FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
Metro affects eastern Oregon Sumpter
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Poole says his father, “a
child of the Depression”
who lived in western Or-
egon, but owned a mining
claim outside Sumpter,
worked most of his life
taking care of property for
a living, and warned Poole
as a teenager of what he
foresaw as the “misappli-
cation of the Oregon land
use plan.”
His father’s words
resonated with Poole years
later when the Portland ar-
ea’s Metropolitan Service
District or “Metro” autho-
rized Tri-Met to “drop the
end of the light rail into the
neighborhood with almost
no input from citizens. The
citizens said ‘no thanks,’”
Poole said.
The project was stopped,
but Metro and Trimet
continued to impose the
$1.5 billion project on the
community. Poole said he
eventually decided to be
“the first person to stand up
and not go away.”
In 2011 and 2012, Poole
was one of the forces
behind successful signature
drives for initiatives that
now require a vote of the
citizens before implemen-
tation of urban renewal
projects or light rail lines.
Poole and his associ-
ates are hoping to collect
88,000 signatures by July
of 2016 to place “An Act
to return land use authority
to the counties and cities
in Oregon” on the ballot in
November of 2016.
The initiative would
limit the reach of metro-
politan service districts,
as well as the adoption of
regional plans based upon
them. The group stresses
that the initiative would
not change land use laws,
per se, but would protect
those adopted locally
rather than allowing any
Metro to duplicate those
laws unnecessarily and
withhold badly needed
funds for noncompliance.
“It’s become a self-
feeding machine,” said
Poole. In Portland alone,
25% of state taxes from
residents in that area are
funneled to the Metro—the
maximum state allow-
ance under the law. Metro
operates on nearly a $500
million budget.
Of concern to Poole are
the sweeping long-range
land use plans Portland
Metro has formed such as
Metro 2040, which was
essentially copied by Bend,
which then formed Bend
2030 under the direction of
embattled former guber-
natorial girlfriend Cylvia
Hayes.
Based on that same
Portland Metro model,
and with the support of
environmental groups
such as 1,000 Friends of
Oregon, Kitzhaber set up
11 planning districts across
the state under the name
“Regional Solutions.”
Baker, Union and Wal-
lowa Counties are lumped
together as the “Northeast
Region.”
Neighboring Gilliam,
Grant, Harney, Malheur,
Morrow, Umatilla, and
Wheeler Counties are the
“Greater Eastern Region.”
Regional Solutions is the
Governor’s “approach to
community and economic
development,” established
by executive order and
implemented by a subse-
quent House Bill.
“Metro can get its
tentacles into rural areas
through Regional Solu-
tions,” said Poole.
Primary Priorities, ac-
cording to the Governor’s
office, for the Northeast
Region are:
• Increased Productivity
from Federal Forest Lands
• Funding for two NEPA
teams per forest and ad-
ditional implementation
teams.
• Accelerated restoration
strategy for dry forests.
• Skilled Workforce
Availability
• Increase availability
of training/certification
programs.
• Increase vocational/
career technical education
availability (Eastern Prom-
ise as a delivery model).
• Address interstate cer-
tification reciprocity issues.
• Integrate with Coor-
dinated Care Organiza-
tions and Early Learning
Councils.
• Available infrastructure
to serve industrial sites
• Rail spur to Baum In-
dustrial Park.
• Rail switch at Elkhorn
Industrial Park.
• Sewer/water extension
to Joseph Industrial Park.
• Marketable Industrial
Land
• Funding and technical
assistance to ensure a sup-
ply of marketable indus-
trial lands
• Value-Added Natural
Resource Utilization
• Forest restoration infra-
structure
• Agricultural product
processing
• Mining/metals extrac-
tion and processing
• Support Regional Verti-
cal Integration Opportuni-
ties
• Wood products
• RV manufacturing
Secondary Priorities:
• Regional Business
Recruitment Marketing
Strategy
• Website development
• Investigate air com-
merce opportunities
• USFS 39 Road
• Funding for repair and
maintenance
• Entrepreneurial Devel-
opment
• Access to capital
• Incubator feasibility and
operation analysis (Baker
and Union counties)
• Business Succession/
Transition to Next Genera-
tion
“Do we want our tax
shakeup
Continued from Page 1
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Clackamas County’s Les Poole toured most of
central and eastern Oregon this past week, gather-
ing signatures for an upcoming ballot initiative.
dollars funding a machine
with a terrible track re-
cord?” asked Poole.
