Letters & News
Blue Mountain Eagle
LETTERS
Continued from Page A4
Vote for integrity
To the Editor:
For the open county com-
missioner position, our com-
munity needs a person who
has been a positive contributor
to the community in numer-
ous ways, is kind and highly
competent and speaks and
acts with integrity. Vote for
Gordon Larson.
Victoria Thompson
Mt. Vernon
Myers for county
judge
To the Editor:
Scott Myers is the most
qualified, experienced candi-
date for the position of coun-
ty judge. The voters of Grant
County have expressed that
view over the past 17-plus
years, and it remains true now.
His commitment is evident in
his steady, fair, nonpartisan
conduct and thorough under-
standing of legitimate issues.
During each of his four
terms, his knowledge, expe-
rience and dedication have
continued to grow in depth
and value. Those are assets
too important to cast aside in
the coming election. It takes
time to develop the working
knowledge and relationships
necessary to conduct the
county’s business efficiently
and effectively — time Grant
County doesn’t have to waste
during this critical point in our
history.
The list of responsibilities
is long and complicated: a
complex landscape of bud-
gets, public safety, human re-
sources, labor laws, emergen-
cy management, infrastructure
issues, critical boards and
committees, communication
and public meeting laws.
Myers’ long-term invest-
ment in learning and stead-
fastly applying himself to
fulfilling those responsibilities
is essential to the viability of
our county. At the local, state,
regional and national lev-
els, Judge Myers represents
our county in our best light
— honoring our rich history
while looking forward to a
sustainable future.
This position is so much
more than a persona; it is a se-
rious undertaking and should
be entrusted to the most quali-
fied, most prepared candidate,
Scott Myers.
Lindsay Rausch
Prairie City
Are you aware
of John Day’s
Urban Renewal
District?
To the Editor:
Are you aware that the
John Day City Council has
approved an Urban Renewal
District (URD) and estab-
lished an Urban Renewal
Agency (URA) and they
have scheduled to adopt the
URD during their June 12 city
council meeting? The URD is
being adopted under the guise
of increasing growth, increas-
ing property tax revenue and
increasing available housing
stock.
The URD includes a hous-
ing incentive program for new
homes (7 percent) and remod-
els (up to 15 percent) within
the URD’s boundary. This is
my primary cause for concern
as I explain below.
There must be clear and
firm criteria established to
when and how these new
homes/remodels will quali-
fy for the incentive. The first
qualifying criteria must be
having a building permit is-
sued after the city’s adoption
of the URD to eliminate the
appearance of favoritism or
conflict of interest.
The incentive is paid by
the city of John Day taxpayers
with the expectation to recoup
the funds over a six- to sev-
en-year period.
Once the qualifying new
home/remodel is placed on
the tax rolls, property taxes
collected will go directly to
the URD to refund the city
and only then be distributed
to other county taxing entities
provided this is addressed in
the final charter.
The county, Blue Moun-
tain Hospital, Extension Ser-
vices and 4-H, Mid County
Cemetery, John Day/Canyon
City Parks and Recreation
District, ESD, School District
3, and the city of John Day
General Fund will lose their
opportunity to collect their
share of property taxes on the
qualified home/remodel until
the city of John Day recoups
their funds.
As you can infer, this has
the elements of both a no-cost
loan and rebate program.
This will increase tax as-
sessor’s office workload as
well as that of the city of John
Day.
The city will lose the op-
portunity to earn interest and
availability of these funds to
achieve other needs.
Please address all inquiries
regarding the URD to the John
Day City Council as they will
be approving the adoption of
the URD.
Louis E. Provencher
John Day
Vote for Hamsher
To the Editor:
Jim Hamsher grew up be-
lieving community service
was a good thing and also his
responsibility. Now Jim wants
to serve the citizens of Grant
County as county court judge.
As the third-term mayor of
Prairie City, he took on major
problems, and worked with
the people to solve them in the
way that was most beneficial
to the community. Jim and the
council have recently awarded
an almost $2 million dollar
contract for their sewer proj-
ect with no increase to sewer
rates.
They have doubled the vol-
ume in one of the wells and
are currently drilling a new
well, with no water rate hike
to the citizens this year. A new
cell tower will help pay those
water rates.
Every home has fiber op-
tics with Prairie City having
the best internet in the county.
School enrollment is increas-
ing, a new business is opening
up and there is new housing.
Jim has been president of
the rodeo for many years and
was instrumental in bringing
bull fighting to the county fair,
a real crowd pleaser and fill-
ing the stands.
