NEWS
Wallowa.com
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
A7
Joseph city recorder likes the personal contact
Steve Tool
Wallowa County Chieftain
A
fter more than a year of
shuffl ing and re-shuf-
fl ing of employees at
Joseph City Hall, the
offi ce dust has settled with
employees that appear to be
in it for the long haul.
Belinda Buswell, who
started as the general clerk
less than a year ago, is one of
these employees.
Although not technically
a Wallowa County native,
Buswell has a long history
in the county. She was born
in Sulphur, Louisiana. At 3
years old, her father passed
away and her family relo-
cated to Joseph. Within three
months, her family home
caught fi re and claimed the
life of Buswell’s 7-year-old
sister.
After Buswell graduated
from Joseph High School,
she married and had a son,
Jeffrey, and a daughter, Jor-
dan. At 35 she returned to
college and received her AAS
in electronic engineering and
was employed at Intel in Hill-
sboro from 2002-2009. At
Intel she became versed in
databases, computer systems
and system effi ciency. She
left Intel at her seven-year
sabbatical to pursue a degree
in business administration
with a concentration of lead-
ership, organization and man-
agement, and graduated in
2012.
From there, she accepted
a position at Barrick Gold
in Nevada and was respon-
sible for training all employ-
Steve Tool/Wallowa County Chieftain
Joseph City recorder, Belinda Buswell, hard at work in her offi ce at the back of city hall. Buswell
started as a general clerk in October of 2018 and was promoted to the recorder position in
January of this year.
ees, contractors, and visitors about the general clerk posi- By turns, she serves as coun-
to the Mine Safety & Health tion, which interested her cil clerk, records manager,
Administration standards and as her mother, Joyce Wick- city elections offi cer, trea-
procedures. In August 2016 lander, served as Joseph surer/fi nance offi cer, per-
she
returned
sonnel direc-
home to care
tor, insurance
‘THE MOST REWARDING PART OF
for her elderly
offi cer,
pay-
MY JOB IS HELPING OTHERS BUILD
parents. She is
roll
report-
working on fi n-
THE LIFE THEY WANT IN OUR SMALL ing and has
ishing a bache-
numerous other
COMMUNITY WHILE MAINTAINING
lor’s degree in
duties.
The
psychology and
job does pres-
THE DESIRED QUALITY OF
plans to pur-
ent its diffi cul-
LIFE FOR OUR CITIZENS.’
sue a master’s
ties, although
Belinda Buswell
degree in the
Buswell
is
same fi eld. She
more than up
is happy with
for the task.
her return to Wallowa County city recorder. The city hired
“I think the most diffi cult
where she is surrounded by Buswell in October 2018 and part of my job is educating
family and friends. In her appointed her as recorder in the council, employees, and
free time, Buswell enjoys the January 2019.
citizens on ethics and ordi-
outdoors, and loves to read
Buswell’s position is one nances,” she said. “Some
and learn new things.
of the most complex profes- want their agenda promoted
A friend told Buswell sions in local government. no matter what Oregon stat-
utes, ordinances, or ethical
decisions are impacted. They
simply don’t understand the
process and it is my job to
educate them on the policies
and procedures required to
proceed with their requests.”
Buswell said she will not
compromise her ethics or
morals, no matter what heat it
brings. She added that educa-
tion is key when making eth-
ical decisions, avoiding con-
fl ict of interests, and setting
an example by her actions.
“I think having an education
and work history backed in
ethics makes it easy for me
to make ethical decisions,”
she said.
Of course, the job has
its rewards, something that
Buswell appreciates.
“I think the most reward-
ing part of my job is help-
ing others build the life they
want in our small commu-
nity while maintaining the
desired quality of life for
our citizens,” she said. “The
important task in doing that
is following your code in the
process.”
Some of Buswell’s duties
may surprise Joseph citi-
zens. With her background
in safety and health, she
works closely with the public
works supervisor to establish
a culture that overfl ows into
employees’ personal lives.
She said this sets an example
for others and makes it part
of the personnel experience,
not just another task.
“When you’ve seen the
loss of life and safety fl aws
that have caused permanent
health issues or the loss of
life that I have personally
experienced, it makes a huge
impact on those you share it
with,” she said. “It isn’t just a
policy anymore, it’s someone
you know standing in front
of you and sharing the worst
days of their life with you, it
defi nitely makes a difference
when you expect your team
to make safe choices.”
Buswell’s end goal as
city recorder is to organize
the city’s entire system as a
whole.
“It requires clear deliv-
erables for a team of capa-
ble individuals, training and
support of those individu-
als, and a council that sup-
ports the direction ... I am
here to create that system by
being the common thread in
all departments to assist them
with their deliverables,” she
said. “If you set your team
up for success and get out of
their way, they achieve much
more than they think was
ever attainable.”
Having an excellent team
and an attitude of transpar-
ency is the key to success,
according to Buswell. They
know their job is to make the
city a better place to live, and
the whole team welcomes
input from Joseph citizens.
