelly plenty of time to think about his new assignment. The resort plans a major water hook-up with the City of Electric City in April, the addition of three new beachfront cabins, and a re-building of the stage area, and that's for starters. Donnelly a 20-year veteran of the Navy, has managed several... Full story
A water line extension project in Electric City to service Sunbanks Lake Resort is scheduled for April, city officials stated. Mayor Jerry Sands said this week that the city is going to upgrade the 8-inch water line to a 10-inch water line at the city’s expense so it will be in a position to serve any future water needs on the south side of the causeway. The line will be stubbed where it goes into the Sunbanks property. Sands said Sunbanks will pay for the 400-foot extension of the water line from State Street to the turn into the resort p... Full story
The priorities in a push for a golf course enhancement grant took a shift last Thursday night as a dozen people gathered to discuss the six parts of the preferred list of ideas. Number six on the list, the RV park project, took front and center as stakeholders took a serious look at how the grant application to the state's Recreation and Conservation Office might be structured. The RV park would provide a revenue source for the money-starved, 18-hole Banks Lake Golf Course, while the other five... Full story
A vacated house in Electric City may have as many as 15 nuisance ordinance violations, according to Councilmember Brad Parrish, who lives close by. Parrish, who lives on Washington Place, asked City Clerk Jackie Perman to put the nuisance ordinance issue on the docket for last Tuesday night's meeting. Parrish then went on to show pictures of the untidy place and point out that the door has been left open and that he has seen pack rats around the place. He asked that something be done about it,... Full story
Stefani Bowden, Coulee Dam's new town clerk, will be at her first town council meeting tonight. She served almost 10 years as deputy clerk at Wilbur before coming to Coulee Dam. "All cities are similar, but each one has its own unique qualities," Bowden said. She stated that the one thing she really liked about being in a city hall is that you get to meet a lot of people. "I am a people person, and think it is the responsibility for the town clerk to help people when they come in with a... Full story
Jerry Birdwell is the area's "Volunteer of the Year" for 2013. He was so honored by a vote of the people over three other candidates. Birdwell, 58, of Grand Coulee, could also claim the honors as "Mr. Fixit" of the area, because you can always find him where there's some kind of a problem. Birdwell edged out Fern Blaylock 59 votes to 55. Also nominated were Jan Erickson, who picked up 11 votes, and Heather Downs, who had 20 votes. Those who know him say Jerry can fix anything, but since... Full story
Mayor Greg Wilder marked his turf so there would be no misunderstanding with members of the council, at the town council meeting last Wednesday. Wilder proposed, and the council unanimously confirmed, a number of resolutions during the course of the evening. The new mayor even wrote up motions for council members to make to approve the resolutions. Wilder skillfully wove his way through what could have been a minefield of resistance. The town’s attorney, Mick Howe, was present, but not needed, as Wilder drew from chapter and verse of state l... Full story
Stefani Bowden has been hired as Coulee Dam’s new town clerk/treasurer. Mayor Greg Wilder said that Bowden will begin her new duties, Friday, Jan. 17. Bowden has been assistant city clerk in Wilbur for the past nine years, is a high school graduate of Wilbur and attended both Spokane Falls Community College and Central Washington University. She will lead a team of two others in the town offices. Also hired, as utility clerk, a full time position, is Michelle Bredstrand, who served as manager of Bank of America’s local branch for a number of... Full story
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will seek to purchase some 2,100 acres in northeast Douglas County as part of a plan for long-term protection of sharp-tailed grouse, deer hunting and for watchful wildlife experiences. The 2,100-acre purchase is part of a greater plan that could eventually cover 20,500 acres of shrub steppe habitat. The WDFW stated that it will not use traditional budget funding, but will seek grants to make the purchase. The land in question is known as the Grand... Full story
Golfers and interested parties will have another opportunity to have input for a golf grant application the port district is working on for the Banks Lake Golf Course. The meeting is at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, at the golf course’s meeting room. Frank Andrews, Jr., who works for the Colville Tribes as a grant writer, is spearheading the Thursday meeting and will write the grant. “I need those who are knowledgeable to provide information on the various aspects of the grant application,” Andrews stated. Andrews said Kyle Guglas, who is with... Full story
The Regional Board of Mayors have set spring and fall cleanup dates, when residents can take their garden and lawn waste to the transfer station for free dumping. The spring date for Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam and Elmer City and other residents within the garbage pickup area is April 5-12, which covers two Saturdays. In addition, Electric City and Grand Coulee will provide curbside pickup April 14-18 for those unable to haul to the transfer station. The curbside pickup was scheduled later than the spring cleanup week so the... Full story
Coulee Dam’s council gave Mayor Greg Wilder authority to sign an agreement with a Wenatchee firm, SCJ Alliance, to update the town’s Shoreline Master Plan. The project is funded by the state and will keep the town in compliance with the 1971 Shoreline Management Act. The firm, SCJ Alliance, is also developing the shoreline plans for Grand Coulee and Electric City. The agreement with SCJ is for $47,720, for professional services and $2,280, for town expenses/costs, all reimbursable by the state. Wilder stated, that while the update of the tow... Full story
Joe Pakootas, chief executive officer for the Colville Tribal Federal Corporation, confirmed Tuesday that he has filed for Washington's Fifth Congressional seat as a Democrat. While Pakootas, 56, stated he will make his formal announcement in a week or so, he told the Spokesman-Review in a business interview published last Sunday that he was going to run for Congress. He confirmed this Tuesday. Pakootas stated that his run was about jobs, health care, economic inequality and education, all... Full story
A Nespelem man has been indicted by federal authorities for setting a wildfire off SR-155, between Elmer City and Belvedere last July 8. An enrolled Colville Tribal member, Mylan Williams, 35, is being held in the Colville Tribal Correctional facility near Nespelem. A press release from Colville Business Council Chairman Michael Finley said the fire had been investigated by Tribal Police. The fire consumed about 250 acres of brush land but threatened a number of homes in the area and scrambled a number of local firefighters to the scene. “As t... Full story
A Nespelem man returned home Monday after receiving serious injuries in an auto accident Saturday, Dec. 30, on Peter Dan Road. Speaking by phone Tuesday, J C Moses, 22, said his 2001 Toyota Camry hit black ice and skidded off the road, rolled some 50 feet down a steep embankment and came to rest at the bottom of the hill. "I remember going over the edge of the road, and then laying on the ground next to the car on the cold ground and (EMT) Ben Aling saying, "Stay with me." Moses said the... Full story