“It was the year that nobody wanted it to be.”
David Roewe, executive director of the Building Industry Association of Clark County, about the economy’s impacts on the building industry
“Making us the gambling armpit of Southwest Washington is not a good idea. We need more manufacturing jobs, technology jobs – the skilled workforce jobs that pay high salaries.”
—Craig Rowland, a La Center resident who has researched the proposed Cowlitz Tribal casino
“We’ve known the licensees for umpteen years, and we didn’t want the city or the Liquor Control Board trying to jam these rules down their throats.”
—Denny Sauers, vice president and general manager at Stein Distributing on its role in getting downtown retailers to voluntarily comply with the city of Vancouver’s Alcohol Impact Area
“How often do you get to be part of changing the face of a community?”
—David Copenhaver, vice president of development for Gramor Development, about the redevelopment of the former Boise Cascade site
“We’ve just given up on using the bridge and let (subcontractors) do it because we can’t plan on getting across.”
—John Leber, president of Swanson Wood Products
“Strap on your seat belts, we may be in for a wild ride.”
—Scott Bailey, regional labor economist for the Washington Employment Security Department, in a March VBJ opinion piece about where the economy was headed
“You bid on a job on Friday, land the bid, and on Monday when you go to order the parts, it’s more expensive.”
—Pat Dolan, president and owner of Pacific Machine and Development, about soaring steel prices
“I have profound reservations about your proposed solution. I can’t think of a business on this planet that would enter into a contract to spend $1 billion to serve 7,000 clients. I just feel this is the wrong solution at the wrong time at an uncertain cost.”
—Jerry Oliver, a Port of Vancouver commissioner at the final CRC Task Force meeting June 24 where the task force voted to recommend replacement of the Interstate 5 bridge with light rail as a locally preferred alternative
“This is Vancouver’s version of what’s happening in markets across the United States. We’re very sad to have to make these changes but it is necessary to ensure the long-term health of the company.”
—Scott Campbell, publisher of The Columbian newspaper, after the company cut 20 positions in July throughout its departments and consolidated its publications to cut costs
“If you can make it through the downturn, there will be a big upswing.”
—Tom Craig, owner of Sparks Home Furnishings
“I had wonderful friends who wanted to be back (working) here and customers who enjoyed coming here. I just didn’t want to disappoint them. So you just put your big-girl panties on and deal with it.”
—Wendy Love, owner of Wendy Love’s Co., on deciding to take back ownership of her motorcycle gear shop
“No bank had a good third quarter and we don’t want to tear apart our infrastructure because of one quarter or one year.”
—Jeanne Firstenburg, executive vice president and chief executive officer of First Independent, discussing the decision by shareholders to invest First Independent $50 million in the bank to boost its lending capacity
“(In) requiring a developer to restore a watershed, you’re requiring him to atone for the sins of the past, not just the impact his own project is creating.”
—Steve Madsen, BIA government affairs director, discussing the city’s approach to adopting strict stormwater regulations
