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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 24, 2017)
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 Business / Agriculture Benchmark moves to Dewey BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER From last week: Barley Straw / Utility 60 40.00-40.00 40.00 USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov — Cattle Market Report — Samantha O’Conner / The Baker County Press on elevations and those are always done for various reasons,” explained Hat- field. They also do FEMA flood elevation surveys to find if a house is in a flood plain, finding the true elevation of the house for the survey. “What we can deter- mine—sometimes—is that perhaps, yeah maybe that flood plain layer is there but, actually, we’re finding that the house and the property is higher than what they thought and, so, it’s out of it by elevation,” said Hatfield. Benchmark also offers mortgage surveys where people want to build a house on property they have purchased. Hatfield explained that they also do easements, legal descriptions for prop- erty transactions, and water rights. Benchmark’s main office is in John Day, Ore., and in 2008 they began a satellite office in Baker City in the Basche Sage Mall. Co-owner Hatfield said that February 2016, they decided they needed a full time presence in Baker. Hatfield and Mike Springer are the found- ers of Benchmark Land Surveying. Before establishing Benchmark, they were co- workers for Bagett-Griffith & Blackman. Fogerson, who’s worked for Wells Fargo for just over four years, said, “We’re always examining our network—examining traffic data, and customer patterns,” and to have branches located, “...where it makes the most sense. In some cases, we see that traffic switches to mobile, or online, or, traffic pat- terns are shifting.” Branch Manager Heidi Quintela said, “I know that when Bank of America closed (it was located at Washington Avenue and Resort Street), we absorbed a lot of their cus- tomers, and now, we have to tell them about this hap- pening again, and it’s defi- nitely unfortunate. I know some customers have been banking with Wells Fargo for over 40 years, since they were teens.” Quintela has worked for Wells Fargo for 11 years, first as a part-time Teller since January 30, 2007, working her way up to Branch Manager, a posi- tion she’s held since May 5, 2011. In May 1998, the branch was relocated from the current Umpqua Bank location (and old Pioneer Bank, which Wells Fargo acquired) at Washington Avenue and 1st Street, to the north side of the 35,862 square foot Safeway build- ing, built in 1977, and owned by Boca Raton, Florida-based Muffrey, LLC. The branch employees eight “Team Members,” including Quintela, a Ser- vice Manager, two Bank- ers, and four tellers. Quintela said it was a shock to learn of the branch closure, espe- cially with the next closest branch located at Adams Avenue and Fir Street, in La Grande—45 miles north of Baker City. The La Grande branch is a stand-alone, 6,946 square foot building, built in 1974, and owned by First Interstate Bank Of Oregon (Wells Fargo ac- quired Fist Interstate). “It was a business deci- sion with Wells Fargo, with that lease coming up,” in early May, which Quintela understood was the main reason why the branch is closing. “If we have some people who want to relocate, Wells Fargo’s all about retaining them. But, three of us just bought houses here, so, you know, this is kind of home for us, so, we’ll be looking for a different ca- reer, a different direction.” She said she doesn’t know yet whether she plans to stay in banking, or to pur- sue other opportunities. While saddened by the closure, on a more positive Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Vale, Oregon Cattle sold through the auction: 3,235 Jason Hatfield, co-owner of Benchmark Land Surveying. Springer and Hatfield bought out their previ- ous boss, Bob Bagett, and established Benchmark. “A benchmark is some- thing that is very iden- tifiable as a land survey monument and typically a benchmark, as the name implies, it’s held to a high- er standard than maybe some other monuments,” said Hatfield. “It’s kind of saying there’s a standard there that we always want to meet and we never want to go below that standard.” Hatfield explained that they had historically served Grant, Wheeler, and Gil- liam Counties then Harney County before receiving calls and inquiries for do- ing surveys in Baker City. Wells Fargo branch to close CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Friday, November 17, 2017 — Eastern Oregon Prices trended generally steady in a limited test. Retail/Stable type hay remains the largest demanded hay. Many hay producers have sold out for the year. Recent showers and snow has hampered hay movement. Tons Price Range Wtd Avg Alfalfa Small Square Good 40 130.00-130.00 130.00 Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com Benchmark Land Sur- veying has moved to a new location at 1027 Dewey Avenue. “We’ve moved loca- tions, we’re somewhat new here although we’ve had a presence here since 2008,” explained owner Jason Hatfield. “But now we’re full time here.” Benchmark offers dif- ferent services and most of what they do are land surveys. Hatfield explained that they can establish where a landowner’s cor- ners or property lines are. “Anywhere from a small lot, small land owners in town, all the way out to do- ing large scale properties, ranches and we do subdivi- sions and things like that,” explained Hatfield. “That’s all kind of in the realm of boundary surveys.” They also do property line adjustments. Hatfield explained that if two neighbors agree on one selling the other some of their land, they can adjust the line and that usually has to be surveyed. Outside of boundary surveys, they also do topographic surveys where they capture all the physi- cal features on the ground such as buildings, utilities, and elevation. “We’ll actually create topographic maps based — Weekly Hay Report — note, Quintela said, “I can tell that we’ve been growing steadily, over the last ten years or so. I’ve seen growth, for as long as I’ve been here. We really pride ourselves on good customer service; custom- ers’ families and friends, sending them our way, because of our service, is a big thing.” SEE WELLS FARGO PAGE 7 Steer Calves 300-400# Bulk 181.00-213.00 Top 217.00 400-500# Bulk 151.00-216.00 Top 217.50 500-600# Bulk 141.00-163.50 Top 164.75 Heifer Calves 300-400# Bulk 153.00-186.00 Top 189.00 400-500# Bulk 137.00-168.00 Top 169.00 500-600# Bulk 127.00-140.00 Top 142.00 Yearling Steers 600-700# Bulk 138.00-157.00 Top 159.25 700-800# Bulk 131.00-153.00 Top 154.50 800-900# Bulk 129.00-136.00 Top 138.00 900-1,000# Bulk 118.00-132.00 Top 134.00 Yearling Heifers 600-700# Bulk 135.00-147.00 Top 148.00 700-800# Bulk 126.00-141.00 Top 144.00 800-900# Bulk N/A Top N/A 900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A Thin Shelly Cows 39.00-55.00 Butcher Cows 59.00-69.00 Butcher Bulls 52.00-75.00 Stock Cows N/A Younger Hfrts. 75.00-91.00 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: $1,291.10 Silver: $17.21 Platinum: $939.50 Palladium: $1004.55 Bloomberg.com — Ag Commodities — Corn: $356.50/bu/USD Wheat: $441.75/bu/USD Soybeans: $996.75/bu/USD Oats: $271.50 bu/USD Rough Rice: $12.41/cwt/USD Canola: $515.50 CAD/mwt Live Cattle: $125.70//lb./USD Feeder Cattle: $153.63/lb./USD Lean Hogs: $67.70/lb./USD Bloomberg.com