School budget approved... with remaining uncertainty; Road construction will slow down traffic; Dunes City budget headed for final answer.

School board approves budget… still facing some uncertainty

The metal arts program and the popular teacher that runs it will return to Siuslaw High School in the fall. The Siuslaw School Board adopted the final budget for the coming year last night. In the process, they instructed administrators to add back 3 ½ teaching positions and a half-time custodian that had been targeted for elimination under their most recent budget proposal presented last week. Funding for the metals program and one teacher in the Elementary School will come from a teacher’s union concession that freed up about $150-thousand. An additional classroom teacher in the middle school, a half-time language arts teacher in the high school and a half time middle school custodian will be paid by reducing the district’s ‘ending fund balance’. That move increases the chance that 97J may run short of cash again at the end of next year. Another area of concern to administrators is the exact level of funding that will be set by the legislature. That’s not been set yet and could negatively impact revenues, forcing the board to make additional adjustments. The initial budget proposal by superintendent George Winterscheid in April contained more than two-dozen job losses. Just over half of those were salvaged by early retirements and voter approval of additional tax revenues.

Siuslaw School District’s classified employees delivered a message to the school board last night. Speaking on behalf of president Wendy Rohner, Debbie Daugherty said the union would entertain an offer to adjust compensation in order to help save jobs. The teacher’s union agreed last week to give up cost of living increases in order to save two teaching positions. Daugherty indicated they would consider a similar move… if requested.

Chinook Winds casino at Lincoln City has opted to offer alcohol on the gaming floor. That’s after three other tribal owned gaming facilities had made the move. It started with the Three Rivers Casino last year. The Mill in North Bend followed, as did Seven Feathers in Canyonville. The other five tribal casinos in Oregon restrict alcoholic beverages to designated areas and do not allow them in areas where games are played.

The Dunes City Council is expected to finalize approval on their budget for the coming year during tonight’s regular meeting. Four of the ten ‘new-business’ items on the agenda are budget related. They meet at seven o’clock at Dunes City Hall.

You’ve got the car all packed up and you’re ready to go… it’s vacation time and you have nothing but open highway ahead of you… unless you’re in Western Lane or Douglas Counties. Then chances are good that you’ll have to ‘hurry up and wait’. Several road and bridge construction projects are underway, each bringing possible delays. Oregon Department of Transportation spokesperson Steve Templin will be the guest on this afternoon’s KCST Community Forum. He’ll give details on the projects and answer listener’s questions. That show on 106.9 is set for 4:05.


Taking a look at Coast Radio Sports…

Several players with Oregon ties were selected in the second day of the Major League Baseball draft. Oregon State’s two-time all Pac-Ten Conference catcher Ryan Ortiz was selected in the sixth round by the Oakland As. Pitchers Jorge Reyes and Kraig Sitton were both taken in the 17th round, Reyes by San Diego; Sitton by the Red Sox. Both said they still haven’t made up their minds whether to leave the Beavers for the Bigs or not. Oregon State shortstop Joey Wong was taken by the Colorado Rockies in the 24th round.

The Ducks lost a pair of players from their ‘first-year’ roster. Pitcher Erik Stavert was taken by the Rockies in the seventh round and the Oakland As selected right hander Drew Gagnier in the 14th.

Western Oregon’s Blake Keitzman was picked up by the Seattle Mariners.