Wallowa County Chieftain
wallowa.com
News
May 4, 2016
A3
Candidates make their case at forum
By Stephen Tool
Wallowa County Chieftain
Several dozen interested
citizens attended the Wallowa
County Candidate Forum on
Friday at Cloverleaf Hall in
Enterprise.
Both remaining candidates
for Wallowa County Com-
missioner — ranchers Todd
Nash and Stephen Wolfe —
answered questions and intro-
duced their platforms.
Former commissioner can-
didate Dan DeBoie also spoke
to explain to voters why he
dropped his bid for the posi-
tion. He also used the oppor-
tunity to warn against using
the federal government as a
scapegoat for all the county’s
problems.
“We’ve got to get past that
somehow,” DeBoie said. “If
we want to make Wallowa
County a better place, Oregon
a better place, the U.S. a bet-
ter place, we need to get on
a positive bent and not just a
gripe session, which is what I
seem to see an awful lot of.”
State Rep. Greg Barreto of
Dist. 58 also attended and ad-
dressed the audience. Incum-
bent Republican State Sen.
Bill Hansell and his challeng-
er, independent Barbara Dick-
erson, were scheduled to par-
ticipate but neither attended.
John Williams, the coun-
ty’s extension agent, served
as emcee for the evening. He
opened the event by outlining
rules for the candidates, who
were required to answer sev-
eral questions submitted by
the Wallowa County Cham-
ber of Commerce. Audience
members submitted questions
as well.
Rep. Barreto, who is run-
ning unopposed for his seat,
briely addressed the audience
about the latest goings-on in
Salem. He was followed by
Nash and Wolfe, who gave a
brief biographical sketch and
outlined their reasons for run-
ning. A question-and-answer
session followed, and the can-
didates were given two min-
utes to answer each question.
The candidates were asked
Steve Tool/Chieftain
Stephen Wolfe answers a question Friday at Cloverleaf Hall.
whether they were familiar
with commissioner responsi-
bilities and how they would
carry out those responsibili-
ties.
Nash said his conversa-
tions with the commissioners
and county department heads
gave him an idea of commis-
sioner responsibilities. He
also cited a general lack of
funds as a major problem that
he said could be bolstered if
the federal government were
persuaded to open up the for-
ests and allow for more tim-
ber harvesting.
Wolfe did not substantially
differ from Nash on the ques-
tion, though he added that the
county’s voice needed to be
heard in Salem.
Regarding which criteria
the candidates would use to
determine how to vote on an
issue, Wolfe said inancial
considerations and the need
of the citizens would guide his
choices. Nash said he looked
at the long-term consequenc-
es of decisions as a means of
determining his vote.
Regarding budget prepa-
ration, both candidates relied
heavily on their background
as ranchers to indicate their
budgeting experience. Both
also pledged to make them-
selves available to the com-
munity as much as possible.
The candidates were asked
whether they supported the
Wallowa Union Railroad Au-
thority decision to open the
rail line for the Rails with
Trails project from Elgin to
Joseph.
Both candidates said they
originally opposed the coun-
ty’s purchase of the rail line
because of the expenses in-
volved in making the line a
viable means of transport.
Nash said he wasn’t famil-
iar enough with the Rail
with Trail project to offer an
opinion, while Wolfe said he
backed the project to a limited
extent but wanted more input
from affected landowners. He
also said the project present-
ed the possibility of carry-
ing more iber optic line and
possibly a natural gas line as
well.
When asked whether it
Soroptimists announce
2016 fellowship winner
Wallowa County Chieftain
The Wallowa County So-
roptimists announced during
their April meeting that Dan-
ielle Nash is the recipient of
the groups’ $2,000 Fellowship
Award.
Nash is co-director of As-
sertive Community Treatment
and Psychosocial Rehabilita-
tion at Wallowa Valley Center
for Wellness. She is currently
pursuing a master’s degree
in social work from Portland
State University and will be
graduating in 2018. She has
a bachelor’s degree from
Western Oregon University in
community health education
with a minor in human biol-
ogy.
While an undergraduate
student at WOU, she was se-
lected by the faculty and staff
as the Outstanding Undergrad-
uate Health Education Major
and selected by the American
Association of Health Educa-
tion as the Student Major of
the Year. WOU’s vice presi-
dent of student affairs selected
Nash to receive WOU’s Lead-
ership Certiicate as well as the
Who’s Who in American Col-
leges and Universities award.
