FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local
County Commissioners:
Veterans’ services, B2H extension letter on agenda
By Kerry McQuisten
By Todd Arriola
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Board
of Commissioners held its
regular bi-monthly session
on Wednesday, January 21,
2015, 9 a.m., in the Com-
missioners Chambers of
the Baker County Court-
house.
Present from the Board
were Bill Harvey, Chair-
man, Tim Kerns, Commis-
sioner, and Heidi Martin,
Executive Assistant. Mark
Bennett, Commissioner,
was absent.
For Citizen Participation,
Arthur Sappington, Coor-
dinating Officer of the Je -
ferson Mining District, was
the first individual given
the floo . He discussed
emails he had sent to the
Board, concerning the
legality of Oregon Senate
Bill 838, signed into law
in August 2013, affecting
small-scale placer mining
(involving minerals mostly
dispersed by sources such
as rivers or settling ponds)
in Oregon by limiting the
issuing of permits.
He mentioned there are
some California court
cases, which once re-
solved, could affect the
resolution of mining issues
in Oregon. A major issue
is the legality of the State
of Oregon prohibiting or
limiting an activity, while
federal law allows it, such
as suction dredging, he
said.
Ken Anderson, retired
mining geologist and
engineer, was also present
to read a letter to the Board
voicing his concerns about
access and use of the land,
and the restrictions on that
use.
He talked about the role
farmers, ranchers, fishe -
men, miners and others
play in harvesting from
the land, and how govern-
ment agencies have been,
and are placing too many
restrictions on natural re-
sources, limiting economic
benefits
Ed Trindle, local rancher,
was present to discuss with
the Board some issues with
property the County owns
in the Lime area.
He said that some fenc-
ing needs to be installed,
and he brought up the
question of who exactly
would be paying for the
fencing (there are cattle in
the area).
Harvey said to Trindle
that the Board just recently
began discussions about
the property, and that it
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Rick Gloria (far left) updated the County Commissioners on local, available
veterans’ services.
would have to be inspected
to determine where and
how fencing would be in-
stalled, what is to be done
with the property, etc.
The minutes from the
January 7, 2015 Com-
mission session were
approved, with a motion
from Kerns, and a second
from Harvey.
Rick Gloria, Veteran
Services Officer (VSO) for
Baker County, was present
to give an update about
veteran services to the
Board.
He discussed VetraSpec,
a secure, online manage-
ment system implemented
by the Oregon Department
of Veterans’ Affairs (VA)
three years ago, which
streamlines the veteran
claims process, by allow-
ing VSOs to access their
data from any computer
with internet access, and
by storing information in a
central location.
Gloria said currently,
there are 107 veterans from
Baker County enrolled
in VetraSpec, and around
2,000 veterans here, rep-
resenting about 12 % of
the total population of the
county.
He said that just with
these 107 claims resolved,
compensation recovered
for the veterans was in the
amount of $195,409.
He said that Baker Coun-
ty veteran services are ad-
vertised using sources such
as the internet, and local
media, and it is working,
considering the responses
he’s receiving.
Gloria discussed with
the Board the Transporta-
tion of Veterans in Highly
Rural Areas Grant Agree-
ment, # 2014-HRTG-
0114, between the Oregon
Department of Veterans’
Affairs and Baker County,
in the amount of $45,000.
Gloria said that the local
Disabled American Veter-
ans (DAV) van has been
available to transport veter-
ans to Boise and Caldwell
to the VA facilities, but it
isn’t wheelchair accessible,
and isn’t available for
transport to locations west
of Baker City.
Because of this, Com-
munity Connection of
Northeast Oregon, Inc.
will have a van available,
which is wheelchair acces-
sible, to transport veterans
throughout eastern Oregon,
including to the La Grande
VA clinic, and to the VA
facilities in Boise and
Caldwell.
For information con-
cerning the transportation
service, or other veteran
services, Gloria can be
contacted at 541-523-8223.
With a motion from
Kerns and a second from
Harvey, the Board ap-
proved an agreement
between Advantage Dental
Clinics, LLC, of Redmond,
Washington, and the Baker
County Health Depart-
ment.
This agreement includes
a collaboration between
the parties to “pilot” a den-
tal screening project within
the WIC (Women, Infants
and Children) program.
With a motion from
Kerns and a second from
Harvey, the Memoran-
dum of Understanding
Between Baker County
and Community Connec-
tion of Northeast Oregon,
Inc., and the aforemen-
tioned Grant Agreement
# 2014-HRTG-0114 were
approved.
With a motion from
Kerns and a second from
Harvey, a CDBG (Commu-
nity Development Block
Grant) Sub-Recipient
Agreement between Baker
County and the North-
east Oregon Economic
Development District
(NEOEDD) was approved,
concerning group training
opportunities for micro-
enterprises and entrepre-
neurs in Baker, Union
and Wallowa counties, for
low and moderate income
members.
The Board approved a
letter from the Commis-
sion, addressed to Don
Gonzales, Manager, Vale
District Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), of-
ficially requesting a 90 day
extension to the comment
period on the Idaho Power
Boardman to Hemingway
Transmission Line Project,
the deadline of which is
currently March 19, 2015.
Several reasons were cited
for this request in the letter.
The Board, with a mo-
tion from Kerns and a
second from Harvey, will
continue until the next
regular session the discus-
sion concerning Order No.
2015-103, An Order Di-
recting The Baker County
Sheriff To Make Sale Of
County Property; Fixing
The Minimum Price And
Providing A Portion Of
The Conditions And Terms
Of Sale. This is a foreclo-
sure property located at
1244 3rd Street, with back
taxes in the amount of
$4,836.05.
