THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017
Business / Agriculture
Sycamore Tree ribbon-cutting
— Weekly Hay Report —
Friday, March 3, 2017 — Eastern Oregon
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PAGE 1
She continued, “But then
I also didn’t want to open
up another shop in Baker
because I didn’t want to
oversaturate the market
and there are some great
gift shops and boutiques in
town. And so I never got
around to it. Then when I
heard that Jacki (Adams)
was going to be selling
the store it just all fell into
place for me to take over
the ownership. It’s like a
dream come true.”
Gaslin began working
at The Sycamore Tree in
October when she decided
to purchase the store to
see the store running and
working from the inside
out. She has been a self-
employed accountant for
six years.
Gaslin does not plan to
make any major changes to
the store.
The fudge and a lot of
their main sections will
stay.
She has added in Magno-
lia Home by Joanna Gaines
and her first shipment that
came in a few weeks ago is
already almost sold out.
She has placed new or-
ders of furniture, couches,
tables, a coffee table, and a
dining room table.
She plans to keep that
line in stock for the store.
She has also added a bar
ware section to the store
and is trying to have a
larger presence of men’s
gifts so people are able to
shop for a gift for men.
Gaslin explained that
she will begin a wish list
for those who are on the
customer list with The
Sycamore Tree.
She explained that if
someone wants something
for Valentine’s Day, a
birthday, wedding regis-
tries, and baby registries,
they can make a note on
their account so others can
find those items.
She also explained that
those who want to do a
registry, The Sycamore
Tree will set up a dis-
play with a picture of the
couple, and some of the
things they picked out, and
put notes up of more things
they want.
“It’s a great place to
work,” Gaslin stated. “We
have a great staff. The
ladies that work here really
are the ones that keep the
business running, they
know it from the inside out
and I’ve just been really
blessed to have them stay
on and help me with little
questions when they come
up that I don’t have the
answers for, at least I can
ask them and know that
they know what is going
on, so it has been great
getting to work with all the
ladies here.”
Interim Budget Board meets
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PAGE 1
Dexter explained that
what these types of meet-
ings are used for is training
and giving information that
will be useful when future
budget meetings are held.
She explained that even
people that had been on
the Budget Board before
often needed a refresher as
budgets are only looked at
once a year.
During these types of
meetings various depart-
ments are looked at and ex-
plained to board members
also giving an opportunity
to gain insight into the
roles and structures of dif-
ferent departments giving
budget board members
valuable information when
determining financial al-
lotments during the final
stages of budget approval.
Referring again to what
could be discussed, Dexter
stated, “We can talk in
very broad vision goals,
philosophies, spending
priorities.”
She then reiterated
things that they could not
talk about in this meet-
ing “specific estimates or
appropriation amounts
associated with any fund or
any line item resource or
requirement. The ques-
tion of whether to fund a
specific program or expen-
diture. Or the imposing of
any tax.”
Jeff Petry then asked the
question as to why have
this interim meeting if
there were so many issues
that couldn’t be addressed.
Dexter explained that
they couldn’t have a
formal meeting yet for a
couple of reasons one be-
ing that in order to have a
formal meeting and discuss
specifics the public had
to be duly noticed and the
biggest reason being that
the official budget was not
yet prepared.
She advised that the
official budget document
would be ready May 5.
The public would be
noticed of meetings, the
proposed budget pub-
licly released and then
the Budget Board would
officially meet to begin
consideration of passing
the proposed budget.
Petry also expressed
concern over the manner
in which certain entities
approached the Board for
consideration of funding.
He noted that last year in
the public meetings groups
came forward and gave
presentations in a “pitch”
for funding.
Petry expressed a dislike
of that practice and asked
if there was a way these
groups could approach
staff and if appropriate the
funding already be noted in
the official budget docu-
ments, cutting down on the
presentations to the board
during official meetings.
This idea was discussed
among the board, Dexter
and City Manager Fred
Warner.
The conclusion was that
they could request that
those asking for funding
approach staff prior to
official budget meetings
and that had been the case
in some instances in the
past, however the meetings
were required by law to
allow the public to speak
and there was no way of
excluding presentations
requesting funding.
Dexter then moved on
to updating those present
on the current 2016-2017
budget status.
She advised that due to
the additional funds that
were utilized in unexpect-
ed snow removal and the
turnover of the City’s am-
bulance billing to a third
party that had not yielded
the expected revenue,
projections for ending fund
balances were less than
expected.
“This is going to be a
challenging budget year.
We’re going to have to
refine and staff is going to
have to lay out where the
money is and where it isn’t
and where the priorities
are,” said Warner.
A street overlay project
that was scheduled for
August is already on the
chopping block and pos-
sibly will not be funded in
the new budget.
“This has been a long
time coming,” he added.
Although, this is his first
year with the City, Warner
who served as County
Commissioner prior to the
City knows a thing or two
about budgets.
He said his goal is to
have a budget “we can
live with and try to keep
the City on an even keel
without any personnel cuts.
Council will have some
tough decisions to make.”
