THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, JULY 7, 2017
Business / Agriculture
When football and art come together
— Weekly Hay Report —
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
Friday, June 30, 2017 — Eastern Oregon
Millman explained his
process.
“I’m a big sports fan,” he
said. “I love football and
just wanted to make my
favorite teams’ helmets for
myself. Coworkers came
over, saw them and wanted
one of their favorite team’s
helmet. Friends kept telling
me I can sell them—and I
finally listened and started
listing on eBay.”
“These are custom-
painted helmets to look
brand new from absolutely
ugly and sometimes com-
pletely gouged and gross
used helmets,” he said.
Millman completely
disassembles the helmet,
sands down the entire
thing, fills spots, sands it
again and then preps for
painting.
Once he has his blank
“canvas” in shape, it’s
ready to paint to his cus-
tomer’s specific desires.
He said, “I’m always
up for a challenge and
during football season I’m
always challenged—happy
and busy making custom
helmets for all fans! I find
it always interesting what
teams fans order and where
I ship the helmets.”
Millman’s creations are
shipping all across this
U.S. at this point.
Prices trended generally steady in an extremely
limited test compared to week ago prices. Most
producers are sold out for the year, and are busy out
in the fields preparing for new crop. Some produc-
ers have cut and starting to bale and are preparing to
start selling 2017 hay. So far, new crop hay pricing,
in an extremely limited test, seems generally steady
compared to 2016 pricing for similar quality.
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
No new sales confirmed for the past three weeks.
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Submitted Photo.
This shiny yellow Cal helmet traveled to a coach in Oregon who purchased
several helmets for his collection.
“One of my best expe-
riences has to be White
Plains Commissioner
Chong’s NYPD helmet!
It took me much longer to
finish than normal due to
injuries—a sliced finger
and decal mailing mishap,”
he said.
Millman jokes that there
were blood, sweat and
tears on that particular
project, but it was nonethe-
less finished in time for
the Commissioner’s visit
to the White House where
President Trump saw the
helmet.
“I’m still anxiously wait-
ing for pictures of that
meeting,” Millman said.
He went on to add, “I en-
joy making custom-painted
helmets exactly the way
customers want and order
and some are … abstract to
say the least! I have made
one with a design of half
one team and half another,
including the face mask, to
one color fading into an-
other. Any ideas customers
have and want, I can do.”
The customer’s only
limit is the imagination.
Millman is currently
looking into building a
web site for his work,
but for now, those inter-
ested can look on eBay
for “CMill71” and find his
latest works of art.
He can also be reached
via email at uwcmill13@
gmail.com.
A custom helmet project
usually takes Millman at
least a couple weeks to
complete, and prices are in
a wide range depending on
the complexity of the de-
sign, with just under $100
being the low end.
County: Local disaster declared
in advance of solar eclipse
• CHANGE IN
CALL CENTER
SUPERVISION
DRAWS CRITICISM
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Board
of Commissioners held
its first, regular session of
the month on Wednesday,
July 5, 2017, 9 a.m., in the
Commission Chambers
of the County Court-
house, which included
citizen comment from
Tom Muller, departmen-
tal updates from County
Clerk Cindy Carpenter and
County Treasurer Alice
Durflinger, and a Declara-
tion Of Local Disaster
from County Emergency
Manager Jason Yencopal,
in anticipation of the Total
Solar Eclipse event in
August.
Present from the Board
were Chair Bill Harvey,
Commissioners Mark Ben-
nett and Bruce Nichols,
and Executive Assistant
Heidi Martin.
Attendance also included
Baker County Planning Di-
rector Holly Kerns, Baker
County Sheriff Travis Ash,
Baker County Parks and
Recreation Director Karen
Spencer, Baker County
Parks and Recreation Advi-
sory Board Chair Ed Elms,
Baker County IT Director
Bill Lee, Baker County
Administrative Services
Director Christena Cook,
Baker County Juvenile
Department Court Super-
visor Staci Erickson, and
Nick Myatt.
Harvey called the meet-
ing to order, provided the
Invocation, and led in
recitation of the Pledge of
Allegiance. The agenda
was adopted with two ad-
ditions, with a motion from
Bennett, and a second from
Nichols.
Citizen Participation
included Muller, who
voiced opposition to the
agreement, which is not
finalized yet, between
Baker City and the County,
to have the Sheriff’s
Office manage the 911
Consolidated Dispatch
Center. “I believe the 911
Dispatch Center should
remain under the supervi-
sion of the County, not be
given to Travis Ash and the
Sheriff’s Office. Money
for having a full-time
911 Director has been set
aside for this very purpose
already...” Muller said.