The list of taxpayer-fund-
ed projects currently un-
derway in eastern Oregon
due to Regional Solutions
are:
• Bates Pond (OC):
Determining whether a col-
laborative process will be
feasible to resolve issues
regarding fish passage
for threatened steelhead
and bull trout populations
located in Bates State Park
in the Blue Mountains.
Beaty Butte Grazing As-
sociation (OC): Exploring
collaborative approaches
to resolving five issues
including: the potential
listing of the greater sage-
grouse, livestock graz-
ing, wild horses, energy
development, and wilder-
ness study areas/special
designations.
• BLM Burns District
Wildfire Workgroup (OC):
Discuss opportunities for
increased collaboration
and improved communica-
tion to build fire resiliency
in the district including
addressing issues related
to prevention, suppression,
and restoration.
• Charter Ranger District
(OSN): Potential co-loca-
tion of a ranger district and
school in eastern Oregon,
with a focus on maintain-
ing historic properties
and providing educational
opportunities for local
community members.
• Harney Basin Wet-
lands Initiative (OC): Ad-
dressing challenges related
to invasive carp, improving
migratory bird habitat,
and preserving traditional
agricultural practices in the
Harney Basin.
• SageCon (OS & OC):
Working to pull together
an “all lands, all threats”
approach to sage grouse
conservation to both
address USFWS’s sage
grouse listing decision in
2015 and support commu-
nity stainability in central
and eastern Oregon into
the future.
“The policies created
in the Portland bubble by
people who don’t know
what goes on in Baker City
are bound to be flawed,”
said Poole.
Last weekend, Poole
spent time at the Crook
County Fair, then stopped
in Grant County, where he
said ranchers in particu-
lar were interested in his
petition. For example,
construction, ranching
and mining operations in
various eastern Oregon
counties, including Baker,
require a 15’ stream buf-
fer in many situations.
However, Portland Metro’s
plan requires a flat 50
buffer, with an increase
of 200’ being discussed,
which would be promoted
through Regional Solutions
statewide.
This 200’ of unusable
land on either side of a
stream, including even the
smallest of streams accord-
ing to Poole, could have
serious financial impact on
ranchers, both in terms of
being able to utilize their
own land, and in other
areas such as the expense
of replacing fence.
“The financial impacts
of overbearing land use
regulations and imposing
one-size-fits-all plans are
unacceptable,” Poole said.
Reads the chief peti-
tioner’s web site, “The
purpose of this measure
is to remove land use and
transportation planning
authority from existing
and future Metropolitan
Service Districts and return
that authority to the
Citizens in the counties
and cities of Oregon in the
form of local control.”
Those interested in the
petition can view its full
legal text or sign online at
www.local-control.com.
Poole is available via email
at elpee5440@gmail.com.
“If we don’t stem the
tide of giving away our
control,” said Poole, “our
children will not forgive
us.”
Pioneer Days held after fire
BY EILEEN DRIVER
Eileen@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Huntington’s Pioneer
Days has been filled with
great music, entertainment
and fun for 16 years and
this year was no exception
despite the Lime Hill fire
scare days before.
The Chamber of Com-
merce, who sponsors the
event, always tries to add
something new each year
and this years addition, a
19-foot-tall 25 foot long
waterslide, that was added
to the Kid’s Water Park to
make it fun for the whole
family was a hit with
young and old alike and
a great way to cool off on
our hot August days.
Lion’s Club park was
filled with vendors sel -
ing handmade jewelry,
arrowheads, dreamcatch-
ers, knives and crocheted
items. Scentsy made an
appearance and good used
items were also available
in the flea market area gi -
ing visitors a good variety
of goods. On the food side
Indian flatbed and Indian
tacos could be found as
well as burgers, hot dogs,
nachos and fries.
Entertainment included
country music by the
great local bands, Friends,
Country Classics, Banned
From Nashville, Sharon
& Dick and Gospel music
by the Sanctuary Cowboy
Church. Cowboy Poets,
Indian Dancers, Flint
Knapping by Cecil Coons,
and strolling Pioneers
were enjoyed by all. The
Huntington Historical
Museum, the Old Caboose
in the Park and The Tyner
Family Traveling Museum
were available and learning
about the past and how
things were done during
the real Pioneer times.
The Huntington Historical
Society’s Dime Toss Booth
and the Train Ride provid-
ed by Snake River Garage
were also popular ways to
have some fun.
Oakley’s response reads, “I chaired the work on an
Employee handbook to approval in Jan. 2015. Chaired
locating and reading water meters. Shared a list of items,
we need to be working on as a team, never put on agenda.
