REGION
Thursday, January 8, 2015
East Oregonian
Commissioners,
farmers to meet
over proposed
transmission line
PILOT ROCK
Search begins for new police chief
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
The city of Pilot Rock is putting together
a contract for Darren Richman to continue
his replacement.
City staff will also prepare a contract for
Gary David, former Milton-Freewater police
chief, to act as a consultant in that search.
Richman has been Pilot Rock’s top cop
since May 2008. He turned in his resignation
Dec. 29 and his last day on the job is Jan. 30.
He said he wants to retire and start a garage
door installation business.
David was the consultant the city con-
tracted during its last search for a police
chief, which resulted in the city hiring Rich-
man. The city paid David $4,300 for his ef-
forts and expenses.
Pilot Rock City Council met Tuesday
night and accepted Richman’s resignation,
then discussed the matter further in a closed-
door executive session. Afterward, the coun-
cil directed city recorder Teri Porter to pre-
pare the contracts. The council also plans to
meet in private Friday and again Wednesday,
Jan. 14, for contract discussions.
The Pilot Rock Police Department con-
has been out on medical leave. Richman
during the public meeting told the council
to work two or three days a week starting
next week. But because Stallings lives in
Milton-Freewater, it could be spendy if he
has to work on an on-call basis. Richman
said the city would have to pay for the travel
time in that case.
The council also gave Richman the ap-
candidates.
And council also held off on making a
decision on a $750,000 cash offer from the
space around two cell phone towers for 50
years. The city receives $1,097 a month from
U.S. Cellular for one tower on a 30-year lease
and receives $3,389 a month on a 25-year
lease from American Tower. Those deals
well as additional revenue if the companies
add attachments to the antennas.
City public works director Steve Draper
said the city did not need the fast injection of
funds, and the Unison buyout would result
in a net loss of about $380,000 over the 22
years remaining on the existing leases.
Pilot Rock resident John Taylor urged
Draper and the council to look hard at the
numbers before making any decision and
was concerned Unison was low-balling the
city. The council decided the city needed to
consult two bankers to go over the Unison
proposal in order to get a better idea of what
is in the city’s best interest.
And Michael Baleztena resigned from the
council. He was absent. Councilwoman Ka-
cie Moss read his resignation, which stated
he was too busy with youth sports to attend.
Councilmembers and staff remarked he had
missed multiple meetings and failed to noti-
fy the mayor or council president before the
absences per the city charter. The council ac-
cepted Baleztena’s resignation.
———
Contact Phil Wright at pwright@eastore-
gonian.com or 541-966-0833.
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
Umatilla County commissioners will meet
with local farmers to discuss their concerns
over a proposed 300-mile transmission line
from Boardman to southwest Idaho.
The Boardman to Hemingway project
-
ties — Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Baker and
Malheur — en route to a substation just south-
west of Boise. Growers worry the project could
take millions of dollars worth of high-value ag-
ricultural land out of production, depending on
where exactly the line is located.
Federal agencies, led by the Bureau of Land
Management, recently unveiled a draft Envi-
ronmental Impact Statement for Boardman to
Hemingway, examining the impacts of their
proposed route and a number of alternative
alignments. Idaho Power Company has pro-
-
ibility and share electricity between the two
regions.
-
al open houses Monday in Boardman, Tuesday
in Pendleton and Wednesday in La Grande to
provide more information about the proposal
and environmental report. The public has until
March 19 to comment.
BLM representatives also attended Wednes-
day’s meeting of the Umatilla County Board of
Commissioners to answer questions about the
permitting process moving forward. The com-
missioners decided to organize a work session
with farmers that will inform comments to be
submitted on behalf of the county.
The work session is planned for 6 p.m.
Feb. 17. The location is still to be determined.
Planning Director Tamra Mabbott said at
least 50 landowners will be invited directly to
the session, though others are welcome to at-
tend.
“My idea for this public meeting is to get all
these folks in the same room to talk with their
HERMISTON
Cabin Fever heats up with three performances
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
When
John
Wambeke
concert in 2007, he had no idea
it would still be going strong
seven years later.
“We just had so much fun,
we said let’s do it again ... and
again and again,” Wambeke
said with a laugh.
In addition to Wambeke,
the other mastermind behind
the popular variety show is Pat
Ward.
