The Blue Mountain eagle., April 18, 2018, Image 1

ELECTION 2018: COUNTY COMMISSIONER RACE — PAGE A6
The
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
Grant County’s newspaper since 1868
W edNesday , a Pril 18, 2018
• N o . 16
• 20 P ages
• $1.00
www.MyEagleNews.com
WOLVES
OREGON’S POPULATION
CONTINUES TO GROW
By George Plaven
Capital Bureau
regon wildlife officials counted at least 124 wolves at the end of
2017, an 11 percent increase over the year end total for 2016, ac-
cording to the latest annual report released Thursday.
The survey, which is conducted by the Oregon Department of
Fish & Wildlife, is not a true population estimate but documents
the minimum number of wolves across the state based on verified evidence such
as visual sightings, tracks and photographs. ODFW will present an overview at
the next Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting April 20 in Astoria.
“The wolf population continues to grow and expand its range in Oregon,”
said Roblyn Brown, ODFW wolf program coordinator.
Most wolves in Oregon remain clustered around the northeast corner of the
state, though several packs and known wolf territory can also be found in Wasco,
Klamath and Lake counties. Statewide, Oregon now has 12 wolf packs, 11 of
which were successful breeding pairs, meaning that at least two adults and two
pups survived to the end of the year.
Wolf reproduction was the highest recorded in 2017 since the species re-
turned to Oregon, with pups being born in 18 groups — a 50 percent increase
over 20 16.
O
See WOLF, Page A10
Mike Durr returning to John Day police
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
The city of John Day has hired a for-
mer police officer and is attempting to
contract with the Grant County Sheriff’s
Office for the services of one full-time
deputy while the city police department
experiences a temporary staffing short-
age.
City Manager Nick Green said he
hired Mike Durr April 9 as a full-time
police officer. Durr had left the John
Day Police Department to work with the
Baker City Police Department.
Durr’s departure, followed by former
Sgt. Damon Rand’s, created a staffing
shortage that was made worse with the
recent absence of Police Chief Richard
Gray.
“Chief Gray is currently on medical
leave,” Green said. “His return date is
not known at this time.”
Durr’s effective starting date will be
May 1.
“I intend to appoint Officer Durr as
the city’s interim police chief during
Chief Gray’s absence,”
Green said.
Green spoke with
Grant County Under-
sheriff Zach Mobley
April 3 and requested an
estimate for the cost of
Mike Durr a patrol deputy to assist
with coverage in John
Day based on a 40-hour week. Sheriff
Glenn Palmer responded to Green’s re-
quest the same day with suggested fig-
ures.
“I want you to be aware that for us to
take a certified police officer and have
that deputy assist the city of John Day
is causing us an expenditure in our part-
time and overtime line at no expense to
the city,” Palmer told Green in an April
3 letter. “This line is already over spent
by $18,000 in this budget cycle.”
Palmer suggested that the city could
help keep costs down by providing
some equipment, in particular a ballistic
vest. He noted that the deputy assigned
to help John Day would also maintain
evidence handling and processing, and
the deputy would be assisted in doing
that work by another deputy.
Palmer told the Eagle that the two
deputies assigned to help John Day are
Rand and Abbie Mobley. Rand main-
tained the evidence locker for the John
Day Police Department in the past.
Green responded to Palmer April 5,
stating the terms as he understood them.
The pending agreement would be in ef-
fect from April 6 through June 30, un-
less either agency agrees to terminate it
sooner, but it has not yet been approved
by the Grant County Court.
The city would pay $65 per shift for
a vehicle and $35 per hour, with call-out
pay and other mandatory obligations,
for the deputy, who will work four 10-
hour shifts.
“I recognize that covering a portion
of our calls for the past week has taken
a toll on your department and the oth-
er law enforcement agencies in Grant
County,” Green told Palmer. “I believe
we will shortly be back to full staffing
and appreciate your assistance up to this
point.”
Findley holds town hall meeting in John Day
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
In his fifth town hall meet-
ing since the Oregon Leg-
islature completed its short
session this year, Rep. Lynn
Findley, R-Vale, spoke about
the issues and his goals at
the John Day Fire Hall April
11. He addressed the Grant
County Court that morning.
