THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016
Business & Ag
Columbia Basin Helicopters
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
The total, according to
the document, includes
$238,738.70 in attorney
fees, for the period of
October 24, 2011, through
June 8, 2015; $5,248.98
in costs, for the period of
October 24, 2011, through
June 8, 2015; $55,195.50
in attorney fees, for the
period of June 9, 2015,
through January 31, 2016;
and $181.49 in costs, for
the period of June 9, 2015,
through January 31, 2016.
In his opinion, Pahl
stated, “McCarty had pre-
viously hired Branden Eyre
of the Mautz firm in La
Grande, OR and also Pam
Hardy but both lawyers
withdrew as this case was
going to involve a great
amount of effort and they
would not have the time to
handle it properly.”
Pahl stated that Lane
Powell’s a very qualified
firm, and that the Court “...
was convinced from its
own observations and the
credible expert testimony
that this case was dif-
ficult and required a very
experienced and high level
of legal representation in
areas of land use and avia-
tion law.”
Pahl also stated that
Larsen, whose current fee
is $500 per hour, had kept
her rate at $465 per hour
in this matter, since 2014.
“Baker County’s objection
to the award of attorney
fees without specificity re-
garding the basis of its ob-
jections has unreasonably
prolonged this matter,”
Pahl stated, and, “There
was no credible evidence
presented that McCarty’s
lack of diligence or experi-
ence caused any of the
expense of this dispute.”
Pahl stated that evidence
was presented that the
County failed to respond to
McCarty’s settlement pro-
posal, extending the length
of the case.
In response to hear-
ing of the opinion, Van
Thiel said, “Certainly, I’m
disappointed, on behalf of
the County...I don’t know
how else we could have
tried the case, in any other
way...”
Van Thiel said that, at
this point (as of this writ-
ing), a judgment, differ-
ent from an opinion, is
yet to be issued, which
means that the case has
not yet come to a conclu-
sion. Once a judgment
has been issued (which the
defendant, the prevailing
party in this case, prepares,
as a type of pleading for
the Court, based on the
opinion), the County has
the right to object to that
judgment, he said.
McCarty said, “It’s good
to see the judge serve
justice. The County spent
my own taxpayer money,
too, fighting against me. I
didn’t make a dime off of
this, and I’m still in the
hole...I’m glad to get it
over with, and behind us...
Union County (La Grande,
where his company is cur-
rently headquartered) was
glad to have us there...”
He said that, according to
Larsen, she expected to
have filed the judgment by
the end of this week.
Baker County Commis-
sion Chair Bill Harvey,
who received notice of
the opinion from Van
Thiel, said, “The law says
‘reasonable,’ but, what
is ‘reasonable?’ Lawyers
around here, range, as
an average, somewhere
around $240 to $250 an
hour ... This was not that
specialized of a trial—it’s
just land-use issues. We,
in eastern Oregon, deal
with land-use issues daily.
They don’t in Portland ...”
He said that McCarty had
a wide range of competent
attorneys available for his
representation in eastern
Oregon.
The amount of the judg-
ment, which could ulti-
mately be over $300,000
(not confirmed as of this
writing), would be dis-
persed from the County
general fund, Harvey said.
“The necessities that we’ve
been trying to accomplish
around here, some of them
are going to be put on
hold...”
With less than three
months left in the fiscal
year, Harvey said, he’s not
sure what the timing of the
dispersal would be.
Sumpter Valley holds community
potluck and game night
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Last Saturday eve-
ning, the Sumpter Valley
Community Volunteers
(SVCV) hosted a potluck
and game night designed
to give folks a reason to
get together and learn
more about the goals of
SVCV.
A gathering of nearly
thirty took advantage of
the opportunity.
President Mark Luker
opened the evening with a
brief prayer.
Ham, table service, and
coffee were provided with
attendees bringing a deli-
cious variety of accompa-
nying main dishes, salads,
and desserts.
After everyone had had
a chance to make it to des-
sert, Vice President John
Young stood and shared a
few remarks.
He joked, “Now that
we’ve got you here, we’ve
locked the doors, and there
will be a program.”
He touched briefly on
the origins of SVCV, say-
ing that they got tired of
all that was going on in
town and all the politics.
He said they have done a
pretty good job of leaving
politics out and just getting
together to do good things
for the town.
