Wallowa County Chieftain
wallowa.com
News
July 8, 2015
A7
LODGE: Investors want to keep building interests local
Continued from Page A1
It’s an idea that the current
owner, Marc Zwerling, likes
a lot.
“I would love it,” he said.
“Steve and I got involved
with the lodge because we fell
in love with the area. We’ve
spent most of the last 10 years
trying to ¿nd local people
who would be involved. We
tried as hard as we could. I
welcome this development
enthusiastically.”
Monteith has already con-
tacted the Oregon Department
of Forestry, State Parks, the
Department of Fish and Wild-
life, the Nez Perce Tribe, and
Eastern Oregon University to
inform them of developments
and elicit goodwill. These
agencies would not be ¿nan-
cial supporters, but would be
cooperative agencies, he said.
“They would have a direct
interest in what would happen
at the head of the lake,” Mon-
teith said.
The plan, such as it is in
the current embryonic state,
is that the lodge would re-
main an operating lodge and
the lands around would con-
tinue to provide some public
access.
“The general consensus
is that we keep the lodge as
much as original as possi-
ble — to not develop,” said
Monteith. “We are planning
on keeping the land around
the lodge, 8.5 acres, open and
preserving the habitat the land
represents ¿sh habitat and
wetlands for instance.”
This is right in line with
the values of both Marc Zwer-
ling and the late Steve Larson.
In fact, when the two ac-
quired the lodge in 1989 it
was shortly after Wallowa
County had passed a compre-
hensive new zoning plan that
would have allowed “mas-
sive development on all sides
of the lake,” Zwerling said.
“Steve was appalled by that.
Steve wanted to do what he
could to stop that plan.”
The two ¿led an action
that became known as Larson
versus Wallowa County and
found further support from
1,000 Friends of Oregon and
the Nez Perce Tribe.
The litigation made its
way through Land Use Board
of Appeals and the Oregon
Court of Appeals and Larson
won.
“I fancy we played a prom-
inent role in slowing down
the development around the
lake,” Zwerling said. “Steve
and I are very proud of the
part we played in that.”
Zwerling remains com-
mitted to seeing the lodge in
the hands of preservationists,
but he also means to sell the
lodge.
The deadline for submit-
ting a sealed bid on the lodge
is July 29, and Monteith and
his group are still “getting
a sense of whether there are
legs for this or not,” he said.
There seem to be legs.
Monteith reported that he gets
calls almost daily and so far
there is a brisk trade in “if you
will, I will” pledges.
“There’s an immense
amount of interest in doing
something locally with the
lodge,” said Monteith. “There
may be a meeting or two
coming up in the next week,
taking input and comments
from people. I don’t know if
anything will come of this but
there is enough interest to ¿nd
out. We have 12 people who
have committed money at ¿ve
or six ¿gures. We’re looking
at a broad array of investors.
We’re going to have $500
WYDEN: Senator talks trade, tourism
Continued from Page A1
He added one of his big-
gest concerns in that area was
the spiraling costs of specialty
drugs not covered by Medi-
care section D. Wyden said he
worried the costs could threat-
en the budgets of several
health care programs. Wyden
said he is currently investigat-
ing the phenomenon with Sen.
Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
Wyden was at his most an-
imated defending the contro-
versial TPP act, which signi¿-
cantly reduces tariffs from 12
countries representing 40 per-
cent of world markets. Partic-
ipating countries include sev-
eral from both Asia and South
America as well as Australia
and New Zealand. The act
also covers intellectual prop-
erty rights, environmental
standards and labor concerns.
Wyden argued that Oregon
is economically dependent on
trade with one in ¿ve Oregon
jobs directly linked to trade.
He also said, “My concern
has always been that if we
walk away from 40 percent of
the global economy, the Chi-
nese will step in and write the
rules. We’re a force for boost-
ing standards up in this effort
with tougher environmental
enforcement, and for the ¿rst
time, this has human rights as
a priority. I think people who
have criticized trade agree-
ments in the past had some
very valid points, and I’ve
tried to incorporate them in
this new approach.”
Wyden also said that for
the sake of transparency, he
insisted the TPP be made
available for public inspection
for 60 days before the presi-
dents signs it.
In other matters directly re-
lated to the area, Wyden said
he was working hard with the
FCC to ensure that Internet
and cell service carriers in ru-
ral areas can obtain low-spec-
trum wireless and high-speed
¿ber optic Internet.
