Jeanne Bennett named executive
director for Mount St. Helens Institute

Jeanne Bennett has been appointed executive director for the Mount St. Helens Institute, reports institute board president John Bishop.

Bennett will direct the institute’s popular summer field seminar, mountain stewards and volcano volunteer programs. She will also work to develop new programs that help enrich learning and enjoyment of North America’s youngest and most active volcano.

For the past five years, Bennett has been director of Workforce Programs for Southwest Washington. From 2000 through 2002, Bennett was district director for U.S. Rep. Brian Baird (D-3rd).

Bennett is a graduate of Portland State University and Leadership Clark County.

Last year the institute restarted the climbing program to the rim of Mount St. Helens. Some 10,000 hikers climbed to the rim. This year a maximum of 100 hikers daily have hiked to the rim.

The institute has also organized the Volcano Volunteer and Conservation Corps programs for volunteers who assist in trail maintenance programs and operation of visitors centers.

Sponsors of the Mount St. Helens Institute include the following: Columbia Sportswear, Northwest Interpretive Association and the National Forest Foundation.

Forum at the Library taking in-depth
look at the future of Vancouver Lake

Considered by many as one of Vancouver’s premier recreation locations, Vancouver Lake is thought by others as either dying or dead.

For the past year and a half, a task force has been working to find ways of breathing life into the lake west of Vancouver.

The Forum at the Library, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, will offer a broad interpretation of what recent studies of the lake have found.

Presentations will be made by Ron Wierenga, Clark County/Vancouver Lake project manager, George Medina, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Thom McConathy, member of the Vancouver Lake Partnership. Moderator is Phil Trask.

There is no charge for the forum, which is in Library Hall of the Vancouver Community Library, 1007 E Mill Plain Boulevard.

Growth management plan
review concluding

The board of Clark County commissioners is expected to conclude its substantive revisions of the 2007 amendments to the county Comprehensive Growth Management Plan today and to set 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, for final deliberations on proposed changes.

Action items next Tuesday will include changes in urgan growth boundaries, establishing zoning for newly designated urban areas, and approval of planning polices and development regulations.

Hearings on proposed changes to the growth management plan began in 2005.

People

Anna Vogel, City of Vancouver procurement supervisor, has been awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Public Works Contract Administration from the American Public Works Association. <> Amber Metcalfe has been hired as a customer service representative at the Bank of Clark County. Metcalfe had been a department head for Fred Meyer Stores. Metcalfe is a graduate of Evergreen High School.

     Amber Metcalfe

Calendar

Clark County commissioners meet in an informal session at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, in conference room B in the Public Service Center.

Headlines Tuesday, Sept. 18