Snowden resident Carl McNew plans to be a lot busier in 2012 than he was in 2011.
McNew, a real estate broker by profession, soon will take over chairmanship of the Columbia River Gorge Commission, the bistate panel that regulates land use activities in parts of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. McNew is just the second Washington resident elected to chair the commission, which was established under a bistate compact in 1987 following passage of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in November 1986.
McNew, who has represented Klickitat County on the commission since May 2007, will succeed outgoing chairman Joyce Reinig of Hood River on Jan. 1. His fellow Gorge Commissioners elected him to the post last month. The first Washingtonian to hold the chairman's gavel was Pat Bleakney, Klickitat County's first Gorge Commission appointee.
As chairman of the commission, McNew and vice chairman-elect Keith Chamberlain of Carson will have their hands full administratively due to several pressing issues.
"There are a number of issues that have to be dealt with immediately," McNew said. "The most important is to solve our funding issues. Ideally, we need to find a consistent source to fund operations that is not at the whim of state budget ebbs and flows."
Also on the commission's agenda is the search for a replacement for outgoing Executive Director Jill Arens. McNew said a new executive director likely will be appointed prior to his official start date.
Another important issue and one he remains committed to, McNew noted, is the completion of the Vital Signs Indicators project. "That falls into the mix with funding and getting the new executive director up to speed at the office in White Salmon," he said.
In addition to McNew, Klickitat County has a second voice on the Gorge Commission in gubernatorial appointee Sondra Clark, a resident of the Lyle area.
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