State budget maintains Naselle Youth Camp

The Naselle Youth Camp, targeted for closure in Governor Christine Gregoire’s budget for 2009-2011, will remain open. The final budget was passed late Saturday by the Legislature.

The camp is still subject to the same cost-trimming directives as other state agencies and institutions across the state, however, it is still considered a victory for Senators Brian Hatfield (D-Raymond), and Democratic Reps Dean Takko and Brian Blake of Longview. All three made the camp his number one priority this session.

“It wasn’t easy, but we knew the camp’s importance and we managed to make that case to our colleagues,” Hatfield said.

“Not only that, we did it in the face of a budget shortfall even worse than when the governor first proposed closing the camp. But we showed that the camp was important and that we could balance the budget without losing the camp.”

Naselle School Superintendent Alan Bennett is very pleased with the outcome. “What is so powerful is the way the community got involved. One might expect employees to fight for their jobs, but to see a community pull together for a common cause is amazing,” he said in a statement. The legislature finished their 105 day session April 26.