State
Blue Mountain Eagle
L EGISLATIVE B RIEFCASE
Expansion of
self-serve gas
pumping is
headed to the
Senate
A bill to expand the hours
of self-serve gas stations in
rural counties in Eastern Or-
egon is headed to the Senate,
after the House of Represen-
tatives unanimously passed it
Thursday, March 30.
The bill allows 24-hour
self service at stations in
certain counties. Those sta-
tions would still be required
to have attendants between 6
a.m. and 6 p.m., however.
The legislation by Rep.
Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, ex-
pands on a law passed in
2015 that allowed self-ser-
vice between the hours of 6
p.m. and 6 a.m. in 18 coun-
ties with a population of less
than 40,000. The idea was to
protect travelers from being
stranded in remote places.
Oregon is one of only two
states that prohibit customers
from pumping their own gas
at fueling stations. The other
is New Jersey.
In Eastern Oregon, some
locally-owned gas stations
have been at risk of closure
due to the expense of hiring
fueling attendants to pump
customers’ gas, Bentz said.
“We are trying to preserve
these stations out in the mid-
dle of nowhere so that we
have fuel available,” Bentz
said earlier this month.
The proposed change af-
fects 15 counties in Eastern
Oregon: Grant, Malheur,
Union, Wasco, Hood Riv-
er, Jefferson, Crook, Baker,
Morrow, Lake, Harney, Wal-
lowa, Gilliam, Sherman and
Wheeler.
The original proposal in-
cluded Clatsop, Curry and
Tillamook counties. Howev-
er, opposition to expanding
self-service hours prompted
proponents to carve out those
coastal counties. Opponents
feared the change would
threaten the jobs of those
who pump fuel for a living.
5-to-4 to approve the revised
bill, with all Republicans on
the committee against the
measure.
The legislation now goes
to the House floor for a vote.
Employers seek
Tenant protection more changes
bill heads to
to predictive
House floor
scheduling bill
A tenant protection bill
that lifts the statewide ban
on rent control and outlaws
no-cause evictions is headed
to the House floor after the
Human Services and Hous-
ing Committee made several
revisions Thursday.
“Some people think a
good policy is one where no
one is happy, which makes
this a great policy,” said Rep.
Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale, a
committee member.
The committee heard
hours of impassioned tes-
timony from landlords and
tenants affected by the state’s
housing shortage before
coming to the compromise.
An amendment by Rep.
Mark Meek, D-Clackamas
County, a landlord and real
estate investor, reduced the
amount of relocation assis-
tance landlords are required
to pay when asking a tenant
to leave to sell the property,
remodel or for other allow-
able reasons. The amount is
now one month rent instead
of three months.
The change also exempts
units less than five years
old from any rent control
measures approved by local
governments and exempts
landlords with fewer than
five units from having to pay
relocation fees if an eviction
is for certain no-fault rea-
sons such as moving into the
property or selling it.
The committee voted
Despite proposed re-
visions to a bill that would
mandate two weeks’ notice for
employee schedule changes
and penalty pay for changes
without the required notice,
employers continued to voice
opposition to the regulations
during a hearing Monday,
April 3.
The legislation is “an
ill-conceived attempt to more
formally systematize what is
inherently a very fluid and
dynamic process,” said Chris
Girard of Plaid Pantry Inc.
Girard said the bill
“would actually reduce
flexibility in meeting em-
ployees’ scheduling needs.”
Many employees request
last-minute changes, and
the two-week notice re-
quirement makes it harder
for employers to accommo-
date those requests, he said.
A proposed amendment to
the bill, however, would give
employers a big concession.
The amendment removes a
requirement for “on-call pay.”
The provision would have re-
quired employers to pay for
up to four hours of work if the
employee is on call but works
no hours. The agriculture com-
munity and other businesses
cheered the change but are still
concerned about meeting the
requirements, especially in in-
dustries dependent on weather
or deliveries such as con-
struction or nurseries.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
A9
State releases final ODOT
improvement recommendations
By Paris Achen
Capital Bureau
The state’s executive de-
partment released final rec-
ommendations for reforming
weaknesses at the Oregon
Department of Transportation
Monday.
The recommendations re-
semble a draft released March
24 and first reported by the
Pamplin Media Group/EO
Media Group Capital Bureau.
The improvement plan by
the Department of Adminis-
trative Services is based on
the findings of an independent
consultant’s management re-
view of the agency, finalized
Feb. 1.
New York-based McK-
insey & Co. concluded there
is an unclear governance struc-
ture for ODOT and the Oregon
Transportation Commission,
which sets policy for the agen-
cy. The agency also lacks a
strategic vision for the future
and accountability measures,
the consultants found.
