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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 2019)
ENTERPRISE BOYS UPWARD BOUND OUTLAWS CLIMB STATE RANKINGS | SPORTS B1 Enterprise, Oregon Wallowa.com 134th Year, No. 36 Wednesday, December 18, 2019 LOSTINE RIVER CORRIDOR PROJECT LAWSUIT GETS HEARING John F. Marshall Lostine River at Maxwell Lake Trailhead Bridge. By Steve Tool Wallowa County Chieftain P eople seeking peace and soli- tude are drawn to the Lostine River corridor and the surround- ing Eagle Cap Wilderness. But since 2017, the area has fueled a bitter and contentious legal battle that pits envi- ronmental groups against the U.S. For- est Service and Wallowa County. On Dec. 12, the U.S. 9th U.S. Cir- cuit Court of Appeals in Seattle heard an appeal from two environmental groups that have sued to stop the proj- ect. The ruling on whether forests in the fi re-prone corridor can be thinned, or whether they must be kept in a more natural state for listed species, is expected relatively soon. The thorny problem being weighed by the Ninth Circuit is known offi cially as the Lostine River Corridor Pub- lic Safety Project. The Forest Service wants to thin the ladder-fuel-infested forest on 2110 acres along the Lostine River Road — a narrow cherry stem of a road that follows the river for 11 miles to wilderness trailheads. The agency planned the project to reduce the wild- fi re severity in a fi re-prone landscape. The two environmental groups see it as a commercial logging project that will harm habitat for threatened wildlife, including wolverines, and important vegetation, including moonwart, a rare fernlike plant. The groups contend that the project has received insuffi cient study for its environmental impacts. The Lostine Corridor Public Safety Project involves thinning and some commercial logging the 2110 acres of forest outside the Eagle Cap Wilderness and along the Lostine River Road. The Forest Service plans to create several open meadows and remove ladder fuels to reduce wildfi re risk and potential intensity. The Lostine River Road is the sole access to popular trailheads that lead into the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Thou- sands of visitors use the road and its adjacent campgrounds during the spring, summer and fall. Public and Forest Service concerns that inspired the project include the safety of camp- ers and hikers in the event of a fi re, as well as the possibility of a human- sparked blaze in dense woodland along the road. The Lostine River, which is adjacent to the road, is a designated Wild and Scenic River. It is home to a healthy fi sh population, including Chinook salmon, steelhead and bull trout. Coho salmon were recently reintroduced by Enterprise OKs ATV ordinance and postpones utility rate raise Police offi cer honored for domestic de-escalation By Bill Bradshaw Wallowa County Chieftain The Enterprise City Council approved ATV’s on city streets, postponed a utility rate hike, and commended Offi cer George Kohlhepp at a content-rich meeting Dec 8. A new ordinance allowing and govern- ing the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) on streets within the city limits of Enter- prise will take effect Jan. 8. The Enterprise City Council approved it on a nearly unan- imous vote Monday, Dec. 9. The new ordinance allows licensed driv- ers 16 years old and older to operate ATVs on city streets. Drivers and all passengers younger than 18 are required to wear hel- mets. ATVs must obey the same speed limit laws as passenger vehicles. The only time ATVs are allowed on sidewalks is to plow snow. ATVs are not allowed to operate on city streets that are also state highways, such as River and North streets and portions of OR3 and OR82. The lone holdout in the roll-call vote was Councilman Bruce Blivin, who had expressed concerns that the new ordinance did not suffi ciently cover the city in poten- tial liability cases. City Recorder Lacey McQuead said that the city attorney had looked the proposed ordinance over and said it should be suffi cient. She said one request by the council that golf carts be included as ATVs was not included because they are governed under state laws pertaining specifi cally to golf courses. State law restricts them to areas adjacent to golf courses. The ordinance includes in its defi nition of ATVs vehicles such as side-by-sides. The ordinance takes effect Jan. 8, as that date is 30 days after its ratifi cation by the council. McQuead again requested that the coun- cil table a proposed resolution on increas- ing utility rates. She said she understood the council’s request to have cost compar- isons for both the water and sewer funds showing increases in utilities, test samples and chemical costs and will have that infor- mation available at the January meeting. Several councilors suggested having information available to present to the pub- lic on exactly why utility rates are being raised. Councilman Micah Agnew sug- gested creating a detailed packet to present to city residents. Councilman David Elliott agreed. “We’ve got to say why we’re taking more of their money,” he said. “We can’t just say we want a 5% increase. We’ve got to say why we want a 5% increase.” Early in the meeting, Police Chief Joel Fish presented a letter of commendation to Offi cer George Kohlhepp for his excellent work in de-escalating a domestic situation without it becoming violent. The citation read, “On Monday evening, Dec. 2, 2019, Offi cer George Kohlhepp exhibited exceptional de-escalation skills while serving an order authorizing protec- tive custody from Malheur County, Ore. See Project, Page A8 See Council, Page A8 Enterprise School District begins serious planning for future improvements New roofs needed on all school buildings By Ellen Morris Bishop Wallowa county Chieftain With the safety, health and suc- cess of their students foremost in mind, the Enterprise School Dis- trict’s Long Range Facilities Plan- ning committee has begun to deter- mine the most essential needs for their schools and community’s future. The group consists of people inti- mately familiar with the school and students, including Mike Rowley, Kannon Miller, Jared Hillock, Tim Melville, Patrick Patterson and Kath- ryn Stangel. School board members are participating in this process as well. At a Monday, Dec. 9 meeting, the group began to choose which reno- vations, upgrades, and new facilities would best meet the district’s 21st century needs. They had the help of their TAP consultants, the Wen- aha Group, who conducted the facil- ities evaluations. They considered four areas that need improvements according to the TAP assessment: the roof, deferred maintenance, safety and security and space and class- room planning. Discussions included upgrades and improvements that are desirable for the athletic facilities, including replacing worn and unsafe bleach- ers at the football fi eld, repairing problems, including freezing pipes, now evident in the new fi eld house. “The bleachers at the football fi eld See District, Page A8 Ellen Morris Bishop Long Range facilities Planning Committee members Karen Finlayson (left) and Autumn Wilburn make some tough choices about what goes onto the “Must Have” improvement list at the Dec. 9 meeting.
