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| June 23, 2011 Shelton Mason County Journal |  |
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II iiI II~IIItl
J l IIlliU,I
Thursday, Jene 23, 2011
Year 125 -- Week 25 -- 8 Sections -- 60 Pages -- Published in Shelton, Washin on -- $1
SPD makes .arrest at Evergreen.Elementary
By KEVAN MOORE wrapping up the day and heading
home. Officer reports show that
An arrest made in front of Ev- the police used a ruse, via Craig-
ergreen Elementary School last slist, to set up an encounter with
week has some people, including the suspect in order to perform
Shelton School District Super- "a high-risk vehicle stop" and ex-
intendent Joan Zook, scratching ecute the arrest.
their heads. "We would expect to be notified
Several officers, with guns ifthere was going to be a police ac-
drawn, made the arrest in front tion in the vicinity and we would
of the school as students were expect to be notified if the police
of great dismay," Zook said. "I have graded to a formal internal inves-
not experienced anything like this tigation following a request this
in the time that I have been su- week from Zook.
had prior knowledge," Zook said. perintendent. This was planned "It might have been the right
"If Somebody had contacted me, in advance without it occurring to time, but it wasn't the right place,"
yes, the building would have been someone to inform us or move the Eklund said. "It was the wrong
locked down and I would have meeting, that's what amazes me. place to make the arrest and we
asked the police to meet the per- I'm extremely upset with the po- definitely need to look into what
son at a different place and at a lice department for what appears happened. A lot of answers are go-
different time not on school prop- to be lack of forethought with re- ing to come from that interal in-
erty." gards to this incident." vestigation."
But the police gave no notice to Interim Shelton Police ChiefTaken into custody in front of
Zook or any officials at the school Dave Eklund said that his infor-
"I find this incredible and to be mal review of the arrest was up- See Evergreen on page A-7
Commissioner Jerry Lingle spoke out in favor of a future sales
services during the county commission meeting Tuesday.
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
tax increase for mental health
Sales tax increase coming.
By NATALIEJOHNSON create an advisory com-Public Health Director missioner appointed Advi-
mittee with community Vicki Kirkpatrick. sory Committee," accord-
In an issue that provedinvolvement related to the The consultant ap- ing to the county's request
to be divisive for the Ma- proposed tax increase, fol- proved by the county corn- for proposal.
son County Board of Corn- lows RCW 82.14.460. mission will help the coun- "If their recommenda-
missioners, the commis-Under RCW 82.14.460, ty "to facilitate a commu- tion is to implement it, we
sion awarded a $31,738 one-tenth of one percent of nity process, gather com- would ask them to design
contract with consultants sales tax may be used for munity input and create a a skeleton of the program,"
Clegg and Associates, who mental health and chemi- report identifying the un- Kirkpatrick said.
will advise the county on cal dependency services, met need for mental health The commission voted
implementation of a sales Mental health services and chemical dependencyto approve the contract
tax increase, in Mason County are notservices in Mason County. with Clegg and Associates,
The consultant will ad-adequate to serve those in Additionally, the consul-
vise the county and help need, said Mason Countytant will work with a Com- See Tax on page A-7
By NATALIE JOHNSON
Less than a week aRer
the Port of Shelton Commis-
sion formally accepted an
investigation clearing Ex-
ecutive Director John Dob-
son of wrongdoing, port em-
ployee Theresa Rebo, who
accused Dobson of attempt-
ing to gift public funds, has
been fired.
Dobson confirmed that
Rebo had been let go on
Monday, but denied that it
resulted from the investiga-
ti0n'n ding . He that
because Rebo was a "whis-
tleblower," the port could
not terminate her because
of anything related to her
complaint.
"This has nothing to do
with the complaint," he said.
Dobson would not elabo-
rate on the exact reason for
Rebo's firing, saying that
he felt uncomfortable dis-
cussing an "employee issue"
without l~gal council.
Rebo accused Dobson in
April of trying to ~ public
funds to John and Rachel
Hansen by giving them a
less than market value rent
in a lease which is still in
negotiations. The port re-
tained a consultant, Sea-
bold Group of Seattle, which
conducted an investigation
and concluded last week
that Dobson was innocent of
John Dobson
Rebo's allegations.
Rebo contends that the
port's investigation is not
valid " only the
prosecutor's office has the
authority to investigate a
whistleblower complaint.
The Port of Shelton Com-
mission addressed the issue
after several members of the
public spoke about it during
the public comment portion
of Tuesday's meeting.
"Ms. Rebo was not termi-
nated by this commission,
she was terminated by her
boss and for cause," Com-
missioner Tom Wallitner
said during Tuesday's meet-
ing. "The charges were in-
vestigated by outside coun-
cil, they were unfounded
charges, the rhetoric could
not stop, this commission
has no business in interfer-
ing in port staff problems.
Mr. Dobson's responsible for
hiring, maintaining and dis-
missal of all employees."
e
By NATALIE JOHNSON nate GED tester. "I love the tion to treat her aggressive
look on their face when they cancer.
It's graduation season, walk out the door." Imsdahl, like many of
and students across the About 20 of the 84 stu-the men and women who
world are donning caps dents who graduated from earn their GEDs every year,
and gowns to celebrate the the GED program at OCS said that she had convinced
end of their long journey this year attended the herself over the years that
through high school, college, GED certificate celebra- a GED was not attainable,
or even grad school, tion at Oakland Bay Junior but decided to work hard to
But for one batch of grad- High School last Thursday achieve the diploma to set
uates, those who recently night, and many shared an example for her 13-year-
received their General their stories of academic old daughter.
Equivalency Diploma or a struggles and success at Imsdahl celebrated earn-
GED, the journey is just be- the event, ing her GED on Thursday
ginning. "In March of last year, I only a few days after learn-
"Some of these folks have was diagnosed with stage ing that she was cancer free.
been told all of their lives four inflammatory breast Several other women
that they'll never make any- cancer," said GED graduate shared their stories Thurs-
thing of themselves," said Bridget Imsdahl. "I was told day night, including Chris-
Janis Johnson, program I had two years to live and I tina McCune. She said that
coordinator for student ser- chose not to accept that." finding a good job without a
vices at Olympic College Imsdahl, who dropped high school diploma is very
Shelton (OCS) and alter- out of high school 25 years difficult.
ago, said that she studied "I don't want to talk
IllJ!I!IRilI!!!I!I!IIIII and took classes to prepare down to anyone - having a
for taking her GED tests job is something," she said.
while she was undergoing "I don't want to go back to
8 2 chemotherapy and radia- waitressing and bartend-
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
Bridget Imsdahl celebrates at Olympic College
Shelton's GED Celebration of Success last
Thursday.
ing." GED for the same reason
While many students as McCune, to get a better
were motivated to get their job, others went through the
program simply to prove to
themselves that it could be
done.
"Thirty four years ago
in my sophomore year, I
dropped out of high school.
It was a decision I came to
regret," said Cindy Lowe.
"Even though I have had a
successful cleaning business
for the last thirty years, I
still felt stupid."
After years of feeling like
a GED was simply out of
reach, Lowe said she went to
a neuropsychologist who di-
agnosed her with a learning
disability - Adult ADHD.
"I set my goal to get my
GED before my first grand-
child was born ... I achieved
that goal," she said.
Some students not only
achieved their GED, but also
did so with honors. Seven
graduates completed their
See GED on page A-7