FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local
Kerns stalls Natural
Resources Plan adoption
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
On Wednesday, the
Baker County Board of
Commissioners failed to
adopt the County’s Natural
Resources Plan (NRP)
during the Board’s regular
session, prompting a strong
response from several
members of the public in
attendance.
Present for the session,
which began at 9 a.m.,
were Commission Chair
Bill Harvey, Commissioner
Tim Kerns, and Executive
Assistant Heidi Martin.
Commissioner Mark Ben-
nett was absent, due to a
family emergency.
Also in attendance were
Baker County District
Attorney Matt Shirtcliff,
Baker County Sheriff
Travis Ash, Ed Hardt, John
and Ramona Creighton,
Lorrie Harvey, Craig and
Doni Bruland, Cynthia
Long, Chuck Chase, Ken
Anderson, Tork and Wanda
Ballard, Bobbie Dan-
ser, Marshall McComb,
Randy Joseph, Greenhorn
City Councilman Nathan
Wright, Rusty Wright, and
Gregg Smith.
Several attendees com-
mented during the Citizen
Participation segment of
the session, including Cyn-
thia Long, who said, “After
visiting with Congressman
Walden yesterday—which
I thought was really en-
lightening, and I think he
understands our issues—
just food for thought, and
one thing I think about is,
maybe we can stop beating
to death the Forest Service
and the BLM (Bureau of
Land Management) for all
our woes, and looking back
to the good old days, and
start looking to the future
of what we can do…”
She spoke about improv-
ing the local economy,
and improving agricultural
educational programs and
vocational schooling. Har-
vey responded that there
are currently efforts associ-
ated with those goals. She
also voiced concerns about
the proposed Owyhee
National Canyonlands
monument in Malheur
County, and Harvey said,
“The Commission will be
writing resolutions sup-
porting Malheur County,
and their opposition to the
monument, as well. The
meeting I was at, later in
the afternoon, with Walden
and the other County Com-
missioners, we all had the
same sentiments. We are
sending letters of support
to Malheur County.”
Hardt said, “We do not
want to let our guard down
with the Forest Service
and BLM,” speaking about
coordination and other
issues. He also voiced his
concern about the Owyhee
Canyonlands proposal.
Anderson said, “We need
to educate the people.
Every time you take an
acre out of production,
it has a negative impact
on the economy. What
they’re doing is just taking
over this whole land, and
it has this effect in Baker,”
speaking about issues as-
sociated with logging.
The Ballards expressed
concerns regarding the
large amount of time and
funding used to open
and close roads to public
access, including Dooley
Mountain, and the effects
the winter and spring will
have on them.
Chase spoke about the
BLM’s effort with salvage
logging near Chase‘s min-
ing claim, and Harvey said,
“The BLM lost several
logging sales that they
already had in the process,
and they were ready to
move on it, so, they suf-
fered quite a loss there, as
well, and we’re working on
salvage logging.”
Harvey said three billion
seedlings would be needed
next year for restoration
purposes in the Northwest
due to wildfires, but there
are only three million
available. “There’s a huge
need, and no supply,” he
said.
Shirtcliff gave a District
Attorney and Juvenile De-
partment update, providing
the Board with a Baker
County Juvenile Referrals
chart, showing crime rates
for different categories for
2012-2015. He said, and
the chart showed, there
was a gradual reduction
in virtually all juvenile
crimes, from 2013-2015.
“The recidivism rate is
dropping,” he said, noting
that, with less of a case
load, the department is able
to better place juveniles
into programs in order to
help them avoid commit-
ting crimes.
Shirtlcliff mentioned
the new School Resource
Officer (SRO), Lance
Woodward, and said he’s
already doing a good job in
the position.
Shirtcliff said the Juve-
nile Department is look-
ing to implement a new
GPS ankle monitoring
system, capable of two-
way communication. He
spoke about the benefits,
and said, “It saves us
money, and then, we’re
able to keep in detention
those kids that have done
major offenses, and not
burn through that budget
($38,000, he stated, with
$4,480 spent so far this
year).”
