A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Open meetings
critical for
self-governance
A
government of the
people, by the people
and for the people
is only possible when the
people are aware of what the
government is doing.
When we declared our
independence and fought
to be free from the rule of
a tyrant, we made the bold
assertion that we, the people,
could govern ourselves.
With the power of the
nation spread among the
people, instead of hoarded
upon a throne, we actualized
the fact we were all created
equal.
But with this shared
responsibility for the
governance of our nation,
we created a new necessity:
If we are to effectively
govern ourselves, we must be
educated and informed about
government actions.
To elect the best people to
represent us in this republic,
we ought to know where they
stand on the issues affecting
our communities.
To this end, laws prevent
government officials from
doing most business — the
public’s business — in
private. And the freedom of
the press is enshrined not
only in the First Amendment
to our Constitution but also
in state laws.
Oregon law is very clear
that decisions of governing
bodies must be arrived at
openly: “The Oregon form
of government requires an
informed public aware of the
deliberations and decisions
of governing bodies and the
information upon which such
decisions were made.”
Governing bodies must
hold open public meetings.
They must provide advanced
public notice, including a
list of subjects anticipated
to be considered. They must
keep and make available
to the public minutes of
the meetings, including
all proposals, votes, the
substance of any discussion
on any matter and a reference
to any document discussed.
Because governing
bodies must also deal with
sensitive matters that should
not be disclosed publicly
— personnel complaints,
pending litigation, real
property transactions and
other items legitimately
exempt from public
disclosure — Oregon law
provides a very narrow list
of exceptions to the open
meetings law that may
be discussed privately in
executive session. Journalists
may attend but cannot report
on matters discussed that
actually fall under one of the
exceptions.
Even when allowed,
executive sessions require
proper notice, citing the
specific statutory exemption
to the open meetings laws,
and no final decisions may be
made in private.
These laws are intended
to provide the people with
the information necessary
to govern themselves and to
hold accountable the people
they have elected to represent
them.
When people feel these
laws may have been violated,
they can file a complaint for
the state ethics commission
to investigate, as a resident
did in November against
Prairie City officials as
reported in this newspaper.
An investigator told the
officials it did not appear that
anyone intentionally violated
executive session law, but the
ethics commission voted to
investigate the matter after a
preliminary review.
The conclusion of the
investigation is not yet
available and likely will
not result in large fines, but
the action should serve as a
reminder to every governing
body in Grant County that
open meetings laws require
just that: open meetings.
Other local entities have
undoubtedly violated open
meetings laws. The Eagle has
sat in on executive sessions
where the conversation
has veered from properly
restricted topics to matters
that should have been
discussed only in open
session. We did not believe
the subject matter rose
to the level of a formal
complaint, but we do believe
it is important to stress to
local officials that they must
adhere to these laws.
Even as volunteers, which
most local officials are, they
must be committed to the
importance of open meetings.
Our system of government
depends on it.
We encourage all local
officials to study and follow
Oregon’s open meetings
laws — for the sake of an
informed electorate.
If we, the people, are not
informed, our system of self-
governance will fail.
USPS 226-340
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper
Email: www.MyEagleNews.com
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L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
Clearing the record
on Hamsher
To the Editor:
I’m responding to a letter in last
week’s publication of the BME
titled, “Do not vote for Jim Ham-
sher.” While I believe that every
person is entitled to their opinion,
I also believe they have a duty to
present accurate information along
with it. The information presented
in the mentioned letter was grossly
inaccurate.
Iron Triangle made an offer
for the property in Prairie City
for $50,000. It was appraised for
$100,000. Jim Hamsher suggest-
ed a counter-offer of $100,000 (its
appraised value), but his recom-
mendation was ignored by the city
council, who insisted on making
an offer for $150,000. So it wasn’t
the case that Jim “led” the coun-
cil in making a counter-offer for
$150,000 (as was stated in the men-
tioned letter). Again, Jim’s sugges-
tion was ignored.
On the topic of broadband in-
ternet, the reason that Prairie City
chose not to be included in the
agreement the county recently ap-
proved is because it has the best
internet in the county. Prairie City
doesn’t have the problems with the
internet experienced in other parts
of the county. So it didn’t see the
point in fixing what wasn’t broken.
Jim is well aware of the need
for improved internet in Grant
County. His reluctance to approve
the broadband agreement recently
established by the Grant County
Court was in regard to a large num-
ber of unknown details, concern-
ing cost and logistics. The current
agreement obligates the county to
unknown expenses to the tune of
millions of dollars. It also fails to
answer questions like, how will the
service be distributed to the resi-
dences spread out across the coun-
ty?
Again, Jim only wanted to see
more definite details in the agree-
ment before obligating the county
to it. He believed the county court
should have taken a little more time,
and determined answers to many of
these questions, before approving
the agreement.
As to the other references to Jim
in the mentioned letter, I advise you
to take them with a grain of salt. The
author of this letter clearly didn’t do
her homework before voicing her
opinion.
Sandy Rue
Prairie City
‘Do your due diligence,
and cast your votes’
To the Editor:
The ballots have been mailed,
and now it’s time for each of us to do
our civic duty and vote. Before you
fill in the ovals, please do your other
civic duty and research for yourself
the capabilities and the honesty of
each candidate you intend to vote
for. As a society, we have reached
a new low in our country, our state,
our county and our communities
when it comes to moral values. This
low has not served us well. We have
more people on drugs, more people
out of work and more people run-
ning to serve in various offices who
have less than desired moral val-
ues, and many believe that they are
above the laws that govern us all.
