FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local
Commissioners’ letters
Continued from Page 1
Bennett’s letter contin-
ues, “I also value your
willingness to continue the
discussions and allow input
on roads as new data is dis-
covered, and the fact that
the Wallowa Whitman NF
agrees with Baker County
that having an accurate
base map layer is critical
to all future discussions of
travel management.
“I also would like to
acknowledge the reset in
the forest planning effort
by yourself and Regional
Forester Peña providing
Baker County the ability
through the coordination
and cooperation processes
to continue working to-
ward a balanced resolution
of the outstanding issues as
they impact our communi-
ties and the county.
“Looking forward, I
would see the discus-
sions focusing on, but not
limited to the following:
Forest Health; Community
Stability; Forest Access/
Travel Management; Pro-
posed wilderness/road less
areas; Mineral extraction;
Timber harvest; Grazing;
Recreation.
“As a county we cur-
rently are in the process
of fine tuning our Natural
Resources Plan. This will
insure that it provides the
clarity necessary to work
through the various issues
and provides a definite
roadmap outlining the
challenges and concerns of
the various communities
within Baker County. We
must collectively work to
maintain the customs, cul-
ture and economic stability
of Baker County, while
balancing the mandates of
the United States Forest
Service.
“In closing I am looking
forward to the resolution of
the issues as documented
in the comments submitted
by Baker County.
“Please feel free to con-
tact my anytime.”
Bennett said in an
interview this week that
he had drafted his letter
himself. He also stated, “I
have never, in my entire
time here, heard the word
collaboration. That was
their choice (The Baker
City Herald’s). But, I hope
that everyone will just look
past that, because it wasn’t
my choice of words, it
wasn’t Tim’s (Kerns’s)
choice of words.”
The letter, does, how-
ever, appear to embrace
“cooperation.”
In certain circumstances,
according to consultant
Andy Rieber, coopera-
tion should be considered,
which may have not been
articulated well enough in
his letter, Bennett said. “I
have never changed what
I said all along, as far as
(forest) access, as far as
travel management, as far
as mineral extraction. I
would encourage every-
body to look at my track
record.”
As far as cooperation
is concerned, he said, “It
wasn’t until Bill (Harvey)
retained Andy Rieber that
I even considered coopera-
tion.”
Then, another letter was
presented already fully
drafted to the Commission-
ers by Kerns—a letter that
also mentions “coopera-
tion.”
When asked if he had as-
sistance penning the letter,
Kerns replied, “Hell yes,
I had help.” He acknowl-
edged that his wife, Jan
Kerns, who was appointed
March 18 to a new term
to the Natural Resources
Advisory Committee
(NRAC), co-authored
the letter, which empha-
sizes the NRAC’s role, and
praises the Forest Service.
This letter was then sent
from Kerns to Montoya,
and co-signed by Bennett,
dated March 31, 2015.
Harvey declined to sign
this letter, which in its
entirety, reads:
“Thank you for acced-
ing to the county request
last November to extend
the comment period on
Sub-part A for 90 days. I
understand that the purpose
of this comment period is
for the public to review
the present set of forest
service road maps for cor-
rectness as to existence of
roads on the ground. I also
understand that you will
continue to accept citizen
information on the roads as
you move forward.
“I totally understand
how difficult all of this
has been to convey to
the public how all of the
‘pieces fit togethe ’ in the
entire Forest Plan revision
process. Travel manage-
ment has been a hot-button
issue in the county since it
was first introduced many
years ago.
“As you know a group
of Baker County residents,
with diversified forest-use
interests, spent many hours
crafting an approach to in-
ventorying the roads with
the intent of being fair on
reporting which roads were
no longer passable, which
ones were duplicative in
route, and which ones
had severe environmental
conditions such as erosion.
Although not all roads in
all watersheds were actu-
Ontario assault suspect
caught in Baker City
A man wanted by On-
tario Police was arrested
by Baker City Police last
week after they received
a tip he was at 2920 Elm
Street in Baker City.
19-year-old Justin Lee
Englund was wanted in
Ontario after on Sunday,
March 29 at approximately
2:30 a.m, Police began an
assault investigation at a
mobile home park.
The suspect was making
suicidal comments. He cut
his wrists and was threat-
ening harm to himself.
Englund then engaged in
a physical altercation with
a former domestic partner,
a 25 year-old female from
Ontario. The female stated
Englund hit her in the face
and bit her leg during the
altercation. Englund was
violating a protection order
Submitted Photo.
Justin Lee Englund.
by contacting the female.
A 32 year-old male
from Ontario attempted to
intervene and told officers
that Englund cut him with
a knife. This individual
sustained a laceration to
his abdomen and was taken
to the hospital.
Englund fled the scene
on a bicycle, which was
later found abandoned
about a block away.
ally on-site inventoried,
citizens with personal
knowledge of the roads in
their local or recreational
areas helped fill out the i -
ventory sheets and helped
to complete markings of
the maps.
