FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local
Eastern Oregon counties
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The coordination process
has been used by local
governments throughout
the West to protect local
interests by working with
federal and state land use
planners. The process of
coordination has been used
to protect local interests by
enabling local government
to work in a government-
to-government relation-
ship with federal and state
agencies ensuring that
federal and state land use
plans remain consistent
with local natural resource
plans during land manage-
ment projects.
Harney County has
begun the work of coordi-
nating with the BLM on
the Greater sage-grouse
protection plan, Harvey an-
nounced at the August 1st
meeting of Forest Access
for All, a local organization
formed to advocate for an
open forest.
Harney County com-
missioners are using
coordination to protect
cattle grazing on the great
expanse of federal land
within the boundaries of
Oregon’s geographically
largest county as the BLM
works on the Greater Sage-
grouse protection plan,
said Harvey.
Wallowa County com-
missioner Paul Castilleja
has been an advocate of
coordination for many
years and has worked to
get the Wallowa County
Board of Commissioners
to begin the coordination
process as the USFS works
on the revision of the Blue
Mountain Forest Plan and
on a Travel Management
Plan for the Wallowa-
Whitman National Forest.
Baker County Natural
Resource Advisory Com-
mittee is currently fina -
izing the county’s Natural
Resource Plan.
Once finished, commi -
sioners can then take the
Baker County Natural Re-
source Plan to coordinate
with the USFS and BLM
on several federal land use
plans currently underway.
Some of the fed-
eral plans to be rolled
out within the next year
or two on lands within
Baker County include the
revision of the USFS Blue
Mountain Forest Plan, the
USFS Travel Management
Plan in the Wallowa-Whit-
man National Forest, the
BLM Greater sage-grouse
protection plan, the BLM
Baker Area Resource
Management Plan, and
the BLM planning project
for the placement of Idaho
Brian Addison / The Baker County Press
Bill Harvey, chairman of the Baker County Board of Commissioners, and Forest
Access for All Secretary Wanda Ballard discuss county business during a recent
Forest Access for All meeting, Aug. 1.
Power’s 500-kV electrical
line.
“We’re a week or two
from finalizing our Natural
Resource Plan, then we
will declare coordination,”
said Harvey. “They have
to deal with Baker County
government.”
Harvey has requested
weekly one-hour meet-
ings to begin a dialogue on
topics important to Baker
County with Tom Mon-
toya, USFS Supervisor
for the Wallowa-Whitman
National Forest.
Timber thinning in the
Baker City watershed,
protecting county rights-
of-way in the forested
lands, helping restore
land affected by wildfire
through allowing heating
firewood gathering in areas
of blown down timber, and
an open forest policy in
Baker County top the list
of concerns Harvey plans
to discuss with Montoya
and to cover in the coordi-
nation effort.
Success stories from
county and city govern-
ments and school districts
using the process of coor-
dination resonate through-
out the western states with
local resources and inter-
ests protected from federal
and state planning projects
in Owyhee County, Idaho,
Shasta, Siskiyou, and
Modoc counties in Califor-
nia, and Sanders County,
Montana.
Probably the highest pro-
file success story recently
came out of Texas where
several small school dis-
tricts joined together and
asserted their local plan
using coordination to stop
the Trans-Texas Corridor,
a project that would have
split up long-established
school districts forcing
a complete redrawing of
bussing routes. The school
districts found that unac-
ceptable and showed where
the plan to construct the
multi-lane super freeway
was counter to local inter-
ests and plans.
Fred Kelly Grant’s Co-
ordination 101 Workshop
coming to Baker City.
One man has led the
charge to protect local
resources through the
legal process of coordina-
tion. For the past 25 years,
Idaho lawyer and land use
expert Fred Kelly Grant
has helped local commu-
nities realize their rights
and enter into coordina-
tion with federal and
state agencies during land
management projects.
Hundreds of people have
attended Grant’s coordina-
tion training classes during
the past two decades and
this month eastern Oregon
residents won’t have far to
travel for the opportunity
to learn directly from the
source.
