Wallowa.com
OPINION
Wednesday, September 1, 2021
A5
Avoid these mistakes when selling a business
LAYIN’ IT
ON THE LINE
Steve Kerby
ven for those who love their busi-
nesses and aren’t that excited
about retiring, most will need
to pass it on at some point. Most busi-
ness owners have, at best, only a vague
idea of how to plan their exits properly.
Or they make assumptions about their
fi nancial futures that may or may not be
valid.
Over the years, I have seen numerous
agriculture-based clients make costly
mistakes when creating their transition
blueprints. Here are fi ve of the most typ-
ical errors I see when reviewing exit
strategies for my self-employed and
small business owner clients.
It would be best if you could avoid
these common mistakes made by other
self-employed people.
Most business owners have only a
E
superfi cial idea of how they want their
business succession to play out. Many
are failing to plan at all. While retire-
ment consultants consider exit plans
essential, only around 52% of businesses
have one. When you factor in self-em-
ployed professionals like dentists and
doctors, along with mom-and-pop type
companies, that number drops even
lower. Businesses with written exit plans
often fail to update them regularly and
are relegated to back-burner status.
They are making too many assump-
tions about the exit process. Most busi-
ness owners make a lot of assumptions
when it comes to the succession process.
For example, many agriculture-based
entrepreneurs assume that they will be
able to sell their ranch quickly and eas-
ily and at the perfect time when the mar-
ket is “hot.” Or, they assume that some-
one in their family, a son, daughter or
grandchild, will want to run the business
after retiring. Even if a family mem-
ber does want your business, they may
not have the qualifi cations, or skill sets
or fi nancing to run it successfully. It’s a
sad fact the majority of family-owned
businesses do not make it past the third
generation.
Many business owners are “too busy”
to prepare. When I talk to ranchers, it
always amazes me how many of them
are poorly organized, with so-so fi nan-
cial records. Often, they cannot locate
critical documents, insurance policies,
tax records or receipts. To create an effi -
cient transition plan, a degree of organi-
zation is necessary. Otherwise, you risk
overlooking critical data that can turn
your transition into a nightmare instead
of a smooth, effi cient process.
Your plans for retiring from the ranch
should never surprise the important peo-
ple in your life. Oftentimes failing to
include their spouse and family in each
stage of planning. An owner’s deci-
sion to exit his business may involve
their employees, suppliers and family
members. This occurrence also directly
impacts their spouses, and few consider
the tax landmines. As you sit down with
your adviser, you want to include all
aff ected parties in the conversation.
There’s often a failure to allow for the
time it takes to exit successfully. Some
people think that leaving their ranch
will be as simple as putting a “For Sale”
sign in the front yard or listing it with
an experienced ranch broker. The reality
is that it takes time to assemble a team
of CPAs or tax specialists, legal advis-
ers, retirement and income planners to
ensure you get the best possible out-
come. It will help if you don’t plan your
transition haphazardly or when you are
in emotional distress.
Summing it up. If you are selling
your ranch, farm or ag business, you
should begin putting your succession
plan together as soon as you can. When
you have an established, written course
of action before circumstances force you
to exit, you will make better decisions
when the time comes.
You will be able to avoid many of the
headaches associated with retiring from a
small company.
———
As an avid outdoorsman, Joseph and the
Wallowa area have been a big part of Steve
Kerby’s life since 1964. Steve is a
Syndicated Columnists member, a national
organization committed to a fully
vtransparent approach to money man-
agement. With over 50 years in the fi nan-
cial services industry, Steve specializes and
focuses on each individual client’s goals.
Visit stevekerby.retirevillage.com or call
503-936-3535 for more.
Government cannot violate inalienable rights
ON LIBERTY
Devin Patton
n America today we take for granted
the rule of law that protects us as we go
about daily life. The idea enshrined in
the Declaration of Independence that “all
men are created equal” resulted in the for-
mation of a justice system that aims to pro-
vide equal protection for all citizens under
the law.
It is out of this deep respect for individ-
ual rights that the people of our nation have
outlawed (and fi nd repulsive) historically
ordinary actions such as assault, rape and
extortion. While we sometimes deny our
personal preferences and entitlement for
the sake of others, it’s vital to acknowledge
that any suspension of individual liberties
should take place only with the consent of
the one whose rights are being abdicated.
