THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015
Business & Ag
Miners welcome special agent
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Last Friday night, The
Eastern Oregon Mining
Association hosted a semi-
nar featuring guest speaker
Jon Matye, a special agent
for the U.S. Forest service.
Matye has an impressive
career that includes experi-
ences in criminal and arson
investigations and he has
been a member of a drug
enforcement task force.
Matye worked in the
Wallowa-Whitman Nation-
al Forest and is familiar
with Eastern Oregon, liv-
ing in Baker City for about
five years. He now works
out of Pendleton.
Matye takes a low key
yet direct approach to his
duties. “Believe it or not
some people have said we
don’t have the authority
to do what we do,” Matye
said. “Throughout history
there are a few examples
that have gone to the
Supreme Court, every time
it’s been said we can do
what we do on National
Forests.”
He also explained dif-
ferences over the years in
crimes making things fit
into different brackets if on
Federal land with steeper
penalties. With the intro-
duction of 18 U.S. Code §
3559 A1G making a Feder-
al Misdemeanor 6 months
imprisonment and a fine of
$5.000. As Matye explains
“In the Federal System it’s
called a petty offense and
you just go in front of a
magistrate Judge and they
have the authority to set
the fines so a fine may be
different in California than
it is Eastern Oregon. Same
law though.”
Matye said in his 14
years of doing this job
he has never seen a fine
increased and said, “If
you call, it (a violation)
will probably be cut
in half. It costs a lot to
drive to Court, which is
held in Pendleton. They
respect your time and gas
money—it’s a ways from
Baker City or John Day. If
you show up to court the
U.S. Attorney’s office will
negotiate with you right
there.”
He also spoke of private
property rights on Federal
land and Right of Ways
that were in existence
before Federal lands were
created saying those are
non-federal interests within
the national forest lands,
however some require for-
est service authorization.
The Forest Service’s
primary concern is the
natural resources, he said.
If a person versus person
crime occurs on Federal
lands it is the responsibility
of local law enforcement to
address the crime. The For-
est service might assist but
that is it. “Unless there is
serious bodily harm occur-
ring we won’t take action.
It’s not our jurisdiction.
Hence, Cooperative Law
Enforcement, which allows
us to take action if we need
to.” Co-op agreements are
memorandums of under-
standing with other agen-
cies that also allow action
if necessary. Co-op agree-
ments are also a way the
Forest Service can utilize
local resources and support
for large events such as
fires where a guard may
be needed to watch over
equipment or otherwise
support the Forest Service.
With Co-op agreements,
the Forest Service can tap
into local resources and not
charge the people of the
County for what’s going
on in the National Forest.
Having a Co-op agreement
allows a mechanism to pay
for those services a county
may not be able to afford
to deal with a situation.
A co-op agreement is
mutually beneficially to the
parties, the idea is to work
cooperatively together to
investigate and take care
of issues that arise, for
example a marijuana grow
on Forrest Service land.
Matye indicates he would
not simply walk into OSP
and say, “I’m in charge,”
because of a courtesy
clause. “We work coopera-
tively together to try and
figure out how to best take
care of the issue.”
Matye said in the past,
people he has encountered
in the Forest have been
reluctant to talk with him.
He says he always wears
a uniform identifying
himself and drives a Forest
Service Vehicle. As stated
before he tries to be casual
when contacting anyone.
He may ask questions to
make certain a person on
the mining claim is sup-
posed to be there and is not
interfering with a claim.
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County
Economic Development
Committee (EDC) met on
Friday to discuss a variety
of topics, including a grant
request from the Baker
High School Future Busi-
ness Leaders of America
(FBLA).
Present from the EDC
were Chair Craig Ward,
Baker County Commission
Chair Bill Harvey, Baker
County Economic De-
velopment Director Greg
Smith, Smith’s assistant
Julee Hicks, Baker City
Manager Mike Kee, and
Baker City Councilman
Richard Langrell.