Throughout the year, Wam-
beke and Ward text each other
ideas for skits and things to do
during the show.
“He’s very versatile as a co-
median, he can assume a lot of
different roles,” Wambeke said
about Ward. “He gets deep into
his characters and has fun with
the parts.”
The 2015 Cabin Fever Con-
cert features three performanc-
es, including a Dutch Oven
Dinner Show Saturday, Jan. 17
and a Sunday, Jan. 18 matinee
performance, both in Hermis-
ton. And then a week later, the
entourage will head to Ione for
a Jan. 25 Dutch Oven Dessert
Show at the American Legion
Hall.
Contributed by Lukes Photos
has donned diapers and gotten
into other antics that Wambeke
and Ward come up with.
This year’s installment in-
cludes holy matrimony for
Jepsen — in the form of one of
Echo resident Jerri Fife’s man-
nequins. Jepsen’s marital status
across the clothesline during the
show.
“He’s just a great guy and
very talented,” Wambeke said
about Jepsen.
Of course Thelma and Eu-
nice, the church ladies of Dib-
bley Parrish, will make an
appearance. There’s quite the
controversy, as the minister
wants to make some changes in
the hymnbook.
Wambeke and Ward really
play up the gossiping spinsters.
Eunice is a bit brash and the au-
dience should get a bang when
she’s stricken by “taco tummy.”
Among the familiar faces are
the event’s house band, which
features Jepsen, Frazer Wam-
beke, Derek Munson and Luke
Basile. Other special guests in-
clude Stacey Cooley, Cory Cool-
ey and Joe Lindsay.
New to the Cabin Fever stage
this year is Justin Gross. The
crooner and trombone player is
originally from Richland and
has been performing on cruise
ships. Also, Angela Ditchen
Contributed by Lukes Photos
Eric Jepsen, an Ione High School and Eastern Oregon Uni-
versity graduate, has grown up on the Cabin Fever stage.
voice and the Ione pep band will
play.
Featuring nearly three dozen
musicians, the pep band isn’t
just school kids. Directed by
BOARDMAN
Council again approves waiver
for water and sewer hook-ups
East Oregonian
Boardman City Council
has once again passed a res-
olution allowing property
owners and developers to
waive the fee for connecting
to the city’s water and sew-
er lines until the end of the
year.
The incentive is intended
to make Boardman a more
attractive option for building
new homes by temporarily
waiving what are known as
system development charges
within city limits, up to
$10,000.
Community
Develop-
ment Director Barry Beye-
ler said additional housing
way the county can put some comments togeth-
er to further their plight, then that’s the purpose
of this meeting.”
Farmers are not opposed to the transmission
project, Mabbott said, but want to make sure
-
terrupt their production of high-value crops.
Once a transmission tower is built on or near
an irrigated circle, the power company is grant-
ed an easement through the land which can
John Wambeke and Eric Jepsen perform during a past Cabin Fever Concert.
Billed as Wambeke &
Friends, many of the performers
have taken the stage numerous
times over the years. Among
those who have grown up on the
Cabin Fever stage is Eric Jepsen,
an Ione High School and Eastern
Oregon University graduate.
is a major need in town, and
waiving those charges makes
it easier for developers to get
their projects started.
City council has passed
a similar resolution every
year since 2010, waiving
the charges for all construc-
tion within residential or
commercial districts. In four
years, 22 projects have qual-
“It’s been utilized by sev-
eral developers and contrac-
tors to help get a develop-
ment started,” Beyeler said.
Two new subdivisions are
already planned in Board-
man: the Tuscany subdivi-
sion will consist of up to 180
single-family houses just
south of city hall along Main
Street, while Chaparral Park
will offer for-rent duplexes
at the end of Kinkade Road.
Project developer River-
wood Homes, of Boise, said
-
ary.
In other news from Tues-
day’s meeting, Mayor Sandy
Toms swore in council mem-
bers Brandon Hammond,
Turner, who were each elect-
ed in November. Their terms
will run through Dec. 31,
2018.
The next city council
meeting is scheduled for
Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m.
Page 3A
a portion of the acreage.
One 14-mile stretch of line is causing par-
ticular stress in Morrow County. A variation of
the route would build towers on the east side
of Bombing Range Road, which runs along ir-
rigated circles owned by Hale Companies and
three other operations.