He talked about tasks
the group has undertaken,
including repairing and
restaining Breakfast Club
benches last year.
He also shared various
ideas the group may tackle
in the future, including
improvements to Volunteer
Park, work in the cem-
etery, or construction of
bus shelters for children
to wait for the school bus
during inclement weather.
Secretary LeAnn Woolf
had printed flyers with
pictures and information
regarding past and future
projects, which were
posted on the walls.
Applications for mem-
bership were made avail-
able at the event.
Young explained that
dues had originally been
set at $40 per family, but
the group had decided to
lower the cost to make
sure it is not prohibitive to
those wishing to become
members.
The cost is now $10 per
adult.
Young explained that
these dues are necessary
for insurance purposes.
Luker quipped, “And as
soon as we get your ten
dollars, we’ll unlock the
door!”
Young added member-
ship is not required to
take part in any events.
Meetings and activities are
open to the public.
After the potluck, most
people departed, though
several stayed to visit and
take part in a few energetic
rounds of Ping Pong.
More information on
SVCV is available online
at https://sumptervolun-
teers.wordpress.com.
Meetings are generally
held the second Thursday
of the month at 6:30 p.m.
at the Sumpter Commu-
nity Center.
— Weekly Hay Report —
Friday, February 26, 2016 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady compared to week
ago prices in a very limited test. Many producers
have decided to hold on to their hay for now, in
hopes for higher prices or to feed to their own ani-
mals. Many hay producers are sold out for the year.
No new sales were reported. Last week’s were:
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa —Large Square Premium
300 125.00-125.00 125.00
Alfalfa —Large Square Good
40 120.00-120.00 120.00
Alfalfa / Orchard Mix —Small Square Premium
25 190.00-195.00 192.00
Timothy Grass—Small Square Premium
3 195.00-195.00 195.00
Meadow Grass—Small Square Good
2 150.00-150.00 150.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 1592
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 212.00 - 231.00 Top 232.50
400-500# Bulk 185.00 - 230.00 Top 236.50
500-600# Bulk 170.00 - 194.00 Top 195.00
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 187.00 - 209.00 Top 213.50
400-500# Bulk 171.00 - 207.00 Top 207.50
500-600# Bulk 151.00 - 178.00 Top 185.00
Yearling Steers
600-700# Bulk 154.00 - 171.00 Top 174.00
700-800# Bulk 141.00 - 158.00 Top 159.50
800-900# Bulk 129.00 - 141.00 Top 142.00
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 137.00 - 158.50 Top 159.00
700-800# Bulk 126.00 - 144.00 Top 145.00
800-900# Bulk 117.00 - 126.00 Top 128.00
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Thin Shelly Cows 44.00 - 59.00
Butcher Cows 63.00 - 73.00
Butcher Bulls 73.00 - 84.00
Stock Cows Yng. N/A
Younger Hfrts. 79.00 - 102.00
Stock Cows Older. - 985.00 - 1250.00
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
Meghan Andersch / The Baker County Press
About 30 volunteers and citizens participated in the
potluck over the weekend.
— Log Price Report —
Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon
Currently the local log market is flooded with
fire salvage logs. The log buyer for Malheur
Lumber Co. stated they have all the logs they
need under contract and are not accepting any
new purchases. BCC/LLC of La Grande has
receive so many burned fire salvage logs they
are no longer accepting logs at the La Grande
log yard. Any additional pine logs have to be
delivered to the Elgin Log yard cut in plywood
lengths and to a 8 inch top. For these pine
logs cut in plywood lengths, BCC is offering
$280.00/mbf. They are also paying $410.00/
mbf for Doug Fir & Western Larch. For White
Fir they are offing $310.00/mbf. At the Pilot
Rock Saw Mill BCC is offing $360.00/mbf for a
12 to 15 inch top, for 16 to 19 inch top $400.00/
mbf & offing $425.00/mbf for 20 inch plus top
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1,231.50
Silver: $14.83
Platinum: $934.85
Palladium: $512.10
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $355.75/bu/USD
Wheat: $446.00/bu/USD
Soybeans: $858.00/bu/USD
Oats: $178.00 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $10.65/cwt/USD
Canola: $446.80 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $137.10/lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $157.95/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $70.40/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com