Guests included former
Blue Mountain Commu-
nity College Small Busi-
ness Development Center
(BMCC SBDC) Advisor
Bob Savage, Smith’s as-
sistant Sherri Smith, and
FBLA members Ashlie
Chastain, Hollis Robb,
Josie Bryan, Koby Hansen,
and Caroline Dudley.
Ward called the meeting
to order, and introductions
of the EDC members and
guests were made shortly
after that. Each of the
FBLA members introduced
themselves, including
some details about their
school activities/experi-
ence.
Kee addressed the FBLA
group, speaking about the
FBLA National Confer-
ence in Chicago, Illinois,
June 26-July 3, the atten-
dance of which is the pur-
pose for requesting funds
from the EDC. He said,
“From my point of view, if
we do contribute anything
to this project, then, we’re
going to ask for a couple
of things back from you,
as far as a report, you
know, how our money was
spent.”
Hansen, a junior,
responded with a short
presentation, describing the
purpose for the FBLA. He
said, “The mission of the
FBLA is to bring business
and education together in a
positive working environ-
ment, through individual
leadership, and profes-
sional consulting.”
Robb, also a junior,
spoke about the positive
experience involved with
attending conferences, and
about the connections and
networking opportunities.
She discussed the State
conference, and said, “It’s
really life-changing. All
of us got the opportunity
to meet people from across
the state.”
Bryan, a sophomore,
said, about her learning ex-
perience at the State con-
ference, “We want to take
those skills we learned,
and bring them back to
our local communities and
schools.”
Chastain, a freshman,
discussed the short time-
frame, April to mid-May,
in which to raise funds
for the trip, and she said
about $899 is required for
registration.
Harvey asked how many
members are in the group,
and Dudley, who graduates
this year, responded that in
the local FBLA Chapter,
there are 52, 33 having
attended the State Confer-
ence. Dudley said that
six from the local Chapter
are planning to attend the
National Conference.
Ward told the group that
there are some discretion-
ary funds available, but
more details would be
needed in order to disperse
those funds. Kee reiterated
that the EDC needs to be
careful about the invest-
ment, because the public
expects a return on that.
Robb said, “It’s an op-
portunity that not many
of us get, and we’ll be the
ones running the town in
the future, and businesses,
because we have a passion
for it, so, sending us to
Nationals is not going to
further our education, but
it will give us unbeliev-
able business opportunities
and experience. I strongly
believe that, what we will
bring home will better the
community, if not now, in
the future.”
Harvey explained that
this is a fairly new type of
request, and since the EDC
normally is associated with
investing in businesses, so
the full amount requested,
about $1,800 per individ-
ual, is difficult to justify,
but he suggested $1,500
granted to the group to
assist with the funding for
the trip, which works at to
be $250 per person. Smith
moved to grant the $1,500
in total, and Kee seconded,
and the motion carried.
Ward said that part of the
stipulation for the granted
funds is a full report on
what was learned, what
experiences the group had,
etc., after attending the
conference.
The minutes from the
Friday, April 24, 2015
EDC meeting were ap-
proved, with a motion from
Kee, and a second from
Smith.
Harvey gave a Com-
mission update, includ-
ing unexpected budget
expenditures and major
maintenance issues with
buildings in the County.
He also mentioned desiring
Friday, June 5, 2015 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady compared to the
same quality last week. Trade activity and demand
picked up a little this week. Most producers are
sold out for the season.
No new confirmed sales this week.
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Grain Report —
Gina K. Swartz / The Baker County
Press
Special Agent Jon Matye
was the special guest at
this last EOMA meeting.
Occasionally, those he
contacts react adversely to
his questions and he said at
that point he will become
a lot more direct and says
he does have the authority
to investigate deeper if he
feels it necessary, and not
just on mining claims but
anywhere he is concerned
about activities that are
occurring or did occur in
Forest Service land.
Matye says he does
encounter people camp-
ing that don’t realize they
are on a mining claim,
although they are well
marked. As long as no
disturbance to the claim
is made there is no reason
they can’t be there.
