Wallowa County chieftain., October 17, 2018, Page A12, Image 12

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wallowa.com
TIME FOR STEM
October 17, 2018
200 flock to candidate forum
By Kathleen Ellyn
Wallowa County Chieftain
More than 200 found seats
at Cloverleaf Hall for a can-
didate’s forum sponsored by
Wallowa County Chamber of
Commerce and The Chieftain
Oct. 10.
Here is a sample of what
was said at the forum.
Paul Wahl/Chieftain
STEM –– Science, Technology, Engineering and Math ––
took center stage at Building Healthy Families Friday af-
ternoon. Lily Weer, left, and Linden Arentsen used an on-
line sculpting program, one of four stations available to
participating children.
BRIDGE
Continued from Page A1
their lifespan. The cost of
the project is $68,702. Wal-
lowa-Whitman
requested
$13,200. The ranchers who
hold grazing permits in the
areas identified will do the
labor.
Third on the list was the
improvement of 150 miles
of trails with the assistance
of 3,700 hours of volunteer
time over the next two years.
The plan calls for installation
of check dams, water bars,
turnpikes and other tread
improvement structures so
as to reduce soil erosion and
stream sedimentation.
The David Wheeler
Memorial footbridge at the
Boy Scout Camp would also
be moved northward to allow
hikers to cross BC Creek. The
structure became a “bridge to
nowhere” after a 2002 mud-
slide. It would restore year-
round access to the popular
Chief Joseph Trail. The cost
of the project is $82,380. The
Wallowa Mountain Hells
Canyon Trails Association
asked for and was granted
$11,000.
Commissioner
Susan
Roberts was pleased to find
the project on the list.
“We have a lot of visitors
who like to go out there. This
is a good project,” Roberts
said. “There is also a lot of
volunteer work involved in
completing the project, and
we certainly appreciate those
folks.”
Other Title II projects
on the list included fenc-
ing to protect riparian areas
and waterways, hand and
machine thinning in forest
areas to reduce understory
and improve forest health,
weed treatment on back-
country airstrips and noxious
weed management.
Wallowa County Chieftain
State Rep.
Second-term
incumbent
Greg Barreto of Cove, candi-
dates for Oregon State Rep-
resentative for District 58,
described his position as “an
unending job to try to make
our lives a little bit better and
to bring a little bit better oppor-
tunity for local governments to
really do the governing.”
Two projects he’s partic-
ularly proud to have worked
on are wolf delisting, and his
ongoing work to make land
use decisions local decisions.
Newcomer Skye Farnam of
Summerville said he was run-
ning because politicians on
both sides of the aisle “know-
ingly exploit our fears, (while)
we are the freest, most secure,
people in history — that we are
assembled here, with all our
differences, is proof enough of
that.”
In answer to an audi-
ence question on developing
labor-force housing, Barreto
explained rising costs of build-
ing, limited land available and
regulations that, according
to him, took up 42 percent of
building costs, were a factor.
“Is the government trying
to do something for the low
income? They are. Is it work-
ing? No it’s not,” said Barreto.
Farnam countered with
strong support of Measure
102 –– aimed at helping more
hard-working
Oregonians
access safe, affordable hous-
ing –– and accused Barreto of
hyperbole in claiming regula-
tions were such a large factor.
“I know it doesn’t take 40
Introducing Orthopedic Surgeon
Dr. Adam Heisinger
• Doctor of Osteopathy,
Des Moines University, Iowa
Farnam
Barretto
percent of a project’s cost in
administration in any realm of
imagination — it’s just hyper-
bole. Greg isn’t really offer-
ing a solution when he offers
hyperbole,” Farnam said.
Circuit Court judge
Wallowa County native
Mona K. Williams is cur-
rently serving as Wallowa
County Circuit Court Judge by
appointment. Wes Williams is
an attorney from La Grande.
“My role now, as a judge, is
not to seek justice for or advo-
cate for any particular individ-
ual, my job now is to ... make
sure everyone has a level play-
ing field. What I do is listen
and ... referee ... and make sure
everyone has the same ability
to be heard,” Mona Williams
said.
Wes Williams said he’s
done everything from draft-
ing wills, to civil litigation, to
criminal defense represent-
ing people from all walks of
life as far as the Oregon State
Court of Appeals and Oregon
Supreme Court.
“You as Oregonians have
a constitutional right to elect
your judge,” he said. “The
last three judges in our cir-
cuit have been selected by our
governor.”
Wes Williams, who has a
history of representing people
who could not afford an attor-
ney, said the greatest obstacle
to justice is “the expense in
attorney fees and court costs
for the average citizen to be
able to seek justice.” He said
he has taken on big banks,
insurance companies and the
U.S. Government including
taking a pro bono case all the
way to the Oregon Supreme
Court where he prevailed.
Mona Williams agreed the
cost of legal fees was an issue
and highlighted the work of
treatment court in both Union
• Internship and Residency completed
in orthopedic surgery at Affinity
Medical Center, Ohio; Fellowship in
sports medicine completed at Orthopedic
Research of Virginia, Richmond
and Wallowa County.
