BAKER CITY HERALD • SATuRDAY, DECEmBER 3, 2022 A3
LOCAL
Contributed Photo
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative is keeping its power rates level.
OTEC
Continued from A1
Contributed Photo
The Ward family in 2020. Standing, from left: Jordan Ferguson, Cherie Ward, Alyssa Ferguson, Chloe Ferguson, Craig Ward, Harold Crawford,
Kathy Ward, Mark Ward, Lisa Ward, Calli Ward and Morgan Ward. Seated, from left: Alice Ward, Ralph Ward and Matt Ward.
History
Continued from A1
It can also be purchased on-
line at https://store.bookbaby.
com/book/ward-ranches-a-his-
tory-of-farm-and-family.
Photography
The book is heavy on the
photos — a testament to the col-
lection Ralph has gathered over
the years.
“I have seven albums I’ve put
together,” he said.
“We decided we’d do a lot of
pictures,” Kathy said.
They also recruited local pho-
tographer Lori Rowland to doc-
ument the 2022 growing season.
“She’s great to work with —
she’s full of ideas,” Kathy said.
The book cover features a
Rowland photo of a Ward wheat
field with the snowy Elkhorns
as the backdrop.
She photographed vari-
ous stages of the wheat crops
and mint, as well as a few of
the Ward family’s picturesque
barns.
Agriculture
The Ward history in Baker
Valley starts with Ralph’s father,
Clyde, who was born in 1895
in Diamondville, Wyoming.
They moved to Baker in 1903
to join family already settled in
the area.
A framed photograph in
Ralph’s dining room is a testa-
ment to the family’s history — it
shows Charlie Ward (Ralph’s
uncle) on a wagon piled high
with sacks of potatoes. The date
is 1916.
Although Ward Ranches has Ralph and Alice Ward in 2012.
produced more than 30 differ-
ent crops in the past century, the
book details the main ones: po-
tatoes, hay, wheat, peppermint,
corn, sugar beets, grass seed and
pea seed.
Contributed Photo
“You can lose your rump
on potatoes, but make good
money, too.”
— Ralph Ward
Ralph describes potato har-
vest as “the dirtiest job.”
But, even after all these years,
he still enjoys eating a potato
grown in Baker Valley soil.
“I’m a meat and potatoes
guy,” he said.
Family and farming
Woven through the story of
Ward Ranches are several gen- Mules — Mick and Beck — haul hay to the barn.
erations, and Ralph included
stories involving his siblings,
Alvin and Charlotte, his wife,
Alice, his children and their
spouses, and his grandchildren
and great-grandchildren.
Ralph’s sons, Mark and Craig,
now run Ward Ranches, along
with the next generation, and
photos of family are featured
prominently within the pages of
the book.
A series of three photographs,
spanning 53 years, showcases
family members posing with
the largest potatoes harvested in
1967, 2001 and 2020.
The Wards have grown po-
tatoes since Clyde’s first crop in
1915.
“You can lose your rump
on potatoes, but make good
money, too,” Ralph said.
Advancements have changed
agriculture just a bit since that
first crop more than 100 years
ago.
“I got in on all the hard work
before it got mechanized. I don’t
want to go back,” Ralph said
with a grin.
Contributed Photo
Above: A hay crew gathers for a mid-day meal.
Contributed Photo
Left: A potato truck on Ward Ranches’ property
near Baker City in 2022.
Lori Rowland/Contributed Photo
which supplies natural gas to
parts of Union County, boosted
its residential rate by 18.4%.
“Like all businesses we’ve had
Capital credits refunds total
to deal with higher fuel costs
and supply chain issues,” Hatha- $3 million
way said.
OTEC also announced on
But OTEC’s sin-
Wednesday, Nov.
“This is one of 30 that its board of
gle biggest expense
— buying electricity
directors had ap-
those bountiful proved
the return of
from the Bonneville
years where all $3 million in capital
Power Administra-
tion (BPA) — has
credits to members.
the elements
stayed steady.