DAS recommended that the
governor and Legislature con-
vene a work group to clarify
the governance structure and
report back Nov. 1.
ODOT should seek the ex-
pertise of a management con-
sulting company to develop a
management plan for the agen-
cy that would define struc-
ture, roles and measurements
for success. The agency also
should seek out a consulting
company to address waste in
its fleet and facilities programs
and convene procurement ex-
perts from other state agencies
to review potential improve-
ments for contracting.
Other recommendations
call for an agency communica-
tions plan, alignment of legis-
lative standards with the reali-
Capital Bureau
The Department of Administrative Services has released
a set of final recommendations for addressing issues
at ODOT outlined by an independent review of the
department conducted by an independent contractor.
ties of the agency’s operations
and an audit by the Secretary
of State’s Office specifical-
ly on ODOT’s management
of funds in the highway pro-
gram.
Finally, DAS recommends
conducting another manage-
ment review in 2020 to identi-
fy the progress of any changes.
“I fully embrace these rec-
ommendations and whole-
heartedly believe that ODOT
will be a stronger organiza-
tion as a result of them,” said
ODOT Director Matt Garrett
in an email to staff. “More-
over, I commit to working
with the (Oregon Transpor-
tation) Commission, ODOT
employees and our customers
to implement these recommen-
dations in a transparent and ac-
countable manner.”
Agency leadership will
assemble a steering team to
help guide implementation
of the recommendations and
track and report on progress,
which also will be published
on a webpage, said Assistant
ODOT Director Travis Brou-
wer. The agency also plans to
develop a strategic business
plan, Garrett wrote in his email
to employees.
Gov. Kate Brown ordered
the management review to
help allay some lawmakers’
concerns in preparation for
consideration of a transporta-
tion package worth hundreds
of millions of dollars this ses-
sion. The revenue to pay for
projects would likely come
largely from a hike in the
state’s gas tax and registration
fees.
The state paid McKinsey
$1 million to conduct the man-
agement review on a short
timeline, so findings would be
available before the end of the
legislative session. Yet dead-
lines for finishing work prod-
ucts in the improvement plan
are after lawmakers would
likely vote on a transportation
package.
A work group of law-
makers plans to recommend
accountability measures for
ODOT later this week. Those
accountability measures could
be added to the transportation
package legislation.
Governor went to Final Four game on campaign’s dime
By Claire Withycombe
Capital Bureau
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown
was there when the Univer-
sity of Oregon men’s basket-
ball team lost its NCAA Final
Four match against the Uni-
versity of North Carolina by
one point.
Gov. Brown left an event
at the Oregon Veterans’ Home
in Lebanon Friday afternoon
in order to catch her flight to
the game, which was held Sat-
urday in Glendale, Ariz.
According to the Gover-
nor’s Office, the trip was paid
for by the governor’s cam-
paign. Gov. Brown is running
for re-election next year.
A spokesman for the gov-
ernor referred questions about
the governor’s attendance to
her campaign, and questions
about the costs of having her
security detail travel with
her to the Oregon State Po-
lice, which employs the gov-
ernor’s dignitary protection
Attend a Rocky Mountain
Elk Foundation Dinner
and Benefit Auction
Where fun and fund-raising combine for a
memorable evening.
Date:
Time:
Saturday, April 22
4:00—Doors open
5:30—Dinner
7:30—Auction
Place:
Pavilion—
Grant County
Fairgrounds
Ticket Information:
Gale Wall (541) 575-2661
A great time for a great cause.
Proceeds benefit elk and other wildlife.
A man wakes up in
the morning after
sleeping on an
ADVERTISED BED,
in ADVERTISED
PAJAMAS.
He will bathe in an ADVERTISED TUB, shave with an ADVERTISED RAZOR,
have a breakfast of ADVERTISED JUICE, cereal and toast, toasted in an
ADVERTISED TOASTER, put on ADVERTISED CLOTHES and glance at his
ADVERTISED WATCH. He’ll ride to work in his ADVERTISED CAR, sit at an
ADVERTISED DESK and write with an ADVERTISED PEN. Yet this person
hesitates to advertise, saying that advertising doesn’t pay. Finally, when his
non-advertised business is going under, HE’LL ADVERTISE IT FOR SALE.
Then it’s too late.
unit.
Thomas
Wheatley,
Brown’s campaign manager,
said the campaign paid for
all costs — including airfare,
lodging, and tickets — for the
trip, except for the costs for
the security team, which is
“standard protocol,” Wheat-
ley said in an email Monday.
Brown traveled with her
husband and a staff member.
The campaign paid for their
travel as well, Wheatley said.
