INSIDE: Local schoolchildren pen letters to Santa. Page C1
Christmas column: Too much stuff . Page A4
Enterprise, Oregon
Wallowa.com
Issue No. 36
December 21, 2016
$1
Agnew seeks to bridge the gulf
between old and new cultures
NEW
POLITICAL
FACES
New councilors in
Enterprise and Joseph
New mayor in
Enterprise
M
icah Agnew has lived in Enterprise for less than three
years. The 34-year-old, married father of four said he
is at least seven years away from being known as an
“old timer.”
That word has real meaning here, and that is something that
Agnew appreciates. But it comes with a downside.
“There are two cultures in Enterprise, and really the whole
county,” said the pastor of Abundant Life Ministries, who
squeaked out a fi ve vote win to earn a seat on city council.
In Agnew’s view, one culture includes the families that have
deep roots here, who are well-connected socially and
have a strong relationship with the land.
The other culture includes the newcomers, drawn
here by work or play, who have shallower roots
and can feel isolated or unwelcome. They can
See AGNEW, Page A5
Tim Trainor/Chieftain
Micah Agnew, 34, said he hopes
to bring a new perspective to
Enterprise city council.
Clevenger wants to
build ‘a real community,
not just a tourist one’
om Clevenger has been in a public offi ce for
most of his working life, but he never saw his
name on the ballot until November.
He made his fi rst campaign a winning one, defeat-
ing three challengers to secure a seat on Joseph City
Council.
Clevenger, 56, is a volunteer fi refi ghter for the city.
He retired from a career in fi refi ghting in Southern
California and moved to Wallowa County in 2002.
He has been involved in local politics since he ar-
rived, most often representing the fi re department. But
he has also served on plenty of committees, and even
sat in on a goal-setting session earlier this year.
That session spurred him to want to sit on the council,
Tim Trainor/Chieftain
Tom Clevenger is a new city
not just in the crowd.
“It was so dysfunctional,” he said. “I’m a common sense guy. I don’t want to just talk councilor in Joseph. He said he
wants the city to always keep
and talk. I want to get information, make a decision (and move on).”
By Tim Trainor
T
See CLEVENGER, Page A5
Wallowa County Chieftain
full-time residents in mind
when they make decisions.
Karvoski wants to ‘stay on path,’ but make some changes
T
here’s a new mayor in Enterprise, but Sta-
cey Karvoski said she doesn’t see a major
change in direction for the city.
Karvoski, 50, has been a longtime city coun-
cilor, so she has had a hand in recent decisions.
And she has been supportive of outgoing mayor
Steve Lear. Lear decided not to run for re-elec-
tion and Karvoski in November defeated three
challengers to secure the position.
“I believe in a lot of the things we’ve been
doing, and I just want to stay on that path,” Kar-
voski said.
Still, she wants to make some changes. That
includes being more active in statewide and re-
gion-wide groups, including the League of Ore-
gon Cities and the Oregon Mayors Association.
Karvoski said she wants to improve her rela-
tionship with other Eastern Oregon representa-
tives, and look for common ground and share
best practices with mayors across the state.
“My goal is to represent Enterprise on that
type of scale,” she said. “I think we’ll have a
louder voice.”
But Karvoski is plenty busy already, work-
ing fulltime at Wallowa Memorial Hospital as a
registered nurse.
She has been involved in local politics for
decades, and served on Joseph city council from
1992-1994.
“I’ve always been the kind of person to want
to be involved,” she said.
She thinks the city is well-positioned to grow
and succeed. The recent sewer project is an im-
portant piece of infrastructure that can support
future development.
And updating the personnel policy and
catching up on employee evaluations will help
the city improve its customer service skills to-
ward residents.
But Karvoski knows a lot of the city’s fu-
ture rests on the success of the private sector,
and the entrepreneurs who operate in Enterprise
now and those she hopes will in the future.
“A lot of (our success) is jobs,” she said.
“That’s what makes everything else possible.”
Karvoski plans to get councilors more in-
volved in city committees, tapping into each
specifi c council member’s passions and direct-
ing them to engage with those volunteers on the
committee.
Staff photo by Tim Trainor
She said that will make councilors better
plugged in, and more knowledgeable about is- Stacey Karvoski, a longtime
sues that eventually make their way in front of city councilor, will be the new
mayor of Enterprise in 2017.
the council, she said.
■ ■ ■
Tim Trainor is fi ll-in editor of the Chieftain. Email
him at editor@wallowa.com or call 541-426-4567.
A bird’s eye view
Local birders brave negative temperatures to
participate in Christmas Bird Count
By Michael Beaudoin
For the Wallowa County Chieftain
On Dec. 18 at 5:30 a.m., the sun not yet up
and temperatures down in the negative num-
bers, a variety of souls were en route to Enter-
prise eatery Red Rooster.
Some arrived in comfortable SUVs, some
in rumbling pickups. They came from as far
away as Troy to partake in the Christmas Bird
Census, an event with roots that stretch back
into the 20th century.
Birdwatching, or birding, attracts an eclec-
tic mix of committed and adventurous people
who are curious about the detailed workings
of nature.
Andie Lueders, despite early morning car
troubles, ran the meeting. In collaboration
with Mike Hansen of the Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife, she organized and di-
rected the count.
“Some of the regulars aren’t here this
year, and some of the irregulars are,” joked
Diane Highberger, as the group met for ear-
ly breakfast. The bitter cold may have held
some back from committing to such an early
morning.
As Jeff and Nancy Greene arrived, the
Photo by Michael Beaudoin
table was fi lled: friends chatted and ordered
food and discussion turned to the day at hand. This photo was taken with an iPhone through binoculars. The
red-tailed hawk is common throughout Wallowa County, and
See BIRDS, Page A5 more noticeable in winter when trees are bare.