12 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2015
Local
Inside the Oregon House
Continued from Page 1
The Barretos, married
35 years, are the parents
to eight children, ages 11
to 33, and grandparents to
four—with a fi fth bundle
of joy due right after ses-
sion begins in February.
Anticipating a landslide
win, the Barretos began
preparing for changes even
before the election results.
“I had to decide if I was
going to work in the offi ce
with him (Rep. Greg Bar-
reto). This was advised by
other east side representa-
tives. Who would know
our district better? Who
would know my husband
better?”
The family has enlisted
the help of a college stu-
dent to tend to their Cove
home and “take care of the
animals.”
In 1984, the Barretos
founded and continue to
operate La Grande’s highly
successful Barreto Manu-
facturing, which builds and
sells trenchers, log-splitters
and tillers of Rep. Bar-
reto’s own patented fully
hydraulic design.
So, juggling the respon-
sibilities of home, business
and elected offi ce took
some planning.
Just three days after the
election, Chris Barreto had
already begun the task of
setting up a second home
for the family in Keizer,
minutes outside of Salem.
“It’s a good home away
from home,” she said, “but
I’ll always enjoy coming
home to Cove.” Having
lived six years in the Keiz-
er area during the early
years of their marriage, the
Barretos say their support
network of good friends on
the west side has helped
smooth the transition.
Visits from eastern
Oregon residents have also
helped stave off homesick-
ness. “The president and
vice president of EOU just
visited,” she said.
As for the professional
side of Rep. Barreto’s
move, other elected offi -
cials and staff at the capitol
building make sure that a
fi rst-time offi cial doesn’t
experience a trial-by-fi re,
sink-or-swim situation.
Chris says the training
programs are inclusive.
“How to conduct yourself
on the fl oor, how to read
a bill, how to track a mea-
sure, how to write a bill
… Once you’re on board,
there is training.”
She added, “Everyone on
staff has been great. Help-
ful. Friendly. There when
you need them.”
Seasoned State Rep-
resentative Cliff Bentz
whose district includes
Baker County, was as-
signed to serve as Rep.
Barreto’s mentor. “They
assign a mentor for you,”
Chris said. “And they let
you know right away there
are no stupid questions.”
Rep. Barreto was given
an offi ce (#384) on the
third fl oor, right between
Rep. Gene Wisnett and
Rep. Jodi Hack. Hack is
the sister of former Baker
County Clerk Tami Green,
who left her position at the
end of 2014. Hack is also
a “newbie” state rep and
mom, and Chris says hav-
ing Hack as a next-door
neighbor at the Capitol has
been helpful when compar-
ing notes about the transi-
tion from another mother’s
point of view.
Chris, who also serves
as State Secretary for the
Oregon Republican Party,
now has another offi cial
title: Legislative Assis-
tant, which means she’ll
be in place to return calls
and provide information
to constituents in their
district. “If someone has a
problem and aren’t getting
what they need from an
agency, they can get hold
of us,” she said.
Rep. Barreto has also
brought on an experienced
Chief of Staff with six
years of experience in the
House to help maneuver
through the legislative
process. “He sits on the
fl oor with Greg and is the
one who physically puts—
actually hands the paper
copy—of bills into Greg’s
hands.”
Chris sounds excited
when she speaks. “We now
have the communications
in place to help those in
our district,” she says.
Rep. Greg Barreto took
his Oath of Offi ce last
Monday the 12th of Janu-
ary.
Western Oregon.
Radio talkshow host
turned State Representative
Bill Post was also sworn
into offi ce for the fi rst time
last Monday.
He says, though, that
his situation is “different
because I’ve been focusing
for years on the radio show
so I might have a little
more insider knowledge.”
Proudly married for 25
and one-half years, and
parents to one son, Kai,
Rep. Post and his wife,
Colleen have lived nearly
20 years in the Keizer area.
Post cites church and
family as high personal
priorities. (He posted on
his web site, which he
maintains exclusively him-
Harrell Hereford Ranch
Invites you to the
11th Annual Cattleman’s Workshop:
“Achieving Sustainable Beef Cow/Calf Production”
Submitted Photo.
Kai, Bill and Colleen Post with the House fl oor
visible behind them.
self, that Colleen, a special
education teacher is, “my
treasure and the great love
of my life and my rock!”)
That the geography of
his district, House District
25, includes the area near
his new workplace meant
he could dive into his
elected position without
the stress of a move or
frequent travel.
Post says he, along with
all other newly elected Re-
publicans and Democrats,
“went through a mandatory
training day on November
12.”
He added, “These are the
kind of organizational days
that most state employees
have.”
Post was also assigned a
mentor: Rep. John Huff-
man.
Post noted that the
next round of training
really didn’t happen until
January, with two half-day
sessions.
Post will occupy last
year’s gubernatorial candi-
date Rep. Dennis Richard-
son’s former offi ce, #373,
and says he’s amazed at
“the magnitude of the
homework that needs to be
done when you’re new.”
Post says he recently
completed reading 800
pre-session House Bills.
“These aren’t even
session bills,” he said.
“They’re pre-session. They
aren’t including Senate
Bills. I’m told there might
be as many as 9,000 bills.”
“I’m going to be the guy
who says ‘no,’” Post has
decided. “I’ll be ‘No Bills,
Bill.’ Why do we need
9,000 new laws?”
After the November
election, Democrats have
control of the State Senate
18-12, and of the House
35-25.
Post referred to most
of those pre-session bills
as “nightmares” for his
constituents.
Colleen will not assume
the Legislative Assistant
position in Post’s offi ce;
his Legislative Assistant
is Garrett Wolfard. Much
Submitted Photo.
Rep. Bill Post’s offi ce,
#373, was formerly
occupied by Dennis
Richardson.
like Rep. Barreto, he has
also chosen an experienced
Chief of Staff, Betsey
Schultz.
Post says he would like
the public to be able to
look even closer behind
the scenes of his new
job, and has launched a
weekly—every Friday—
Youtube video blog, My
Life as a State Repre-
sentative, something he
doesn’t believe any other
representative has done in
the past. “It’s not political
commentary,” he assures,
“The video shows what it’s
like to be in this building
day-to-day.”
Post is “heavily into so-
cial media”—reaching out
via nine separate outlets,
welcoming viewers from
all parts of Oregon.
Alongside Representa-
tives Barreto and Post,
seven other newbie
Republican and six newbie
Democrats will take the
fl oor when session begins.
Saturday, January 24th, 2015
at the Blue Mountain Conference Center
404 12th Street in La Grande, Ore.
Seminar starts at 9 a.m.
Free Event
No registration required
Lunch included
• Workshop Introductions & Overview
• Th e March Towards Continuous Improvement
Cameron Bruett; Chief Sustainability Offi cer, JBS,
Windsor, CO
• Beef Industry Sustainability
Kim Stackhouse-Lawson; Director of Sustainability
Research, NCBA
• Outlook for Agriculture and Rural Interests in
Washington, DC
Todd Van Hoose; Senior Vice President,
Government Aff airs, CoBank
• Weather and Climate, Past, Present & Future in
Oregon & Beyond
George Taylor, President, Applied Climate Services
• Value Based Marketing for Feeder Cattle
Tom Brink; Founder/Owner, Brink Consulting/
Trading, Brighton, CO
Annual National Wild
Turkey Federation Banquet
Saturday, February 7, 5 p.m.
at the Baker Elks Lodge
Raffl e! • Gamble of the Gun Safe •
Baker Co. Long Beards • Tickets $25 each.
Contact Bob Reedy
for info and tickets.
541.403.1352.
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