THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 2017
Business / Agriculture
EDC topics: Farewell Bend
development, Industrial Park
• KEEPING
RECORDS
SUGGESTED FOR
EXECUTIVE SESSION
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County
Economic Development
Council (EDC) held a
regular meeting on Tues-
day, August 22, 2017, 8:30
a.m., in the Commission
Chambers of the Baker
County Courthouse, which
included discussions of
Elkhorn View Industrial
Park’s electric service,
freeway sign dimensions,
and development of private
property at Farewell Bend.
Present from the EDC
were Chair Craig Ward,
Vice Chair Randy Daugh-
erty, Baker County Com-
mission Chair Bill Harvey,
Baker City Manager
Fred Warner, Jr., Educa-
tional Representative Jerry
Peacock, and Members at
Large Karen Owen, Tyler
Brown, and Scott Thatcher.
Attendance also includ-
ed Baker County Econom-
ic Development Director
Greg Smith, Smith’s
assistants Julee Hicks and
Phil Scheuers, Baker City
Community Development
Director Robin Nudd, Bak-
er County Commissioner
Bruce Nichols, Oregon
Trail Electric Cooperative
(OTEC) General Manager
Les Penning, OTEC Vice
President Charlene Chase,
OTEC Secretary/Treasurer
Wayne Overton, Deepak
Prashar, and Bob Savage.
Ward called the meeting
to order, followed by ap-
proval of the minutes from
the Wednesday, August 2,
2017 meeting, with a mo-
tion from Daugherty, and
a second from Peacock.
Prior to approval, Harvey
noted an additional correc-
tion.
Daugherty, noting that an
executive session had been
held during the last EDC
meeting in order to discuss
Smith’s performance, and
that records of the sessions
aren’t normally provided,
said, “Shouldn’t we have
a record of executive ses-
sions? There’s no men-
tion of what happened in
executive session ...Going
forward, I think we should
do that.”
He said other govern-
ing bodies on which he’s
served have provided
records of executive ses-
sions, but he’s unclear
on state law covering the
subject.
He asked Harvey and
Warner, Jr. whether the
County Commission and
City Council keep records
of executive sessions, and
they said they do, though
they’re not public records.
Smith said that state law
doesn’t require records of
executive sessions, but that
the records could be pro-
vided. Smith’s office itself
is the body that writes and
keeps minutes/records for
the EDC meetings.
For EDC Chair Up-
date, Ward said that the
hay harvest is winding
down, grain harvest is in
full swing, the Wards are
harvesting their mint crop,
and potato harvest will be
probably around the end of
September. He mentioned
that Phillips Reservoir is at
about 60% of capacity (as
of the time of the meeting),
up from last year at this
time.
Smith added that the Or-
egon Department of Fish
and Wildlife (ODFW) has
done a better job this year
of publicizing its trophy
trout program.
For Commission Chair
Update, Harvey said that
there is an issue with
green algae in Richland
parks, and there’s been
a decline in camping
and fishing because of
that. “The fishing’s not
good,” he said. Harvey
has spoken with the U.S.
Forest Service about the
Sparta and Anthony Lakes
timber sales, and he said
they’re moving forward
with the projects. On a
personal note, he said the
he’s invested $30,000 in
the office complex which
houses the Department of
Motor Vehicles (DMV) on
10th Street, property he
manages through his and
his wife, Lorrie’s company,
Rock Creek Developments,
LLC, which will allow the
DMV to remain open here
for at least another seven
years.
For Baker City Update,
Warner, Jr. said that the
Planning Commission
met recently to discuss
changes to the City’s sign
ordinance, and the Free-
way Exclusion Zone. He
believes that the Commis-
sion will probably recom-
mend to City Council that
sign height be set at 65 feet
to 80 feet within the Zone,
which he said is good
news.
He said that the Total So-
lar Eclipse weekend went
well, with plenty of people
and business, and he men-
tioned discussions with
OTEC, regarding power
capacity at the Indus-
trial Park. He thanked the
present OTEC representa-
tives, and said, “You’re an
integral part of our efforts
to move forward.”
Penning, in his position
since December 2016, said
that the OTEC Board is
expecting to discuss some
final details and make deci-
sions at its next meeting,
on August 29, and that,
“We’ve had our ear to the
ground over the last sev-
eral months...” with com-
munities throughout the
region, determining areas
of focus and the best ways
to complete objectives.
Harvey asked about the
status of the Industrial
Park, and Penning said that
there’s three-phase power
available to each site, but
that more design and con-
nectivity discussions need
to take place.
Overton said that he be-
lieves he’s seeing a change
in culture and mindset at
OTEC, “being a little more
user-friendly,” and that
Penning is a welcomed
addition to the team, with
that same mindset.
Ward asked Penning
what the current power
capacity is at the Park,
and Penning said that the
electrical load depends
on, for example, whether
single-phase or three-phase
power is required, but that
generally, it’s around two
megawatts. As a refer-
ence, he said that a typical
Home Depot’s electrical
load is around one mega-
watt. “You’ve got quite a
bit of capacity...” he said,
but that OTEC is looking
at the possibility of adding
a station “upstream” of the
Park, which could have
another ten megawatts
— Weekly Hay Report —
Friday, August 18, 2017 — Eastern Oregon
All prices reported today are 2017 crop, un-
less otherwise noted. Most producers are done
with first cutting and out in the field working
on second cutting. Extreme heat in some of the
growing areas has slowed movement. Some
rain and thunderstorms have diminshed qual-
ity of hay. Retail/Stable type hay remains the
largest demanded hay.