“A set of watershed-
based maps were turned
into the Forest Service
with recommendations on
road status, as well as a da-
ta-based inventory spread-
sheet with road conditions
on most of the roads at the
time of the inventory. It
is my understanding that
information from that set
of maps was used to make
up some of the information
on the present set of maps
tat the public was asked to
review for accuracy.
“There are many
concerns that need to be
addressed between Baker
County and the Wallowa-
Whitman Forest such
as: Overall forest health
and how to achieve more
sanitation and thinning
projects; How to secure
more actual logging extrac-
tion projects; Access for
grazing, mineral extrac-
tion, recreation and public
uses; Economic impact of
agency decisions on the lo-
cal and county economy.
“Examples of excel-
lent Wallowa-Whitman
forest health management
practices can be seen in
the fire reforestation on
Dooley Mountain, as well
as the thinning and forest
sanitation on the Sumpter-
Whitney highway routes.
Both visually demonstrate
healthy forest environ-
ments.
“It is my goal that
we craft a good work-
ing relationship where
we can utilize both the
Cooperating Agency and
Coordination processes.
The federal forest is an
important and integral part
of Baker County, and I
wish to maintain a strong
and positive working
relationship as we move
forward through the Forest
Plan Revision process,
completion of the required
Travel Management plan,
and ultimately more timber
being removed from our
forest to lessen the impact
of inferno-like forest fires
“I also desire that a good
working relationship can
be crafted between the
Wallowa-Whitman Forest
staff and the Baker County
Natural Resources Advi-
sory Committee (NRAC).
They are the working
group for developing posi-
tions on natural resource
issues confronting Baker
County.
“We are truly grateful
to have at least 100 USFS
FTE (full-time employee)
neighbors in our com-
munity, and the addition
of several hundred USFS
retirees. They are all an
integral part of the social
and economic base of our
county.
“Please feel free to
contact me if you have any
questions. I look forward
to continuing to build a
strong, trustful and respect-
ful working relationship
with you and your staff.”
Kerns referenced Har-
vey’s interview published
in the March 27, 2015
issue of The Baker City
Herald as part of the rea-
son he drafted the letter to
Montoya.
When asked if this let-
ter and his comments to
that paper signaled a rift
with Harvey, Kerns said,
“I don’t think we have a
rift. He’s just a little bit
more aggressive than I am,
but I’m concerned that we
need to start a dialogue
with the Forest Service, or
we won’t go any place.”
He continued, “I’m very
confused on how much
power we’ve got over the
Forest Service. I under-
stand that the BLM has
to coordinate with us, but
the Forest Service, they’re
not under exactly the same
rules, and I think that
we have to get a lawyer
to show us just what its
authority is. Nevertheless,
we’ve got to start talking.
We’ve got to start working
something out.”
Harvey said, “There was
no mention in that letter
(Kerns’s) of collabora-
tion. Neither one of these
gentlemen or myself said
that word. That was the
paper. Their choice of
headlines, I guess.”
Harvey refused to
co-sign Kerns’s letter,
because, “In it, it also
specifies to me, a little
too murky, that, factually,
we said we would not go
along with the Forest Revi-
sion Plan, and the letter
seemed to me to say, ‘Now,
we’re ready to go along
with the Forest Revision
Plan.’ I couldn’t sign that,
because I objected to that.
So, it wasn’t to put these
gentlemen (Bennett and
Kerns) down. It was just
my personal feeling that I
could not sign it.”
During Wednesday’s
County Commission work
session, Harvey informed
the attendees that this topic
would more thoroughly be
discussed with Montoya
and his staff at the upcom-
ing regular Commission
session, on Wednesday,
April 29 at 9 a.m.
Four receive sentences
On March 25, Bryson
Buchanan of 1209 Court
St., Baker City, Oregon,
was sentenced to 22
months with the Oregon
Department of Corrections.
Buchanan pled guilty to
one count of Unlawful
Delivery of Metham-
phetamine. One count of
Unlawful Possession of
Methamphetamine was
dismissed as part of the
plea agreement.
Buchanan will be on
two years’ post prison
supervision when released.
Buchanan sold metham-
phetamine to an undercov-
er informant on November
30, 2014.
On March 31, Buddy
Otnes of 1908 Chestnut
Street was also sentenced
to 16 months. He pled
guilty to one count of
Criminal Conspiracy.
A separate county of
Criminal Conspiracy was
dismissed as part of the
plea agreement with the
District Attorney’s Office.
He will be on two years’
post prison supervision
when released from prison.
Otnes was involved in
setting up multiple drug
sales involving metham-
phetamine.
