FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2017
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
County Commissioners:
Ski coach to
Various board members appointed travel to
Austria
BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER
Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Todd Arriola/ The Baker County Press
The new team of County Commissioners: Mark Bennett, Bill Harvey (Chair), and Bruce Nichols.
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Board
of Commissioners held its
first session of 2017, on
Wednesday, January 4, 9
a.m., in the Commission
Chambers of the Baker
County Courthouse. Com-
mission Chair Bill Harvey
and Commissioner Mark
Bennett were joined by
Commissioner Bruce Nich-
ols, who was elected to
that position in November,
replacing retiring Commis-
sioner Tim Kerns.
Attendance also includ-
ed Baker County Adminis-
trative Services Coordina-
tor Christena Cook, Baker
County Sheriff Travis Ash,
Baker County Facilities
Maintenance Foreman Dan
McQuisten, Baker County
Assessor Kerry Savage,
Tork and Wanda Ballard,
John Creighton, and Peter
Hall.
The meeting was called
to order, and the Invoca-
tion and the Pledge of Alle-
giance were recited, both
led by Harvey. The agenda
was then adopted, with the
noted addition of a mineral
withdrawal discussion to
be held later in the session,
with a motion from Ben-
nett, and a second from
Nichols.
There were no comments
offered for Citizen Partici-
pation.
The minutes from the
Wednesday, December 21,
2016 session were ap-
proved, with a motion from
Bennett, and a second from
Harvey.
The Board discussed the
County budget, and Ben-
nett said that a two-year
revenue projection needs to
be developed, due to a ma-
jor State shortfall, reduc-
ing funding to the County.
He said that Secure Rural
Schools (SRS) funding is
“dead,” and that Payment
in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)
and Public Employees
Retirement System (PERS)
funding have taken major
hits, in the 70-100% range,
and the 30-60% range,
respectively.
Cook said that she’s had
a great working relation-
ship with County depart-
ment heads (she’s been in
her position for 15 years,
she said), and she ex-
plained the budget process.
Bennett asked Nichols,
whose professional experi-
ence has primarily been
in the area of accounting
(Nichols & Mitchell CPA
PC, of Baker City), and
Cook to develop some sort
of general budget road
map, to discuss at the next
Commission work session,
which is scheduled for next
Wednesday, January 11, 9
a.m. Nichols said that he’d
like to speak with each
department head regarding
the topic.
Order No. 2017-101,
Appointing A Budget Offi-
cer For Baker County, was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Nichols. Harvey was
appointed, his term set as
the 2017-2018 fiscal year
(July 1, 2017, through June
30, 2018).
Order No. 2017-102,
Re-Appointing A Mem-
ber To The Baker County
Budget Board, was ap-
proved, with a motion
from Harvey, and a second
from Bennett. Jim Bruce
was re-appointed, his term
set to expire on January 1,
2020.
Order No. 2017-103,
Re-Appointing A Member
To The Northeast Oregon
Economic Development
District Budget Board, was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Nichols. Robert
Savage was re-appointed,
his term set to expire on
December 31, 2019.
Order No. 2017-104,
Re-Appointing Members
To The Baker County
Museum Commission, was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Nichols. Dave Hun-
saker and Kurt Miller were
re-appointed, their terms
set to expire on January 1,
2020.
Order No. 2017-105,
Re-Appointing Members
To The Baker Valley Vec-
tor Control Board, was
approved, with a motion
from Nichols, and a second
from Bennett. Ralph
Morgan, Rex Nelson, and
Martha Jane Spratling were
re-appointed, their terms
set to expire on December
31, 2019.
Order No. 2017-106,
Re-Appointing A Member
To The Western Heights
Special Road District
Board, was approved, with
a motion from Bennett,
and a second from Har-
vey. Cliff Schoeningh was
re-appointed, his term set
to expire on December 31,
2019. Prior to the motion,
Nichols mentioned that
his firm has performed ac-
counting work for Western
Heights, in the interest of
mentioning a potential con-
flict of interest, however,
there was no noted conflict
currently.
Order No. 2017-107, An
Order Directing The Baker
County Sheriff To Make
Sale Of County Property;
Fixing The Minimum Price
And Providing A Portion
Of The Conditions And
Terms Of Sale, was ap-
proved, with a minimum
bid of $15,000, with a
motion from Harvey, and a
second from Bennett. The
following is to be sold as
one lot, under Reference
No. 9411: Reference No.
9410, a 25.7 x 100 bare
lot, in Huntington, with
land valued at $3,300, and
structure at $0, for a total
of $3,300 real market val-
ue, with back taxes in the
amount of $531.72, and es-
timated expenses at $450,
for a total of $981.72; and
Reference No. 9411, at 90
West Washington Street, in
Huntington, with land val-
ued at $8,100, and struc-
ture at $2,140, for a total
of $10,240 real market
value, with back taxes in
the amount of $1,830.59,
and estimated expenses
at $921.88, for a total of
$2,752.47.
Harvey asked Bennett to
provide an update regard-
ing the status of the Bureau
of Land Management
(BLM) and United States
Forest Service (USFS)-
spearheaded mineral
withdrawal, a proposal that
would include prohibit-
ing the entry and location
of new mining claims,
throughout 10 million
acres of public and Na-
tional Forest System lands
located in Idaho, Montana,
Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and
Wyoming. This action, a
withdrawal which would
be exercised by Secretary
of the Interior Sally Jewell,
is the result of Sagebrush
Focal Areas identified by
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (FWS), as areas
where disturbance and
fragmentation of sage-
grouse habitat is caused by
certain hardrock mining
operations.