He said the adult crime
statistics look much like
last year’s, except that drug
crimes, especially those as-
sociated with methamphet-
amine (meth), are a huge
problem for the County. In
2013, there were 83 drug
cases, last year, there were
99, and 112 so far this year.
Shirtcliff said, “Meth is so
hard to get off of. Some-
times, prison is the only
thing that saves a life.” He
reiterated that violations
of drug crimes are treated
very seriously locally.
Shirtcliff mentioned that
efforts are being made to
implement an electronic
court filing system, and he
spoke about the Domestic
Violence Child Witness
Project, a program at the
Baker County Child Abuse
Center St. Alphonsus
Hospital, on Pocahontas.
According to documenta-
tion, “The mission of the
domestic violence and
child witness program is to
help lessen the trauma ex-
perienced by children who
have alleged physical or
sexual abuse or witnessed
domestic violence and are
involved in the investiga-
tion and judicial process.”
Shirtcliff spoke with the
Board about the second
reading of Baker County
Ordinance No. 2015-06,
An Ordinance Prohibiting
Medical And Recreational
Marijuana Processing
Sites, Marijuana Dispen-
saries, Marijuana Produc-
ers, Marijuana Processors,
Marijuana Wholesalers,
And Marijuana Retailers In
The County Of Baker, And
Declaring An Emergency.
The second reading of the
ordinance was approved,
by title only, with a motion
from Kerns, and a second
from Harvey.
A Professional Services
Agreement, between Baker
County and contractor
Robin Stedfeld, as a
Court-Connected Domestic
Relations Mediator, was
approved, with a motion
from Kerns, and a second
from Harvey. The contract
covers the period from July
1, 2015 (the start of the
fiscal year) through June
30, 2016, and involves
compensation at the rate of
$100 per hour, for no more
than eight hours of media-
tion services per case.
Smith, Rusty and Nathan
(a Greenhorn City Council
member, and all are prop-
erty owners there) dis-
cussed the City of Green-
horn’s request for funding
from Baker County, in the
amount of $135,000, for
the purpose of improving
the City’s water sup-
ply system. The request
includes an estimate of
$90,000 for work on an
upper spring, and $45,000
for work on a lower spring,
according to an Anderson
Perry engineering study.
The amount requested
would be from prop-
erty sales in Greenhorn,
Smith said. The total
sales amount would be
$254,845, according to
Greenhorn Trustee Larry
Pearson. Harvey stated
issues with the current
estimates, and that the
previous estimate total was
$80,000. Smith said he
would gather more infor-
mation and get back to the
Board. Kerns mentioned
two letters from February
and October 2009, from
then Commission Chair
Fred Warner, Jr., addressed
to the Greenhorn City
Council, offering assis-
tance. He pointed out a
sentence in the October let-
ter, which read, “I believe
that we would be receptive
to helping financially if
given a proposal which has
identified problem areas
with adequate testing,” and
a highlighted sentence in
the February letter reads,
“…we would always con-
sider forwarding additional
money from the sale of
property in Greenhorn to
the City.”
Other business included
an invoice to Baker
County, from Eastern Or-
egon Counties Association
(EOCA), in the amount of
$15,800, for EOCA dues
for fiscal year 2015-2016
After a five-minute
break, Harvey asked Bru-
land, Baker County Natu-
ral Resources Advisory
Committee (NRAC) Chair,
to speak about the NRP.
She explained the vote
during NRAC’s meeting
on Thursday, September
10, 2015. “We re-voted
on the same document we
had voted on, on August
18th. We’ve had to do the
re-vote, because of a lack
of a public notice. We
were all kind of involved
in the wildfires, and it just
didn’t get posted. So, to
err on the side of cau-
tion, we went ahead and
re-voted. Once again,
the plan passed, with a
significant ma gin of four.
Because we are an advi-
sory committee, that pass
means we are advising
the Commission to please
adopt the plan also. After
its adoption, we will begin
the process of putting in
the amendments, the edits,
fortifying some sections,”
she said.
Bruland added, “We
would invite public com-
ment on to that. The draft
plan is actually on the
County website at this
point. Please take a look.
This document is a living
document. We plan on
working at this all the time.