Jim started Hay For Grant
County to help burned out
ranchers feed their livestock
and to this day is still operat-
ing, even sending hay out of
state for victims of fire. Jim
Hamsher believes a strong
voice is needed to counter-
act legislation coming from
Salem that adversely affects
Grant County’s agriculture
and timber industries.
He wants to put our peo-
ple back to work. Jim is pas-
sionate about our veterans
and is an outspoken advo-
cate for them.
Jim Hamsher has proven
he can tackle the big prob-
lems, bring diverse people to
the table and work together
for the common welfare of
Grant County. My vote is for
Jim Hamsher.
Patti Yellow Hand Bull
Monument
Hamsher for
county judge
To the Editor:
I attended the candidate
forum and was struck by a
remarkable difference in the
way the county judge candi-
dates introduced themselves.
Jim Hamsher does not
need copious notes to speak
in front of a large crowd
of Grant County residents.
He did not have a prepared
speech with a list of his ac-
complishments to tell us ev-
ery committee he has served
on.
Jim simply stood and
spoke from the heart of his
concern for the survival of
our communities and way of
life.
Since Jim does not toot
his own horn, here is a list
of some of his accomplish-
ments: He is a Grant County
commissioner and has served
three terms as mayor of Prai-
rie City; former Prairie City
councilman; Prairie City
Budget Committee; Asso-
ciation of Oregon Counties
Federal Lands Management
Steering Committee mem-
ber; Association of Oregon
Counties Veterans Affairs
Steering Committee member;
G.R.E.A.T board member;
chairperson of the League of
Oregon Cities, Small Cities
Council; Prairie City Senior
Center board member; and
president of the Grant County
NPRA Rodeo Committee and
longtime Grant County Ro-
deo Committee chairperson.
Jim organized the hay
drive to help those who had
livestock and the forage was
destroyed by the Canyon
Creek fire.
Jim wants to see “a new
start for Grant County. Our
residents cannot afford the
status quo. The American
Dream and Grant County cus-
toms and culture are at risk.
The return of honesty, ethics
and common sense is critical
and the minimizing of regula-
tions, taxation and litigation.”
Jim Hamsher knows the
county, understands the cus-
toms and culture and he will
be proactive to protect this.
Jim will be a voice for all of
Grant County, not just the
people who live within the
city limits of John Day and
Canyon City.
Jim Hamsher has my en-
dorsement for county judge.
Elaine Smith
Prairie City
Larson’s
neighbors
support him
a strong voice in our county
court that isn’t preoccupied
with tired old issues that have
no bearing on the important
business of moving our coun-
ty forward.
Please join me in voting
for the man who can get it
done. Vote for Gordon Lar-
son for Grant County com-
missioner.
Carla Zinn
Canyon City
Not out of
commissioner
race
To the Editor:
I apologize for leaving the
candidate forum as abrupt-
ly as I did, but I received a
call that had to be responded
to immediately. I am a para-
legal and an airborne elec-
tronics expert and am being
used with these skills. I am
working with a person con-
fidentially who cannot be
unmasked at this time. It’s
important to know now that I
quit the candidate forum but
most definitely not the county
commissioner race.
Richie Colbeth
John Day
Many positive
stories about
Hamsher
To the Editor:
I read a post from Jim
Hamsher after the fire. He
posted a kind of prayer that
we could help each other
survive that event by find-
ing our usual loving com-
munity spirit. As he was the
underdog of underdogs in
his political race, I naturally
wanted to help. The first day
I met him, he told me he be-
lieved in these things: “Each
citizen deserves to be heard,
and treated with respect in
the county court. I take my
oath of office seriously. I am
committed to implementing
the will of the people I rep-
resent.” And this: “This is a
time to come together, not a
time for divisiveness.” “As
Grant County judge, I see
this as an opportunity to pull
together.”
Researching him, I dis-
covered he has served the cit-
izens in a variety of voluntary
jobs, including being three-
time mayor, for no money.
No money ever. He took over
a failing water system, which
he had opposed at the time
it was proposed, survived a
disastrous wind storm and
is bringing it back on line at
no cost increase. There are a
lot of these stories. He also
is still providing disaster re-
lief— hay — for families af-
fected by the fire.
If any of this is something
you care about, please vote
Jim Hamsher for Grant Coun-
ty judge.
Katy Nelson
John Day
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
and ethical way in which
Scott conducts the matters of
the court, while also careful-
ly following open meeting
regulations.
He does his homework
and is very knowledgeable
about local needs, our econ-
omy, legislation and govern-
mental matters. He travels all
over the county and region to
advocate for Grant County.
