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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 28, 2015)
A4 Opinion Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, January 28, 2015 Court strayed off the path with cycle route vote T he Grant County Court should revisit its rejection of a proposed bike route LQ/RJDQ9DOOH\7KDWGHFLVLRQ made in December, was based on misinformation that the Court swallowed hook, line and VDGGOH The issue is not whether the Court likes bike routes, or cyclists, or even the proponent RIWKHSODQ0LNH&RVJURYH The issue is whether residents can expect the Court to make its decisions on facts, rather than the unsubstantiated fears DQGFODPRURIDIHZ This situation unfolded over WZRFRXUWPHHWLQJVRQ'HF DQG,QWKH¿UVWWKHWZR members on hand decided to support the bike route presented by Cosgrove, who needed a support letter to advance the SURSRVDODWWKHVWDWHOHYHO7KH &RXUWPHPEHUVGHIHUUHG¿QDO action on the letter until the next meeting, when a missing FRPPLVVLRQHUZRXOGEHWKHUH But in the second meeting, the full Court was swayed against the bike route when detractors protested it, claiming it would cross two private UDQFKHV That detail ran counter to &RVJURYH¶VSUHVHQWDWLRQRQH week earlier, when he clearly stated the route would be on SXEOLFDQGWULEDOODQGKRZHYHU KHZDVQ¶WDWWKHVHFRQGPHHWLQJ WRDQVZHUWKHQHZFRQFHUQV No one on the Court bothered to check out the contradiction, despite the fact that Cosgrove had left his contact numbers ZLWKWKHP Burned once before by a hubbub over a bike path proposed for private land, the Court members scattered for cover like chickens from WKHVKDGRZRIDKDZN7KH vote was unanimous: The Court would not write a letter VXSSRUWLQJWKHELNHSDWK7KH\ assumed – again wrongly – that the project could go ahead ZLWKRXWWKHLUVXSSRUW Contacted later by the Eagle, Cosgrove was clear that without positive response IURPORFDORI¿FLDOVWKHURXWH would be eliminated from the list of projects under FRQVLGHUDWLRQVWDWHZLGH$QG he was thunderstruck to learn that his path had been scuttled by an unquestioned, erroneous DVVXPSWLRQ $WWKLVSRLQWZHZRQ¶WHYHQ get into a secondary objection based on the idea that cyclists relieve themselves in the great outdoors and thus should be UHMHFWHGDVSROOXWHUV,IWKH Court wants to adopt that particular logic for resisting F\FOHWRXULVPZH¶OOH[SHFWWR see them take a similar, tough stand against other tourist sectors that roam our back roads and frequently stray onto private land – hunters, horn KXQWHUVDQG¿VKHUPHQWRQDPH DIHZ :HKRSHLWGRHVQ¶WJHWWKDW IDU7RXULVP±LQLWVPDQ\ guises – has a place in our future, not to replace traditional resource industries but to supplement our struggling HFRQRP\ 7KDW¶VDJRRGUHDVRQIRUWKH Court to clarify its decision, even if it is too late for this SURSRVDOWRPRYHDKHDG,I WKH\MXVWGRQ¶WZDQWWRVXSSRUW cycling, they should be honest DQGVD\VR%XWWRKDQJWKHLU rejection on false speculation LVZURQJ/HIWXQFRUUHFWHG it casts doubt about the trustworthiness of their deliberations in other matters, DVZHOO±6& C OMMENTARY To achieve forest goals, KROGRI¿FLDOVDFFRXQWDEOH By Nicky A. Sprauve To the Blue Mountain Eagle In 1995, Grant County residents voted to “refuse to recognize Federal 0DQDJHPHQWRIFHUWDLQSXEOLFODQGV´ In 2002, we voted to establish the Grant County