OPINION
Saturday, April 24, 2021
East Oregonian
A5
YOUR VIEWS
He and his wife Jill are commit-
ted to this community. They have
two young children in the public
school system and their third will
follow suit when he begins kinder-
garten. We feel fortunate to have
someone like Patrick that wishes
to give back to this community.
His young family is committed
to a strong public education for all.
He told me that “his own public
education offered him and others
many opportunities. He intends to
insure that those same opportu-
nities exist for all school age chil-
dren in our community.”
His wife has demonstrated
strong support for students
through her work in the high
school Aspire program. Together
they will continue to forge a strong
partnership for high quality educa-
tion in Pendleton.
Margaret and Bruce Gianotti
Pendleton
Oregon should join
Idaho in dam proposal
I’ve watched the yearly ebb and
flow of Union County nearly my
entire life. I’ve come to realize it
comes with uncertainty, weather
dictating my neighbor’s crop
yields, tourist dollars our commu-
nities rely on and the annual return
of Chinook and steelhead to the
Grande Ronde.
With uncertainty I get a bit
anxious, as we all should. Uncer-
tainty and change are hard. As
the owner of a business, Alpine
Archery and Fly, I’m constantly
asking myself if my inventory
will move. Will I meet my sales
goals and turn a profit? As a small
business owner I need a profit to
survive. I see the same uncertainty
everywhere I look in our commu-
nity.
Our communities deserve
better and should demand more.
We have more in common with
river communities throughout
Idaho’s Snake River basin than
you think. If not for a politically
drawn line dividing us, most
would identify Eastern Oregon’s
culture with Idaho’s. The entire
Snake Basin, including Union
County, is in a constant state of
uncertainty.
In early February, Idaho’s
Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho,
released a large, all-encompass-
ing proposal to rebuild Northwest
infrastructure and return healthy
runs of salmon and steelhead — a
proposal that will literally impact
every community in the North-
west. Simpson is a conservative
from Idaho with a long history
of standing up for hunting, fish-
ing and conservation. Simpson’s
concept can benefit Oregonians.
This is an opportunity to set
aside decades of community
infighting, some being winners,
other losers. The congressman
from Idaho took the priorities
of the region into consideration,
farming, fish and power all lead-
ing to new and renewed economic
development, while restoring an
icon of the Northwest: our salmon
and steelhead.
But we need our Oregon dele-
gation to step out and lead like
Rep. Simpson. We need Sen.
Wyden, Sen Merkley or Rep.
Bentz to join Rep. Simpson and
craft legislation that helps our
communities in Eastern Oregon.
We need them to sit at the table
with Simpson and represent us,
providing certainty for our ag
community, electricity market,
and especially our wild salmon
and steelhead.
As spring bounds in, I’m opti-
mistic we will see change. Change
that once and for all will make our
communities whole, providing
economic and biological certainty
to all in Eastern Oregon. I’m opti-
mistic that our Northwest dele-
gation will show the leadership
we elected them for and join the
congressman from Idaho to benefit
Oregon.
John Appleton
La Grande
Stokoe deserves
reelection
The Port of Morrow is the
second largest port in the state of
Oregon and is the site for diver-
sified industries that provide
employment for some 8,400
employees.
Rick Stokoe, president of the
Board of Commissioners of the
Port of Morrow, is running for
reelection. He deserves your vote.
His name will appear on your
Primary Election ballot, which
you may have already received by
the time you read this letter.
If the Port of Morrow commis-
sioner race is the only position
for which you vote, please vote
to reelect Rick Stokoe. Since the
port embraces all of Morrow
County it is important to main-
tain geographic diversity on the
commission.
Rick is employed full time as
the chief of police in the city of
Boardman, where he supervises
10 employees keeping the peace
in the city and assisting the county
sheriff in Irrigon and elsewhere
when requested. Rick has been the
chief in Boardman for 11 years,
during his 31-year career in law
enforcement.
He was appointed to the Port
of Morrow Commission six years
ago and has been elected to a four-
year term since then, and was
elected president by his peers.
Your vote to reelect Rick
Stokoe to the Port of Morrow
Commission is important.
Ed and Frances Glenn
Boardman
LETTERS DEADLINE FOR MAY 18 ELECTIONS
The East Oregonian does not run endorsements of more than 400 words.
The East Oregonian will institute a deadline for letters to the editor, so we can be fair with all the letters we receive
and allow for responses before Election Day, if necessary.
We run local letters of endorsement on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please submit your endorsement letters to the editor by 5 p.m. Friday, May 7. You can email them to editor@eas-
toregonian.com, or mail them to East Oregonian, c/o Andrew Cutler, 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton, 97801.
