Grain Growers to be sold
Lisl Garnett
For The Sentinel
Goldendale's Klickitat Valley Grain Growers has reached an agreement to be bought by Mid-Columbia Producers, Inc.
Sources report that at a December meeting, the membership of the Grain Growers co-op voted to sell to Mid-Columbia Producers. Legal processes are ongoing, and it may be mid-January before the sale is finalized.
Grain Growers manager Terry Turner states he believes this is a "solid move for Goldendale. [Mid-Columbia] usually works in small communities, taking part in fairs and other events. Their leadership is healthy, and they have the capital ability to do what needs to be done."
Mid-Columbia also has big plans for the store the Grain Growers currently run. Jeff Kaser, General Manager for Mid-Columbia, says, "[Klickitat Valley Grain Growers] are very good at making the local community feel like it's their store. We would like to continue that. The store will have an expanded product line and more inventory in certain categories."
The Grain Growers has been a part of the community for years. It has been present at fairs and parades and has been an active supporter of such things as the Home & Garden Show. The organization has been struggling financially since a 2000-2001 embezzlement scandal. This resulted in the loss of its insurance bond to carry grain and forced it to get a lease agreement through another organization, causing increased debt. The current recession finally pushed it to the point where it started to look at selling the co-op.
Since they have been such a large part of the community it was important that the company buying the co-op share the same values they do. This was not a small undertaking. All of the assets of the Grain Growers would be transferred to the new owners, including the store and the elevator. According to Turner, they are managing between 300,000 and 500,000 bushels of grain at any given time. At today's prices, that translates into $2,250,000-$4,200,000 worth of grain. This grain belongs to local farmers who "lease" the space in the elevators until it can be shipped. The Grain Growers have four full time employees, one part-time employee, and the store, which provides supplies for farming and animal care.
County takes action on budget shortfall
Lou Marzeles
Editor
While there is some good news about Klickitat County's economy, county employees will face a five percent reduction in wages in the coming year to help make up about $250,000 in the county's budget deficit.
"The reductions will be mostly in the form of furloughs," county commissioner Ray Thayer told a business luncheon of the Greater Goldendale Chamber of Commerce Monday. "Employees will be asked to take a day a month off." In addition, Thayer said, the county will not fill vacating positions.
Thayer was asked if the wage reductions would apply to elected county officials. "Yes," he answered, "to my understanding they will." He added that between wage reductions and pushing back some road projects, he expected the county to make up its budget shortfall.
"The budget has been the hot issue," Thayer said. "Every county in the state has had issues with budgets. This year we just needed to make some adjustments. We can't keep spending more than we bring in."
Thayer added that certain key county services would not be impacted by budgetary reductions. "Senior services and the health department were already hit," he said. "Those won't be affected." No impact is foreseen in county law enforcement, either. "There will be no furloughs in the sheriff's office," Thayer said.
The Roosevelt landfill, often a source of substantial county revenue bumps, is likely to remain flat this year, Thayer continued.
There are some bright spots in the county's economy, Thayer emphasized. "Insitu will stay in the Gorge," he said, "and signs are that they'll stay in Klickitat County. And today we signed a contract with the Greater Goldendale Chamber of Commerce for $15,000, the same contract we had with them for last year." Additionally, wind farms have made an enormous financial difference throughout the county. Thayer passed around handouts on wind farm tax revenues that showed the dramatic changes brought about by wind energy revenues in many taxing districts. Fire District 2 in Bickleton, for example, once had district totals of about $25,000. Currently, the district is receiving about $206,000.
The county has faced budget shortfalls in previous years but has drawn on county reserves to close the gaps. This year the board of commissioners chose not to take the same course of action, in order to protect the reserves and in the face of diminishing interest rates on the reserve funds.
Sexual harassment suit filed against Brown, Prosecutor's office and County
Rebecca Gourley
Reporter
On Dec. 17, 2010 a lawsuit was filed against Klickitat County, Klickitat County Prosecuting Attorney's office, and David Brown by Robin Eubanks and Erin Gray for sexual harassment.
According to the court documents, Robin Eubanks, who resigned from the Klickitat County Prosecuting Attorney's office two days before the lawsuit was filed, alleges that the defendant Brown harassed her. Erin Gray, who is still employed by the Klickitat County Prosecuting Attorney's office and has been since January 2001, also alleges several accounts of sexual harassment by Brown.
According to the court documents, on Sept. 15, 2010, Eubanks went on Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) extended leave "due to the emotional and mental breakdown she suffered as a direct result both of David Brown's harassing conduct and of defendants Klickitat County and the Prosecuting Attorney's Office failure to protect her from David Brown's sexual harassment."
The court documents also state that after April of 2009 when Eubanks was no longer required to work directly for Brown, the alleged harassment continued. From December 2007 through July of 2010 when Brown resigned from his position as deputy prosecuting attorney, Eubanks complained to both Prosecuting Attorney Tim O'Neill and Chief Criminal Deputy Craig Juris about the harassment. Both parties failed to take any action, according to the court documents describing the alleged incidents.
Stated in the court documents, the first cause of action by Eubanks and Gray will be to seek sexual harassment charges against Brown. In doing so, the Klickitat County Prosecuting Attorney's office would therefore be liable, jointly with Brown, for the damages caused to the plaintiffs Eubanks and Gray by the alleged harassment.
No definitive monetary value has been set as per the long list of damages caused by the alleged harassment. Eubanks and Gray are seeking "special damages described in the complaint including back pay and future pay, and other special damages as allowed by Washington law; damages for mental anguish and emotional distress and other general damages as allowed by Washington law; Prejudgment interest, attorney's fees and costs as allowable by law, and such other further relief as the Court may deem just and equitable."
The case has also been filed in Benton County Superior Court since Klickitat County is one of the charged entities and will not try the case, according to the court documents. |