Water and sewer rates, we are keeping up but not adding
anything extra for an emergency. Not against recording
COUNCIL MEETINGS, against some citizens recording
private conversations of citizens before meeting starts,
ORS 165-540 and ORS 165-543 illegal if you are not
a part of the conversation. Was not on council when I
bought a shed to turn into a cabin got my zoning permit
from the city and building, electrical Plumbing and me-
chanical from county and was approved by Gary Bood a
shed with a porch, Mr. Bood thought I over did porch no
red tag ready to volunteer for my seat on council?”
The Chief Petitioner to recall Woolf is Donald McKin-
non. His statement in demand of recall states noncompli-
ance with public purchasing law, little regard for public
meeting laws and administration of City staff, contrib-
uting to the issues at stake in the current lawsuit, and
participating in an illegal meeting trying to take over the
Mayor’s powers.
Woolf’s statement in defense states, “I believe there’s
a place for at least some of the attitude of the past. I
believe there’s a place for a bit of continuity from one
council to the next. I believe you should keep me on
Sumpter City Council. There are issues with the sewer
system that DEQ and issues with the water system that
OHA want the City to address. It seems like those issues
have been put on a back burner, though. I’d like to make
sure we address them so the toilets keep flushing and the
water Keeps coming out of the tap. Our volunteer fire
department is in the best shape it’s ever been in, both
with equipment and training. The mutual aid agreements
and relationship amongst the valley’s fire fighters an
emergency personnel is phenomenal. We benefit from
safer homes and from lower insurance premiums. This is
a development of the recent past I’d like us to keep.
Volunteer Park was built with a total of over $80,000 of
donated labor, equipment use, and materials. This was
the Youngs and the Clarkes and an awful lot of you, too.
This community has proven repeatedly that together we
create wonders, restoring a narrow-gauge steam railroad
and preserving a gold dredge, running our museums,
keeping our library open, looking after neighbors, and so
much more. I know we’ll get beyond this, and I wanted to
be a part of what we all accomplish next.”
Thompson gave her resignation at Tuesday night’s City
Council meeting. She stated she did not resign due to the
recall petition and explained she has been spending a lot
of time out of the City limits and will be spending more
time out of the limits, so is resigning for that reason. She
thanked everyone and announced that she did write a let-
ter, for anyone interested. Her letter states in part, “This
decision is not a result of the recall petition that has been
filed against me, although the actions of Tim Peters, Me-
lissa Findley and Don McKinnon have made this decision
easier. I have given this a lot of thought and realize that it
is time to step down.” She also encouraged, “I would ask
all of you to give a great deal of thought before voting for
any recall petition … Recall is a drastic step and a lot of
thought should be given before voting.”
Meanwhile, ballots for the recall election of the mayor
were mailed out August 6. Carpenter said some ballots
have already been returned. Polls close at 8 p.m. on the
25th, and Carpenter hopes to announce the results at 8
p.m. Results will become official 14 days after that
Sinkhole to be
repaired
The sinkhole on Anthony Lakes Highway (Forest
Service Road 73) near the crossing of Antone Creek will
receive final repairs on Monday August 17 through Thurs-
day August 20.
Forest Service Road 73 will be closed during repairs
beginning August 17 through August 20 and there will
be no through traffic. The sinkhole is located on a narrow
section of road and the undercutting from Antone Creek
will prevent crews from piloting traffic around the co -
struction site.
During construction, Anthony Lakes and the surround-
ing areas will remain accessible from Sumpter on Forest
Road 73, from Ukiah on Forest Road 52 and from La
Grande on Forest Road 51. The estimated completion date
is Thursday morning August 20.
An alternate route around the construction area is avail-
able on Forest Service Road 7312 from Pilcher Creek
Reservoir. This is a two lane gravel road recommended
for high clearance vehicles.
Concert ahead
The Baker Community Orchestra will hold its Summer
Concert Friday, August 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the Lions Pic-
nic Shelter in Geiser-Pollman Park in Baker City. There
is no admission and all are welcome.
The orchestra, under the direction of Kelly Brickman,
will perform a mix of classical, marches, as well as origi-
nal compositions. Bring a blanket, or your lawn chairs,
perhaps a picnic dinner and enjoy some music.
The Baker Community Orchestra is made up of volun-
teer members with a passion for making music, and open
to any community member who play a band or orchestra
instrument. There is no audition requirement. For infor-
mation contact Brian Watt at 541-523-4662.