Representing the five
Eastern Oregon counties in
District 60, Findley was cho-
sen Jan. 25 to replace Cliff
Bentz, who in turn replaced
Ted Ferrioli in the state sen-
ate. Findley, who will com-
plete Bentz’s term this year
and is running unopposed in
the upcoming election, said
he didn’t take the job for the
money, prestige or because
he liked long-distance driv-
ing.
“I took it to make a differ-
ence in Eastern Oregon,” he
said.
Findley grew up on a small
ranch in Malheur County
where his family lived for
three generations. He spent
32 years with the Bureau of
Land Management’s Fire
and Aviation Management
division and most recently
The Eagle/Richard Hanners
Rep. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, addresses the Grant County
Court April 11.
served five years as the city
manager of Vale.
He has deep roots in East-
ern Oregon and wants to pro-
mote the region’s interests
in the legislature. The “ur-
ban-rural divide is huge,” he
said, and he intends to ensure
that bills originating in the
west don’t cause unintended
consequences for residents in
the east.
“Eastern Oregon needs
a helping hand, not a hand-
out,” he said.
Findley sits on the Rev-
enue Committee and the
Energy and Environment
Committee. Work on the
Revenue Committee can be
highly technical, he said, but
he learned long ago that to be
effective one had to “follow
the money.”
The Revenue Committee
looked at 23 bills. Findley
See FINDLEY, Page A10
Smith appointed
to city council
tee at the April
24
council
meeting, and
a budget meet-
ing will be
held at 7 p.m.
By Richard Hanners
May 3.
Brandon
Blue Mountain Eagle
In
other
Smith
city council
John Day has a new city
news:
• The council chose to
councilor.
Brandon Smith was chosen support keeping 911 dispatch
by the John Day City Council service in Grant County rath-
April 10 to fill the council seat er than outsourcing it to Fron-
held by the late Donn Willey. tier Regional 911 in Condon.
Six people applied for the po- The city’s decision will be
sition and spoke to the coun- presented during the next 911
cil.
User Board’s meeting, which
Councilors Steve Schuette will be held at 6 p.m. Thurs-
and Paul Smith commented day, April 26, in the Oregon
on the high quality of the ap- Department of Forestry build-
plicants and the difficulty in ing in John Day.
choosing one, but the vote for
The 911 User Board, com-
Smith was swift and unani- posed of the 27 entities that
mous.
use dispatch including John
A fourth-generation coun- Day, will vote to determine
ty resident,
how to proceed.
informal
Smith
has
The city of An
tally at the first
a Ph.D. in
c h e m i s t r y John Day will meeting count-
16 in favor
from
Dart-
discontinue ed
mouth Col-
of maintaining
lege and a
local dispatch
its 911
master’s from
and six in favor
dispatch
Tuck School
of outsourcing
of Business.
Frontier Re-
center after to gional
911 in
He is a con-
sultant
for
Condon.
June 30,
B
Squared
The city of
2019.
Strategies. He
John Day will
has coached
discontinue its
youth and high school sports, 911 dispatch center after June
served as a scoutmaster and 30, 2019. Based on the city’s
church leader, and sits on a understanding of discussion at
the 911 User Board’s March
city advisory committee.
After being sworn in, 20 meeting, a local dispatch
Smith participated in the center would be run by either
meeting and was appointed to the county or an independent
the Grant County Digital Net- board of directors appointed
work Coalition board and the by the users.
city safety committee.
The location of the dis-
Three of the other candi- patch center, board composi-
dates, Katrina Randleas, Vin- tion and the role of users were
cent Maurer and Beth Spell, still to be determined, Green
volunteered to fill vacancies said. The county or indepen-
on the city budget commit- dent board would negotiate
tee. City Manager Nick Green the next collective bargaining
told the Eagle after the meet- agreement for the dispatchers.
ing they will be formally ap-
See SMITH, Page A10
pointed to the budget commit-
City to support
local 911
dispatch center