LOCAL
Wallowa.com
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
A9
Commissioners oppose ‘Rivers Democracy Act’
Wyden, Merkley
would add 404
miles of rivers in
county to national
designation
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
ENTERPRISE — A res-
olution opposing a bill
in the U.S. Senate that
would expand the National
Wild and Scenic Riv-
ers Act to include water-
ways in Wallowa County
was passed recently by the
Wallowa County Board of
Commissioners.
The “Rivers Democracy
Act,” a.k.a. S.192 intro-
duced to the Senate by Ore-
gon’s Democrat Sens. Ron
Wyden and Jeff Merkley,
would add 404 additional
miles of Wallowa County
rivers, streams, gulches,
draws and unnamed trib-
utaries, most of which are
not classifi ed as rivers and
are not free-fl owing or do
not carry water year around,
according to the resolu-
tion read by Commissioner
Susan Roberts during the
commissioners’ Wednesday,
July 21, meeting.
As she read, the Wild and
Ellen Morris Bishop/Chieftain File
The Imnaha River fl ows through private lands 10 miles upstream from the town of Imnaha.
The River Democracy Act of 2021, which Oregon U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley
cosponsored, would redesignate 58 miles of the river from Indian Crossing to Cow Creek,
including this area, as a Recreational River, and label 4 miles of the river, from Cow Creek to
the mouth of the confl uence with the Snake River, as Scenic. On Wednesday, July 21, 2021, the
Wallowa County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to oppose the legislation.
Scenic Rivers Act of 1968
was to preserve certain riv-
ers with “outstanding natu-
ral, cultural and recreation
values in a free-fl owing
condition” and it already
includes 300 miles of Wal-
lowa County rivers.
In addition, Roberts said,
S.192 expands buff er zones
along such waterways from
a quarter-mile to a half-mile.
This would aff ect “eco-
nomic development, pub-
lic access, water resource
management, forest and
vegetation
management,
ranching and grazing and
other responsible multi-
ple-use activities on an esti-
mated 240,000 acres of pub-
lic lands and an additional
16,000 acres of private land
in Wallowa County,” Rob-
erts read.
The resolution says such
“arbitrary land designations
… impose restrictions and
additional federal bureau-
cracy on multiple-use land
management activities and
federal courts have upheld
legal challenges to those
activities…”
The resolution also
notes that the county “has
experienced severe wild-
fi res that have threat-
ened and displaced our cit-
izens, damaged private
properties, aff ected water
resources, impacted recre-
ational opportunities, wild-
life habitat and other natural
resource values and aff ected
the county’s economy.”
Such wildfi res have
burned “unnaturally over-
grown and fi re-prone lands
administered by federal land
management agencies and
those agencies have failed
to adequately mitigate the
risks to Wallowa County
communities and natural
resources.”
S. 192 doesn’t direct fed-
eral agencies to use tools at
their disposal to reduce fi re
risk or restore lands after
fi res.
The resolution also noted
that rural counties, their
businesses and landowners
were not consulted in the
designation of waterways
to include in the act. Only a
“few select individuals and
organizations” were con-
sulted, the resolution reads.
Wallowa County’s com-
missioners are not the
fi rst in Oregon to oppose
the act. Early this month,
Union County’s commis-
sioners voted to oppose
it and in February, Grant
County did likewise. There
also is opposition to the act
in Baker, Harney and other
rural counties, according
to Eastern Oregon Media
Group papers.
Roberts said the act adds
4,700 miles in Oregon to the
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
She said spokesmen for the
senators said “the intent is
to have no eff ect. … Well,
intent is wonderful, but it’s
not in the legislation.”
Copies of the county’s
resolution are to be sent
to the state’s congressio-
nal delegation, Gov. Kate
Brown and the county’s del-
egation in the Legislature.
It also requests all lands
and waterways in Wallowa
County be removed from the
legislation.
County applies for grant to set up youth center in Wallowa
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
ENTERPRISE — Wal-
lowa County is working to
establish a youth center in
Wallowa after the county
commissioners voted to
apply for a $75,160 Oregon
Youth Development Council
grant Wednesday, July 21.
Mandy Decker, director
of the county Department
of Youth Services, said the
grant would help disadvan-
taged youths in Wallowa,
particularly those who are
considered at risk.
“There are not a lot
of resources in Wallowa,
like there are in Enterprise
and Joseph,” she told the
commissioners.
She said the center would
be a place for kids — par-
ticularly youths 12-16 years
old — to have a rec room
with a ping pong table, a
foosball table, space for
jobs skills and other classes.
“It would be somewhere
for kids to meet with their
mentors and, as you just
approved, we have youth
employment kids down
there,” she said.
She was referring to
the commissioners’ earlier
approval of the hiring of
Lucas Powers and Chance
Pendarvis in the coun-
ty’s Department of Youth
Services.
Decker also presented
the commissioners with a
budget that will be included
in the grant application. It
would include $31,200 for
personnel, $21,960 for oper-
ating costs, $2,000 for sup-
plies and materials, $8,000
for equipment, $2,000 for
direct supports and assis-
tance to youths and $10,000
for administrative costs.
The grant application
noted that Wallowa is par-
ticularly in need of such a
facility. It stated that Wal-
lowa’s population of 817 is
well below the poverty line
and that 40% of the com-
bined household income
there is less than $25,000.