We will publish our last letters on Saturday, May 15. Any letters received after the deadline will not run. Election
Day is May 18.
Retain Stokoe for
Port of Morrow
Commission
I have served on the port
commission with Rick Stokoe
and wish to attest to the valuable
service his skills allow him to
bring to the Port of Morrow. He
was consistently open to the needs
of the whole county and has much
experience and expertise to offer
the commission.
I feel Rick Stokoe should
have the chance to continue as a
Morrow County port commis-
sioner.
Larry Lindsay
Lexington
Gregg capable of
wearing many hats
I am writing today to encour-
age you to vote for Patrick Gregg
for Position 7 on the Pendleton
School District Board of Direc-
tors. As someone who served
many years on this board, I believe
Patrick embodies the qualities
necessary to be an excellent school
board member.
School board members must be
able to focus on what’s best for our
kids while keeping in mind what’s
best for the teachers, the commu-
nity, and the budget. They must be
able to work with people who don’t
agree with each other, and they
must dedicate a lot of time to this
board alone.
Patrick has experience with
kids; he has children in the district
and is a Cub Scout leader. He has
served on several nonprofit boards
and helped manage budgets. He
is a business owner and under-
stands the importance of being
fiscally sound. He has worked in
mediation to calmly and with-
out judgment reconcile conflicts
between people with differing
views. Patrick has done his home-
work, and he knows that this job
takes a lot of time and effort. He
is willing to put other activities
aside and focus on becoming an
informed and informative school
board member.
It’s not enough to want what’s
best for kids. School board
members have to wear many hats,
and I believe Patrick is both will-
ing and able to do that. Join me in
voting for Patrick Gregg, Position
7 Pendleton School District Board
of Directors.
Michelle M. Monkman
Pendleton
Gregg invested in
student success
I am writing in support for
Patrick Gregg in his bid for Pend-
leton School Board Position 7.
I know Pat both through youth
activities in Pendleton, as well as
through his law practice.
Pat Gregg is a dedicated volun-
teer for youth development in
Pendleton. He is a den leader for
Cub Scout Pack 745, a volunteer
position in which he helps the
scouts develop leadership and
team-building skills. Two of Pat’s
three children attend Pendleton
schools, and he understands first-
hand the struggles that students
have faced during COVID-19
school closures, as well as the
reopening of schools. Pat is
invested in the long-term success
of Pendleton students.
Professionally, Pat is a thought-
ful listener and a strong advocate
for his clients. He has demon-
strated the ability to listen
objectively, consider multiple
perspectives to a problem, and
provide practical solutions. If
elected to the Pendleton School
Board, we would all benefit from
his legal perspective and advocacy
skills.
Brent Keeler
Pendleton
Pendleton needs a team
player like Gregg
The Pendleton School Board
needs a strong leader dedicated
our children’s success. That’s why
Patrick Gregg deserves your vote
for Position 7.
I met Patrick soon after he and
his wife, Jill, moved to Pendleton
to start their family 12 years ago.
Patrick is invested in the educa-
tion of his three children and is
committed to ensuring all children
in Pendleton have opportunities
for success.
As an attorney/partner with
Corey, Byler & Rew, LLP, Patrick
understands the importance of
information gathering, listen-
ing to others, and becoming well
informed before developing an
opinion. He is a team player who
values learning from others, and
knows how to keep a level head
and even keel during challenging
conversations.
As a father, Patrick also under-
stands the many challenges our
students, school staff, and parents
endured during extreme learn-
ing conditions throughout the
pandemic. He has spoken with
school staff who devoted them-
selves to providing a quality
education outside the classroom
and helping students transition
back to “normal,” all the while
trying to preserve their own
mental health.
As a school board member,
Patrick will dedicate himself to
fully engaging with the other
board members, district adminis-
tration, and constituents through-
out Pendleton so that he’s aware of
what’s important to students and
staff.
Patrick understands the value
of an education, and the oppor-
tunities it affords students; that
strong educators are critical in our
children’s success; and that Pend-
leton schools are the heart of our
community.
Please vote for Patrick Gregg
for Position 7 of the Pendleton
School Board.
Casey White-Zollman
Pendleton
Gregg will provide a
valuable perspective
I am writing in support of
Patrick Gregg for the Pendleton
School Board.
It is wonderful when some-
one of Pat’s talent is willing to
give back to our community in
such an important way. He is a
good listener and trained to think
outside the box. His professional
background would add a valuable
perspective. He has a true passion
for our community and, as a father
of three boys, he has a vested
interest in making our schools and
helping our youths be the best they
can be.
