8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015
Local
County: East Face project, Community
appointments, resolutions Bank holds
charity drive
• CITIZENS RECAP
LA GRANDE USFS
MEETING
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Board
of Commissioners met for
the first, and what will be
the only, session of the
month, on Wednesday,
November 4, at 9 a.m., in
the Commission Cham-
bers of the Baker County
Courthouse.
Present from the Board
were Commission Chair
Bill Harvey, Commis-
sioner Mark Bennett, and
Executive Assistant Heidi
Martin. Commissioner
Tim Kerns was absent, due
to surgery.
Attendance included
Baker County Road Master
Jeff Smith, Baker County
Sheriff Travis Ash, Baker
County Natural Resource
Advisory Committee
(NRAC) Coordinator Eric
Wuntz, Anthony Lakes
Mountain Resort General
Manager Peter Johnson, Ed
Hardt, John and Ramona
Creighton, and Ken An-
derson.
Following the Invocation
and Pledge of Allegiance
(a change in the order of
both, per a citizen’s previ-
ous request), changes to
the agenda were discussed.
Baker County’s response
to the East Face Environ-
mental Assessment (EA)
was added to the list of
documents to be signed.
The agenda was approved,
with a motion from Ben-
nett, and a second from
Harvey.
Harvey, referencing
some communication via
email, noted that not every
county grants citizens the
chance to voice comments
during sessions, and he
said, “We relish the op-
portunity for you to give us
your thoughts.” This was
shortly before the Citizen
Participation segment of
the session, during which
Hardt and Ramona partici-
pated.
Ramona, of the group
Forest Access For All
(FAFA), said, to the Board,
“I want to thank you again
for being at that meeting in
La Grande ( the U.S. For-
est Service meeting, to dis-
cuss access and increased
wilderness designation, at
the La Grande Armory). I
think there were almost
200 people there, and, that
was nice…”
Harvey reminded those
present that another similar
type meeting with the U.S.
Forest Service is scheduled
to be held at the National
Guard Armory in Baker
City, on Monday, Novem-
ber 9, at 6 p.m.
Hardt said, speaking
about the same meeting,
“We didn’t know this go-
ing in: the green people
(environmentalists) had
all their notes. They had
everything prepared. They
just kept reading, you
know, but, it seems that
the general audience went
off the top of their head,”
voicing concerns about
proper preparation, and
time limits with public
comments.
Harvey echoed those
concerns, but he said that
he thought Hardt and oth-
ers still did a great job at
the meeting.
The minutes from the
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
NRAC Coordinator Eric Wuntz discusses the East Face Environmental
Assessment.
October 21, 2015 session
were approved, with a mo-
tion from Bennett, and a
second from Harvey.
The Contract Review
segment of the session
included a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU)
between Anthony Lakes
Mountain Resort (ALMR),
LLC, and Baker County,
for the rental and use of
snow removal equipment
which is owned by the
county, and will be used by
ALMR, from November 1,
2015, until two weeks after
the ski season ends, around
May 1, 2016.
The equipment includes
a 1991 John Deere 772BH
grader, and a 1974 CAT
966 loader. Both Johnson
and Smith discussed the
MOU with the Board,
which includes the require-
ment that ALMR will bear
the costs for parts, and
report to the county what
maintenance and repair
was performed monthly.
The document states that
ALMR will rent the equip-
ment from the county at a
rate of $36.66 per hour for
each hour of use (each one
has an hour meter exclu-
sively for ALMR’s use).
The MOU was approved,
with a motion from Ben-
nett, and a second from
Harvey.
A Professional Services
Agreement, between Baker
County and St. Luke’s
Regional Medical Center,
Ltd., for the services of a
Mid-Level Provider for
the Baker County School
Based Health Center, was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Harvey. The agree-
ment covers the period
October 12, 2015 through
December 31, 2015, and
includes payment from the
county to St. Luke’s of $50
per hour for the services.
Public comment regard-
ing the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM)
government-to-government
coordination meeting last
Thursday was heard at this
session, from Hardt and
Anderson.
