Lady CEO who actually rode the
bus to be celebrated Thursday

Lynne Griffith, who often rode C-TRAN buses to get to know the customers, and on whose watch Clark County voters approved a sales tax increase that restored most of the county’s mass transit system to 2000 pre-Initiative 695 levels, will be honored with a reception between 5 and 7 p.m. Thursday, April 13, in C-TRAN’s administrative offices, 2425 NE 65th Avenue.

Griffith, C-TRAN’s executive director and CEO since November 2005, is leaving the agency to become executive director of Pierce Transit, the state’s second largest transit system and about twice the size of Clark County’s system.

Griffith arrived at C-TRAN during troubled times brought on by the agency’s bleakest financial times. It was soon after Initiative 695 had eliminated the automobile excise tax that funded nearly half C-TRAN operations. It didn’t get any better very fast.

Griffith led an unsuccessful effort in 2004 to restore most of the lost funding with a .03 percent sales tax increase that voters barely turned down that November.

The following year Griffith was back again, this time with bi-partisan support promoting a .02 percent sales tax measure. Support from the bus riders was there, too, many of whom knew Griffith from the times she rode the bus to get to know them. More than 1,000 volunteers worked the election, which produced a stunning 68 percent majority of yes votes.

Griffith, a native of Montana, came to Vancouver from the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority. In public transit management capacity for 17 years, Griffith had also been with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.

Griffith is a member of the Southwest Washington Regional transportation Council board, Columbia River Economic Development Council board, the Bi-State Coordination Committee, the Governor’s I-5 Transportation and Trade Partnership Task Force, the state Department of Transportation Office of Transit Mobility Advisory Board and The American Public Transportation Associations CEO Bus and Paratransit Committee.

Griffith is treasurer of the Washington State Transit Association and is a member of the Clark County YWCA Board.

For further information on the reception, call 906-7303.

Library board thinking new structure,
new location for September election

The Fort Vancouver Regional Library District board is considering placing a bond issue before voters in September calling for a 90,000-square-foot building at C Street and Evergreen Boulevard.

The property is part of Killian Pacific’s proposed Riverwest Development.

The Vancouver Community Library and the library district’s headquarters are at Fort Vancouver Way and Mill Plain Boulevard.

Twice voters have narrowly turned down the district’s request to expand the Mill Plain facilities.

Library supporters are meeting at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 19, in the Restaurant at the Historic Reserve to begin planning for the election.

Columbia River Crossing Project
discusses Interstate Bridge plan

The Columbia River Crossing Project, whose mission is to plan a multimodal replacement for the twin I-5 Interstate Bridges, is holding two open houses this week to share planning so far and to receive public input.

The first open house is from 4:30 to 7 p.m. today in Hudson’s Bay High School. The second open house is also 4:30 to 7 p.m. is Wednesday, April 12, and is in the Red Lion Inn Jantzen Beach, 909 N. Hayden Island Drive. 

Planning by the bi-state organization does not extend to other Columbia River transportation crossings.

For further information on the Columbia River Crossing Project, go to www.columbiarivercrossing.org.

People

The Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council has added four new members from Clark County and one from Cowlitz County. Delbert Brown, Central Labor Council, Bob Lewis, Columbia Vista Corp., Mike Masten, State Department of Social and Health Services, and Angela Simmons, iQ Credit Union, are new members of the workforce training organization from Clark County. Mike Sinclair, Kelso-Longview Central Labor Council, is the new member representing Cowlitz County.

Calendar

C-TRAN meets in regular session at 5:15 p.m. today. in C-TRAN offices at 2425 NE 65th Avenue. n Clark County commissioners meet in an informal session at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, in conference room B in the Public Service Center. n Vancouver Urban Forestry celebrates Arbor Day 2006, from 11 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, April 12, in the Firstenburg Community Center, 700 NE 136th Avenue. A coast redwood tree will be planted. Free tree seedlings will be given to attendees. The Arbor Day celebration is co-sponsored by the East Vancouver Business Association and the Clark County Association of Realtors. 

Headlines at home and from around the world: (Click on the headlines below for the rest of the story)

Tuesday on the air       Seattle Mariners at Cleveland (live)—4 p.m. FSN, KFXX    Legacy of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (4/6)—4 p.m. CVTV    Trail and Bikeway Systems Plan Ceremony (4/6)—5:30 pm. CVTV    Vancouver Planning Commission (live)—7 p.m. CVTV

Town Tabloids and the weather Barbee and Bob Cromack busy with ooh and aah things. n John Deeder projecting curricular advancements. n Carol Fenstermacher smoothing the way. n Corrina Allen to do mistress of ceremonies duties. n Don Strick getting all “A”s.n Tuesday, mostly cloudy, a few faint rays, 66. Wednesday, sunbreaks, 62. Thursday, partly cloudy, 62.

Accounting Caley & Associates, James Caley CPA, 695-0065 Peterson & Associates, P.S., Certified Public Accountants, 574-0644 Tax Advisors, PLLC, CPAs Property Tax/Cost Segregation 750-6884 Attorneys Miller Nash LLP. Steve Horenstein, 699-4771 Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, Lisa Lowe, 694-7551 Banks Bank of Clark County, 993-2265 First Independent Bank, 699-4200 West Coast Bank, 695-3439 Beauty and Wellness Iduhair & Company Salon Retreat, Celinda Rupert, 735-1249 Charitable Gift Planning Barbara Chen CFP, Clark College Foundation, (360) 992-2659 David DiCesare, The Community Foundation, (360) 694-2550 Jim Forkner, FAHP, SWMC Foundation, (360) 514-3182 Elson Strahan, CFRE, President, Historic Reserve Trust (360) 992-1835 Cosmetic and Family Dentistry Earl C. (Duke) Simpson, DDS, PS, 993-0300 Construction Management and Development Andersen Construction Co., Inc. Bob Durgan, (503) 720-5234 RSV Construction, Ron Frederiksen, 693-8830 Credit Unions Columbia Credit Union, 891-4000 iQ Credit Union, 992-4242 Development/Investments Killian Pacific LLC, 567-0625 Prestige Development, Elie Kassab, 993-0010 Human Resources Consultation O'Neill & Associates, Paula Johnson, 606-2961 Insurance Services Keenan Insurance Services, Brandon M. Keenan, 213-1500 Investment and Retirement Planning First Pacific Associates, Mark Martel, CFP, (360) 254-2585 Public Relations Hunt Communications Tom Hunt, 693-8180 KMac & Associates LLC, Kathy McDonald Rocky/Hill & Knowlton, Krista Hildebrand, (503) 248-9468 Real Estate Coldwell Banker Commercial Wally Hornberger, 699-4494 Norris Beggs & Simpson, Roger Qualman, 699-7181 Retirement and Inheritance Planning Andy Nygard, CFP, (360) 695-6431 Signs Security Signs, Designed to inform and sell! Carol Keljo, 817-9959 Speaking and Training Kathy Condon, Career Communications, 695-4313 Window Washing Quality Window Washing, Dave Beecher, 256-7370