School board hears street proposal, logger's request

A budget hearing was held for the 2015-2016 budget at July’s Wahkiakum School District Board of Director’s meeting on Tuesday. The board also considered a request for right of way in the Farm Forest and heard a proposal from a representative of the Town of Cathlamet to instate a school zone on South 2nd and South 3rd Streets from Alder Street to Spring Street.

After the budget hearing the school board approved the 2015-2016 budget. Projected revenue for the fiscal year is $5,723,906. The district expects to spend $5,640,475.

Town of Cathlamet Public Works Superintendent Duncan Cruickshank came before the school board to gauge the school board’s reaction to his proposal for a school zone to lower the speed limit in the residential area near the school.

“The town got a small grant to work on traffic safety,” Cruickshank said. “What we propose to do is to make this side of Columbia Street a school zone from Spring Street to Alder Street, including South 2nd Street and South 3rd Street.I talked to Principal Leitz and Sheriff Mark Howie and Principal Libby and they are interested. I am here to ask for your support.”

The school board and Superintendent Garrett were supportive of the proposal.

Garrett gave an update about a logging company that wanted to use the Farm Forest road to access private land. In an earlier meeting, Director Tina Schubert suggested that the logging company put in a trail which would allow students access to Farm Forest while the company uses the road.

According the Garrett, the logging company did not find the terms to be acceptable.

“Kyle Hurley told me he takes his students over there two to three times a week,” Garrett said. “He told me Jeff Rooklidge takes his students over there as well. If you were walking up that road and a log truck was coming down, there’d be no place to go.”

"The logging company rejected the responsibility for environmental contamination,” said Director Paula Culbertson. “We are trying to teach these students environmental responsibility with that property. Why would we, as custodians of this environment, let somebody come in who won’t?”

The school board agreed that the logging company should find an alternative approach to the land that they want to log.

New front doors are needed in the school’s continuing efforts to improve safety on campus. The school board approved the only one bid they received from JH Kelly, in the amount of $34,500 for both the front doors and the northern door.

Principals Stephanie Leitz and Theresa Libby and three non-represented classified employees, the transportation supervisor, the maintenance supervisor and the district clerk received three percent raises funded by the legislature. The revised salary for both principals is $88,340 for the 2015-2016 school year.

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18 at the high school library.