He said that the Center
Director should have the
necessary experience and
background to manage
the Center, and that Ash
doesn’t have the specific
skills, and that his training
and experience are in law
enforcement. “The last per-
son was a disaster...” and
Muller doesn’t wish to see
that happen again, he said.
The minutes from the
Wednesday, June 21,
2017 regular session were
approved, with some
changes, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Nichols.
Carpenter provided a
County Clerk departmental
update, which included
details regarding election
expenses and collections,
document preservation,
office staff goals, legisla-
tive bills, 2018 elections,
and the Oregon Asso-
ciation of County Clerks
(OACC) Annual Confer-
ence, August 15-18, 2017,
at the Eagle Crest Resort,
Redmond, Oregon.
In speaking of the
Special District Election
collections, she said, “This
is really the best we’ve
collected, since I’ve been
in office, to be honest...”
So far, $3,252 has been
collected, which leaves
an outstanding balance of
only $2,758.94, she said.
She said that Lee has cre-
ated a document preserva-
tion program, called Paper
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 538
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk N/A Top N/A
400-500# Bulk N/A Top N/A
500-600# Bulk 150.00-161.00 Top 164.50
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk N/A Top N/A
400-500# Bulk N/A Top N/A
500-600# Bulk 127.00-144.00 Top 147.00
Yearling Steers
600-700# Bulk 141.00-156.00 Top 161.00
700-800# Bulk 134.00-141.50 Top 142.00
800-900# Bulk 124.00-132.00 Top 134.50
900-1,000# Bulk 109.00-118.00 Top 120.00
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 127.00-136.00 Top 137.00
700-800# Bulk 117.00-123.00 Top 124.00
800-900# Bulk 115.00-123.00 Top 124.00
900-1,000# Bulk 107.00-113.00 Top 114.50
Thin Shelly Cows 61.00 - 69.00
Butcher Cows 71.00 - 78.50
Butcher Bulls 79.00 - 95.00
Stock Cows Young N/A
Hfretts 74.00 - 88.00
Pairs Young - N/A
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Citizen Tom Muller believes the 911 Call Center
should have remained under the direction of the
County.
Vision, at a cost of $2,916,
which streamlines the pres-
ervation process, saving
time, effort, and money.
She said she’s uncer-
tain whether the planned
election room remodel
will happen, because
of unexpected election
expenses associated with a
Special Election in January
2018, due to recent mea-
sures passed by the State
Legislature, the timing of
which Carpenter and Ben-
nett found to be surprising
and suspect, they said. She
said that, since she wasn’t
aware of the legislation,
she didn’t budget for it,
and the remodel could be
delayed.
She discussed legisla-
tion which may affect the
County, and which she is
paying close attention to,
including Senate Bill (SB)
481, SB 769, House Bill
(HB) 2113, and HB 3357.
In regard to filing for a
Special District Election,
Bennett encouraged that,
and Carpenter explained
the increase in time, effort,
and costs associated with
write-ins.
Durflinger provided a
County Treasurer depart-
mental update, which
included details regarding
interest rates paid on bal-
ances in the Oregon Short
Term Fund (OSTF), the
ten-year history of County
foreclosures, the top
County taxpayers for 2016-
2017, percentage of taxes
collected, and the status of
the collection of taxes from
Charter Communications.
Durflinger said, “The
(interest) rates are looking
much better...” at 1.45%
most recently, and that
there is a balancing act,
with keeping funds in the
bank, and avoiding fees.
Speaking of foreclo-
sures, Durflinger said that
currently, there are eleven
deeds left from 2015 for
the County to take in
2017, and six deeds left
from 2016 to take in 2018
(which could change, de-
pending on circumstances).
The top 15 taxpayers for
2016-2017 includes Idaho
Power Co.; Ash Grove
Cement Co.; Union Pacific
Railroad Co.; Northwest
Pipeline Co.; Oregon Tele-
phone Co.; CenturyLink;
Marvin Wood Products,
Inc.; Level 3 Communica-
tions, LLC; Tesoro Logis-
tics NW Pipeline Co.; TTX
Co.; Verizon Communica-
tions; Carshetown, LLC;
Pine Valley Land, LLC;
Eagle Telephone System,
Inc.; and Safeway Inc./
BTS II (Albertsons Store).
SEE COUNTY PAGE 4
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: $1,224.40
Silver: $15.98
Platinum: $909.85
Palladium: $844.03
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $392.00/bu/USD
Wheat: $560.00/bu/USD
Soybeans: $994.25/bu/USD
Oats: $287.25 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $11.91/cwt/USD
Canola: $510.80 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $113.55//lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $142.23/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $84.58/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com