The City’s budget should
be adopted by July 1.
It can be adopted later
however, if no budget has
been adopted by July 1 and
the City spends any money
legal action can be taken
according to City Auditor
Kent Bailey.
It also opens the possi-
bility of citizens suing the
City for spending public
money they were not en-
titled to spend.
Bailey is currently still
in the process of conclud-
ing the City audit, due to
personnel changes his firm
is running behind but he
advised it is expected to be
done soon.
Dexter advised the board
that the proposed budget
document will be delivered
by May 5, 2017. Formal
public Budget meetings
are expected to be held the
week of May 15 -18 with
approval that same week.
Once approved City
Council will need to of-
ficially adopt the budget.
Minor changes can still be
made up until such time.
Dexter expects the Council
to vote on adoption at their
final June Council meeting
to have the adopted budget
in place before July 1.
The Budget Board still
has one vacancy, if you are
interested in serving on
this important board please
contact Julie Smith at City
Hall 541.524.2033 for
information.
Budget information can
be found on the City’s
website www.bakercity.
com.
Dexter has offered to
meet with anyone wanting
to know more informa-
tion about the budget and
budget process she can be
reached at 541.542.2042.
NEOEDD requests civics projects
E ach year the North-
east Oregon Economic
Development District
updates the Comprehen-
sive Economic Develop-
ment Strategy (CEDS) for
Baker, Union and Wal-
lowa counties. The CEDS
provides an important
overview of the region’s
social and business condi-
tions, analyzes the region’s
economic and community
development issues and
opportunities, and presents
a list of potential economic
development and civic
projects within the region.
See NEOEDD’s website
for the 2013-2018 Plan
and 2016 Update: http://
www.neoedd.org/content/
comprehensive-plan
NEOEDD is collecting
information for the 2017
CEDS project list using
a form available here:
http://www.neoedd.org/
content/2017-ceds-project-
information-form. Projects
must have a public benefit
and be sponsored by a
government or non-profit
organization. Projects that
have a direct or indirect
impact on job creation,
and/or that address federal
Economic Development
Administration guidelines,
will have greater priority
for some funding sources.
If your organization sub-
mits more than one project,
please rank the projects in
priority order. The deadline
is Mar. 24, 2017. Return
via email to kristyathens@
neoedd.org.
Additionally, NEOEDD
is offering to list CEDS
projects on an online
platform called Agora.
NEOEDD is using Agora
to connect projects with
potential funders (public
funders-such as state and
federal agencies, com-
munity foundations and
banks, and philanthropic
sector individuals and
organizations), to create
greater visibility for proj-
ects, and to keep project
descriptions up-to-date.
Agora’s website has a
quick video overview:
http://www.agora-platform.
com/. NEOEDD is avail-
able to register organi-
zations and projects on
Agora, and then transfer
registration information to
project managers so they
can make updates and
correspond with potential
funders as they wish.
Please return project
forms no later than Mar.
24, 2017. Direct ques-
tions to Sara Miller, Kristy
Athens, or Lisa Dawson at
541-426-3598.
The Northeast Oregon
Economic Development
District’s mission is to
provide resources and
facilitate quality decision-
making for the benefit of
entrepreneurs, businesses
and communities in Baker,
Union, and Wallowa coun-
ties. Learn more about its
programs and business
support at www.neoedd.
org.
Subscribe today! See page 9 for details.
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. Many producers are sold out for the
year.
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa — Large Square Premium
30 140.00-140.00 140.00
Alfalfa / Orchard Mix — Small Square
Good/Premium
22 165.00-165.00 165.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 1345
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 157.00-187.00 Top 193.00
400-500# Bulk 155.00-183.00 Top 183.50
500-600# Bulk 140.00-161.00 Top 165.50
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 147.00-162.00 Top 162.50
400-500# Bulk 132.00-158.00 Top 160.50
500-600# Bulk 125.00-141.00 Top 143.00
600-700#
700-800#
800-900#
900-1,000#
Yearling Steers
Bulk 128.00-140.00 Top 143.00
Bulk 119.00-129.00 Top 129.50
Bulk 116.00-125.00 Top 125.75
Bulk 110.00-118.00 Top 119.25
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 116.00-128.00 Top 130.00
700-800# Bulk 110.00-121.00 Top 122.50
800-900# Bulk 104.00-111.00 Top 114.00
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Thin Shelly Cows 37.00-52.00
Butcher Cows 58.00-65.00
Butcher Bulls 58.00 -77.00
Stock Cows N/A
Hfretts 69.00-91.00
Stock Cows Young - N.A
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 fire
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 fir prices.
In general, the log prices still impacted from 2015
fire season and fire 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.
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1,208.60
Silver: $17.26
Platinum: $947.65
Palladium: $769.25
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $372.50/bu/USD
Wheat: $447.00/bu/USD
Soybeans: $1,021.75/bu/USD
Oats: $243.75 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $9.64/cwt/USD
Canola: $527.20 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $115.98//lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $122.78/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $68.43/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com