Wyden also said that as
a member of the Healthcare
subcommittee, he is work-
ing on legislation in relation
to Critical Access Hospitals
(such as Wallowa Memorial
Hospital). “Sen. Hatch and
I are working closely to lift
the ridiculous restrictions the
government puts on Critical
Access Hospitals. They need
to be able to do their job of
LOTS: 20 building areas planned
Continued from Page A1
As for the property near the
highway, “they should keep that
area by the big dance hall open
for Alpenfest,” he said.
Thornberg, who wrote a let-
ter in advance of the hearing,
said his primary concern was
that he did not see designated
parking on the plan. “They’re
subdividing property that is now
existing parking lot. I didn’t see
any proposed parking other than
what exists now in the upper
parking lot,” he said.
As Thornberg points out,
portions of the property along
the highway have served as
overÀow parking during peak
tourist season. In response to
parking concerns the owners,
through Anderson, indicated
they would continue using the
bottom four lots as overÀow
parking and further pledged to
improve parking if need be.
“Their own well-being with
regard to their business is direct-
ly connected to having parking,”
said Anderson. “They would
be foolish to do anything that
would hamper that. The deci-
sion of the owners is that there
will be no net decrease in park-
ing with this development as
BOWLBY: Event Saturday
Continued from Page A1
Art demonstrations are
scheduled and sidewalk chalk
art is encouraged. There will
be games, music throughout
the day, and downtown walk-
ing tours. The Tour Through
Time tours are guided and
tourists will learn about the
history of the Bowlby Stone
and how it impacted the archi-
tecture and buildings of the
Enterprise community.
Also, stop by the Odd Fel-
lows Hall between 9 a.m. and
2 p.m. and view the silent
auction items that Enterprise
Community Connection will
have on display for your high-
est bid. Proceeds will bene¿t
the Meals on Wheels program.
The Bowlby Bash is an
all-inclusive, free family-ori-
ented event. Mark your calen-
dar on July 11th to “Celebrate
Community” at the Bowlby
Bash in historic Enterprise.
For the event schedule,
exhibitor and vendor infor-
mation contact Sondra Lozi-
er at Favorite Finds on Main
Street: 541-426-3229 or cell
number 541-263-0104. Visit
www.bowlbybash.org, like
and follow Facebook.
long as they own the place.”
The tram corporation owns
additional property along the
front of the Edelweiss building
and property south of that as
well that could be developed for
more parking if need be, Ander-
son said.
In addition, “There’s always
the possibility that the Edelweiss
building might disappear one of
these days,” said Anderson.
investors and we’re going to
have $150,000 investors.”
The investment, said Mon-
teith, would not need to be an
altogether altruistic one. “This
is not a losing proposition,”
he said. “Usually such a lodge
would be in bad shape and
unpro¿table — that’s not the
case with the Wallowa Lake
Lodge. Investors might not
make a ton of money but it’s a
viable business. Investors can
know those are not problems
we have. You can obviously
make more money doing oth-
er things, but for people who
care about the lodge, this is
not a losing proposition.”
Monteith can be contacted
at 541-432-3044.
The family of
serving their rural communi-
ties,” Wyden said.
County
Commissioner
Mike Hayward later remarked
that the town hall was “one of
the better town hall meetings
I’ve been to. I thought there
was a good range of ques-
tions, and the senator gave
good answers in that he gave
us his perception of things,
even if everyone didn’t agree
with them.”
HUBERT ALLAN 'AL' SLINKER,
would like to thank all the friends for the
outpouring of sympathy, cards, food and prayers.
Thank you especially to the Wallowa
Memorial staff and nurses for their unfailing attention
and loving care in his final days.
And toDr. Boyd and the Wallowa Mountain Medical staff
for his care. At Al's request, no funeral will be held.
A Celebration of his life will be held on
July 18 from 1 pm til 4 pm
at his airport hangar inEnterprise.
Improved Diagnostics,
Lower Radiation…
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• 64 slice capabilities
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impr oved diagnostics
• Fasterr, so you spe end le
time on the table
• New technology r educ
amount of radiation
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W e trr eat
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601
01 Medical Parkway
y , En
Enterprise,
E nterprise,
ise, OR 97828 • 541-426-31
541-426- 1 1 • www
w .wchcd.or g
W allowa
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Memoria
al Hospital is an equal opportunity
oppor
pr ovider and employer
