Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 2016)
A14 State News wallowa.com GOP says Brown playing politics with public records post Governor’s plan moves position under her control By Claire Withycombe Capital Bureau SALEM — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown came under fi re Monday from the state’s Republican Party for a pro- posal to house a proposed public records advocate at the Department of Adminis- trative Services. In previous proposals, the position was to be part of the Secretary of State’s Offi ce. Republicans claim Brown, a Democrat, now wants to move the position into a department controlled by the governor now that the Secretary of State’s Offi ce is about to be taken over by Dennis Richardson, a Re- publican. “Such maneuvers by Gov. Brown serve to dam- age public trust,” ORP Chairman Bill Currier said in a statement. He claimed that the move would undercut Richardson’s oversight re- sponsibilities. “The secretary of state in Oregon exists in large part to restore and maintain high public confi dence, but needs all the tools possible to do this. Voters elected Dennis Richardson to re- store balance and be this watchdog in order to guar- antee that the rest of the government run by the gov- ernor is telling Oregonians the truth.” Under the arrangement proposed in the governor’s legislative concept, the ad- vocate would be appointed to a four-year term by the governor and be confi rmed by the Oregon Senate. The offi ce of the advo- cate would be located in the offi ce of the Department of Administrative Services, which would also provide administrative support. One of the main respon- sibilities of the advocate would be mediating dis- putes between people re- questing public records and state agencies. The Governor’s Offi ce put the specifi c idea for- ward at a Dec. 15 meeting of the Attorney General’s Public Records Law Re- form Task Force. By Claire Withycombe Capital Bureau SALEM — An audit re- leased Thursday by the Sec- retary of State’s Offi ce calls on the state’s Water Resourc- es Department to improve its long-term planning and man- agement of Oregon’s water supply. The department is respon- sible for allocating water rights, enforcing the state’s water laws and other aspects of water management. It’s overseen by a citizen com- mission. Noting that the state’s wa- ter problems are positioned to worsen, the secretary of state’s fi ndings say the depart- ment could do more to “sus- tain current and future water needs,” protect groundwater, and collect and analyze infor- mation about the state’s water. The audit comes on the heels of the governor’s 2015 county drought declarations and state efforts to prioritize water issues in their wake. A legislative drought task force recently identifi ed gaps in the state’s systems and re- sources for preventing and re- sponding to drought. While the water resources department gathers a lot of in- formation about water supply, Sean Ellis/EO Media Group A sugar beet field in Eastern Oregon is irrigated in June. An audit released Thursday by the Secretary of State’s Office calls on the state’s Water Resources Department to improve its long-term planning and management of Oregon’s water supply. the department hasn’t been able to analyze all of it, the audit found. For example, the de- partment’s water availabil- ity models are based on de- cades-old data, although the department has 17 years’ worth of information about streamfl ow measurement col- lected after 1987. In other areas of water management, such as water use reporting, the department lacks data altogether, the audit found. “Only about 20 percent of water rights holders are required to report how much water they use to (the water resources department),” the audit states. Oregon House Demo- crats have developed a menu of several billion dollars in new taxes they could consid- er during the 2017 session, according to a Legislative Revenue Offi ce document obtained by the Portland Tri- bune. WALLOWA COUNTY CHIEFTAIN Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! E MAIL: ALPINEHS@EONI.COM • M ARGO P EPPERS, A DMINISTRATOR eek W e h t f o t n e d Stu Kenon Nash is a 5th grade student that likes building things out of wood and climbing trees. He has an excellent work ethic and always stays current in his school work. He was on Honor Roll for first quarter and is a positive influence in the classroom. This recognition is well- deserved. Proudly sponsored by Agricultural users — who account for up to 85 percent of the state’s water use — ar- en’t required to report how much they use. As a result, the department lacks “a clear understanding of how much water is actually being used,” the audit states. Additionally, the depart- ment has focused more on