Sean C. Morgan
The District 55 School Board made no decisions Monday night at its regular board meeting regarding how it will spend funds collected from the sale of timber at Sweet Home Junior High on 22nd Avenue.
Logging there could begin as early as the end of this week and finished by the end of spring break. The timber is located on the west and south sides of the junior high.
Many trees were blown down in the wind storm of Feb. 7, leaving cracked ground and leaning trees behind, Supt. Bill Hampton said.
The sale of the logs will provide an estimated $100,000. Chairman Milt Moran said that total was with a sale price a little higher than the market value.
The board approved a contract with Cascade Timber Consulting to handle the logging and sale of the logs. Volunteering to log the timber stand are C&C Cutting, Gerald and Shane Cochrane; McCollum Logging; Sweet Home Timber Management, Mike Melcher and Jim Cota; D&S Contractors, Don Arndt; Tack Logging, Jimmy Tack and Tish Tack; and Wolfer Contracting, Rod Wolfer.
“Cascade Timber has been very good to work with and kind of rallied the community together to harvest those trees,” Supt. Hampton said.
The companies have agreed to log the timber in support of building a new track, Moran said. He estimated a savings of $60,000 to $70,000 from the volunteer work.
Track Coach Billy Snow and several supporters from around the community have requested that the proceeds from the timber sale be used as leverage for grants to build the track, which was closed to student athletics more than three years ago.
Moran received 11 letters supporting such a move. Supt. Hampton received 17 to 19 letters along with a couple of phone calls.
Considering current financial constraints and the possibility of funding cuts from the state, board member Lee Babcock said he wanted to see the whole picture before using the money for the track program.
“What I’m seeing here is a rush into this,” Babcock said. “If it’s good and it feels right, the track is where it needs to go. It doesn’t need to be rushed. It’s like a wild team of horses running through this board.… The board needs to have all the information, a debate and a vote.”
Board member Tim Crocker concurred.
Supt. Hampton said his viewpoint depends on the state budget.
“If it (the money) keeps two teachers in the district, that’s what I want to do,” Supt. Hampton said. If not, then there are places to spend it in the district.
“I think, to wait a month is prudent,” Supt. Hampton said.
How to use the funds will be placed on the April board agenda.
Recording secretary Nancy Brocard cautioned the board on quibbling over $100,000. She said that much could be raised by going without little things, which would not really be noticed.
She and licensed employees President Joyce Baugus also said the contractors need to be aware of the possibility the funds generated may not go toward the track.
The people in the community supported a bond for more than $18 million last year, former board Chairman Bob Pascalar told the board. “Now, it’s time to do something for them.”
Coach Snow has campaigned tirelessly for the track for years, Pascalar said. He urged the board to support the track with the timber money because it is “the right thing to do.”
Pacific Power is granting the School District $1,500 to be used for replanting the hill in conjunction with a science project, Supt. Hampton said. Probably, a few large trees will be planted, but none will be conifers.
Moran abstained from voting on the contract with CTC citing a potential conflict of interest. Moran is a vice president with the company.