FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015
4 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
Opinion / Local
— Editorial —
Cheering on
our
Commissioners
The Baker County Board of Commis-
sioners did exactly as so many of us had
hoped this week. They stood up for the
needs and desires expressed by a huge
number of Baker County voters, and said
no to a memo of understanding (MOU)
with the Forest Service.
The sole purpose of that MOU was to
define the County s role in regard to future
Blue Mountain Forest planning activities.
Signing the MOU would have meant
accepting “cooperating” status with USFS
as the lead, relegating our county-level
government and thereby the citizens it
represents to second-class status. We can-
not be put into a “cooperating” role unless
our commissioners sign that MOU.
Not signing the MOU keeps us in coor-
dinating status.
Much has been made regarding the
difference between becoming a “cooper-
ating” entity and a “coordinating” one.
Coordinating is what we want.
Coordination, unlike cooperation,
comes with it a federally recognized set
of legal mandates that mean counties sit
at the table with a little control over their
own destiny. The USFS not only is re-
quired by law to listen, but to incorporate.
Not so with cooperating. As we under-
stand it, without some very special and
expensively negotiated contract language
in place—which is not offered in this
particular or in most other MOUs—coop-
erating sets the stage for USFS leaders to
nod their heads and cross off a box saying
counties have been heard, then go on their
merry way with whatever agenda was
originally intended.
Based on previous actions, we don’t
trust the USFS to unilaterally decide
what’s best for counties at the local level.
Case in point: The meeting in Pendleton
at which this MOU was presented was not
announced in a blast to media as a press
release, nor was much advance notice
given, contrary to what we usually see for
other events and meetings. Instead, we
found out because a third party mentioned
the meeting to another third party, and the
tip found its way to us.
In no way, shape or form is this how
legitimate government transparency looks.
As a result, our newspaper was the only
media present to report on the meeting,
and the general public was essentially
robbed of that chance for input. Not a real
trust-gaining move in our opinion.
When it comes to jobs, the local econo-
my, access to our forests and the like, we
need to take a strong stand.
The commissioners in the counties
around us need to take strong stands along
with our commissioners, so that eastern
Oregon counties are more confident t -
gether—unified
It’s easier for commissioners to stay
strong when they feel the weight of sup-
port behind them.
Give them a call.
—The Baker County Press Editorial Board
— Letters to the Editor —
Local help may be in short
supply during major disaster
to all the folks who believe local authori-
ties would take care of them in a disaster:
remember that most responders in emer-
gencies in rural communities, even those
of the Red Cross organization, are on-call
volunteers who have to be called from
their homes or work places. In a major
disaster, there may be few available to
help you. Also, on that note, the disaster
does not have to be in your county to cut
off available supplies you take for granted.
I would encourage everyone to take a
personal interest in their own emergency
preparedness, and serve their community.
A very informative and first place to start
is at the Red Cross web page at http://
www.redcross.org/prepare. They also
offer information on how to learn a life
saving skill. A false sense of security in
that Baker County has never seen a major
disaster does not provide a good enough
excuse to be part of the problem instead of
being part of the answer.
Pamela Cox
Hillsboro
Letter to the Editor Policy: The Baker
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lish letters containing factual falsehoods or
incoherent narrative. Letters promoting or
detracting from specific for-profit business-
es will not be published. Word limit is 375
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been authored by and are not necessarily
the opinions of The Baker County Press, any
of our staff, management, independent
contractors or affiliates. Advertisements
placed by political groups, candidates,
businesses, etc., are printed as a paid
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endorsement of or fulfillment obligation
by this newspaper for the products or
services advertised.