Wheatley said Brown is
a “big fan” of the Oregon
Ducks and other Oregon col-
lege sports teams and wanted
to “support Oregon’s team.”
The governor did not ac-
cept any gifts as part of the
trip.
“I am so proud of my
Ducks,” Brown told KOIN
news in an interview posted to
the station’s YouTube channel
Saturday night. “They did an
amazing job tonight. They are
an incredible team, and I just
love watching them, and Or-
egon should be proud of our
Oregon Ducks tonight.”
Oregon State Police did
not answer inquiries by dead-
line about costs associated
with sending her security de-
V ETERANS :
541-620-4255
Did you know there may be VA benefits available for you
as a result of your spouses’ military service?
The fare from Mt. Vernon to John Day has been
increased to $5.50 + 1 Chocolate Cookie.
See your Grant County Veteran Services
Officer today for more information,
located at Grant County Court House.
You never need a taxi until you need one;
put me on speed dial.
Jeff Wilcox
Call 541-575-1631 for an appointment
Richie Colbeth, Owner/Operator
05463
You are cordially invited to attend Holy Week and Easter
services for Lent at Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Holy Week at Redeemer starts on April 9th with Palm Sunday
at 10:00 AM.
On April 13th (Maundy Thursday) services will start with a
“Seder meal” at 5:00 p.m. Those attendees will experience
the authentic Passover meal Jesus celebrated with His
disciples with a special awareness of Christian meanings and
symbols.
The Seder meal has limited seating and you must RSVP at
541-575-2348 or 541-542-2333 by Monday, April 10th.
The special evening service following the Seder meal will
begin at 7:15 p.m. and is designed to inspire and affirm your
faith walk. The service will include foot washing [option/by
personal choice], special readings, the Lord’s Supper and a
unique time to encounter the reality of the sacrifice of Jesus’
love for you.
On April 14th Good Friday services will begin with the “Tre
Ore” service from Noon to 3:00 p.m. (church is open and you
may come and go as you please).
The Tre Ore service covers the three hours Jesus was on the
cross and provides a special time for prayer, reflection,
meditation, and time to honor the “seven last words of
Jesus” with music.
The evening worship service begins at 7:00 p.m. and follows
the reality of Jesus’ love for us in his suffering so that we
could actually become his brother and sisters. It is a very
personal service to help you grow in faith (sometimes called
Tenebrae). Personally you will follow the story of Jesus’
crucifixion and meditate on what the cross means.
Holy Week concludes on Easter Sunday, April 16th at 10:00
a.m. with the Resurrection Celebration. This resurrection life
is for all God’s creation and this Lenten and Easter theme is
to facilitate God’s reality for you. Join us in this exciting
journey.
Redeemer Lutheran Church
627 S.E. Hillcrest, John Day
541-575-5840
Open: Mon, Wed, & Fri 10am-4pm by appointment.
05467
05171
Benefit
Dinner
and
Auction
for Butch
Goslin
April 15th
John Day Elks
Lodge
Pre-buy raffle tickets
for a gun and door prizes!
Doors open at 4 pm to view auction items
Dinner at 6 pm –
Pulled Pork • No Host Bar
Some of the auction items:
Cow Elk Hunt • Youth Turkey Hunt
• 2 Guided Fishing Trips • Prime Rib
Dinners • And Much More
For donations or
more information contact
Walt Kight at 541-620-1227.
Advertising is an investment, not an expense. Think about it!
Don’t get left behind, call today! Kim Kell 541-575-0710
In contrast, Oregon’s oppo-
nent, the University of North
Carolina, makes it to the final
rounds of the NCAA tourna-
ment almost as a matter of rou-
tine, and has won the cham-
pionship five times — most
recently in 2009.
North Carolina Gov. Roy
Cooper is a fellow Democrat,
and an apparent college bas-
ketball fan. He posed for a
photo with his NCAA bracket
in March and posted it to Twit-
ter.
However, Cooper did not
attend Saturday’s game, ac-
cording to his press office.
A TTENTION G RANT C OUNTY
AND THEY SAY ADVERTISING DOESN’T WORK?
DON’T MAKE THIS SAME MISTAKE
Blue Mountain Eagle
MyEagleNews.com
tail to the game.
Running the dignitary pro-
tection unit at its current size
— seven full-time employees
and 16 seasonal positions —
is expected to cost the state’s
general fund about $2.5 mil-
lion in the upcoming budget
cycle, according to the Legis-
lative Fiscal Office.
This year marks the first
time the University of Or-
egon’s team made it to the
Final Four since 1939, when
the NCAA tournament start-
ed. That year the team — then
dubbed the Tall Firs — won
the tournament.
05480
Cost of security
detail paid by
taxpayers