Grant and a host of
nationally recognized
experts in coordination are
coming to Baker City for a
three-day training work-
shop. The Fred Kelly Grant
Group presents Coordina-
tion 101, beginning August
20 through August 22.
“Fred Kelly Grant has
listed ‘success after suc-
cess’ over the years in
which the coordination
process was used by local
agencies across the West to
block grazing restrictions
on federal land, reverse
forest closures or to get
federal agencies to back
off from protected-species
restrictions,” begins an
advertising flyer being
circulated throughout
the community. “We are
bringing this to Baker City
to help Eastern Oregon
Businesses, Organiza-
tions, and Counties learn
what makes the mandatory
Coordination process with
Federal and State Agencies
successful and then receive
the detailed steps and tools
necessary to create just
such a relationship.”
Along with Grant, the
Coordination 101 Work-
shop brings trainers Sylvia
Milligan, Chairperson for
the Recreation Outdoors
Coalition from Siskiyou
County, California; Sean
Curtis, natural resource
advisor and analyst from
Modoc County, Califor-
nia; Terri Hall, who was
instrumental in stopping
the Trans Texas Corridor;
Dick Wright, chairperson
for the Shasta County Co-
ordination Coalition; and
also from Shasta County,
California Sally Rapoza.
The Coordination 101
Workshop is a privately
sponsored event. The
workshop begins August
20 with registration begin-
ning at 7:30 a.m. and the
presentation beginning
at 8:30 a.m., continuing
August 21 and 22. The
workshop takes place at
the Baker County Events
Center (old National Guard
Armory building), 2600
East Street. Cost to attend
the workshop is set at $150
and includes lunch for
the three days, workbook
and brochures, intensive
training, and interactive
problem solving.
Those interested in at-
tending should contact
Lorrie Harvey by phone at
541-519-5470, by E-mail
at lorrieharvey@gmail.
com, or by visiting 3370
10th Street, Suite C, Baker
City. Checks should be
made out to, “Keep the
Fight.”
Chip sealing to begin in Baker
Beginning August 10,
2015, the Baker City Pub-
lic Works Department will
be chip sealing a number
of city streets.
It is expected that this
work will last for four
days.
The chip seal process
extends the life of a street
by restoring vital asphalt
pavement components that
are lost through the aging
and oxidation process. By
sealing the street, moisture
is unable to penetrate be-
low the asphalt surface.
Additionally, recently
paved surfaces will receive
a fog seal coat on August
17. A map showing the
streets to be treated during
the 2015 project is at-
tached.
A minimum 48-hours
notice will be provided to
residents affected by the
street improvement project.
Please expect traffic
delays and possible rerout-
ing of traffic during this
project. Should inclem-
ent weather conditions or
mechanical issues arise,
the street work will be
rescheduled for the next
available work day.
Your cooperation and
patience during this project
is appreciated.
If you have any ques-
tions, please contact Baker
City Public Works at (541)
524-2063.
EOU offers rafting trip
Eastern Oregon Univer-
sity’s Outdoor Adventure
Program is organizing an
outings for new freshmen
this September.
Registrations are being
accepted now a five-day
whitewater rafting trip.
First gridiron
grill-off held
before game
Space is limited and early
reservations are recom-
mended. Eastern Oregon
University This 50-mile,
multi-day whitewater raft-
ing trip explores the Lower
Deschutes River in central
Oregon. The river flows
through high desert with
stunning cliffs of towering
basalt, rolls over Class ll
and Class lll rapids, and
has plenty of calmer sec-
tions to relax, soak up the
sun and share good times
with new friends.
Dates: September 18-22
Student Limit: 12
Fitness Level: Easy
Cost: $300
For more information
contact Hatch at 541-962-
3621, mhatch@eou.edu or
visit www.eou.edu/outdoor.
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
The Baker County Cattlewomen co-sponsored the
first gridiron cooko f and tailgate party this year
before the big Shrine Game.