Two other Defendants
were also sentenced. Both
Arthur Gentry and Kristin
DeJong of Baker City,
Oregon were sentenced to
three years’ probation and
ordered to serve 30 days
in the County Jail. Both
Defendants were convicted
of Unlawful Delivery of
Methamphetamine.
All four cases were part
of an ongoing drug inves-
tigation conducted by the
Baker County Narcotics
Team in which ten Defen-
dants were indicted.
Fire service task
performance
exercise April 18
On Saturday April 18th Federal, State and fire agencies
from around the county will come together to participate
in the 11th Annual Baker County Fire Service Task Per-
formance Exercise, also know within the fire service as
the Scavenger Hunt.
Originally created in 2005, the event was developed to
bring fire agencies together to practice skills and mit -
gate realistic incident scenarios. An added bonus was to
highlight the need to find new volunteer firefighters f
Baker County fire agencies. In 2015, the goals have not
changed – departments benefit greatly by coming together
to participate in scenario based exercises, and the fire
service is always interested in bringing on new personnel.
Those interested in joining a local fire department/district,
should contact their local agency.
This year’s Fire Service Task Performance Exercise will
have several structural related task performance stations,
and a wildland-urban interface station. The event will be-
gin with Fire agencies being dispatched to a skill station
and upon arrival, perform a variety of firefighting tasks.
While we develop new scenarios each year, past skill
stations have included – radio communications, technical
scene size-up, apparatus operation, working with equip-
ment such as ladders, hydrants and fire tools. Each of
the Teams will have to successfully complete all scenario
based stations.
As in prior years, each Team will be required to work
through the emergency situation presented and will be
scored on safety, coordination and organization, com-
munications and appropriate completion of the scenario
based incident. These realistic scenarios will challenge
the crews.
“Each year we create realistic and challenging scenarios
– but the overall goal is to allow agencies to evaluate and
improve response skills, and ultimately enjoy the day,”
said Gary Timm, Fire Division Manager of Baker County
Emergency Management. “While this exercise could be
seen as a fire service preparedness exercise, I’m hoping it
will also be viewed as dedicated local firefighter coming
together from around the county to enhance their abilities
to respond within their own communities.”
Chief Mark John, Baker City Fire Department, added,
“This interagency exercise allows agencies to come
together and review incident stabilization techniques and
best practices. It’s also an opportunity to reinforce com-
mon operational platforms that can lead to the develop-
ment of standardized practices throughout the county.”
Past Winners of the Baker County Fire Service Task
Performance Exercise:
2005 Keating Rural Fire Protection District
2006 Baker City Fire Department
2007 Baker Rural Fire Protection District
2008 Keating Rural Fire Protection District
2009 Baker Rural Fire Protection District
2010 Baker Rural Fire Protection District
2011 Baker City Fire Department
2012 Baker Rural Fire Protection District
2013 Baker City Fire Department
2014 Eagle Valley Fire Protection District
Scholarship
winners announced
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) announces
it has awarded 28 scholarships of $5,000 each to local
students whose parents, or guardians, are members of
OTEC.
Baker County Recipients: Annika Andersen, Michelle
Birkmaier, Terri Clark, Cody Gyllenberg, Michelle
Lehman, Lee McElligott, Kyle Srack, Zachary Tomac
Lineman Scholarships: Austin Plumbtree, Logan Val-
entine
Grant County Recipients: Gerald “Jerry” Carter,,Rayce
Houser, Mikayla Luttrell, Adilene Olivera-Sanchez
Harney County Recipients: Hailey Bodewig, Austin
Feist, Jackson Thein, Mattea Zabala
Union County Recipients: Kristen Allstott, Andrew
Branen, Debora Brown, Jake Burgess, Alexandra Colton
Kindra Moore, Carsyn Roberts, Adriana Stein, Carrie
Wallace, Elias Wisdom
“OTEC is proud to help support the higher educational
goals of students within our service territory,” said Wer-
ner Buehler, General Manager for OTEC. “It is always
a pleasure to see many of our past scholarship recipients
completing their education and it is our hope they will re-
turn home to their Eastern Oregon roots to pursue careers,
raise their families and contribute to their communities.
That is a positive return on investment that the entire
region would benefit from.
Applications are open to current high school seniors
and college students who are members, or dependents, of
OTEC members. “Co-operatives are, by their very na-
ture, community partners,” said Buehler, “and with these
scholarships OTEC is making a contribution towards the
sustainable development and future of our communities.
We wish all of the recipients the very best in their future
studies.”
Applications were sorted by each of the four counties
served by OTEC and evaluated by independent scholar-
ship selection committees made up of OTEC members.
Each committee then worked through an evaluation pro-
cess ending with the selection of recipients and alternates
for each county. Funding for the scholarship program
is derived from interest earned on unclaimed refunds of
capital credits. Applications for 2016 scholarships will be
made available online and through local guidance coun-
selors starting November 2015.