To the Editor:
The Baker County Press Editorial Board
ask the question in their last issue, “Why
would basic preparation for disasters be
viewed as ‘fringe’ activities to be joked
about?” The real joke is the sense of
false security most folks exhibit. In 2012
The Adelphi University took a poll on
Emergency Preparedness. The following
are few of the surprises they discovered:
53% did not have a minimum three-day
supply of nonperishable food and water
in their homes; 37% did not have a list
of drugs they were taking; 44% did not
have first-aid kits; and over half believed
local authorities would take care of them
in a disaster. You can learn more about
this poll here: http://chi.adelphi.edu/think-
about-it/the-adelphi-university-center-
for-health-innovation-poll/emergency-
preparedness.
To make a more sobering observation
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Copyright © 2014
YOUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS
President Barack Obama
202.456.1414
202.456.2461 fax
Whitehouse.gov/contact
US Sen. Jeff Merkley
503.326.3386
503.326.2900 fax
Merkley.Senate.gov
US Sen. Ron Wyden
541.962.7691
Wyden.Senate.gov
US Rep. Greg Walden
541.624.2400
541.624.2402 fax
Walden.House.gov
Oregon Gov. John
Kitzhaber
503.378.3111
Governor.Oregon.gov
State Rep. Cliff Bentz
503.986.1460
State Sen. Ted Ferrioli
541.490.6528
Baker County
Commissioners Bill Harvey;
Mark Bennett; Tim Kerns
541.523.8200
541.523.8201
County says ‘no’ to
MOU with USFS
Continued from Page 1
The reasons are:
1. Baker County has had
a natural resource plan in
place for many years, with
which the Forest Service
has not coordinated;
2. In the MOU it is stated
that all decision-making
authority for management
is held by the Forest Ser-
vice. This does not work at
all for Baker County. We,
as a County, know what’s
best for our forest and
natural resource use;
3. Baker County has
jurisdiction of public held
lands within our bound-
ary lines and we are most
responsive to local needs
for local citizens;
4. Historically we had
a timber industry that
was thriving with a stable
economy—we no longer
have this; and
5. We would work with
any government agency
when we follow the 1976
Federal Land Policy and
Management Act (FLP-
MA) Law for coordina-
tion as our Baker County
Ordinance dictates.
In conclusion, the letter
stated, “We are now termi-
nating this MOU in whole
and will not be entering
into another.”
Discussion followed,
with several people in
attendance commenting
in favor of approval of the
letter.
No objections to it were
noted.
With a motion from
Kerns, and a second from
Bennett, the letter was
approved, with a correc-
tion by Kerns to change
the second “we” in reason
number five to “the .”
On Monday, January 26,
the USFS held a meeting
in Pendleton and presented
the MOU to County Com-
missioners with the hope
all counties would sign.
If signed, the MOU
would have placed Baker
County into a secondary or
“cooperating” role regard-
ing future “Blue Mountain
Forest Plan activities.”
Commissioners hope to
adopt a coordinating or
more equal government-to-
government stance during
such planning.
Mining.
Arthur Sappington, Co-
ordinating Officer for Je -
ferson Mining District, was
present to comment that
the Jefferson Mining Dis-
trict Board confirmed that
the Oregon Department
of Geology and Mineral
Industries (DOGAMI) will
be consolidated, and rural
DOGAMI satellite offices,
including one in Baker
County, will no longer be
operational.
He said that DOGAMI
itself will no longer be an
independent organization,
and will become part of
the Oregon Department
of Environmental Quality
(DEQ).
DOGAMI assists miners
with geological issues, col-
lects important geological
data, and regulates differ-
ent types of mining, and
the change in the organiza-
tion will cause devastating
issues, Sappington said.
Harvey said that it’s an
important organization,
and that the Board has sent
a letter in support of its
existence in the county.
Dispatch Report.
Sheila Thompson, Baker
County 911 Consolidated
Dispatch Center Direc-
tor, was present to give a
departmental update.
She mentioned some
material she provided the
Board with previously, to
give Harvey an idea of the
different roles of the center
in the community.
She said she will be
requesting an additional
staff member, in order to
meet the goal of having
two members present at all
times.