Bennett said that the
County has avoided, so
far, becoming a part of
the withdrawal, though
he’s unsure whether the
County can be given full
credit for that. He said that
the County isn’t directly
involved with the with-
drawal, but there is support
given to neighboring
counties, and the County
is preparing itself for any
potential affects. Bennett
said that he’s not certain
what comments should be
provided in protest to the
withdrawal yet (documen-
tation associated with the
withdrawal is needed first,
and the Final Environ-
mental Impact Statement
hasn’t been released yet),
but he and Harvey said that
informing the County’s
Natural Resource Advi-
sory Committee (NRAC),
and seeking its input first,
would be a good idea.
The next NRAC meeting
is scheduled for Tuesday,
January 24, 3 p.m., in the
Commission Chambers.
Prior to adjournment,
Harvey welcomed Nichols
to his role as Commission-
er, and to his first session.
A Commission work ses-
sion is scheduled for next
Wednesday, January 11,
9 a.m., including further
discussion of the County’s
budget, and of the County/
City 911 dispatch agree-
ment.
Record-breaking cold spell continues
On Thursday morning,
the temperature recorded
at the Baker City Airport
was -24 degrees, shattering
the previous record of -22F
on this day, which was set
in 1950 according to The
National Weather Service.
These temperatures
continue a cold trend that
began nearly a month ago
back in December.
The cold froze and broke
pipes at the North Powder
School, cancelling school
both before and after
Christmas break while
repairs are being made.
Parents dropping their
little ones off at Brooklyn
elementary are encouraged
to bring them through the
school building rather than
the playground, as classes
line up inside the gym
rather than on the play-
ground.
The cold is expected
to continue off and on
throughout the next week,
so leaving water dripping
at night is advised.
Local Ski Coach Bryan Tweit will be one of the coaches
to travel to Austria for the 2017 Special Olympics in
March. Tweit has been coaching Special Olympics for 25
years and he will be coaching the advanced skiers for this
year’s games.
Tweit and the athletes who will be going to Austria met
in Killington, Vermont for training and preparing for the
Special Olympics. Tweit explained that, in order to go to
Killington, every athlete has to have a gold medal in the
previous year’s state games. Tweit runs the State Games
for the state of Oregon and runs the downhill portion of
the State Games on Mount Bachelor.
“Both of our athletes had gold medals,” Tweit ex-
plained. “Then the local area directors have nominated
them to the state level. The state level then vets those
out, and sends them to the US National Team, and the US
National Team then vets those athletes out and decides
which ones will be invited to be on the US National
Team. And then the coaches actually have to go through
a little more rigorous process because you’re responsible
for other people’s lives.”
Coaches go through multiple interview processes and
background checks. There will be eight in the group from
Oregon going to Austria; five athletes and three coaches.
The total going from the US is 210, including coaches,
athletes, and support staff.
After going through training and prepping in Killington,
Tweit, the other coaches, and the athletes went to New
York. There, Castleton University hosted a dinner for the
Special Olympics.
“It was pretty phenomenal getting off the plane and
having tons of people lined up with signs and clapping
because we all had our USA gear on and USA team gear
and news cameras there and photographers. It was pretty
amazing,” said Tweit. “It’s hard to put into words. It was
pretty emotional, more so for the coaches, I think the
athletes were just kind of taking it all in.”
He explained that Killington is a dry run for the World
Games in Austria.
There are no parents or family, only the coaches, ath-
letes, support staff, and the press.
Tweit explained that the dry run is to help athletes pre-
pare for the experiences the athletes will have in Austria.
The time in Killington is also to see if they can handle
being in that environment, with other athletes they have
never met.
“We go through a transition,” said Tweit. “When we
flew out of Portland we were basically in ‘State Mode,’
I was responsible for all of the state athletes. As soon as
we arrived in New York, that switched, I was no longer
responsible for those athletes and people. Their coaches
were more responsible for them and I was responsible
for the downhill skiers, the ones I have are the advanced
group of kids.”
Tweit explained that this process is important for the
athletes to become used to being around their coaches
and fellow athletes as they will be in different venues all
over Austria. They will go to Graz, then to Schladming,
where the opening ceremony will be held, and they will
be spread out depending on what they are doing.
On the last night they will be in Austria, they will go
back to State Mode for returning home.
Library book
sale needs
volunteers
Friends of Baker County Library are looking for
volunteers to help with their winter book sale January 26
through February 5.
Volunteers are needed to help sort books on Jan. 26,
work as cashiers on January 27 - 29, and February 4, and
to pack up books on February 5.
Each volunteer earns a $20 gift certificate to use at the
book sale, or in the Library Book Shop. Volunteers can
sign up at the Library, or call 541-523-6596.
YHEC 2017
registration open
Youth Hunter Education Challenge 2017 Registration
Thursday January 12 at the Powder River Sportsmen's
Clubhouse at 2690 Broadway. $25.
YHEC is an Educational Training program that teaches
kids age 10-18 valuable skills in eight hunting-related
disciplines: Archery, .22 Rifle and Muzzleloader Rifle
accuracy, Sporting Clays, Orienteering, Safety Afield,
Wildlife ID, and Hunting Knowledge & Ethics.
The program spans five months, with weekly meetings
on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. at the PRSC Clubhouse.
Participants statewide compete in a June Challenge
to select five Junior and five Senior team members
who travel all-expenses-paid to represent Oregon at the
National YHEC event held each year in Pennsylvania or
New Mexico.
We gladly lend archery equipment, muzzleloaders, .22
rifles, 20g shotguns, and orienteering compasses to kids
who don't yet have their own.