Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 16, 2016)
CHRISTMAS ON THE PRAIRIE THIS SATURDAY – PAGE A8 The Blue Mountain EAGLE Grant County’s newspaper since 1868 W EDNESDAY , N OVEMBER 16, 2016 • N O . 46 • 18 P AGES • $1.00 www.MyEagleNews.com AFFORDING RETIREMENT PERS rate increases impact school and government budgets By Rylan Boggs Blue Mountain Eagle In order to keep the Public Em- ployee Retirement System afl oat and satisfy the $21 billion in un- funded liability, PERS contributions are climbing for schools, cities and counties across Oregon. Rates for 2017-19 were recently released, leaving some in a position that requires cutting budget items to feed PERS. The increase in their required contributions depends on a variety of factors — such as how many of their employees are on the more gen- erous Tier 1 benefi ts earned by those hired before 2003 — but the average increase is about 3.62 percent. The need for higher contributions from employers comes from a com- bination of factors. About 70 percent of the system’s revenue comes from investment earnings, which have been falling below the assumed 7.75 percent. Retirees are also living lon- ger than expected, and the Oregon Supreme Court struck down reforms that lowered costs in 2015-2017, rul- ing them an unconstitutional breach of contract with public employees. Although the new rates do not take effect until July, agencies must See PERS, Page A18 Eagle file photo Sophie Cosgrove, named Oregon Small Schools Teacher of the Year in 2014, reads to a few of her fourth-grade students: Shyanne Smarr, left, James Allison, Sebastian Hodge, Tucker Carpenter and Meika Pereira. Public Employee Retirement System rate increases for 2017-19 will significantly impact most local school districts. “Sharon Livingston is one of the reasons Grant County will always be strong.” Cowboy Christmas- themed coronation celebrates queen and princess By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle See COURT, Page A18 Schools Grant School District No. 3’s Tier 1 and Tier 2 rates will increase from 8.77 percent in 2015-2017 to 14.18 percent in 2017-2019. Superintendent Curt Shelley said in an email, “The recent release of PERS effective July 1, 2017, will in- crease our district (expense) approx- imately 5.41 percent, which, based on actual payroll of 2015-2016, will Fighting for agriculture Contributed photo Queen Jessica Carter and Princess Trinity Hutchison are selling tickets to the Grant County Fair and Rodeo Court Cowboy Christmas Coronation Dinner and Auction. Grand plans are in the works for this year’s Grant County Fair and Rodeo Court Cowboy Christmas Coronation Dinner and Auction. The event, which begins at 5 p.m. Sun- day, Nov. 20, will be held at the Grant County Fairgrounds pavilion in John Day. The community is invited to attend and see fair and rodeo Queen Jessica Carter of Seneca and Princess Trinity Hutchison of John Day as they are crowned. Former fair and rodeo Queen Reitta Wyllie will pass the crown on to Carter. Tickets are $15 a person or $25 for a couple. The dinner includes tri-tip with all the fi xings catered by Kris and Kjer Kiz- er and a no-host bar by Snaffl e Bit Dinner House. Crowning a fair and rodeo court has been a long-held tradition in Grant County, but this year’s court advisor Nicole Israel said the program has waned in recent years. She would like to see the program re-ignite. “We’re really trying to regrow the pro- gram and educate the public that they’re not just a pretty face,” Israel said. “They are out working for the county, promoting it and trying to get more people to our fair, rodeo and community.” Proceeds from the event will support the court’s travel expenses and wardrobe for themselves and the horses they ride. soon begin preparing upcoming bud- gets, and the increases will impact each differently. Eagle photos/Rylan Boggs Sharon Livingston leans on a fence post on her property near Long Creek on Monday, Nov. 14. Livingston named Agriculturist of the Year By Rylan Boggs Blue Mountain Eagle I t rained last night, and Sharon Livingston couldn’t be happier about it. Recently named Agriculturalist of the Year, the welfare of her ranch is never far from her mind. Born and raised in Long Creek, Livingston, now 77, still works the ranch she grew up on. She leases her Angus and Angus-cross cattle to a local rancher, Jim Jacobs, and helps when she can. Livingston works seven days a week and doesn’t take vacations outside of work. She’s deeply involved in Oregon agricul- ture and is the former president of the Ore- gon Cattlemen’s Association and a member on both the Oregon Board of Agriculture and the Oregon Beef Council. In recognition, Livingston has been named the 2016 Agricultural- ist of the Year by Oregon Aglink. She will receive the award at the annual Denim & Diamonds Dinner and Auc- tion in Portland Friday, Nov. 18. Livingston is one of only two women who have been president of the cattlemen’s association. “I taught school for years with men, and if we went through the lunch line and they let me go in front, I would say, ‘Thank you.’ I’m appreciative,” she said. “However, if you choose not to, it’s OK. We’re all working here together.” Grant County Commis- sioner Boyd Britton has known Livingston for rough- ly two decades and spoke very highly of her. “Sharon Living- ston is one of the reasons Grant County will always be strong,” Britton said. “She loves the land, and she stands up for the rights of the ag- ricultural community.” The award is presented by Oregon Aglink, a marketing and public relations association for the agricultural industry founded in 1966. The organization’s goal is to educate urban Orego- nians on where their food comes from and how farmers produce it, according to Aglink Execu- tive Director Geoff Horning. Agriculturalist of the Year is “the most pres- tigious award” in the agriculture industry, he said. “It’s something that has to really be a career achievement,” Horning said. “It’s really more of an award to present someone who has gone above and beyond over a long period of time.” It’s for this dedication that Liv- ingston is being honored. “Sharon has been an extraor- dinary advocate for Oregon agri- culture on so many fronts for her See AWARD, Page A18 Judge explains decision to nullify Public Forest Commission measure Cramer rules voters intended to assume management of lands By Sean Hart Blue Mountain Eagle The judge who nullifi ed the mea- sure creating the Grant County Public Forest Commission said in his recently released full opinion it was clear the pe- titioner and voters intended to assume management of public lands, which confl icted with paramount laws. Grant County Circuit Court Judge William D. Cramer Jr. informed the Grant County clerk of his intention to nullify the citizen initiative in Septem- ber to prevent Public Forest Commis- sion candidates from appearing on the November ballot and said in the abbre- viated opinion he would later submit a full opinion, which he issued Nov. 8. In the full opinion, Cramer said the county was free to pass a measure to “ Chief petitioner Traylor and the voters, even if they read only the summary, were without doubt voting to manage public lands.” Grant County Circuit Court Judge William D. Cramer Jr. establish a forest commission to de- velop plans to manage public lands if and when the lands were owned by the county, or to consult the county about management practices, as long as the measure clearly stated the commis- sion’s limits, met procedural require- ments and did not violate other “superi- or or paramount laws.” “As I understand how this commis- sion actually functioned a proper mea- sure could be developed and passed,” Cramer said in the opinion. “The fact that an unconstitutional or otherwise invalid law is not enforced as written does not mean it should remain as part of the county code when its invalidity has been properly raised.” Former county judge Mark Webb brought the matter before the court when he fi led a petition for judicial re- view in March of this year of Measure 12-39, a citizen initiative submitted by chief petitioner Dave Traylor and ap- proved by Grant County voters in 2002 to create the Public Forest Commission. In his petition, Webb argued pro- cedural errors were committed in the adoption of the measure and that it con- fl icted with paramount state law and the United States Constitution. Grant County’s attorney, Ron Yock- im, argued voters did not intend to uni- laterally assume control of public lands, such as those managed by the U.S. For- est Service and Bureau of Land Man- agement, and instead only intended to create a commission to manage land that had been conveyed to the county. Cramer said concerns about proce- dural errors required “fact fi nding” and could not appropriately be addressed in a summary judgment, which was re- quested by both Webb and Yockim. He said, however, he could address wheth- er the measure confl icted with para- mount law and that it clearly did so. See JUDGE, Page A18
