NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
A2
Thursday, August 11, 2022
John Day looks to add 100 homes to city
is 2.41% over a 20-year term.
The plan is to pay off the
loan over time using tax incre-
ment financing, Ketchum
said. Tax increment financ-
ing captures any increase in
assessed property value within
an urban renewal district, with
the additional revenues being
directed toward the district’s
stated purpose — in this case,
residential development.
By JUSTIN DAVIS
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — Three new
housing developments are
underway in John Day that
could add 100 new homes to
the local housing supply over
the next few years.
The city’s urban renewal
agency is providing funding to
jumpstart the projects as part
of an effort to rebuild declin-
ing population, shore up the
local tax base and address the
city’s housing shortage.
Constructing Oregon’s
first 3D-printed home also is
a part of the plans for the three
developments, known as The
Ridge, Ironwood Estates and
Holmstrom Heights.
John Day City Manager
Corum Ketchum said the
housing developments are
part of a strategy to reverse
the city’s population loss of
the past few decades.
“If we’d have kept up with
the .5% growth we had in the
‘90s, our population would be
at 2,200 or 2,300 people right
now,” he said.
John Day established an
urban renewal agency and
created an urban renewal
plan in June 2018. The agency
overseeing urban renewal took
out a loan of more than $1.8
million from Business Oregon
to assist in the development of
residential lots at the develop-
ments. The loan’s interest rate
Ironwood Estates
Ironwood Estates, along
Valley View Drive on the
north side of John Day, is
the largest of the three devel-
opments. It will add 73
new homes to the city once
completed.
Ironwood is part of a subdi-
vision that was conceived 30
years ago, according to devel-
oper Russ Young.
“There was already a
template and proved concept
of the subdivision up there,”
he said.
The development is in its
second phase, with Phase
1 having provided sewer
service, water and power
to the property. The second
phase includes the expansion
of streets and utilities for the
development of approximately
15.2 acres into 17 single-fam-
ily residential lots.
Phase 2 of construction
also includes 1,750 linear feet
of new pavement through the
addition of two new cul-de-
Justin Davis/Blue Mountain Eagle
Josh Walker uses an excavator to dig trenches for sewer lines June 22, 2022, for The Ridge.
The development aims to add 23 new homes to John Day. This is one of three developments
underway that could add 100 homes to the town.
sacs and all the associated
utilities for development. Fiber
optic internet cable also will
be extended to existing lots in
the development and will be
added to new lots via a grant
from Business Oregon, the
state’s economic development
agency.
The estimated cost of
this project is just more than
$940,000. The URA will
provide up to $750,000 in
cash and in-kind support
— primarily in the form of
building materials — for the
Forecast for Pendleton Area
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TODAY
FRIDAY
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MONDAY
Plenty of sunshine
Plenty of sunshine
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Hot with plenty
of sun
project. The balance of the
cost will be funded by the
developer.
Young said work on the
project is on hold while he
awaits a revised plat and
signed agreement from the
city.
“We’re close,” Young
said, adding that once the
work begins, it should all be
completed within three or four
months.
“It’ll go fast because it’s
already a part of an existing
subdivision,” he said. “We
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HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
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OREGON FORECAST
ALMANAC
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PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. Wed.
HIGH
LOW
TEMP.
Seattle
73/56
88/60
94/58
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
91/66
Lewiston
82/57
97/62
Astoria
70/55
Pullman
Yakima 94/63
83/52
94/69
Portland
Hermiston
86/61
The Dalles 96/61
Salem
Corvallis
83/51
Wednesday
Normals
Records
La Grande
89/58
PRECIPITATION
John Day
Eugene
Bend
86/53
90/55
94/58
Ontario
98/67
Caldwell
Burns
98°
69°
93°
59°
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Albany
84/52
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92/51
0.04"
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11.17"
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through 3 p.m. Wed.
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TEMP.
Pendleton 88/56
86/54
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
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HERMISTON
Enterprise
94/63
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97°
68°
90°
59°
119° (1898) 40° (1911)
PRECIPITATION
Moses
Lake
82/55
Olympia
92/66
94/66
Tacoma
Aberdeen
Spokane
Wenatchee
81/57
Wednesday
Normals
Records
Today
Boardman
Pendleton
Medford
93/59
Fri.
WSW 6-12
WNW 6-12
SW 6-12
W 6-12
SUN AND MOON
Klamath Falls
87/45
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Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
5:50 a.m.
8:10 p.m.
8:36 p.m.
4:52 a.m.
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First
Aug 11
Aug 18
Aug 27
Sep 3
The Ridge and
Holmstrom Heights
The Ridge is above The
Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints in John Day,
EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
Board of trustees postpones
naming an interim president
The Observer
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
94° 63°
just don’t have a finished plat
because we’re doing some
redesigning of sewer and
water.”