Public Forest Commis- sion and to petition Congress to trans- fer the title of public lands to Grant &RXQW\0HDVXUHV7KHPLV- sion of the Public Forest Commission was to take over the management of public lands and to use a percentage of the income to fund public schools DQGURDGV:HGRQ¶WKDYHWRORRNIDUWR see that not one of these measures has been fully realized! These measures were a response to an increasingly desperate situation in *UDQW&RXQW\:KHUHDVZHRQFHUH- ceived a percentage of all timber sales from the federal government to help cover our expenses, we now receive no income, and have become one of the most economically depressed counties in Oregon with the highest XQHPSOR\PHQWUDWH Last year, we requested the County Court to pass Ordinance 2013-01, to prevent the Forest Service from clos- ing roads without County Court and VKHULIIDSSURYDO6RIDUZHKDYHKDG limited success at getting anyone to HYHQWU\WRHQIRUFHLW:KDWGRHVWKLV say when we have gone from the big dream of taking over the forests to just trying to keep our access? Where did we go wrong? Recently, members of the Public Forest Commission attended a Grant County Public Access Advisory Board PHHWLQJ :H ZHUH GLVFXVVLQJ WKH &RXQW\&RXUW¶VODFNRIDFWLRQUHJDUG- LQJ 2UGLQDQFH -LP 6SURXO admonished us by saying, “We are the ones at fault – each one of us … We are the stakeholders … And, it got this bad because weOHWLW´ The Public Access Advisory Board practically had their hands touching the ceiling, when it came to a deci- VLRQ 7KH\ ZHUH SHUFHQW XQLWHG As community volunteers, they were UHDG\WRVWHSXSWRWKHSODWHIRU\RX, only wish there was that kind of unity DPRQJ WKH IRUHVW FRPPLVVLRQHUV 2I WKH FRPPLVVLRQHUV SUHVHQW MXVW ¿YH were in favor, barely enough to move IRUZDUG,ZDVHPEDUUDVVHGE\WKHUH- VSRQVH:HZHUHHOHFWHGWRGRWKLVMRE EXWZHUHGHHSO\GLYLGHG 1RZOHWPHEHFOHDU,EHOLHYHLQ KDYLQJ \RXU RZQ RSLQLRQ , PLJKW QRWOLNHLWEXW,FDQVXSSRUWLW7KDW¶V SDUWRIZKDWPDNHVJRRGJRYHUQPHQW When we bring our varying opinions together to create a better environment, ZHPDNHWUXHSURJUHVV7KHSUREOHPLV ZKHQ\RXKDYHDGLYLVLRQRIOR\DOWLHV I believe some commissioners are divided because they belong to spe- cial interest groups and collaborative groups, or because they or family members are employed by companies that have a big stake in keeping things WKHZD\WKH\DUH,QGLYLGXDOVZLWKWKDW NLQG RI FRQÀLFW RI LQWHUHVW VKRXOG HL- WKHUUHFXVHWKHPVHOYHVRUVWHSGRZQ They cannot adequately represent \RX Now, if you think the only place a FRQÀLFWRILQWHUHVWH[LVWVLVLQWKH3XE- lic Forest Commission, you would be PLVWDNHQ7KLVNLQGRIGXSOLFLW\H[LVWV DOOWKURXJKRXWWKHFRXQW\JRYHUQPHQW ,I\RXGRQ¶WEHOLHYHPHUXQGRZQWKH OLVW RI FRXQW\ RI¿FLDOV DQG GR DQ LQ- YHQWRU\RIZKDW\RXNQRZDERXWHDFK Then, compare that with the kinds of GHFLVLRQV WKH\ PDNH RQ \RXU EHKDOI 7KRVHZLWKDFRQÀLFWRILQWHUHVWVKRXOG stand out very quickly! So, what can you do? Elected of- ¿FLDOVUDLVHGXSWKHLUKDQGVDQGWRRN DQRDWKRIRI¿FHWRSURWHFWWKHLQWHUHVWV RI WKH SHRSOH ,I ZH GRQ¶W WKHQ \RX QHHG WR KROG XV DFFRXQWDEOH , QHHG WREHKHOGDFFRXQWDEOHWRR+RZ"%\ calling us, writing us, and showing XSDWPHHWLQJV$QGLIQHFHVVDU\E\ FKDQJLQJ \RXU YRWH , JXDUDQWHH \RX that a thousand phone calls or a thou- sand people in County Court WILL get our attention! IfWKDWGRHVQ¶WZRUN HOHFWQHZOHDGHUV7KDW¶V\RXUSRZHU