The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current, February 10, 2017, Image 3

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The Baker County press., February 10, 2017, Page 3, Image 3

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Newspaper Page TextTHE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2017 Business / Agriculture Interior design business moves BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com Molly Wilson, owner of M. Wilson Designs & Studio, has relocated to the downstairs of the Basche Sage Mall in suite 205. Wilson has owned her Home Interiors and Design business since 2001, ﬁ rst opening it out of her home. She had a small studio on Main Street and moved upstairs in the Basche Sage Mall three years ago after growing out of her studio. Her business grew again causing her to move. Wilson believes her current location will be the last location she moves to. “This is a great loca- tion for me,” said Wilson. “I have a back door and that way my truckers can deliver my furniture and I also have more visibility.” Wilson started work- ing in retail in 1980 in La Grande, Ore., where she owned two businesses for 10 years before relocating in 1994 to Baker. She and a partner owned a business called “For All Seasons,” which closed in 2001. M. Wilson Designs & Studio offers design services, real estate stag- ing, as well as in home redesign services. Her store offers pillows, rugs, area rugs, lamps, furniture, accent pieces, bedding and fabrics, throws, and other supplies. Wilson has a line of down comforters and pil- lows that she offers, selling three different grades of down. The store has ﬂ oor sam- ples but she special orders a lot of her products. Wilson carries fabrics Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com Another installment of First Friday with the Commissioner, a monthly, informal, public discus- sion, covering a variety of topics, was held on Friday, February 3, 2017, 9 a.m., in the Commission Cham- bers of the Baker County Courthouse. Baker County Commis- sion Chair Bill Harvey hosted the discussion, and he was joined by John Creighton, Chuck Chase, Bobbie Danser, Tork and Wanda Ballard, Jo Mar- lette, and Keith Miles. Harvey began the dis- cussion by speaking about the topic of collapsing roofs in the Halfway area, which he said numbered around 20 to 25, but lucki- ly, there were no reports of residential roofs failing yet at the time. He said that 200 commercial roofs have failed in Malheur County, due to winter weather, causing major losses in the onion crop industry, for example, and, making mat- ters worse, Idaho Governor Clement “Butch” Otter is taking advantage of the opportunity to try to pull business operators away from Oregon, which has a higher minimum wage, $9.75 per hour, than Idaho, at $7.25 (the same as the federal minimum wage rate). Tork commented that he would probably make the move to Idaho if he were a business operator that close to the border, and Harvey agreed, citing vari- ous business-related costs and taxes in Oregon. He said, “Man, if I was that close, I’m with you, Tork...Hell, when we have a governor like we’ve got, my God, I’d bail in a heartbeat...She’s driving the state into bankruptcy.” Harvey said Oregon Gov- ernor Kate Brown’s plan of using state funds to launch personal resistance efforts against President Donald Trump could get her, and should get her impeached. Harvey expressed some relief that Dennis Richard- son was elected Oregon Secretary of State. Among other topics discussed, Danser asked Harvey how he thought the City-County joint meet- ing went, on Wednesday, February 1, to primarily further discuss the 911 Consolidated Dispatch intergovernmental agree- ment, and he and Tork commented that, though there were issues initially, they were pleased with the end result, with the exception of resolving the issue of the percentage of monetary contribution from the City, at 71%, with the County providing 29%, which Harvey and others say should be amended to 75%, and 25%. Tork and Wanda said they had the impression that City Council wasn’t completely aware of the issues with the agree- ment, and of Harvey’s recommendations. Har- vey said that the 911 Board shouldn’t comprise representation solely from government. Tork said, “What is the bickering about, anyway? 75%? Because, from what I understand, they (the City) aren’t paying their 71%, so, what difference does it make what number you put on the agreement? They’re going to pay what they feel like they ought to.” Harvey said that he would publicly remind the City of its commitment, and when Tork asked how often the City had failed to pay its share for the services, he said several times. Wanda said, “They’re getting an 80% service, for 71%--a pretty good deal...” Harvey further emphasized that the County is continu- ing to provide the bulk of shared services, while struggling with stafﬁ ng and budget issues. He expressed high praise for Dispatch Center Director Hope Lindsey, and other staff, who collectively provide 24/7 coverage. Danser asked, “Are they still not going to pay that $15,000?” referencing a debt Harvey said the City owes the County, which he said most likely will remain unpaid. Harvey used the approval for the Sheriff’s Depart- ment to purchase only one of the two vehicles it requested (during the last, regular County Commis- sion session, on Wednes- day, February 1), as an example of budget strains, though Sheriff Travis Ash voiced concerns about the high mileage, and the need to purchase both vehicles (As part of the request approval, Ash would be Friday, February 3, 2017 — Eastern Oregon Prices trended generally steady in a limited test compared to week ago prices. Most demand lays with the retail/stable hay. According to some producers, horse owners prefer lower sugar, higher protein hay. The recent snows slowed movement as trucks cant get to the farms to get loaded. Tons Price Range Wtd Avg Alfalfa — Large Square Good 145 120.00-120.00 120.00 Alfalfa — Large Square Fair 45 110.00-110.00 110.00 Alfalfa / Orchard Mix — Small Square Premium 15 170.00-170.00 170.00 USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov Samantha O’Conner / The Baker County Press Molly