collecting data on surface wa- ter than groundwater, demand for which is growing. The audit also recom- mended the department adopt an overarching plan to set long-term water goals, and improve communication and how it manages its workload. Finally, the audit noted that planning is key to managing the state’s water in the long run. “There is growing pressure on Oregon’s water system,” the audit states. “The state re- lies on snowpack and rainwa- ter for its water system, and it is unclear how climate change will affect future precipitation patterns and water availabili- ty.” The department’s direc- tor, Thomas Byler, gener- ally agreed with the audit’s fi ndings in a letter to Mary Wenger, the interim director of the secretary of state’s au- dits division. In many areas, Byler not- ed, the department had lim- ited funding to enact all of the recommended changes, although they have already made some strides — such as using technology to improve internal communications and gathering feedback from the state’s watermasters on how water use measurement could be improved. Byler said that the state’s 2012 Integrated Water Re- sources Strategy “provides a long-term blueprint” for help- ing the state meet its current and future instream and out- of-stream water needs, but that the department intended to set out more detailed goals to align with the broader strategy. House Democrats propose new taxes Capital Bureau ENTERPRISE SDA SCHOOL Wallowa County Chieftain Audit faults water resources dept. By Paris Achen Kenon Nash December 21, 2016 CONTEST WEEK 12 WINNER IS MICK COURTNEY * $39.00 is the in county price, $56.00 for out of county subscribers. ELECTRICAL & PLUMBING SUPPLIES ELECTRICAL & WATER SYSTEM CONTRACTOR 541-426-4567 • wallowa.com • PO Box 338, Enterprise, OR 97828 PUMPS • IRRIGATION HARDWARE• APPLIANCE PARTS 208 S. RIVER ST. • ENTERPRISE, OR www.jbbane.com • 541-426-3344 CLASSIFIED, LEGAL & DISPLAY DEADLINE IS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22 nd AT NOON For more information or to place an ad: www.wallowa.com 6 months $25.50 1year * $39.00 Online only $39.00 W ed n esd a y, Decem ber 21, 2016 for December 28th edition 209 NW First St., Enterprise Surprise someone with a gift subscription this holiday season! w ill be dra w n from the w eekly contest w inners o n EARLY DEADLINES 541.426.4567 p erfect g ift The $200 gra n d prize Wallowa County Chieftain Call Jennifer / Teresa at 2017-19 and increasing costs in health care and public re- tirement benefi ts. There also is interest in increasing in- vestments in education, health care and senior services, all of which requires new reve- nue. Some of the Democrats’ options are similar to the 2.5 percent corporate sales tax measure that voters rejected Nov. 8, but the rate is lower and applies to a broader base. P awsitively WITH 14 CORRECT PICKS Joseph 432-9050 Enterprise 426-4511 Wallowa 886-9151 The Student of the Week is chosen for academic achievement and community involvement. Students are selected by the administrators of their respective schools. Specifi c options from the list limit several personal in- come tax deductions, increase taxes on corporate income, tobacco and alcohol; and levy new taxes on corporate sales, soda and meals. After the failure of Mea- sure 97 during the November election, lawmakers are look- ing for ways to raise new rev- enue. The state faces a $1.7 billion revenue shortfall in OFFICE WILL B CLOSED DEC 2 E th 6 This week’s athlete of the week is Enterprise High School basketball player Sarah Aschenbrenner. During the Outlaws Dec. 17 51-28 win against McLoughlin, Aschenbrenner came off the bench with a hot hand scoring 12 points for the team. Remarkably Aschenbrenner shot perfectly, going 5-5 from the field and 2-2 from the free throw line. An EHS senior, Aschenbrenner also plays volleyball and makes regular appearances on the school’s honor roll. Sarah Aschenbrenner Proudly Sponsored By: Eastern Oregon’s Full Service Propane Supplier 201 E. Hwy 82, Enterprise 541-426-0320 www.edstaub.com Introducing new Nurse Practitioner Jennifer Barden Jennifer brings 17 years of nursing experience covering the areas of emergency, trauma, oncology, telemedicine, pediatrics and public health. Now, as a nurse practitioner, Jennifer can diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, take care of your annual physical exams, and help you stay well. Now accepting new patients Schedule your appointment today! 541.426.7900 Mountain View Medical Group 603 Medical Parkway (next to Wallowa Memorial Hospital) Enterprise, Oregon 97828 We treat you like family 601 Medical Parkway, Enterprise, OR 97828 • 541-426-3111 • www.wchcd.org Wallowa Memorial Hospital is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
