Opinion
A4
Saturday, July 16, 2022
OUR VIEW
Elgin contract
shows how
democracy
should work
he recent decision by the Union County
Board of Commissioners to approve ratifi -
cation of a new six-year contract between
the sheriff ’s offi ce and the city of Elgin was com-
pleted with little fanfare, but the saga attached
to the fi nal approval should serve as a prototype
regarding problem-solving for future local law-
makers and offi cials.
Readers may recall at one point in the spring
the Elgin City Council planned to reestablish
the city’s police department after years of con-
tract protection services from the sheriff ’s offi ce.
The decision was a weighty one because it would
mean new costs for city taxpayers and would
have forced Union County Sheriff Cody Bowen
to lay off two deputies.
Elgin taxpayers eventually became involved
— as they should — and raised a number of good
questions regarding the nuts and bolts of the idea.
Eventually Bowen and Elgin lawmakers were
able to work out a compromise that we believe
will prove highly benefi cial down the road for
both the city and the county.
Why this specifi c example of what may appear
to be a routine government matter is crucial is
because of the way it played out. A compromise
was never a sure thing and any number of elected
leaders in the mix could have decided to do what
is so often seen at the national political level: dig
in their heels and refuse to budge.
That type of behavior seems legion in the halls
of Congress but thankfully, in this rural area at
least, cooler heads prevailed.
The key was compromise, dialogue and the
involvement of taxpayers. So often in our dig-
ital day and age the involvement of voters is often
lacking. Or, there is involvement by voters on a
specifi c issue, but they tend to be members of the
lunatic fringe on the left and right. Why Amer-
icans generally allow those who carry a fairly
large ax to grind — both liberals and conser-
vatives — to steer the ship of state remains one
of those early 21st century mysteries that defi es
explanation.
The good news for us, though, is this govern-
mental issue that could have cost jobs and mil-
lions of dollars was worked out by local people
with input from voters.
That is how democracy is supposed to work.
T
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Optimistic about the future of news
ANDREW
CUTLER
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
ews about my industry isn’t
good. Recently, the New
York Times reported more
than 300 newspapers closed across
the nation during the COVID-19
pandemic. That’s about two closures
a week. Interestingly enough, more
newspapers were predicted to fail
than actually did because of the eco-
nomic hit the pandemic delivered.
So good news, bad news?
Perhaps.
No one I know of carries a crystal
ball that accurately predicts the
future (if you do, we need to talk —
that would be a good story) so it is
hard to tell what the latest industry
news means for the long-term. Is it
time to panic? Of course not. There
is always a fair amount of hand-
wringing and gloom-and-doom pre-
dictions when such news is released.
But the fact that more than 300
newspapers failed during the pan-
demic is by no stretch of the imag-
N
ination positive. In fact, it’s dismal.
And it should matter to you.
Newspapers and digital, broad-
cast and radio outlets are crucial to
delivering information that matters
to Americans. If you, the reader,
the voter, can count on information
you receive from a news outlet you
are better informed. That means
you can make more wise decisions
regarding who and what you vote
for. Americans in every state and
every county are far better off with
a robust news organization striving
to keep us informed.
A good newspaper must be a
watchdog of government expenses
and policies, yet it also must be
a vehicle for showcasing what is
good and positive in a community.
Those two separate goals often col-
lide. Yet a hard-hitting investigative
piece and a feature about a posi-
tive community issue can co-exist
inside a newspaper. Once more,
they should.
The problems we face as news
men and women now is one of per-
ception for many. Our political cli-
mate has made concepts such as
“fair” and “balanced” news coverage
U.S. PRESIDENT
Joe Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Andrew Cutler is the interim editor of The
Observer and the regional editorial director for
the EO Media Group, overseeing The Observer,
East Oregonian and four more newspapers in
Eastern Oregon.
U.S. SENATORS
Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Offi ce Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
La Grande offi ce: 541-962-7691
Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, OR 97301-4047
503-378-4582
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Offi ce Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753
Pendleton offi ce: 541-278-1129
Cliff Bentz
2185 Rayburn House Offi ce Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6730
Medford offi ce: 541-776-4646
STATE REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR
Bobby Levy, District 58
900 Court St. NE, H-376
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1458
Rep.BobbyLevy@state.or.us
STATE SENATOR
Greg Smith, District 57
900 Court St. NE, H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us
Bill Hansell, District 29
900 Court St. NE, S-415
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us
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a zero-sum game, where informa-
tion is tailored and manufactured by
fringe elements who then spin it into
the mainstream.
We have to guard against
allowing those who seek to always
wave the bloody shirt to have more
sway than they deserve. Everyone
has a right to express an opinion,
but as Americans, and Oregonians,
we need to use a certain degree of
common sense was well.
I believe Americans want a reli-
able news source, that deep down
they understand how important it is
to have a “fourth estate” that pro-
vides an overwatch of government
and delivers trustful information on
a regular basis.
So, while I cringe and worry
about the loss of newspapers, I am
also optimistic that our industry isn’t
dead nor will it die. I am optimistic
that we can, and do, provide fair and
balanced coverage of our local area.
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