FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 11
Local
Mining Summit sees
elected officials,
miners turn out
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The second annual
Eastern Oregon Mining &
Aggregate Development
Summit was held on Tues-
day, April 26, 2016, from
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the
Baker County Event Cen-
ter, 2600 East Street, with
over 100 people attending.
The event was sponsored
by the Oregon Mining As-
sociation (OMA), Oregon
Concrete & Aggregate
Producers Association
(OCAPA), Oregonians In
Action, Baker County Eco-
nomic Development, and
Eastern Oregon Mining
Association (EOMA).
Baker County Commis-
sion Chair Bill Harvey,
and EOMA President Ken
Alexander delivered wel-
coming statements, both
introduced by OCAPA
attorney Rick Angstrom.
Baker County Economic
Development Director
Greg Smith provided the
closing statement.
Attendance included
EOMA Mineral Policy
Director Jan Alexander,
Smith’s assistants, Ju-
lee Hicks, and Phillip
Scheuers, Baker County
Commissioner Mark Ben-
nett, Baker City Manager
Mike Kee, EOMA Execu-
tive Director Chuck Chase,
Blue Mountain Small Busi-
ness Development Center
(BMCC SBDC) Advisor
Jeff Nelson, EOMA Sec-
retary Carmelita Holland,
Baker County Assessor
Records & Research Spe-
cialist Terry Drever Gee,
Jefferson Mining District
Coordinating Officer Art
Sappington, Alice Knapp,
Ken Anderson, and Ed
Hardt.
Angstrom, also the
emcee, kicked off the event
with an introduction, at 10
a.m. He called Harvey and
Ken Alexander up to the
stage, while he spoke about
the variety of guests pre-
senting, and attending. He
mentioned the social hour,
held at 4 p.m., which was
an effort to allow people
in the community a chance
to mingle with representa-
tives of the different agen-
cies, to talk about issues,
and concerns.
Harvey said, “Hey, this is
great. This is a lot bigger
than last year. We really
appreciate you all coming
down here to Baker...Most
of you already understand,
the history of Baker was
started with mining. That’s
a huge asset for us, still
today. We’re recogniz-
ing that even more so
each week ... It shows
the resources we have in
Baker County (referencing
a display, set up by Smith)
... DOGAMI has helped us
to do that. It gives people
an understanding of what’s
in Baker County...Before
we didn’t know, we didn’t
understand ... What they
(miners) do, brings an
economy to Baker County,
and we need that ... There
are new mining opportuni-
ties, that weren’t available,
years and years ago...You
guys do a great job nowa-
days; it wasn’t done 100
years ago. When you’re
done mining, we can’t tell
you’ve even been there...
Reclamation is one of the
biggest assets we have,
that you guys utilize, and it
makes Baker County look
good. We really appreciate
that ...”
Ken said, “Bill cov-
ered, pretty much, all the
positives, of how modern
mining is so much differ-
ent than 100 years ago,
or even 50 years ago. We
have not done a very good
job in the mining industry,
of letting the general pub-
lic know that our mining
methods, now, are so much
improved, and we have the
bonds, and reclamation. A
lot of times, we’re going
back in old workings, and
making them better than
they ever were. So, that’s
basically the message I’m
trying to get across. And
the other thing the Eastern
Oregon Mining Associa-
tion does, besides promote
mining, and the minding
industry, is to try to get
reasonable rules, and regu-
lations, that we can work
under...What I’m going to
ask for help with, is that
project...We (EOMA) have
members from all over the
State...I would welcome
you to join our organiza-
tion, and please, learn a
lot about mining here...”
Ken mentioned EOMA
membership applications,
available at the event.
Four groups of panel-
ists presented information;
two before lunch, and two
afterwards.
Panel One, “Why Mining
Is Important To Eastern
Oregon’s Economy,”
included Department of
Geology and Mineral
Industries (DOGAMI)
Director Brad Avy, Oregon
Regional Solutions Eastern
Oregon Coordinator Scott
Fairley, Business Oregon
Business Development
Officer Melisa Drugge,
Oregon State Economist
Mark McMullen, and De-
partment of Environmental
Quality (DEQ) Eastern
Regional Solutions Team
member Randy Jones.
Panel Two, “Legislative
Update,” included Oregon
State Representative Cliff
Bentz, OMA attorney Dave
Hunnicutt, Oregon State
Senator Ted Ferrioli, and
Angstrom.
Bentz said, “I just want
to say how much I appreci-
ate the participation of the
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Ken Alexander of Unity speaks to the crowd while the Baker County display is
visible in the background.
local miners, in the legisla-
tive process...I’ve learned
that folks here are willing
to come over to Salem, and
help (testify)...All of us are
fortunate to have Senator
Ferrioli supporting us in
Salem...Mr. Hunnicutt,
and Mr. Angstrom have
been incredibly helpful,
in moving (mining) bills
through the House, and
the Senate (such as recent
House Bill 3089, declar-
ing mining as a natural
resource)...The point is,
raising the consciousness
of Oregonians, about the
value of mining, is the
most important thing, at
least, from my standpoint...
Over and over, I find the
environmentalists target
mining, and practices that
occurred 100 years ago, as
though they’re occurring
today, and of course, they
are not ...”
