Port Commissioners Nancy Baker, Jerry Oliver and Brian Wolfe took their first unanimous vote to approve the lease during a July 23 public hearing. As a corrective move and in response to alleged violations of state public meetings law, commissioners held a second public hearing on Oct. 22. Again, they voted unanimously to approve the lease, which involves 42 acres and is worth at least $45 million to the port over an initial 10 years.
In early August, about two months before the second lease vote, the port implemented a reference guide aimed at ensuring the proper use of executive sessions. It includes a description of the limited purposes for which the port may use executive sessions and how they are to be incorporated into public hearings.
The port has said it strived to involve the public in the oil terminal decision, inviting public testimony in various ways over a 10-week period that included five public workshops and public votes by commissioners. Vancouver resident Michael Piper, who opposes the Tesoro-Savage plan to build an oil-by-rail facility to handle as much as 380,000 barrels of crude per day, filed the complaint about the port’s executive session Aug. 8.
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Vancouver wants assurances on oil terminal safety
The city of Vancouver is seeking an independent assessment of the region’s readiness for possible oil spills, explosions or other accidents that may result from the Northwest’s largest proposed oil-by-train terminal.
“We don’t have experience with this kind of crude or volume,” Deputy Fire Chief Dan Olson said.
“The biggest threat in hazmat is in transportation — when it’s moving,” said Battalion Chief Stephen Eldred, who oversees Vancouver Fire’s hazardous materials team.
The team has 21 members spread across shifts, so just a few are on duty at any given time. The team responds not only to spills here, but also in Skamania, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties. Likewise, hazmat teams in the Portland area would assist Vancouver Fire with incidents here.
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Vancouver explains raises its attorneys received in 2013
In 12 months, Vancouver Assistant City Attorney John Farra’s salary increased by 47 percent.
The reasons his annual salary soared from $61,812 to $91,164 included a cost-of-living increase, merit raise and expanded duties, but the biggest factor was a salary adjustment.
The jump followed what Vancouver City Manager Eric Holmes said was the first city compensation and job classification review in a dozen years, which led to salary range adjustments for many nonunion jobs.
“This is the first stone of many,” Punteney said after two burly men carefully lifted it off a wheeled cart. “Very simple, very clean, beautiful stone. I’m really excited to get it in here and see the character that these stones will have.”
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Victims of an 1877 war are not forgotten
More than 130 years ago, the young son of Little Bear died while in captivity at Fort Vancouver.
On a rainy Saturday, members of the Nez Perce tribe, many with small children of their own, gathered at the Fort Vancouver National Site to remember what happened to Chief Redheart’s band during the Nez Perce War.
Lindsay Groskopf, 33, an enrolled member of the Nez Perce and a Vancouver resident, braved the elements with her toddler, to participate in the 17th annual Chief Redheart memorial ceremony. Groskopf said her father taught her a lot about her culture and heritage and she hopes to do the same for her small child. The memorial service is meant to serve as a reminder of the events, but also, as one elder at the service said, to heal.
“These events bring awareness,” Groskopf said. “What happened at Fort Vancouver wasn’t in the history books when I went to school.”
During the Nez Perce War of 1877, members of Chief Redheart’s band, who were not involved in the fighting and were planning on heading home, were captured and held prisoner at Fort Vancouver from 1877 to 1878. While in prison, the unnamed 2-year-old boy died.
Vancouver Mayor Pro Tem Larry Smith read from a proclamation during the ceremony, “Whereas the Nez Perce show their esteem for their ancestors and preserve and honor their cultural heritage with traditional memorial ceremonies at locations of significance in their history; and whereas it is very important for the young tribal members to learn from and honor their ancestors … .”
The ceremony marks the day when Chief Redheart and his people were released from captivity. There was ceremonial singing, a ritual known as the riderless horse (empty saddle) ceremony, and sacred pipe ceremony.
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Also unforgotten: ‘Harvey the magic bunny’
Harvey, who was known for nibbling on geraniums, eluding coyotes and bringing joy to the Northwest neighborhood, died Friday.
He was about 10 years old.
“I called him ‘Harvey the magic bunny,’ ” said Lynne Lincoln, 72, who buried Harvey in her front yard.
Harvey, who had many nicknames, from Peter Rabbit to Hop Hop, was believed to have been abandoned a decade earlier on a busy road not far from the neighborhood.
He quickly became a fixture in the area, an ambassador of sorts. And although he belonged to no one, everyone took care of him.
Malina Nelson, 5, assured The Columbian he was not the Easter Bunny.
Malina, who fed Harvey carrots, knew the bunny long enough to confirm “he doesn’t hide eggs.”
Harvey was outgoing, and not afraid of relying on the generosity of others, residents said.
At Barb and Larry’s house, he frequently snacked on apples. Down the road, he would dine on a plate full of dried papaya and bananas. And he had a hard time resisting Rudy’s roses and June’s geraniums.
But he gave back, too.
“He was never skittish; he would let you pet him,” said June Agrimson, 82.
Harvey would often go on long sojourns, without anyone knowing for sure where he was. Only six months before his death, after he was missing for an unusually long spell, he was found at the Humane Society. That visit was noteworthy, because it was discovered Harvey was actually a girl.
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