“We are looking at the pos-
sibility of mental health treat-
ment courts. That is a big
problem with justice ... nation-
wide. We have people in jail
who don’t belong there. That
would be one of my goals, to
see if we can get mental health
treatment goals up in Wallowa
County,” she said.
County Commission
Diane Daggett began the
presentation with a clear cam-
paign platform –– maintain-
ing Wallowa County’s rural
identity.
“You can feel it: our rural
character is at risk,” she said.
“We’re fighting battles right
now to protect our future. Bat-
tles to thin our forests and
graze our lands. Fights to keep
our forests open. Struggles to
adequately support medical
expansion and lack of housing
for our working people.”
She said she has dedicated
herself to representing all the
economic sectors that support
Wallowa County, an open gov-
ernment process, and engage-
ment of citizens in the process.
Former commissioner Dan
DeBoie proclaimed he had
always “had a heart for Wal-
lowa County.” His time away
from the commission posi-
tion gave him new perspective
and new ideas, he said, and
he promised to efficiently and
effectively provide county ser-
vices, work within the bounds
of his authority and always use
open and fair processes to bal-
ance the rights of all citizens.
He called for all to have
creativity and enthusiasm
while building relationships.
Candidate John Hillock
said his last 40 years, during
which he had brought millions
of dollars in tax credits and
state and federal grants into
the county as a businessman,
Free Presentation Series
proved his ability to see a proj-
ect from conception through
finance and construction to
completion.
“I am the unique candidate,
the one that has a clear vision
of where the county is and
should be in the future. The
one that can bring a business-
man’s point of view to county
government, the one that’s in
tune with all the people of the
county.”
His plan includes maintain-
ing access to the forests, sup-
porting the development of
value-added timber products,
cultivating the tourism indus-
try, supporting the health care
industry and assisting the cities
when needed.
County Treasurer
Treasurer candidates Car-
olyn Doherty, Ginger Goeb-
el-Burns and Velda Bales are
all experienced office manag-
ers proficient in bookkeeping
and experienced at customer
service. Doherty was for-
mer assistant to the Wallowa
County Treasurer and Gin-
ger Goebel-Burns is current
interim treasurer.
Velda Bales emphasized her
desire to be part of “the Wal-
lowa County team that con-
tinues to work toward a stable
community to raise families
and advance business growth.”
“Accuracy,
experience,
dedication and knowledge
qualify me for this position,”
she said.
Carolyn Doherty consid-
ered her deep roots in the com-
munity, extending five gen-
erations back, as standing her
in good stead with regard to
knowing the public she would
serve. She emphasized that
her previous experience in the
department provided her with
the appropriate training for the
job (preparing more than 8,500
tax statements) and proved her
attention to detail (knowing
every line item).
Ginger
Goebel-Burns,
who currently works for both
the roads department and as
interim treasurer, recalled
her years of answering the
call for temporary help at the
courthouse.
The treasurer’s position
was not something she initially
considered doing on a perma-
nent basis she said, — until she
tried it.
“I absolutely fell in love
with this job,” she said.
• Served four years as flight surgeon,
Langley Air Force Base, Virginia and
Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
Dr. Heisinger will be seeing patients at Wallowa
Memorial Hospital regularly for clinic visits
and surgery. Ask your physician for a referral today.
A Non-Profit Community Health Center
The Physical Basis and Impacts
We treat you like family
Thurs, Oct 25 • 7pm
601 Medical Parkway, Enterprise, OR 97828 • 541-426-3111 • www.wchcd.org
Flowing Water in a Frozen Land:
Understanding Climate Change
Impacts in Arctic Alaska
Wallowa Memorial Hospital is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
VOTE ‘YES’ ON MEASURE 104
This means the legislature can, by a simple majority vote, eliminate
important deductions for things like federal income taxes,
mortgage interest, property taxes, or charitable contributions, in
addition to other beneficial tax treatments Oregonians have
supported in the past. Each of these changes would directly impact
the taxes you pay.
THIS IS NOT RIGHT!
We join with our neighbors, customers, and local communities to
close these loop holes and end easy tax increases that hurt families
and small businesses.
YES ON 104
We urge you to protect every
Oregonian’s constitutional right
for fair taxation.
VOTE YES on Measure 104.
beobank.com
Member FDIC
Joan Gilbert (org. photo: Oregon State University)
Oregon’s Constitution requires a 3/5ths majority in both state
houses to pass legislation that raises revenue, a threshold designed
to encourage a bipartisan approach to raising taxes. Recent
interpretations of this law have created new loopholes allowing the
legislature to get around this important constitutional provision.
Caitlin Rushlow, PhD
Geological Sciences
Idaho State University
OHSU Resident
Alex Domingo
September 25 – November 1
Natural History Discovery Center
508 N. Main • Joseph • 541-263-1663 • wallowology.org
Hours:
Monday-Friday
7:00am to 7:00pm
Saturday
9:00am to 1:00pm
541-426-4502