Thompson gave the
Board statistics concerning
time of day and activity,
and said that the center’s
busiest hours are from 3
to 5 p.m., and the least are
from 4 to 6 a.m.
During the 4 to 6 a.m.
timeframe, she said that
the veteran dispatcher on
duty was solo for about an
hour, during the freeway
pileup on January 17, but
she did a great job coordi-
nating efforts, until another
dispatcher arrived to assist.
She said that there is an
excellent staff at the center
in general, and Harvey
commented to Thompson
that the dispatcher who
handled coordination ef-
forts by herself on January
17 deserves a commenda-
tion.
Eastern Oregon Coor-
dinated Care Organiza-
tion.
Marji Lind and Charlotte
Dudley were present to
give an Eastern Oregon
Coordinated Care Orga-
nization (EOCCO) Local
Community Advisory
Council (LCAC) update.
Lind said that last year,
members of the communi-
ty were sent health surveys
in order to identify issues
with local medical needs,
and she said that dental
care coverage was a big
issue, specifically with the
elderly and young children.
As a result, different
programs were devel-
oped to address this and
other issues, and to meet
the community’s needs,
including finding methods
for lowering health care
costs, she said.
Community Connec-
tion.
Mary Jo Carpenter of
Community Connection
of Northeast Oregon,
Inc., discussed with the
Board the Baker County
Special Transportation
Fund (STF), in connection
with special transportation
services benefiting seniors
and individuals with dis-
abilities. She talked about
Supplement C, a budget
amendment that would
provide additional funding
in the amount of $11,322
through June 30, 2015.
Miscellany.
The Board approved
Amendment #2 to Oregon
Department of Transporta-
tion (ODOT) Agreement
#29505, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Kerns.
The Board approved
Agreement #143651,
Amendment To State Of
Oregon Intergovernmental
Agreement, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Kerns.
This amendment changes
some language and amount
payable between the
Oregon Department of Hu-
man Services (DHS), and
Baker County and Baker
County District Attorney
Matt Shirtcliff.
The Board approved Or-
der #2014-105, Appointing
Members To The Econom-
ic Development Council
(EDC), with a motion from
Kerns, and a second from
Bennett.
Richard Langrell, Baker
City representative, and
Harvey were appointed as
members of the EDC, until
their term of office expires,
or they are no longer the
designated representative.
Sumpter Mayor Melissa
Findley and her husband
Robert Armbruster were
present to discuss some
road issues with the Board,
specifically with funding,
in the Sumpter area, and
the lack of marketing for
the City of Sumpter.
Harvey and Bennett
suggested that a local
improvement district could
be formed, through a vot-
ing process, and dedicated
funding, etc.
The Board also discussed
the status of three differ-
ent foreclosure properties,
with future discussions to
follow, because more in-
formation would be needed
to make some decisions.
The next regular session
is scheduled for Wednes-
day, February 18, at 9 a.m.
BHS FBLA competes in
La Grande regionals
The annual Regional
Skills Competition for the
Future Business Lead-
ers of America was held
Thursday, Feb. 5 at Eastern
Oregon University (EOU.)
More than 400 students
from 14 regional high
schools registered to
compete.
The event culminated
with a public awards as-
sembly at 12:30 p.m. in
McKenzie Theatre in Loso
Hall.
Participants were tested
in 40 different business-
related fields including
agribusiness, computer
problem solving, cyber
security, global business,
network design, and sports
and entertainment manage-
ment.
Public speaking and
mock interviews were also
scheduled.
The top 10 finishers from
each event will compete
at the state conference in
Portland April 9-11. From
there, the top contestants
advance to the national
competition in Chicago
this summer.
FBLA chapters from
Baker City, Elgin, John
Day, Helix, Heppner,
Imbler, La Grande, Milton-
Freewater, Nyssa, On-
tario, Pendleton, Stanfield,
Union and Vale were
participating.
Editor’s Note: Results
came in after this article
went to print, and are
scheduled to be run with
more coverage of the event
in next week’s issue.