There are certain steps
that must be made to have
a legal, legitimate min-
ing claim—one is to file a
notice of intent. Matye was
not sure of the specifics
in order to remain on the
claim for any length of
time a plan of occupancy
must also be in place that
requires a certain amount
of work on the claim.
Economic Development: Smith’s
contract renewed with $96K salary
BY TODD ARRIOLA
— Weekly Hay Report —
more Forest Service timber
sales, and developing
smaller industries.
Ward began a discussion
regarding Smith’s em-
ployment contract, which
expires June 30, includ-
ing accomplishments and
future goals. Smith gave
some examples of potential
new business opportunities
currently being pursued,
and explained the process,
and also the difficulties
with attracting new busi-
nesses to the area.
Ward shared documenta-
tion with the committee
about what all is expected
of Smith, who earns
$96,000 a year as a private
contractor, in his position
as Economic Development
Director. Langrell moved
to renew Smith’s contract
for another two years, with
the option to extend it, and
Kee seconded. The motion
carried.
Smith discussed the
Outdoor Retailer Summer
Market, held in Salt Lake
City, Utah, August 5-6,
2015, an event he wishes
to attend. He’s been to the
show three times in the
past, he said, and it’s an
opportunity to reach out
to potential manufactur-
ers in order to showcase
the benefits of bringing
their business to the local
community. Smith said
that the cost of registration
for the show and gas funds
are requested, as hotel
accommodations would be
covered.
The committee dis-
cussed the trip, and Harvey
emphasized a heavy focus
on promoting the need
for a local timber indus-
try. Kee moved to grant
the funds requested, and
Langrell seconded. The
motion carried.
Friday, June 5, 2015
Bids in Portland for 11.5 percent protein US 1 Hard
Red Winter Wheat for June delivery were 3.75 cents
per bushel higher compared to Monday’s noon bids
for June delivery. Bids for US 2 Yellow Corn deliv-
ered full coast in 110 car shuttle trains trended 0.25 of
a cent per bushel lower compared to Monday’s noon
bids.
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 380
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 267.00 - 289.00 Top 310.00
400-500# Bulk 258.00 - 302.00 Top 317.00
500-600# Bulk 239.00 - 266.00 Top 270.00
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 249.00 - 266.00 Top 277.00
400-500# Bulk 231.00 - 247.00 Top 251.00
500-600# Bulk 226.00 - 244.00 Top 247.00
Yearling Steers
600-700# Bulk 214.00 - 228.00 Top 230.00
700-800# Bulk 208.00 - 218.00 Top 223.00
800-900# Bulk N/A Top N/A
900-1,000# Bulk 179.00 - 187.00 Top 190.00
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 209.00 - 236.00 Top 240.00
700-800# Bulk 189.00 - 214.00 Top 216.00
800-900# Bulk N/A Top N/A
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Thin Shelly Cows 82.00 - 96.00
Butcher Cows 97.00 - 112.00
Butcher Bulls 117.00 - 137.00
Pairs BM N/A
Younger Hfrts. 1121.00 - 147.00
Young Pairs - N/A
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon
Doug Fir is $415.00/mbf
White fir is $365.00/mbf
Ponderosa Pine is brought sold
on diameter splits
6 to 11 inch dib $300 to $310/MBF
12 to 17 inch dib $350 to $375/MBF
18 to 23 inch dib $400 to $430/MBF
24 inch plus dib $450 to $500/MBF
DIB is diameter inside bark at
small end of log.
MBF is thousand board feet lumber, net scale.
People interested in selling logs
should call and get specific
quotes from saw mills.
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1176.20
Silver: $15.91
Platinum: $1,109.28
Palladium: $742.75
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $365.00/bu/USD
Wheat: $532.25/bu/USD
Soybeans: $943.55/bu/USD
Oats: $257.00 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $9.98/cwt/USD
Canola: $489.90 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $152.88/lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $224.23/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $79.98/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com