FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2015
4 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
Opinion
— Editorial —
5J needs to
clarify their
clarification
We were excited by the 5J Board
of Directors’ decision to hire Mark
Witty of John Day as our school
district’s new Superintendent.
As Grant County is just a hop,
skip and a jump from our own
county line, so many of our readers
in south Baker County know him
and his family. Not only do Witty’s
credentials look good on paper, but
we’ve heard nothing but positive
from those who do know him.
5J needs a breath of fresh air, and
we’re certain the vast majority of
parents, teachers, staff and students
are looking forward to his arrival at
the end of June. We know we are,
and offer him a warm welcome.
However, on the heels of that posi-
tive decision, the 5J Board turned
around and made a second decision
that has puzzled almost everyone.
The Board met with one singu-
lar duty: hire a new Superinten-
dent. They had three finalists. One
dropped out. Yet somehow, the other
remaining finalist, Betty Palme , was
also offered a new position at the
conclusion of that meeting.
As far as we recall, an opening
for an “Assistant Superintendent of
Curriculum and Instruction” posi-
tion was never announced or adver-
tised—and therefore no candidates
applied. So Palmer was offered a
position that didn’t exist prior to that
evening, and for which she didn’t
apply.
Why?
Then comes the claim on a Face-
book post from Board Director Rich
McKim that “appearances can be
deceiving” and the insinuation that
Palmer’s position in reality, won’t
be a new one. This post was quickly
followed by a statement from Chair
Andrew Bryan that Palmer’s promo-
tion was intended to replace that of
retiring Curriculum Director An-
thony Johnson.
We say if it walks like a duck and
quacks like a duck—well …
Think about it. We have a position
with a new title that has never been
used before. A new salary. A new job
description. A new amalgamation
of duties, those of the Superinten-
dent and Curriculum Director, never
before outlined in one position. But
that’s not new? Outgoing Superin-
tendent Wegener made the statement
that he wouldn’t call the position
“new”—just “different.”
Also in Bryan’s statement was the
announcement that Palmer would as-
sume her new duties “immediately”
and Wegener would be relegated to
“legislative” work, meaning he will
no longer perform the usual day-
to-day duties of his position at the
5J office. He will continue this way
until the end of June.
Anthony Johnson’s retirement, if
it goes forward, will also not occur
until June 30.
This leaves a four-month period
of time with payroll and benefits
expense duplication in Administra-
tion. This decision also leaves an
immediate vacancy in the Principal
position at South Baker Intermediate
for the rest of the school year. How
will those duties be handled?
In July of this year, if all this
shakes out as announced, 5J will
then have one Superintendent: Mark
Witty. The existing Curriculum
Director position will be gone, and
in its place the slightly amped up
“different” Assistant Superintendent
of Curriculum and Instruction posi-
tion, which, with a full-time Super-
intendent in place in a district this
size, has the distinct potential for
superfluit .
Will the title and duties of this
position then be adjusted July 1?
We certainly hope the salary,
which has yet to be announced, is
not also slightly amped up.
We’re not in favor of any adminis-
tration spending increases when so
often “we don’t have the money” is
heard regarding decisions that affect
our children’s educations.
If there was some urgent situation
unfolding behind the scenes at 5J
that required Wegener to be shifted
to “legislative” work, or if Johnson
was leaving immediately, then may-
be these decisions would make more
sense. As it stands, the public is left
wanting a little more explanation—
even after the explanation came.
We would have preferred seeing
the Board simply hire Witty. Then,
when Johnson retires, it would have
been nice to see his former position
advertised as it was, with multiple
qualified applicants considered. If
that position remained vacant for a
time while a proper hiring process
was conducted, we’re pretty sure
the district wouldn’t collapse like a
house of cards.
It would have also been more
considerate for incoming Superin-
tendent Witty to have been involved
in that process so that he could help
shape the positions and staff he’ll be
responsible for directly supervising.
—The Baker County Press Editorial Board
— Letters to the Editor —
Supporting Baker County
To the Editor:
Sometimes the numbers are everything.