We need to keep making
it the best plan possible…
Our next NRAC meeting
September 22nd (at 3 p.m.,
in the County Commis-
sion Chambers).” She
welcomed and encouraged
the public to attend the
meeting, and to provide
input when granted, during
the initial and final public
participation segments.
Harvey said, “The
reason we had to re-vote is,
because of my fault. I was
coming and going out of
here pretty quickly during
that time, and I’m sorry I
did not accomplish that.
So, we rescheduled to have
that meeting, and we did.”
Kerns said, “I would
make a motion to ap-
prove the plan, except
for the Energy portion,”
which prompted Harvey to
respond that the reason the
Energy section is limited is
because the County Plan-
ning Department is work-
ing on zoning ordinances
associated with that topic,
and he wishes to wait until
that is completed, in order
for the NRAC to make the
section consistent with the
Department’s ordinances.
Harvey said the NRAC’s
recommendation is to
adopt the NRP as written,
and changes could be made
at a later date.
Kerns added, “Well, I’ve
read it, and I don’t think
that it’s very thorough. I
don’t know every source. I
don’t know what a power
line is, whether that’s a
source or not (the section
refers to alternative energy
sources). I think, if we’re
talking about power lines,
it should mention power
lines, and I think that it
kind of reads like a private
land-grab. I’m just not
comfortable voting for it.
I’m also concerned about
its impact…”
Kerns expressed issues
with the clarity of what
exactly alternative energy
refers to, he talked about
ownership and devel-
opment issues, and he
reiterated his wish that the
Energy section be left out
for now.
Harvey said, “The
Natural Resources Plan is
not dealing with private
property rights or zoning
ordinances. The Natural
Resources Plan is coor-
dination with federal and
state agencies only, not
with private sources.”
Joseph said, “Bill, since
I have an energy project
on federal land, and I’m
concerned also, as Tim has
mentioned, I would like to
understand how that would
impact that project if it was
being built after this has
been approved. Maybe
you could explain how that
could impact my project,
and that would help me
better understand that sec-
tion.”
SEE NRAC PLAN
STALLED PAGE 11
Sumpter
Council recall
counts still
unofficial
• OAKLEY LIKELY TO RETAIN OFFICE,
WOOLF RECALLED BY ONE VOTE
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Recall elections for Sumpter City Councilors Ada
Oakley and G. LeAnne Woolf ended Tuesday, September
15th, with ballots due by 8 p.m. Results are unofficial
until certified by county clerk Cindy Carpente .
There were 42 votes to recall Oakley and 46 against.
Woolf was recalled by one vote, with 45 for and 44
against. Barring any surprises during the certification
process, this will leave Sumpter with four City Coun-
cilors: Oakley, Robert Armbruster, Carey Clarke, and
Samantha Esposito.
Statements given by the chief petitioners in demand
of a recall and responses by Oakley and Woolf to those
statements were included with the ballots mailed to
Sumpter voters on August 26th.
The Chief Petitioner on the petition to recall Oakley
was Melissa Findley. Her statement in demand of recall
said that Oakley contributed “virtually nothing” to City
Council, voted blindly for sewer and water rate increases,
opposed recording City meetings, and changed the nature
and size of her residence without the proper building
permits.
Oakley’s response read, “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 was Donald
McKinnon. His statement in demand of recall stated
noncompliance with public purchasing law, little regard
for public meeting laws and administration of City staff,
contributing 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 read, “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.”
Sumpter also held a mayoral recall election last month.
Carpenter confirmed she was notified about an appea
by Melissa Findley, former mayor, against Alan “Dan”
Patton, the chief petitioner in her recall election. Carpen-
ter explained the appeal does not effect the election, and
those results will stand.
The appeal process is handled through the State. An
update on the status of this appeal was not immediately
available.
Sage-grouse
press conference
scheduled
Oregon Governor Kate Brown has announced an up-
coming press conference within the next few days regard-
ing the decision process to list the Greater Sage-Grouse as
an endangered species.
Baker County Mark Bennett says his belief is that the
press conference may signal an announcement listing the
bird sometime as early as next week, but that remains
unconfirmed
Bennett continues to express concern over the local eco-
nomic impact of such a listing. “Whatever it is, this has
not been a scientifically-based decision,” he said