Remember what Jim Sproul said: “We are the stakeholders … And, it got this bad because weOHWLW´ :H GRQ¶W KDYH WR JLYH XS RXU GUHDPV IRU D EHWWHU IXWXUH /HW¶V all WDNH RXU UHVSRQVLELOLWLHV VHULRXVO\ /HW¶VPDNHWKLVKDSSHQ Nicky A. Sprauve lives in Canyon City and is a Grant County Public For- est Commissioner. He can be reached at NickyASprauve@gmail.com. L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR Letter: Diversify with tourism Blue Mountain EAGLE 195 N. Canyon Blvd. • John Day, OR 97845 541-575-0710 • Fax 541-575-1244 Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper USPS 226-340 John Day, Oregon MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION P UBLISHER E DITOR E DITORIAL A SSISTANT C OMMUNITY N EWS S PORTS M ARKETING R EP C USTOMER S ERVICE R EP Marissa Williams, marissa@bmeagle.com Scotta Callister, editor@bmeagle.com Cheryl Hoefler, cheryl@bmeagle.com Angel Carpenter, angel@bmeagle.com Angel Carpenter, angel@bmeagle.com Kim Kell, ads@bmeagle.com Lindsay Bullock office@bmeagle.com PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY BY: EO Media Group 3HULRGLFDOV3RVWDJH3DLGDW-RKQ'D\DQGDGGLWLRQDOPDLOLQJRI¿FHV SUBSCRIPTION RATES (including online access) Grant County Elsewhere in Oregon Continental U.S., Outside Oregon Outside Continental U.S. 1 year $40.00 $48.00 $55.00 $60.00 Subscriptions must be paid prior to delivery See the Blue Mountain Eagle on the Internet www.MyEagleNews.com POSTMASTER — send address changes to Blue Mountain Eagle 195 N. Canyon Blvd. John Day, OR 97845-1187 Copyright © 2015 Blue Mountain Eagle All rights reserved. No part of this publication covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means — graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping or information storage and retrieval systems — without written permission of the publisher. XUDODUHDV:KLOHWRXULVPGHYHORSPHQW is a major agenda item for many Third World Countries, only recently has it To the Editor: achieved the same degree of attention I have a profound respect for our LQWKH8QLWHG6WDWHV´ seasoned Grant County Commission- 'LYHUVL¿HG SURIHVVLRQDO RXWGRRU er Boyd Britton, who was not present recreation, geologic-ecologic and cul- GXULQJ WKH ¿UVW PHHWLQJ RQ WKH ELNH tural history tourism is a legitimate, route debacle mentioned in the newspa- beautiful, and rural palomino horse to SHU'HFRXUDPDWHXU*UDQW&RXQW\ ride out of the Grant County economic Commissioners fumbled the football in GLVDVWHUGDWLQJWRWKHV WKHIRXUWKTXDUWHU I appreciate Mike Cosgrove for try- Grant County has been the poster LQJWRKHOSRXW*UDQW&RXQW\FKLOGUHQ¶V child for Oregon unemployment for IXWXUH decades and Mike Cosgrove has been 'DYH6DQGHUVIHOG VWULYLQJ WR ¿QG ZD\V WR GLYHUVLI\ WKH Canyon City FRXQW\¶VVWXPEOLQJUXUDOHFRQRP\:H DOOFDQ¶WEHUDQFKHUVWKHUHDUHQRWWKDW PDQ\UDQFKHVDYDLODEOH Roads are critical 0LNHVSHQWKRXUV¿JXULQJRXWDUHD- sonable, low-cost investment to create a To the Editor: Sheriff Glenn Palmer of Grant bike tourism route, using existing roads and abandoned railway rights-of-way County submitted a letter to Malheur LQ/RJDQ9DOOH\)XUWKHUKHZRUNHGWR National Forest Supervisor stating that sell the state Tourism Department on they violated Grant County Ordinance 7KLV VWDWHV DOO URDGV DQG E\- WKHLGHD Sadly, he was