Ferrioli said, “In the
short legislative session
(in 2015, which he dubbed
the ‘Smash and Grab Ses-
sion’), we saw some of the
most major policy issues
that I’ve encountered in
decades...The minimum
wage mandate...It seems
to be the institutionalized
form of discrimination,
depending on where you
live in Oregon...Out tax
policies, and our minimum
wage policies make a huge
difference...We’re appar-
ently not (friendly to busi-
nesses) ... Mining is not
recreational. It is a signifi-
cant sector of the Oregon
economy that needs the
support, and if there was
any reasonableness in our
political system in Oregon,
it would be thriving...We
have tremendous assets
that need to be developed,
and part of our doldrum in
rural Oregon, is because
we don’t use the resources
God put here, for the com-
munity...People have the
right to be sustainable, on
the resources that are in
their community ...”
An hour long lunch
was held after the second
panel of guests, including
sandwiches, pasta salad,
beverages, and dessert.
Panel Three, “Legal
Updates,” included Bureau
of Land Management
(BLM) Geologist Steve
Flock, Hunnicutt, BLM
Geologist Tim Barnes, and
Angstrom.
Panel Four, “Mining On
Federal Land,” included
United States Forest Ser-
vice (USFS) Biologist Jeff
Jones, Flock, and Baker
County Planning Director
Holly Kerns.
In closing, Smith thanked
Angstrom, and said, “By
Oregon’s Constitution,
they expect their legislators
to have real jobs; to go to
Salem for five, six months,
but come home, and earn a
living... I’m pleased to be a
part of Baker County, and
to do the work here in the
County, trying to build this
economy. It’s a challenge,
but a challenge worth un-
dertaking...These guys are
good—they’re really good
(after prompting Angstrom,
and Hunnicutt to stand).
Every day, they’re fighting
for your interests, down in
Salem...I want to share just
a few thoughts with you.
Baker County Economic
Development is here to as-
sist your company, your in-
dustry, in growing, and try-
ing to get off the ground...I
know what the process is.
I know how challenging
it can be...They (State and
Federal agencies) have a
pressure on the other side,
and that’s folks who don’t
want mining. That’s a
reality...That’s part of the
challenge...”
Smith praised Harvey
for his efforts, and brought
Hicks up to the stage,
where he presented her
with a card, and a gift, for
her efforts.
Kerry McQuisten/
The Baker County Press
Kerry McQuisten/
The Baker County Press
AAUW forum shows even
starker differences between
Commissioner candidates
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The American Associa-
tion of University Women
(AAUW) hosted a candi-
dates forum, which drew
a crowd of maybe 100
to hear Kody Justus, Jeff
Nelson and Bruce Nichols
field questions. The three
are squaring off for the
chance to fill the part-
time position one County
Commissioners seat being
vacated by Tim Kerns.
Sheriff Travis Ash will
campaign against John
Hoopes, but that race will
not turn up on the ballot
till fall. Ash spoke briefly,
as did County Clerk Cindy
Carpenter and County As-
sessor Kerry Savage.
The candidates were
given some questions
ahead of time, and deliv-
ered previously prepared
statements before the floor
was opened for question-
ing.
Early on in the introduc-
tory statements, key differ-
ences in political ideology
showed, with Nelson and
Justus typically in agree-
ment and Nichols taking a
converse stance.
Nichols stated emphati-
cally that “unlike the other
two candidates” he would
not use tax dollars to sue
the federal government
if that’s what it took to
ensure that the County was
recognized equally with
federal agencies through
coordination.
Nelson and Justus
previously stated that they
would do what it took,
including filing suit on
behalf of the County to
protect local control.
Nelson and Justus also
support the transfer of pub-
lic lands to state or county
management, taking that
duty away from the Feds.
Nichols stated, “Locally
we don’t have enough re-
sources to manage lands.”
He advocated to “make
friends” with agencies
rather than take a firm
stance. His statements
drew nods of approval
from some self-proclaimed
liberals in the crowd, and
groans from the more con-
servative side of the room.
Nichols also stated that
the Republican party he
belongs to would not sup-
port the opposite point of
view, drawing questions
from many Republican
Precinct Committee People
in the room who had cop-
ies of the party’s platform,
which reads the opposite.
Numerous questions in
the room were addressed
only to Justus who there-
fore spent more time in
front of the microphone
than the other candidates.
Tom Averett asked if
Justus supported an armed
takeover of a local fed-
eral building. Somewhat
perplexed, Justus said of
course he would not.
Mary Miller asked Justus
if he would support Bill
Harvey in hiring Fred
Kelly Grant’s law firm to
represent the County in the
coordination process. Jus-
tus answered that indeed
he would support getting
expert legal advice.
Spring Bartlett asked
Justus why he hadn’t
mentioned his Oath Keep-
ers membership at a past
forum. Oath Keepers has
recently been misreported
in other media as a “mili-
tia.” Justus explained that
he had forgotten to men-
tion that membership as
well as many others when
he answered a question
previously.
Other questions involved
vaccinations, mental health
issues within the county,
improving the value of
timber, how to attract other
industry into the area and a
tough question from Perry
Stokes asking each candi-
date what the greatest risk
would be for voters should
he be elected. Nichols said
he’d tell the truth even
if it hurt. Nelson said he
wouldn’t be the most intel-
ligent person in the room
but he knew when to get
expert advice. Justus said
the only risk would be if he
ignored the Constitution,
thereby failing to protect
the rights of the minority.
The crowd then dis-
persed into an informal
meet and greet.
Oregon’s primary elec-
tion will be held May
17, with results released
after polls close at 8 a.m.
Travis Ash.
Kerry McQuisten/
The Baker County Press
Kody Justus.
Kerry McQuisten/
The Baker County Press
Jeff Nelson.
Bruce Nichols.
Ballots have already been
mailed to Oregon resi-
dents. Those who do not
receive their ballot by May
5 should visit the Baker
County Clerk’s office for
assistance. The deadline
for registering or changing
party affiliation in time for
this election has passed.