The sacredness of individual human rights
is universal and timeless.
Tyranny should not be something we
think of only when recalling the major
authoritarian governments throughout his-
tory and in this present age; the desire for
power is something that dwells within us
from birth.
The human condition includes a desire
to leverage the power we have to gain
advantage over others. People who have
spent any signifi cant amount of time
around small children have certainly
observed that they are in a near constant
power struggle, either with their own par-
ents or with peers. As children get older,
this manifests itself as bullying. One of the
main roles we have as parents is to train
our children to respect the rights of oth-
I
ers so they don’t become bullies, or worse,
criminals.
Across the globe, we are currently see-
ing what happens when equal protection
under the law is abandoned. In Afghan-
istan, an entire generation of Afghanis
grew up under the occupation of the U.S.
military.
A generation of Afghanis came of age
with the rule of law being enforced in their
country, and we currently see the resur-
gence of the small-minded tyrants who call
themselves the Taliban taking over. The
Taliban impose Shariah law by force, and
we recognize this as a blatant and abhor-
rent violation of universal human rights.
If you asked the Taliban, however, they
would undoubtedly claim their exercise of
moral authority over their subjects is for
the good of the collective.
Doyle Quiggle of smallwarsjournal.com
writes: “They (the Taliban) not only rede-
fi ned the central moral concepts of Afghan
honor-shame culture but reframed them,
cognitively, so that “ghariat” (or honorable)
now means, according to Taliban “news-
speak,” a man who is free of that which
is disgusting (in Islamic terms, haram)
as exclusively defi ned by Taliban leader-
ship.” The Taliban sees their work as nec-
essary and noble, but those who observe
the sacredness of individual liberty fi nd it
repulsive.
Unfortunately, we also are seeing neo-
authoritarians pop up inside of America,
indeed, inside of our own communities.
The coronavirus pandemic has provided
ample fodder for citizens seeking to ratio-
nalize their tyrannical urges — they’ve
got the backing of “public health” in their
favor. These self-righteous people sincerely
believe that relinquishing personal free-
dom during times of crisis is not only noble,
but a duty to all citizens. They have been
relentless in bullying anybody who dis-
agrees with their perspective. This is a dan-
gerous precedent and lacks an obvious lim-
iting principle. If we can claim it is “good”
to violate the rights of individuals in order
to protect the public, then any violation of
rights for any length of time can be justifi ed
under the right circumstances.
British novelist C.S. Lewis wrote: “Of
all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised
for the good of its victim may be the most
oppressive. It may be better to live under
robber barons than under omnipotent moral
busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may
sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some
point be satiated, but those who torment us
for our own good will torment us without
end for they do so with the approval of their
own conscience.”
The violation of inalienable human
rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of hap-
piness is never warranted, even for the sake
of the collective. Anyone, bureaucrat or not,
who attempts to bully you into giving up
your individual liberties protected under the
law (the right to decline medical treatment,
the right to move freely within a state, the
right to freedom of conscience and religion)
for “the good of the collective” is exposing
their blatant disregard for the sacredness of
individual liberties. Are these people really
so self-righteous and condescending as to
think people must be coerced into doing
something “for their own good” because
they are too stupid to do it of their own free
will?
If we are endowed with certain inalien-
able rights, that is fi nal. Any deviation from
that acknowledgment is not “progress,” it is
a regression into the past, toward the time
when there were no individual rights, and
no equality under the law. If our rights are
inalienable there can be no justifi cation for
a government, whose powers are derived
from the consent of the governed, to violate
those rights. Not even during a pandemic.
———
Devin Patton is a third-generation
Wallowa County native whose pastimes
include the study of ag economics, history
and free thought.
Kickoff magazine returns
in this week’s edition
Time for the Rat Race tourney
FROM THE
EDITOR’S
DESK
Ronald Bond
igh school sports are back this
week, and we hope they are back
to as close to normal as they were
in 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic
ruined our world.
