Port Angeles School Board: Layoffs, Pay Cuts

The Port Angeles School Board will eliminate the equivalent of 5.3 teaching positions, and reduce teachers' pay by about 3 percent. All of the teacher positions will be eliminated through attrition; no layoffs will be necessary.

Among para-educators, there will be reduced hours for many of them, and one layoff. And there will be some cuts to special education programs.

The Board was able to save elementary school music and middle school sports programs that had been on the chopping block.

Library Levy on August Ballot

On the August 17th ballot there will be a library levy increase. The North Olympic Library System voted unanimously to put this measure on the ballot.

The library wants the property tax levy rate to go from 33 cents to 50 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value. The library system has already scheduled two 1-week closures, reduced staff, reduced hours of operation at three branches, and postponed some maintenance.

The library system has a plan called NOLS 2012. This calls for restoring their previous hours; acquiring more books, CDs and other materials; and maintaining this level of service for at least ten years. NOLS 2012 is based on passage of the levy lid lift in August.

Paula Barnes, director of the library system, said: “If the levy does not pass, the NOLS 2012 plan cannot be implemented, and the library will need to cut staffing, hours of operation and the book budget in order to balance its budget.”

Funding for Harbor-Works: What Would Tim Eyman Do?

Tim Eyman is probably too busy with the rest of Washington to be aware of the Harbor-Works controversy raging in Port Angeles.

But based on his anti-tax initiatives that have already been passed, and the self-reliance and fiscal responsibility that his supporters are always clamoring for, one can imagine what Tim Eyman would say about public funding for Harbor-Works: Taxpayer funding for Harbor-Works can continue if — and ONLY if — at least two thirds of Port Angeles voters agree to raise their own taxes to pay for Harbor-Works.

Right???

Not a Local Subject, But...

I haven't been able to think of any local news to post about. Since some of the last few comments at the previous post were about English vs. Chinese vs. Japanese, where America is headed, etc., maybe this video will be food for thought.

Clallam County Democrats: Stop Harbor-Works Funding

The Clallam County Democratic Party has resolved that funding for Harbor-Works should be stopped, or put to a public vote before it can continue.

Delegates adopted this resolution on Saturday; it was passed unanimously. The resolution asks the city and the Port of Port Angeles to “suspend payments from public funds on behalf of the authority,” or hold a public “advisory vote” to see if local citizens want to continue funding Harbor-Works.

Fat Smitty's Makes the PDN Front Page

The food at Fat Smitty's is excellent. I'm glad they made the front page of today's Peninsula Daily News.

I've only been there once, about five years ago. Best burger and milkshake ever.

Needless to say, I didn't discuss politics while I was there.

“Is City Council Unfriendly To Small Business?”

That’s the question asked by a billboard on the side of a Port Angeles restaurant.

What say you?

Clallam County Might Increase Enforcement Against “Junky” Properties

During the next few weeks, the three County Commissioners will be examining whether the county needs more enforcement power against code violations.

Doug Jensen, chief civil deputy prosecuting attorney, has proposed creating a Nuisance Abatement Committee that would prioritize enforcement against “nuisance properties.” A nuisance property could be one that pollutes the water table, poses a fire hazard, violates a building code, etc.

There won’t be a final decision by the County Commissioners until after a public hearing has been held.

Tall Ships Returning to Port Angeles

The Tall Ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain will be pulling into Port Angeles later this month. Both ships are homeported in Aberdeen.

They will be in Port Angeles for six days, starting April 14th. They'll be in Sequim for one day, April 21st. Public sails, walk-on tours and educational programs will be available. The public sails are three hours long. They'll be available only in Port Angeles; not in Sequim. However, people will be able to book passage on the sail from Port Angeles to Sequim.