On February 5, the Baker Board of Com-
missioners voted to reject the Wallowa-
Whitman proposal by a unanimous vote of
3-0. As I say, sometimes the numbers just
add up, and they’re “everything.” But in
this case, and little more than seven days
after the Baker Commissioners acted,
the Regional Forester cited “concerns
expressed by some county commission-
ers” and said the Forest Service would not
at present pursue the MOU. In this case, I
Letter to the Editor Policy: The Baker
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suspect the courage of these three (Com-
missioners Harvey, Bennett, and Kerns)
to stand up early and strongly was more
important than waiting to see what the
numbers, dates, and head counts would
say.
I want to commend these leaders for
doing something that speaks well of why
county government is still so close to what
makes American government great. Stand-
ing up and actually leading.
Jack Howard
Union County Commissioner
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— Guest Opinion —
Taxes, fees,
regulations,
corruption—
and that’s
only the first
month
By Rep. Greg Barreto
Okay, it’s been one month since I’ve
been in Salem in this new vocation. It
has been fast and furious. The vet-
eran legislators are saying that ses-
sions have never started this fast and
that the smell of blood in the water
is leading to a feeding frenzy. I have
nothing to compare it to. For me, it
feels like I am settling into a workable
schedule as I get more familiar with
the process. Days are full and as we
were warned in our orientation to the
legislature, it will take everything that
you are willing to give it; and more if
you allow, so hold back some for fam-
ily and other important areas in your
life or it will consume you. It seems
that one never has the necessary time
to review the bills as thoroughly as
you would like to before committee.
It is comforting though that my fellow
freshman comrades all feel the same
way.
Week two ended with Governor
Kitzahber’s resignation. There were
mixed feelings that surrounded the
issue as to the process regarding the
many allegations. The Republican
Caucus did not throw any stones or
make any accusations. The press and
the Democratic Caucus took the lead
from what had already been admitted
to by Cylvia Hayes. The Governor’s
resignation was finally pressed by his
own party when the request by the
Governor to destroy all of his personal
emails was made public by the press.
Week three had several big events.
The Senate passed SB-324, which
is the low carbon fuels standard
even though they still don’t have the
technology to make it work and don’t
know what the process will add to a
gallon of fuel.
Estimates have been listed at be-
tween .06 cents to $1.20 a gallon.
What appears to be insanity to any
normal person was voted on and
passed on a partisan vote, apart from
Betsy Johnson, the lone Democrat
who stands like a stone wall. The
bill is also tied to the Governor and
Submitted Photo
Rep. Greg Barreto of Cove
represents House District 58.
Cylvia Hayes in that she was paid as
a consultant by environmental groups
who were pushing for this specific
standard. On top of that, the bill will
have the most adverse effect on low
income and rural Oregonians as well
as affecting business transportation in
the state.
SB-324 has now come over to the
House, and was heard in committee
during week five. It is on a fast track.
Right now would be a good time to
write every Democratic Representa-
tive and let them know how you feel.
On Wednesday the 18th, Governor
Kate Brown was sworn in during
a short inauguration under solemn
circumstances. Her speech consisted
of several comments on building back
the public’s trust in government. All
the kings’ horses and all the kings’
men may not be able to fix the breech
in this dam.
On last Friday, the House voted on
the Motor/Voter bill HB-2177. This
was Kate Brown’s signature bill and
it passed on party line vote after an
hour of floor speeches “to the bill.”
It will mean that when someone gets
a drivers license, they will automati-
cally get signed up to vote. If they
are sixteen, they will go in the system
and be sent a ballot when they turn 18.
This will cost the counties thousands
and thousands of dollars in postage
and extra manpower. It’s a bad bill. I
would love to see everyone educated
and eager to vote and exercise their
constitutional right. But, if people
want to vote and exercise that privi-
lege, it’s really pretty easy. We don’t
need to incur extra costs to the coun-
ties by sending out ballots to people
who don’t want them.
Thank you for your patience with
me as I settle into this new job. I
hope to be in constant touch with you
through regular emails, but if you
would like to contact me immediately,
please do so at Rep.GregBarreto@
state.or.us.
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Copyright © 2014
YOUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS
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Walden.House.gov
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503.378.3111
Governor.Oregon.gov
State Rep. Cliff Bentz
503.986.1460
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541.490.6528
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Commissioners Bill Harvey;
Mark Bennett; Tim Kerns
541.523.8200
541.523.8201