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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2017)
A10 News Blue Mountain Eagle FERRIOLI Continued from Page A1 Political musical chairs If confirmed by the Senate, Fer- rioli will submit his resignation and a 30-day window will open for his replacement, according to the Ore- gon Legislative Counsel. Republican precinct committees in his district will submit the names of three to five candidates to the county courts or commissions in his district. The com- missioners will then choose Ferrioli’s replacement, with the votes appor- tioned by the total number of electors in each county. Senate District 30 is the state’s largest district, encompassing 36,000 square miles, including six counties and parts of five more. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, whose state House District includes Grant County, told the Eagle he’s in- terested in filling Ferrioli’s position. If appointed, Bentz would need to run for election in 2018 to finish Ferrioli’s four-year term. Replacing Bentz in the House would involve a similar process. Grant County Judge Scott Myers described it as “political musical chairs.” Democratic Gov. Kate Brown appointed Ferrioli and Sen. Richard Devlin, D-Tualatin, to the regional power council in October. Both have served in the Senate since 1997. Established by federal law in 1980, the power council is made up of two gubernatorial appointees each from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, backed by a full-time staff. Oregon council member terms are three years, with appointees limited to three consec- utive terms. Funded by the Bonneville Pow- er Administration, the council helps develop strategies aimed at balanc- ing the needs of power production and conservation with fish and wild- life protections. Council members are considered to be full-time state public officials. A Senate legacy Ferrioli moved to John Day in 1994 to become executive director of Malheur Timber Operators Inc., retiring in 2010 to a ranch near Mt. Vernon. He Wednesday, November 1, 2017 State Sen. Ted Ferrioli was elected to the state Senate in 1996 and is serving his fifth term. Ferrioli has served as chairman or vice chairman of legislative committees dealing with natural resources, stream restoration and species recovery, water and land use, revenue and rules. He also served on the Oregon Broadband Advi- sory Council and the Commission on Indian Services. He described the state’s steelhead and salmon protection plan as “unprec- edented” and a “model” for other states. “It’s pretty amazing,” he said. He called his work with Indian Services “very gratifying” and noted that other states have strained relations with American Indians compared to Oregon. Ferrioli said he served as a “conduit for information” from rural Oregon to the capital. He cited open land regu- lations as an example where rules es- tablished to prevent sprawl in western Oregon haven’t work well in Eastern Oregon. He said it took the city of Bend sev- en years to grow by 165 acres despite the efforts of a large organized plan- ning department, and he presented a bill to address that problem in the past five legislatures. “Each time it got some more con- verts,” he said. Looking ahead to the council Regional power issues can be com- plex, and Ferrioli said he’ll rely on his predecessors and the power council’s professional staff to handle the learn- ing curve. Outgoing council members from Oregon include Henry Lorenzen, a farmer and attorney from Pendleton, and Bill Bradbury, a former state sena- tor and Oregon Secretary of State. Ferrioli noted that Gov. Brown made a wise choice in appointing a Republican and a Democrat to the power council. “There’s symmetry to the choice,” he said. “Sen. Devlin is more of an expert on budgets, and I have exten- sive experience with natural resource issues.” Ferrioli said he supports regulation of power markets. “Unregulated energy leads to En- ron-type companies – energy bucca- neers,” he said. Rep. Bentz has represented House District 60 since 2008, when he was unanimously elected by the district’s county courts and commissions to re- place Rep. Tom Butler. “I initially was interested in running for Ted’s Senate seat when I heard he might not run for re-election,” Bentz said. Bentz ran for election in 2008 and is in his fifth term in the House. Bentz faced no opposition in the general election, other than in 2014. Bentz, who owns a small farm and is an attorney with the Yturri Rose law firm in Ontario, specializing in agri- culture, water and real property law, said he’s interested in serving on the same committees Ferrioli served on. “That would depend upon who is already serving on those committees,” he noted. Having fun at John Day Community Garden Kaitlin Charette joins in the fall fun Thursday at the John Day Community Garden. Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter Please join us for our Annual Grant County Chamber of Commerce Installation Dinner Wednesday, November 8th at the John Day Elks Lodge 1824 Happy Hour - 5:00 PM- 6:00 PM Dinner - 6:00 PM Program to Follow Guest Speakers Senator Ted Feriolli John Day City Manager Nick Green Everyone welcome - Bring a spouse or friend The Pork Loin Dinner will be provided by the Chamber. Let’s keep the momentum moving in Grant County! Please RSVP gcadmin@gcoregonlive.com 541-575-0547 20932 Children and parents follow paths, back and forth, in a straw bale maze set up by the Grant Union FFA. Logan Anderson, 4, finds the perfect pumpkin at the John Day Community Garden. computer equipment, Vance said. The steel mansard-style roof will be kept but repainted, Vance said. Balconies and decks will be repaired or replaced as necessary. The T1-11 plywood siding at Meadowbrook II is weathered, with peeling paint, and will be covered with building wrap and re-sided with colored Hardie Board cement-based siding. New vinyl double-pane high-efficiency win- dows also will be installed. “The four-color scheme for the exte- rior will include heather moss and moun- tain mist for the siding and trim,” Vance said. “Two different shades of green.” completed by the end of the year. “Tenants will see a significant differ- ence in their units, from the kitchen cab- Continued from Page A1 inets and counters to the new windows and doors,” Vance said. “Meadowbrook Assessment Center in October 2012. A II will look and feel brand new, inside score of 90-100 means the complex was and out.” inspected every three years, and the suf- Northwest Real Estate was founded fix “b” means non-life threatening health by Brad Elg, a lifelong Idaho resident and safety deficiencies were noted. and Navy veteran. The 501(c)(3) Idaho Funding for the $3.15 million project became available after PNC Bank pur- corporation owns apartment complexes chased a number of tax credits. across Idaho and Oregon and provides affordable housing for 973 families, ac- “That is one vehicle to fund this kind of project,” Vance said. cording to its website. It also owns or Funding also included a low-interest manages properties in Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Nevada and loan from HUD’s HOME Investment Partnership Pro- Wyoming. gram and a General Hous- “Through significant Tenants will see a significant ing Account Program grant rehabilitation, averaging difference in their units, from the through Oregon Housing and $36,881 per unit, the eco- Community Services. The re- nomic useful life of these kitchen cabinets and counters to mainder was self-financed by multifamily apartment the new windows and doors.” Northwest Real Estate, Vance complexes is extended at said. least 30 years,” the com- John Vance Meadowbrook II is slated pany’s website states. Meadowbrook II housing complex project developer for a thorough renovation, Project costs have to- including new windows and taled $96.2 million, sup- doors, new roofs and siding, ported by $48.7 million some electrical and plumbing improve- CSDI Construction of Boise is the in permanent financing and $36.3 million ments, all new bathroom and kitchen fix- general contractor, and CSHQA of Boise from investors, the company’s website tures and cabinets and many appliances is the project architect. More than a third states. Northwest reinvests its capital replaced, Vance said. of the workers are local, Vance said. into its properties and uses preservation One unit will be remodeled to be “Both companies have worked with grants to make up the difference in fi- ADA-compliant for a tenant with mobili- us on projects across Oregon,” Vance nancing, the website states. ty impairments. Residents share a laundry said. “CDSI does a good job of locating “Our investment represents the best facility in the community building, which local subcontractors. They also did ex- form of green building – recycling a will house a new computer room for the tensive advertising, and I spoke with City valuable resource at a cost far less than residents. If the company is unable to Manager Nick Green about the project.” a new building project,” the website obtain a grant or gift, it will provide the Vance said the renovation should be states. COMPLEX “