That also means the “Kickoff ” mag-
azine is back, previewing high school
football in Northeastern Oregon. This
publication, for those who don’t know,
was a staple of our sister papers, the La
Grande Observer and Baker City Herald,
then in 2019 was inserted in the Wallowa
County Chieftain, along with the rest of
EO Media Group’s Northeastern Oregon
papers.
It, like everything else, was shelved
in 2020, and there even was some uncer-
tainty of if it would run in 2021 as cases
began to climb statewide.
But a late decision was made to put
this publication together, and it was done
in a shorter timeline than any of the pre-
vious fi ve years.
It looks a tiny bit diff erent — you’ll
fi nd a cover that features Wallowa’s Lute
Ramsden alongside a pair of La Grande,
Cesar Rodriguez and Coby Hibbert, for
a combined Union County and Wallowa
H
County issue. Our team previews, given
the shortened timeline, are a bit varied,
as well.
But the main elements that have
made this publication shine — and, in
fact, win awards in the past — remain.
In-depth features on local athletes, team
previews, pages full of numbers for stat-
heads like myself, and more.
It always feels like a Herculean eff ort
to pull this off each year, but the product
has never been one we have looked back
and, in hindsight, felt was a mistake to
print. This year, more than ever, there
was a moment of “Are we really doing
this?” especially given the unknowns
of the season ahead. Yes, there is a full
slate of games. But what if a team has an
outbreak? What if the numbers continue
to surge statewide and we end up shut-
ting down again?
Those are questions that we asked, yet
ultimately decided it was worth the risk.
There already have been some COVID-
19 induced alterations since the product
went to print last week, with Wallowa
having its opener canceled and Enter-
prise scheduling a new opponent. It still
was worth it.
The result is what you will fi nd inside
— a resource to get you up to speed
before the season starts this week, and
one we hope you will refer back to again
and again.
We hope you enjoy it.
———
Ronald Bond is the editor of the
Wallowa County Chieftain.
TEE TIME
Rochelle Danielson
alendars tell us that the fi rst week-
end in September is Labor Day.
Alpine Meadows knows only that
the fi rst weekend is “Rat Race” time.
Since the early ‘70s each year, except
2020s coronavirus, an average of over
40 couples have dedicated their holiday
weekend to play golf at AMGC. This year
is no diff erent. The committee of Gary
and Carol Marr/Terry and Cheri Lamb
says, “46 couples have mailed in their
entries.”
The annual tournament’s popularity
has remained contagious since its begin-
ning. Speaking to a longtime member, who
wishes to remain anonymous, he/she says,
“Back in the days when the rules were
written in blood, you had to be married to
play. Golfers were prepared to show their
marriage license if needed.”
Another anonymous says, “My hus-
band and I were heading to divorce court,
but realized we wanted to play in the Rat
Race instead.” And another old-timer joins
in saying, “No kidding, for most married
couples it was the best of fun times, but for
some seriously, serious-minded couples
who weren’t thinking divorce before the
C
tournament, were defi nitely considering the
big D after the tournament.”
The only rule changes made since the
Rat Race came into existence is the mar-
riage rule, and then only because it became
diffi cult to fi nd husband and wife teams to
play, yet there were singles out there beg-
ging to join the fun competition.
Today, it’s still a couple’s tournament
— guy and gal in a scramble format —
three couples to a team with a champagne/
shotgun start. There will always be missed
putts, in-the-creek balls, jello shots and
just pure unbelievable birdie shots. There
will also always be laughter, and enjoyable
moments with friends, no matter if you are
a Cat in fi rst fl ight (low handicap) or a Rat
(medium handicap) or on the third-fl ight
Cheese Team.
This year’s itinerary, as in the past,
includes a mini 9-hole tournament on Fri-
day (optional) or a practice round. Toward
evening, a putting contest is scheduled
at the clubhouse practice green. For $1 a
9-hole try, you can enter as many times as
you like to get a lower score.
Saturday afternoon the Sole Survivor
tournament takes place.
Saturday evening a catered dinner is
off ered. Planned to take place at the club-
house upstairs, the venue has been changed
to outdoors with mandated masks or social
distancing.
———
Rochelle Danielson of Enterprise loves
the game of golf and has golfed for many
years at Alpine Meadows.