Wilson, owner of M. Wilson Designs & Studio. and is looking at two or three new fabric lines she is hoping to offer by the spring. “It’s taken me a long time to build up those lines,” explained Wilson. “I go to the local markets, I go to Seattle and I go to Las Vegas.” Wilson is from the Wil- lamette Valley. She grew up in Portland and attended the University of Oregon, where she met her hus- band. First Friday meeting held BY TODD ARRIOLA — Weekly Hay Report — replacing the Juvenile Department’s Chevy Im- pala, which Director Staci Erickson said has logged 185,000 miles, and is in rough shape, with one of the current patrol cars). Harvey said he’d met with Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Supervi- sor Tom Montoya and other United States Forest Service (USFS) personnel, including Natural Resource Specialist Victoria Anne, for a staff-to-staff meeting recently (no decisions are made during these, and they are different from agency-to-agency coor- dination meetings, which are held periodically in the Commission Chambers). Harvey said that the two- to three-hour meeting went well, and numerous issues were discussed, including the much-debated Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision (BMFPR). He said that he made it clear to Montoya that the USFS can not move for- ward with the process, and that includes the Travel Management Plan (TMP), until all roads are invento- ried and mapped. Harvey said that he plans to meet with Montoya twice a month, and that informa- tion would be relayed to the County’s Natural Resource Advisory Com- mittee (NRAC), and then to the County Commission Board, to be passed on to the public, which he said is the proper coordination process. Chase said, “If we would have had this (the coordination process) two years ago, they would have had the Blue Moun- tains Revision done, and the Travel Management.” Harvey said that his effort pales in comparison to the Eastern Oregon Mining Association’s (EOMA), and Forest Access For All’s (FAFA) efforts, to ensure that the USFS adhere to the proper process (Chase is EOMA Executive Di- rector, and Tork is FAFA President). Wanda said that the American Stewards of Liberty (ASL), an organi- zation that was enlisted to assist the County with its comments to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in response to the release of its initiative, Planning 2.0, has been mis-characterized (funds were privately raised and donated to the County to pay for ASL’s service, without solicitation from the Commission Board, but this nonetheless sparked public debate, including comments about ASL’s po- litical leaning, during more than one session). Harvey said he’d heard some scuttlebutt about Safeway possibly ending its lease for its current location, 1205 Campbell Street, but he said that, as far as he knows, the rumors aren’t true (the lack of products on shelves sometimes is weather- related, he said). “It’s two locations, but, it’s still one store,” Danser said, referring to the previous merger between Safeway and Albertsons, at 1120 Campbell, and the reopen- ing of the Albertsons store last year. SEE FIRST FRIDAY PAGE 4 — Cattle Market Report — Wednesday, February 1, 2017 Vale, Oregon Cattle sold through the auction: 1415 Steer Calves 300-400# Bulk 138.00-174.00 Top 180.00 400-500# Bulk 151.00-178.00 Top 179.00 500-600# Bulk 126.00-157.00 Top 158.00 Heifer Calves 300-400# Bulk 126.00-139.00 Top 140.00 400-500# Bulk 114.00-141.00 Top 143.00 500-600# Bulk 112.00-132.00 Top 134.50 Yearling Steers 600-700# Bulk 116.00-131.00 Top 132.00 700-800# Bulk 105.00-121.50 Top 122.00 800-900# Bulk 106.00-117.50 Top 119.00 900-1,000# Bulk 97.00-110.00 Top 111.00 Yearling Heifers 600-700# Bulk 107.00-122.00 Top 123.00 700-800# Bulk 101.00-115.00 Top 116.00 800-900# Bulk N/A Top N/A 900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A Thin Shelly Cows 43.00-51.00 Butcher Cows 52.00 - 57.00 Butcher Bulls 42.00 - 61.00 Pairs Young N/A Stock Cows 785.00-1025.00 Stock Cows Young - 1025.00 - 1385.00 ProducersLivestock.com 541-473-3136 — Log Price Report — Prices are based on the majority of saw mills in Northeastern Oregon and Central Idaho. The prices listed below are a composite prices of various saw- mills willing to visit with me about this topic. Ponderosa Pine—small diameter class 8-11 inches diameter class $250 per mbf. Only one sawmill was willing to buy small diameter pine at this time. Ponderosa Pine—medium diameter class 12-17 inches diameter class $300 to $350 per mbf Ponderosa Pine-large diameter class 18 plus inches diameter class $380 to $410 per mbf The Pine prices are still approximately $40 per mbf below average lumber/log market due to 2017 ﬁ re salvage Doug Fir & Western Larch—$380 to $420 per mbf. Normal prices typically ranged between $425 to $475 per mbf. White Fir-$300 per mbf. Normal prices typically ranged between $340 to $360 per mbf. Engelmann Spruce—$350 at one Idaho sawmill, other sawmills including with White ﬁ r prices. In general, the log prices still impacted from 2015 ﬁ re season and ﬁ re salvage that resulted. Sawmills are starting to get log yard inventory in line with sawmill production needs. With a new Administra- tion as of 1/20/2017, a more normal economic envi- ronment should result and hopefully a more healthy housing situation will result in a better climate for Northeast Oregon Sawmill and private forest land- owners. Tony's Tree Service Free evaluations for: • Proper Trimming • Safety • Removal •Disease Control • Insect Control • Tree Replacement • Stump Grinding Licensed | Insured | 48 years experience. Tony's Tree Service. Accepting payment plans and credit cards. Nearly ﬁ ve decades of experience. 600 Elm Street, Baker City. 541.523.3708 Owners Tony & Lisa Constantine LCB 6271 • CCB 63504 Courtesy of Arvid Andersen, Andersen Forestry Consulting — Precious Metals Report — Price per ounce, USD Gold: $1,236.00 Silver: $17.76 Platinum: $1010.70 Palladium: $763.68 Bloomberg.com — Ag Commodities — Corn: $365.50/bu/USD Wheat: $425.75/bu/USD Soybeans: $1,039.75/bu/USD Oats: $259.25 bu/USD Rough Rice: $9.41/cwt/USD Canola: $520.50 CAD/mwt Live Cattle: $116.40//lb./USD Feeder Cattle: $124.15/lb./USD Lean Hogs: $72.18/lb./USD Bloomberg.com