Among other topics,
Hardt expressed the need
for coordination between
the Oregon Department
of Forestry (ODF) and
ODOT, and Harvey re-
sponded that there will be
a government-to-govern-
ment meeting with ODF on
Tuesday, November 24, at
9 a.m., in the Commission
Chambers.
Both Hardt and Anderson
expressed an opinion that
the U.S. Forest Service
(USFS) seems to be slower
pursuing opportunities
with timber salvage, than
the BLM.
Wuntz discussed with
the Board a letter ad-
dressed from the Board
to Joshua White, Acting
District Ranger, La Grande
Ranger District, which
details Baker County’s
response to the East Face
Environmental Assessment
(EA). The five-page letter
explains that “…Baker
County strongly sup-
ports Alternative 5 as the
alternative that would best
meet our objectives.” The
letter shows support for
the East Face Vegetation
Management Project, but,
points out issues with the
EA, including: a lack of
mention of thinning; lack
of forest health treatments
in areas; a lack of riparian
treatments; discrepancies
with road densities; and is-
sues with forage/elk ratios,
among other concerns.
The Board thanked
Wuntz for his efforts (he
was instrumental in ad-
dressing issues with the
EA, and in drafting the
response), and the letter
was approved, with a mo-
tion from Bennett, and a
second from Harvey. Both
Wuntz and the Board said
that public comments re-
garding the project, which
can be sent to comments-
pacificnorthwest-wallowa-
whitman-lagrande@fs.fed.
us, are due by Friday,
November 6.
Order No. 2015-147, Ap-
pointing Members To The
Eastern Oregon Coordi-
nated Care (EOCC) Local
Community Advisory
Council (LCAC), was ap-
proved, with a motion from
Bennett, and a second from
Harvey. Cindy Denne, her
term set to expire on Feb-
ruary 1, 2016, and Katie
Rudi, her term set to expire
on February 1, 2017, were
appointed.
Order No. 2015-148,
Appointing Members
To The Early Learning
Regional Council, was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Harvey. Mark Witty
and Jamie Larson were
appointed, their term set to
expire on June 30, 2017.
Resolution No. 2015-
1012, amending Resolu-
tion No. 2015-1005, A
Resolution Opposing The
Creation Of A New Na-
tional Monument Proposed
As The Owyhee Canyon-
lands Monument; And The
Establishment Or Designa-
tion Of Any Other National
Monument, National Con-
servation Area Or Wilder-
ness Area On Public Lands
Within Eastern Oregon,
Without Concurrence From
The Affected Local Gov-
ernments And People, was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Harvey.
Resolution No. 2015-
1013, amending Resolu-
tion No. 2015-1006 and
2011-1012, Designating
An Enterprise Zone Man-
ager, was approved, with a
motion from Bennett, and a
second from Harvey. The
Economic Development
Director (Greg Smith) was
so designated.
Resolution No. 2015-
1014, amending Resolution
No. 2015-1007, A Resolu-
tion Naming A Portion
Of County Right-Of-Way
“Gale Garden”; Located
In New Bridge At The In-
tersection Of New Bridge
Road, Eagle Creek Road
And Governor Lane, was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Harvey.
Resolution No. 2015-
1015, Transfers Of Funds
Per The 2015-2016 Budget
Document, was approved,
with a motion from Ben-
nett, and a second from
Harvey. This includes
transfers from the gen-
eral fund to the follow-
ing: Accumulated Leave,
$100,000; Fair, $45,000;
County Health, $150,000;
Technology Fund, $56,226;
Consolidated Dispatch,
$141,428; Museum Devel-
opment, $25,000; Exten-
sion Fund, $166,751; Weed
Control, $35,000; Facility
Maintenance, $42,810;
Equipment Replacement
Fund, $10,000; Court
House Security Fund,
$34,600; Road, $118,500;
County Projects, $170,000;
and Capital Building,
$150,000.
Resolution No. 2015-
1016, Appropriation Of
Unanticipated Funds To Be
Expended In The Non-De-
partmental And The Sheriff
Departments Of The
County General Fund, was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Harvey.