Later phases of Ironwood
Estates, Young added, will
come in bigger chunks.
“The next phase is when
you start to get into the 30 or
40 lot configurations,” he said.
just south of Highway 26 on
the east end of town. It is the
second-largest of the three
developments and will add
23 new dwelling units to the
city once completed.
Approximately 23 acres
comprising 12 multi- and
single-family residential lots
will be developed during the
first phase of development.
Lot No. 1 of the develop-
ment will be used for Oregon’s
first 3D-printed concrete
housing. The 3D-printed
dwelling is expected to be
completed this summer.
It is unknown how many
3D-printed housing units
will ultimately wind up in the
development.
The project is expected to
be completed by Oct. 31. The
estimated cost of development
is $1.4 million. The URA will
provide up to $750,000 in cash
and in-kind support, and the
balance of the cost will be
contributed by the developer,
Mahogany Ridge Properties.
Mahogany Ridge also
plans to build the homes on
the developed lots.
Approximately 60% of the
phase one lots are going to be
multifamily units.
The last and smallest of the
three housing developments
is Holmstrom Heights at the
east end of Charolais Heights
on the north side of John Day.
Holmstrom Heights will add
four new homes to the city.
BOARDMAN — The
Eastern Oregon University
board of trustees declined to
move forward with a resolu-
tion to name an interim pres-
ident during its annual retreat
in Boardman.
The board discussed the
possibility of naming an
interim president during
the retreat on Tuesday,
Aug. 9. Outgoing President
Tom Insko recommended
an interim co-presidency
consisting of Vice President
of Finance Lara Moore and
board chair Richard Chaves.
“We need to be thought-
ful about the transition, and
fortunately, we are financially
stable and have a strategic
plan that gives us purpose and
focus,” Insko said. We have
momentum and are doing
great things for our students
and community. My recom-
mendation is about ensur-
ing our progress continues,
moving us forward as a
university.”
After a lengthy discussion,
Insko
Martin
the board elected not to move
in that direction.
“We want to be speedy but
not hasty.” vice board chair
Cheryl Martin said. “The
process for naming an interim
president is very important.
We would like more input and
feedback from the university
community before we make
a decision.”
The board plans to gather
more input from the EOU
community about naming
an interim president in the
coming weeks. They will
continue discussions during
a special session later in
August.
Insko, who announced
Aug. 1 that he is leaving his
post at the end of September,
has been named president
and chief executive officer
at Collins, a wood products
company based in Wilson-
ville. Insko was appointed
Eastern’s 12th president
in 2015 after more than 20
years as an executive at Boise
Cascade.
During its retreat, the
board also engaged with area
and regional business lead-
ers, local representatives
and regional stakeholders to
discuss the university’s role
in business, industry and
education in the area. The
board hosted several panels
made up of educational and
business leaders during the
two-day retreat. They also
hosted a public reception
where alumni and commu-
nity members were able to
share their stories with trust-
ees.
“Our partners reiterated
what we know to be true
here in Eastern Oregon, we
are in this together.” Chaves
said. “We need to continue
working with each other to
increase access to higher
education for everyone in
the region.”
NATIONAL EXTREMES
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 107° in Palm Springs, Calif. Low 35° in West Yellowstone, Mont.
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
La Grande infant still
missing, police say
LA GRANDE — The whereabouts of a
3-month-old boy from La Grande still are
unknown after he was reported missing last
week by the Oregon Department of Human
Services.
Officials believe that the infant, Oakley
Miller, went missing with his mother, McKinzie
Simonis, on Aug. 3.
“Oakley, as of this morning, is still miss-
ing and we are still looking for him,” said Jake
Sunderland, press secretary of the Oregon
Department of Human Services.
According to Union County Sheriff Cody
Bowen, Oakley was supposed to be turned
over to Child Protective Services and law
enforcement believe Simonis took off with
the infant.
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E AST O REGONIAN
— Founded Oct. 16, 1875 —
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Bowen said that anytime CPS looks to take
custody of a child they are doing so for the safety
of that child.
“Now they don’t know where the child is
at, don’t know where the mother is at, that just
intensifies it,” the sheriff said.
Due to federal child privacy laws, the Oregon
Department of Human Services was unable to
disclose any additional information outside of
what was shared in the initial press release.
The sheriff’s office is actively investigating
and searching for Oakley. Officers are check-
ing known locations, speaking with family
members and following all leads.
Oakley has blonde hair and blue eyes.
Anyone who has knowledge of Oakley’s
whereabouts or believes they have seen him
are encouraged to contact the sheriff’s office.
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