8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2015
Local
Snake River Economic
Alliance meets in Ontario
By Eileen Driver
Eileen@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Snake River
Economic Development
Alliance (SREDA), whose
mission is to bring eco-
nomic development and
prosperity to the region,
hosted the 2015 Western
Treasure Valley Economic
Breakfast at the Clarion
Inn in Ontario, Oregon on
Friday, February 27 at 7:00
a.m.
The breakfast topic was
“What makes a Successful
Downtown Revitalization
Effort?” and was attended
by approximately 100
business owners, elected
officials and non-profi
members from Malheur
and Baker Counties in
Oregon and Payette and
Washington Counties in
Idaho.
A breakfast of biscuits
and gravy, scrambled eggs,
sausage, bacon, orange
juice, tea and coffee was
served buffet style to all
attendees.
The meeting was opened
by SREDA Chair Patrick
Nauman, owner of Weiser
Classic Candy, with a
welcome for all in atten-
dance as well as the Pledge
of Allegiance. SREDA
Vice-Chair Logan Hamil-
ton, owner of several small
grocery stores in Eastern
Oregon, introduced the
speakers and reminded
everyone that, “Economic
development starts in this
room, with all of you.”
First to speak was Tom
Hemenway, VP of Colum-
bia Bank, who gave us an
agriculture and banking
update. Hemenway said,
“Do business with busi-
nesses who do business
with you. We should shop
little and local.” He report-
ed that the onion market
is way down and contracts
are scarce, sugar beets and
potatoes are holding their
own, and the cattle market
is strong with demand
staying steady. In the bank-
ing industry loan rates will
be going up and banks will
Eileen Driver / The Baker County Press
Representatives from Baker County regularly attend SREDA meetings to learn
about Malheur and Baker County Economic Development efforts.
continue to change and
consolidate through more
and more mergers.
Jerry Miller, economic
development specialist and
Idaho Main Street Program
Coordinator informed
us of the “Show me the
Money” newsletter with
listings of grant opportuni-
ties published by the Idaho
department of commerce,
about the upcoming NW
Community Development
Institute being held at
the Riverside Hotel in
Boise, Idaho from June
15-19, which is a week-
long intensive course in
community development
with a program certificate
available after the third
year of study and the new
addition to the Main street
program for small rural
communities who have a
hard time qualifying for
the regular program called
the Downtown Improve-
ment Network.
Sherri Stuart, Oregon
Main Street State Coordi-
nator and keynote speaker
for the event, with 25 years
of experience in economic
development and the Main
Street programs in both
Oregon and Washington,
told us of the impor-
tance of revitalizing our
downtowns. “People are
disenchanted with malls
and retail is returning to
downtown,” Stuart said.
“But the 9 to 5 shopping
hours are obsolete due to
the two-earner household,
the only people who can
shop 9 to 5 are the unem-
ployed.” The reasons why
Main Street is important
are the following:
1. It’s the employment
center,
2. civic center,
3. tax base,
4. historic area,
5. shopping and service
center,
6. promotes public and
private investment,
7. large tourism draw,
8. provides city with
sense of community and
place, and
9. is the “original green.”
The message that came
across loud and clear was
that smart cities are those
that value and promote
their downtowns.
The 2014 Oregon Main
Street Annual report, given
out at this event, reported
that Historic Baker
City (HBC) went thru sev-
eral organizational changes
in 2014 and launched a
new membership drive.
HBC worked on enhanc-
ing existing events and
adding new ones to pro-
mote and highlight all that
downtown has to offer.
Some of the highlights
were the HBC Holiday
Parlor Tour, the Taste of
Baker City and Halloween
activities. It also states that
physical improvements
continue with new banners
and facade improvements.
Sponsors for the 2015
Western Treasure Val-
ley Economic Breakfast
included Weiser Classic
Candy, Snake River
Economic Development
Alliance, Ontario Area
Chamber of Commerce,
Country Kitchen restau-
rant, The Argus Observer,
Saint Alphonsus Medical
Center, Farmer’s Mutual
Telephone Company, Clar-
ion Inn and Idaho Power.
Man arrested for Small flue fire
animal abuse
put out quickly
Chad Tyler Vaughan,
born 6/11/1995, of 2630
Resort Street in Baker City,
was arrested Tuesday night
at his home for Aggravated
Animal Abuse.
Vaughan is accused of
torturing a cat and record-
ing the act with his phone.
A small flue fire at
residence on C and 5th
Streets in Baker City, was
put out quickly on Wednes-
day morning, according to
responders.
Two engines were called
to the scene. No injuries
were reported.
Witty
Continued from Page 1
Salary Recap
A third candidate for the
superintendent position,
Outgoing
Orofino, Idaho supe -
Superintendent
intendent Robert Vian,
Walt Wegener
withdrew his name before
$113,209
the board meeting on
Thursday.
Incoming
Witty leaves his job
Superintendent
of five years as superi -
Mark Witty
tendent in the drastically
$124,500
shrinking Grant County
School District. He also
Curriculum Director,
served as principal for
Anthony Johnson
Grant Union High School
$98,065
for 12 years. He plans
to take over the top-spot
Assistant
for Baker School District
Superintendent
near the end of June, said
of Curriculum and
Board Chair Andrew
Instruction, Betty
Bryan.
Palmer
Walt Wegener, current
—Salary has not
superintendent for the
been set
Baker School District,
will be asked to finish out
the remainder of his contract concentrating on legislative
issues and as an advisor.
Palmer will step in March 9 as interim superintendent
until Witty becomes available in late June.
Knight Resigns.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, school board director
Kyle Knight tendered his resignation from the board.
Knight wrote, “I will be relocating out of the area to
focus on school and military service. I feel that it is in the
best interest of both myself and the District if I step down
early from the board. I will relinquish all of my responsi-
bilities and privileges as a board member effective March
31, 2015. I apologize for any inconvenience that my res-
ignation may cause to the school board, and will make all
efforts to help decrease any such inconvenience. I have
greatly enjoyed the experience of serving on the school
board during my term and am thankful to the community
for the opportunity. I am honored to have worked with
such fine people in the capacity of improving the school
and its functions for the students of the District.”
Congratulations!
David McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Congratulations to Debbie Swinyer of Baker City!
Debbie was the winner of our February Beef Month
Celebration random drawing. New and renewing
subscribers were automatically entered into a draw-
ing for a package of tender, Baker County-grown
sirloin steak, raised on the family ranch.