The next regular session
is scheduled for Wednes-
day, February 4, 2015, 9
a.m., in the Commissioners
Chambers of the Baker
County Courthouse.
Flue fire Baker City man arrested in
ignites Wheeler County for meth
home
In a growing list of
Baker County flue fires thi
winter, Tuesday after-
noon around 4:30 p.m., a
single-wide mobile home
on Miller Avenue in South
Baker caught fire
American Red Cross -
Cascades Region assisted
one adult and one dog.
The fire occurred at
Mike Misuria’s home 2246
Miller Avenue.
Red Cross provided
food, clothing, lodging,
comfort kit, and informa-
tion about disaster mental
health and disaster health
services.
Radon, Cascadia
events topics for
Oath Keepers
On Sunday, January 18,
Wheeler County Sheriff’s
Office received informat -
on regarding a suspicious
vehicle in the area of
Highway 26.
A Sheriff’s Office patrol
located the vehicle parked
with the passenger passed
out in the driver’s seat on
Highway 26 at Milepost
86.
During the course of
the investigation a large
amount of Methampheta-
mine and over two pounds
of Marijuana were located
in the vehicle.
The sole occupant, Aa-
ron Curtis Lott of Baker
City, was arrested and
lodged at Grant County
Detention Center on Distri-
Photo Courtesy of the Wheeler County Sheriff
A large amount of Methamphetamine and over two
pounds of Marijuana were located in this vehicle.
bution of Methamphetami-
ne, Possession of Metham-
phetamine and Distribution
of Marijuana.
The Baker County Chap-
ter of the Oath Keepers
met Tuesday evening in
the Council Chambers at
City Hall, where they will
continue to meet monthly
every third Tuesday. With
Kerry McQuisten /
about 35 present, the
The Baker County Press
group’s meetings appear to
Robin Nudd spoke to the
be gaining in popularity.
effects of radon and how
County Commission
to obtain an at-home
Chair Bill Harvey gave
testing kit.
the first presentation, a
general update on his first
two weeks in office, which
included attending a meet-
ing in Pendleton with the
Forest Service, and a dif-
ference of views with City
staff and Council regard-
ing watershed manage-
ment issues.
The primary focus of the
Kerry McQuisten /
The Baker County Press
meeting, though, included
two presentations: the first Jason Yencopal
discussed the local
from Jason Yencopal of
effects of a Cascadia
Baker County Emergency
event.
Management, the second
from Robin Nudd of the
Baker County Health Department.
Yencopal reported on Oregon’s preparedness efforts
regarding the danger of a “Cascadia event.” The Cascadia
subduction zone is a convergent plate boundary reaching
from the top of Vancouver Island down to the northern
part of California, separating the Juan de Fuca and North
America plates.
Said Yencopal, “That’s dealing with a 9.0 magnitude
earthquake off the coast—what that would do statewide.”
He explained that Oregon, for emergency management
purposes, is divided up into the coastal region, the I-5
corridor, and then eastern Oregon.
Yencopal recently met in La Grande with seven other
emergency managers from across the state to work on
moving a plan forward. The plan in progress will also
reach outside Oregon, as managers collaborate with
Washington State. Eastern Oregon may also work with
Idaho.
“If a Cascadia event happened, and it’s at that 9.0, we
would feel something in Baker County,” he said.
Dick Fleming, who was in the audience, provided
some additional geologic knowledge. “Every 300-400
years, there’s been a 9.0 or higher on the coastal fault …
We’re overdue,” he concluded.
Yencopal says a statewide training exercise is planned
in 2016 for such an event. He said, “A 9.0 over there will
probably be a 3-something in Baker County, and that
shake is gonna last from three to five minutes. So that s
where this building (City Hall), the Courthouse—that’s
where you might see some damage because of that pro-
longed shaking.”
While the County has recommended families keep at
least a 72-hour emergency kit on hand, Yencopal says the
new plan may expand to recommendations of a two-week
or even three-week kit, which is the level of preparedness
he would like to see for Baker County residents.
Concern was also expressed in the audience about what
would happen should a quake take out Mason Dam. “In
Baker City, we have about an hour and a half before the
flood hits town,” Yencopal said. “And it depends—some
of that could even be longer depending on how much
debris is collected.”
Emergency Management is also making progress on a
Spring Preparedness Expo, and is working with Lincoln
County Emergency Management toward possibly bor-
rowing their expo trailer. Yencopal also hopes to bring
various preparedness vendors on board.
Robin Nudd of the Baker County Health Department
then took the floor and spoke about a recent statewide
press release that outlined the risk factors determined for
radon gas for specific cities. As reported in last week’s is-
sue, Baker City ranks at moderate risk, while neighboring
La Grande is at high risk.
“This time of year is the best time to check for it
(radon) in your homes, because you’ve got your house
locked up tight trying to stay warm,” Nudd said. She
explained that radon is “a naturally occurring gas that
comes up through the soil.” Radon is a known cancer-
causing agent, and is especially proven to cause lung
cancer even in non-smokers.
She said if local hardware stores don’t have kits in
stock, they can be purchased online for around $15, and
both long-term and short-term testing kits are made.
Nudd said there are businesses that can deal with un-
healthy radon levels in homes if detected.
The Oath Keepers also announced some additions to
the local leadership of the group. Bob Nelson of Baker
City has come aboard to head up security and tactics.
Michele Cooper is the new team leader for administra-
tive tasks.
Kody Justus will move into more of an overall lead po-
sition, organizing and running meetings in place of Tom
Sherwood and Jim Iler, who will focus on the Halfway/
Richland area group.
Oath Keepers is a national organization dedicated
to protecting Constitutional rights while encouraging
community preparedness and self-sufficienc . The Baker
County chapter launched in summer of 2014.