SEE COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
PAGE 9
Beginning November 2nd, and continuing through
December 18th, 2015, Community Bank is conducting its
annual Charity Drive. The program is an effort to collect
funds from the community, to be used in that same com-
munity during the holiday season.
Funds collected will be matched at .50 on the dollar
up to a maximum of $500 in matching funds per branch.
This year the goal for each Community Bank branch is
to work with their community to raise at least $1,000 to
support their charity of choice. For each branch meeting
or exceeding the $1,000 goal – the local charity would
receive at least a $1,500 donation ($1,000 from the Com-
munity, $500 Community Bank match).
Since the Community Bank Charity Drive began in
2010, the total amount given to area charities now ex-
ceeds $95,400, that’s an average of almost $19,000 per
year.
Charities that will benefit this year: Baker City is
collecting for food banks in the Baker City area; Col-
lege Place & Walla Walla Branches are collecting for
The Walla Walla Senior Citizen Center; Elgin branch, for
the Elgin Food Bank; Enterprise & Joseph Branches are
collecting for the Community Connection Food Bank;
Heppner branch is collecting funds for the Neighborhood
Center Food Bank; Hermiston branch is collecting for
Martha’s House; La Grande Branches are raising funds
for the EOU Foundation Scholarship Fund; Milton-Free-
water for the City Light and Power Energy Assistance
Program; Pendleton branch is collecting for Neighbor 2
Neighbor; Wallowa branch collects for the Wallowa Food
Bank.
Branches will have donation jars available through
December 18th. All types of monetary donations are
accepted such as personal checks, bills and coin. If you
have questions about the Charity Drive, you can contact
your local Branch Manager.
Haircuts for
scholarships
LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) – Galen Miller, owner of
Blue Mountain Barbers, wants his clients to get more
than just a great haircut when they visit his shop on
Adams Avenue.
A unique partnership with the Eastern Oregon Uni-
versity Foundation is making it possible for barbershop
patrons to give something back when they have a little –
or a lot – taken off the top.
It’s called “Haircuts for Scholarships” and clients can
designate $1 of their tab to be donated to programs sup-
porting the arts, athletics or a general scholarship fund at
EOU.
Miller hopes the arrangement will help people feel
connected to something bigger, something that’s impor-
tant to him and the community.
“We get so many EOU students in here,” Miller said.
“They’re spending their money downtown, so I think it’s
important to give something back to them and also sup-
port the importance of higher education.”
“EOU has been and needs to continue to be part of this
town,” he added. “I’d love to see more businesses getting
involved.”
Since the start of fall term, more than $700 has been
raised and the initial effort continues through December
31. EOU’s Scholarship Committee will award the money
next year to full-time, on campus students involved in the
designated program areas.
Miller’s goal is to dedicate one term per year to the
“Haircuts for Scholarships” project.
“We really appreciate this special effort by a local busi-
ness to support our students," said Mike Allstott, EOU
Foundation president. "These and other connections show
just how important our community is to us."
The EOU Foundation is a vital resource for higher edu-
cation in eastern Oregon, with current assets of $13 mil-
lion. Scholarships will provide over $425,000 to students
during this academic year.
For more information on the “Haircuts for Scholarships”
program and the EOU Foundation, call 541-962-3740 or
visit www.eou.edu/foundation.
Fees waived for
Veterans Day
The U.S. Forest Service will waive fees at day-use
recreation sites in Oregon and Washington on November
11th in honor of Veteran’s Day.
“We honor our veterans each November 11th and every
other day of the year,” said U.S. Forest Service Chief
Tom Tidwell. “We hope that this time will serve as a way
for our veterans and other visitors to find our national for-
ests and grasslands as a year-round respite, a place where
they can take time out for themselves.”
This fee waiver includes many picnic areas, boat
launches, trailheads, and visitor centers. Concession
operations will continue to charge fees unless the permit
holder wishes to participate. Fees for camping, cabin
rentals, heritage expeditions, or other permits still apply.
No fees are charged at any time on 98 percent of
national forests and grasslands, and approximately two-
thirds of developed recreation sites in national forests and
grasslands can be used for free.