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OPINION
East Oregonian
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
Founded October 16, 1875
KATHRYN B. BROWN
Publisher
DANIEL WATTENBURGER
Managing Editor
TIM TRAINOR
Opinion Page Editor
MARISSA WILLIAMS
Regional Advertising Director
MARCY ROSENBERG
Circulation Manager
JANNA HEIMGARTNER
Business Office Manager
MIKE JENSEN
Production Manager
OUR VIEW
A fair time at the fair
It’s that time again — the
Umatilla County Fair is underway.
Pigs and lambs and cows, along with
rhubarb pies, zucchini and quilts, are
all polished up for their moment in
the sun or at the center of the ring,
beneath the critical eyes of a judge.
Everyone is competing for the bright
blue ribbons and a bit of county-
wide bragging rights.
But it’s not all competition. The
week is full of fun and games,
classic foods and celebrating another
year with friends and neighbors.
We drop some dollars to hear some
classic rock, or take a trip on the
Ferris wheel like we have for years.
It’s Umatilla County at its Umatill-
iest, and thousands upon thousands
of us take in the show.
This year, however, the nostalgia
of the county fair has changed
dramatically. If you drive to the
old fairgrounds, you’ll be surprised
to find an open parking spot at
the entrance. You’ll be even more
surprised when you get out and
realize there is no fair there — that
the entire enterprise has been moved
south of town to the gleaming
though still under construction
EOTEC grounds.
You’ll see plenty of growing
pains at the new site, not least
because this year’s event has been
put together without a fair manager.
On a quiet Tuesday at the fair, there
were lots of tables set out in the
eating area but no chairs. There were
no bleachers set up to watch the
events at the children’s stage. And
scorching temperatures combined
with a lack of shade portend a
jam-packed, air-conditioned event
center later in the week. Parking and
logistical concerns are likely to be
troublesome, especially because this
is the first time everyone has tried to
navigate this event and best practices
have yet to be identified.
Still, fairgoers should put aside
whatever critical, long-term issues
there are with the Eastern Oregon
Trade and Event Center.
The fair and rodeo are
volunteer-led efforts that deserve
support and patience. Those
volunteers need to hear your
feedback on what works and what
needs to be improved, but they also
need your investment in making
that improvement. Hermiston city
councilors and Umatilla County
commissioners, who are our voices
in co-ownership of this enterprise,
need that feedback too.
By all means, attend this year’s
fair and Farm-City Pro Rodeo. Rock
out to a show, support our county
youth livestock programs, eat an
elephant ear that could actually be
larger than a real elephant’s ear.
Yes, there are bound to be
problems with such a large
event at a new facility. Growing
pains are real. But support and
constructive feedback are critical to
longterm success. And for the 2017
Umatilla County Fair, patience and
forgiveness are key.
Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board of publisher
Kathryn Brown, managing editor Daniel Wattenburger, and opinion page editor Tim Trainor.
Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not
necessarily that of the East Oregonian.
OTHER VIEWS
Safety concerns at county fair,
Farm-City Pro Rodeo
By KERRY TASSIE
To the East Oregonian
A
s I am scrolling through Facebook
this past week, I see a lot of
questions, concern and negativity
regarding this year’s Umatilla County
Fair and Farm-City Pro Rodeo. My
biggest and most important concern is for
the safety of everyone at the fair, rodeo
and carnival.
I foresee a lot of dangerous situations
in just getting to the fairgrounds. There
is only one way in and
out of the grounds for
public transportation. I
read that there is now a
mandated lower speed
limit on Airport Road and
a fine for anyone parking
alongside the road. What
about foot traffic? There
were not sidewalks
placed along Airport
Road for foot traffic. Is
there any reason why a
temporary walking path
along the road was not established? The
cost for that: inexpensive. The benefit for
pedestrians: colossal.
What about the traffic on Highway
395? Although the cost of parking on
the grounds is minimal, pedestrians may
avoid parking there due to the hassle of
leaving. There is not a safe area along
the highway for foot traffic. Once again,
why was a temporary walking path not
established?
Next, I wish to address the safety
concerns once one is inside the grounds.
The temperature in Hermiston this
week is predicted to be higher than 100
degrees. It’s understandable that EOTEC
was unable to produce the large shade
trees that the previous location had, but
is there a viable reason why temporary
shading could not be erected? The last
article I read stated that if you wish to
cool down, go into the trade center.
Even with its size, it is not able to
accommodate all those who need a break
from the sun. Something as simple as
a temporary outdoor awning could be
set up. I would have much rather seen a
ground covered in dirt and straw instead
of expensive sod this year so temporary
external cooling areas could be added.
For the grounds itself, not many
promises that were given in the
beginning have been awarded.
We were told that if you have reserved
box seating for the rodeo that would not
change — you’re still getting the best
seat in the arena. Well, that’s not true.
The box seating now is not the best view.
You want the best seat in the arena? That
would be general admission seating.
Why continue to spend the extra money
on reserved premium seating when you
could pay the bare minimum for the best
seats?
We were told that
there would be backs on
all the seats. That did not
happen. We were forced
to give up wooden seats
or center aluminum seats
with backs for our new
“advanced arena” where
we have no backs and all
seating is aluminum.
When we purchased
reserved tickets last week
from a local business,
the lady asked for our name and phone
number. She indicated that they had not
numbered the seats in the arena yet and
if there was a problem with the seats, she
would contact us. Two weeks prior to
fair, tickets being distributed throughout
town for sale and they haven’t even
numbered the seating?
RV parking? Currently, the RV
parking on site is dry camp only. Which
means that as soon as this year is over,
you will be tearing up the RV park to
install full hookups. To me that sounds
like poor planning and an unnecessary
expense that could have been avoided.
