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Continued from Page A1
Two more details were still
being clarified.
Proponents and the cities
and county first heard that it
would require what amounts
to a double majority for the
initiative to pass, but the dou-
ble majority requirement was
banned in Oregon in 2008.
That ban, however, was on the
requirement of a double major-
ity for property tax issues.
The vote to lift the mari-
juana bans is not a property tax
issue. So, the 50 percent voter
turnout followed by a major-
ity “yes” vote could still be
required.
The state has advised Sandy
Lathrop, Wallowa County
Clerk, that “in the event that
the Elections Division receives
questions from city or county
elections officials about elec-
tor initiated petitions to con-
trol marijuana retail licenses,
we should direct you to your
counsel about the specific
petition requirements of ORS
475B.325 as they may be dif-
ferent from a city or county
charter.”
The second unresolved
issue is how the “10 percent
of state tax returned to cities”
can be spent. The League of
Oregon Cities, in its marijuana
information packet, advises
that state tax money to cities
must be spent “to assist local
law enforcement in perform-
ing its duties” under Measure
91. This would mean that the
often-mentioned benefit to
cities of new parks, highway
repair or other amenities would
not happen with the state tax
portion.
However,
the
Ore-
gon Department of Reve-
nue recently advised Lathrop
that “House Bill 3470 (2017)
removed the limitations on
how cities and counties can
use their 10-percent of state
marijuana tax revenues, which
means localities can use the
money they receive as they see
fit.”
The share in state taxes is
fairly smalll and based on the
population of the city in which
the marijuana dispensary sits.
For small cities, that may
amount to less than $20,000.
A much larger pot of
money is available through
a city tax. Cities may assess
an additional three percent
tax on recreational dispensa-
ries (not on medical dispensa-
ries) within city limits and that
money can be spent as the city
sees fit. That tax must also be
approved by voters during a
general election.
How much money that
might bring to either Joseph
or Enterprise is difficult to
estimate.
The tiny town of Hunting-
ton (pop. 435) is often cited
as an example of the riches a
city can reap from recreational
marijuana dispensaries (there
are two in the town).
Huntington is the first avail-
able legal pot point of sale for
600,000 residents of Boise.
“What we get mainly are
Idaho drivers, hundreds a
day,” said Huntington’s Mayor
Candy Howland.
Wallowa County, with a
resident population of approxi-
mately 7,000, has an estimated
visitor count of 805,000 per
year.
Huntington’s experience
does aid in understanding how
a small city can get the biggest
bang from marijuana dispen-
sary bucks.
Huntington’s share of the
$850,000 the state distributed
to cities has come to about
$12,000, Howland said.
The city maximum three
percent city tax on recreational
marijuana is a far bigger boost
to the local budget.
Howland said that the city
took the first quarter city tax
payments, averaged them out
over the year, and wrote an
expected $200,000 from the
local marijuana tax into their
budget.
“Our usual total city bud-
get was $135,000 to $175,000
a year,” Howland said.
The city plans to spend
what may be a windfall wisely.
Most of the new money fun-
neling into city coffers will
be spent on infrastructure and
emergency services, Howland
said.
January 17, 2018
Wallowa County Chieftain
Enterprise Library receives $5,000 gift
Enterprise Public Library
has received a generous gift of
$5,000 from Col. Daniel Boyd
of Ashland, Ore. Boyd has
long-time connections to Wal-
lowa County.
“Every year at Christmas,
Col. Boyd sends the library
a card with $100 in it,” said
Denine Rautenstrauch, City
of Enterprise Librarian. “His
mother was involved in our
library when he was a kid.
This year he sent his Christ-
mas card, and I opened it and
there was a check for $5,000.”
The gift was apparently
inspired when Boyd visited the
library last summer and spoke
with Rautenstrauch.
“One of the things I’d
talked to him about was the
John Harlan Horner Papers,”
she said.
John Harlan Horner is not
to be confused with Oregon
Historian John B. Horner. The
Wallowa County John H. was
a bachelor who lived in the
county and wrote a four-vol-
ume set of books about Wal-
lowa County.
“It’s a fantastic thing, but
it’s 1,500 pages,” Rauten-
strauch said. “We created an
index for it, and what I want to
do is make it a machine-read-
able document that is
word-searchable that will be
on the library’s database.”
Dale Potter of Enter-
prise owns the copyright for
the huge document and has
already stated he will grant
permission for the library to do
the project.