Craig Reeder, with Hale Farms and the
Northeast Oregon Water Association, said they
want to see those towers built on the west side
of the road in order to spare their farmland.
Project manager Todd Adams, with Idaho
Power, said that will take a compromise with
the U.S. Navy, which owns the bombing range.
County Commissioner George Murdock
said the federal agencies are placing higher
priority on protecting environmental resourc-
es — such as habitat for endangered Washing-
ton ground squirrels — over the well-being of
farmers and ranchers. He said once that farm-
land is lost, it can’t be replaced.
“The position of the commission is this agri-
cultural land is absolutely vital to the future of
the county,” Murdock said. “We’ll take what-
ever position we need to protect that resource.”
Idaho Power hopes to have state and feder-
al permitting completed by 2018, with the line
up and running by 2020. Work is estimated to
cost between $880-$940 million.
Mabbott said the county’s role in collaborat-
ing with farmers is at least an attempt to try and
Cabin Fever
Concert schedule
Dutch Oven Dinner Show
•Saturday, Jan. 17; 6 p.m.
•Hermiston Conference Center
•415 S. Highway 395, Hermiston
$35, advance tickets required
Matinee Show
•Sunday, Jan. 18; 3 p.m.
•Hermiston Conference Center
•415 S. Highway 395, Hermiston
$10 or $25/family of four, avail-
able in advance or at the door
Dutch Oven Dessert Show
•Sunday, Jan. 25; 3 p.m.
•American Legion Hall
•325 W. Second St., Ione
$15, advance tickets required
NOTE: Tickets for the Hermiston
performances are available at The
Cottage, 1725 N. First St. Tickets
for the Ione show can be pur-
chased at the Ione and Heppner
branches of the Bank of Eastern
Oregon.
Jordan Pembrose Rust, the band
includes community members
of all ages who play instru-
ments.
With only a handful of dinner
show tickets left, Wambeke urg-
es people to check on availabil-
ity as soon as possible. Tickets
for the Hermiston matinee show
are abundant and can be pur-
chased in advance or at the door.
Due to the Dutch oven prepara-
tions, the Ione tickets also must
be purchased in advance.
For more information, search
Facebook for “Cabin Fever
Concert.”
———
Contact Community Editor
Tammy Malgesini at tmalgesi-
ni@eastoregonian.com or 541-
564-4539
“When the agencies site this project, it will
have lots of long-term impact,” she said. “So
we have to get this right.”
In Morrow County, Planning Director Carla
McLane said the local Military Airspace Ad-
visory Committee continues to discuss Board-
man to Hemingway at its regular meetings. The
next meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thurs-
day, Jan. 15 at the Port of Morrow Riverfront
Center, 2 Marine Drive in Boardman.
———
Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eas-
toregonian.com or 541-564-4547.
BRIEFLY
Class highlights childcare
HERMISTON — An upcoming
class at Good Shepherd Medical Center
provides information on childcare
techniques, children’s developmental
CPR.
Babysitting Basics 101 is available
for babysitters ages 10-15. The session
is Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the
GSMC conference room, 610 N.W. 11th
St., Hermiston.
Those planning to attend must pre-
register and pay the $30 fee, which
includes all class materials and lunch.
For more information, contact 541-
667-3509 or healthinfo@gshealth.org.
Presentation to provide info
on local STEM programs
PENDLETON — Information about
local STEM programs — Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math
activities and projects — is featured
during the upcoming meeting of the
American Association of University
Women.
Josh Ego, the after school programs
coordinator with the Umatilla School
District, and Patricia Dawson, of the
Oregon State University Extension
Service and the 4-H STEM programs,
are the featured presenters. The public is
invited to the no-host luncheon meeting,
which begins Saturday at 11 a.m. at The
Prodigal Son Brewery & Pub, 230 S.E.
Court Ave., Pendleton.
For more information, contact Marlene
at 541-276-7596 or mkaykrout@yahoo.
com.
———
Submit information to: community@
eastoregonian.com or drop off to the
attention of Tammy Malgesini at 333 E.
Main St., Hermiston or Renee Struthers at
211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton. Call 541-
564-4539 or 541-966-0818 with questions.