The initial vision of the new Umatilla
County Fair and Farm-City Pro Rodeo
was 20 years in the making and was
to be a larger, unmatched venue for
the residents of Umatilla County. Are
you showing us that the vision we
were promised and the money we have
contributed thus far has only given us
a venue that has a high potential of
endangerment, destruction and wealth
restrictions? That was not the promise we
were given.
■
Kerry Tassie is a longtime resident of
Umatilla County.
Not many
promises that
were given in
the beginning
have been
awarded.
LETTERS POLICY
The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public
issues and public policies for publication in the newspaper and on our website.
The newspaper reserves the right to withhold letters that address concerns
about individual services and products or letters that infringe on the rights of
private citizens. Submitted letters must be signed by the author and include
the city of residence and a phone number. Send letters to 211 S.E. Byers Ave.
Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com.
OTHER VIEWS
State Department
divided on mission
A
s part of what he calls a
interests of the United States and its
“redesign” of the State
people.”
Department, Secretary of State
From 2013 to 2016, the consultants
Rex Tillerson has surveyed more
added by contrast, the State mission
than 35,000 State employees on the
statement was “to shape and sustain
most fundamental questions facing
a peaceful, prosperous, just, and
the organization. And Tillerson — or,
democratic world and foster conditions
more accurately, a consulting firm
for stability and progress for the
hired by the secretary — has found
benefit of the American people and
Byron
that large blocs of State workers do
people everywhere.”
York
not agree on what the department’s
It’s a we-are-USA vibe versus a
Comment
mission should be.
we’re-citizens-of-the-world vibe.
“For an organization with a very
When I asked Tillerson spokesman
significant role in the world, too many in the
R.C. Hammond whether he would agree
Department of State were not clear on the
that the proposed new statement is in fact
exact mission of the agency,” consultants
more assertively American than the old, he
Insigniam wrote in a “Listening Report”
answered, “I would. We will not apologize for
completed in June.
being American.”
Some said the mission is, or should
On the campaign trail, candidate Trump
be, “installing democracy” around the
expressed contempt for America’s disastrous
world. Others said it is
effort to install democracy
“spreading American
in Iraq. In his inaugural
values.” The one mission
address, the president
that the largest number
said, “We do not seek to
of employees could
impose our way of life on
agree on was “protecting
anyone,” Trump said, “but
Americans and the
rather to let it shine as an
interests of America
example for everyone to
throughout the world.”
follow.”
Beyond that, no
Now, some Trump
single phrase united the
critics, Republican and
Department’s employees.
Democrat, are unhappy
So now, Tillerson and
that the proposed mission
his top aides are trying
statement does not include
to craft the material
the word “democracy.”
gathered from those
Tom Malinowski, an
35,000-plus questionnaires
Obama State Department
into a new mission
official, told the
statement. (Changing
Washington Post that
the department’s mission
— Insigniam consultants, the proposed mission
statement is pretty much
after surveying more than 35,000 statement — “Lead
standard procedure when
State Department workers America’s foreign policy
a new president and
through global advocacy,
party take over.) Working
action, and assistance to
with Insigniam, a group of leaders from
shape a safer, more prosperous world” —
State and the U.S. Agency for International
reflects “a worldview similar to that of Putin.”
Development came up with three draft
It is hard to take such commentary
sentences, one to describe the department’s
seriously — after all, the three-part purpose/
purpose, the next to describe its mission, and
mission/ambition statement includes the goal
the next to describe its ambition.
of a world that is not only “peaceful” but
The purpose statement: “We promote
“free” — but that is what Malinowski said. It
the security, prosperity, and interests of the
just shows there’s plenty of Trump Resistance
American people globally.”
in the State Department world as well as the
The mission statement: “Lead America’s
rest of Washington.
foreign policy through global advocacy,
Tillerson’s consultants found that in the
action, and assistance to shape a safer, more
absence of a single idea of mission, many in
prosperous world.” The ambition statement:
the State Department tend to define their job
“The American people thrive in a peaceful and by the area of the Department in which they
interconnected world that is free, resilient, and work. The foreign service sees the mission as
prosperous.”
one thing. Washington-based administrators
The consultants asked State employees for
see another. Economics-oriented specialists
reaction to each keyword. Does “advocacy”
see yet another, and so on.
accurately describe what the Department
“Without a unified mission, people in the
does? What about a “free” world? And
State Department speak from their place in
“resilient”? The consultants also asked
the organization, not as one organization,” the
employees to offer any other words they felt
contractors noted.
better described State’s mission.
Tillerson’s job is to find some sort of unity.
In a cloud made from responses to the
With a big part of the permanent bureaucracy
question of which words best describe
opposed to him, and especially opposed to the
State’s current mission, the standouts were
president who appointed him, that might be
“diplomacy,” “security,” “peace,” “prosperity,” impossible. So Tillerson might want to choose
“democracy,” and “development.”
the proposed mission statement that brought
One thing that is likely to come out in the
the closest thing to a consensus: “Protecting
final product is that the Donald Trump State
Americans and the interests of America
Department mission statement will be more
throughout the world.” Let others argue about
assertively American than the statement under democracy and various causes, while the
Barack Obama. The consultants noted that a
secretary sticks to the main thing.
State document from May of this year wrote
■
that “ABOVE ALL, the mission of the U.S.
Byron York is chief political correspondent
Department of State is to advance the national for The Washington Examiner.
“For an organi-
zation with a very
significant role
in the world, too
many in the De-
partment of State
were not clear on
the exact mission
of the agency.”