“The books really are truly
fantastic, lots of historical
information, but if you don’t
want to read 1,500 pages,
they’re difficult to use,” said
Rautenstrauch. “If they’re
scanned in and you can just
type in a name or a place
name –– it’s going to pull it
up. I think it’s pretty cool. I’m
excited.”
The Horner Papers project
will not take the entire $5,000
donation so Col. Boyd has
agreed that the balance will be
spent on new shelving for chil-
dren’s books.
“When they built those
shelves in 1914, children’s
books were all smaller,” said
Rautenstrauch. “A lot of the
(newer) kids books have to sit
over sideways and some don’t
fit at all. I explained that to
Col. Boyd and he was thrilled
with this idea.”
Lockhart appointed to Joseph City Council
Michael Lockhart was
appointed to the Joseph City
Council at the Jan. 11 regu-
lar meeting council meeting.
Lockhart was the only appli-
cant for the city council posi-
tion created by the resignation
of Rodd Clark.
Lockhart continues to serve
as president of the Village at
Wallowa Lake and co-owns
the Wallowa Lake Tram.
Lockhart
said he had
been thinking
of a bid for
a seat on the
council for
some time.
Mike
“There are
Lockhart
some things
in Joseph that
are of interest
to me,” he said. “I’d like to see
SNOW
very dangerous for mushers.
Because of the extreme gains
and drops in elevation in the
Eagle Cap Extreme race,
mushers often have to ride
their sled hooks (which act as
brakes) on descents. In past
years the forged steel hooks
have been pulled nearly
straight from use.
Runaway
sleds
on
descents may also result in
injuries.
Winds combined with
fresh light snow can create
white-out conditions, and
teams can get lost, miss a turn
in the trail and go off-trail or
get stuck. All of these situa-
tions have happened during
the race in past years.
Trails Crew members will
remain on duty throughout
the race.
Continued from Page A1
Now for the bad news:
Freeze-thaw
conditions
were predicted for earlier
this week and then snow-
fall beginning on Wednesday
night and continuing through
Saturday, Jan. 20.
Snow was expected to be
fairly light, but what kind of
snow and how much “fairly
light” turns out to be can
make a big difference to both
mushers and dogs.
“If it’s soft (fluffy and
dry), it can be very hard on
the dogs,” Trapp said.
Soft snow over freeze-
thaw conditions (ice) can
be an avalanche danger and
additionally make descents
the streets repaired and look at
infrastructure. City councilors
have been working on this for
a long time, and it’s not that I
have an idea how to approach
(these issues), yet.
“I’ll have to know more
about it. I’d just like to see
where I can help. I’m looking
forward to helping the people
on the council.”
Joseph Mayor Dennis
IN BRIEF
Pesticide session
planned Feb. 22
OSU Extension Service
will offer a Northeast Oregon
Private Pesticide Applicator
Pre-Exam Training session
9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday,
Feb. 22 at Wallowa County
Sands said Lockhart’s back-
ground made him a good
addition.
“He’s got a pretty varied
background with a lot of expe-
rience in several areas and it’s
always good to see someone
who uses their knowledge for
the benefit of the community
and not just personal gain,”
Sands said. “We’re very happy
to have him.”
Fair Grounds, 668 NW 1st
St., Enterprise
The session is designed
for those preparing to take
a private pesticide applica-
tor license or laws and safety
exam. Topics include laws
and regulations, math for
applicators, pesticide labels,
toxicity and safety.
Info and registration:
john.williams.1@oregon-
state.edu or 541-426-3143.
OREGON CAPITAL
INSIDER
Get the inside
scoop on state
government
and politics!
Wallowa County Agricultural Resource Foundation & Wallowa County Stockgrowers Association
Livestock Producers and interested public
10 th Dinner
Annual Scholarship
Auction!
you are invited
to the
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Cloverleaf Hall in Enterprise
5:30 pm. Doors Open for Scholarship Dinner and Auction
6:00 pm. Prime Rib Dinner prepared by Apple Flat Catering
Dessert Auction and raffles to follow.
Tickets at the door: $25 Adult, $15 kids 7 -12 and 6 and under free
Any questions or interest in donating an item or making a cash donation
may be directed to Katie Howard (425) 248-5227
Proceeds go towards College Scholarship for Wallowa County Youth!
Come and help further the education of our great kids.
The Wallowa County Agricultural Resource Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) organization.
Donations for education are tax deductible.