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa Large Square Premium
28 160.00-160.00 160.00
Alfalfa/Grass Mix Small Square Premium
270 166.00-175.00 173.52
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 623
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press.
“Dee” Prasher of the local Super 8 and Motel 6
would like larger signage to draw guests in.
available.
Smith introduced Prashar
as “Dee,” who owns and
manages the Super 8 Motel
through his company, DK
Hotel Management, LLC,
and manages the Motel 6
property through his com-
pany, Gurmaa, LLC, via
contract with owners Rich-
ard and Lynne Langrell.
Prashar said, “Most of the
business comes from the
freeway; especially in the
evening time... They make
up their minds, when they
see the signs... We are los-
ing business. Please allow
us the bigger signs...”
He said that he was re-
ferring to having a visible
sign for Motel 6 specifi-
cally, and Warner, Jr. said
that the City is working on
the issue, and that within
a month, he hopes to see a
resolution.
For Community De-
velopment/Main Street
Update, Nudd mentioned
the eclipse event and
the increase in business
revenue. She said that
applications for Leo Adler
grants are being submitted
(due by September 1), and
that the group Baker City
Downtown will probably
receive some awards.
Nudd said that she spoke
with Greg Sackos, who
owns property adjacent to
Central Park, about park
access, and that he’ll get
back to her on that topic.
Warner, Jr. added that
the City will be discuss-
ing a plan for 10th Street
development with business
owners, in connection with
funding from the state’s
transportation package.
For Economic Develop-
ment Director Update,
Smith said that the Indus-
trial Park’s site certification
expired earlier this year,
and Scheuers explained the
re-certification application
process (Smith had a copy
of that application and
requirements).
Scheuers said that the
certification was origi-
nally good for ten years,
with re-certifications
every two years, and that
letters regarding utilities,
as well as updated maps,
are among the documents
required with the applica-
tion. He said that certifica-
tion means that the site is
“shovel ready” for devel-
opment within 180 days.
Smith said that he’s
invited representatives
from Union Pacific Rail
Road, as well as members
of the EDC, on a tour of
the Industrial Park, on
Tuesday, August 29, 2017,
starting at 3 p.m., at the
Economic Development
office (later in the meeting,
Overton said that there are
numerous potential rail
sites in the County, and
Harvey said that those are
marketed also).
Among other details,
Smith said that his office
is working with Atlanta-
based United Georgia
Loans, in the final stages of
the purchase of the former
motel, gas station, and
convenience store property
in Farewell Bend, owned
by Bahadur Singh. Smith
said, “As everyone knows,
that’s in Malheur County,
but the employment for
that will come from the
City of Huntington...
The Mayor of Hunting-
ton (Candy Howland) is
ecstatic about this opportu-
nity...” which could mean
120 to 130 jobs.
Smith said that there
have been issues in the
past with inadequate
water supply to the site,
which need to be resolved,
including the installation
of a four-and-a-half mile
long pipeline. He said that
one solution is to purchase
water from the City of
Huntington.
Peacock asked how the
site operated with enough
water before, and Smith
said, “They didn’t have
enough water; they barely
had enough water...” as
he noted the experiences
of guests and staff at the
former motel.
Smith said, assuming the
water supply issue can be
resolved (he said that the
company hasn’t had to deal
with the “water fight,” such
as that in Oregon), United
Georgia Loans could invest
from $10 to $12 million in
the development project.
Smith also detailed ef-
forts regarding marketing
outreach to include the for-
mer Gentry Ford property,
on Main Street, owned by
Don and Jackie Phillips,
such as a potential camper
or trailer dealer, or pos-
sibly a dry cleaner facility
(Smith said he plans to
increase marketing efforts
on a monthly basis for dif-
ferent properties). He also
discussed county employ-
ment job listings, business
updates, and Economic
Development’s presence
at the Baker County Fair,
among other details. He
said that his office handed
out 3,000 Chamber of
Commerce brochures over
the course of two days dur-
ing the Fair.
Prior to adjournment,
Warner, Jr. moved that
the EDC send a letter to
the County Commission
and City Council, recom-
mending expansion of the
Freeway Exclusion Zone,
to increase the height limit
for signs within that zone.
Peacock seconded the
motion, and it carried.
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 132.00-147.00 Top 149.00
400-500# Bulk N/A Top N/A
500-600# Bulk 133.00-154.00 Top 155.00
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk N/A Top N/A
400-500# Bulk N/A Top N/A
500-600# Bulk 125.00-136.00 Top 139.00
Yearling Steers
600-700# Bulk 129.00-157.00 Top 159.00
700-800# Bulk 131.00-146.00 Top 151.50
800-900# Bulk 119.00-131.00 Top 131.25
900-1,000# Bulk 107.00-119.00 Top 120.00
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 126.00-141.00 Top 143.00
700-800# Bulk 119.00-134.00 Top 139.00
800-900# Bulk 113.00-122.00 Top 124.00
900-1,000# Bulk 105.00-111.00 Top 114.00
Thin Shelly Cows 51.00-68.00
Butcher Cows 69.00-77.00
Butcher Bulls 77.00-91.00
Stock Cows N/A
Younger Heifers 83.00-103.00
Pairs 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: $1,295.20
Silver: $17.16
Platinum: $978.70
Palladium: $935.96
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $355.75/bu/USD
Wheat: $430.00/bu/USD
Soybeans: $938.00/bu/USD
Oats: $246.00 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $12.60/cwt/USD
Canola: $508.00 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $106.18//lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $141.70/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $63.55/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com