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
On Saturday, August 1, 2015, the very first Baker
County Gridiron Tailgate and Grill-Off, sponsored by the
Baker County Cattlewomen (BCC) and the Baker County
Livestock Association (BCLA), was held at in the lot at
3240 10th Street, northwest of Baker Bulldog Memorial
Stadium, before the annual East-West Shrine football
game.
Despite the heat (the event ran from noon to six p.m.),
plenty of attendance was noted, including members of the
community, the East and West cheerleading squads, and
travelers from out of the area.
Food and beverages (non-alcoholic) were available
there, including different cuts of beef (the main theme
and promotion), barbecued on several different grills.
One notable cooking method involved using a pitchfork
to skewer the chunks of beef, and lowering them into
a pot of cooking oil, which was accomplished by Roy
Anderson of the Anderson Cattle Company.
Jake Bingham, President of the BCLA, manned one
of the grills, along with Matt McGilligan, offering free
samples of beef (a common practice there). Bingham
said, “The proceeds we get—the Cattlewomen and the
Cattlemen—basically goes to help pay for the Shrine
game.” He said that the Shrine Steer, auctioned off during
half-time of the game, was pre-purchased by the BCLA
and BCC from Cody Bellville.
Bingham said, “The idea is to, year after year, get more
businesses interested, and generate more excitement for
it,” speaking about the desire to make the event a success-
ful, continuing, annual tradition, and to promote the beef
industry in the process.
“If this can be something that adds to the Shrine game,
if it draws people to come into town, I think that’s what
we want to see, “ he said.
J.R. Striefel and Martin Arritola were cooking beef at
yet another grill next to the BCLA’s 2015 Honda Rancher
ATV the group purchased from Cliff’s Saws and Cycles
of Baker City, as a part of a raffle fundraise . BCLA’s
goal was to sell 499 tickets for $20 a piece for the chance
to win the ATV.
Debi Bainter, Jeff Nelson, Jerry Peacock and Cheryl
Martin of the Baker County Chamber of Commerce
grilled beef under another canopy, selling it shish kebab-
style, with vegetables. Pat Sullivan also had cuts of beef
grilling, with gathered members of the Burnt River area
ranching community.
A silent auction included: a leather recliner from Home
Furnishings Liquidator, a Shrine blanket throw from
Bill and Colleen Taylor and Phil and Heidi Lagao, a $30
gift certificate and free fill punch card ($40 value) fro
Burger Bob’s, seven panels and one gate from Behlen
Manufacturing, two Civil War (Oregon/Oregon State)
football tickets from Chandler Herefords, a Russell Wil-
son #3 Limited Edition mini football from the Seattle Se-
ahawks, a handmade “Code Of The West” crock from Old
Crow Stoneware Company/Pam Bingham, two separate
$50 fuel certificates from Black Distributing, two yards of
landscape bark from Ace Nursery Grass Growers, a Silver
Level membership from the Baker County Chamber of
Commerce and Visitors Bureau, one pet photo session,
one children photo session, and one family photo session
from Kolshots Photography By Heidi Lagao, a Haines
Stampede hat and two general admission tickets to the
Demolition Derby from Haines Stampede and Rodeo, and
a metal barbecue pit with supplies from Mountainview
Cattle and Morris Angus Ranch.
York’s Covered Wagon was represented at the event,
along with other vendors, including the BCC, Baker Food
Co-op, Brianna’s Breads, Baker County Custom Meats,
Umpqua Bank, Mountainview Cattle Company, Morris
Angus Ranch, Lions International, and Country Financial.
Tacos Don Pedros, a regular lot vendor, also was there
and open.
Mary Ellen Anderson, of the BCC and Anderson Cattle
Company, who played a major role in bringing the ven-
dors and volunteers together to make the event a possibil-
ity, said, “Just remember the Cattlewomen, and we kind
of brainchild these things along. We want to make it an
annual event. We want it to grow. It’s very non-tradition-
al (as a tailgate party), but we have the game, and people
from all over the state, and it’s all part of who we are.”