Join me is supporting Patrick
Gregg for the Pendleton School
Board.
Jef Farley
Pendleton
Gregg understands
the needs of Pendleton
schools
We are writing in support of
Patrick Gregg for Position 7 of the
Pendleton School Board.
Patrick has displayed the
commitment, discipline, talent and
integrity necessary to become a
serious professional who is widely
respected by his peers, clients
and within the community. More
importantly, Patrick is a concerned
parent and community member
who understands not only the need
for quality education, but also for
a high-performance organization
and system.
His abilities for critical think-
ing, combined with his compas-
sion and respect for contrary
opinions, make him a valuable
resource in shaping our educa-
tional system to be forward think-
ing and fair.
On a leadership and develop-
ment side, Patrick understands the
need for supporting our teachers
and staff members so they too can
achieve their goals and aspira-
tions. His communication style is
open and honest, and we believe
he will make a valuable addition to
our school board.
As a neighbor, we are
impressed with the time, effort,
and patience he displays with his
family.
Again, please join us in
supporting Patrick Gregg for
Position 7 of the Pendleton School
Board.
Arne and Linda Swanson
Pendleton
Spencer cares deeply
about the entire
community
This letter is a hearty endorse-
ment for Briana Spencer, who
is running for Pendleton School
District Board, Position 7. As a
community organizer, Briana
has already demonstrated that
she cares deeply about grassroots
organization for the well-being of
the entire community.
As an elder, I am extremely
impressed by her energy, organi-
zation skills, and deftness at work-
ing with multiple entities to create
community outreach and to ensure
human dignity for people across
Eastern Oregon and Washington.
Please elect Briana Spencer to
Pendleton School Board, Posi-
tion 7. She will be a vital ingredi-
ent to the future of of Pendleton’s
students and the cultural health of
Umatilla County and, no doubt,
beyond.
Pamela Reese
Echo
Gregg is committed to
the community
We are supporting Patrick
Gregg for Position 7 of the Pendle-
ton School District Board.
Stokoe keeps Morrow
County moving
forward
Eleven years ago I was very
impressed by Rick Stokoe when
he went through the interview
process for the city of Boardman
police chief position, and was
pleased when Rick accepted the
position. He has proven himself to
be a tremendous community and
regional leader since that time.
Rick is a true public servant, an
active volunteer who has served
on a variety of committees and
helped with many community
activities. He is a dedicated family
man, married to wife Shari for 28
years. His two children are also
Morrow County residents and
continue to call Boardman their
home. His goal is, and continues
to be, “to contribute to the better-
ment of Morrow County in order
to provide the best possible future
for our citizens, children and
future generations.”
A thoughtful, insightful person,
Rick has contributed greatly these
past six years as a commissioner
for the Port of Morrow. Please
support and vote to reelect Rick
Stokoe so that he may continue
his service as a Port of Morrow
commissioner, working along
with all of the commissioners to
keep the Port of Morrow moving
forward in a positive and proactive
manner.
Gary Neal
Port of Morrow executive
director (retired)
Boardman
A vote for Gregg is a
vote for excellence
As the mother of two Pendle-
ton graduates, a volunteer mentor
with the PHS ASPIRE program
(helping students with their path
after high school), and an active
community member, I was thrilled
to see so much interest in filling
the upcoming school board vacan-
cies. An engaged community is
important for the health of our
schools.
When I found out that Patrick
Gregg was one of the candidates,
I was even more encouraged.
I have known Patrick and his
family for the past 11 years, and
have watched as they grew their
family to three boys as he quickly
advanced to partner at the local
law firm of Corey, Byler & Rew.
Patrick has the qualities that
I believe will serve the school
district and our community well.
He is whip smart, measured in
his thought, and works well with
others. Beyond his passion for
ensuring that our schools best
support our students, he is adept
at understanding the nuances
of education policy, curriculum
assessment, funding, and the
correlation between the success of
our schools and standards of living
in our community.
We are living in unprecedented
times, and there will be hard
decisions coming down the pike
in response. I feel confident that
Patrick Gregg is someone that can
hit the ground running, helping
navigate our schools to a better
future. He is the son of an educa-
tor, father of school-age children,
and a respected attorney who will
be prepared, informed and dili-
gent in the pursuit of an excellent
school district, and ultimately,
Pendleton as a thriving commu-
nity.
Please join me in voting Patrick
Gregg for Pendleton School
Board, Position 7, ensuring that
our students have a qualified advo-
cate working hard for them.
Tiffany Hegarty
Pendleton