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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (May 5, 2017)
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3 FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2017 Business / Agriculture Oregon Trails West RV Park under new ownership BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com Beginning April 1st, John and Michelle Dollar purchased Oregon Trails West RV Park. The Dol- lars previously owned the Windshield Doctor for 13 years and sold it to their son Kenny Keister. Michelle Dollar also previously owned Sunfire Real estate. She still sells real estate and still has a Principal Brokers license. She owned the real estate for six years before selling it to Christina Smith. One of the changes they made to the park was get- ting rid of the gas pumps. Michelle explained that they made the decision to get rid of them as they could not compete with the bigger companies in town. “We can devote more time to our RV people,” explained John. “We’re getting a new propane service so it will be quicker and easier for people. We’ll be able to recertify tanks that way if their tanks are just a little bit expired, they don’t have to go some- where else or all the way to La Grande to get recerti- fied.” They currently are work- ing on normal maintenance at the RV Park. They are looking into some permanent, full-time cabins and are still decid- ing what goals they will set for the park. They are also planning on putting in an RV dump at the site. Oregon Trails West RV Park has been a fam- ily business that has been open since the 1970s. Don and Pauline Shep- pard were the ones who started it and the Dollars recently purchased it from their children. “We were looking for something that we could both do together,” said Michelle. “People are on vacation when they come through here,” said John. “They’re usually just happy to be traveling out. It’s kind of fun to meet the people too and give them a nice place to stay, it’s pretty quiet out here. And the convenience store is kind of cool; peo- ple stop by and get things. We’re looking forward to getting busier.” ECP signup for wildfire damage to livestock fences Baker and Grant County has seen several fires that were started by lightning and damaged permanent fencing on private, BLM and US Forest Service al- lotments in 2016. Private landowners and permittees in these affected areas may be eligible for assistance under the Emer- gency Conservation Pro- gram (ECP) administered by the Baker-Grant County Farm Service Agency Of- fice if the damage: • will be so costly to rehabilitate that Federal assistance is or will be needed to return the land to productive agricultural use • is unusual and is not the type that would recur frequently in the same area • affects the productive capacity of the farmland • will impair or endanger the land Restoring permanent livestock fences is the only practice that may be eligible. A producer qualifying for ECP assistance may receive cost shares not to exceed 75 percent of the cost of all eligible expens- es of restoration measures. In addition, cost sharing may be adjusted based on the age of the fence per the following: No producer is eli- gible to receive more than $200,000 cost shares for this natural disaster occur- rence. To be eligible for as- sistance, practices must not be started until all of the following are met: • An application for cost-share assistance has been filed • The local FSA County Committee (COC) or its representative has con- ducted an onsite inspection of the damaged area • The FSA has made a needs determination Producers who have suffered a loss from this natural disaster may contact the Baker-Grant County FSA Office @ 541-523-7121, extension 2 and request assistance from May 1, 2017 to May 31, 2017. Bonebrake defeats Grove for OTEC’s position 2 • OTEC’S ANNUAL MEETING HELD It was a packed house as members from across four Eastern Oregon counties traveled to attend Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative’s 29th Annual Membership Meeting at the Blue Mountain Confer- ence Center in La Grande, OR. Board President George Galloway welcomed the membership and high- lighted the clean audit OTEC received in 2017 as well as reviewed the steps the OTEC Board and Management have taken to ensure the excellent finan- cial health of the electric cooperative. “It pleases me to tell you that our auditors recently notified the board that they found no issues of concern and added that our finan- cial staff are doing a very good job,” said Galloway. “Our financial strength is very good and continues to gradual improvement. Our percentage of debt is one of the lowest among electric cooperatives na- tionally.” Galloway also noted the challenges and opportuni- ties OTEC will face in the future from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), increased distrib- uted generation, and new technologies while work- ing to keep electric rates low. “We work really hard at keeping our rates as low as possible. But, as you have heard