I sincerely hope that you will
take the time to learn the facts of
each candidate you vote for. Will
this person listen to the people they
represent? Will this person put their
own agenda aside and do what’s
best for those they represent? Does
this person carry the moral values
needed to help bring dignity back
to the office they will hold? What
will this person do to make their
community, county, state or country
better?
In today’s world, our political
representatives have developed
the “good ole boy” mentality, and
so many of us have jumped on
that bandwagon. That bandwagon
has kept new thoughts, different
thoughts and better thoughts from
becoming reality.
You rub my back I’ll rub yours,
and it only helps those who have
the money to enlist. I think it’s time
we elect some new faces that will
put the dignity back into holding a
political office and do away with
the “good ole boy” mentality. Let’s
vote to restore the moral values
that helped our community, state
and country become great places to
live. Let’s vote to put people back
to work and not depend on our gov-
ernment to pay the bills.
Do your due diligence, and cast
your votes in a way to help every-
one.
Rusty Clark
Monument
Hamsher ‘ the right
person for county
judge’
To the Editor:
I’d like to share a few things I
have helped Jim Hamsher with in
the past. I didn’t even live in the
county when I first had contact
with Jim during the devastating fire
when many folks lost their homes
and pastures in Grant County.
I can tell you firsthand that it has
been a great pleasure to work with
Jim on getting donations for folks
who were victims of the fire. This
man worked many hours for the
folks of Grant County. He, myself
and another person worked count-
less hours on getting donations of
hay for folks whose pastures and
hay storage were lost during this
devastating time for Grant County.
I have helped Jim several differ-
ent times going to folks’ homes get-
ting hay donations and also meeting
him down at Grant Western to help
unload hay donations and help load
it as well. This man has put his best
foot forward for the community on
so many different levels.
I can promise you now that he
has every intention to work with
other city and state governments
and make Grant County the best
county in Eastern Oregon. We have
distributed hay throughout many
winters since the fire and still are
doing it, so I also know that he
has every intention to bring jobs
back to Grant County and put more
people back to work. And within
the community, this man loves his
community and sees things that can
be changed, and he is working on
getting things changed.
This is not an easy task to do. He
has done a wonderful job represent-
ing the folks of Grant County. I am
not gonna sit here and bash people,
but where were some of you folks
when it came time to bring dona-
tions in. Many of you did and many
of you didn’t, but I can promise
you this man is the right person for
county judge.
Tyrel Cooper
Prineville
Myers ‘works hard
for Grant County’
To the Editor:
As a longtime Prairie City res-
ident since 1967, I have seen the
leadership of many Grant County
judges. In my opinion, Scott Myers
has done a great job for the people
of Grant County for many reasons.
He understands public meeting
laws and conducts county court
business with professionalism and
transparency.
He pushed hard to hire six ad-
ditional Road Department employ-
ees and to re-open the Long Creek
Shop. He fought hard to keep the
historical dam at Bates State Park.
Through his efforts, there is now
an elevator in the courthouse for
easier accessibility to the court.
Recently, he supported broadband,
which will increase internet speeds
for many county residents, and also
supported keeping 911 local, which
will keep jobs in our county. Most
importantly, in my mind, he either
chairs or serves on dozens of com-
missions, boards and committees
that help to bring millions of dollars
to Grant County, including support
for mental and public health.
Judge a man by his actions is a
good code to live by. I am support-
ing Scott Myers for judge because
his actions as a commissioner and
a judge have shown that he works
hard for Grant County.
Jean Kline
Prairie City
Osburn ‘reliable,
diligent, conscientious’
To the Editor:
“Reliable, diligent, conscien-
tious” are words we use to describe
Archie Osburn. Although a new-
comer to the Grant County political
arena, Archie has the experience,
giving him the essential, crucial
skills needed of a county commis-
sioner.
Archie is personable, friendly.
His friends are from diversified
interests, businesses and ventures
from several western states. Many
of whom he has developed working
relationships with include elected
officials from all over Eastern Or-
egon.
As a young man in the 1970s,
Archie quickly learned negotiation
skills, successfully saving the fami-
ly ranch from default. He has perse-
vered as a cattleman, having BLM
leases in both Grant and Wheeler
counties.
Those leases require him to
communicate constructively with
BLM range managers to negotiate
and abide by lease parameters. He
owns a fire suppression business.
This business requires him to
communicate with intellect and as-
tuteness with the USFS and ODF,
adhering to regulations and con-
tracts.
He skillfully manages each of
these businesses, being informed
and knowledgeable of all applicable
statutory changes, including DMV
and ODOT, along with regulatory
and rule changes for his leases and
fire suppression requirements and
contracts.
He understands budgeting. Over
the years, he has served on the bud-
get advisory committee for ODF.
He has worked with managers for
Ochoco Lumber Co., DR Johnson
Lumber Co., Crown Pacific. Local
ranchers Archie has worked with on
this committee include the late JC
Oliver and Sharon Livingston.
The past 30 years, Archie has
served on the Grant County FSA
(Farm Service Agency), providing
funding through a loan program
helping landowners with everything
from conservation, to commodities
loss, to emergency disaster.
Archie understands the com-
mitment of being a county com-
missioner. He realizes issues are
different for the diversity of Grant
County. He is dedicated to the oath
of office. He will listen to and repre-
sent all citizens. He will work coop-
eratively and respectfully with the
other court members.
We believe Archie will be an as-
set and a practical representative for
all of Grant County. Please consider
joining us when casting your ballot
for Grant County commissioner.
John and Charlene Morris
John Day
See LETTERS, Page A5