Although both men are, in
my opinion, good men and
have the best intentions for
Grant County, I believe Jim
Hamsher could use another
round as commissioner be-
fore potentially being elevat-
ed to judge.
We need a balance of
opinions instead of a one-
way street. Scott Myers has
provided that balance with
clear thinking. Oftentimes
he has made the right deci-
sion, even though he would
never win a popularity con-
test doing so. He is a strong
advocate for all the people of
Grant County.
This election should be
about the most qualified
people to lead our county
forward and not some name
recognition contest. Keep
Grant County moving for-
ward with sound financial
and ethical decisions. Re-
elect Scott Myers. You’ll be
glad you did.
Elaine Mezzo
John Day
Sex abuse
victim ‘hero’ for
speaking out
To the Editor:
I’ve never met Wade Cates,
but after reading “Regaining a
voice silenced by abuse” in
the April 25 edition, I came to
consider him a hero. To have
spoken out as he did must
have taken the courage of a
combat soldier. His life expe-
riences, intelligence, journey
through therapy and with the
assistance of professionals, he
has accumulated a wisdom of
sexual abuse that is remark-
able. In addition to relating
his history, he has moved on
to formulate solutions. It is
significant that in his remarks
to the Eagle, he mentioned
“silence,” or the opposite,
“speaking out,” 27 times.
His rationale is valid, and our
community should listen.
What has caused this de-
structive behavior of sexual
abuse to become a taboo that
both victims and responsi-
ble citizens can’t report or
discuss? Thank you, Eagle,
for publishing Wade’s story.
This could be encouragement
for victims to come forward
with their voice and for Grant
County people to speak out in
education of children and in
profound support for others
like Wade.
Vic Pike
John Day
A5
Man killed
after crashing
into river
EO Media Group
A Stanfield man was killed
Thursday when he drove off a
cliff into the North Fork John
Day River.
According to Oregon State
Police, Randy Jones, 53, was
traveling westbound Thurs-
day morning on graveled Tex-
as Bar Road when his vehicle
left the road for an unknown
reason. It tumbled down into
a roughly 400-foot ravine be-
fore coming to rest on its top
in the North Fork John Day
River. Jones was killed in the
crash. According to OSP, he
was wearing a seatbelt and
was not ejected. Speed is be-
ing considered as a possible
factor in the crash.
La Grande
truck driver
found safe
Blue Mountain Eagle
A missing La Grande truck
driver was found safe Satur-
day.
After walking more than
14 miles at elevations of
5,000-6,500 feet, Jacob Aar-
on Cartwright flagged down
a passing motorist at the 270
interchange of Interstate 84
about 9 miles south of La
Grande, according to Oregon
State Police. The motorist
gave him a ride to his home in
La Grande before Cartwright
was taken to Grande Ronde
Hospital for medical evalua-
tion.
Cartwright told OSP he en-
countered snow and mud on
Forest Road 5125 April 24,
and his commercial vehicle
slid toward a steep embank-
ment. When the vehicle was
unsafe to move, he continued
traveling on foot down Forest
Road 5125 and then northeast
until he reached the interstate
four days later.
The initial investigation
revealed Cartwright may have
encountered a problem with
his navigational GPS system
and was routed off of State
Route 244 onto Forest Road
51 where he traveled approxi-
mately 12.5 miles before turn-
ing onto Forest Road 5125.
Cops and
Courts will
return next
week.
T HE L AW O FFICE OF D ONALD J. M OLNAR
A General Practice Law Firm
To the Editor:
One of the best judges of a
person’s character are his or
her neighbors. Drive up south
Highway 395 toward the Ber-
ry Creek Ranch and count the
number of signs displayed by
Gordon Larson’s neighbors
up and down the canyon.
People who know this man
as a neighbor and fellow citi-
zen realize the value Gordon
could bring to the table as
your Grant County commis-
sioner.
We need a new voice and
Re-elect Scott
Myers
To the Editor:
There are a lot of good rea-
sons to re-elect Scott Myers
as county judge. If you’ve
attended county court meet-
ings, you know the patient
• Wills, Trusts, and Estates
• Divorce and Family Law
• Contracts, Real Estate, Business
• Personal Injury
• Criminal Defense
118 S. Washington Street, Canyon City, OR 97820
(541) 620-5127
54384
VOTE FOR
Leonard
“Archie”
Osburn
Common sense
and integrity.
Paid for by Leonard “Archie” Osburn
for Grant County Commissioner
47878
55390