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