The Fellowship Award is
presented to a woman who is
continuing her education with
a post-graduate program. Re-
cipients receive a cash award
of $2,000 for educational ex-
penses.
“I consider dignity, health
and welfare, and equality to
be basic human rights,” Nash
said. “Because of this, I am
interested in serving margin-
alized populations. Some peo-
ple need help, and that doesn’t
make them any less of a person
to ask for it. I believe that it is
the obligation of those who are
able to help to do so.”
Steve Tool/Chieftain
Todd Nash addresses the audience.
was good to separate cattle
from streams designated as
trout or salmon habitat, Wolfe
said it hadn’t been proven to
him that it would be “valu-
able” to fence such streams
from cattle. He added that
large congregations of cattle
near such streams was un-
healthy, but he didn’t see it as
a problem where cattle graz-
ing is properly managed.
“I think we have a lot more
to learn on this issue,” Wolfe
said.
Nash replied that for him,
it depended on the scenario.
Like Wolfe, he thought large
concentrations of cattle near
streams “isn’t good for any-
body, sloughing dirt off in
there or one thing or another.”
He added that properly man-
aged cattle were probably an
asset to stream health.
When asked how they
would address economic de-
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velopment to keep viable em-
ployment in the county, Nash
said natural resources were
what the county did well. He
pointed to the tourist trade
and the cattle industry as well
as the timber industry. Wolfe
agreed with Nash about the
resources and added that
encouraging local business
startups was also a viable op-
tion.
The inal question asked
the candidates about their ap-
proach to working with and
overseeing county depart-
ments. Wolfe said he believes
that communication with de-
partment heads and between
departments is key to good
management, as is allowing
department heads do their job
with minimal interference as
long as results met expecta-
tions. Nash said he likes to
communicate with both de-
partment heads and employ-
ees to understand department
workings. Like Wolfe, he be-
lieves hiring someone to do
a job implies a level of trust
that they will do their job with
minimal supervision.
The forum atmosphere
was very congenial with no
voices raised or any of the
rancor of mainstream candi-
date forums on the national
level. Afterward, Wolfe com-
mented, “I really enjoyed it. I
thought it went well, although
I would have liked some dif-
ferent questions.”
Nash expressed similar
sentiments.
“I think it was ine; I
thought it went well.”
Annette Lathrop of the
county’s Republican Central
Committee said she appreci-
ated the depth of questions.
“I thought we saw the dif-
ferent sides of the two com-
missioner candidates, and I
appreciate the opportunity to
have this forum before the
election.”
Barreto saw the evening as
a success for the county.
“I thought that Steve and
Todd did really well answer-
ing questions. In the end,
Wallowa County will win ei-
ther way in this race because
both candidates are stellar.”
Thank You
The family of the late, Darrell McFetridge, would like to
thank the staff at Wallowa Memorial Hospital for the care
they gave to Darrell during his stay in the hospital. We also
want to thank the many people who visited Darrell in the
hospital, brought food to our home after he passed away,
sent flowers and cards, called to wish their condolences, and
all of those who attended Darrell's funeral who we didn't get
a chance to see. Darrell loved Wallowa County and all of
the people. This outpouring of support in our time of loss
has made us all feel blessed to be a part of Wallowa County.
Sincerely,
Marlie, Steve, Jay, Dan, Carl, Terry,
Diane and their families.
HAPPY 98TH BIRTHDAY!
FRIDAY - MAY 6, 2016
Minnie Modrich Fregulia
Enterprise, Oregon
MOM, GRAMMY,
GREAT-GRANDMA, AUNT
BID REQUEST for
decked logs removed from OR
Highway 245 in Baker County
The Oregon Department of Transportation is accepting bids for fire-killed, processed,
and decked ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir timber in Baker County. Log decks are
located on USFS property, on the west side of OR245, off USFS Road 11 approximately
0.3 mile from its junction with OR 245 at approximately milepost 29.
Both ODOT and USFS-owned logs are present on the site. ODOT-owned logs are
located on the east end and are marked with a spot of yellow paint.
Bids are being accepted for ODOT-owned logs.
Tree removal operations are currently active and log decking will be completed May 15.
This timber sale will be made on a lump sum basis. A $5,000.00 bid deposit will be
required to be submitted with the bid.
• Bid packages will be available AFTER MAY 15.
• Bids are due MAY 25. Logs may not be exported.
For more information, or to request a bid packet (available after May 15),
call ODOT Forester at 503-508-1346