before, half of our costs come from power purchases from Bonnev- ille Power Administration (BPA),” said Galloway. “This is the hardest cost for us to control.” “Every few years BPA raises their rates and we are pretty much compelled as a non-profit organiza- tion to pass those costs through to the member- ship,” noted Galloway. “This year’s BPA rate increase is not yet final- ized, but it looks like we will need to raise our member’s rates by 4 or 5 percent this year. This will happen in the fall and will include a small amount to cover increases in our non-power costs. This allows us to keep our rates unchanged for another two year period.” Galloway added, “I think that we do have to acknowledge that what- ever they (BPA) does, it is a great bargain because it contributes to OTEC hav- ing one of the lowest rates in the country.” The challenges of the past winter, franchise taxes, safety, capital investments and the arrival of OTEC’s new general manager, Les Penning, were also highlighted. “As a board, one of our most important jobs is to recruit a skilled General Manager,” said Galloway “With the retirement of Werner Buehler at the end of 2016, the critical chal- lenge for the board this year was to find a replace- ment for him. I am pleased to report it appears we were highly successful.” OTEC’s new General Manager, Les Penning, ar- rived December 2016. “Thank you for the opportunity to work for you,” said Penning. “I have been around this industry for about 20 years and the — Weekly Hay Report — Friday, April 28, 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 pro- ducers, horse owners prefer lower sugar, higher pro- teinhay. Many producers are sold out for the year. Tons Price Range Wtd Avg Alfalfa — Large Square Premium 30 130.00-130.00 130.00 Last week: Alfalfa / Orchard Mix — Small Square Premium 6 165.00-165.00 165.00 Timothy Grass — Small Square Premium 10 275.00-275.00 275.00 USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov — Cattle Market Report — Wednesday, April 26, 2017 Vale, Oregon Cattle sold through the auction: 1,206 Steer Calves 300-400# Bulk N/A Top N/A 400-500# Bulk 163.00-184.00 Top 187.00 500-600# Bulk 151.00-167.00 Top 172.50 Heifer Calves 300-400# Bulk 149.00-161.00 Top 163.00 400-500# Bulk 141.00-161.00 Top 162.50 500-600# Bulk 127.00-149.00 Top 150.00 600-700# 700-800# 800-900# 900-1,000# Yearling Steers Bulk 139.00-164.00 Top 165.50 Bulk 132.00-145.00 Top 145.75 Bulk 121.00-131.00 Top 133.00 Bulk 115.00-123.00 Top 124.50 Yearling Heifers 600-700# Bulk 126.00-144.00 Top 147.50 700-800# Bulk 119.00-128.00 Top 129.50 800-900# Bulk 111.00-121.00 Top 122.00 900-1,000# Bulk 107.00-117.00 Top 119.00 Thin Shelly Cows 47.00-63.00 Butcher Cows 64.00-71.00 Butcher Bulls 71.00-84.00 Stock Cows Young 1125.00-1320.00 Hfretts 89.00-115.00 Pairs Young - 1310.00-1700.00 ProducersLivestock.com 541-473-3136 — Log Price Report — Photo Courtesy of OTEC Mildred Fine was honored and presented with the 2017 Peggi Timm Civic Leadership Award. strength of the coopera- Award. The honor is cur- tive, member-owner piece rently awarded annually is one I truly believe in. to a woman residing in The participation that you OTEC’s service territory are showing here today is who most exemplifies a testament to that.” the cooperative founder’s Along with Penning ceaseless spirit of volun- providing an overview of teerism to improve life in the cooperatives finan- their communities. cial status, a breakdown Fine selected the Harney of rate comparisons and County Historical Society reviewing the power of a non-profit 501(c)3 to the cooperative member- receive the $25,000 award, ship, the OTEC Board made available through Election results were also earnings on unclaimed announced. capital credits. Plans are to George Galloway (posi- take the funds and apply tion 1) of Union County them to the creation of an was re-elected with 3,549 annex for the Historical votes. Society. Aletha Bonebrake (posi- “Basically we have the tion 2) of Baker County building, we just need to was elected with 2,049 take the stuff out that we votes, defeating Jim Grove are not going to use, clean also of Baker County who it up and put it back to- received 1,823 votes. gether to make the annex,” Robert Cargill (posi- said Fine smiling. tion 3) of Harney County Lyle Jensen of La was re-elected with 3,513 Grande was the raffle win- votes. ner of the upright freezer Harney County Histori- “OTEC Attendance cal Society Board Presi- Award” and Nickolas dent Mildred Fine was Vogel (not pictured) was honored and presented drawn to win the mail- with the $25,000 Peggi in ballot drawing for the Timm Civic Leadership $500 OTEC energy credit. 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: $1,238.50 Silver: $16.48 Platinum: $897.39 Palladium: $799.79 Bloomberg.com — Ag Commodities — Corn: $374.75/bu/USD Wheat: $454.00/bu/USD Soybeans: $975.50/bu/USD Oats: $238.05 bu/USD Rough Rice: $9.91/cwt/USD Canola: $522.60 CAD/mwt Live Cattle: $130.05//lb./USD Feeder Cattle: $160.10/lb./USD Lean Hogs: $75.55/lb./USD Bloomberg.com
