Newsbriefs

Backup plan not needed

On the heels of the Aug. 7 voter approval of its Capital Projects Levy, the Grand Coulee Dam School District board last week rescinded its earlier resolution to hold another election for the same levy in November. That plan had been set as a backup in case the levy did not pass.

It did, with 57.71 percent of the vote, 565-414, so the later attempt was not needed.

One firefighter per 305 acres

Statistics shared by the Grass Valley Fire’s state management team note that the 75,000-plus-acre fire was 10 miles wide, 18 miles long and more than 73 miles around, and the reported equal of the 10th smallest country in the world (Malta, according to worldatlas.com).

On Aug. 13, there were six 20-person hand crews, 21 engines, eight water trucks, six dozers, one boat, and three aircraft working the fire, totalling 247 firefighters.

“In other words, there was one firefighter for every 305 acres,” the Southeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team noted.

Former member not expelled

A former member of the Colville Business Council will not be expelled from it, an 8-6 decision of the current council decided last Thursday.

Edwin Marchand, who did not win re-election to the council that governs the Colville Tribes, had faced a resolution to expel him for a failure to pay back $543.95 in a travel-related expense overpayment. He has since paid it back.

At the council session Thursday, Marchand urged the CBC to update its travel policies. “He also questioned whether the Rules Committee had jurisdiction over him at this point since he was no longer on Council,” a tribal press release stated.

County needs housing commissioner

The county authority that oversees local low-cost subsidized housing is looking for a new commissioner.

The Grant County Board of Commissioners announced Tuesday that they are looking for interested citizens to fill a vacant position with the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of Grant County.

The primary responsibilities of a commissioner are to establish and maintain the operating policies of the authority, to approve all monthly expenditures and to assure the overall viability and financial health of the agency.

The housing authority commission meets regularly the fourth Monday of each month at 1 p.m. for one or two hours. Special board meetings are not uncommon. There is no compensation for attending meetings. There is compensation for authorized travel and training.

An application must be completed and can be found at http://www.grantcountywa.gov under the “Important Announcements” heading. For further detailed information, contact Carol Anderson at 509-762-5541, ext 129. Applications will be accepted until Friday, Sept. 28, or until filled.