A6
News
Blue Mountain Eagle
A mission to facilitate wellness
Group to study
feasibility of rec
center in John Day
PALMER
Continued from Page A1
By Sean Hart
Blue Mountain Eagle
“A multi-use activity center
to promote and facilitate well-
ness throughout the greater
community, including space
for aTuatics, ¿tness, athletics,
community gatherings and
wellness education” could be
coming to John Day.
A group of interested stake-
holders met for two hours
Friday to discuss the mission
and vision for a recreation
center they would like to see
established. Ideas for the fa-
cility included an indoor pool,
a soaking tub, a sauna, a full-
court gymnasium, exercise
equipment, an indoor walking
track and space for ¿tness and
wellness classes.
The possible project is still
in its early stages. Mytchell
Mead, who volunteered to
serve on a feasibility study
committee, said the next step
would be determining if the
center is feasible — in terms
of not only initial cost and con-
¿guration but also long-term
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
The Eagle/Sean Hart
Mike Dugas, Vision Creation Consulting, facilitates
a meeting in John Day March 18 to determine
the purpose and vision for a potential recreation
and wellness facility. Attendees agreed the next
step would be to conduct a feasibility study to
determine whether the project is plausible.
¿nancial viability. +e said an
initial plan to share costs with
Blue Mountain +ospital and
house its physical therapy de-
partment did not come to fru-
ition, but the project was still
possible.
“It looks like we’re going to
move forward on this,” he said.
County
Commissioner
Chris Labhart said he would
not give up on the project.
“We’re just trying to see if
it’s possible,” he said. “Why
not at least try? Grant County
needs something to work on
that’s positive.”
Labhart said people he has
spoken with have reacted posi-
tively to the idea of a recreation
center.
Lisa Weigum, a John Day
city councilwoman, said the
council has discussed retain-
ing people in the area. She said
sometimes risks are necessary
to obtain a bene¿t.
“We have to be willing to
take some risks,” she said. “It’s
scary, but I think we need to be
willing to go there.”
For more information,
contact Mead, 541-575-0284,
m@mytchell.com.
boldens them,” he said.
Palmer’s approach to the
occupiers was very different
from other law enforcement,
but his approach to his role
as sheriff is, too. Most Ore-
gon county sheriffs sent dep-
uties to assist with law en-
forcement patrols during the
occupation. Palmer did not,
although he did house +ar-
ney County inmates at the
Grant County jail for about
a week to help free up space
and staff in Burns.
The Oregon State Sher-
iff’s Association made a
public statement opposing
the actions of the “militia
men and women” at the ref-
uge, and called their behav-
ior criminal. In contrast, in
an interview with the Blue
Mountain Eagle, Palmer
referred to the occupiers as
“Americans” and “patriots.”
Law enforcement of¿-
cials in charge of the fatal
traf¿c stop were wary of
Palmer’s approach to the
occupiers. The report de-
tailing the investigation into
Finicum’s death revealed
that the roadblock was orig-
inally planned for Grant
County, but was moved to
avoid involving Palmer.
Now, Palmer is under
scrutiny for his interactions
with the leaders of the armed
occupation. The state De-
partment of Public Safety
Standards and Training has
received at least nine com-
plaints against Palmer.
“The number of com-
plaints is a little odd,” said
Linsey +ale, director of the
agency’s professional stan-
dards division. “Typically
we don’t get a volume like
this on one particular situa-
tion or one particular indi-
vidual.”
The DPSST recommend-
ed the Oregon Department
of Justice investigate the
sheriff.
The state DOJ said March
16 that the agency has
opened an investigation into
one of the complaints about
Palmer, although the agency
won’t describe the complaint
while the investigation is on-
going. Evidence of wrong-
doing could lead to criminal
charges and revocation of
Palmer’s law enforcement
certi¿cation.
Beyond the investigation,
Palmer’s statements about
the occupation have some
Grant County residents
worrying that the next an-
ti-government action might
happen in their community.
Palmer has become a focal
point of the “what’s next?”
now that the refuge occupa-
tion is over. Some in Grant
County see him as a rogue
activist more interested in
advancing an anti-federal
government agenda than
protecting public safety.
“Sheriff Palmer’s blatant
disregard for the potential
consequences of pushing
his personal agenda over
the welfare and safety of
the general public that he
is sworn to protect is at the
very least an ethical trans-
gression,” Valerie Luttrell,
John Day’s emergency dis-
patch manager, wrote in a
complaint to state regulators.
But to many in the grow-
ing “patriot” movement,
Palmer is the lone elected
hero standing up to federal
agencies and ¿ghting to pro-
tect individual liberties. In
addition to the complaints,
state regulators have re-
ceived three letters in sup-
port of Palmer.
“+e has been an exem-
plary sheriff,” Melvin and
+arriet Crum wrote state
regulators. “As an elected
of¿cial he represents all of
Grant County fairly and is
See DOJ, Page A7
Volunteers needed for flood mitigation project
By Sean Hart
Blue Mountain Eagle
Grant County has com-
pleted a signi¿cant portion of
a Àood mitigation project on
Canyon Creek, but if Àood-
ing occurs, volunteers will be
needed.
County of¿cials are asking
members of the public to place
their names on a list of volun-
teers if they would be willing
to help in the event of a disas-
ter. Emergency Management
Coordinator Ted Williams is
maintaining the list.
Project engineer Doug
Ferguson said the project
designed to keep high-Àow
surface water — about 1,000
cubic feet per second — from
leaving the channel is about
5 percent complete. +e said,
however, certain portions of
the project cannot be com-
pleted until Àooding actually
occurs.
To accommodate the work
necessary during a Àood, Fer-
guson said equipment must
be staged in strategic areas,
and up to 50 physically capa-
ble volunteers may be need-
ed to help place sandbags.
Without the volunteers and
a coordinated effort, he said
the entire project could be in
jeopardy.
“It has to be done,” he said.
County Judge Scott Myers
said he knew people would
heed the call to volunteer
when a disaster struck but
that it would be preferable to
have a list of volunteers gen-
erated beforehand for liabili-
ty purposes.
County
Commissioner
Chris Labhart agreed having
volunteers organized in ad-
vance would be helpful and
said he believed the Àood
mitigation project was “mon-
ey well spent.”
“It’s better to be proactive
than reactive,” he said. “We
hope we never have to use
it.”
For more information or to
volunteer, contact Williams,
541-575-4006, williamst@
grantcounty-or.gov. To sign
up for the county’s alert sys-
tem, visit public.alertsense.
com/signup/?regionID=1170.
Church Services In Grant County
Redeemer
Lutheran Church
Come Worship with us at
627 SE Hillcrest, John Day
1 st & 3 rd Sunday Worship
& Communion ...............................10 am
2 nd , 4 th & 5 th Sunday Worship ..........10 am
Wednesday Evening Bible Study.......6 pm
For information: 541-575-2348
Cornerstone
Christian
Fellowship
139 N.E. D AYTON S TREET , J OHN D AY
541-575-2180
Sunday Worship Service
10 am
Pastor Levi Manitsas
cornerstonejohnday@gmail.com
CHURCH OF THE
NAZARENE
Sunday School..............................9:30 am
Sunday Worship Service .............. 10:45 am
Sunday Evening Service................6:00 pm
Children & Teen Activities
SMALL GROUPS CALL FOR MORE INFO
Weekdays: Sonshine Christian School
521 E. Main • John Day • 541-575-1895
wwww.johndaynazarene.com