The
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
Happy New Year
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
152nd Year • No. 1 • 16 Pages • $1.50
MyEagleNews.com
Alea King and Casey Myers
paddle a canoe on the pond
that formed at the former
Oregon Pine mill site on April 11.
Eagle file photo
YEAR IN REVIEW
A month-by-month recap of 2019
By Rudy Diaz
Blue Mountain Eagle
W
elcome to the start of a new year and a time of ambitious resolutions for the future. While the future can be full of surprises,
2019 is one for the history books. Grant County provided a year full of progress, projects, ups and downs, trials and tribula-
tions, grant funding and an abundance of news. Here is a month-by-month recap of some of the highlights for the year.
JANUARY
A local effort was put together to get
approval for use of ATVs on state highways
in Grant County. Senate Bill 344, which
passed in 2017, allows the Oregon Trans-
portation Commission to designate specific
routes on state highways where ATVs could
travel. The John Day City Council gave con-
sensus support to forming a working group
with other nearby communities to identify
proposed routes in Grant County and to con-
sider a joint application for designation.
A relocation of wild horses to Malheur
National Forest upset ranchers who said the
area was already overstocked with the ani-
mals. Rancher Mike Moore encountered a
Forest Service vehicle pulling a trailer on
Dec. 14 in the Murderers Creek allotment of
the national forest. Upon questioning the For-
est Service worker, Moore was told that the
trailer contained wild horses from Ochoco
National Forest. Representatives from Mal-
heur National Forest said they were coordi-
nating with Ochoco National Forest to talk
about the horses.
Grant County Undersheriff Zach Mobley
was awarded the Enforcement Council Com-
mander of the Year award at the Oregon State
Sheriff’s Associations annual awards program.
Dean and Courtney Fox of Canyon City
Contributed photo
A group of ATV riders make their way through
a wooded area of the Morrow-Grant County
OHV Park. Local officials have expressed sup-
port for allowing ATVs on designated routes
on state highways within Grant County.
offered a helping hand to Camp Fire survivors
in Butte County, California. It was a devastat-
ing wildfire that killed 86, destroyed 13,900
homes and displaced 50,000 residents. The
Foxes started a fundraiser in November 2018,
and many Grant County residents and busi-
nesses contributed.
Silvies Valley Ranch caught the atten-
tion of golfing professionals and publications
across the U.S. Silvies was recognized by two
nationwide magazines, and the resort’s chef
was given a top award by the Oregon Beef
Council.
The Dayville School Board planned to ask
voters to approve a $700,000 bond for school
improvements in the May election.
Prairie City Cemetery saw improvements
and had plans for more improvements in the
future such as a Marciel Drilling rig that will
install an irrigation well for the cemetery.
Officer Zachary D. Carpenter received his
police officer certification Jan. 23 at the Ore-
gon Department of Public Safety Standards
Training in Salem.
FEBRUARY
A new program supporting local veterans
with coffee, haircuts, counseling and more was
offered.
The Oregon Department of Transportation
took extra time to protect fish in Canyon Creek
during a flood mitigation project.
After 11 years as the Grant County Eco-
nomic Development Coordinator, Sally Bart-
lett left for a new job, and Allison Field took
the position.
Prairie City was awarded a $1 million
emergency grant that could be used to offset a
state loan to develop the Fainman Springs well
site and the cost of hauling water during the
Eagle file photo
Grant County veterans join together for
coffee on Wednesdays at the John Day Elks
Lodge 1824. On Jan. 30, from left, Josh
Parker of John Day (Coast Guard), Bob Van
Voorhis of John Day (Army) and Greg Ford of
Bend (Navy) attended.
water emergency in 2018.
The John Day-Canyon City Parks and Rec-
reation District was awarded a $243,083 grant
from the state Parks and Recreation Depart-
ment. The money was planned to be used for a
new kiddie park, splash pad and exercise sta-
tion at the Seventh Street Complex in John
Day.
See Review, Page A3
City addresses concerns about fees, taxes
By Rudy Diaz
Blue Mountain Eagle
As the John Day City Council
began to wrap up the last meeting
of 2019, a county resident raised
his hand with concerns.
Steve A. Parsons of Mt. Ver-
non asked a variety of question
regarding grants, taxes and the
job duties of John Day City Man-
ager Nick Green.
“It’s a lot easier coming into
a meeting and asking questions
than just hearing rumors on the
streets,” Parsons said. “That’s the
reason why I came tonight.”
Parsons asked if writing, man-
aging and collecting administra-
tive fees from grants were part of
Green’s job — and whether the
1% administrative fee the council
agreed to pay to Green from the
proceeds from successful grants
was ethical. He asked if Green
worked on the grants during his
office hours.
Green said these grants require
work during his office hours and
at home.
“We’ve been awarded 23
grants, and it’s a lot of extra
time,” he said.
Councilor Shannon Adair said,
if the city didn’t have Green work-
ing on grants, it would have to
pay somebody else for the work,
which would cost more than the
1% administrative fee.
“When we hired (Green), that
was not a part of what we hired
him to do,” said John Day Mayor
See Concerns, Page A5
The Eagle/Rudy Diaz
City Manager Nick Green talks about the ongoing projects in John Day as
Mayor Ron Lundbom looks through the agenda for more information on
Dec. 10.