“My hope is that the citi-
zens of Joseph will see what
we are trying to accomplish
for them, stop by and ask
questions when they arise,
and remember that change is
a process that is sometimes
diffi cult, messy, and uncom-
fortable,” she said. “In the
end I believe it will make the
city a better place for all.”
Pot: Lostine resident can legally sell recreational marijuana in Joseph store
Continued from Page A1
“There’s been a lot of work
put into it, and we hope to run
a good, professional business
out of that building,” he said.
Pollard added he would sell
his own product at the estab-
lishment as well as that from
other producers.
The applicant said he had
no problems with break-ins
or disapproving neighbors at
his business in The Dalles. He
stated that he worked closely
with law enforcement, par-
ticularly in supplying sur-
veillance footage of the area
fi lmed by his security cam-
eras and added his business is
focused on teaching people to
use their product responsibly.
“Anyone is free to call me
anytime and ask me ques-
tions,” he said. “I’m in the
phone book.”
In response to questions
from councilor Marty Ham-
ilton, Pollard assured attend-
ees that no use of his product
in any manner on his prem-
ises is legal. He also said IDs
are checked as soon as a cus-
tomer enters as no one under
the age of 21 is allowed inside
the business. He added that
customers tend to stay in the
business from 2-5 minutes
and parking should not be an
issue.
In response to a Hamil-
ton question about advertising
Steve Tool/Chieftain
The future home of Wallowa County’s fi rst recreational
marijuana dispensary, MThrive Organics LLC, located at 600
W. Main St. in Joseph.
signage, Pollard replied that
he planned to have two signs:
One to replace the East Fork
sign and a 2-by-2-foot sign on
the front of the business. He
also said he does his advertis-
ing online.
Pollard also listed the
products most likely to be
sold from the business.
These include “bulk fl ower,”
intended for smoking, and
extracts, edibles, topicals and
medicinals, including smok-
ing medicinals. He noted the
medicinal marijuana is gen-
erally stronger than its recre-
ational counterpart.
Sturm asked Pollard how
he planned to control custom-
ers who might be purchasing
product for minors.
“I can’t control anybody
outside the building,” he
replied. “So if someone walks
in the building, I have to card
them and make sure they’re
21. After they walk out of
the building, and wherever
they go — I’m not in control
of that.” He also noted liquor
stores can have the same
problem.
Collier asked if Pollard’s
store in The Dalles heard com-
plaints from neighbors about
undesirable elements in the
area after he opened the store.
Pollard said he hadn’t heard
complaints and had a good
rapport with his neighbors.
“Marijuana’s in Oregon,
and it’s always been in Ore-
gon, so I don’t know that
we’re introducing marijuana
to a location or to a spot,” he
said. “We’re changing it from
an unregulated to a regulated
market.”
Sajonia told the audience
that Joseph voters approved
the implementation of mar-
ijuana dispensaries and that
the city issued conditional
use permit for a dispensary
because Pollard’s application
complied with the city’s reg-
ulations regarding dispensa-
ries. She added the city staff
did extensive research into
the matter as did Pollard. She
followed by asking for testi-
mony from those in favor of
dispensaries.
Joseph citizen Dan Deboie
reminded the audience the
city had voted for dispensa-
ries and added that as a volun-
teer bus driver, he estimated
that 60-70 percent of the vet-
erans he drove to VA hospi-
tals and appointments said
they either do or have smoked
marijuana. Scott Lanier said
he had entered a dispensary in
Portland and found security to
be as rigorous as Pollard said.
“You need businesses
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616 W. North Street,
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541-426-4208
EARLY
SPACE RESERVATION
DEADLINES
ate that problem and she noted
the city cannot prohibit a leaf
on a marijuana sign at this
time because city ordinances
did not cover it.
Sajonia read a letter from
Jerry Crandall into the record.
Crandall said that he had lived
behind the dispensary area for
11 years and expressed con-
cern about the effect on his
property values. He noted
that the city needed tourist
revenue, the dispensary and
the several failed businesses
before it had contributed to
parking problems in the area
that included impeding traf-
fi c and obstructing property
access. Other problems cited
included trespassing, littering,
public urination, vomiting and
loud arguments and music.
Crandall also doubted mar-
ijuana revenue would cover
such costs as policing the
business. He added he could
get behind non-THC medici-
nal products.
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here, and you need employees
here,” he said. One other per-
son testifi ed in the same vein.
In response to a question
by audience member Eve-
lyn Swart about regulation,
Sajonia replied the OLCC
regulated marijuana sales,
and the sheriff’s department
would also help. Pollard said
he’d never had compliance
infractions.
“The regulation of this
product is insane,” he said.
Barb Sexton said she
wasn’t necessarily opposed
and understood of the bene-
fi ts of medicinal marijuana.
However, she thought the city
should prohibit the use of a
marijuana leaf on the store
sign as it could be seen from
Main Street.
The council went into dis-
cussion at that point and Sajo-
nia suggested the council vote
to have Wallowology and the
dispensary create diagonal
parking spaces to help allevi-
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