Most at-risk youths in Wal-
lowa attend school sporad-
ically and live with care-
givers or parents who do
not engage well with the
school district. The city
has no place for youths to
hang out in a “prosocial
environment.” They’re 20
miles from the county seat
and many families do not
have the transportation to
get there for mental health
appointments,
parenting
classes and prosocial activ-
ities. There is also a min-
imum of public transpor-
tation. These factors often
lead to higher dropout rates
and other things that nega-
tively impact the youths of
Wallowa.
The
Oregon Youth
Development Council is
for youths ages 6-24 in a
manner that supports edu-
cational success and career
and workforce development
with a focus on positive
youth development, and is
integrated, measurable and
accountable, according to
the OYDC website.
Decker said that within
the budget is funding to pay
someone to man the youth
center. However, she said,
if that should become an
issue, she knows of parents
in Wallowa who could help.
After the commissioners
voted to approve the grant
application, Decker said it
is an “October grant” and
the county should fi nd out in
August if it’s been awarded.
She expected it would pay
retroactively to July.
All three commissioners
all expressed their appreci-
ation to Decker for work-
ing on the youth project for
Wallowa.
“We commend you for
taking the time and eff ort to
do something for Wallowa
and to remind of our pres-
ence in Wallowa,” Commis-
sioner John Hillock said.
Fire concerns
In another matter, a land-
owner of property near the
East Moraine expressed
concern about recreationists
who could start a fi re there
in light of the Elbow Creek
Fire near Troy. He asked that
the commissioners close the
area to public access.
“I think that that’s prob-
ably not going to happen
because of all the recre-
ational opportunities,” said
Jacob Hasslacher. “I’m not
concerned about the horse-
back riders; I’m not con-
cerned about the ranchers
and the local users of the
land. I’m concerned about
the people who don’t under-
stand what’s going on (and
through their practices inad-
vertently start a fi re.) At the
very minimum, I’m ask-
ing that the county commis-
sioners put up signs at the
gates saying, ‘No fi res, no
campfi res, no smoking, etc.’
before something happens
back there.”
Hillock said he fully
understood
Hasslacher’s
concern. He said he had to
take action Monday, July
19, when four campfi res
were discovered up the
Lostine River. He said law
enforcement was sent out
and Forest Service person-
nel placed “no fi re” signs in
the area.
“I think we could have
somebody make some signs
and get them up for the rest
of the season,” Hillock said.
“We are under a fi re clo-
sure at this time and hope-
fully most people know that.
… We’re watching what’s
going on.”
Commissioner
Todd
We have your
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E
Ed Staub & Sons
Energy Community Service.
Nash said it shouldn’t be an
issue.
“We have a standing
agreement to no fi res up
there,” he said.
Addressing Katy Nesbitt,
the county director of Natu-
ral Resources and Economic
Development, Nash said,
“Katy can probably get that
whipped out in nothing fl at.”
She agreed to have tem-
porary signs put up until
more permanent once are
erected.
Signs can help, but Com-
missioner Susan Roberts
expressed a bit of skepticism.
“You know, you can put
up all the signs on the face of
the Earth and …” she said.
Other business
In other business, the
commissioners:
• Approved an inter-
governmental
agreement
between Wallowa County
and Wallowa County Edu-
cation Service District for
information services. Sta-
cey Fregulia, information
technology director for the
county, said the agreement
is primarily to get part-time
help for her.
“This is primarily to help
me because I’m spread so
thin,” she said.
• Approved an inter-
governmental
agreement
between Wallowa County
and Oregon Health Author-
ity for tort liability cover-
age as a provider for the
Psychiatric Security Review
Board.
• Approved bid of
$13,900 for a sound system
at the Wallowa County Fair-
grounds. Having been the
only bid received, the fair
board had recommended it
be accepted.
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“Making It Happen! “
FAIR SCHEDULE
Friday, Aug. 6 9:00am Jr Rodeo begins
Saturday, Aug. 7 9:00am 4-H Dog Show
Jr. Rodeo continues
4-H Horse Show begins
Sunday, Aug. 8 Noon
Monday, Aug. 9 8:00am Open Class NON-PERISHABLE
entries delivered to Cloverleaf Hall
9:00am 4-H Exhibits delivered to Cloverleaf
Hall Kitchen
Tuesday, Aug. 10 8:00am 4-H Horse Show continues
Open Class Perishables
to Cloverleaf
Wednesday, Aug.11 10:00am Cloverleaf Hall Opens
Noon
Livestock Weigh-ins begin
7:00pm Team Roping Drawpot
Thursday, Aug.12 8:30am 4-H/FFA Livestock Show begins
10:00am Cloverleaf Walk Opens
Cloverleaf Hall Opens
Friday, Aug. 13 8:30am 4-H/FFA Livestock Show continues
4:00pm Bessie Bingo
7:00pm Team Roping Drawpot
Saturday, Aug. 14 10:00am PeeWee Showmanship
11:00am Games on the Grass
1:00pm FFA Barbecue
3:00pm 4-H/FFA Fat Stock Sale
AUG
6-14
2021
FREE
ADMISSION
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VENDORS
For a full schedule
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