Grant award would further resiliency work in Cascade Locks

HOOD RIVER CO. — The first Hood River County School District (HRCSD) school board meeting of the new school year on Aug. 27 coincided with the first day of school for all students. That Monday, students in grades 1-6 returned; on Tuesday, grades 7-9; and Wednesday, grades 10-12 as well as kindergarten.

Board members unanimously approved three action items, one of which could help move Cascade Locks closer to its goal of emergency preparedness.

The board gave Chief Financial Officer Mark DeMoss the go-ahead to apply for a Community Renewable Energy Program (CREP) grant, which, if awarded, would net a grant up to $100,000 for Cascade Locks Elementary School to continue its emergency/resiliency efforts. There is no matching financial requirement; the work would be 100% grant funded.

HRCSD and the Port of Cascade Locks partnered on the project last year, as previously reported in Columbia Gorge News. The port has since “put in about $45,000 worth of electrical transfer gear and some other electrical upgrades … [so] they can plug in a generator, and we can operate the school as a shelter,” DeMoss said.

According to the grant application, the planning process “will develop a detailed project plan, including consultation with an engineer or architect for a structural assessment and work with a solar engineering firm to design the solar and storage microgrid system architecture. The feasibility study will allow the school district to explore the best location, size, and configuration for this resilient energy system.”

The application also said the school and community will benefit from the project “in the event of a grid disruption, during recovery periods, and under normal operating conditions,” a need that became apparent in the wake of the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire, which forced the evacuation of the town.

“When we talk about community partners, this is a fantastic example of that,” said Board Chair Chrissy Reitz, whose district includes Cascade Locks. “It will serve that community very well in case of an emergency. [The elementary school] really is the hub of their community in many ways.”

The board also approved a set of four board goals, updated for the coming school year: Increase academic growth and success; improve and maintain public trust; sound fiscal accountability and transparency; and be a high-functioning board team. One amendment was made to goal 2 (improve and maintain the public trust), which now reads: “Ensure the Long Range Facilities Planning Committee presents a facilities and maintenance upgrade plan by spring 2026 to guide the board in facilities budget decisions as well as consideration of a potential bond election in fall 2026.”

Resolution 25-26/01, Hispanic Heritage Month, also passed (story in upcoming issue).

The board next meets on Sept. 10 at the Coe Administration building beginning at 6:30 p.m.