at the critical stage ways are open in the county, unless when he asked the commissioners to VSHFL¿FDOO\ JUDQWHG FORVXUH WKURXJK support his hard work on this tourism both the County Court and Sheriff GHYHORSPHQWDOOVWDWHDJHQFLHVOLNHWKH RI¿FH &ORVXUHV FDQ RQO\ EH SXW LQWR ORFDOVXSSRUWEHIRUHIXQGLQJQHZLGHDV place if both the County Court and Someone is quoted in this article, 6KHULII¶V2I¿FHDJUHH This is exactly the sort of thing coun- ³:H GRQ¶W WUXVW WKLV ZKROH WKLQJ´ VR they naively threw the baby out with ty governments should be doing: trying to keep our overreaching and over-reg- WKHEDWKZDWHU'LVDSSRLQWLQJ We need to diversify and strengthen ulating federal government from taking our rural economies or remain another DOOWKHSHRSOH¶VOLEHUWLHV5RDGFORVXUHV will have big, irreversible consequences 86$³WKLUGZRUOGFRXQWU\´ Forest Service friends have attend- IRUWKHIXWXUHRI*UDQW&RXQW\8UJHWKH HG WRXULVP FRQIHUHQFHV DW 0LVVRXOD¶V County Court to stand strong against this 8QLYHUVLW\RI0RQWDQD7KH¿UVWLQ'H- DQGLIWKH\GRQ¶WWKHSHRSOHVKRXOGKROG cember 1995, had a federal publication WKHPDFFRXQWDEOHDQGYRWHWKHPRXW The forests of Grant County are created titled “Linking Tourism, the En- KRUULEO\ XQPDQDJHG 7KH\ DUH EH- YLURQPHQWDQG6XVWDLQDELOLW\´ The back cover notes: “Tourism is coming diseased, overgrown, ravaged DQ LQGXVWU\ RI JOREDO VLJQL¿FDQFH ,W E\ZLOG¿UHVDQGWKH)RUHVW6HUYLFHLV LVRQHRIWKHZRUOG¶VODUJHVWLQGXVWULHV spending their days trying to manage and has become more attractive as a XVRXWRIWKHP 0LNH+DQVHQ relatively quick generator of foreign ex- Mt. Vernon change or income to local remote nat- 7LPHIRUQHZWDFN To the Editor: ,ZDQWWRFRQJUDWXODWH5HS7RELDV Read on his appointment as Speaker RIWKH2UHJRQ+RXVH,KRSHWKDWDVKH assumes this new responsibility, he will lead his Democrat colleagues in a direc- WLRQRIFRPPRQVHQVH¿VFDOUHVSRQVL- ELOLW\DQGRSHQPLQGHGQHVV $V , VHH LW WKH 'HPRFUDWV¶ OHJLV- lative agenda ahead is fraught with status–quo tax and spending, leftist progressive thinking and misguided faux-crisis reactions which this state DQGLWVSHRSOHIUDQNO\FDQQRWDIIRUG The proposed bills tied to Energy and Climate Change / Global Warming have to be considered within the frame- work of all the science that is out there and not just that science which has been cherry-picked by those who generate WKHLU OLYLQJ DQG ¿QDQFLDO VWDELOLW\ E\ destabilizing our economy and infor- mation pools through outcome-oriented ³VFLHQFH´ LH JRYHUQPHQW DJHQFLHV academia and environmental activists and their attorneys) Further, and extremely importantly, I hope he sees the necessity to move against the overreach of the federal government into the everyday issues that should be the responsibility of the states and the individuals within those VRYHUHLJQVWDWHV He needs to look at what the rest of the nation has recognized and man- dated at the November 2014 elections and move Oregon out of the doldrums created by the Democrat-run politics of WKLVVWDWHIRUWKHODVW\HDUV,WKDVQ¶W worked and responsible, forward think- LQJ'HPRFUDWVDUHUHFRJQL]LQJWKDW I am a product of the once top-of- the-line education system in Oregon and know it can be that again if we look, not forward, but back at and em- ulate what made it great in the 1950s, ¶VDQG¶V,WFDQEHGRQH Tim K. Smith Harney County