Capital cred-
its are each mem-
BPA, the federal
and timing
s share
agency that sells
came together in ber-owner’
of OTEC’s margins
power produced at
dams on the Co-
such a manner earned during the
lumbia and Snake
year. Each year, after
that we can
operating expenses
rivers, announced
in mid November
consider staving have been paid, the
remaining margins
that it is not increas-
off inflation for are returned to the
ing wholesale power
rates.
member’s capital
another two
credit account based
“This is one of
years by keeping on the amount they
those bountiful
were billed during
years where all the
rates flat for
previous years. Since
elements and tim-
our power and OTEC first began
ing came together
in such a manner
transmission retiring capital cred-
its in 1996, the co-op
that we can con-
customers.”
has returned $52
sider staving off in-
flation for another
million back to its
— John Hairston,
two years by keep-
members and com-
BPA Administrator
munities.
ing rates flat for our
“As capital cred-
power and transmis-
its reflect each member’s own-
sion customers,” BPA Admin-
ership in the cooperative, it’s a
istrator John Hairston said in a
press release.
great achievement to reach the
The agency plans to keep
$50 million milestone,” OTEC’s
rates level through 2025.
Board of Directors President
Buying power from BPA ac-
Wayne Overton said.
counts for half of OTEC’s an-
“It’s important for us to
nual costs, Hathaway said, so
demonstrate to our members
changes in BPA’s rates typically
what it means to be a coopera-
tive. What better way to demon-
lead to adjustments in OTEC’s
strate that than to return capital
rates.
credits?”
BPA last increased its whole-
sale rates in 2019, which was
Returns are applied directly
also the most recent year that
to the member’s account if the
OTEC boosted its rates.
amount is less than $15. Mem-
bers with returns greater than
Hathaway said OTEC man-
agers talk frequently with BPA
$15 and no past due accounts
officials, and the agency’s an-
will receive a check in the mail
nouncement that it is keeping
in mid-December.
its rates level, though expected,
Hathaway said OTEC offi-
cials were pleased to be able to
was also “welcome news, of
return capital credits, and an-
course.”
nounce that power rates are not
OTEC’s level rates are in
increasing, during the holiday
sharp contrast to the cost for
season.
natural gas.
“These are two important
Cascade Natural Gas, which
ways we can deliver on our mis-
serves Baker County, increased
sion to serve our members,” he
its residential rates by 25.1%
said.
starting Nov. 1, while Avista,
Director
said of the job, which she had
for about two years.
Continued from A1
Colton said she had long
Colton, a 2013 Baker High
been interested in helping set
School graduate, replaces Shelly up events, and she worked as
Cutler, who served as chamber
an intern for a wedding plan-
director for the past seven years. ner.
She enjoyed the work, so
Cutler resigned Oct. 30 to take
she started her own wedding
a job as marketing and com-
munication specialist for Saint
planning business.
Alphonsus Medical
She and her
Centers in Baker
husband, Caleb
“We are very
City and Ontario.
Colton, who grew
excited to have up near North
Jerry Peacock,
president of the
Devon. She is a Powder, moved
chamber’s board of
back to Eastern
local, a Baker
directors, said the
Oregon in 2021.
board was pleased
She worked for
High grad. She
to hire someone
the Oregon State
knows the area University Exten-
with strong ties to
Baker County.
and brings a lot of sion Office, help-
ing to plan the
“We are very
enthusiasm to the Baker County Fair.
excited to have
“I loved be-
Devon,” Peacock
position.”
ing back in Baker
said. “She is a lo-
—Jerry Peacock,
cal, a Baker High
County,” she said.
president of the
grad. She knows
“I fell in love with
chamber’s board of
the area and
the community I
directors
brings a lot of en-
grew up in.”
thusiasm to the
Most recently,
Colton worked for
position.”
Baker Sanitary Service. She
Colton said it wasn’t daunt-
ing to start a new job almost
said she’ll also continue to do
on the eve of a major event
wedding planning occasion-
ally.
because the planning for the
Colton said she considered
parade and tree-lighting had
applying for the contract as
been done.
Baker County’s tourism mar-
Colton said she grew up
keting director this spring, but
participating in chamber
she didn’t submit a proposal.
events such as Miners Jubilee.
Baker County commission-
Her dad, Chris Galisze-
ers hired Jessica Hobson in
wski, has been involved in the
Baker County Sheriff ’s Office’s late May on a two-year con-
tract as marketing director.
Search and Rescue program
When the chamber director
for many years, and Colton
job opened, however, Colton
said she rode on many parade
said she decided to apply.
floats.
“It seemed like a better fit,”
After graduating from BHS,
she said.
Colton attended Eastern Ore-
gon University in La Grande,
Colton said that although
where she earned a bachelor of she doesn’t have extensive ex-
perience in tourism, she is ea-
science degree in art.
ger to learn more about parts
She moved to Colorado
of Baker County she isn’t fa-
where she had multiple jobs,
miliar with, and meeting busi-
including helping people with
kidney disease find treatment. ness owners who are members
of the chamber.
“I really enjoyed that,” she